His Discarded Mate

Chapter 1: Ella's View

The pregnancy test landed hard on the bathroom floor. The pink lines seemed to mock me from the pristine white tiles. My hands shook as I gripped the vanity, staring at my reflection. I looked pale, tired, and broken.

I was six weeks pregnant carrying the child of the man who had just embarrassed in front of our whole pack.

*"I, Alpha Nathaniel Blackthorne, reject you, Ella Montgomery, as my mate and Luna,"* he had said.

The words kept playing in my head. It felt like a knife to the heart. He said it at a pack meeting, with tons of people watching. His mistress, Vivian, was right there, clinging to him like she'd won a prize.

I put my hand on my stomach, where our child was growing, not knowing any of this was happening. Nathaniel didn't have a clue. How could he? I found out myself just hours after he dumped me in the worst way possible.

A knock at the door broke my thoughts. "Luna? The Alpha wants you in his office." It was Beta Harrison, sounding formal and cold.

Luna. Not for long.

I stood up straight, trying to act tough. "Tell him I'll be there soon."

My reflection showed a woman about to fall apart, but I wouldn't let Nathaniel see me like that, knowing that I was carrying his heir, a kid he'd never even know about.

The walk to Nathaniel's office felt like a march to my own funeral. Pack members who used to be like family now looked away. Some even whispered about me. The rejection didn't just break our bond; it took away my position, my home, everything.

But not my child. Never that.

Nathaniel stood with his back to me behind his huge desk, looking out the windows. He was tall and had broad shoulders, which used to be my safe place. His dark hair caught the light. For a second, I remembered when his hands used to touch my face so gently, before Vivian came back from Europe and reminded him that love was for the weak.

"The papers are on the desk," he said, not turning around. He sounded empty inside. "Sign them, and it'll all be done."

I walked to the desk, looking at the divorce papers that would end our marriage. The rejection already broke the bond between us, but there was still some legal process to be done.

"Just like that?" I asked quietly, touching the papers. "Five years, and it ends with your signature?"

He finally turned around. He looked like a cold stranger wearing my husband's face. Those gray eyes that used to look at me with so much love now looked at me with something close to disgust.

"You knew this was coming, Ella. We both did." He sounded sharp and business-like. "The Council wants me to have a stronger Luna. Someone who can help bring the packs together, not..." He waved his hand at me, and it hurt more than anything.

"Not someone like me," I said, hating how weak I sounded. "Someone without the right family. Without the right connections."

"Vivian's dad controls some of the biggest packs up north. Marrying her will make the region more stable." He poured himself a drink, not offering me one. Not that I could drink it anyway, not pregnant.

"What about love?" It came out before I could stop it, and I felt stupid for even asking.

Nathaniel laughed, but it was cold and mean. "Love is a kid's story. Power is real. What you leave behind is real. You were... a fun thing to do, nothing more."

His words were meant to hurt, and they did. But even as my heart broke, I felt protective and angry. He could hurt me, but I wouldn't let him ruin our kid's life.

I grabbed the pen and signed my name carefully. "There. Are you happy now?"

Something flashed in his eyes-surprise? Regret?-but it was gone fast.

"Harrison will help you pack. You have to leave by tonight."

"How thoughtful," I said, putting the pen down. "And Vivian? When are you going to tell everyone?"

His jaw tightened. "The Council will say we're engaged next week."

Of course. He probably planned this for months, maybe even before I felt us growing apart. The late nights, the missed dinners, the way he acted distant-it all made sense.

"I hope she makes you happy, Nathaniel. I hope she gives you what you think you need."

I turned to leave, holding my head high even though I wanted to cry. I was almost to the door when he stopped me.

"Ella."

I stopped but didn't turn around. I couldn't look at him again when I was about to lose it.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this, if that means anything."

His apology hung there between us. It was too little, too late. I touched my stomach, trying to find strength.

"No, you're not," I said quietly. "You will be."

I walked out and left his life for good, carrying a secret that could destroy us both or save us; I wasn't sure which.

But as I went upstairs to pack, I knew one thing: Nathaniel Blackthorne just made the biggest mistake of his life.

He just didn't see it yet.

**Three hours later**

My old bedroom at my dad's pack felt like a prison after being Luna of one of the most powerful packs. The wallpaper I used to like now seemed childish and silly. Everything looked smaller than I remembered-the bed, the dresser, even the window where I used to watch wolves learn to fight.

