Chapter 3

Alexandra POV:

Anthony came home at 3:00 AM.

I was in bed, pretending to sleep. I controlled my breathing, keeping it slow and rhythmic.

He slid into bed beside me. He reeked of soap, but under that, the metallic tang of Katia's arousal still clung to his skin.

Then, I felt a prick on my arm.

I didn't flinch. I let him inject me.

It was a micro-dose of Calming Pheromones. Alphas use it to soothe distressed pack members, but in high doses, it makes the recipient compliant, foggy, and docile. He was drugging me to keep me manageable.

Joke was on him. My metabolism burned through sedatives four times faster than a normal wolf. It was a trait of my bloodline-the bloodline he knew nothing about.

I waited until his breathing deepened into sleep. Then I slipped out of bed.

I needed to know the extent of the rot. I needed to hear it from Jacob.

I crept down the hall to my son's room. The door was ajar. The blue light of a gaming monitor spilled into the hallway.

He was on a video call.

"Yeah, Dad just got back," Jacob said, laughing. He was wearing his headset, spinning in his chair.

"Did he tell her?" A female voice. Katia.

"No way," Jacob scoffed. "Mom would freak out. She's so emotional. It's pathetic."

I stood in the shadows of the doorframe, my hand gripping the wood so hard I left indentations.

"She's just... she's not Luna material, Katia," Jacob continued, his voice filled with teenage arrogance. "A Luna is supposed to be strong. Fierce. Mom is just... a human in a wolf's skin. I'm ashamed to introduce her to my friends."

"Don't worry, sweetie," Katia cooed through the speakers. "After the Gala, things will change. Your dad promised."

"I can't wait," Jacob said. "Imagine having a Luna who actually looks good in a dress. Who has power. You're going to help me train for my shift, right? Mom can't teach me anything. She doesn't even use her wolf."

My knees gave out. I slid down the wall, silent tears streaming down my face.

It wasn't just that he preferred her. It was the contempt. The utter lack of respect for the woman who had wiped his tears, healed his scrapes, and sat up with him through every fever.

He measured worth solely by power. By aggression.

He was exactly like his father.

I crawled to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I leaned over the toilet and dry heaved. The pain in my chest was unbearable. It felt like the scar tissue around my heart was tearing open.

Let us out.

The voice in my head was louder this time. Clearer.

I looked in the mirror.

My reflection was pale, dark circles under my eyes. But my eyes...

Usually, they were a soft hazel. Now, they were flashing. A brilliant, iridescent silver.

My Inner Wolf was clawing at the surface.

They betrayed us, Alex, she growled. The mate. The pup. They threw us away.

"I know," I whispered to the mirror.

We do not weep for traitors, she hissed. We hunt them.

A knock on the door made me jump.

"Alex?" Anthony's voice. "Are you okay in there? I heard a noise."

I closed my eyes. I forced the silver back. I pushed the wolf down, locking her behind the mental bars I had built years ago.

"Just a stomach ache," I called out, my voice trembling only slightly. "Go back to sleep."

"Make sure you're better by Saturday," he said through the door. "The Gala is mandatory. I need you there to smile and wave. The Elders are watching."

"I'll be there," I said.

I opened my eyes. They were hazel again, but cold. Dead cold.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," I whispered.