Chapter 1 The Cage Of Protection

• 【Selene POV】
• Pain.
• My mouth was filled with that disgusting, bitter metallic taste.
• I stared at the empty bowl in my hands, the leftover brown medicine reflecting my pale, ghost-like face.
• As the last surviving bloodline of the oldest Alpha family in the Silver Moon Pack, I was officially the Luna under Alpha Damien.
• I was once hailed as the future strongest Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, a genius worshiped by the whole Pack.
• But now? To everyone in the Pack, I was just a disgrace—a Luna in name only, unable even to hold my wolf form.
• “Luna, finished your medicine?”
• The pack healer, Hecate, stood at the door, her face like cracked old bark, fake respect plastered on.
• “Yeah, done.”
• I handed her the bowl, fighting back the storm of nausea rolling through my stomach.
• “This is for your own good,” Hecate said as she took the bowl away, her cloudy eyes flickering. “Alpha ordered it. In three days, it’s the Blood Moon Festival—the most important day for the Pack. You have to get better and attend with Alpha.”
• Blood Moon Festival.
• My heart skipped a beat.
• It was the Pack’s biggest event, held once every three years. Everyone showed up, and the border guards’ strength would be weakened that night.
• “I know,” I said, lowering my head, pretending to be obedient.
• Hecate left, locking the door behind her.
• Yeah, locked.
• Under the pretense of recovery, I’d been trapped in this fancy cage for two whole years.
• Ever since I was attacked by a Rogue during my awakening ceremony at eighteen, my wolf soul wounded, Damien married me.
• He told everyone it was true love—never leaving, never giving up.
• But only I knew the truth: my health was getting worse by the day. I coughed up blood regularly and couldn’t even shift into wolf form anymore.
• Damien said it was just the aftereffects of my injury.
• But... was it really?
• I clutched my stomach, twisted in pain like it was burning from the inside.
• This pain got worse every time I took the medicine.
• No way—I had to find Damien.
• Today was our two-year wedding anniversary. Even if it was just for the Luna’s dignity, he should at least come check on me.
• The door was locked, but that wouldn’t stop me.
• Even though I couldn’t shift, I still remembered every vent and crawlspace in this mansion.
• This was where I grew up, the inheritance from my parents—now turned into Damien’s Alpha lair.
• I struggled to pry open the vent behind the wardrobe and squeezed inside like a rat.
• I was heading to the study.
• I needed to ask him why the medicine was only making me sicker.
• Crawling through the narrow duct, the dust choked me, but I dared not cough.
• ```
• Finally, I climbed up to the vent above the study.
• Through the grille, I saw that familiar redwood desk.
• And...
• Two bodies tangled together.
• A man and a woman.
• The man was tall, his back muscles tight as he moved wildly.
• That was my husband, Damien.
• And the woman pinned beneath him, letting out soft, seductive moans...
• That face—I’d recognize it even if I turned to dust.
• Evangeline.
• Damien’s childhood friend.
• My blood ran cold in an instant.
• “Mm... Damien... easy...” Evangeline’s voice was as soft as water. “If that loser hears this...”
• “So what if he does?”
• Damien didn’t stop; if anything, he moved harder.
• “She’s locked in her room, just took the meds I sent over. She probably can’t even stand right now.”
• “That medicine...” Evangeline giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Did you up the dose of Hecate?”
• “Three days till the Blood Moon Festival.”
• Damien’s voice was so cold it felt foreign to me.
• “After the festival, I’ll announce she ‘died of illness.’ Then, you’ll be the only Luna of the Silver Moon Pack.”
• What?
• I clamped my mouth shut, tears spilling over.
• Died... of illness?
• “But...” Evangeline sounded worried. “What about that thing two years ago? If she dies, won’t someone dig into it again? After all, I hired those Rogues to attack her...”
• Boom—!
• My mind went blank.
• Two years ago...
• The attack during my awakening ceremony...
• That disaster that ruined my life...
• Was it Evangeline who hired the Rogues?!
• “Relax.”
• Damien stopped moving and gently kissed her forehead.
• “As long as she’s dead, no one will ever know the truth.”
• “I’ve put up with that loser wife of mine for two years just to clear your name.”
• “As long as she’s my wife, the Pack elders won’t dare dig into the victim’s family.”
• “Evie, I’m doing all this to protect you.”
• So that’s it.
• So all that “love” was just a cover-up for their crime.
• So the so-called “medicine” was actually a slow, two-year-long murder!
• Hecate wasn’t medicine.
• It was wolf poison.
• They’ve been killing me bit by bit, just to clear a spot for this homewrecker at the Blood Moon Festival in three days.
• I pressed myself against the vent, my nails digging deep into the metal.
• I wanted to scream. I wanted to jump down and kill those two assholes.
• But I held back.
• If I went down now, it’d only mean death.
• I’m poisoned, can’t shift into my wolf—useless.
• And Damien? He’s an Alpha at his peak.
• I have to survive.
• I *must* survive!
• Three days left.
• The Blood Moon Festival, when defenses are weakest...
• That’s my only shot at staying alive.
• I stared hard at those two disgusting figures down below.
• Then, gritting my teeth, I turned around and silently crawled back.
• Just you wait.
• Damien, Evangeline.
• If I, Selene, don’t die, I swear I’ll tear you both to pieces!
• ```