Chapter 2

The full moon bathed the clearing in silver light as I stood among my fellow warriors, still feeling the phantom pain of my wounds beneath the ceremonial jacket. The pack celebration was in full swing, drums beating in rhythm with my heart as wolves danced around the bonfire. I should have been at the center of it all, celebrating our victory against the rogues. Instead, I found myself at the periphery, watching as my world crumbled before my eyes.

Ryan stood tall on the ceremonial platform, his Alpha aura radiating power that once made my heart race. Now it just made my stomach churn. Beside him was Ashley Parker, her blonde hair gleaming in the moonlight, her smile triumphant as she accepted congratulations from pack members who had never even seen her fight.

"She's certainly making herself at home," Elias murmured beside me, his loyalty evident in the way he'd barely left my side since the announcement.

"She's welcome to it," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. But inside, my wolf was pacing, growling, furious at the betrayal.

The music shifted to a slower rhythm, and Ryan extended his hand to Ashley. My breath caught as they moved to the center of the clearing. Through our mate bond—a connection I'd cherished for five years—I felt a surge of emotion from him. Not guilt. Not regret. But pride. Pride in Ashley.

The sting of betrayal was physical, like salt in my still-healing wounds. I watched as he twirled her under the moonlight, his hands lingering on her waist, his smile wider than any he'd given me in months. Each step they took together sent shards of pain through our bond.

"Victoria," Elias whispered, concern etching his features. "Your eyes..."

I blinked, realizing my wolf was too close to the surface, my emotions threatening to expose what I'd kept hidden for so long.

"I'm fine," I lied, forcing my wolf back down.

As Ryan and Ashley completed their dance, something caught the moonlight around her neck—a flash of silver that drew my attention like a beacon. She approached a group of female pack members, deliberately tilting her head to display the necklace.

"A gift from our Alpha," she announced loudly enough for me to hear. "Isn't it exquisite?"

My warrior instincts, honed through years of combat, allowed me to see details others might miss. The intricate pattern. The unique silver sheen. The distinctive curve that once formed part of a crown.

My mother's Luna crown.

The world tilted beneath my feet. That crown was the only thing I had left of my mother, the Lycan Queen. It was priceless, irreplaceable—a royal heirloom that Ryan had always known was sacred to me.

And he had melted it down for her.

"Victoria?" Elias's voice seemed distant as blood rushed in my ears.

Without a word, I strode toward the ceremonial pavilion, pack members parting before me like water. I could feel my aura shifting, the careful control I'd maintained for five years beginning to slip as royal Lycan power surged through my veins.

Ryan saw me coming, his expression shifting from celebration to wariness. Good. He should be afraid.

"Alpha," I said, my voice carrying across the suddenly quiet clearing. "I request a private audience."

His eyes narrowed, darting to Ashley, who had moved protectively closer to him. "Whatever you have to say can wait, Victoria. We're celebrating."

"It cannot wait," I insisted, my gaze fixed on the necklace at Ashley's throat—my mother's legacy, desecrated.

Ryan's jaw tightened. He stepped forward, his Alpha aura flaring aggressively. "I said, it can wait."

The command hit me like a physical blow—an Alpha command, meant to force submission. Five years ago, it might have worked. But not tonight. Not after everything.

"Ryan," I said, my voice dangerously soft as I felt something ancient and powerful stirring within me. "What have you done with my mother's crown?"

His eyes widened slightly—the first genuine reaction I'd seen from him all night. Then his expression hardened, and he raised his voice for all to hear.

"As your Alpha, I command you to stand down and return to your place."

The bond between us trembled as my wolf rose to meet his challenge, royal blood singing in my veins. In that moment, I knew nothing would ever be the same again.