Chapter 1

I'm the princess of the Frostmoon pack, blessed by the Moon Goddess, and a healer of the highest order.

For years now, the Vampire Coven has been pushing deeper into our territory. The Frostmoon Pack is weak, so we had no choice but to trade a marriage for weapons and warriors to protect us.

My father settled on an alliance with the Blackwood Pack. "They're the strongest pack for miles," he told me. "And Cedric Blackwood, their Alpha, grew up with you. There's history there. That beats marrying a stranger."

My father wasn't wrong. Cedric and I were more than an arrangement. We were in love.

Three years back, a silver bullet caught Cedric in a fight with the vampires and left him dying. I clawed my way to the Valley of Death for silverbane vine and carved out my own heart's blood to brew the antidote that saved him.

When he woke, Cedric held me tight and swore, "Ella, I'll never betray you. Not as long as I live. You're the only Luna I'll ever take. I'll protect you and your family forever."

After that, Cedric loved me harder than ever. The rarest treasures and the prettiest flowers always landed in my room. When the vampires came for my family, he didn't hesitate to march his whole army over.

The whole pack knew Cedric cherished me above all else. But deep down, I couldn't shake a nagging dread.

Carving out my heart's blood had drained my healing gift dry. My wounds barely healed, and my body only grew weaker. When the Moon Surge came, I couldn't give Cedric what he needed.

The alpha's rut left him raw and short-tempered. At first he'd sooner dull it with medicine than turn to another she-wolf. Then one Moon Surge, he smashed the bowl of medicine and walked out on me.

Later he told me, "Ella, I promise the title of Luna stays yours. As for the rest, just pretend you don't see it."

Gradually, he went from hiding his flings to bringing she-wolves home and carrying on right in front of me.

By the time my strength came back, he'd decided I was cold and dull, and he wouldn't come near me anymore.

My pride couldn't stomach my mate leaving his scent on other she-wolves. But my place as Luna wouldn't let me walk away with my head high, either.

Everything we'd once had was a cruel joke now.

*****

Then the war arrived.

Word came from my father. The vampires were hitting the Frostmoon Pack again, and we badly needed Blackwood's help.

Cedric led his pack out to reinforce us. After the victory, both packs agreed to celebrate together and hold a grand mating ceremony to seal the alliance.

The date was set for three nights out, under the full moon. Cedric promised me that once the ceremony was done, he'd rein himself in and stay loyal to me alone.

I kept my face smooth, but my heart bled. Every time the ceremony drew close, those she-wolves ran into trouble. One time, Ivy got hurt. Next, Lisa had a miscarriage.

He was such a devoted lover that he'd push the ceremony back and rush off to comfort them. Six times he postponed it. Six times my heart died a little more.

The love had worn clean out of me. I swore it by the Moon Goddess. If anything went wrong with this ceremony, I'd leave for good and never look back.

The next day, Cedric asked me to go to the tailor's to try on my gown for the ceremony.

He watched the tailor take in my waistline, his brow knitting. "Why are you so thin again? Is the food not to your liking?" he asked.

Before I could answer, his comm-stone lit up. His fingers flew across a reply, and I stopped existing to him.

The tailor finished my measurements and carried the men's suit over to Cedric.

He waved it off and turned to me. "I'm not trying it on. I've already seen you in that gown, Ella. You look beautiful. The ceremony goes ahead as planned, but I won't be there."

I looked at him in silence. "Cedric, what are you talking about? A mating ceremony with no Alpha groom. Is this a joke?"

He didn't even look up from his messages. "Picked up a stray she-wolf on the way home. Turns out she's my fated mate. She's a sensitive little thing. It'd break her heart to watch me go through the ceremony with someone else."

I dragged in a breath and made one last try to reach him. "Cedric, this alliance is a promise between two families. It isn't a game."

He set the comm-stone down, crossed to me, and tipped my chin up with a wicked smile. "It's just a political marriage. Quit ordering me around. You get to be Luna. The ceremony goes ahead. Does it matter whether I'm there?"

With that, he turned and walked off without a shred of regret.

A mating ceremony with no Alpha present was as good as calling off our union in front of everyone. The whole pack would make me their biggest joke.

This was the seventh time he'd ground my dignity into the dirt for someone else.

I changed out of the gown in silence and took out my comm-stone to send a message. [Do your words still stand?]

The reply came back the second I sent it. [They do.]