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"""I'll never love you. You'll never be my true mate. This arrangement is a joke. An insult."" My husband sneered. ""Understood, Mr. Nighthorn. I'm not looking forward to the wedding either. If I had a choice, I'd have turned it down, but your father left me and my family with two options—accept or go rogue."" ""Feisty,"" he said. ""I like that. Quick-tempered too."" ""As long as you don't try to bully me, we won't have a problem. If your father really did buy me, then this is a contract. And once Darian becomes Alpha, you'll release me."" I said flatly. He chuckled then—low and bitter. ""You still don't get it, do you? That will never happen, Mara. I'll have to claim you eventually. A full binding. For show. For politics. For my father. You'll be mine—publicly, legally, permanently."" Something twisted in my chest at those words. A phantom ache. He told me exactly where I stood in this twisted legacy of power, names, and politics. I was never meant to have a voice." That actually made me smile. It was such a him thing to say. “That’s so cool, Rowan,” I said, wide-eyed. Then, on impulse, the words slipped out before I could second-guess them. “Do you mind if I come?” Rowan didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked at Darian, almost like he needed permission. And Darian—bless him—gave me that soft smile again. “If you go with him,” he said, “who’s going to be my friend and keep me company here?” I knew the answer. We all did. Tiffany. Tiffany would. But if I said that out loud, it would expose everything—my jealousy, my feelings, my pain. It would ruin whatever fragile friendship we still had. So I said nothing. Just sat there, heart breaking quietly behind steady eyes. Mara “I’m sure you’ve got other friends to keep you company,” I said, keeping my voice calm, eyes steady on Tiffany. “Better—and maybe more interesting—company than I could ever be.” Tiffany caught the meaning instantly and smiled, smug and satisfied. “That’s right, Darian,” she purred, looping her arm through his. “I’m all the company you’ll need.” Then, like it was some kind of private joke, she leaned in and licked his earlobe again. I looked away, jaw tight. She wanted to be Luna so badly it was dripping off her. Most of the girls who threw themselves at Darian did. It wasn’t about him. It was about the title, the power, the image. But not me. Even if Darian wasn’t going to be Alpha, I’d still feel this way about him. That was the difference. “I want to come with you, Rowan,” I said suddenly, turning to him. My voice was clearer than I expected. Firm. I needed distance. Space. A whole dam continent between me and Darian if I was going to get over him. He would never see me. Never choose me. And I had to stop holding out hope like it was some kind of twisted comfort blanket. “This trip... it’ll be good for me,” I added, mostly to myself. Darian smiled, watching me a little too closely. “Maybe I’ll come too.” And just like that, the air left my lungs. No. No, he couldn’t. That would ruin everything. I’d just end up exactly where I was—his loyal shadow, his best buddy, watching Tiffany swallow his attention whole. “You’ll bring me along?” Tiffany asked, all wide eyes and sugar-laced eagerness. I could almost hear the flutter of her lashes. I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt. If she came too, I’d lose my mind watching her cling to Darian like a barnacle in heat. Her tongue alone would be enough to make me puke somewhere around the border of the first town we hit. “I’ll think about it,” Darian replied, and Tiffany's face fell. She frowned, and then her eyes flicked to me, sharp and accusing, like it was my fault. She wasn’t entirely wrong. But also not right. I didn’t want Darian to come—not because I wanted to hoard him for myself, but because I needed to finally let go of him. We stayed a little longer, had a couple drinks, careful not to go overboard. It was a quiet ending to a loud night. Eventually, we all called it and got ready to leave. “Let’s go hunting tomorrow morning,” Darian said casually as we stepped out into the night. His voice was light, but his eyes were on me. I hesitated. Waiting. Because, of course, I needed to hear what she would say. “I want to come too,” Tiffany piped up, bouncing slightly in her heels like she was volunteering for a game of tag. I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself. Darian caught it and laughed. “I guess the three of you will have to go without me,” I said flatly, already turning away. Darian frowned. “Come on, Mara. You and I—we’re a good team.” Oh, how I wished that was true. But in reality? It was just another sweet lie I’d told myself over the years. “You, Rowan, and Tiffany will be a formidable team,” I replied, eyes on the pavement, not bothering to look at her. I could already feel the weight of her glare. I didn’t blame her. If I were her, I wouldn’t like me either. Not when the guy I wanted kept paying attention to someone else. Darian told me to think about it. I wouldn’t. I didn’t need to. I already knew I wasn’t going. When I got home, the house was quiet—everyone asleep. I slipped inside like a ghost and made my way to my room, shutting the door behind me without making a sound. I didn’t want to wake anyone. I didn’t want to talk. All I wanted was to stop loving someone who would never love me back. Morning came too fast. I sat on the edge of my bed, still wrapped in the fog of everything I was trying to forget. The hunt was supposed to be today. Part of me wanted to go—just to breathe outside this house, outside of him. But the thought of Tiffany tagging along made my stomach twist. I already knew she’d spent the night at the Nighthorn mansion. There was no way Darian would leave her behind now. Not after that. I dragged myself downstairs, hungry but not in the mood. I hated shifting when I hadn’t eaten—it made me edgy, short-tempered. I didn’t want to lose it in the woods and end up looking unhinged. What I didn’t expect was to find my parents waiting in the kitchen. They weren’t eating. They weren’t smiling. They were just… there, sitting stiffly at the table with this look in their eyes that made something inside me tighten. My mother, usually bright-eyed and warm, gave me a small, nervous smile. “Morning, Mara. How was your night?” I forced a shrug. “Great,” I lied, trying not to read too much into their mood. She just nodded. My father cleared his throat, and the sound already made my heart beat faster. “Sweetheart, we need to talk to you about something important.” And just like that, my stomach dropped. They didn’t speak in the kitchen. My dad gestured toward the living room, and we all moved, silent as ghosts. I sat on the couch across from them, trying not to let my mind spiral. Then they looked at each other. That kind of look—the silent, mind-link kind of conversation they always had when something was wrong. Something they didn’t want to say out loud. I wasn’t part of it. Not yet. Not until they decided I had to be. “Mara,” my father said slowly, “you know how much we love you, right?” Wrong way to start. My pulse spiked. I swallowed hard. “Yes,” I said, and my voice cracked. He looked down for a moment, then back up at me with tired eyes. “We’ve always wanted the best for you. But… we also have duties to the pack. Responsibilities. And—” “We should’ve told you sooner,” my mother cut in, her voice trembling. “But we wanted you to have your