Chapter 2

The morning after that devastating scene in our bedroom, I awoke on the cold floor of my private sitting room where I'd collapsed from exhaustion and pain. My wounds from the rogue attack still throbbed, a constant reminder of how expendable I was to the pack—to my mate.

I struggled to my feet, wincing as the hastily applied bandages pulled at my skin. Today was the seasonal pack hunt, an event I once looked forward to as Luna. Now, I dreaded what new humiliation awaited me.

As I limped toward the ceremonial clearing, pack members averted their eyes. The whispers followed me like a shadow, just as they had yesterday. I kept my head high despite the pain radiating through my body. My father had taught me that much—an Alpha's daughter never shows weakness, even when breaking inside.

"Victoria." Nathan's voice cut through the morning air, his tone deceptively pleasant for the benefit of the gathered pack. "Come here."

I approached slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs. Isabella stood beside him, resplendent in hunting leathers that matched his perfectly. The symbolism wasn't lost on anyone present.

"You'll be assisting Isabella today," Nathan announced, his voice shifting subtly into the Alpha tone that made my wolf cower instinctively. "Learn from a superior she-wolf. Perhaps you'll finally understand what a true Luna should be."

A ripple of uncomfortable murmurs spread through the pack. Even those loyal to Nathan seemed disturbed by the public demotion of their Luna to what was essentially an Omega's position.

"Isabella has shown remarkable hunting skills," Nathan continued, his hand possessively at the small of her back. "Something our Luna has failed to demonstrate."

The words stung worse than my physical wounds. I had been an accomplished hunter in my father's pack, but Nathan had never once allowed me to join the hunt as anything more than a decorative presence.

"Of course, Alpha," I replied, the formal title tasting bitter on my tongue. My wolf whimpered inside me, sensing the further fracturing of our already damaged mate bond.

Isabella's smile was radiant with triumph. "I'll try to be patient with her, Alpha. Some wolves simply lack natural talent."

The laughter that followed cut deeper than any claw.

* * *

"No, not there," Isabella snapped, watching me arrange the ceremonial display of hunt trophies. "The larger trophies go at the center. Are you truly this incompetent?"

I bit back a retort, carefully repositioning the antlers from the stag she'd claimed as her kill—though I'd seen Elias, Nathan's Beta, make the actual takedown before stepping back to allow her the credit.

The pack hall bustled with activity as Omegas prepared for the post-hunt feast. They whispered among themselves, casting sidelong glances my way. Once, they had come to me with their concerns and needs. Now, they treated me as one of them—worse, actually, as even they seemed to pity me.

"When you've finished there," Isabella called from her seat at what had once been my place at the head table, "you can help the kitchen Omegas serve the feast."

My hands trembled with exhaustion and humiliation as I arranged the last of the trophies. My reflection in a polished silver plate showed a stranger—hollow-cheeked, eyes dull with pain. Even my wolf felt diminished, her once vibrant silver-grey presence in my mind now muted and withdrawn.

"Luna," a soft voice whispered beside me. It was Mara, one of the older Omegas who had been kind to me since my arrival. "You should rest. Your wounds..."

"I'm fine," I lied, straightening my spine despite the pain. "And I'm not your Luna anymore, it seems."

Mara's eyes darted nervously to where Isabella held court. "You wear the mark," she murmured. "The Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes."

Before I could respond, Nathan's voice boomed across the hall. "Victoria! The feast begins soon. See to Isabella's needs."

* * *

Three days later, I found myself alone in Nathan's private study, tasked with cleaning it while he attended a border meeting. Isabella had insisted the Omegas were too clumsy to be trusted with his important documents.

As I dusted the bookshelves, my elbow knocked against a leather-bound volume that seemed out of place among the pack records. It fell open as it hit the floor, revealing pages filled with Nathan's distinctive handwriting.

I should have closed it immediately. Instead, my eyes caught a familiar name—mine.

'Victoria continues to believe our mating is genuine. Her naivety serves our purpose well.'

My hands shook as I turned the pages, each entry worse than the last. It wasn't just a journal—it was a record of mind-link conversations between Nathan and Isabella stretching back years, long before our mating ceremony.

'Once she's produced an heir of suitable strength, we can proceed with the rejection. Her bloodline is her only value.'

'Be patient, my love. Victoria is merely a vessel for our future. You are my heart, my chosen.'

The book slipped from my numb fingers. Every gentle touch, every kind word—none of it had been meant for me. I had been living a lie, a placeholder in my own life.

My wolf, so quiet these past weeks, suddenly surged within me with a growl of pure rage. For the first time since the mating ceremony, we were in perfect agreement.

This would not be our fate.