(LUNA)

ALEXANDER

I sat curled up on the stool by the window, morning sunlight spilling through the open curtain, but I couldn't stop replaying last night. It wasn't just humiliation-it was a reminder that I might stay like this until I die, that no one would ever accept me as their mate.

I didn't even know what I was supposed to feel.

After I failed to transform during the pack's coming-of-age ceremony, my father left me to my fate. He handed me over to my stepmother's cruelty, and she made sure I paid for surviving my mother-and for being born at all.

The youths who mocked me-who threw stones-were faces I could still see clearly. And yet, as the daughter of one of the pack's most influential elders, I shouldn't have been treated like that. But no one respected me. They jeered at my weight, called me ugly, and the cruelest of them gave me a name that stuck like a brand: dead fat wolf.

My door creaked open.

I jerked my head around and saw Anita slip inside, her eyes flicking to the empty mattress and then to me by the window. My room was large, but it might as well have been a cell-just the mattress on the floor and the stool beneath me.

"Alex," she whispered, tense and hurried. "Mistress Jezebel demands your presence at once."

At that name, fear clamped around my heart. My body went rigid, trembling before I could even think.

Anita was gone before I realized it-door closed, footsteps fading.

I forced myself off the stool and hurried after her. By the time I reached the door-barely a couple of minutes away-I was already panting, sweat sliding down the back of my neck.

They made me feel like being obese was a curse.

But I knew it wasn't.

I pulled my door open and stepped into the hallway, my eyes snapping to my sister's door, left slightly ajar.

"My darling Damon," a breathy voice purred, "I can't wait anymore. Let night fall, let the Moon Goddess declare me your fated mate. I want to live in your arms, to fall asleep to your love whispered into the dark. That's all I've ever wanted."

I recognized the speaker at once-Tracy. My step-sister. The Gideon family's favored daughter. My father draped her in the finest things as if she'd been born royalty. The maids adored her beauty, and the men of the pack treated her like something precious.

She never wore the same dress twice in a day-once was enough for her.

My gaze dropped to my own outfit, a dress riddled with patches. I'd been wearing some version of the same worn fabric since my coming of age. After I failed to transform, they stopped allocating clothes to me. My father branded me useless, and my stepmother made sure I stayed that way. Even the maids wore pretty dresses while I rotated between two that no longer fit right, outgrowing everything I'd brought in my luggage long ago.

"I can't wait either," a male voice murmured. "I've been aching to see your beautiful face every morning when I wake."

"Such a sweet tongue," Tracy giggled. "You've learned to flatter me, Damon."

My throat tightened.

That voice-there was no mistaking it. Damon. Our Alpha. And today, after the bonding ceremony, he would finally take the throne.

Call me a loser if you want, but ever since Damon stopped my step-mother from selling me off when I was a child, I'd watched him from a distance whenever I could. When he was near, my whole body felt too awake. My heart sprinted at the sound of his voice-even when he wasn't speaking to me at all.

I didn't realize I was moving until my feet carried me to Tracy's door.

I peered through the narrow opening.

Tracy's arms were looped around Damon's neck. Damon's hand rested on her waist, pulling her close. They leaned in-about to kiss.

A sour taste rose in my mouth. My chest cinched tight. I didn't know what to call it-jealousy, hurt, longing-but the only thing I could think was that I wanted to be the one in his arms.

Then a sharp voice cracked through the hallway like a whip.

"Where is that girl?" Jezebel snarled.

Fear jolted through me. I stumbled back, trying to run, and my foot caught. I went down hard-my backside slamming into the floor.

As I scrambled up, I heard Damon's voice, colder now.

"Someone's peeping at us."

Tracy's laughter followed, light and careless.

"It doesn't matter," she said sweetly. "We're getting married today."

Before I reached the door at the end of the corridor, I was already drenched in sweat. My heart hammered against my ribs, and my fists tightened nervously. I reached for the handle-then flinched when Jezebel snapped, "Nonsense!"

I swallowed hard. My mouth went instantly dry. The moment she looked away from the maid giving her report and fixed her gaze on me, my back stiffened. Her eyes were so terrifying they stole the breath from my lungs.

"You've grown lazy, Alexander," Jezebel said coldly. "Still in your room at this hour? Your workload clearly isn't enough. I'll instruct the butler to increase it immediately."

My knees nearly buckled. I was already pushed to my limit. The maids refused to lift a finger; whenever they saw me, they dumped their work on me, and if I refused, I'd be beaten until I gave in.

"We've seen the Elder," the maids chimed in at once.

That was when I lifted my head and saw my father. He frowned, looking me over, and demanded, "What are you doing here-and why are you wearing that dress?"

