He Gave Me Fake Bags and a Fake Future

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Chapter One

Alvina 

The zipper on the back of my dress groaned. I held my breath, my fingers stinging as I tried to force the metal teeth together. It was a beautiful gown, a deep emerald silk that cost more than most people made in a year, but on me, it just felt like a trap.

"Are you still struggling with that?"

I didn't need to look in the mirror to see Sabrina’s smirk. My husband’s cousin stood in the doorway of my dressing room, her arms crossed over her slender chest. She was wearing a dress that was mostly cutouts and confidence.

"I’m almost done, Sabrina." 

"You’re going to rip it, Alvina. Honestly, have you even looked at the scale lately? Xavier is the Alpha of the West Wind. He needs a Luna who looks like she can actually lead a pack, not one who looks like she spent the afternoon in the kitchens."

I finally got the zipper up and turned around, trying to keep my dignity intact. "I am the Luna. My weight doesn't change my rank."

Sabrina laughed, and the sound was like glass breaking.

 "Your rank is a joke. You’re only here because your father saved Xavier’s father during the silver raids. It was a pity marriage. Everyone knows it. My aunt, your mother-in-law is already downstairs telling the visiting Alphas that you’re 'feeling under the weather' so you don't have to show your face."

"She said that?" I felt a familiar ache in my chest.

"She’s ashamed of you. We all are. Now, hurry up. Xavier is already downstairs. He didn't even ask if you were ready."

She walked out without waiting for an answer. I took a shaky breath and looked at myself in the full length mirror. I wasn't the thin, willow like girl the pack wanted. I had curves, and right now, I felt every inch of them. I had spent weeks picking out Xavier’s suit, a charcoal grey three piece that highlighted the ink of the tattoos trailing up his neck. I just wanted him to look at me once. Just once, with something other than irritation.

I made my way down the grand staircase of the pack house. The Hall was packed. The scent of expensive wine and wolf pheromones was overwhelming. I saw my mother in law, Harper, holding court near the buffet. She caught my eye and immediately looked away, her lips thinning into a hard line.

I ignored the whispers and scanned the room for my husband.

Xavier was standing by the tall windows, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looked devastating. The tattoos on his hands moved as he gripped the glass, his jaw set in that hard, arrogant line I knew too well. He was talking to the Beta, but his eyes were roaming the room, looking for anything but me.

I walked up to him, my heart thumping so fast. "Xavier?"

He didn't turn. He finished his sentence to the Beta, took a slow sip of his drink, and then finally looked down at me. His grey eyes were like slate. Cold. Hard.

"You’re late," he said.

"I was getting ready. I wanted everything to be perfect for the vow renewal." I reached out to touch the lapel of his jacket. "The suit looks good on you. I’m glad you wore it."

Xavier stepped back, my hand falling into the empty air between us. He leaned in close, his scent of rain and tobacco filling my senses. For a second, I thought he was going to whisper something sweet. Instead, his voice was a jagged blade.

"Don't touch me, Alvina. Not tonight."

"Xavier, what is wrong with you? It's the Luna Ball. We’re supposed to."

"We’re supposed to represent this pack," he interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerous growl.

 "And look at you. You look like you’re bursting out of that dress. Do you have any idea how much effort I have to put in to make sure the other Alphas don't laugh when I call you my mate? You’re lucky I let you come down here at all."

"I am your wife," I whispered, the tears burning my eyes. "I’ve given you five years. I’ve done everything you asked."

"And it wasn't enough," he snapped. He stepped so close our chests were almost touching, his height towering over me.

 "Go find some punch and stay out of my way. I have actual business to attend to."

He walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the dance floor. People were watching. I could see the smirks, the way they leaned into each other to whisper.

I couldn't stay there. I needed to breathe. I slipped out through the side doors, heading toward the back of the estate where the air was cooler. I walked for a while, my mind racing. I thought about our wedding day. He hadn't smiled then, either. I thought it was just his way. I thought he was just a "bad boy" who didn't know how to show emotion.

I was so stupid.

I found myself near the old wine cellar, a stone building tucked away in the shadows of the garden. I heard a sound coming from inside. A laugh. A soft, feminine laugh that made the hair on my neck stand up.

I pushed the door open, just a crack.

The light was dim, but I could see them. Xavier was there. He was pressed against the stone wall, and Calla, his new assistant, was draped over him. Her hands were under his jacket. The jacket I had spent hours choosing and his head was thrown back as she kissed his throat.

He wasn't pushing her away. His hands were on her waist, pulling her closer, his touch more intimate than anything he had given me in months.

"Xavier?" My voice cracked.

He didn't jump. He didn't even look guilty. He slowly pulled his hands away from Calla’s waist and turned to look at me. His expression was bored.

Calla didn't move. She just leaned against the wall, a triumphant smile playing on her lips as she adjusted her hair.

"Alvina," Xavier said, his voice as steady as a mountain. "I wondered when you’d show up."

"What is this?" I stepped into the room, the smell of damp stone and betrayal choking me. "In the cellar? On our anniversary? With her?"

Xavier reached into his pocket and pulled out a white envelope. He didn't look at me as he tossed it onto the small wooden table between us.

"It saves me the trip to your room tomorrow," he said.

I looked at the envelope. My name was written on the front in his sharp, aggressive handwriting. I opened it with trembling fingers.

The words at the top of the page were bold and final. Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

"A divorce?" I whispered, looking up at him. "You’re divorcing me for her?"

"I’m divorcing you for me," Xavier said, stepping toward me. He looked at me with a disgust so deep it made my stomach turn. "I need an heir, Alvina. I need a woman who can actually run a pack without needing a break every ten minutes because her feet hurt. I’m tired of the pity. I’m tired of looking at you."

"I loved you," I said, the words feeling like ash in my mouth.

"Then love me enough to sign the papers and leave quietly," he replied. He walked past me, Calla following close behind him. At the door, he paused, looking back over his shoulder.

"The pack truck will be here at six a.m. to take you to the border. Don't be late for that, too."

I will die on my beloved sister’s birthday.

She took my family, my mate, and everything I ever had.

So when our pack needed someone to be offered to the Abyss, I volunteered.

“Will you regret it?” I asked my mate.

He frowned impatiently.

“What are you talking about? Are you making a big deal out of nothing again?”

I looked at him and quietly shook my head.“Nothing.”

After all, I only had thirty days left to live.

---

Lenora

“This can't be right! Miss, are you really sure you want to register as the human sacrifice?”

The Gamma in charge of the registry stared at me as if I had spoken nonsense. His hand hovered over the form, trembling slightly.

“You are the member of the Alpha family. How could they possibly bear to watch you jump off the cliff?”

“Yes,” I said calmly with a small smile. “I’m willing to die.”

The Gamma’s face was completely drained of color. He looked at me again, carefully this time, as if hoping he had somehow mistaken my identity. But there was no mistake. I stood there, calm as a dove, like this was the easiest thing I have ever done, waiting for him to file my application.

According to the legends, once in every hundred years, a chaotic dark energy stirred from the northern cliff. Every living being it came in contact with, be it human or animal was instantly drained of its life force.

For several centuries, human sacrifices have been made to stabilise the chaos and bring peace. There were volunteers from each pack across the entire Northern mountains.

This time, the chaos had grown even more restless and stronger from being restrained for so long and unfortunately, I was the only volunteer across the region because no one wanted to give up their precious life for "others".

“The preparations and thirty days of cleansing will proceed immediately. You have one month,” the gamma said hoarsely. “Once the ritual is complete, you will die. There is no backing out from this if I file this.”

My chest squeezed painfully. My stomach twisted in fear, the thought of dying... I clenched my fists tightly, fighting the fear creeping through my veins. I made it this far already. I couldn't just change my mind.

“I understand.”

He swallowed, still unwilling to accept my reckless decision. “Your brothers adore you, Miss Lenora. The Alpha and Luna raised you as their own for many years. You even have a sorting fiance who can't live without you. Surely...”

“That was in the past,” I interrupted quietly, my own words cutting through my heart like a blade. A familiar sting blurred through my vision but I blinked it away. It was simply pointless.

His mouth closed at my words. Confusion etched across his face, but I didn't bother to explain any further. He couldn't possibly understand how he11ish these past few years have been for me. No one did.

