Chapter 1

• Trista's POV
• Rain tapped against the windowpane. It was a low, mournful sound, like the night sighing, making the quiet evening feel heavy.
• I sat alone on the spacious balcony. My fingers aimlessly traced patterns on the tablecloth.
• My gaze kept flicking to the empty chair across from me. Hope and anxiety wrestled inside my chest.
• Tonight was my three-year anniversary with Cassian, the Alpha of the Ironthorn Pack.
• He had promised we would bathe in the Blood Moon's glow every year, announcing our bond to the pack.
• But tonight, he was late. He was still away on his "business trip."
• The dinner I'd prepared sat on the table: roasted venison, stewed root vegetables, a pitcher of Silverflame wine, and a small cake I'd baked myself. The candle, shaped like the number "3," flickered weakly.
• My hope, my love, my tenderness—all focused on this meal. Now, the cold night air swallowed it all.
• Time dragged on. The food went cold. The candle flame was barely a spark.
• A deep sense of dread crept into me. The air felt thick and crushing.
• Suddenly, my communication stone vibrated softly.
• It wasn't Cassian. It was his sister, Wynn Simmons.
• "Trista," her voice was hesitant and stressed. "Look at the visual crystal I sent you..."
• I poured a weak trace of magic into the crystal. The image that shone back instantly froze my blood.
• In the vision, Cassian—my mate—stood by the lakeside at Sacred Springs Valley.
• That was supposed to be our mating ceremony location. The Blood Moon should have been high tonight.
• Instead, brilliant fire magic shimmered above the lake. Starlight glittered in the night sky. In his arms, he held a wolf cub, maybe five years old.
• Cassian's hand—the one that placed the vow ring on my finger—was now draped intimately around another woman's waist.
• It was Samantha Fernandez. His first love. They broke up six years ago.
• The name hit me like a sharp arrow, right in the heart.
• The pain was an icy wind, spreading quickly through every nerve ending.
• She was the woman who only existed in Cassian's stories and on that cherished old photo in his study.
• He loved her deeply. She was a rogue, and the Ironthorn Pack didn't accept her. She had to leave the States back then.
• I could barely keep watching. But the next thing Cassian murmured on the image was a sudden gust of wind. It ripped away all my remaining hope.
• "I made the lemon cake myself," he said softly. "May my love and my flame always protect you both."
• The crystal slipped from my hand. It crashed to the floor. The sound was like an axe splitting my skull.
• Shards cut into my ankle. Blood welled up, but I felt nothing.
• Panicked, I tried to link with Cassian's mind-mark. All I found was emptiness.
• This sight shattered the last of my illusions about him.
• I grabbed my comm-stone and desperately tried to call him. Silence. Nothing but silence.
• I called again. Still no answer.
• On the third try, he finally picked up.
• My knuckles were white. My voice was surprisingly calm. "It's our anniversary today."
• There was a pause. Then his voice, sharp with impatience, cut through a loud background noise. "What is it? I'm handling important matters."
• It was curt and annoyed. He spoke as if I were a trivial servant.
• Then, Samantha's soft voice was faintly audible. "Am I bothering you? Maybe I should just..."
• She didn't finish. Cassian cut the connection.
• Helplessness, rage, and the pain of betrayal slammed into me. The deep connection I thought we shared suddenly felt ripped apart.
• I curled up on the cold stone floor. I felt the tearing of our soul-bond, and I let out a low wail only I could hear.
• I grabbed my long hair and let out a suppressed, almost wolf-like shriek. Then, the tears came. Endless tears.
• A knock came at the door. I struggled up and walked to open it.
• Wynn stood outside. She gasped when she saw my state. "Luna Trista! Your hands and feet are bleeding!"
• I looked down. I hadn't realized my nails had dug into my palms. Lines of blood ran down my wrists.
• I shook my head numbly.
• "We need to go! Let's face him at Sacred Springs Valley right now!" Wynn's eyes flashed with fierce protectiveness. "You are Ironthorn's Luna. I won't accept any other she-wolf."
• I took a deep breath, forcing myself to be calm. "Wynn, this is between your brother and me."
• My mother, whose strength was depleted protecting our former pack, was resting at the Healing Center. She couldn't handle any stress.
• I couldn't break down completely now.
• Wynn watched me. She seemed ready to argue but finally left.
• It was late. The night outside was silent.
• I wandered the cold Alpha's house like a ghost.
• I was born into the Silverlight Pack. I was an Alpha's daughter.
• Cassian and I grew up together. I gave him everything I had. But his heart always belonged to a woman he couldn't forget.
• That wasn't a secret.
• Our mating was only an ancient alliance pact.
• For three years, I had poured everything into being the Luna he deserved, trying to melt his frozen heart.
• I didn't get his love. Instead, I got his dramatic "return" with his old flame and their child.
• From the first crush to the adult, unconditional love, I had spent twenty-five years of my life and passion on him.
• It was time to wake up.