I'd been fighting my whole life-fighting to be accepted, to be loved, to have a place. Now I had a new fight: protecting my child from their father, who would either try to take them or reject them like he rejected me.

Neither of those futures was okay.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. "Come in."

My younger sister, Ivy, opened the door. Her blonde hair caught the light. She was nineteen and still hopeful, which I wasn't anymore.

"Dad wants to see you," she said carefully. "He's... not happy about why you're back."

I almost laughed. Of course he wasn't. His daughter getting dumped and divorced would hurt his reputation with the other pack leaders. My feelings weren't the first thing on his mind.

"I'll be down in a minute," I said, staying put on the bed.

Ivy came in and closed the door. "Ella, what really happened? The stories aren't making sense. You and Nathaniel were so happy at the summer party..."

Happy? We were good at pretending for the cameras and keeping up appearances. But behind closed doors, we'd been living separate lives for months.

"Sometimes people change," I said. It was a lie, and it felt gross coming out. "Sometimes love isn't enough."

"But you're mates. Real mates."

"The bond can be broken." I stood up and smoothed the wrinkles of my dress, that was one of the few things I was able to pack before Harrison escorted me off the territory. "And some bonds aren't as strong as we thought."

Ivy started to cry. "I'm so sorry, Ella. I know how much you loved him."

*Loved*. Past tense now, I guess. Even though I'll always have some love for the man I thought Nathaniel was. The one who gave me wildflowers and wrote me letters, who held me during storms and said that he would always love me.

That man was either make-believe all along, or something happened to him on his way to becoming the cutthroat Alpha who ruined our marriage to climb the ranks of politics.

"Love's not always enough, Ivy. Remember that when it's your turn."

I left her there and went downstairs to face my dad and whatever speech he had waiting for me. I felt trapped, surrounded by memories and expectations I could never live up to.

Alpha Richard Montgomery was waiting in his office, pacing like a caged wolf. He was fifty-five and still intimidating-tall, with broad shoulders and some gray in his hair. But Nathaniel demanded respect with his power; my dad uses fear and tricks to control people.

"Explain," he said the second I walked in.

"There's nothing to explain. Nathaniel dumped me. I signed the papers. It's done."

He narrowed his eyes. "Don't get smart with me, Ella. Do you know what this means for our pack? For our agreement with Crescent Moon? You were supposed to protect our future, and instead, you ruined it, didn't you?"

I was disappointed, but this was nothing new. I'd felt like I was never enough, I wasn't good enough, for him my whole life.

"I didn't ruin anything. Nathaniel made his own choice."

"And what choice was that? What made him leave you?"

It shouldn't have surprised me that he figured it was my fault. "I was myself. Apparently, it was too much."

My dad slammed his hand on the desk. "This isn't a joke, Ella! The Council is already wondering about my ability to lead. They're saying if I can't control my own daughter, how can I control a pack?"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you pressured me when I was nineteen, pushed me into marrying for practical reasons. Maybe you should have, don't you think?"

"Enough!" His Alpha voice shook the whole room, meant to force me to obey. It would have worked before, but I'd been Luna of a strong pack for five years. I'd learned to go against those commands.

I stood my ground and glared back at him. "I'm not a kid anymore, Father. I'm not your pawn. I'm done being what everyone else wants me to be."

"Fine. Then you're on your own. But you're not going to take this pack down with you."

His words knocked the wind out of me, but I didn't show it. "Is that your way of saying I'm not welcome here?"

He didn't say anything.

I turned to leave, touching my stomach. My child would grow up without their dad, and now maybe without their grandfather, too. But maybe that was for the best. Maybe we'd be better off without the politics that hurt every relationship I'd ever tried to have.

"Ella."

I stopped at the door.

"You have two weeks to find somewhere else to go. I don't want you here when the Council meets next month."

Two weeks! Pregnant, rejected, and now homeless.

But as I walked back to my temporary bedroom, I felt really great and that I haven't felt in a long time. Now I was free-scary, overwhelming, but true freedom.

Nathaniel thought he'd won. My dad thought he taught me a lesson.

They were both wrong.

I knew something they didn't-something that would switch things up.

And for the first time since I saw those pink lines, I smiled.

They have no clue what's coming.

*Two weeks later*

The rain hammered against the windows of the tiny diner like angry fists, each drop echoing the chaos in my mind. I sat in the corner booth, nursing a cup of herbal tea that had long gone cold, staring at the classified ads spread across the cracked Formica table.

