Chapter 3

Noemi’s eyes brimmed with tears as she turned to Alpha Shepherd. “Alpha, she hurt my sister,” she accused, her voice trembling with false innocence.

Shepherd stood frozen, his expression numb, his hands hanging limply at his sides. He turned to me, guilt flickering in his dark eyes. “Brinley, I didn’t mean to…”

Calliope, standing beside him, let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Is this how the Alpha of the Larson Pack treats his mate? Even after rejection, he’s still tied to his former Luna?”

“If that’s the case, we’re certainly not interested,” she added, her voice dripping with disdain.

“We come from respectable families,” Noemi chimed in, her gaze sliding to me with a sneer. “We wouldn’t stoop to being the other woman. Unlike some who can’t move on after being rejected. Is this the dignity the Moon Goddess bestowed upon us?”

Shepherd’s jaw tightened, his Alpha aura flaring as he turned to me. “Brinley, you owe Calliope and Noemi an apology.”

The snow began to fall in thick, heavy flakes, clinging to my hair and the fur of Buddy, my loyal wolf. I held him tightly, feeling his small body grow rigid and cold in my arms.

My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I met Shepherd’s gaze with defiance. “They killed Buddy,” I said, my voice trembling with rage and grief.

Killed my companion, the last connection to my mother, the one who had been by my side since I was a child.

For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of pain in Shepherd’s eyes, but Noemi stepped forward, clutching Calliope’s arm protectively. “Alpha, that wolf attacked my sister first! We were only defending ourselves.”

Anger surged through me, hot and unrelenting. Buddy was gentle, kind—he would never attack anyone without provocation.

Shepherd leaned down to inspect Calliope’s hand, his Alpha aura softening as he spoke. “Does it hurt?”

Calliope turned her face away, her expression stubborn. “What does it matter if it hurts? The one who caused it gets off without consequences.”

Shepherd’s voice was gentle, almost indulgent. “What do you want, my dear?”

Calliope’s eyes gleamed with cruelty as she looked at me. “Since your former Luna shares such a bond with the beast, why not let her spend the night in the kennel?”

Without hesitation, Shepherd nodded. “If it makes you happy, then it’s done.”

Calliope’s lips curled into a triumphant smile, and Shepherd couldn’t tear his gaze away from her.

He turned to Andre, his Beta, who stood nearby, his expression conflicted. “Are you waiting for an invitation to follow Calliope’s orders?”

Andre hesitated, his voice shaking. “But, Alpha, it’s freezing outside. The Luna, she…”

Calliope’s face darkened, and she spun on her heel. “Even the Betas only listen to her. How can I believe she’ll treat us with respect in the future?”

Shepherd hurried after her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Alright, everything will be as you wish,” he said, his voice soothing.

He shot a glare at Andre, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. “Do as she says!”

I struggled against the hands that dragged me toward the kennel, but it was no use. The cold bit into my skin as I was shoved inside, the iron bars slamming shut behind me.

Noemi picked up Buddy by the tail, her smile sickeningly sweet as she turned to Shepherd. “Alpha, in this cold, how about a hearty stew to celebrate our new place? What do you say?”

My heart lurched, and I gripped the bars of the cage, my voice breaking. “No! Please! Alpha Shepherd, don’t do this to Buddy!”

I dropped to my knees inside the cage, bowing my head over and over, begging him to spare Buddy. But Shepherd was too entranced by Calliope, blowing warm breath onto her hands, his attention completely consumed by her.

He didn’t spare me a glance as he led Calliope by the waist and Noemi by the hand into the manor, their laughter echoing in the night.

I called his name over and over, my voice raw and desperate, but it was swallowed by the darkness.

I don’t remember when I lost consciousness from the cold, but the scent of stew reached me when I awoke, a cruel reminder of what had been taken from me.

A bowl of scraps had been placed in front of the kennel, the sight of it making my stomach churn.

I clung to Buddy’s leash, my nails digging into my palms until they bled. “Shepherd,” I whispered, my voice trembling with a mix of grief and fury. “I will never forgive you for this.”

But the next morning, I awoke in my room, the warmth of the fire crackling in the hearth. Shepherd sat by my bedside, his eyes red and weary, as if he’d been watching over me all night.