Abandoned, I Married My Mate's Greatest Rival

LYRA'S POV

The scent of rain and damp earth should have been comforting. It was the scent of home, of Silvercrest Pack territory. But tonight, for some reason I couldn't explain, it carried the bitter scent of smoke.

I smoothed the front of my dress, a deep emerald green that brought out my warm hazel eyes-a color Cassian had always said he loved-and smiled at my reflection.

Today was our fifth anniversary. Five years of being his Luna, his mate, and his wife.

And tonight, I was going to give him the best gift of all.

My hand drifted to my stomach, still flat, still holding my secret. I'd known for three weeks, and keeping it from him had been the hardest thing I'd ever done. Every morning, I woke up wanting to tell him. Every night, I fell asleep with the words burning on my tongue.

But I'd waited. I'd planned. Tonight, after the concert, I'd pull out the ultrasound photo and watch his face light up with joy.

My wolf, Kiara, stirred inside me, warm and content. 'He's going to be so happy.'

I knew she was right. I could barely contain my excitement. I'd been waiting for this moment for weeks.

I grabbed the tickets from my nightstand: front-row seats to the Moonlight Serenade, the concert he'd mentioned wanting to see months ago. I'd called in favors, pulled strings, and spent more than I should have. But it was worth it. He was worth it.

"Cassian?" I called, practically floating into his study. "I have something to tell you. Well, two things, actually. But they're surprises, so you have to wait until tonight..."

He didn't look up from his desk. His phone was pressed to his ear, his brow furrowed as he waved me off with his free hand.

"Lyra, you'll have to cancel your plans for tonight. I have to work overnight. The border patrols have been stretched thin. I can't afford to lose hours of work."

My heart stuttered. "Tonight? But Cassian, it's our..."

"I know what day it is." His voice was clipped and impatient. "But my duty doesn't stop for anniversaries, Lyra. You should understand that."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. The tickets felt heavy in my hand, the ultrasound photo burning a hole in my pocket.

"Of course," I managed. "I understand."

I told myself it was fine. He was busy, but when he came home that night, we'd celebrate together.

Kiara whimpered softly, but I pushed down my disappointment.

Everything was fine until he spoke again.

"And cancel those ridiculous concert tickets." He finally glanced up at me. "You're the Luna of Silvercrest, not a pup from the Hollow Pines Pack. Concerts are for young, unmated wolves."

The words stung, but I bit my tongue. He'd been talking about the concert for weeks, and now it was childish because I wanted to go with him?

"Of course," I said again, keeping my voice steady. "You're right. Concerts are silly."

I walked over to his desk, leaned down, and kissed his cheek. "I'll be here when you get home. I have something special planned."

Something flickered in his eyes-irritation, maybe. Or guilt. It disappeared before I could name it.

"Fine," he said, already turning back to his phone. "Whatever you want."

I left his study with the tickets still clutched in my hand and the ultrasound photo hidden in my pocket.

Tonight, I thought, my excitement flickering back to life. Tonight, I'll tell him. And nothing-absolutely nothing-will ruin this moment.

But for now, there was no harm in living a little.

After he'd left for patrol, I retrieved one of the tickets I'd tucked into my journal a few minutes earlier. A tiny act of rebellion. One night to be just Lyra, not Luna.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few miles outside Silvercrest Pack territory, the Moonlight Serenade was in full swing. The human band played a frantic, passionate melody that vibrated through my bones. It was loud, messy, and alive-everything my life was not.

I stood with the crowd and moved to my favorite song until the music softened and a spotlight began sweeping over the audience.

"Kiss cam!" the lead singer shouted, and the pack members in the stadium erupted in excited howls. "Let's see the lovely couples we have this time."

The camera panned across the crowd, catching couple after couple locking lips. I could smell the electric thrill of excitement and lust in the air.

Then the screen froze. The music stuttered, and a deafening silence fell over our section.

Cold dread pooled in my stomach at the sight on the screen.

There, on a screen larger than the pack house, was Cassian.