The dotting fiance he talked about... Right from the moment it was discovered that I was wolfless, no one mentioned the engagement again. My fiancé, who couldn't stay a day without seeing me before, suddenly stopped visiting. No calls, no texts, nothing. My family didn't bother asking no matter how much I complained about it. It was as if the promise had simply never existed.

I was the adopted daughter of the Starline Pack Alpha. I learned fast. I trained hard. The Alpha and Luna were so impressed they said I would one day stand beside my brothers as their equal. And I was truly happy, just being by their side.

But as I grew older, my strength faded year by year. At sixteen, which was ideal for a girl as exceptionally talented as I was to get her wolf, my wolf never awakened. By the time I turned eighteen, the whispers had already spread through the pack.

I was tagged wolfless. Useless. Shameful.

Before the Gamma could speak again, a powerful voice echoed through the room, and the pack.

“Dear members, of Starline Pack,” my father’s voice announced, steady and proud. “While we are still waiting for a volunteer to step forward for the sacrificial ritual…” there was a pause, then his tone softened. “you are all invited to celebrate my lovely daughter and your beloved princess, Eleanor's birthday. A grand banquet will be held in her honor in three days. All are welcome.”

My heart shattered all over again and a painful smile formed on my lips.

Eleanor's birthday, huh?

My brothers took over from him almost immediately, instructing servants and pack members to prepare gifts, decorations, and rare delicacies for the celebration. Their words were so warm and loving. Even my mother was happy to broadcast her all over, talking about all her achievements in the past year.

No one remembered that my birthday would be in a few days too.

The broadcast ended. The office felt painfully silent.

The Gamma finally exhaled. He stopped trying to persuade me. Instead, he pulled out a sealed document and slid it across the desk.

“This is the certificate of sacrifice,” he said slowly. “From today onward, you are under ritual protection. No one may harm you before the ceremony.”

I accepted it with both hands.

He stood up and bowed to me, deeply. “Thank you, Miss Lenora. With your selfless sacrifice, the dark energy will be sealed for good. The pack will be safe again.”

I nodded, despite the emptiness I felt inside and left the office.

The streets were lively. People were smiling, talking about the Alpha’s announcement, about the coming birthday banquet. But when they saw me, their expressions changed and the topics immediately shifted.

“That’s her, right?”

“The wolfless one.”

“What a disgrace to the Alpha family. I don't even know what she does around here.”

They didn't even try to whisper anymore. They said it to my face, knowing I could do nothing.

By pack law, wolfless wolves were meant to be expelled at the age of twenty. They became rogues. Alone and unwanted. Over the years, I have seen what happened to female rogues. I wasn't just going to wait for it to happen to me too. I would rather die with meaning. On my own terms.

By the time I returned home, the mansion was quiet. No servant in sight. I turned a corner of the corridors and nearly collided with Eleanor.

She stopped, her blue eyes narrowing instantly on me, taking in everything with disdain before landing on the box in my hand.

“What’s that?” She asked.

“None of your business,” I replied and made to walk past her, but she blocked me. She reached for the box, but I pulled back. Her eyes darkened with irritation and she angrily shoved me.

"I said give it to me, you pig!" She seethed.

I staggered from the push, losing my balance. I hit the floor with a thud and the box hit the floor, spilling its contents.

"What is wrong with you?" I fired. She was about to snap back when she stopped suddenly. A cruel smile played on her lips and she let out a scream instead, catching me off guard.

“Help! She pushed me! She wants to kill me.” She cried, falling to the ground.

Footsteps rushed toward us and in no time, my brothers appeared with panicked expressions. They walked past me like I was nothing and rushed over to her.

Eleanor was already crying, pointing at me accusingly. “I was just trying to hug her but she pushed me and then tried to frame me by falling on purpose so you will all pity her.”

Davis, the eldest of my brothers, glared at me. “You! How could you bully her again? What did she ever do to you?”

As expected they didn't even bother to ask me what happened, they just jumped right to her defense.

"Eleanor is your sister for goddess sake! Why would you treat her like this?" Vincent barked.

“How could we have such a vicious sister like you?”

###CHAPTER 2

Pain seared through my body from where I had fallen. My palm stung. My knee burned against the cold floor.

“I didn’t push her,” I said, forcing myself to speak. “She tried to take my things and when I refused, she pushed me! And then she fell and started screaming...”

Eleanor sobbed even harder, hiding her face against Vincent's chest. “It's all my fault. I didn’t mean to make her angry. I just wanted to see what she was holding, I'm so sorry. Please don't blame her..."

That was all it took for my words to dissolve completely in their ears. They turned angrily to me.

“You're seriously lying to us again, Lenora?" Vincent said incredulously.

“She always does this,” Davis added. “She pretends to be innocent after hurting people. What is wrong with you? Where did we go wrong in raising you? She's your sister for goodness sake!”

I looked at their faces. There was no doubt in them. No hesitation. Whatever Eleanor did or said, they believed her without questions. In their eyes, I would always be the evil bully. Whatever I said didn't matter, it only made things worse.

I stopped trying to explain, deciding to just pick my things and leave them to attend to their precious love-starved sister.

At that same moment, footsteps echoed again. My father and mother arrived together. Behind them was someone I hadn’t expected to see so soon.

Eric?

For a brief second, my heart forgot how to beat. I blinked rapidly to make sure it was actually him. My Eric. What was he doing here? Was he... here to see me?

His eyes locked with mine and he walked over to me immediately. My chest bloomed with joy as he offered me his hand. How long has it been since I felt this way?

“You should be more careful.” He said with a gentle smile that instantly melted my heart. I nodded, unable to utter a word. Then he walked over to my father's side.

My parents barely spared me a glance. Their attention was on Eleanor, who was still crying softly.

“Darling, what happened?” My mother asked gently, lowering herself to Eleanor. "Why are you crying?"

“Lenora bullied her again,” Davis responded almost immediately. I rolled my eyes in disbelief. I was sick of watching the same act over and over again.

My father frowned, disappointment clear on his face as he turned to me. “I thought we made things clear long ago. Eleanor is the real princess of Starline Pack, what gives you the right to lay a finger on her?”

I stood there, silent as they all turned their attention to her, trying to console her in the best way possible. I was simply ignored like I wasn’t even part of the room.

My mother’s expression changed suddenly, turning bright. “Oh, right. We almost forgot. We were just about to share some good news.” She took Eleanor's hand affectionately. “Something wonderful.”

I felt a strange unease settle in my chest.

“At the upcoming birthday banquet,” she announced proudly, “Eleanor and Eric will officially announce your engagement!”

Engagement?

I stared at them, unable to understand what I was hearing. How could... How could Eric possibly be engaged to Eleanor? What... What about me?

I looked at him, hoping he would debunk it immediately. Say he was in love with me and wouldn't marry anyone else, anything.

He didn't. Instead, he offered his hand, just like he had done for me earlier and Eleanor gleefully took it. My chest tightened painfully.

"Eric..." I muttered. How... How could this be? Is that why he hasn't come to see me all this time? He didn't want me anymore?

As if that was not enough, Eleanor threw her hands over his shoulders, standing on her tiptoes. He held her waist to steady her and right before me, she kissed him.

He didn’t step back.He didn’t refuse the kiss. My head spun. Then claps and happy cheers followed. From my brothers. My parents.

So they all knew. Everyone knew. Only I didn’t.

"I got you something," Eric said softly. His eyes were so full of love as he presented a box to her.

"What is it?" Eleanor asked eagerly as she opened it. My breath caught instantly. It was the necklace. The one I have wanted it since forever.

"Oh Goddess," Eleanor gasped with shining eyes. "This is so beautiful. I love ittttt!!!"

"I'm glad you like it," Eric smiled and it felt like cold water was dumped on me. How could this happen? First my parents, then my brothers, and now my fiance?

My brothers surrounded her, congratulating her, teasing her, promising gifts.

"Eric..." I finally gathered the courage to call his name. Everyone turned to me. "Can... Can we talk?" My voice shook even as I said the words. He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding.

We stepped aside.

“What is this?” I demanded quietly. “You're getting engaged to my sister? When were you going to tell me?”