graduation, your moment of celebration, before we… before we said anything.” Her eyes welled up with tears. That’s when I started crying too. Because whatever could make my mother cry like that—whatever they were about to say—it was going to rip something out of me. “Mara,” my father said again, quieter this time, “Alpha Vander Nighthorn has chosen you to be joined with his eldest son, Lucian.” My breath caught. “He’s decided,” he continued, “that since you finished second overall in the academy, top among the female wolves, and since you’re known for your strength, your discipline… that you’re the best choice for Lucian. He believes your character will help shape him into a man fit to stand beside his brother when Darian becomes Alpha. He also believes that your friendship with Darian will help settle the conflict between the brothers and bring unity to the future leadership of this pack.” I was frozen. The words didn’t even register at first. It didn’t feel real. “It’s not a suggestion, Mara,” my father added. “It’s an order. One we had no power to refuse.” That was it. The sound that left my throat wasn’t even human. I screamed. A raw, guttural cry that tore from my chest like something inside me had shattered. Mara “This must be a joke,” I whispered, barely recognizing the sound of my own voice. My eyes burned, and the tears wouldn’t stop. My mother shook her head slowly, her face soaked with grief. “It’s not a joke,” she said, broken. I choked on a sob. “Lucian? Lucian?! He’s a monster. A cruel, vicious bаst3rd. He lies, cheats, bullies anyone weaker than him—and he killed someone, an innocent person. And now you want me to what? Play house with the devil?” I knew they didn’t have a choice. I knew it wasn’t really their fault. But I needed someone to blame, and they were standing right in front of me, and I was drowning. “We had no say,” my father said, voice low and defeated. “They said you’re the strongest female of your generation. They believe you’ll match him. Tame him.” “Enough!” I snapped, standing up so fast the room spun. “You can’t tame people, Dad. You don’t ‘fix’ someone like Lucian. He’s not broken. He’s rotten. He was born that way.” My breath came fast, too fast. My chest felt tight like I was suffocating. “I’m supposed to be Darian’s Gamma! That job—our futures—they’re built on trust, on teamwork. How am I supposed to do that while being shackled to a psychopath?” They had no answers. Just silence. My mother’s silent weeping. My father’s helpless stare. “I’m done. I’m leaving. I don’t want the Gamma position. They can keep it—and let them gift someone else to that monster.” I turned, storming toward the stairs. I didn’t know where I’d go, but anywhere was better than here. Anywhere but thislife. “You can’t leave, Mara,” my father called after me, voice desperate. “If you refuse the bond, Alpha Nighthorn will cast us out. We’ll become rogues. Once the mark of Mooncrest fades, we’ll lose everything—our protection, our humanity. You know what happens to rogues. You’ll turn feral. We all will. They rule this entire country, Mara. There’s no where for you to go,” I stopped in my tracks. Feral. Cast out. Doomed. I turned slowly and looked at my mother. Her shoulders were trembling. She couldn’t even look me in the eyes. “Do you know what you’re asking me to do?” I said, my voice shaking with fury and despair. “You’re asking me to throw my life away. You’re asking me to bind myself to someone who might kill me in my sleep.” She nodded through her tears. “I’m sorry.” Lucian wasn’t just cruel—he was dangerous. Even Alpha Vander didn’t trust him to lead, which was why Darian had been groomed from day one to take over. Darian, with his calm and strength and sense of duty. Meanwhile, his older brother was out there, spiraling, and now they wanted me to steady him. They wouldn’t have picked me if I wasn’t so perfect—so well-behaved, so disciplined, so obsessed with Darian that I molded myself into the model warrior. Maybe if I’d been reckless, mean, or a bitter b1tch, they wouldn’t have even considered me. But no. I had played the part. And now, this was my reward: unrequited love, a forced marriage, a future I couldn’t escape. I hated my life in that moment. I was about to turn away again when the doorbell rang. We all froze. My mother rose to answer it, and the scent hit me before she opened the door—him. Darian. He stepped inside, and I almost didn’t recognize him. His eyes were red, brimming with tears. His hands trembled. He looked like someone had carved a hole into his chest and left it gaping. “Mara,” he said softly, his voice cracked and hoarse. He opened his arms. He didn’t need to say anything else. I walked into him, into the arms I had longed for more than I ever admitted, and he held me—tight, like he was the one about to fall apart. My parents quietly stepped away, leaving us in the silence of shared pain. And I broke. I cried, and this time, it wasn’t quiet. It wasn’t polite. It was everything I had been holding in—fear, betrayal, grief, hopelessness—all pouring out while he held me. And still, I knew… even this wouldn’t change anything. “I’m sorry, Mara,” Darian whispered against my hair, his voice thick with something heavier than guilt. “I didn’t know they would do this. I didn’t know he would do this.” And I broke again. “I don’t want to be with Lucian,” I cried, clutching his shirt like it was the only thing anchoring me. “I hate him, Darian. I can’t do this. Please… help me.” His arms tightened around me like he wanted to, like he wished he could fix it all with the way he held me—but he didn’t answer right away. When he did, it was barely above a whisper. “I’m not Alpha yet, Mara. My key mark isn’t active yet. I don’t have the power to stop this.” And that—that—hurt more than I expected. Not because he admitted he was powerless but because of the way his voice cracked. There was grief in it. Regret. Something deeper than duty. “I thought…” he started, then paused. “I thought we had time. I thought there’d be more time.” I pulled back just enough to look at him. “Time for what?” He didn’t answer. Instead, he whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Mara. I didn’t know.” I stared at him, trying to piece together what he meant. Time for what? Was he finally saying what I’d always hoped he felt? But now wasn’t the time. Not with everything crashing around us. The hug faded. Slowly. Reluctantly. We stood there, inches apart, staring into each other’s tear-streaked faces, both too full of words we couldn’t say. “Listen to me,” Darian said, his voice low but firm. “I will always be there for you. I won’t let him hurt you, Mara. I swear it. If you ever feel unsafe, if he crosses a line—call me. I don’t care what I’m doing. I’ll come. I will come. You are not alone in this.” I blinked back another wave of tears. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to thank someone for a promise that shouldn’t have to exist. “I wish I’d never trained to be your Beta,” I muttered, my voice barely a breath. “If I’d just taken medical classes instead… Alpha Vander wouldn’t have noticed me. He wouldn’t have picked me for his deranged son.” I looked at Darian again. My heart swelled painfully, and I opened my mouth. “Darian…” He met my eyes, hope flickering there. “What is it, Mara?” I hesitated. I wanted to say it. Gods, I wanted to scream it—I love you. I’ve always loved you. But I didn’t. Because now he wasn’t just the boy I trained beside. He was about to become my brother-in-law. And whatever chance there might have been, it had died the moment his father bound my future to Lucian’s. “Nothing,” I said instead. “Nothing but fear.” He pulled me back into his arms without hesitation. I buried my face in his chest and breathed in his scent one last time like it might be enough to last me forever. I didn’t dare ask for more. I didn’t dare reach for what I truly wanted. Not now. Not when I was about to be forced into the hands of someone I despised. Not when Darian had no power to save me. He held me tight, as if letting go would break him, too. Then he kissed the top of my head—soft, lingering—and pulled away. “We’ll still be best friends,” he said gently. “I don’t care what the pack says. You’re still my best friend, Mara. No one’s replacing you.” And there it was. The final nail. Best friend. The words were supposed to be comforting, but they landed like a blade in my chest. His father thought that same friendship was the key to taming Lucian—like I was a tool, a bridge, a sacrificial peace offering. I didn’t want to be Darian’s best friend. I wanted to be his everything. His Luna. His love. His home. But instead, I got Lucian. Unwanted. Unchosen. Trapped. Maybe being feral wouldn’t be so bad. At least then I’d be free. I could run, disappear, let the wilderness swallow me whole. Anything would be better than this slow suffocation. I wanted to leave. I needed to leave. Mara Darian followed me upstairs to my room. For the first time, it felt… wrong. Foreign. Like something had cracked in the familiar walls we’d built around each other. It had always been a little awkward since I started falling for him, but now—now it felt unbearable. I didn’t know what it would be like living in their house. The Nighthorn mansion. Sharing space with Lucian. Walking the same halls as Darian, seeing him every day while wearing the title of someone else’s mate. His brother’s mate. The thought made me feel sick. I didn’t trust my heart not to betray me in some devastating way. “I’ll wait here,” Darian said softly, settling into the chair by my desk while I headed into the bathroom. As soon as the water hit me, the tears came. I sank to the floor, knees pulled to my chest, sobbing so hard my ribs ached. I cried for the life I almost had. For the love I could never confess. For I was being handed like some twisted reward for being too good. And in that cracked, broken place, I thought about running. Disappearing. Going rogue. Letting the world forget I ever existed. But then I remembered what that meant. What it would do to my family. What it would do to me. I dressed in the bathroom, even though modesty had long since evaporated between Darian and me during years of shifting and training together. But things were different now. Everything was different. Even standing in front of him felt like holding a glass that could shatter if either of us moved too fast. “How are you feeling?” he asked when I stepped back into the room. I just nodded, unable to trust my voice. His eyes were still tinged with crimson, like he’d been holding back more tears of his own. “Lucian doesn’t want the union either,” he said suddenly. I looked up, startled. “What?” “That’s how I found out,” he continued. “I overheard him yelling at our father. He was furious. Said he didn’t want you. Didn’t want any of it. And honestly… that’s what scares me the most.” I understood what he meant before he said it. Lucian didn’t want me. Which meant he’d resent me. And with the kind of man he was—violent, spiteful—that resentment wouldn’t just sit quietly in the corner. He’d find a way to punish me for it. “Then why won’t he reject it?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper. Darian exhaled slowly, like the weight of it all was dragging him under too. “Because ever since Father chose me as Alpha instead of him, Lucian hasn’t dared to oppose him. I think the shame crushed something inside him. He’s quiet now, but that doesn’t mean he’s safe. And…” He hesitated. “Lucian’s in love—with someone else. Has been for a while.” I swallowed hard. That somehow made it worse. I wasn’t just being forced into a bond with a monster—I was a wedge, a weapon used to separate him from someone he actually cared about. A curse he’d wear every day. “This isn’t fair,” I said bitterly. “Not to me. Not to her. Not to anyone.” Darian didn’t argue. “Will I still be your Gamma?” I asked, knowing it was selfish but needing to ask anyway. Because even if I couldn’t be his mate, I still wanted to stand by his side in some way. Any way. “Yes,” he said softly. “Unless you choose to step down, you’ll remain my Gamma.” I shook my head. I couldn’t make that decision yet. Not when everything inside me felt broken and scattered. I just needed time. Space to breathe, to mourn, to accept the weight of what had been forced on me. Darian left quietly, carrying his own sadness like a wound. I watched him go and felt another piece of me fall apart. I stayed in bed the rest of the day. Staring at the ceiling. Crying into my pillow until it was soaked. My parents tried to check on me—brought food, soft words, empty comfort—but I ignored them all. I didn’t want kindness from the people who had let this happen. I didn’t want anyone. If the Alpha had chosen to bind me to Darian, I would have said yes without hesitation. I would have given him everything. But instead, I was being handed over to his brother. Why Lucian? Of all the wolves in this pack, why did fate—or power, or cruelty—choose him? And what the hll was I supposed to do now? Two weeks. Two long, miserable weeks of crying, sulking, and avoiding the world like it had personally betrayed me—because in a way, it had. I refused to go to any gatherings, skipped every function, and barely spoke to anyone who wasn’t Darian. Not that I saw him much. He’d gotten himself into trouble more than once that week, and Alpha Vander had taken it as an excuse to load him up with responsibilities. I missed him. But missing him was a dangerous thing now. Luna Martha Nighthorn came by twice to speak with my parents about the “arrangements.” She was Darian’s mother—not Lucian’s. Lucian’s biological mother had died when he was young. Alpha Vander had bonded with Martha later, and ever since, everyone just assumed she was the mother of both boys. Everyone except Lucian, who never missed a chance to correct them. I didn’t care for the politics of it. I didn’t care about her visit, her soft reassurances, or the way she avoided looking me in the eye. I didn’t care about any of it. I just wanted to disappear. Burn the whole d'amn future and vanish into ash. But I couldn’t. I was sitting on the patio, trying to catch my breath from another heavy day of doing absolutely nothing, when a sleek black car pulled into our driveway. I squinted at the figure stepping out. A young woman—tall, porcelain-skinned, striking brunette. And angry. I stood slowly, assuming she was lost and needed directions. She didn’t waste time. “Are you Mara Thornridge?” she asked, sharp and cold. I nodded, guarded. “You gold-digging b1tch,” she snapped. “What do your parents have on Alpha Vander? Huh?” I blinked, stunned. What? “Do you know how long Lucian and I have been together?” she choked out, her eyes welling up with tears. “We were sweethearts for years. And now I find out you—you’ve been chosen for him? You?” I stood there, frozen, every cell in my body screaming for a break. I had no words. I was still trying