He wasn't in his patrol gear. He was wearing the dark suit he'd worn to the Alpha Council meeting last week. And his hands weren't holding a scouting report. They were tangled in the raven-black hair of a woman I knew better than my own reflection.

Sabrina.

My best friend from the Ashclaw Pack. The woman who'd stood beside me as my bridesmaid. The woman who had told me just two days ago, "Oh, I can't go to the concert with you, Lyra. Kieran is taking me out."

Kieran. Her cover story for the affair.

Seeing them together on the jumbotron wasn't just a betrayal. It hit the mate bond like a physical blow. My mate was kissing my childhood friend in public while our song played in the background.

I felt it first in my chest: a searing, physical agony, like claws raking through muscle and bone.

The camera zoomed in on the claiming bite on her neck-fresh, pink, and still healing.

Rage exploded through me, hot and blinding. Kiara surged forward, my claws extending as a snarl tore from my throat.

'I'll kill them,' Kiara howled. 'I'll tear them both apart...'

My body moved before my mind caught up. I was already on my feet, already pushing through the crowd toward the private boxes where they were probably still tangled together.

I wanted them to feel even a fraction of the pain consuming me.

Then another pain hit-sudden and excruciating.

It ripped through my abdomen like claws, stealing my breath and strength.

My hand flew to my stomach.

The baby.

Kiara's rage vanished beneath a wave of panic.

'Lyra, something's wrong. We need to get to the hospital.'

I looked up at the private boxes, at the wolves who had betrayed me, at the confrontation I desperately wanted.

I'll come back for them, I vowed. I'll destroy them both.

But first, I had to save my child.

I turned and ran, pushing through the crowd and ignoring the shouts and angry looks, one hand pressed to my stomach.

"Move," I snarled at a beta who blocked my path. "Get out of my way."

The pain struck again, sharper this time.

No, no, no... This couldn't be happening. I couldn't lose my child.

Then I felt warm liquid streaming down between my legs.

Within seconds, the world narrowed to a pinprick of light.

I didn't remember stumbling through the corridor or the taxi driver's concerned expression when I gave him the Silvercrest address.

But I remembered the crash-the sudden, sickening weightlessness as the car rolled.

The last thing I heard was the horrifying crunch of metal before the world went black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke to white lights and the smell of antiseptic, a machine beeping steadily beside me. My body felt wrong. Hollow. As if something essential had been scooped out and discarded.

"Is she stable?" a muffled voice asked from beyond the curtain.

"Yes, Alpha, but I'm afraid we lost the baby. The trauma was too severe."

"No," I whispered, my hands hovering over my flat stomach. "It can't be."

"Her ovaries were badly damaged as well. They'll have to be removed," the doctor continued.

I wanted to scream, to tear through the curtain and claw the faces off whoever was having this conversation. But I couldn't move. I could barely breathe.

"Alpha, we'll need your authorization," the doctor added.

Cassian's voice came next, and the casual disdain in it hurt worse than any cruelty he could have invented.

"Do it." His tone was ice. "She doesn't need them anyway. Sabrina will provide the heir for Silvercrest. A pure-blooded pup. It's what's best for the pack."

He didn't even sound surprised. All he cared about was getting rid of any possibility that I might have another child.

The pack doctor hesitated. "Alpha, with respect, there are alternatives we could explore..."

"I said do it," Cassian snapped. "Don't you get it? A barren Luna is easier to control. She'll have no choice but to remain at my side."

My hand flew to my mouth, muffling the sob threatening to escape.

The doctor's voice dropped to a whisper. "Of course, Alpha. Forgive me."

My chest tightened painfully.

My entire life had been built on a lie. Our mating ceremony? Nothing more than a political alliance. The years I'd spent waiting for a child? Just another way to keep me obedient.

And now, because I had become inconvenient, Cassian was ordering the doctor to take away my last chance of ever having another child.

The curtain slid back. Cassian stood there, handsome as ever, his golden eyes arranged into a perfect mask of concern.

"Lyra." He pulled up a chair and took my hand. It took every ounce of willpower not to recoil. "You're awake. Thank the Moon Goddess. I was so worried."