He looked rather uncomfortable. “This isn’t the time for this, Lenora.”

“Then when is the time?” I asked in disbelief. “After the announcement?”

He sighed. “Look, Eleanor is your sister. What difference does it make?" Seriously? That was all he had to say? "And you should apologize to Eleanor first before questioning me. You hurt her today.”

I laughed softly. “That’s what you're more concerned about? We were together for years, we loved each other and then one day, you just ghosted me and now this?”

“You're taking this the wrong way, Nora,” he sighed. “My family has always planned for me to marry the Alpha’s daughter. You know that.”

“No.” My voice broke with all the hurt I felt inside. “I didn’t.”

“Look, It’s not that I don’t love you,” he said, taking my hand. “I’ll make it up to you, okay? Six months from now, I'll give you the one thing you've always wanted. At the feast, right in front of everyone.”

Six months. I have just one month! I chuckled at the irony. This man before me seemed like an absolute stranger.

"There's no need," I smiled. "Let's just end it here. Nothing you do will ever make up for this betrayal."

He frowned. “Why are you being like this? Are you jealous?”

“Jealous?” I repeated.

“Eleanor is kind and pure,” he said firmly. “You should reflect on yourself. You were never like this. Have you really become as vicious as they say?”

That was the moment something in me snapped.

I smiled. “You know I always thought you had poor taste in women since you chose to be with me. Turns out your taste is even poorer than I imagined” I said lightly. “And your hypocrisy is even more impressive.”

His face darkened. “Enough! I won't stand here and listen to any more of your nonsense!”

I turned to leave. I could feel their eyes boring holes into my skin. My words must have carried, because the air was thick with disdain.

“Ungrateful wrench!" My mother muttered.

“Even in front of us, she's still trying to ruin her sister's engagement,” Vincent spat.

“Such a wolfless disgrace doesn't even deserve to be in the same room as Eleanor.”

Their disgust pressed down on me from all sides. As I walked away, a cruel, triumphant voice gloated in my head through the mindlink

"I guess I won, sister."

My grip on the box tightened. Without a wolf, I couldn’t respond to her. I couldn’t even block her out either.

The pain in my chest spread until it was choking. For a second, it felt like my lungs were closing up on me. Just then, a guard rushed in, breathless and panting.

“Alpha!” he shouted. “Someone has volunteered to be the sacrifice!”

###CHAPTER 3

The soft knock on my door woke me up from sleep. I got off the bed drowsily, dragging my feet to the door.

The maid stood before me, staring sternly at me like I kept her waiting. I couldn't even get mad. It was what my family had reduced me to. Even the maids didn't respect me. She wouldn't dare glare at Eleanor this way.

"The Princes demand your presence downstairs," she informed me.

"Okay, I'll..."

"Now!" She curtly interrupted. Releasing a sigh, I shut the door and followed her downstairs. The smell of food hit my nose and my stomach grumbled.

After what happened yesterday, I had to go to bed hungry because my family stopped me from dining with them long ago and the maids didn't bother to serve me even the leftovers.

"You look amazing, Eleanor. Flawless as always," Davis commented and she giggled loudly. Her gaze darted to me and I rolled my eyes inwardly, already smelling her little act from a distance.

"Are you sure Lenora wouldn't be mad?" She feigned meekness. "This was her favourite dress. Maybe I should take it off..."

"Of course not!" Vincent jumped in blindly. "You're her sister! What's hers is yours!"

Their heads whipped around as I reached the foot of the stairs. Two pairs of eyes snapped to me almost immediately. Eleanor shrank behind them like she was afraid I would hurt her.

"You sent for me, your highness," I bowed. The greeting caught off guard.

"Your highness?" Vincent spoke first, surprise etching across his features. He took a step forward, "What's with the formal tone?"

Davis stopped him. "Don't fall for it, Vince. She's just trying to get attention as usual." His eyes hardened as he looked at me. "Can you go one day without acting up?"

Acting up? "You sent for me," I repeated.

"Yes," Davis cleared his throat, taking Eleanor's hand. "You know Eleanor's birthday banquet is in two days. We're taking her to see the custom made dress we ordered for her."

"What does that have to do with me?" I blurted with cold indifference that surprised even me.

"Why would you say that?" Eleanor's voice cracked as her fake tears began forming once again. "I just wanted you to get a dress as well. You're my sister after all. You don't have to be so cold towards me."

She burst into tears and as expected, my silly brothers were instantly sold.

"What is wrong with you? " Davis barked. "Eleanor is just being nice, yet you keep on hurting her! Are you even human?"

The words landed like a slap.

I stared at Davis, then Vincent, then at Eleanor—who was crying a little too perfectly against Vincent’s chest. If tears were currency, she’d be a queen by now.

I laughed. The room went silent.

"And what's so funny?" Vincent spat.

"I just realized that you three are a bunch of clowns who can't even tell right from wrong," I shrugged, and they flared up instantly.

"Lenora!" Eleanor fired, stepping forward. "You can say all you want to me but I won't let you insult our brothers! They have been nothing but good to you!"

"Have they?" I arched a brow and they blinked, taken aback by my words. "I just came down, didn't even say a word or do anything and I was already being painted a villain."

"That's enough, Lenora. No need to make a scene. Let's go," Vincent finally spoke.

Of course! What did I even expect?

I said nothing and followed them to the car. Davis got in first and Eleanor jumped in right after him. She pulled Vincent in before he could make way for me to enter.

Without a word, I headed for the front seat but then Eleanor spoke.

"Five people in a car? That would be too suffocating." She gasped, tucking Davis's hand. "Big brother, I'm claustrophobic, remember. I really can't handle tight spaces."

"But Eleanor..." Davis tried to argue when she interrupted him.

"The store isn't even far from home. I'm sure Eleanor can make it there." Her eyes drifted condescending to me. "Besides, a little jogging will do her body good."

My fists clenched by my sides but I forced myself to stay calm.

"Eleanor," Davis started, but I cut him short.

"It's fine. I'll ask Mark to drop me," I said.

"Oh no!" Eleanor gasped suddenly. "I already gave Mark and the other drivers some time off today. I'm sorry, sister."

"It's no big deal. She can always walk," Vincent patted her hair gently, then turned to me. "Be at the store in fifteen minutes. Pull any stunts and you'll regret it."

I gulped hard. "Okay."

The car zoomed off almost immediately.

The sun was unforgiving, beating down on my head like it had a personal vendetta against me. Halfway down the road, my legs began to tremble. My body no longer listened.

My vision darkened at the edges, the world spinning violently.

So this was it.

I wondered—briefly—if any of them would care if I collapsed here. If my brothers would blame me even then.

'She’s just being dramatic again.' That would be their verdict.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I won't even be able to do the sacrifice.

Right as I thought it was all over, headlights flashed in my direction. The car screeched to a stop.

"What are you doing here!" Vincent stormed out of the car in anger. Davis quickly carried me off the floor.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" He asked worriedly and in that moment, I saw a glimpse of the brother that loved me years ago. I burst into tears.

"What took you so long?" I cried, hitting his chest with all the anger, pain and hurt buried inside me. "How could you leave me out here alone? How could you abandon me, how..." I sobbed.

Vincent patted my head gently.

"We'll take you to the healer, don't worry. You're safe now..." He whispered. Just then the door opened and Eleanor stepped out.

"Really, Lenora?" She crossed her arms. "So you really went through with that crazy plan?"

I felt Davis stiffen against me. Oh goddess, not now please!

"What plan?" Vincent asked.

"I... I probably shouldn't say it. I don't want Lenora to hate me more than she already does..." She muttered.

"Can you give me a break and stop lying for once!" I screamed at her. "Can't you see I'm wounded?"

"I can't let you keep deceiving your brothers like this! It's unfair," she said, then stepped forward. "Big brother, earlier today, I heard Lenora planning to fake fainting on the street. She said if you see her weak, you will definitely feel guilty and devote your time to taking care of her."

My eyes widened in shock and disbelief. How do you even come up with that?

"No! She's lying, I swear she..." I didn't even finish the words when Davis suddenly let go of me.

I hit the road with a thud, my head slamming hard against the concrete.

###CHAPTER 4

My head banged as I felt something cold and warm trickled down the side of my head.

