Chapter 2

The night air was cool as Derek and I stepped out of the ballroom.

Derek let go of my hand and pulled a clean handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to me. "Here, wipe your hands."

I took the handkerchief and wiped the blood from my hands. "Don't you want to know how I found out Lucian's secret?"

"Doesn't matter," he replied casually, his gray eyes deep as the moonlit night. "A lunatic is more useful than a worthless fool. And you? You're just crazy enough."

He turned, his coat swirling in the night wind, and disappeared into the darkness at the end of the alley.

I gripped the handkerchief, still warm with his presence.

The first step of my revenge was complete.

*****

Winterfell was barren and desolate, perpetually cloaked in gray fog.

As soon as the carriage stopped, werewolves of the Winterfell Pack surrounded us.

Their eyes were like knives—filled with scrutiny, contempt, and undisguised hostility.

Leading them was the Beta, Roderick Dalton, his face covered in scars and built like a tank.

He looked me up and down, his brow furrowed tight. "Alpha, this is the woman you brought back?"

Roderick's voice was gruff, and he showed no respect at all. "She can't even shift into wolf form, and her bloodline's weaker than a half-dead kitten.

"Did the Central Pack dump their garbage on us?"

Whispers rippled through the crowd. "So that's Elena? She doesn't even look as tough as the she-wolf in my family."

"Did Alpha get duped? Seriously, what else does this woman have going for her besides her looks?"

I opened my palm and activated my Lunar bloodline.

Lunar light flickered in my hand for a split second before it was snuffed out.

But in that brief moment, I saw something shift in Roderick's eyes. He'd caught that glow, too.

Damn it. The seal Lucian put on me in my previous life was still there, holding me back to just ten percent of my real power.

But I didn't panic.

Ten percent was enough.

I took my time smoothing out my skirt, not even sparing Roderick a glance.

"Beta Dalton." I lifted my head, my eyes cold as ice as I met his gaze. "Before you question me, maybe you should read the latest battle reports from the Central Pack."

Roderick blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Last month, the Gray Wolf Pack raided a Winterfell border outpost, and seven of your warriors died, right?"

Roderick's expression shifted. "How do you know that? That's classified!"

"Because the one leading that raid was Walter."

I smirked. "He's lying under my bedroom floor now, playing dead."

Everyone broke into an uproar.

Roderick drew his blade in a flash. "Where is he?"

"Relax," I said, dusting off my skirt. "He's not dead, just out cold. I dragged him here after knocking him out. I've picked up a few souvenirs while I was at it."

I pulled a blood-stained letter from my spatial ring. "This is a secret letter Walter was carrying, signed by the Gray Wolf Pack's Alpha.

"It says that in three days, they're planning to join forces with the Red Wolf Pack and hit Winterfell's granary during the full moon."

I tossed the letter to Roderick.

He caught it, gave it a quick look, and his expression changed instantly.

When he looked at me again, his hostility had melted into shock. "How... How did you manage that?"

"This is real capability," I said lazily, sweeping my gaze over the crowd. "Winterfell doesn't need more muscle. It needs some smarts.

"Your Alpha chose me, so mind your tongues and keep an eye on your granary."

With that, I strode right past the dumbfounded crowd and headed for the main house.

I had barely taken a few steps when a soft chuckle sounded behind me.

Derek was already standing on the steps with a bottle in his hand, gray eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Under your bedroom floor?" He arched a brow.

"What else?" I shrugged. "I mean, I couldn't really let him crash under my bed, could I?"

Derek chuckled and strolled over.

He casually brushed some imaginary dust off my shoulder. "Nice job.

"Next time, leave the dirty work to Roderick."

"No." I shook my head. "You gotta know your enemy and yourself if you want to win every fight."

"Besides..." I leaned in, lowering my voice, my breath brushing against his jaw. "I want you to see just how 'crazy' I can get."

Derek's eyes grew darker as he swallowed.

He suddenly grabbed my chin, his thumb brushing over my lips. "Girl, you're playing with fire."

I smiled, swatting his hand away. "The fire hasn't even started yet, Alpha."

*****

That night, I set up a little game.

Roderick wasn't convinced, so I challenged him to a duel in the Winterfell Mistwood.

The deal was simple. If he could find me in the mist, I'd do whatever he said.

Roderick strutted into the Winterfell Mistwood confidently.

Ten minutes later, he was lost.

Twenty minutes later, he was hanging from a tree, caught in one of my traps.

I sat on a tree branch, legs swinging, with a blade of grass between my teeth. "So, Beta Dalton, you giving in yet?"

"Alright, you win," he grumbled.

I hopped down and sliced the rope. "You know why you lost?

"Because you only believe in brute force, not brains.

"And if Winterfell wants to survive, muscle alone is not enough."

Roderick stayed silent for a long time. Then, he dropped to one knee. "Ms. Moonshadow, I admit defeat."

From then on, Roderick became my first trusted subordinate in Winterfell.

The full moon was a wild party for the werewolves, but it was also a curse.

For Derek, it was pure hell.