Chapter 3

The great hall had never felt more suffocating. Every breath seemed to catch in my throat as Maurice's voice boomed across the assembled pack, his words falling like hammer blows on my carefully constructed plans.

"My son will mate with Celeste Moonridge, daughter of Alpha Theron of the Moonstone Pack." Maurice's triumphant smile stretched wide as murmurs rippled through the crowd. "This alliance will secure our eastern borders and strengthen both our territories against rogue threats."

I pressed myself deeper into the shadows near the back wall, my fingers unconsciously tracing the scar on my wrist as I watched Austin's reaction. He stood beside his father's ornate chair, his face a perfect mask of composure, but I caught the almost imperceptible tightening around his eyes. The same eyes that had looked into mine during our moonlit run, that had whispered *mine* through our wolf connection.

The jealousy that slammed into me was so fierce it nearly drove me to my knees. This wasn't supposed to happen. Austin was supposed to be my weapon, my path to revenge—not the source of this raw, desperate ache clawing at my chest.

"The ceremony will take place in one month's time," Maurice continued, his gaze sweeping the hall with satisfaction. "Celeste arrives tomorrow for the formal courtship period. I expect every pack member to show her the respect due to our future Luna."

Future Luna. The words echoed in my mind like a death knell. My mother stood rigid beside Maurice's chair, her face carefully blank, but I saw her fingers tremble slightly where they rested against her skirt. She understood what this meant—Austin's mating would cement Maurice's power, making my revenge infinitely more difficult.

"Austin," Maurice's voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. "Step forward and accept this honor."

Every eye in the hall turned to watch as Austin moved with that predatory grace I'd come to know so well. His amber gaze swept the crowd, lingering for just a heartbeat on my shadowed corner before he faced his father.

"I accept," he said, his voice carrying clearly across the stone walls. "For the good of Silverfang Pack."

The formal words should have been a relief—proof that Austin was just another arrogant Alpha heir, easily manipulated and ultimately disposable. Instead, they felt like claws raking down my soul.

As the assembly began to disperse, I caught Austin's eye one more time. Something flickered in those amber depths—regret, determination, or perhaps both. Then he was turning away, following Maurice toward the private chambers where they would no doubt discuss the political advantages of this union.

I remained in the shadows long after the hall emptied, my mind racing. This changed everything. An arranged mating would make Austin untouchable, his loyalty to his father unquestionable. Unless...

Unless I could make him choose.

---

The next morning brought chaos disguised as ceremony. Servants scurried through the pack house, preparing for Celeste's arrival with the kind of frantic energy that spoke of Maurice's exacting standards. I moved among them like a ghost, carrying linens and polishing silver while my ears strained for any useful information.

"The Moonstone wolves will arrive by midday," I heard Beta Marcus tell one of the senior warriors. "Alpha Maurice wants full honors—formation greeting, ceremonial weapons, the works."

By the time the sun reached its peak, the entire pack had assembled in the main courtyard. Warriors stood at attention in their formal leathers, while the rest of us formed neat rows behind them. Maurice occupied the place of honor on the stone steps, resplendent in his ceremonial robes, with Austin at his right hand.

Austin had chosen his finest clothes—black leather that emphasized his powerful build, silver clasps that caught the sunlight. He looked every inch the Alpha heir, but I noticed the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands remained carefully still at his sides.

The sound of approaching horses echoed off the courtyard walls, and then they appeared—a delegation of Moonstone wolves in pristine white and silver. At their head rode a young woman who could only be Celeste.

She was beautiful in the way of political marriages—perfectly groomed, elegantly dressed, with the kind of practiced smile that spoke of years of diplomatic training. Her auburn hair gleamed in the sunlight, and when she dismounted with fluid grace, every movement spoke of breeding and refinement.

"Welcome to Silverfang territory," Maurice boomed, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "We are honored by your presence, future daughter."

Celeste inclined her head with just the right degree of respect. "The honor is mine, Alpha Maurice. I come bearing my father's hopes for a prosperous alliance."

As the formal greetings continued, I found myself studying Austin's face. He watched Celeste with polite attention, but there was no warmth in his expression, no spark of interest. When she approached him with that practiced smile, he stepped forward to greet her—

And deliberately moved closer to where I stood among the servants.

The shift was subtle, barely noticeable unless you were watching for it. But suddenly Austin was close enough that I could catch his scent, that intoxicating mix of cedarwood and storms that made my wolf whimper with longing. His shoulder brushed mine as he extended his hand to Celeste, and the brief contact sent fire racing through my veins.

"Lady Celeste," Austin said formally, his voice carrying just the right note of courtesy. "Welcome to our territory."

But his eyes—his eyes flickered to mine for just an instant, and in that stolen moment, I saw everything he couldn't say aloud. The conflict, the longing, the desperate wish that things could be different.

Celeste's smile faltered slightly as she glanced between Austin and me, her sharp gaze taking in our proximity with obvious displeasure. "Thank you, Alpha Austin. I look forward to... getting to know you better."

The threat in her words was subtle but unmistakable. She'd noticed Austin's deliberate positioning, and she didn't like it.

Maurice's voice boomed across the courtyard again, but I barely heard the words. All my attention was focused on the dangerous game unfolding before me. Austin was making his disinterest obvious, practically broadcasting his rejection of this arranged mating.

And Maurice was watching everything with those calculating eyes, his expression growing darker by the moment as he took in his son's behavior.

As the ceremony concluded and the crowd began to disperse, I caught Maurice's gaze fixed on me with predatory intensity. He'd seen Austin's subtle rebellion, understood exactly what—or who—was causing it.

The hunt was about to begin.