ALEXANDER

I was rendered speechless as I stared at my father in disbelief. I couldn't remember the last time he'd spoken to me. Even when I tried to start a conversation or ask for an audience, I was turned away, and Jezebel would force me to kneel for hours.

If I didn't constantly hear him speaking to everyone around me-everyone except me-I wouldn't have remembered the sound of his voice.

"She refused to-" Jezebel began, but my father cut her off sharply. "I'm not interested. Get her a new dress and make sure she looks good. Tonight is the bonding night, and she can't appear worse than the others. She might be lucky enough to get a mate."

I stiffened. For a moment, I'd thought he might be showing me a sliver of humanity-kindness, even-but his words made it clear. This wasn't compassion. He was thinking about what he could gain if I bonded tonight. He was already anticipating my bride price.

"You may leave," Jezebel said, though her eyes burned with reluctance.

I didn't waste a second in that suffocating room. As I slipped out, I could still hear their voices behind the door. It wasn't until we headed toward the open center of the castle that I understood what they'd been discussing. I glanced down at the beautiful dress I'd been given, and a quiet thrill rose in my chest. I hadn't worn anything new in years.

Everyone else was excited about bonding night. I wasn't. I was excited about the dress.

I couldn't stop smiling, checking it again and again, careful not to let my hands brush the fabric in case I stained it.

Then I heard Jezebel's voice, sweet and smug. "Tracy, your father and I changed the pack's policy just for you. We want everyone in the castle to witness the most beautiful girl in the pack bond with the Alpha. I want them to know the Luna is my daughter. I want them to bow their heads and worship you-not only because you'll be Luna, but because they're lucky a beautiful lady like you agreed to accept them."

Her words made me swallow hard. I looked at Tracy. She was beaming-she loved praise more than anything. With a practiced softness, she said, "Oh, Mother..."

But Jezebel only smiled wider. "Don't be humble. You're the envy of the Moon Goddess."

I didn't realize I'd stopped walking until Jezebel snapped, "Walk faster, cursed child!"

I jolted out of my daze and hurried after them.

We reached the castle square, where the women, men, and children of the pack had already gathered. The moment we arrived, those who recognized my stepmother, Jezebel, stepped forward and began talking to her. Others crowded around Tracy, showering her with compliments, while I was left standing alone.

Everyone buzzed with excitement, chatting and glancing up at the dark clouds gathering overhead, as if waiting for something to happen.

I wanted to look at the sky too, to feel included, but my eyes drifted to the pool at the center of the square. Damon and Tracy stood beside it, watching two fish swim lazily in circles. They smiled at each other-so effortless, so certain. They really were in love.

I took a small step forward, hoping to blend into the crowd, but before I could take another, a kick slammed into me. I staggered, lost my balance, and hit the ground hard, landing on my butt.

When I looked up, Martin was lowering his leg, his face twisted in disgust. His friends stood behind him, staring at me with open hatred. No one in the pack despised me more than Martin. He always took out his bitterness on me-especially because Tracy would never return his feelings.

He snorted. "The fat thing thinks she can stand with the noblemen and noblewomen of the pack."

That was enough to remind me of my place. I didn't try to approach again. I retreated to a pillar and gripped it tightly, afraid someone might decide to kick me again just for breathing near them.

Then the elders appeared on the balcony of the Moon Goddess temple, overlooking the crowd. Among them, my father stood out the most.

The other elders wore stern, unreadable expressions, their faces set in stone. But my father's eyes shone with pride. His shoulders were squared, his posture tall, and his smile stretched wide.

He was convinced Tracy would become the Luna of the pack. Years ago, a seer had told him a Luna would rise from his household-and that prophecy had made his confidence untouchable.

The castle's center suddenly brightened. I looked up just in time to see the full moon reveal itself overhead. I turned away, refusing to hope. I'd never expected to have a mate-if I ever bonded to anyone, I was sure he'd reject me... or hate me until it killed me.

Then a wave of joyful gasps swept through the arena.

I looked back and saw Alpha Damon standing beneath a beam of moonlight, as if the moon itself had chosen him.

And then-light flared around me.

My mind blanked. My body went rigid with shock. The entire arena fell into a deafening silence, so complete I could hear the hard swallow in my own throat.

"Mate!"

The growl snapped through the quiet. Trembling, I turned toward the sound-and there he was. Alpha Damon stared straight at me, his eyes already bleeding into red. Something deep and undeniable pulled tight between us, a connection so real my skin prickled and my body reacted to his gaze.

"Impossible!" Tracy's scream tore through the air, sharp enough to sting.