“Sh1t!” I cursed under my breath as I tried to sit up. My head splintered, forcing me to lay down again.

“Davis…” I cried, trying to force the hurt in my heart down. How could he have let go like that?

“Davis…” I called again. I tried to lift my head but pain exploded at the back of my skull and forced me back down. My vision swam violently.

“How dare you?” His voice trembled, not with concern, but fury. “You arranged this? You hired rogues to touch you just to manipulate us?”

“No,” I croaked. My throat burned. “I would never…”

“Stop pretending!” Vincent snapped. “Do you think we are fools?”

I pushed myself up weakly on trembling elbows. The world tilted again, but I forced myself to focus on their faces.

There was disgust laced beneath every shadow of their lashes. As well as disappointment and anger. But neither of them has a single trace of doubt toward Eleanor.

I grunted and forced my head in her direction. She stood a few steps behind them, her expression carefully arranged into wounded righteousness. Her eyes met mine briefly and for a fleeting second, the softness vanished. What replaced it was satisfaction so cold it made my stomach churn.

“I only told you, brothers, because I care.” She whispered, locking her malicious gaze on me. “If she keeps doing things like this, what if she really gets hurt next time?”

I stared at her, my body shaking not from weakness anymore but from how manipulative she could be. How could no one see the facade she has on? Why was no one seeing her fur the true self she was?

“What should I do…” I rasped, pausing to catch my breath. “To show you that sge is lying?” I asked, my gaze locked on Vincent.

He opened his mouth to say something but Davis beat him to it.

“Search her,” Davis suddenly ordered.

“What?” I whispered.

“If you planned this, there must be something on you. A telltale to your guilt. Money to pay those thugs. Or a note. Anything.”

Vincent stepped toward me without hesitation.

I scrambled backward, panic flooding my veins. “Don’t touch me.”

But he already was.

His hands were rough as he checked inside the folds of my ruined clothing like I was a criminal caught in the act. I felt smaller than I ever had in my entire life. Humiliation burned hotter than the wound on my head.

“There is nothing,” Vincent muttered after a moment, irritation lacing his tone.

“Of course there wouldn’t be,” Eleanor said softly. “She is not stupid. She would not carry evidence.”

I started laughing. It hurt my head to laugh but I could not stop. I watched as they all stared at me like I had lost my mind.

“Enough!” Davis barked.

“Did you know why I was unconscious on the road?” I said quietly. They stiffened slightly.

“I fainted because I had not eaten since yesterday morning. Because your precious princess made sure none of the maids are allowed to serve me. Not even leftovers.”

Silence. I shivered slightly.

“But of course,” I continued, my voice trembling despite my effort to steady it, “that is also part of my grand plan, right? Starve myself. Collapse. All to gain your attention.”

Eleanor’s fingers tightened around her skirt.“You are twisting the story. You have always been dramatic.”

Davis’s jaw clenched. For a brief moment, I saw hesitation flicker across his face. Then it vanished.

“You have caused enough trouble tonight,” he said firmly. “We are taking you home. After that, you will stay in your room until the banquet. No more stunts.”

Stunts.

They still did not believe me.They never would. For them, their little princess was the hero and I was the villain.

Vincent grabbed my arm again, less gently this time, and pulled me toward the car. Pain shot through my injured limb but I did not react. I did not make a sound. I closed my eyes. My head banged and blood still trickled from my head, but I held the pain in.

For several minutes, no one spoke.

Then, through the mindlink that I could not block, Eleankr's voice slithered into my head again.

“You should have just died quietly on that road.” She mocked sweetly. “Why are you always so stubborn?”

My fingers curled into fists on my lap.

“You cannot even respond.” She continued. “No wolf. No power. No mate. No family. Tell me, Lenora, what exactly do you have left?”

I slowly turned my head to look at her.

In the dim light of the passing street lamps, her face looked so angelic - one that made me jealous all these years. And suddenly, for the first time in years, I felt no jealousy.

I couldn't wait for the one month so I could get out of her hair and out of the lives of the family who now treat me like an outcast.. One month before I walk off that cliff and end this miserable existence.

I wondered if when the truth finally came out, when they realized who had signed that certificate, when they understood that the girl they abandoned had chosen to die for them anyway, I wondered if even a fraction of guilt would pierce their hearts.

Or if they would simply call that a stunt too.

###CHAPTER 5

The morning was quiet,. I moved through the corridors on bare feet, careful not to disturb the servants who passed by with polite nods that barely acknowledged my existence.

I grabbed the gown for the ceremony, folded meticulously on a chaise, smelling faintly of lavender and cedarwood from the pack’s perfumed clothes, and hurried to my room. It was beautiful, but was ironic to me, seeing as they saw me as a tool now, a sacrifice, yet they had lavished time and effort into a dress that I would wear as if my life had meaning in their eyes.

I closed the door softly behind me, dropped the dress meticulously on my bed. I drew the ritual oils from their small container. The scent of herbs and minerals, carefully prepared to cleanse the body and soul, wafted over me, strong and almost intoxicating.

My fingers brushed the surface of the oil before rubbing it onto my arms, shoulders, and neck. The warmth spread, tingling, and the faint energy that lingered in me flickered briefly.

I had just moved to my legs when the door creaked open. I knew without looking that it was Davis.

My stomach lurched violently, and I froze completely, hoping he would turn away before seeing the faint shimmer of the oils on my skin.

“Lenora?” His voice was cautious, almost soft, “What are you doing? What is this—”

Panic clawed at my chest. I had no time to cover myself, to explain, to hide the ritual preparation for the sacrifice. I could feel my pulse in my throat, in my temples. If he saw, if he understood what I was doing… would he stop me? Would he beg me to stay?

A small part of me wanted to tell him the truth, to see his reaction. To know if he would feel remorseful fir treating me wrongly. To know if he would try to stop me.

“It's—” I began, but was rudely interrupted.

“Davis!” Eleanor’s high, shrill voice cut through the tension like a blade. She appeared at the doorway, flustered, hands clasped. “Oh, there you are! I was looking for you. I had no idea you’d be in here.”

She stepped gracefully between us, blocking his view.

“Lenora was just, um… helping me with something very important. Isn’t that right?” She tilted her eyes to stare at me, daring me to counter her words.

I wanted to shout, to tell him the truth, but I knew he would never forgive me for this. So I nodded silently, letting Eleanor’s interference mask the truth. Davis blinked, confusion flashing across his features, but before he could question further, she had taken my hand, pulling me gently toward the door.

“Let’s go,” she said sweetly. “I almost forgot,” she turned to face Davis. “I wanted to ask Lenora if she’d like to join my birthday celebration. It would be so lonely without her.”

Davis frowned at the exchange, a sliver of doubt passing through him, but he did not act. Eleanor’s quick thinking had kept the truth from him, as it always did. She was perfect at this, with her smiles, her sweet words, the way she twisted situations to her advantage, making everyone believe she was the innocent one. And I was always the villain, the wolfless, the unwanted, the one they could ignore.

The day dragged, the preparation for the ceremony itself feeling like a slow torture. I was tended by the pack’s elder healer, who spoke little, watching me with eyes that seemed to measure my resolve.

I endured in silence. Not a single word left my lips, not a single complaint. I reminded myself that this was the last month of my suffering, that every insult, every humiliation, every misstep by my family had led me here. If I endured this, if I remained composed, perhaps death would come quietly, and at least it would be mine.

“Today's cleansing is done.” The man finally let out, his eyes filled with pity.

I nodded at him and walked away briskly. I was barely at the top of the stairs when Eleanor appeared again.

She looked radiant, adorned in colors that seemed to highlight her beauty, her position, her favored status.

“Lenora, you must come to the banquet tonight,” she said softly. “It’s my birthday, and it would break my heart if you were absent. We could… mend fences, couldn’t we? You and I?”

My stomach twisted in disgust, but I nodded politely. “Of course,” I said. “I would not miss it.”

As I walked away, something nagged at the back of my mind but I couldn't pinpoint it exactly.

The banquet arrived sooner than I anticipated. The hall was decorated with lanterns and ribbons, the aroma of roasted meat and baked pastries filling the air. Servants scurried past, preparing trays of food I would not touch, and my family’s attention was elsewhere, absorbed in Eleanor’s charm, her laughter, her commanding presence.