"Were you?" I yanked my hand away. "Because it took you hours to get here, Cassian. Hours. I was in surgery. I was dying. And you were... where, exactly?"

His jaw tightened. "I told you earlier, Lyra. I had to go to the border..."

"The border." I cut him off, letting the word hang between us. "It must have been very important to keep you that long."

"Lyra..."

"No, it's fine." I held up a hand. "I'm just the woman who lost your child. Why would that compare to the border?"

He shifted in his chair, discomfort flickering across his face. "You're being unfair."

"Am I?" I snapped. "I'm lying in a hospital bed, Cassian. I lost our child, and you show up hours late with an excuse that sounds like you rehearsed it on the drive over."

"Rehearsed? I didn't..." He sighed. "The doctor said you'll make a full recovery. It's just a procedure."

A procedure. That was what he called the theft of my future.

I stared at him.

Silence stretched between us, broken only by the machine beside me.

Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and his posture changed. Urgency replaced his feigned concern.

"Someone was attacked at the border during the rogue incursion. I have to go."

The audacity. He was leaving his wife, who had just lost their child, to run back to his mistress.

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to scream. I wanted to see his face when he realized I knew everything-every lie, every betrayal, every moment he'd spent wrapped in Sabrina's arms while I waited at home like a fool.

'Not now, Lyra,' Kiara whispered weakly. 'Soon. Be patient.'

Patient? Yes. I could be patient.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling.

Let him have his fun. Let him think he was winning. Let him believe I was still the same blind, trusting wolf who loved him.

Because when I finally showed my hand, it would be in a way he'd never see coming.

"A rogue incursion," I repeated, my voice empty of emotion. "Of course. I understand."

He didn't look back. The door clicked shut behind him, and I was alone with the beeping machines and everything I'd lost.

'Lyra...' Kiara whispered weakly.

"Kiara, we can't stay here."

'Where would we go?'

There was a reason I'd left the Moonveil Pack. I'd stopped speaking to my brother after he'd called Cassian dangerous and I'd accused him of being jealous and bitter.

'He'll help us,' Kiara said.

I didn't deserve his help. I really didn't.

But I reached for my phone on the bedside table anyway.

My fingers trembled as I scrolled to a number I hadn't dialed in years. My brother's-the brother I'd cut out of my life to please Cassian.

I didn't know whether anything remained of the bond we'd shared as pups, before I threw it all away for a wolf who had never wanted me.

But I called anyway.

The line connected.

A voice rough with sleep growled through the speaker. "Who is this?"

"Rowan." I closed my eyes. "It's Lyra."

The silence on the other end was absolute.

"You have five seconds to explain why I shouldn't hang up."

"Cassian," I whispered, my voice cracking for the first time. "He cheated... There was a car crash..."

"Lyra." His voice changed instantly, sharpening with alarm. "What happened? Fuck... Just tell me what you need."

"I need to come home," I whispered, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Please, Rowan... I need a divorce."

LYRA'S POV

"Divorce?" Rowan gave a short, humorless laugh. "At least you lasted longer than I thought."

"Rowan..."

"I warned you, Lyra. I told you that fool had nothing but empty words and hungry eyes. But you never listened."

His voice was bitter, sharpened by old wounds. "You barked at me and called me jealous. Called me bitter because you were going to be the Luna of Silvercrest and I was just the heir who didn't know what he was talking about."

I closed my eyes, his words landing like physical blows. He wasn't wrong. I'd said all of that and worse.

And I'd said it to Rowan's face without fear. Anyone else who spoke to him that way would have regretted it before they finished the sentence.

Across Montana, several packs occupied different territories, but only three stood above the rest.

Bloodmoon was the largest and most powerful pack in the Northern Territory, led by Alpha Kael Hart.

Moonveil was the second largest, ruling the Western Territory with discipline and honor.

And Silvercrest was the smallest of the three great packs, nestled in the Eastern Territory.

Moonveil Pack was led by our father, Alpha Elias Ravenwood, a respected leader known for his wisdom and fairness. But the wolf everyone watched most closely was his son-my brother, Rowan Ravenwood, the Alpha heir.