to process this marriage from hll myself, and now this? She stepped closer, her voice low and trembling with rage. “How dare you, Mara? I swear, we will make your life a living hll.” And that was it. I snapped. “Watch it,” I growled, the shift stirring beneath my skin. “I don’t give two fks about Lucian. I didn’t ask for this. I don’t want this. So maybe aim that rage where it belongs—at him, or at his father, or at the Moon Goddess herself. Not me.” She blinked, caught off guard. “If you’re so mad, tell your beloved boyfriend to grow a spine and say something to his father. Trust me, you’d be doing me a huge favor. Because let’s be honest—Lucian isn’t exactly a prize. He’s an entitled, violent аs hole, and I wouldn’t want to be bound to him if he was the last breathing wolf in existence.” She stepped toward me like she was about to swing. I didn’t even flinch—I welcomed it. Hll, I needed it. I let out a low, warning growl, eyes locked on hers. “You need to f'k- off, now. While I’m still being nice. Because if you don’t, I swear on every ancestor in my bloodline, I will tear you apart. And right now? I wouldn’t even regret it.” Something in my voice must’ve landed. She backed away slowly, fury still burning in her eyes, but something else too—fear. She slid into her car and slammed the door, then peeled out of the driveway without another word. I stood there breathing hard, body trembling with all the rage and frustration I’d buried these past two weeks. Now I had to deal with Lucian’s girlfriend too? I wasn’t even officially mated to him yet, and already the drama was spilling into my yard like blood on the snow. And Lucian—he hadn’t shown up. Hadn’t spoken to me. Hadn’t so much as sent a message. I guessed the feeling was mutual. This was going to be hll. And it hadn’t even started yet. Mara “Mara!” my mother called from downstairs. Since the day they dropped the bomb about the arrangement, I’d barely left my room. What was the point? Everyone probably knew by now. The whole pack, maybe even the entire dam country. Mara Thornridge, gifted to Lucian Nighthorn like a prized lamb to the family wolf. And just like that, the threats had started rolling in—anonymous messages from a number I didn’t need to trace. I knew exactly who it was. Lucian’s little banshee. The same girl who’d parked in my driveway and tried to claw my face off with words she probably rehearsed in front of a mirror. None of her threats got to me. Not one. If she ever followed through on a single one of them, I might actually respect her. But I knew the truth—lashing out at me was easier than facing Lucian or confronting Alpha Vander. I was the easier target. The quiet one. The one who hadn’t asked for any of this. I got out of bed wearing the same old pajamas I’d worn for two days. It was already afternoon. I didn’t care. My hair was a mess, my eyes were swollen from days of crying, but the tears had stopped. I wasn’t sad anymore. Just empty. Numb. And numbness? It was better. Numbness didn’t ask questions or demand hope. Darian and I still talked every night. His voice was soft, his words kind, and I hated every second of it. He meant well. He was trying. But I didn’t want kindness from him. Not anymore. I wanted what I could never have. Every call was another reminder that I'd never be more than his best friend. So no, the support wasn’t helping. Not even a little. I shuffled downstairs, preparing to grab something quick and head back to my quiet cave of self-pity. But I froze at the bottom step. Alpha Vander Nighthorn and Lucian were in my living room. Just sitting there. Like this was normal. Like they belonged. I felt my parents' disappointment immediately. The way they looked at my unwashed hair and oversized sleep shirt said it all. But maybe, just maybe, the Alpha would take one look at me and change his mind. Maybe I looked pathetic enough to kill this deal. I stepped into the room, lifting my chin, even though my body screamed to turn and run. “Good afternoon, Alpha. Mr. Nighthorn,” I said evenly, voice dry but polite. Alpha Vander sat upright on the couch, perfectly composed. For a man in his early fifties, he looked ten years younger. Thick dark hair, sharp brown eyes, a well-groomed beard. He radiated power and vanity, and somehow it worked. No wonder women in the pack still swooned over him. He had that whole silver fox, age-like-wine aesthetic locked down. And Lucian? He looked like sin incarnate. Dark hair, frost-blue eyes that could pierce through bone, and a jawline that might have been carved from stone. His shirt clung to his body like it didn’t want to let go—tattoos peeked from under his sleeves, tracing the edges of muscle sculpted to perfection. He wasn’t bulky, not like some of the other warriors. He was lean, cut, deadly. His skin was sun-kissed and flawless, his stare unreadable and cold. Everything about him screamed danger, power, trouble. Everything about him made my skin crawl. And yet… he was undeniably beautiful. If I hadn’t known what was behind that face, I might have stared. Might have been flattered. But now? All I saw was the cage I was about to be locked inside. And he hadn’t even bothered to look at me yet. I swallowed hard when I saw him. It had been a while since I last saw Lucian Nighthorn in person, and I hated myself for even noticing how he looked. His presence was magnetic—he didn’t just walk into a room, he took it. He looked like something out of legend: all dark edges, piercing frost-blue eyes, and sculpted features that belonged on a statue. But no matter how stunning the exterior, it couldn’t mask the ugliness I knew sat underneath. Looks didn’t make a man worth loving. And I didn’t want this union. But what I wanted didn’t matter. “Mara,” Alpha Vander said, dragging my attention away from his son. I stood upright and gave him the proper Gamma salute. My posture stiff, my insides screaming. “Congratulations on your future position as Gamma. Mooncrest and Darian are blessed to have you in the ranks.” “Thank you, Alpha,” I replied, my voice steady. “Lucian,” he said, turning to his son, “get to know your mate. Take a walk while I speak with the Thornridges about the event.” Lucian didn’t respond. He just stood and walked outside, offering no glance, no gesture, no courtesy. The kind of silence that dared you to follow—and warned you not to speak. I didn’t want to go with him. He hadn’t asked. But I wasn’t foolish enough to disobey an Alpha’s command. I followed him out. He was sitting on the patio, staring down the street like the world bored him. I didn’t sit. “Don’t get any ideas, little girl,” he said finally, his voice deep, sharp, arrogant. “This arrangement is a joke. An insult. I’ll never love you. You’ll never be my true mate. Let’s get that straight before the wedding so you don’t embarrass yourself hoping for more.” I cleared my throat, keeping my voice even. “Understood, Mr. Nighthorn. I’m not looking forward to the wedding either. If I had a choice, I’d have turned it down, but your father left me and my family with two options—accept or go rogue. I expect nothing from you. And I will give you nothing in return.” He finally turned to look at me, eyebrows raised. “You really have no pride, do you?” he said. “You think this is some noble sacrifice? My father’s paying your family a fortune for this. You and your parents—just more middle-class shovel-holders, ready to dig for gold.” I inhaled sharply. My hand twitched. Don’t hit him, I told myself. Not