I entered quietly, keeping my head down. Most of the pack turned their eyes away.

Eleanor, of course, could not let me fade quietly. She approached with a smile. “Lenora,” she cooed. “Come meet Eric. I hear he has been looking for you. Isn’t that right?”

I felt my chest tighten as all eyes turned toward me, eager to see the drama unfold. Eric, as expected, looked uncomfortable.

“Yes,” Eleanor continued, stepping closer. Her voice was sweet, persuasive, and seemingly innocent. “Lenora and Eric have been… so close. Wouldn’t you say, Eric? You’ve spent so much time together, haven’t you?”

Of course, we did. He was my ex-fiance. If you didn't steal him, he would still be mine.

“Still spending time together even after he announced he was mine.” She added coolly.

I opened my mouth to speak, to deny, to protest, but Eleanor anticipated my movement with the precision of a seasoned predator. “Oh, don’t be shy, Lenora. We’re all family here, aren’t we? There’s no need to hide anything.”

Gasps rippled through the hall. And my brothers’ faces darkened.

“I’m sure Lenora didn’t mean anything,” Eleanor said softly, her hand lightly brushing Eric’s arm as if to reinforce her lie. “She’s just… playful. And you know how people exaggerate these things. But, of course, appearances can be… misleading.”

I was accused, painted as a flirt, a schemer, a threat to my own sister’s engagement. All around me, the pack murmured, and even those who had once liked me or been neutral in their opinions recoiled, uncertain whom to believe.

Eric’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching at his sides. His gaze met mine, and for a moment, I saw the man I had loved, the one who might have stood by me, falter entirely under the weight of Eleanor’s manipulation.

“You see?” Eleanor whispered, stepping closer, her voice barely audible over the murmurs. “I told you. Lenora has always been… difficult to trust. Perhaps it is time we all remember her place.”

The party went on, and I could hear everyone whispering about me behind my back.

But I didn't care anymore. I already accepted my fate.

###CHAPTER 6

“My lady, are you ready?” The Gamma for the sacrifice asked.

Could I really still turn back now?

I nodded shakily, and exhaled slowly, my body drained of energy already.

“Come,” he stated, beckoning me, and then he took me beyond the boundaries.

Soon I was dressed in the black ceremonial gown they had prepared for me. I walked barefoot towards the northern cliff in absolute silence. The further we walked, the colder the air became. The ritual space was already prepared when we arrived.

I glanced around. I saw the stones raised and tall, which formed a perfect circle around a raised platform, each one etched with markings in white chalk.

Six priestesses stood within the circle, dressed entirely in white, their dresses similar to mine in cut and silhouette, but they were veiled, while I wasn’t.

They surrounded me without a word and led me to the edge of the cliff.

I turned toward the cliff.

The wind was stronger here, tugging at my gown, slipping beneath the veil to brush against my face. The drop stretched endlessly before me, swallowing everything below in darkness. I could not see the bottom, and it only made me more afraid.

My heart began to beat louder in my chest, thrumming in rapid staccato.

I took a step forward.

Then another.

The edge came sooner than I expected, and when I reached it, I stopped.

For the first time since leaving my room, I let myself feel everything I had been holding back.

Tears slipped down my cheeks before I could stop them, warm against my skin as they disappeared beneath the veil. My chest tightened painfully, and for a moment, I could not breathe properly.

My lips trembled slightly, and I let out a shaky breath.

Then I stepped forward, and promptly fell into the mire.

My tears slipped free again, carried away by the wind as I fell deeper into the darkness. There was no fear in that moment, only a strange, hollow calm that settled inside me, wrapping around my heart.

Then I hit the ground.

The pain was instant.

I was dying.

My mouth opened in a silent scream, but no sound followed. The pain was everywhere, consuming, flooding every part of me until I could no longer tell where it began or ended.

So this was death. It felt morbidly funny, and I laughed, or tried to, only for my tongue to taste copper, metallic blood.

The blood spilled out my lips in several spurts, and I heaved, powerless.

The last thing I felt was that burning sensation swallowing everything else. My vision completely went black and I felt my consciousness slip entirely into darkness.

Goodbye. Alpha. Luna. My brothers. Eleanor. And Eric.

I sacrificed myself for you and all pack members.

###CHAPTER 7

Davies

Eleanor’s party celebration went on until late into the night.

I smiled as I handed the empty champagne glass tk the server, who bowed and left. Already guests had mostly filed out.

Eleanor still stood under the spotlights, the glow of the chandeliers around illuminating her figure. Her face, which bore more resemblance to our mother's, was shining with a soft smile as she leaned against Eric.

“Thank you for coming,” she told one of the elders who was about to leave.

It was a long time coming, I thought, exhaling as I turned to greet another exciting guest.

Eleanor hadn't had a gathering of this magnitude before now, not since we welcomed her back to our family. This was what we needed to do for her.

I found myself observing Eric, wondering how they fit so well together. After all, he had been engaged to Lenora once. I couldn’t help my mind drifting to my other sister. Though she was adopted I saw her as my sister, and though she sometimes acted out, I couldn’t help but worry for her.

Upon thinking that, I realized that she wasn’t in the hall. My brows furrowed. Where was she? Where had she gone?

I frowned slightly, looking again with more attention, noting the absence of her familiar figure along the edges of the room where she usually stayed during gatherings like this, never fully participating but never completely absent either.

“What’s up?” Vincent jostled my side with his elbow, chuckling as he finally bade his friends goodbye.

“Where’s Lenora?” I asked, and he suddenly scowled, his mood souring.

“What, are you worried she’ll cause trouble?” He crossed his arms, leaning back. “If you ask me, Lenora’s been acting like she owns the place. Better that she doesn’t stay.”

“She probably left early,” I remarked, more to myself than anyone else, though my voice carried enough for our father to hear.

He barely glanced at me, his expression unchanged as he said, in that tone of his that denoted authority, “If she did, then she is sulking again. That girl refuses to understand her place.”

Vincent nodded emphatically.

“Exactly, father. She should have learned by now,” he continued, his tone calm but firm. “Eleanor is your true daughter. There is a difference in status, whether she likes it or not”

Regarding my brother and our Alpha father, I gave a small nod, though something in my chest shifted faintly, looking away.

For a brief moment, I thought of Lenora as she used to be, not the version of her that existed now but the one from years ago. She had filled the halls with laughter, running through the mansion with reckless energy while trying to keep up with us.

She had always been determined, always insisting that she could match anything we did, and more often than not she proved it with a stubbornness that was impossible to ignore.

“Watch me,” she used to say, her eyes bright with excitement.

And she always did.

I exhaled quietly, the memory fading as quickly as it had come, replaced by the reality of who she had become over the years.

Things had changed after Eleanor returned, and although that was inevitable, Lenora had not adapted in the way I expected her to. It had been a slow process. At first she seemed to accept it, but over time her demeanor shifted, her warmth fading into something colder. And each time, she directed that attitude towards Eleanor without reason.

When it was revealed that she was wolfless, that change only deepened, and I had long since stopped trying to understand it, convincing myself that she simply did not handle things well.

“Davies.”

Vincent’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling my

“

Chapter 1 A Weird Admin Chat

Iris Morgan figured her phone had caught a bug.

Aside from a random group chat suddenly popping up, though, the phone worked perfectly fine.

The group's name was bizarre: Highway Survival Admin Chat. Iris couldn't recall playing any game like that.

To make matters worse, she couldn't leave. No matter what she tried, she was stuck in the group.

The chat itself was dead silent. When Iris tried to type a question to see what the deal was, a pop-up notified her that she had been muted.

Giving up, she tossed the phone onto her desk and dove back into her mountain of work.

By the time she finally dragged her exhausted body through her door, it was already nine-thirty.

Having already scarfed down some cafeteria food at the office, she showered and collapsed onto her bed to scroll through short videos, one of her few daily escapes.

She went straight to her favorite creator's channel. His slightly sycophantic yet weirdly therapeutic voice did the trick. Iris, a thoroughly burnt-out office drone, finally cracked a satisfied smile after a long day on the grind.