Rowan had been born to lead, and he'd carried the quiet confidence of an Alpha long before taking the title.

He was a brilliant strategist, an elite warrior, and the youngest commander ever to lead Moonveil's border patrols.

Knowing all of that, I'd still chosen Silvercrest. Chosen Cassian. Chosen love and the mate bond over power.

And look where it had gotten me.

"If you'd married the wolf we arranged for you-if you'd married into the Bloodmoon Pack like we planned-none of this would've happened." His voice softened, just a little. "You'd be safe, protected, and respected as the heiress you are."

The words stung, but they were true.

I'd wanted love. I'd wanted someone who looked at me as if I were the moon itself.

Instead, I'd gotten Cassian as a mate.

"I didn't know," I sobbed as the tears finally broke free. "I never thought it would end like this, Rowan. I never thought he'd cheat on me with Sabrina."

"Sabrina?" Disbelief sharpened his voice. "Your childhood friend Sabrina? The one who stood beside you at your mating ceremony?"

A sob caught in my throat. The betrayal crushed down on me all over again.

"That fucking bastard." Rowan's voice turned cold. "Pack your things. After I'm done with that worthless piece of shit, you're coming home with me."

I shook my head, then remembered he couldn't see me. "No. Not yet."

"Lyra, for Goddess's sake..."

"Trust me this once, Rowan." My voice steadied. "Let me handle my mess this time. Let me fix it."

Silence stretched between us. I could almost hear him weighing his options, fighting every instinct telling him to protect his little sister.

I pushed once more.

"Please," I whispered. "Just this once."

"Fine. But if I don't hear from you soon, I'm coming for him."

The line went dead before I could answer.

At least he'd agreed. That was all I needed.

But I couldn't just lie there and wait. I couldn't return to Moonveil with nothing but a broken bond and empty hands.

I needed to call my lawyer. I needed to do something besides lie there and bleed.

My fingers moved before I could think better of it, dialing a number I'd memorized years ago. Marcus Thorne, the best lawyer in the Western Territory, was one of the few people outside the pack who knew the truth about my marriage.

"Lyra?" His voice was sharp and alert. "It's barely six in the morning. What's wrong?"

"I need a divorce agreement, Marcus." The words came out flat and emotionless. "I need you to draft the papers."

Silence.

"Cassian finally pushed you too far, didn't he?"

"Way too far this time." I rested a hand over my empty stomach. "I lost my unborn child because of him."

I heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Holy Moon Goddess. Lyra, are you okay? Where are you?"

"At Silvercrest Pack Hospital. But that's not why I'm calling. I need you to draft the papers. Now."

"Lyra..." He hesitated. "It's not that easy."

"What... what do you mean?"

"When you signed the prenuptial agreement, there was a clause. A specific one, buried in the fine print. Cassian's lawyers were very... thorough."

My blood ran cold. "What clause?"

"To file for divorce, the Alpha has to sign the papers first. You can't initiate the proceedings without his signature. He has to agree to the dissolution before you can even begin the process."

The room spun around me. "You're telling me he has to sign off on our divorce? That he can just... refuse? Trap me forever?"

"Essentially, yes. Unless you can prove infidelity or abuse, and even then, the process is lengthy. And..."

"He's the Alpha of Silvercrest," I finished bitterly. "He has all the resources. All the power. All the leverage."

"He does." Marcus's voice softened. "I'm sorry, Lyra. I tried to explain this when you signed. But you were so in love..."

"I was so stupid." I pressed my palm to my forehead. "I was so blind."

"Lyra..."

"I'll call you back." I hung up before he could say another word.

Anger surged through me, burning through the grief, shock, and numbness until only determination remained.

'Lyra, what are you doing?' Kiara asked weakly.

"What I should have done years ago."

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, ignoring the searing pain in my abdomen. The wound pulled in protest, but I didn't care. I couldn't stay there. I couldn't sit back and let Cassian take the rest of my future from me.

"Luna Lyra!" A pack doctor rushed through the door, her eyes wide with alarm. "You can't be out of bed! You just had major surgery-"

"Get out of my way." My voice was ice. "I'm leaving."

