Chapter 1 THE SILENT DIVIDE

The night air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, a familiar comfort Celeste had always loved. Yet, as she stood near the edge of the packhouse courtyard, that comfort felt distant, slipping through her fingers like sand. Laughter echoed from within, a celebration she should have been a part of. Instead, she lingered in the shadows, her presence unnoticed. Or ignored.

She wasn't sure which hurt more.

"Celeste."

She turned at the sound of Kieran's voice. Her mate. Her Alpha. His dark eyes met hers, but there was something missing-a warmth that had once been undeniable.

"You shouldn't stand out here alone," he said, but his voice lacked the concern it once held.

"I was just getting some air."

He hesitated. A beat too long. Then, with a nod, he turned back toward the packhouse without inviting her inside.

The door shut behind him, sealing her out.

Something was changing. She could feel it like the first crack in an ice-covered lake. Barely there, but deep enough to warn of the cold waters below.

And she had no idea how to stop it.

Celeste exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay still as the cold night pressed against her skin. She wasn't fragile. She wasn't weak. But the sting of Kieran's indifference cut deeper than she wanted to admit.

She turned toward the tree line, her wolf restless beneath her skin. Run, it whispered, but she ignored it. Running wouldn't change anything. Running wouldn't fix the way Kieran had stopped looking at her like she was his.

The door to the packhouse swung open again, spilling golden light onto the courtyard. Voices carried-excited, unguarded.

"She's not strong enough to be our Luna."

Celeste stiffened.

Another voice, lower but no less cruel, responded, "Kieran will see it soon enough. A weak mate makes a weak Alpha."

A sharp laugh followed, and the door shut before she could hear more.

Her fingers curled into fists. It wasn't the first time she had heard the whispers, the doubts. At first, she had told herself it was nothing. That the pack would warm to her, that they would see her worth. But now, even Kieran seemed to be slipping away, caught in the tide of their opinions.

The tension had started small-an unspoken shift in how the pack regarded her. Fewer nods of respect, more lingering glances of skepticism. Then, Kieran had begun pulling away, missing their shared training sessions, speaking to her less, standing a little farther away during meetings.

Now, it was like she was an outsider in her own home.

A rustle in the trees made her snap her head up, her senses sharpening.

"Still hiding out here?"

Celeste turned to see Rowan, Kieran's Beta and one of the few wolves who hadn't treated her differently. His dark brown hair was tousled, and he studied her with quiet concern.

"I'm not hiding," she murmured, but the words felt hollow.

Rowan leaned against the fence beside her. "You heard them, didn't you?"

Celeste swallowed. "It doesn't matter."

"It does." His jaw tightened. "They're testing him, Celeste. They know he listens to them more than he should."

Her throat ached at the truth of it. "He's my mate. He's supposed to stand by me."

Rowan hesitated, then said carefully, "An Alpha is only as strong as his pack, and Kieran...he's not fighting them the way he should."

A cold weight settled in her stomach.

"He's letting them turn him against me," she whispered.

Rowan didn't confirm it, but he didn't deny it either.

The truth had never felt so sharp.

Celeste exhaled, steadying herself against the weight of Rowan's words. She wanted to believe Kieran would never turn against her. That the mate bond, the connection they had shared for years, would be enough to hold him to her. But doubt curled around her ribs, tightening like a vice.

Rowan shifted beside her, arms crossed. "You need to be careful."

"Careful?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"The pack is watching. Waiting. If they sense weakness, they'll push harder. And Kieran..." He hesitated. "He's already slipping."

Celeste bit the inside of her cheek. She had known for a while that something was wrong, but hearing it spoken aloud made it feel more real, more irreversible.

A gust of wind swept through the courtyard, rustling the trees. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted, a lonely sound in the otherwise silent night.

Celeste turned her gaze toward the packhouse, its windows glowing warmly against the darkness. Inside, Kieran was surrounded by his pack, by wolves who questioned her strength, who whispered doubts into his ears.

Would he listen?

Had he already?

A familiar ache spread through her chest.

She had fought so hard to be a Luna worthy of him, of this pack. She had trained beside the warriors, studied the history of their laws, dedicated herself to proving she belonged.

And yet, it still wasn't enough.

Rowan's voice softened. "You don't have to fight this alone."

Celeste looked at him, at the genuine concern in his eyes. But what could he do? He was Kieran's Beta. His loyalty belonged to the Alpha, not to her.

"I can handle it," she said, forcing strength into her voice.

Rowan held her gaze for a long moment before sighing. "Just...don't let them break you, Celeste."

She swallowed hard. "They won't."

But as she stood there, watching the warm light of the packhouse flicker against the night, she wasn't sure she believed it.

Because something told her the worst was yet to come.