*Waitress wanted. No experience necessary.*

*Night shift cleaner. Must have own transportation.*

*Receptionist. Previous pack employment preferred.*

That last one made me laugh bitterly. Previous pack employment. As what-disgraced former Luna? Publicly rejected mate? Woman carrying her ex-husband's secret child?

I pressed my hand to my stomach, now subtly rounded at eight weeks. My secret was safe for now, hidden beneath loose clothing and careful positioning. But soon, very soon, I wouldn't be able to hide anymore.

"Rough day?"

I looked up to find a woman about my age sliding into the booth across from me. She had kind eyes the color of warm honey and auburn hair that caught the diner's fluorescent lighting. Something about her seemed familiar, but I couldn't place where I might have seen her before.

"You could say that." I started gathering the newspaper pages, suddenly self-conscious about my obvious desperation.

"I'm Sage Winters," she said, extending her hand. "And you're Ella Montgomery, former Luna of Crescent Moon pack."

My blood ran cold. If word had spread this far about my rejection, then my humiliation was truly complete. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

Sage shook her head, her expression gentle but serious. "No, but I know your story. My pack has been following the political fallout from your... situation."

"My situation," I repeated flatly. "Is that what they're calling it?"

"Among other things." Sage signaled the waitress for coffee. "Look, I'm going to be direct because I think you need someone to be honest with you right now. Your ex-husband made a mistake. A big one. And my Alpha thinks there might be a way to make him realize it."

I leaned back in the booth, suddenly wary. "Your Alpha?"

"Alpha Kane Winters of the Shadowmere pack. We're... let's call us Crescent Moon's friendly rivals. We've been watching Nathaniel's political maneuvering with interest."

Shadowmere. I'd heard whispers about them-a smaller pack, but fierce and independent. They'd been steadily gaining territory and influence while staying largely out of the Council's political games.

"What does your Alpha want with me?"

Sage smiled, and there was something almost predatory about it. "He wants to offer you a job. And maybe, if you're interested, a chance for revenge."

The word hung between us like a promise. Revenge. After two weeks of rejection, abandonment, and humiliation, the idea was intoxicating.

"I'm listening."

"Kane needs someone with inside knowledge of how the major packs operate. Someone who understands their weaknesses, their secrets. You spent five years as Luna of one of the most powerful packs in the region. You know where the bodies are buried."

She wasn't wrong. Five years of pack politics had taught me things I'd never wanted to know about corruption, deal-making, and the price of power. I'd kept my mouth shut out of loyalty to Nathaniel, but that loyalty had died the moment he rejected me in front of our entire pack.

"And in exchange?"

"A place to live. A steady income. Protection." Sage leaned forward conspiratorially. "And the satisfaction of watching your ex-husband realize he threw away the best thing that ever happened to him."

The offer was tempting-dangerously so. But I had to think about more than just myself now.

"I need time to consider-"

"Ella Montgomery?"

The voice cut through the diner's ambient noise like a blade. I turned to see a tall man in an expensive suit standing by our booth, his expression carefully neutral. Beta Harrison, Nathaniel's right-hand man and the person who'd escorted me off Crescent Moon territory like a common criminal.

"Harrison." I kept my voice level despite the way my heart had started racing. "What brings you to this charming establishment?"

His eyes flicked to Sage, then back to me. "The Alpha requests a meeting."

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "The Alpha requests? How formal. And why, exactly, would I want to meet with the man who publicly humiliated me and threw me out of his territory?"

Harrison's jaw tightened. "There have been... developments."

"What kind of developments?" Sage asked, her tone casual but her posture alert.

"Pack business," Harrison replied curtly. "Not your concern, Miss...?"

"Winters. Sage Winters." She extended her hand with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Shadowmere pack."

Recognition flickered across Harrison's face, followed quickly by suspicion. Of course he'd know about the rival pack that had been steadily encroaching on traditional power structures.

"I see you're making new friends," he said to me, disapproval clear in his voice.

"I'm making my own choices for the first time in my life," I replied. "It's remarkably liberating."

"Ella." His tone turned almost pleading. "Please. Just come back with me. Talk to him. Things have... changed."

Changed. What could have possibly changed in two weeks? Had Vivian already started causing problems? Had the Council questioned his hasty rejection? Or-and this thought made my blood run cold-had someone discovered my secret?