"Alpha Cassian ordered-"

"Cassian can go howl at the moon for all I care." I pushed past her, my bare feet slapping against the cold tile. "I'm still the Luna of Silvercrest, and I'm giving you an order. Stay. Out. Of. My. Way."

The doctor's wolf cowered. "But the Alpha..."

"Isn't here." I grabbed a hospital robe and shrugged it on over the thin gown. "And you're not going to say a word to him. Do you understand?"

She bowed. "Yes, Luna."

I walked out of the hospital wearing nothing but the gown and robe, a pair of hospital slippers, and my purse, with white-hot fury burning in my chest.

The taxi ride to Voss Group passed in a blur of streetlights and silent tears.

By the time I reached the executive floor of Cassian's company, my legs were shaking, my wound was throbbing, and Kiara was pacing restlessly inside me.

'We shouldn't be here,' Kiara warned. 'He'll see us. He'll-'

I shut her out.

The moment the elevator doors opened onto the top floor, the receptionists jumped to their feet, eyes widening at the sight of their Luna in a hospital robe.

"Luna Lyra! We didn't expect... Is everything okay? The Alpha is in a meeting..."

"I know." I walked past them with my head high. "But I'm not here for him."

I made it halfway down the corridor before I heard voices. Cassian's, low and smug, and another I recognized as his beta, Darius.

"You can't be serious," Darius was saying. "She still doesn't know?"

Cassian laughed. "Know what? That I only married her for her family name? Lyra's been a walking business asset since the day I married her. The Moonveil Pack's daughter? Goddess, the deals I've closed just by having her on my arm. Clients fall over themselves to work with the Alpha who mated the powerful Moonveil heiress. Trust me, Darius, I've lost count."

I stopped midstep, my hands trembling so badly I nearly dropped my phone.

"She's a fool," Cassian continued, contempt dripping from every word. "Goddess, she's so easy. Tell her you love her and she melts. She'll do anything I say as long as I give her a few pretty words and a gentle touch. I've used her for five years, and she never once suspected."

"Careful, Cassian," Darius warned. "You don't want to mess with her. Her brother..."

"Rowan?" Cassian laughed. "Please. He hasn't spoken to her in years. She chose me over him. Over her own pack. The members of Moonveil despise her. She has nothing. No family, no allies, no power."

Darius sighed. "So what's the plan?"

"I'll close the Falco deal this week. One last job, and I'll have everything I need. Silvercrest will be untouchable. And Lyra?" He laughed again. "She'll be left with nothing once I tie the knot with Sabrina."

The world tilted beneath me. I pressed a hand to the wall to steady myself, my breaths coming short and sharp.

'He never loved us,' Kiara whimpered. 'It was all a lie.'

I knew that now.

Knowing it and feeling it were two different things. And right then, I felt as if I were dying all over again.

The voices faded as Cassian and Darius headed toward the conference room, while I stayed hidden around the corner.

An employee passed by and glanced at me uneasily. "Luna? Are you all right?"

"Yes," I lied. "I'm fine."

I waited until the corridor was empty. After years of slipping into Cassian's office to surprise him with coffee or lunch, I knew exactly how to get in unnoticed. I moved past the empty reception desk and into his private suite.

His office smelled like him-cedar, sandalwood, and lies. His computer was still on, the screen glowing with documents I recognized from our shared files.

I sat in his chair and started searching.

It took twenty minutes to find what I needed. The files were buried deep inside a folder labeled "Archives Personnel."

I opened it, and everything I needed appeared on the screen: evidence that Cassian had embezzled pack funds, and records of bribes paid to rival Alphas to look the other way while his allies poached territory.

Everything I needed to destroy him.

I pulled a flash drive from the drawer. I'd kept one in his office ever since he'd once lost a presentation and I'd saved the day. I plugged it in and started copying the files.

They were large, and the progress bar crawled agonizingly slowly. I watched the clock, my heart pounding and my wound throbbing.

'Hurry,' Kiara urged. 'If he finds us here...'

The progress bar reached 97 percent just as the door handle turned.

