Chapter 2

The morning sun felt like a mockery against my skin as I made my way back to pack territory. Every step through the familiar paths seemed heavier than the last, Luna's restless energy from the night before having settled into a dull, persistent ache in my chest. The scent of betrayal still clung to my memory—that cloying floral smell mixed with Massimo's pine and earth that had made my wolf whimper in distress.

I needed answers. Eight years of believing in our bond, eight years of preparing to be his Luna, couldn't be destroyed by a single ceremony and a possessive touch. There had to be an explanation.

But as I approached the pack house, something felt different. The usual warm greetings from pack members were absent. Marcus, who always stopped to chat about border patrol schedules, barely glanced my way before hurrying past. Sarah, one of the younger she-wolves I'd been mentoring in Luna duties, actually crossed to the other side of the path when she saw me coming.

Luna stirred uneasily beneath my skin. *They smell... uncertain,* she whispered, her voice still raw from last night's anguish. *Afraid.*

"Claire." Elder Gideon's voice stopped me just outside the main entrance. His weathered face bore an expression I'd never seen directed at me before—pity mixed with something that looked almost like disappointment. "Perhaps you should speak with Alpha Massimo about... recent developments."

Recent developments. The words hit me like ice water. "What developments?"

But he was already walking away, his shoulders rigid with the kind of discomfort that came from knowing something he couldn't—or wouldn't—share.

I pushed through the heavy oak doors, my heart hammering against my ribs. The pack house felt different too, like the very walls were holding secrets. I made my way to the administrative wing, where pack records were kept, thinking I might find some clue about what everyone seemed to know except me.

What I found made my blood run cold.

My training scores, which had consistently ranked in the top tier for years, now showed steady decline over the past months. Combat assessments that I remembered acing were marked as "needs improvement." My contributions to pack strategy meetings—meetings where Massimo had praised my insights—were noted as "disruptive" and "showing concerning instability."

Every single record had been altered. Systematically. Methodically.

Luna snarled inside me, her silver-grey presence flaring with outrage. *Lies,* she growled. *All lies.*

My hands shook as I flipped through page after page of falsified records. Someone had been very busy, very thorough, and very careful to make it look like I was becoming unfit for Luna status. The handwriting in the margins was neat, feminine, and achingly familiar.

Valeria.

"Oh, Claire." Her voice was like honey laced with poison. I spun around to find her standing in the doorway, her dark hair perfectly styled, wearing a dress that was far too elegant for a regular pack member. "I was hoping we could talk."

She moved into the room with a confidence that made my skin crawl, her scent—that same cloying floral smell from last night—filling the space between us. "I know this must be... difficult for you to understand."

"Understand what?" My voice came out steadier than I felt.

Her smile was practiced, sympathetic, and utterly false. "The pack is concerned about you, Claire. Your recent behavior, the way your wolf has been... unstable. Some wolves simply aren't meant for the pressures of Luna status."

Luna roared inside me, demanding to be released, demanding to show this pretender exactly how stable we were. But I held her back, needing to hear more, needing to understand the full scope of what was happening.

"These records—"

"Reflect the truth," Valeria interrupted smoothly. "I know it's hard to accept, but sometimes we have to acknowledge our limitations. Massimo needs a strong Luna, someone who can handle the responsibilities without... breaking under pressure."

The casual way she said his name, like she had every right to speak for him, made something dangerous unfurl in my chest. "And you think that's you?"

Her hand moved to her stomach in a gesture that was meant to look unconscious but felt entirely calculated. "I think I'm what the pack needs right now. What Massimo needs."

The implication hit me like a physical blow. Luna went deadly still inside me, her presence suddenly sharp and focused like a blade. Valeria's scent, the way she stood, the protective gesture toward her stomach—it all painted a picture I didn't want to see.

"You're lying," I whispered, but even as I said it, doubt crept in. The altered records, the pack's changed behavior, Massimo's distance—it all fit together in a pattern that made my heart feel like it was being torn apart.

Valeria's smile widened, showing teeth. "Am I? Perhaps you should ask yourself why Massimo hasn't been sharing your bed lately. Why he's been so... distracted during your conversations. Some truths are harder to face than others, Claire."

She turned to leave, then paused at the doorway. "Oh, and Claire? Combat training starts in an hour. I've taken the liberty of adjusting your assignments to better suit your... current capabilities."

The door closed behind her with a soft click that sounded like a death knell. I stood alone among the falsified records, Luna's anguished whimper echoing through my bones, finally understanding that the woman I'd helped, the rogue I'd championed, had been systematically destroying my life from the inside.

And somehow, impossibly, Massimo was letting her.