I pressed my hand protectively to my stomach, praying my growing panic didn't show on my face.

"Give me one good reason why I should subject myself to more of Nathaniel's emotional manipulation."

Harrison glanced around the diner nervously, clearly uncomfortable having this conversation in public. "He's realized he made a mistake."

The words I'd dreamed of hearing for two weeks now felt hollow, meaningless. Too little, too late.

"What kind of mistake?" Sage asked, her journalist's instincts clearly engaged.

"A mistake that could cost him everything," Harrison said quietly. "The engagement to Vivian Ashworth... there have been complications."

My heart stuttered. "Complications?"

"She's not who we thought she was. Her father's been using her to gather intelligence about our pack defenses, our territories. She was a spy, Ella. The whole thing was a setup."

The revelation hit me like a physical blow. All those months of watching Nathaniel grow distant, of feeling like I was losing him to someone better, smarter, more politically valuable-and it had all been a lie. Vivian had been playing them both.

But even through my shock, I couldn't ignore the obvious question: "And he only figured this out now?"

Harrison's silence was telling.

"Let me guess," I continued, standing up from the booth. "He found out after he'd already rejected me. After he'd already humiliated me in front of the entire pack. After he'd already filed the divorce papers and thrown me out of his territory."

"Ella-"

"No." My voice carried more authority than I'd felt in months. "You don't get to 'Ella' me. You don't get to act like this is some minor misunderstanding that can be fixed with an apology and flowers."

Other diners were starting to stare, but I didn't care. Two weeks of pain and anger were pouring out of me like a dam had burst.

"He chose her over me. He chose politics over love. He chose his ambition over his mate." Each word was a dagger thrown with precision. "Those were his choices, Harrison. And choices have consequences."

"He wants to fix this."

"Some things can't be fixed."

I turned back to Sage, who'd been watching the entire exchange with fascination. "When can I meet your Alpha?"

"How about now?" She stood, tossing money on the table for her untouched coffee. "He's waiting outside."

Through the rain-streaked window, I could see a black SUV parked across the street. Even from a distance, I could make out the silhouette of someone in the driver's seat, watching.

"Ella, don't do this," Harrison said urgently. "Don't let anger make you do something you'll regret."

"The only thing I regret," I said, looking him directly in the eye, "is wasting five years of my life on someone who never deserved me."

I followed Sage toward the door, leaving Harrison standing alone by our abandoned booth. But just as I reached for the handle, he called out one last time.

"He loves you, Ella. He's always loved you."

I paused, my hand frozen on the door handle. For just a moment, the words threatened to undo all my resolve. But then I thought about the pregnancy test hidden in my purse, about the child growing inside me that its father would never know existed, about the family I'd have to build alone.

"Then he should have thought of that before he destroyed us," I said without turning around.

The rain hit me like a baptism as I stepped out into the storm, washing away the last traces of the woman I used to be. The woman who'd believed in love and loyalty and happy endings.

That woman was gone.

In her place stood someone harder, someone angrier, someone with nothing left to lose.

And as I walked toward the SUV that would take me to my new life, I felt something I hadn't experienced since the moment Nathaniel had rejected me:

Kane Winters, Shadowmere's Alpha, wasn't who I figured he'd be. We were driving to his territory on winding mountain roads in the back of his SUV, and I was rethinking everything I thought I knew about rival pack leaders. Nathaniel was all about sharp edges and barely controlled power, but Kane had this quiet, dangerous vibe.

He seemed younger than I thought-maybe early thirties, with messy dark hair and these sharp green eyes that just seemed to *see* right through you. He almost seemed like a scholar, someone more suited for a library than a boardroom. But the way he moved, that easy confidence, that was all Alpha.

"So..." he said, his voice low, breaking the heavy silence since we left the diner, "Sage says you want a *fresh start*."

"Among other things," I said, my voice tight, trying to sound professional. I might be desperate, but I wasn't about to spill my guts to a guy I just met.

"And what else is on your mind?" His eyes flicked to mine, searching.

I met his gaze, my heart pounding. "Depends on what you're *really* offering."

He smirked, but it was sharp, like he felt the weight of my words. "I like that. You're direct. It's a nice change from the Council's BS."

"I've had enough politics to last me a lifetime," I snapped, my voice betraying a flicker of exhaustion.

"Yeah, but everything's political when you're talking about packs," he said, his tone hardening. "Especially when you're talking about taking on someone as strong as Nathaniel Blackthorne."

