Chapter 1

FREYA

“ I swear, you’re the luckiest girl in the world?” Claire teased. She was my best friend, and I loved her to the moon. Entwining her arm with mine as we stepped out onto the balcony.

“You’re marrying into the wealthiest, most famous, and influential family in all the kingdoms. How does that feel?”

“Claire!” I laughed, letting the gentle breeze play with my hair.

 “I’m not marrying the family; I’m marrying Darren,” I corrected her, a dreamy look spreading across my face as I leaned over the balcony railing.

She scoffed, shaking her head. “You’re going to be known as Mrs. Shadow-Moon. That’s more than just Darren. I’m so happy for you. You deserve this happiness…” Her tone softened, and she muttered, " If only your Mom is here to witness this moment."  I knew she loved my mother, who passed away two years ago.

I sighed and said nothing. The mention of her brought a lump to my throat, and my eyes stung with unshed tears. But I quickly pushed the sadness aside. Tonight wasn’t about mourning, it was about celebrating gains.

Tonight, when the full moon rose, I’d marry my true mate, Darren Shadow-Moon. My heart was filled with anticipation of the thought. I looked out over the crowd, and a familiar figure caught my eye. My distraction didn’t go unnoticed by Claire.

“Isn’t that Darren?” she asked, leaning forward.

I nodded, unable to speak for a moment.

“Come on, let’s go say hello. And before you give me the whole ‘it’s bad luck to see the groom before the ceremony’ spiel, I don’t believe in that nonsense.” She laughed and dragged me inside before I could protest.

When we approached Darren, I noticed he wasn’t alone. Thalia Rosewood, his best friend, stood close to him, his arm casually draped over her shoulders. A pang of jealousy shot through me despite the countless reassurances he’d given me about their relationship. I trusted Darren, but I couldn’t help how my heart clenched at their closeness.

“Darren,” I called softly when he hadn’t yet noticed us.

He turned, a broad smile lighting up his face. “Freya, are we supposed to see each other tonight? Isn’t it bad luck?” he teased, making my cheeks warm.

Before I could respond, Claire stepped forward. “Oh my goddess! I can’t believe I’m meeting you! I’m Claire, Freya’s best and only friend.”

“Hey!” I chided, embarrassed but laughed along with them.

“Excuse me,” Thalia muttered, stepping out of Darren’s hold. Her sudden quietness wasn’t new—she always seemed to retreat whenever I was around. I watched her walk away, Darren’s gaze following her.

“Darren…” I reached for his wrist to get his attention, but he shifted at the same moment, and my hand fell back. It wasn’t intentional, but the sting of rejection hit me all the same. The bond made everything feel sharper.

“Sorry, Freya. I need to make sure she’s okay. I’ll see you later,” he said distractedly before jogging after Thalia.

Claire huffed beside me. “Okay, who is she? Is that the ‘best friend’ you were talking about? Are they hooking up or something?”

“Claire,” I groaned. “They’re just friends. People can have friends of the opposite gender, you know.”

“They seem awfully close for ‘just friends.’ Have you told him how uncomfortable this makes you? You’re getting married in a few hours…”

“We’ve talked about it, and he’s assured me there’s nothing between them. Besides, she seemed upset. Going after her was the right thing to do. We have the rest of our lives for it to be just us.”

Claire looked skeptical.  

 "Why do you think she’s upset? She was alright until you showed up; there’s something that a  mate of yours isn’t telling you.” Grabbing my shoulders, she twisted me around to face her. “I know you’re so sweet, innocent, and trusting; you give people the benefit of the doubt even when they don’t deserve it. Your mate shouldn’t be putting his best friend above you; no matter the circumstances, you should always…” She trailed off, her eyes widening as she saw Linnet Shadow-Moon Darren's sister.

Before I could respond, Linnet, approached us. Her icy glare sent a shiver down my spine. From the moment I met her, she had made it clear she didn’t approve of me. In her eyes, I was a gold-digger unworthy of their family name.

“Hello,” I greeted her politely, though my nerves made my voice tremble.

“Some fiancée you are,” she hissed. “Letting your friend dissuade your mate. I knew you didn’t love Darren—you’re just like everyone else, after our money!”

“What? No! Claire wasn’t disrespecting Darren; we were just talking…” I tried to explain, but Linnet cut me off.

“Are you calling me deaf?” she snapped, her voice rising. “How dare you, you good-for-nothing, poor social climber!”

Her words cut deep, and I glanced around, noticing the attention we were attracting. “Linnet, I’m sorry,” I said, hoping to diffuse the situation.“

“Sorry?” Claire interjected. “She has nothing to apologize for! You have no right to talk to her like that. Freya’s your brother’s mate, not your servant.”

“Claire, please. You’re not helping,” I whispered, desperate to calm things down.

Linnet’s expression darkened. “I don’t blame you, Freya. I blame my brother for not knowing the difference between a cheap, gold-digging whore and someone who actually deserves to be part of this family.”

Her words hit me like a slap,

 To her, I was nothing but a gold digger looking to climb up the wealthy ladder by marrying her brother, even though we were mates. Also, she pointed out that I didn’t fit into their world; despite being the daughter of an Alpha, it felt like a slap.    

 I’ve always known my pack wasn’t wealthy or rich, but we were comfortable. I had to face the cold reality that outsiders considered us poor. It’s okay, too; it’s a life I wouldn’t trade for anything else. It’s cozy and homely, and the people know each other and look after each other, unlike the other packs.    

“Linnet, please stop! You’re being mean. There’s no reason for you to call me names, and I’ve already apologized for whatever I said that offended you—”  

 Before I could knew it, she threw her drink in my face, which shut me up, and left my words hanging in the air.

“Shove that apology up your ass,” she sneered before storming off, leaving me humiliated and fighting tears as murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Claire immediately tried to help, dabbing at my face with a napkin. “This won’t do. Let’s get this cleaned up.”

“No, I’ll do it myself, and please, I want to be alone,” I said quietly, retreating into the pack house. I needed a moment alone to process what just happened.

As I passed my father’s office, I noticed the light was on. Curious, I moved closer, intending to switch it off, but stopped when I heard voices—my father’s and Darren’s father’s. My heart sank as I pressed my ear to the door.

“I’m telling you, the land is not for sale,” my father said, his voice tight with anger. “This is my pack’s home, and it’s been in our family for generations.”

“You don’t have a choice, Alpha Jordan,” Darren’s father replied coldly. “Sell it to us, or we’ll take it by force. Don’t you want your daughter’s marriage to remain intact?”

Shock rippled through me. What was this? What is going on?