Chapter 1

The morning air bit at my skin as I stepped out of my car at the Sterling Pack border gate. Dawn had barely broken, casting long shadows across the gravel parking area where pack members had gathered in anxious clusters. I smoothed down my black dress—the one Marcus had once said made me look elegant—and tried to ignore the knot of dread in my stomach.

News had spread quickly through pack links: Alpha Marcus had been detained after a violent skirmish with rogue wolves. As his Luna—at least in title—I should have been informed immediately. Instead, I'd learned about it through whispers from the kitchen staff.

"He'll be released soon," a warrior muttered nearby, not bothering to acknowledge my presence. "Alpha Marcus showed those rogues who controls this territory."

I stood apart from the others, a familiar isolation settling over me like a second skin. No one met my eyes. No one offered information. I was the Luna that wasn't a Luna—a ghost in my own pack.

A patrol wagon approached, dust billowing behind its wheels. My heart quickened. Despite everything, some foolish part of me still hoped that in moments of crisis, Marcus might remember the sacred bond we shared.

The vehicle stopped. Marcus emerged first, his powerful frame unfolding from the doorway. Even disheveled from the night's confrontation, he commanded attention, his Alpha aura pulsing with undimmed authority. I took a step forward, relief washing through me that he was unharmed.

"Marcus," I called softly, my voice nearly lost in the morning breeze.

He didn't even glance my way. Instead, his eyes locked on a figure pushing through the crowd—Isabella, her copper hair gleaming in the early light, wearing a dress that clung to every curve.

"Baby," she purred, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I was so worried."

Marcus pulled her into a possessive embrace, his large hands splaying across her back as he buried his face in her neck, inhaling deeply. "Nothing to worry about," he rumbled. "Just putting some mangy rogues in their place."

I froze mid-step, the familiar ache of rejection spreading through my chest. Around me, warriors and their mates exchanged knowing glances. Some looked embarrassed. Others smirked. None were surprised.

I stood there, invisible, as Marcus kept one arm around Isabella while greeting his Beta and Gamma. They discussed the night's events, strategizing about border patrols and territory markers. I hovered at the edge of the circle, desperately trying to look like I belonged.

Finally, Marcus's gaze swept over me, registering my presence with the barest flicker of acknowledgment. The conversation halted.

"Victoria," he said, his deep voice carrying the unmistakable resonance of an Alpha command. "Fetch coffee for Isabella and me."

The words hit like a physical blow. Fetch. Like a dog. Not "Would you mind getting coffee?" Not even a simple "please." A command—in front of the entire assembled pack.

My wolf whimpered inside me, confused and hurt. This man was our mate. The one chosen by the Moon Goddess herself. Yet he treated us like we were nothing.

"Of course, Alpha," I murmured, the formal title tasting bitter on my tongue.

I walked to the small border station, feeling dozens of eyes on my back. Inside, I poured two cups with trembling hands, adding the exact amount of cream Isabella preferred. As I carefully balanced the drinks, I caught my reflection in the station's small mirror—pale face, hollow eyes, the shadow of the woman I once was.

Outside, I handed the coffees to Marcus and Isabella, keeping my gaze lowered. Isabella took hers with a smirk.

"Thank you, little Omega," she said sweetly, the pack title a deliberate insult to my Luna status.

Murmurs rippled through the gathered pack members. Warriors shifted uncomfortably. Omegas averted their eyes, recognizing the humiliation being inflicted on me—one that mirrored their own daily experiences.

I stood there, coffee warming my palms, as Marcus dismissed me with a flick of his fingers. "You can go now. We have pack business to discuss."

I nodded, backing away, my chest so tight I could barely breathe. As I turned to leave, I heard Isabella's lilting laugh and Marcus's low chuckle in response.

"Need a ride home, Luna?" It was James, Marcus's Beta, his expression unreadable.

"No, thank you," I replied softly. "I have my car."

I didn't tell him that home was the last place I wanted to go. I didn't tell him that with each passing day, the Sterling Pack manor felt less like a home and more like a prison. But from the fleeting sympathy in his eyes, I wondered if he already knew.

What I didn't realize then, as I drove away from the border gate, was that the humiliation at the pack border was only the beginning of what awaited me that day.