yet. His smirk widened. “Feisty,” he said. “I like that. Quick-tempered too. I’m honestly surprised you made it as Gamma. What did you do? Sleep your way there? Must’ve been quite the climb—though Darian doesn’t fancy you, so maybe you figured you’d settle for the older brother. At least then you get the name, the money, the power. That’s what this is about, right? Being a Nighthorn?” He waited for me to crumble. I didn’t. Instead, I leaned in, voice low and laced with venom. “At least I earned my place in this pack. I’m Gamma because I bled for it, not because I was born into a name. You? You’ll always be the brother of the Alpha. Nothing more.” That hit him. His jaw tightened. His hand lifted halfway, shaking—just a breath away from slapping me. His eyes burned, not with fury alone, but with something deeper. Shame. Insecurity. I flinched, but only slightly. Mara Lucian was stronger than Darian. That much was clear. Where Darian led with loyalty, Lucian ruled with intimidation. His presence filled the air like a storm. And for a moment, just a moment, I felt what it would be like to be tied to this man. Not protected. Not cherished. Owned. Lucian dropped his hand, clenched it into a fist instead. Good. I’d struck the nerve I wanted. And I wouldn’t stop there. “We are not equals,” Lucian said coldly, his voice like ice cracking beneath pressure. “You better watch your mouth, Thornridge, or this arrangement will turn ugly real fast.” He dropped back onto the bench like he owned the space, like even sitting was a statement of dominance. I stayed standing, watching him from above, refusing to shrink. “I came here only to lay down a few ground rules,” he continued. “First, you will never be my mate. So don’t expect affection, don’t ask for loyalty, and don’t even think about what mates are ‘entitled’ to. I already have someone. Someone I actually care about.” I laughed—just once, dry and sharp. “You mean the one who threatened me in my own driveway?” I said. “Tell your little girlfriend that as long as she keeps her claws to herself and stays out of my way, we’ll have no problems. I don’t care what you two do behind closed doors.” He went quiet. I could tell he didn’t like my answer. It wasn’t what he expected. But it was the truth, and I wasn’t here to coddle his ego. “In public, we’ll play the part for my father,” he said, voice dropping lower. “Behind closed doors, we’re strangers. You stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.” “Fine by me,” I said flatly. “As long as you don’t try to bully me, we won’t have a problem. If your father really did buyme, then this is a contract. And once Darian becomes Alpha, you’ll release me.” He chuckled then—low and bitter. “You still don’t get it, do you? That will never happen, Mara. I’ll have to claim you eventually. A full binding. For show. For politics. For my father. You’ll be mine—publicly, legally, permanently.” Something twisted in my chest at those words. A phantom ache. I flinched without meaning to, but I didn’t let him see more than that. “What about your girlfriend?” I asked quietly. “She understands,” he replied, surprisingly calm. “I’ll never be Alpha, and I don’t want the job. We’ll find our way around this. She’ll still have my heart. She’ll have my children.” I stared at him, trying to understand how a person could speak of love and cruelty in the same breath. “I guess you’ve got your future mapped out,” I said. “Good for you. But what about me?” He blinked, caught off guard. His tone lost its bite. “What do you mean?” “I mean, you’ve got the girl. The family plan. The political cover. What about my life? My future?” I asked, voice low but unshaking. He looked at me for a long second. Then gave a dismissive shrug. “You’ll figure it out. If you meet someone, fine. Scr'w whoever you want. Just don’t get pregnant and embarrass me. Keep your mess private.” I stared at him, stunned. He wasn’t done. “I’m sure you already have a few boyfriends on the side. Maybe some officials from the academy you spread your legs for—because no woman’s ever made it as Gamma before. So whatever you did to get there, just keep doing it. That’s the only way you’ll hold onto that title. If someone stronger comes along, you’re out.” I didn’t answer. Because I didn’t need to. Let him think what he wanted. Let him imagine a version of me that matched his twisted assumptions. I wasn’t going to defend my body, my choices, or my worth to him. But inside, something cracked. I’d waited. Saved myself. Dreamed of Darian—not for lvst, but for love. And now I was bound to a man who assumed the worst of me. Who would use me as a shield, a pawn, and nothing more. And yet I didn’t cry. Not anymore. The tears were done. Now, there was only fire. “Well,” Lucian said, brushing imaginary dust from his pants like the conversation was just business. “Since everything’s ironed out, I guess we won’t have issues living as husband and wife.” I gave him a nod. Flat. Numb. Resigned. “Do we sleep in the same room?” I asked, not because I wanted to—but because I needed to know what kind of Hll I’d be walking into. He shook his head. “Not exactly. My room has a conjoined space. You’ll sleep in the one I’m not using.” A connected room. No door. No barrier. Just a wall, maybe some air, and all the silence in the world between us. “I’ve fixed it up for you,” he added. “Just don’t expect luxury. It’s the poorer wing of the mansion. My father doesn’t dote on me the way he does on Darian.” I almost laughed. The poorer wing? I would’ve gladly slept in a shed if it meant not sharing space with the man who thought I’d slept my way into the Gamma rank. “I don’t care about the room,” I said simply. And I didn’t. What I cared about was distance. Physical, emotional, spiritual. As much as I could carve out for myself in a life I never asked for. We headed back into the house. Alpha Vander stood, looking pleased with himself—like a man who had just orchestrated a perfect deal, unaware—or perhaps entirely aware—of the people he was crushing in the process. “Ah, I see the lovebirds have come to an understanding,” he said with a smug grin. “I suppose I’ll see you both at the wedding.” My father stepped forward to shake his hand. “Thank you, Alpha. We are honoured.” Alpha Vander turned to him with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Aiden, Arya—you’ve raised a strong, beautiful daughter. I originally wanted her for Darian, you know. She’s Luna material, no doubt about it. But in the end, I knew she’d have more impact on Lucian’s life.” Every word scraped against me like sandpaper. “Darian is already gentle,” he went on. “Lucian needs someone like Mara. Someone sweet, with a steady hand. She’ll soften him. She’s perfect.” And that was the moment I felt it—self-loathing. Deep, hot, gnawing. I should’ve seen it sooner. This wasn’t about love or bonds or the Universe’s will. I’d been chosen because I was safe. A tool. A soothing balm they could apply to their most volatile son. I should’ve been reckless. Cold. Difficult. A bad girl. Maybe then I would’ve been considered for Darian. Maybe then, I would’ve stood a chance. But Lucian—he didn’t let his father get away with it. “It’s not about what you want, Father,” he said suddenly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it cut clean through the room. Alpha Vander turned to him slowly, like a man used to obedience. “Don’t lie to them,” Lucian continued. “This wasn’t your idea. This was Martha’s doing. Luna Martha