I froze.

The flash drive was still plugged in. The transfer was still running. If Cassian came in now...

The door swung open.

"Cassian?"

LYRA'S POV

The progress bar jumped to 100 percent just as the door opened. I yanked the flash drive free and closed the folder. By the time Cassian Voss stepped inside, the drive was warm in my palm. I slipped it into the pocket of my hospital robe.

His golden eyes swept over me-my pale face, trembling hands, and the hospital gown beneath the flimsy robe. Suspicion flickered across his features.

"Lyra." His voice was carefully neutral. "What are you doing here? The doctor said you were resting."

"I was bored." I straightened, forcing my face into a blank mask. "Hospitals are suffocating, so I came to get my novels."

"Your novels." He repeated the words slowly, as if testing them.

"Yes." I gestured vaguely toward his bookshelf. "The ones I kept in your office. Remember?"

He didn't remember. I could see it in his eyes. He'd never noticed my books, never cared about anything that mattered to me. But he nodded anyway, apparently eager to end the conversation.

"I thought you were in a meeting," I added, keeping my voice light. "I didn't expect to see you."

"Yeah. I came back to grab some files." He moved toward his desk, his gaze sweeping over it. "Maybe we can talk later tonight?"

I blinked. "Talk about what?"

His phone buzzed on the desk. He glanced down, and I saw her name flash across the screen.

Sabrina.

His hand moved on instinct, snatching up the phone and slipping it into his pocket. The speed of the gesture said enough.

"Another call about the border patrol?"

His jaw tightened. "It's pack business, Lyra. Stay out of it."

"Of course." I smiled, though it didn't reach my eyes. "Pack business."

He took me by the elbow. "You need to get back to the hospital. I have work to do anyway."

Work. With her. I almost laughed. He was ushering me out because of his mistress.

"Fine." I let him guide me to the door. "Don't let me keep you from your important work."

He didn't answer. He was already pulling out his phone, his thumb hovering over Sabrina's name.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stepped out of the elevator and into the bright morning sun, the flash drive secure in my pocket. My legs were shaking and my wound was throbbing, but I couldn't stop now. I couldn't afford to.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts.

The number I needed belonged to someone I'd never dared call: Alpha Kael Hart. I'd saved it years ago after a pack summit, where I'd watched him from across the room. He was the most powerful wolf I'd ever seen, surrounded by Alphas who practically bowed in his presence.

Any sensible wolf would have been terrified to call him.

I was well past sensible.

My thumb hovered over the call button.

'This is insane,' Kiara whispered. 'He's the Alpha of Bloodmoon Pack. He could destroy us with a single order.'

He could also destroy Cassian. And that was exactly what I needed.

I took a breath and pressed the call button.

He answered on the second ring.

"Who is this?" His voice was low, commanding, and cold. Even through the phone, I could feel the weight of his presence. He sounded like a wolf who had never needed to raise his voice to be obeyed.

"It's Lyra." I swallowed. "Luna of the Silvercrest Pack."

A low, dangerous growl rumbled through the line. "Cassian's mate?"

"Former mate," I corrected. "Soon to be former, anyway."

"Why would the Luna of Silvercrest call her mate's enemy?" he snarled. "You should know better than to involve yourself in matters between Alphas."

I closed my eyes and steadied myself. "I'm sorry, Alpha. But I have an offer."

"An offer." His laugh was cold and humorless. "What could you possibly have to offer me?"

"What you've been after for years," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady despite the tremor in my hands. "Evidence that can destroy Cassian-and the Silvercrest Pack."

Silence.

"And why should I believe a devoted wife like you would hand that over to me?" he asked.

Apparently, everyone knew what a fool I'd made of myself.

"Alpha," I said, letting the pain and fury show in my voice, "you'd be surprised what a betrayed woman is capable of."

He was quiet for a moment. I could almost hear him weighing my words, searching for the trap.

"I suppose not every marriage is as perfect as it looks." His voice softened slightly. "What's the catch?"

I took a breath.

"Marry me."

"Excuse me?"

