Chapter 1

The night before Kamryn Rose was supposed to formally accept her mate bond with Evan Washington, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, she was ambushed by a group of rogues.

They shattered her legs, scarred her face, and left her broken and pleading by the edge of the forest. The pain was excruciating, but the betrayal that followed was worse. As she drifted in and out of consciousness, she caught a glimpse of a pack-wide announcement broadcasted on the pack’s communication network—Evan Washington, her mate, had bonded with her childhood friend, Rosalie Bishop.

In her darkest moment, Bryan Smith, the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack and her childhood companion, arrived with a group of warriors to rescue her. His presence was commanding, his aura radiating authority as he barked orders to his men. Yet, when he knelt beside her, his voice softened.

At her bedside in the pack’s healing center, Bryan knelt before her, his broad frame towering even in his humility. His voice was steady, but there was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes.

“No matter how you change, I will always love you,” he vowed, his tone carrying the weight of a promise. He swore to bring the rogues to justice, using his position as Beta to ensure they faced the harshest punishment. He even sought out Dr. Henry Rice, the most renowned healer in the werewolf world, to treat her injuries.

Three years later, Kamryn held a pregnancy report in her hands as she returned home early from her duties in the pack. Outside the study, she overheard Bryan speaking with Griffin Richards, a Delta of the Silver Moon Pack.

“I heard you knelt outside Dr. Henry Rice’s den for a whole day to convince him to treat Kamryn’s legs,” Griffin said, his tone laced with curiosity.

Bryan’s voice was cold, devoid of the warmth Kamryn had come to associate with him. “Rosalie wanted to bond with Alpha Evan, so I cleared the path for her.”

Griffin sighed. “You three grew up together in the foster pack. Bryan, you’re sentimental—sending one to a high-ranking position and bonding with another to give her status.”

“I’ve heard Dr. Henry Rice is convinced and will see Kamryn in three days,” Bryan replied, his tone softening slightly. “I do owe Kamryn. I’ll take care of her for life.”

Griffin sounded uneasy. “Those rogues you hired have returned recently. They might be looking for trouble.”

Bryan let out a low, chilling laugh, a sound Kamryn had never heard from him before. “Don’t worry. I’ve prepared a final resting place for them; they won’t harm Kamryn again.”

Kamryn clutched the test results, her knuckles white. She took several deep breaths, her wolf stirring uneasily in the back of her mind, and silently wheeled herself out of the house.

She arrived at the riverbank, a place that had once been a sanctuary for her. The water churned violently, mirroring the storm within her. Tears streamed down her face as she remembered the promise they had made here when they were young—that they would be family forever, that they would support each other, no matter what.

After Bryan rose to the rank of Beta, he had bought a den nearby, declaring it their eternal home, a place of refuge. But now, the biggest betrayal had come from the person she had once called family.

She remembered the flicker of guilt in Bryan’s eyes when he had rescued her. She had always thought it was because he felt he had arrived too late, leaving her to suffer. Now, she understood the truth—the humiliation, the pain, it had all been orchestrated by him.

She crumpled the test result into a ball and threw it into the river, watching it swiftly carried away by the current, just like her gratitude and love for Bryan.

Just as she pulled her hand back, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Bryan approaching, his broad shoulders and muscular frame casting a shadow over her. He held a coat in his hands and carefully wrapped it around her, adjusting the hood with a tenderness that felt like a cruel mockery.

“What did you just throw?” he asked casually, his deep voice calm.

“Nothing, just some discarded notes,” she replied, her tone dismissive.

Bryan lightly patted her shoulder, his touch firm yet gentle. “If you’re too tired, take a break. I’ll always be your strongest support.”

Kamryn smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying his words.

“Don’t doubt me,” he added, as if sensing her hesitation.

As if eager to prove himself, Bryan knelt down, his powerful frame towering even in his humility. He gently touched her legs, his voice tender yet resolute. “Kamryn, Dr. Henry Rice will be here in three days to see your legs. I want to see you stand up and run like you used to.”

Kamryn looked into his eyes, her own filled with a mixture of pain and resolve. She nodded slightly, her heart heavy with the weight of the truth she now carried.