didn’t want Darian choosing Mara. She didn’t want him with a Thornridge—didn’t want him marrying middle-class. She wants a girl with money. Status. This whole thing? It’s her fix. Her solution.” The air in the room turned sharp. Lucian kept going. “You’re not doing this to help me,” he said. “You’re doing it to ruin me—and Mara. All to clear the path for Darian to marry someone Martha approves of. You paid them off. That’s not honor. That’s manipulation.” Then he turned and walked out without another word. And I stood there—stunned. Not because I was angry at what he said. But because it was true. So painfully, clearly true. Luna Martha didn’t want me in her family. I wasn’t polished enough. Rich enough. Enough of anything, really. And Darian… he never even had a chance to fight it. I never had a chance at him. No matter how hard I trained, no matter how loyal I was, no matter how much I loved him quietly from a distance—I never stood a chance. Lucian was many things—cold, cruel, arrogant—but in that moment, I saw something else too: honesty. Brutal, unfiltered honesty. And it told me exactly where I stood in this twisted legacy of power, names, and politics. I was never meant to have a voice. Mara Four days had passed since Lucian and his father came to the house, and I still hadn’t found my way out of the haze. I sat in the garden behind our home, staring at nothing. Not the flowers. Not the trees. Just the empty space ahead of me, like it might hold some kind of answer if I looked long enough. Lucian’s words still echoed in my mind—cold, cruel, and then, strangely, honest. The truth was a blade that hadn’t stopped cutting. It wasn’t about me being Luna material or helping Lucian. It was about Darian. About removing me from the equation so his mother could shape his future without interference. I didn’t even hear him approach. “You’ve lost weight,” Darian said softly, sitting beside me. I didn’t reply. What was there to say? He sighed and stood again, pacing. Frustrated. Restless. I knew he wanted to talk. He always did. But I couldn’t give him what he was looking for—not when I felt like my whole life had been bargained away by people who never even asked me what I wanted. “Why didn’t you tell me Lucian came to see you?” he finally asked. I looked up at him, calm on the surface, hollow underneath. “I didn’t think it was necessary.” He stopped pacing. “We’re friends, Mara. Everything is necessary. Everything matters.” He looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his shoulders were tense. I could see the guilt in the way he carried himself, but he didn’t understand. Not yet. “Help me, Darian,” I said, my voice cracking. “Please.” He came to a stop in front of me, eyes full of sorrow. “If I were Alpha, I’d cancel this madness. I swear I would.” “But you’re not,” I whispered. Then I looked him in the eyes, and I said the one thing that had been building in my chest like pressure before a storm. “Your mother set this up.” He frowned, his expression hardening. “Lucian said it in front of your father. And your father didn’t deny it. She was afraid that you and I… that we might end up together. She didn’t want her son marrying someone from a middle-class family. So she pushed this union, forced it, to get me out of your orbit.” Darian’s jaw clenched. “That’s not true. She knows we’re just friends. That there’s nothing between us.” His words landed like stones in my chest. “If I wanted to date you, Mara, I would’ve.” That hurt. I expected it, but it still hurt. “She doesn’t see it that way,” I replied. “To her, I’m a threat to your future. So she ruined mine.” I paused, voice low and shaking. “Please talk to her, Darian. She’s destroying two lives out of fear. Lucian has someone he loves. And me?” My voice broke. “She’s condemning me to a loveless, miserable life. All because I was your friend.” I looked down at my hands, trembling now. “I’ll give up the Gamma position. I’ll leave. Just… help me get out of this.” Tears spilled down my cheeks, hot and helpless. “I don’t want to marry your brother. Please.” He sat down beside me again, silent for a long moment. His hand found mine, hesitated, then held it gently. “I’ll talk to her,” he said at last, voice low. “I can’t promise anything, Mara. But I’ll try. I’ll beg her if I have to.” I nodded, even though I wasn’t hopeful. At this point, I just needed to know someone tried. That not everyone stood by and watched my future burn. If Darian hadn’t offered, I might’ve buried myself in silent acceptance. Might’ve forced myself to walk into that cold, loveless match. But Lucian wasn’t just cruel—he was dangerous. He was a murderer. An irresponsible drunk. A walking storm I’d be expected to share a life with. The thought of binding myself to him permanently… it made my skin crawl. We sat in silence for a while after that. Just breathing the same air. Just existing in the same space. Eventually, Darian left. And I was alone again. Sitting in a garden, surrounded by life, while mine slowly withered away. Two days passed. Nothing from Darian. No call. No visit. Not even a message. Just silence. I lay on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling like it might offer some kind of escape. It didn’t. All I saw was the countdown—days slipping away until the wedding. Until my funeral. Because that’s what it felt like. The day I married Lucian would be the day I buried the last of myself. I didn’t know if I’d take the Gamma position when the time came. I doubted it. The fire in me—the one that once pushed me to be the best—was nothing but ash now. Resignation tasted bitter, but it was starting to feel like the only thing I had left. There was a knock at my door. I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. I could already smell her—my mother. And the food tray she was balancing in her hands. I didn’t move, didn’t speak, and just like I knew she would, she let herself in. “Mara,” she said gently, placing the tray on the table. “You need to eat something.” I didn’t even look at the food. I looked at her. Cold. Angry. Broken. “How can you and Dad live with yourselves after selling your daughter?” I asked, my voice flat, my expression disgusted. She froze by the table, her eyes lowering, as if even she couldn’t bear to meet mine. “He gave us no choice, Mara,” she whispered. “The money was to ease his conscience.” “And you took it.” My words were a blade. “Spent it, I’m sure. Did it ever occur to you that Lucian might call it off? That Alpha Vander might want his money back?” She turned to face me slowly, her expression tired and tight. “We had no choice,” she repeated. “It was take it… or be cast out. ‘Take it or get out,’ that’s what he said. We were drowning, Mara. The house, the loans—we were about to lose everything.” I blinked, stunned. “So you sold me to pay off your debts? The loans you took for my education?” “No,” she said quickly. “We were ready to let the house go. We planned to move in with my sister. We didn’t expect Alpha Nighthorn to show up. But when he forced the union, when he said it was happening whether we liked it or not... we took the money. We used it to survive.” “And you used me to survive,” I said bitterly. She flinched. I sat up, my eyes sharp now. “What happens if the deal falls apart? If Lucian calls it off and his father wants the money back?” “Why would he?