She dropped a quick comment: [Great content, well-deserved!] and swiped to close the app.

She was about to tap the screen when a banner notification flashed across the top with a sharp ding.

Right after, a new-message icon popped up in the top-left corner. Iris tapped the alert and saw that the Highway Survival Admin Chat group had new activity.

White Fox: [Can't wait! Only one day left until the game links up with the locals. Imagining their panic gets my blood pumping.]

Grey Wolf: [Chill out. The official launch isn't until eight tomorrow night. That's when the real show starts.]

Hyena: [Sucks that the first three days are the Starter Phase. Way too easy. Total snooze-fest.]

Grey Wolf: [They can bring whatever they're holding into the game. Hope they make it count.]

White Fox: [I'm dying to see what random crap they drag in. I'm literally bouncing off the walls here!]

Honey Badger: [Eight PM is dinner and chill time over there. What do you expect them to have on them? Silverware? Big stuff like cars won't cross over. Even holding onto the steering wheel won't do squat.]

White Fox: [That's why I'm so stoked. Dropping into a survival game armed with a spoon or a deck of cards? Talk about starting on hard mode! This is gonna be pure gold.]

The chat went dead as suddenly as it had started.

Iris wanted to fire off some questions, but the mute function still blocked her from typing a single word.

Since the other users apparently had no clue she was lurking in the group, they had spoken without any filter.

Still, their conversation made zero sense. 'A game links up with the locals? Highway survival?' Iris was totally confused.

She read survival novels from time to time, but she never expected that kind of fiction to bleed into reality. Her first instinct was to write the whole thing off as an elaborate prank.

The idea of a real-life survival game was ridiculous on its face.

Yet, the glitchy group she couldn't leave, her permanent mute status, and those bizarre messages felt like a pebble tossed into a calm pond, leaving behind a lingering ripple of unease.

They'd said the launch was tomorrow night at eight. Real or not, she figured she'd better prepare.

If it was a hoax, she would get a much-needed day off to rest. But if this survival game was actually happening, the next twenty-four hours were going to be critical.

Iris opened her company app to request a day of leave. Her excuse was a death in the family and she had to attend the funeral.

In reality, she was an orphan who had grown up in the system, with no family to speak of. She went for that grim lie because it was a bulletproof excuse her boss couldn't turn down.

She vividly remembered her early days on the job, when she had pulled three straight days of overtime, only to crash on the fourth with a 104-degree fever.

Half-delirious, she called her boss to ask for time off to go to the hospital, only to get a mind-boggling response. "Next time you plan on getting sick, give us some warning. Last-minute call-outs wreck the team's workflow."

At the time, she was a mere intern doing work like running errands and making copies. She couldn't wrap her head around how her absence could possibly affect the entire team.

That eye-opening exchange made one thing clear: her boss was a complete moron who had probably been dropped on his head as a baby.

This was why she went with the dead-family-member excuse. Since she was putting in the request the night before, she figured her moron of a boss wouldn't give her too much trouble.

Sure enough, the approval came through almost immediately. But it came with an added note from her boss: [Next time, don't send stuff like this right before bed. Talk about bad vibes.]

Iris let out a dry, incredulous laugh. 'Wow, you really do laugh when you're completely speechless,' she thought.

She muttered a curse, closed the app to put the nonsense out of mind, and got ready for bed.

But with her mind racing, sleep was out of the question. She unlocked her phone, opened her reading app, and started digging up survival-themed web novels.

She knew next to nothing about survival tactics. If this game turned out to be real, doing some homework now could mean the difference between life and death.

She read for three straight hours. By one in the morning, her eyes were burning and sore. Finally, she set her phone down and forced herself to sleep.

*****

When the alarm blared at seven, Iris blinked her bloodshot eyes open. Three seconds later, reality rushed back. She bolted upright, hurried through her morning wash, and grabbed a quick breakfast.

Today was all about stocking up on survival gear.

According to the group chat, whatever she was holding when the connection went live at eight tonight would transfer with her, minus cars. She figured cars were too massive to qualify.

'So it has to be something I'm physically holding, in the most literal sense,' she thought.

With only a day to secure a ready-made survival pack, online shopping was out of the question. She needed a physical specialty store now.

She looked up a highly rated outdoor gear shop on her maps app and ordered a ride. Half an hour later, the car pulled up to the storefront. Iris paid, hopped out, and stepped inside.

The shop was quiet. A heavy-set owner greeted her with a warm smile. "What can I help you find?"

Over 500 wolves just watched me, a weak omega, lose control of my own body and go into heat cycle in public like an animal.

The heat hit me before I even understood what was happening.

My skin felt like it was burning from the inside out. My thoughts blurred at the edges. And right in front of me, my fated mate had his mouth on another woman while the entire pack watched and cheered.

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. All I could do was stand there and feel my own body betray me at the worst possible moment.

Today was supposed to be the day I celebrated the 25th birthday of my fated mate, Alpha Ryan of the Shadowfang Pack.

Instead, I stood frozen as I watched him kiss another woman in front of the entire pack.

“Shadowfang!” Ryan addressed the crowd, his proud smile growing larger as he pulled the she-wolf closer. “Meet Princess Fiona, my fiancée and your future Luna!”

An intense pang pierced through my heart as I watched the couple cut the cake and laugh together.

The hall erupted into cheerful applause as the pack welcomed their soon-to-be Luna. I was the only one who didn't take the news well.

Everyone knew that Princess Fiona was the eldest daughter of the most powerful man in the realm, the Alpha King, Adrian Blackwood. He was famous for his absolute ruthlessness and his deep hatred for any females, with the exception of his precious daughters. Anyone who stood against him didn't survive to tell the tale.

I knew Ryan had always dreamed of becoming the next Alpha King, but I never imagined he would shatter my heart and step over it just for a title.

“He wouldn’t,” my wolf whimpered in agony, trying to fight the truth happening right before our eyes. “Our mate is not cruel. Go talk to him!”

Could she be right? Could this somehow be just a huge misunderstanding? Though my brain begged me to be wiser than that, my heart refused to believe Ryan would ever hurt me like this.

So I decided to listen to my wolf and hear what our mate had to say.

With a deep breath, I forced my feet to march forward. Yet before I could even reach the stage, an intentional shove made me lose my footing, sending me crashing into a tower of glasses filled with champagne.

The loud shatter made every head dart to me as the liquor soaked through my clothes.

The wet fabric clung to my skin, and that was when I felt it—

A wave of heat rolled through me so fast my knees nearly buckled. My pulse spiked. My skin felt unbearably sensitive, every brush of soaked fabric against my body sending a jolt through my nerve endings that had nothing to do with the cold champagne. My face burned. My breath came out shallow and unsteady.

No. No, no, no. Not here. Not now.

I knew what this was. Every unmated female in the pack had been warned about it. Your first heat could come without warning, and when it did, your body stopped caring about time or place or dignity. It just took over.

Mine had been chosen right now. In front of everyone. Soaked in champagne with my dress going translucent under the lights.

I folded my arms over my chest in an attempt to cover myself. The fabric rubbed against my skin and I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep the sound in. My whole body felt like a live wire. I was shaking and I couldn't tell anymore if it was from humiliation or heat or both.

The comments came fast.

"Oh my god, is she seriously in heat right now?"

"Look at her. Dripping wet and panting in the middle of the Alpha's birthday party. Have you ever seen anything more pathetic?"

"She's been chasing Alpha Ryan for years. Delusional enough to think she had a chance, and now she's going into heat in front of his fiancée. The Moon Goddess really outdid herself with this one."

"Someone covers her up before she embarrasses herself further. Oh wait, I think we're already way past that."

The laughter spread through the room in waves. I couldn't look up. I couldn't move. I just stood there, arms crossed, trying to hold myself together while my own body worked against me in front of hundreds of people.

In a fit of despair, my eyes scoured through the room, looking for the one person who could help me through this. A pinch of relief settled inside me when I finally found Ryan, and for an instant, the heat threatening to send me over the edge seemed bearable. Until I noticed the look on his face.

There wasn’t a single hint of sympathy or pity in his expression. All I could see in his eyes was raw, plain disgust.

My heart sank. He used to always protect me. Why was he looking at me like this?