The way he said it made me shiver, his words slicing through me. "Taking *down*?"

"Bad choice of words," Kane said quickly, but his eyes glinted, unapologetic. "Let's just say... evening the odds. Your ex has been grabbing power for years, taking over smaller packs, forcing others into deals they don't want. Shadowmere's stayed independent, but it's been *tough*."

I thought about Nathaniel's late-night calls, the papers on his desk when I brought him dinner. He was building something big-a network of loyalty that would make him impossible to touch in the next Council election.

"And you think I can help you stop him?" My voice wavered, a mix of doubt and defiance.

"I think you know his weaknesses better than anyone," Kane said, leaning in, his voice intense. "You were his Luna for five years. You saw how he works, his patterns, his plans. You know *everything* about our biggest threat."

"Threat?" The word stung, cutting deeper than I expected, even though I knew he was right. Nathaniel's ambition always came first, even if it hurt others.

"Tell me, Ella-" he paused, softer now, "can I call you Ella?-did you ever *question* what he did? Ever wonder if he was willing to hurt others to get what he wanted?"

I thought about the packs that had been swallowed up by Crescent Moon, their Alphas pushed aside. I thought about the secret deals, the favors traded, the way anyone who disagreed was shut down. My chest tightened.

"Sometimes," I whispered, the admission heavy.

"And did you ever say anything?" His voice was gentle but pressing, like he needed to know.

That hit hard. I was his Luna. My job was to back him up, not question him.

"Even when you *knew* he was wrong?" Kane's words were a quiet challenge, his eyes locked on mine.

"Yeah," I said, my voice breaking. "Even when I knew he was wrong." How many times had I kept my mouth shut, played the supportive wife, while he made choices that hurt people? I told myself it was loyalty, but maybe I was just *scared*.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice raw, searching his face.

Kane leaned back, those green eyes holding mine with fierce conviction. "I want you to help me protect the packs that can't protect themselves. I want you to use what you know to stop Nathaniel from becoming a *dictator*."

"And what do I get?" I shot back, my voice trembling with hope and fear.

"A home. A reason to be here. A chance to *matter* again," he said, his words steady, like a promise.

The offer hung there between us, tempting and scary at the same time. But there was something else I needed to know.

"Why *me*?" I demanded, my voice rising. "You could find anyone from his old pack who would talk about him. Why me?"

Kane's face grew serious, his jaw tight. "Because you're the only one who really *knows* him. The only one who's seen him when he's vulnerable, when he's human. And because..." He trailed off, his hesitation heavy, and I knew he wasn't telling me everything.

"Because *what*?" I pressed, my heart racing.

"Because Nathaniel Blackthorne's biggest mistake has always been not knowing what he has until it's gone," he said, his voice low, almost pained.

That gave me a weird feeling, part pain and part something I didn't want to name, twisting in my chest.

"You think he'll want me back," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I think he *already* does," Kane said, his gaze piercing. "The question is, can you resist him when he comes for you?"

The SUV slowed as we passed through this fancy iron gate with Shadowmere's symbol-a silver wolf howling at a crescent moon. The land inside was amazing: rolling hills covered in forest, a clear lake that looked like a mirror, and this big set of buildings that looked both new and old.

"Welcome to Shadowmere," Kane said, his voice warm as we parked in front of what had to be the pack house-a huge place made of stone and wood that felt more like a home than a fortress.

"It's beautiful," I said, my voice soft with awe, and I meant it.

"We believe in living with nature, not controlling it," he said, a hint of criticism in his tone, like he was jabbing at Crescent Moon's aggressive moves.

As we got out, I noticed the difference in the air. Crescent Moon always felt tense, like there was anger just below the surface. Shadowmere felt... peaceful. Balanced.

"Ella?" Kane stopped at the entrance to the pack house, his voice serious. "Before we go in, are you *sure* about this? Once you're in, there's no going back. Nathaniel will see this as a betrayal."

I thought about the pregnancy test in my purse, about the baby growing inside me that needed a safe place. I thought about Harrison's words: *He loves you. He's always loved you.* My throat tightened.

Maybe that was true. Maybe Nathaniel did love me, in his messed-up way. But love without trust, without respect, without putting you first-what was the point?

"I'm sure," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.

Kane nodded, his eyes softening, and opened the big wooden doors. "Then welcome to your new life."