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Because I told Darian,” I said. “I told him what Lucian said. About the truth—how this wasn’t about Lucian needing a wife but about his mother wanting me out of Darian’s life. He promised he’d talk to her. Try to get her to stop this madness.” My mother’s eyes widened, shocked. She hadn’t expected me to do anything. Maybe she thought I’d just quietly crumble. She slowly sat beside me, her body folding like something had broken inside her. Tears slid down her face. “Mara, my darling…” my mother’s voice cracked as she sat beside me. “I didn’t know you would take it this hard.” I didn’t answer. She reached for my hand, but I didn’t move. My eyes stayed locked on the ceiling, dry now, but only because I had nothing left in me. “I’m hurting too,” she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “But I need you to be strong. You’re tougher than this.” I didn’t look at her. “Darian and Rowan left yesterday,” she added carefully. “They won’t be back until it’s time for him to take over the pack.” The words sank in slowly, like poison soaking through my veins. They went on the trip. Without me. Without a word. Darian—the one person I still believed would try to help me—was gone. He didn’t even call. Didn’t say goodbye. Didn’t tell me that he had failed or that he’d tried at all. The silence in my chest cracked. My heart broke without sound. “I know what you’re thinking,” my mother said, almost defensively. “It was Luna Martha. She forced the trip.” I turned to her now, eyes stinging again. “She forced him?” I asked, though I already believed it. “Yes,” she nodded. “Jason—Darian’s butler—he came by for a check-up. He told me Darian had a terrible argument with Martha. About Lucian. About you. About how unfair this is. And when she couldn’t control the conversation, she controlled him. She made him leave. Told him it was to ‘gain experience.’ Said he’d return a better Alpha.” My lip trembled, but I didn’t speak. It was my fault. I asked him to intervene. I pulled him into this. And now he was gone. Banished under the guise of training. And nothing had changed. Lucian was still my future. And Darian… Darian had become part of the past. I sat in silence as the tears returned—slow, steady, quiet. “I’m sorry, baby,” my mother whispered. “But please… eat something. Don’t let this kill you. You’re one of the strongest wolves this pack has ever seen. A woman winning Gamma? That’s not luck. That’s grit. That’s fire. You will find a way to cope.” I didn’t believe her. Not even a little. She pulled me close, kissed my forehead, then left the room without waiting for a response. I stared at the food. The smell turned my stomach. Fear had coiled itself so tightly around my gut I could barely breathe, let alone eat. I picked at the plate. Flushed it all down the toilet. Washed the dishes in silence. I wanted to fade out of existence. But I couldn’t. I was still here. Trapped in a body with no escape, in a life that no longer felt like mine. They hadn’t even set a date yet. That should’ve been a good thing—more time, more room to plan, to hope—but instead, it made it worse. The anticipation, the waiting. The illusion of freedom. Alpha Vander was “putting things in order,” whatever that meant. Maybe planning some extravagant public affair to mask the fact that the union was a sentence, not a celebration. Forced marriages weren’t supposed to be grand. But this one was. Because it wasn’t about love—it was about control. I climbed back into bed, curled beneath the blanket, and tried to breathe past the panic rising in my throat. Please, I thought. Let time fly. Let it fly fast. Lucian My father was a weak man. Spineless, really. Letting his Luna orchestrate the ruin of two lives just to soothe her own insecurities? That wasn’t leadership—that was cowardice dressed in politics. Where does Martha’s manipulation stop? It was bad enough she turned my father against me—made sure I was never considered fit to be Alpha. But now? She’s bound me to a girl I barely know, all because she couldn't stomach the idea of Darian marrying someone who wasn’t bred from power or money. Mara Thornridge and I? We were just casualties of her fear. Collateral damage in her obsession with keeping Darian’s path clean and elite. When my father dragged me to the Thornridge house, I said what I needed to say. Cold, cruel, calculated—because I needed to understand. Martha told me the Thornridges requested the union, claimed they believed their daughter was too strong not to be Luna. Claimed they wanted her to take her “rightful place.” Said they had agreed to settle for me instead of Darian. All of it? Complete bullsh1t. Everyone knew Mara had a crush on Darian. It wasn’t some secret scandal. Even Darian knew—he just ignored it. Let it stew. Let her orbit him for years. A harmless crush, people said. But what that girl gave up for him wasn’t harmless. She left her original path. Signed up at the academy. Trained harder than anyone expected. Finished second. All for a boy who didn’t have the guts to be honest with her. At first, even I assumed her ambition was calculated—that finishing second was her power play to get chosen as Luna. But after speaking with her, however awkwardly… I realized how wrong I was. She didn’t chase power. She chased purpose. And maybe, quietly, she chased hope. The way she looked at me—guarded, hurt, angry. That wasn’t the gaze of someone who’d schemed her way up. That was someone trying not to drown in something too big for her. And I hated it. I hated how Martha had spun this lie and dragged me into it. I hated how my father let her do it. I hated that Mara—this tough, stubborn, determined girl—was being broken apart by people who claimed to protect the pack. So when we went back inside, I told the truth. I was done playing along. Let the Thornridges hear it all—how this wasn’t about what was best for me or Mara or even Darian. It was about Martha’s ego. About keeping “middle-class blood” away from her precious son. I almost told Mara that Darian had known. That he could’ve stopped this earlier. But I didn’t. Because she already looked like she was barely holding it together. That truth would’ve shattered her. But I blame him too. He knew how she felt. He saw it in her eyes every Dam time she looked at him. And instead of setting her free, he kept her close. He strung her along, let her believe maybe… maybe one day. I heard him brag once—to his friends—that she’d made passes at him. After meeting her, I knew that was a lie. Mara Thornridge doesn’t beg. She’d rather die than admit she’s vulnerable. She would’ve made a great Luna. Not just to Darian—but to the pack. She’s sharp, strong, and smarter than half the men who outranked her. And instead of letting her shine, Martha decided to bury her. Tie her to me. Punish her for something that never even happened. And now they expect her to stand at Darian’s side as Gamma? To give her best while living half-alive? Unbelievable. No one’s asking what this will do to her. No one’s thinking about what she’s being forced to give up just to survive. I didn’t know what to do with Mara. I didn’t want to touch her. I didn’t want to claim her—not because I hated her, but because I respected her. She didn’t ask for this, and I’m not the kind of man who takes what isn’t given freely. I wouldn’t mate with her against her will. I wasn’t like Darian. He wore his charm like armor and left a trail of wreckage behind him—wolves he used, hearts he broke, girls who wound up pregnant and scared. And every time, Father and Martha cleaned it up quietly, buried the