My heart stumbled.

I looked at her just as she bolted for the gate. I blinked, confused-because I couldn't bring myself to answer the question pounding in my head.

Was I Alpha Damon's mate?

ALEXANDER

The moment Alpha Damon's gaze settled on me-those ink-dark pupils stark against the whites of his eyes-all I could see was hatred and disdain.

"My daughter!" Jezebel, my stepmother, screamed. In an instant, the once-quiet castle hall erupted into chaos, voices piling over one another.

Before my eyes, Alpha Damon shifted. His massive black wolf was breathtaking, a vivid red streak cutting through his fur. I watched, caught between fear and awe, as he sprang three powerful leaps and vanished from sight.

When I looked around, the pack warriors were already mobilizing. Even a handful of hot-blooded youths-ones who weren't warriors-gathered in small groups and rushed out after him. For a heartbeat, I wondered what it would feel like to be in Tracy's place.

Then I forced myself back to reality. No one in this pack would ever organize a search like that for me. If anything, they'd be relieved to be rid of me.

A sudden chill skated down my spine. I swallowed hard. Someone was staring at my back-someone unfriendly. Slowly, I turned and found Jezebel watching me, hatred burning in her eyes. Her fists were clenched so tight they cracked. She didn't say a word, just turned and walked away, but her glare spoke louder than any threat.

I didn't dare linger in the castle centre. Too many eyes were fixed on me-too many filled with the same hatred. I swallowed again and hurried out, forcing my heavy legs to run as fast as they could. By the time I reached the main entrance thirty minutes later, I was panting and exhausted, and it felt like I'd been running for a year.

I stayed hidden in my room, hardly daring to step outside. Sleep wouldn't come, and even sitting offered no comfort. Every so often I peered through the window, waiting. It felt like the longest night of my life. Even exhausted, I couldn't close my eyes-I kept bracing for something I couldn't name.

Dawn was just breaking when an ear‑piercing scream tore through the castle. My heart lurched. I didn't need to be told-the search had ended the way I'd been dreading.

I retreated to the far corner of the room, arms locked around my legs, shuddering at every footfall in the hall. As daylight slowly filled the room, my door creaked open, and two young men stepped inside.

They looked nearly identical-twins weren't uncommon in the pack. What was uncommon was the council's messengers coming here, to me.

"Come with us, Alexander," one said. "Your presence is requested in the council hall immediately."

Fear surged. The large badge on their chests only made it worse. My legs went weak, and I had to force myself to keep pace. By the time we reached the corridor, I was already gasping.

That was where I met my stepmother.

Jezebel looked disheveled-especially her hair, usually perfectly combed. She loved jewelry and fine clothing; people even whispered her wardrobe could rival the late queen's. Not today.

"You killed my daughter, Alex-cursed child..." she hissed. The words hit me like thunder. I froze, unable to take another step.

"Enough!" my father's voice rang out from somewhere distant. No one else could do what he could-project his voice across space, a gift that had helped him command warriors and seize territory from rogue wolves.

Jezebel fell silent. She didn't block our way again, but her cold stare followed me down the corridor. I didn't realize I could walk that fast until I was already hurrying away.

We walked all the way to the council hall. The messengers the council had sent should've been able to cover the distance in a minute, but because of the Presence, they didn't push me or make things harder.

When we arrived, one of them motioned for me to climb the staircase. I did, and when I reached the wide-open doors, I paused and peered inside.

What I saw stole every bit of courage from me. I couldn't bring myself to take another step.

Alpha Damon stood before the elders. They sat in a semicircle around a towering, high-backed chair on a platform nearly two metres tall, and the air in the hall felt thick-suffocating.

"Go in," one of the messengers urged.

I forced my feet to move and stepped inside, walking slowly. Alpha Damon didn't even look at me. His broad back was rigid, like an unsheathed sword, and the thought that this man was my mate twisted something complicated in my chest.

"She's here," one of the elders said. "Now you must decide."

The words snapped me out of my thoughts, and sweat broke out on my skin. Anyone in this room could determine my life and my fate. I was standing before a council that had condemned countless wolves and carried out ruthless judgments.

"Either you accept her as your mate and remain Alpha," an elder's sharp voice cut through the silence, "or you reject her and have her executed-then step down. We will not allow a weak Alpha to lead this pack."

My heart dropped, as if it had fallen straight into my stomach. Only then did I understand the danger I was in. The pressure in the room seemed to climb by the second. My knees nearly buckled, and I wasn't sure what was keeping me upright-maybe fear, maybe the instinct not to draw their attention.

I didn't want to die.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my heart hammering so hard I could hear it pounding in my ears.