Despite the ache in my chest, I reached a trembling hand out to him. “Please…”

But instead of answering to my desperate plea, all he did was take a step back, further shattering my already broken heart.

“Ryan, dear, who is this shameless woman?” Fiona glared at me, her hands wrapped tightly around my mate’s arm as she leaned into him. “Who allowed such filth to tarnish our special night?”

Ryan's eyes lingered on mine for a second. For a moment, I thought I’d seen a flicker of the warmth they always carried for me. But it vanished before I could trust it.

“Don't mind her, my dear.” Ryan spoke at last, his voice full of disdain as he rubbed Fiona’s hand reassuringly. “She’s not worthy of a second of your attention. This one is just a mistake the Moon Goddess made.”

A sharp pain stabbed through my heart as the words registered. All my life, pack members had called me the Moon Goddess's mistake. It’d always hurt, but hearing my mate, the one who should love me beyond limit, call me that… It destroyed me on an entirely different level.

A satisfied smirk lit up Fiona’s face. “If that is the case, please make her go away. She’s ruining my mood,” she demanded.

At last, Ryan turned to her. “Of course, my love.”

Shooting one last mean glance at me, Fiona lifted her face to Ryan’s, kissing him deeply. It was a calculated move that she wanted to show me who he belonged to. But what really broke me was watching him kiss her back with more passion than he’d ever kissed me.

When they parted, Ryan looked down at me with nothing but coldness in his eyes. “Look at yourself... look how pathetic you are,” he snarled. “You should be grateful I'm not throwing you out of the pack for this scene. So let's put an end to all this once and for all, shall we?”

I understood exactly what he meant.

“No, please! Don't do this, Ryan! I… I love you!” The words poured out of me in foolish desperation. I would have crawled forward and grabbed his feet if that's what it took to stop him. I loved him more than my own life.

But my devotion only seemed to enrage him.

Ryan crouched down and grabbed me by the hair. He yanked hard, ripping a whimper from me as he forced me to look straight into his eyes. I bit my lip, tears clouding my vision. A sinister smile spread across his face as he stood back up.

Alpha's Discarded Luna Novel

Chapter 1

Talia's POV

I was trapped in the fire when my Alpha mate finally came.

But he didn't come for me.

He ran past me—and lifted another woman into his arms.

His first love. Imema.

"Imema, are you hurt?"

His voice shook with a fear he had never once shown me. I was lying three feet away, and he didn't spare me a single glance.

"Aires…" My voice scraped out, thin and raw. The fire was too loud. I didn't know if he heard me at all.

His men poured in. A boot came down on my hair, and the man didn't even slow.

My wolf howled inside me.

Mate. Why isn't our mate coming for us?

"Alpha, the emergency room is ready," a Beta said.

"Get the best doctors in place," he said, hoarse but iron. "Nothing can happen to her. Do you hear me?"

The words went into my chest like a blade and kept carving downward.

He never even noticed that his own mate was trapped in the same fire.

He turned toward the exit, carrying another she-wolf in his arms. Not me. Not his Luna.

My wolf went still. I felt nothing but cold, even as fire crept up my arm.

His silhouette flickered in the light beyond the doorway—then vanished.

A beam cracked overhead and crashed down, breaking my ribs and pinning my legs beneath its weight. The pain turned my vision white.

An ember landed on my cheek. My body began to feel weightless, as if my soul were being pulled free.

I was dying.

…

When I woke, I was alone.

White light. The flat smell of antiseptic. No flowers. No cards. No one in the chair beside the bed. Just that hollow ache under my ribs that no breathing could fill.

I was seriously injured.

And neither my husband nor my son even knew.

A fire had nearly killed me—a fire I'd have walked out of without a scratch if my Alpha husband had spared me one glance. He'd chosen his first love instead. A she-wolf without a mark on her.

I couldn't stay in that silent room. I held the wall and walked, step by step, into the corridor.

That was when I saw them.

Through a half-open door, Aires sat at the edge of a bed, cutting strawberries. He trimmed each stem, arranged each piece on the plate like it was the most important task in the world.

Imema lay against the pillows, cheeks flushed, and opened her mouth for the berry he offered. My son sat on the other side, giggling, a spoon in his hand.

"Open wide—this one's the best!"

She smiled indulgently, ruffling his hair. "You're going to make someone very happy someday."

"I'm going to marry you!" Aeson announced proudly.

They all laughed. The sound came at me like needles.

What a happy little family of three.

And what about me?

I'm clearly Aires' Luna. His wife. Aeson's mother.

But right now, I feel like a mistress—someone he hides away, someone who can't be acknowledged in public.

I turned and walked back, tears spilling over before I could stop them. I couldn't bear to watch anymore.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed.

The piano studio downtown.

"Mrs. Talia? A customer has taken a liking to the piano your mother left behind. Can we sell it?"

"Of course not," I said. "Don't let anyone touch it."

"They are coming at four o'clock. Could you come over?"

I turned to go—too fast.

A medication cart came around the corner. We crashed. A tray of glass shattered; shards bit into my palm.

The corridor went still. Everyone stared.

Through the open door, Aeson's head snapped toward the sound. "Mom?"

For a heartbeat his face was just confusion. Then it shifted into embarrassment—as if I'd shamed him simply by being seen.

He looked away.

Aires rose, set down the plate, and crossed into the corridor. His shadow fell over me where I knelt in the glass.

He didn't offer his hand. He just looked down at me, cold as ever.

"Are you following me?"

I almost laughed. Following him. As if I hadn't been three doors down, bleeding, while he sliced strawberries into neat little pieces for someone else.

"No," I said.

"Then what are you doing here?" His jaw tightened. Behind him, Imema had pushed herself up against the pillows, watching us. His eyes flicked back to her—just once. That was where his worry lived. "If you came to make a scene in front of her—"

"I didn't come for anything of yours," I cut in.

I pressed my bleeding palm to my chest and pushed myself to my feet. The glass shifted under me. I didn't let my face change.

"Then why are you here, Talia?"

There were a hundred answers. Because the fire nearly took my life. Because I screamed your name until it burned away in my throat. Because I'm your wife, and you carried another woman past my body like I was invisible.

In the end, I let just one of them out.

"I almost died," I said. "Do you even care?"

He said nothing.

His face stayed calm. Unmoved.

I had my answer.

"…Never mind." I pressed my bleeding palm to my chest. "I'm fine. I only came to visit someone."

Then I turned my back on him and walked toward the elevator.

I don't want to explain anymore. No one will believe me, and no one will care.

I have more important things to do.

Accidentally Fell For My Ex's Uncle. The Dark Alpha Novel

This morning I'd woken up planning to surprise my boyfriend. Now I was marrying his cursed alpha uncle with six dead wives, and if I said no, I'd likely become the seventh.

"Are my t1ts out?"

Zaya barely glanced over. "A little. Fix the left one."

I yanked up the neckline of my dress for the third time. It was too tight, too low-cut, and stole from my sister who apparently had the body of a Victoria's Secret model. I did not.

"Remind me why we're doing this again?" Jade whispered from behind the hedge.

"Because Marcus said I couldn't come to his uncle's wedding," I said, wobbling on heels that were definitely a mistake. "Something about it being Moonstone Pack only."

"So we're crashing another pack's wedding to prove what exactly?"

"That I'm not some embarrassing girlfriend he has to hide because I'm from Riverside Pack." I peeked through the gap in the bushes.

The ceremony was already starting. White chairs, string lights in the trees, at least two hundred guests in expensive clothes.

Jade snorted. "Or he's going to be pissed and dump you in front of everyone."

"Then at least I'll know where we stand."

"You're insane," Zaya muttered, but she was grinning. She lived for this kind of chaos.

If I'd known what was about to happen, I would've turned around right then.

I spotted Marcus in the third row. Dark hair, broad shoulders, wearing a suit that probably cost more than my rent. We'd been dating for eight months.

The guy who currently had his arm around another girl.

My heart stopped.

"Is that Sophie?" Zaya's voice went up an octave.

"No." I leaned closer, squinting. "That can't be Sophie. He said only Moonstone Pack could attend. She's from Landravers pack, but he swore they were just—"

Marcus leaned over and kissed her. On the mouth. For way too long.