mess, and painted him as the perfect heir. Looking back now, I saw it all more clearly than I ever had. Darian—the golden boy, the spoiled prince. Martha’s precious son, her ticket to power, the puppet she dressed up as a leader. And then there was me. An accident at the wrong time, the wrong place, gave her everything she needed to destroy me. The biker didn’t die because of me—not really. My brakes failed. There was silver in the wreckage, and to this day, I still don’t know how it got there. The biker would’ve survived without it. But no one listened. No one cared. My father didn’t even pretend to investigate. He just... wrote me off. They said I was drunk, been partying all. Night but that was a lie, yet no one cared. Martha escalated the fallout like she’d been waiting for it. And Darian? He got a free pass. Over and over. “They wanted him,” my father would say. “He didn’t stand a chance. Every girl wants the Luna title. It’s not the same.” It wasn’t the same because Darian was untouchable. I’d only ever loved one girl. Tina Livingston. I’d been loyal, careful, focused. But now, thanks to Martha, I had to break her heart. Just another name sacrificed on the altar of Darian’s future. Martha had destroyed three lives. Maybe four, if Mara had someone before all of this—someone she never got to choose. And yet, I couldn’t even bring myself to hate her. Not fully. She was protecting her son. Ruthless, yes—but my real anger was reserved for the man who allowed her to do it all. My father. The Alpha. The coward. If my mother had lived… maybe things would’ve been different. Maybe she would’ve fought for me. For balance. For justice. But she was gone. And in her absence, Martha filled the void with poison and control. Now here we were. A forced union. A fake marriage. A girl who didn’t want me, and a pack that would celebrate it anyway like it was some kind of alliance—when in truth, it was just another silent war. I moved my things into the smaller of the conjoined rooms and fixed up the larger one for Mara. I wanted her to be comfortable. Or at the very least, able to cope. She wasn’t what I’d accused her of—she wasn’t a gold digger or a social climber. I said those things to provoke, to test, to understand. But now I knew better. She was nineteen. A kid, really. Brave as hll, smart, and stubborn. And stuck. Her parents weren’t to blame either. They had no power, no rank, no options. The offer from my father wasn’t an opportunity—it was a threat in disguise. Because being cast out wasn’t just exile. It was death by slow erasure. When a wolf is stripped of their pack mark, it fades over time. And once it’s gone, they lose their human form. They go feral. Wild. Forgotten. That’s what happens to rogues. There’s no mercy in that system, no redemption. A wolf only belongs to one pack in their lifetime. One. And if that bond is broken, there’s no going back. It was a cruel mechanism, a brutal leash disguised as tradition. One the Alpha family had full control over. And my father wielded it without hesitation. Mara was a victim. Just like I was. But unlike me, she didn’t even have the illusion of choice. Lucian I was just adjusting my cufflinks, getting ready for my date with Tina, when Austin, my butler, stepped into the room with his usual composed tone. “Master Lucian, the boutique is here to deliver your bride’s clothes.” My bride. The words felt like gravel in my mouth every time I heard them. I stood and walked into the master bedroom I’d had prepped for Mara. I’d never used it. It was larger, more extravagant, more central—but I’d always preferred the smaller room. Quieter. Less suffocating. But now, someone would finally be living here. Sleeping in a bed under this roof because she had no other choice. “Have them arrange her things in the walk-in closet,” I said. “Move my things to the wardrobe, and put the rest of my stuff in storage. I don’t use most of it anyway.” Austin nodded, ever the quiet professional. “Your father has invited you to a late lunch in the breakfast room,” he added. “It starts in fifteen minutes.” I checked the time, irritated. Great. I had plans with Tina—plans that actually mattered to me—but as usual, Father’s whims trumped everything. If he wanted something, it was dropped on my lap like gospel. No warning, no regard. I left without responding, heading toward the right wing of the mansion—the golden, polished side of the estate where Martha, Darian, and Father lived. Everything there was curated, flashy, fake. Just like them. Martha loved the money. Loved the title. The image. She wore luxury like armor. And yet she had the nerve to call otherwomen gold diggers, while she pretended to play noble Luna. The real digger in this house wore silk and control like a second skin. And Darian? He was a walking performance. The dutiful heir, the golden child. The pack believed in him like he was some messiah. But only those of us who’d seen behind the curtain knew the truth. The girls. The lies. The messes swept under thick rugs of privilege. He got away with everything. And me? I was the one they all whispered about. The drunk. The murderer. The irresponsible son. I stepped into the breakfast room and found them both—Father and her—eating like nothing was wrong in the world. “Have a seat, Lucian,” my father said with a manufactured smile. There was a thick folder on the table. Blank on the outside. I eyed it but said nothing. This was a game, and I already knew I was a piece. “Have you finally accepted the union?” he asked, but it wasn’t a question. It was a test. And I already knew what the right answer was. “Yes,” I said smoothly, swallowing down my resentment like it was ash. Martha didn't miss a beat. “Make sure you keep her out of Darian’s hair.” I wanted to speak. Gods, I wanted to snap. But I bit down on the urge. “She’s already out of Darian’s hair,” my father said before I could respond. “She has been, ever since her parents told her about the arrangement.” Martha rolled her eyes, dismissive as always. “So she sent my son to fight me?” she asked, mouth tight. “That was Darian’s choice,” Father said. “Stop trying to pin this on Mara. Did it ever occur to you that maybe—just maybe—Darian genuinely liked the girl and only stayed away because of you?” I nearly laughed. Darian like someone? Please. The only person Darian had ever truly loved was himself. He kept Mara close because she worshipped him. He fed on that loyalty, that quiet hope in her eyes. And when she finally became inconvenient, he let Martha clean it up. But I stayed silent. “Anyway,” my father said, suddenly annoyed, “I didn’t call Lucian here to discuss Darian. You somehow always find a way to bring it back to him.” Martha turned her head away, eyes cold and narrowed. I stared at the file again. And for the first time, I truly realized how deeply buried we all were in this family's lies. We were weapons. Symbols. Bargaining chips. Everything but people. “Take this,” my father said, sliding the thick folder across the table toward me. I didn’t move immediately. “Sign them and keep a copy,” he added. “My signature is already there.” I stared at the folder. “What is it, Father?” He sighed like he was finally ready to put something to rest. “Since you won’t be succeeding me as Alpha,” he said, “it’s only fair I hand the company over to you.” Martha slammed her hand down on the table. “Impossible!” she snapped, venom lacing her voice. My father didn’t flinch. “The deed is done, Martha. I can’t undo it.”