"Make me the Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack," I said before I could lose my nerve. "And I'll hand Cassian to you on a silver platter."

The silence stretched so long I was sure he'd reject me. Maybe even laugh at the audacity of a broken, battered Luna proposing marriage to the most powerful Alpha in Montana.

"Come to my pack tomorrow with this evidence you claim to have."

My heart stopped. "Alpha..."

"I'll be waiting."

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone in my hands, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

He hadn't said yes. But he hadn't said no, either, and that was more than I'd dared to hope for.

I hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address of Silvercrest Pack Hospital.

I had to go back. I had to keep up appearances. I had to make Cassian believe I was still the same obedient woman he'd married.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night, I stood in the driveway of the house I'd shared with Cassian for five years. The lights were off and the windows were dark, but I could see it. Smell it.

Smoke.

I broke into a run, my bare feet slapping against the cold pavement. The smell grew stronger as I rounded the corner of the house.

My eyes widened at the sight in front of me.

My art studio was engulfed in flames. My paintings-years of work, years of dreams, years of everything I'd poured my soul into-were burning with it.

"No," I whispered. "No, no, no..."

I ran toward the studio, Kiara howling inside my chest. The heat was unbearable and the smoke thick and choking, but I didn't care. I had to save them. I had to save something.

I reached the doorway and grabbed the first canvas I could reach, dragging it away from the flames. Fire seared across my wrist, blistering my skin, but I didn't let go.

I stumbled backward, clutching the half-burned canvas to my chest.

Then I heard laughter coming from inside the house.

Cassian and Sabrina were laughing in the living room.

I walked inside, my burned wrist throbbing and fury pounding through me.

They were sitting on the couch with glasses of wine in their hands, Sabrina's head resting on Cassian's shoulder.

"Lyra!" Sabrina's voice was syrupy sweet. "We were just talking about you."

"Were you?" I held up the burned canvas. "Talking about this?"

Cassian's expression didn't change. "I'm expanding the studio. Sabrina needs a proper workspace. Her art deserves better than..."

"You burned my paintings!" My voice cut through the room. "You burned everything!"

"The guest room will be fine for your needs," he continued as if I hadn't spoken. "Sabrina will take the master bedroom. It has the best morning light for her work."

"Lyra." Sabrina stood, arranging her face into a mask of concern. "I know this is hard, but you have to understand..."

I turned and walked out of the room.

She followed me into the bedroom, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor.

"You're going to need to pack," she said, dropping the pretense. "Cassian wants you gone by morning."

So that was it. That was what he'd wanted to talk about earlier.

I didn't answer. I pulled open the closet and started throwing clothes into a bag.

"Look at me," she snapped. "Look at what you're losing."

She shoved her phone in front of my face. On the screen were intimate photos of her and Cassian, taken on our bed. In my own home.

Something inside me snapped.

"You think this hurts me?" I laughed, and the sound was ugly even to my own ears. "You think I care about a man who couldn't satisfy me even when he tried? Cassian Voss is a mediocre wolf with an inferiority complex. He married me because he needed my family's reputation. He used me, you fool. And now he's about to do the same thing to you."

Sabrina's face went pale. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me." I smiled. "You're just his new toy, Sabrina. And when this all comes crashing down, you'll be the first person he throws under the bus."

She grabbed a bottle of isopropyl alcohol from the nightstand. "You're a liar!"

"Am I?" I stepped closer. "Then why are you so scared, bitch?"

She sprayed the alcohol over my burned wrist, and I screamed.

"You fucking whore!"

The pain was excruciating, burning straight through my skin and into my bones. I shoved her away hard, and she stumbled backward into the door just as it swung open.

Natasha, Sabrina's daughter, stood in the doorway.

"Mom!" She rushed to Sabrina's side, her eyes blazing with fury. "She hurt you..."

"Natasha, no!" Sabrina screamed.

But it was too late. Natasha grabbed the bottle and hurled it at my face.

"Fuck!" I screamed as the liquid splashed into my eyes, burning like acid.

"I can't see." I stumbled backward, my hands flying to my face as my vision blurred through the searing pain. "I can't fucking see!"