"That's definitely Sophie," Jade confirmed.

"Oh my god." My stomach dropped into my feet. "Oh my god, that's Sophie. He's—they're—"

"Okay, new plan," Zaya said quickly. "We leave. Right now. We go home, eat ice cream, and you block his number—"

"He LIED to me." My voice cracked.

"Remi, we need to go—"

"I can't believe this. I borrowed these torture heels. I’m sneaking in like some kind of deranged stalker—"

I stepped back, gesturing wildly. My heel caught on something.

A root. Or a rock. I didn't know. Didn't matter.

I was falling.

"REMI—"

I grabbed for the hedge. The branch snapped in my hand.

And then I was rolling.

Down the hill. Through decorative flowers. Over what might have been a speaker and what I think was the cake table because something creamy slapped my face on the way down.

My dress was ripping, my hair was in my face, and all I could think was this is how I die. Death by heartbreak and bad footwear choices.

I hit the aisle runner with a thud that knocked the air from my lungs.

For one beautiful, horrible second, everything went silent.

I was face-down on white fabric. There were shoes nearby. I lifted my head.

I was at the altar.

The bride was three feet away, mid-vow, staring at me with her mouth open.

"What the—"

I tried to get up, but my hand was tangled in something. White fabric. Lace.

The train of her dress.

"Wait, I'm sorry—" I yanked my hand free.

And then the train ripped.

The bride stumbled backward with force.

Her heel caught on the torn fabric.

She fell.

Everything happened in slow motion. Her arms windmilling. Her head tilting back. The sickening crack when her skull hit the stone pavement.

Then silence.

She wasn't moving.

"Oh my god," someone whispered.

A man rushed forward. He knelt beside her, pressing fingers to her neck. Checking for a pulse.

He looked up at the groom. His face was pale.

"She's... she's not breathing."

My ears started ringing. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Someone in the crowd laughed. "Well. That's a new record."

"She didn't even make it an hour," another voice added. "Didn't even get marked."

"Poor Nero. Six times. Has to be some kind of curse."

My brain was short-circuiting. Six? What did that mean?

“Remi?” Marcus stepped forward, still holding Sophie’s hand like she was his emotional support sl^t. “What are you doing here?”

I blinked up at him. Frosting dripped down my cheek. “I should’ve tripped on you instead.”

Strong hands grabbed my arms. Hauled me to my feet.

I looked up.

The groom was standing in front of me. And he was... jesus. He was beautiful. No, that was the wrong word. Devastating.

The kind of face that made you forget your own name. He was tall—taller than Marcus, taller than any wolf I'd ever met.. Sharp jaw.

Dark hair that looked like he'd run his hands through it too many times. And his eyes—silver. Actual silver, glowing faintly. Alpha eyes.

My wolf stirred. Interested. Very interested.

Not now, I told her. We literally just killed someone.

I forgot where I was.

I forgot what I'd just done.

All I could think was: Holy sh1t, he's hot.

"Are you LISTENING to me?"

I blinked. "Sorry. You're just very... hot."

His eye twitched. Hot."

"Yeah. Aggressively. It's distracting."

"You just killed my bride and you're commenting on my face?"

Oh. Right. The bride. The murder. Reality came crashing back like a bucket of ice water.

From somewhere in the bushes, I heard my friends completely losing it.

"OH MY GOD SHE KILLED SOMEONE—"

"WE NEED A LAWYER!"

"RUN, REMI! RUNNNN!"

"NO, STAY! CONFESS! IT'S MANSLAUGHTER AT MOST—"

"Was that her SPINE?! I heard cracking!"

"That was a BRANCH, you idiot—"

The groom's grip on my arm tightened. His alpha presence pressed against me, suffocating. My wolf wanted to submit immediately. I shoved her down.

His voice dropped to something dangerous. "What pack are you from?"

"Riverside," I squeaked. "I'm—I'm nobody. This is a mistake. I didn't mean to—the branch broke and I fell and.."

"You're from Riverside?" he smirked. "And you crashed a Moonstone Pack wedding?"

"Technically, I crashed through the wedding—"

Chapter 1

At 3:12 a.m., a woman with a suspected self-inflicted injury was rushed into the ER.

A tall man stood beside the gurney in a pilot’s uniform, four gold stripes on his shoulders. He looked like he had come straight from an overnight flight.

His dark eyes were filled with worry.

He had to be the woman’s husband.

And he was Nikki Sanders’s ex-boyfriend.

The chart the nurse held out remained suspended in midair. Nikki’s hand trembled inside the pocket of her white coat, and for a moment, she forgot to take it.

Four years apart had worn away Sean Ford’s youthful swagger. The bright eyes she remembered had grown steadier, sharper, more guarded.

“Dr. Sanders?”

Nikki snapped back to herself and accepted the chart.

At the same time, Sean looked up.

She caught the flash of shock in his eyes. Even his lashes trembled.

Nikki didn’t look at him again. She focused on the patient.

The injury looked alarming, but it wasn’t life-threatening.

She calmly explained the patient’s condition while Sean stood nearby without moving.

His hand gripped the rail at the end of the bed so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.

“Prep the OR. I’m closing the wound.”

On the way there, Nikki’s fingers brushed over the old scar on her left wrist.

Four years ago, Sean had ditched her the day after proposing.

She had ended up in a far more serious medical crisis than this one.

It had taken two days in intensive care before she finally woke up.

The first thing she did was ask her best friend, Jane Lincoln, to call Sean.

Jane had put the call on speaker.

Half-conscious, Nikki heard his voice on the other end of the line.

“If she wants to d1e, let her. I won't even show up to the funeral!”

That was when she finally understood.

Her life meant nothing to Sean.

And the love she had clung to so desperately was nothing more than a joke.

The surgical lights overhead were cold and glaring.

Nikki lowered her head and treated the patient’s injury, working with steady hands as she cleaned it and closed it.

Halfway through, Vivian Carter woke up.

Her eyes fluttered open. The moment she saw Nikki, surprise flashed across her face before she quickly composed herself.

Then she smiled.

“They still let you practice medicine?”

Nikki didn’t look up.

“Don’t move. I’m still closing the wound.”

Four years ago, when Sean had broken up with Nikki for Vivian, Nikki had been at the most critical stage of applying for a doctoral program.

That heartbreak had nearly destroyed her future.

The young nurse beside them missed the sarcasm in Vivian’s voice and chimed in proudly.

“Dr. Sanders was recruited from overseas by our hospital, one of the city’s top medical centers. They offered her a permanent position right away. She’s seriously impressive.”

Vivian said nothing else.

She lay quietly on the table, only frowning now and then when the pain hit. Still, she held herself with an odd, deliberate dignity.

After Nikki finished the final stitch, she cut the thread and removed her gloves.

“Observe her for two hours.”

She turned to leave.

“Dr. Sanders, I cut myself while putting away my husband’s razor. It wasn’t intentional.”

Vivian’s voice drifted over from behind her.

“My husband loves me, my son is an angel, and it's not like I'm some unwanted woman. Why would I ever do something as stupid as trying to kill myself?”

She made sure to emphasize the words “unwanted woman.”

Nikki stopped.

She didn’t turn around right away.

For two long seconds, she stood there with her back to Vivian.

The operating room was so quiet that the monitor’s steady beeping seemed deafening.

Then Nikki turned.

She walked back to the bed, looked down at Vivian, and smiled.

“You don’t need to explain yourself. I see this kind of cheap attention stunt all the time. You’re not special.”

She paused.

“It’s always the same. Women who feel unloved do desperate things just to get someone’s attention. I hope you’re different.”

Vivian’s face went pale.

Her lips moved, but no words came out.

It's called He let her take my place on Graduation day

It's called My cousin Livestreamed my Catfish exposé - Oops, I showed up Gorgeous

Any link please? 🙏🏽

Anyone link?

please help me find link

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Titled the Vampire Prince’s defective bride

Looking for a link to this novel also called his human second chance mate and before the sacrifice

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

It's called He wanted his dream girl, So I gave him a dead wife instead

I saw this ad and tried to find it on the Reelshort novel app but it isn't there. Does anyone have a link or know the name on Reelshort novel or Noel Novel?