The inside of the pack house was as impressive as the outside: high ceilings with wooden beams, walls covered in books and art, comfortable chairs that made you want to talk.

It was the opposite of Nathaniel's cold mansion.

"Kane?" a woman called out, her voice curious yet warm. I turned and saw this elegant woman walking toward us, her eyes bright with interest. "Is this our mystery guest?"

"Ella Montgomery, meet my sister and Beta, Luna Winters," Kane said, his tone proud. "Luna, this is Ella."

"Luna," I said, the name hitting me hard. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," she said, her smile warm but strong. "We've been hearing a lot about you. We've heard you were the best thing that ever happened to Crescent Moon. Too bad their Alpha couldn't see it."

That kindness caught me off guard, a lump rising in my throat. I was so used to being criticized that it felt weird to be supported.

"Come on," Kane said, his voice gentle, sensing my emotions. "Let's get you settled in, and then we can talk about the future."

He led me up a wide staircase to the second floor, down a hall with windows that showed off the mountains. We stopped at a door halfway down the hall.

"This will be yours, if you decide to stay," he said, opening the door to this big suite that was way better than the room I had at my dad's pack. Big windows, comfortable stuff, a little sitting area, and a sense of peace that felt like it was coming from the walls.

"It's *perfect*," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"Bathroom's through there, and there's a little kitchenette if you want to eat alone sometimes," Kane said, walking to the windows, his gaze distant as he looked out at the forest. "Ella, I want you to know-you're *safe* here, no matter what. Nathaniel can't reach you in Shadowmere."

Safe. When was the last time I felt that? My eyes burned.

"Thank you," I said, my voice trembling as I joined him at the window. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he said, turning to me, his voice soft but earnest.

"Why are you *really* doing this?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Don't tell me it's just about stopping Nathaniel's political ambitions. There's something else."

Kane was quiet for a minute, his jaw tight, thinking. "Have you ever watched someone you care about make choices that you *know* will destroy them?"

That hit close to home, a stab of pain in my chest. "Yes," I said, my voice barely audible.

"My brother," Kane said, his voice low and raw, "my older brother, James. He was supposed to be Alpha of Shadowmere, but he got obsessed with power, with being stronger than everyone. He made choices that hurt innocent people, even our own pack."

"What happened to him?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"I had to challenge him. For the pack," Kane said, his voice steady but heavy with pain. "I *killed* him, Ella. I killed my own brother because he couldn't stop himself from becoming a monster."

That confession hung there, raw and honest, stealing my breath.

"I see something like that happening with Nathaniel," Kane went on, his voice fierce now. "He's so focused on getting power that he's forgetting what's important. And someone's going to have to stop him."

"And you think that someone is you," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"I think that someone might be *us*," he said, turning to face me, his eyes burning with resolve. "But only if you're ready to fight back against the man who threw away the best thing in his life."

I put my hand on my stomach, feeling the little bump that would soon be obvious. Nathaniel had thrown away the best thing in his life, but he'd also thrown away something he didn't even know existed. My heart ached.

Our kid would grow up in this world, surrounded by pack politics and power struggles. I could raise them to be weak, to just accept whatever they were given. Or I could raise them to be strong, to know what they were worth, to never settle for less.

The choice was mine.

"When do we start?" I asked, my voice firm, a spark of determination igniting inside me.

Kane's smile was sharp, his eyes gleaming with approval. "How about *now*?"

As if she'd heard us, Luna appeared in the doorway. "Kane, we have a *problem*," she said, her voice urgent. "A group from Crescent Moon is at the gates. They want to meet."

My blood ran cold, my heart racing. "Nathaniel?" I asked, my voice barely steady.

"No," Luna said, her face grim. "Beta Harrison and two guards. They want us to give back 'stolen pack property.'"

Kane looked at me, and I saw a challenge, a question, and a promise in his eyes, his gaze fierce.

"Well, Ella," he said softly, but with an edge of defiance, "looks like your new life is starting early. Ready to send a message to your ex?"

I thought about the scared woman who'd been sitting in that diner, reading ads and trying not to cry. She was gone. Now there was someone tougher, angrier, someone who had everything to lose and nothing left to fear. My hands clenched.

"Let's go show them what stolen property looks like," I said, my voice hard with resolve.

As we went back downstairs to face them, I felt something I hadn't felt in months: excitement, sharp and electric.

Nathaniel wanted a war?

He was about to get one.