Samantha’s POV
I’d been waiting for this day my whole life—the day I would finally become Luna of Blackraven Pack, wife to Alpha Gabriel Timothy, the man I thought was my forever.
The ceremony hall gleamed with silver ribbons and obsidian roses, the scent of lavender smoke curling toward the vaulted ceiling as our pack chanted blessings to the Moon Goddess. My heart thumped with joy, nerves, and disbelief. I’d rehearsed this day in my mind so many times.
But he didn’t come.
Minutes stretched into hours. The murmurs grew louder, and the priestess at the altar tried to keep her composure as whispers spread among the pack members seated before me. I stood there, in my white silk gown, fingers trembling around the bouquet of moon lilies I’d picked myself.
“Maybe he’s delayed by something urgent,” Beta Ashton whispered beside me. He looked uneasy, his eyes darting toward the grand wooden doors. “He left the packhouse early this morning. I thought he was heading here.”
My throat felt dry. “You’re his Beta, Ashton. You don’t know where he is?”
He shook his head, jaw tight. “No, Luna— I mean, Samantha. He didn’t tell me.”
The priestess cleared her throat gently, her tone hesitant. “Perhaps we should wait a little longer—”
“No,” I said softly. My voice cracked. “No, it’s fine.”
I lowered the bouquet slowly, the petals brushing against my trembling hands. I could feel every pair of eyes on me—the pity, the confusion, the hushed shock. The sacred hall felt too large, too cold. I turned and walked down the aisle alone, the sound of my heels echoing like a cruel song.
When I stepped outside, the cold wind hit me, chilling my bare shoulders. My wolf whimpered inside me, restless and hurt. He wouldn’t do this to us, I tried to tell myself. There must be a reason.
But the universe seemed determined to break me that day.
Across the street, a crowd had gathered around a massive outdoor screen displaying the pack’s local news channel. Curious murmurs filled the air, and someone gasped, pointing at the image flashing across the screen. I looked up, and my heart stopped.
There he was.
Alpha Gabriel, my supposed groom, still in his everyday uniform, black shirt, dark jeans, and not a trace of his wedding suit, cradling a small boy in his arms. The headline blazed across the bottom of the screen:
“Alpha Gabriel Timothy Saves Child from Rogue Attack Near Kindergarten.”
Reporters surrounded him, asking questions, but all I could see was the tender way he held that child, the relief, the affection in his eyes. His aura, so protective, so gentle, that I almost mistook it for fatherly love.
And then it hit me like lightning.
Why wasn’t he wearing his wedding suit? Where was the urgency, the apology, the thought that he was supposed to stand beside me before the Moon Goddess at this very hour?
By the time I reached the hospital reported on the news, I had already stripped off the gown, leaving it folded neatly in the backseat of the car. I couldn’t bear the thought of walking into that place dressed as a bride whose groom never came.
The corridors smelled faintly of antiseptic and steel. My heels clicked quietly against the floor as I searched for him, ignoring the curious stares from pack nurses. They must have recognized me, the Luna who had been left alone at her own wedding.
“Alpha Gabriel?” I asked the nurse at the desk.
She hesitated, looking uncertain. “He’s in Room 207, Miss Collins.”
“Thank you.”
My heart pounded harder with every step. I didn’t know what I was expecting to find, perhaps an injured man, perhaps a good explanation that would make the ache in my chest go away.
But when I reached the door and looked through the small glass window, the world seemed to tilt beneath my feet.
He was there. Standing by the hospital bed, holding a woman in his arms.
Not just any woman.
I knew that face. I had seen her in old photographs tucked away in his drawer, in the stories he told with a bittersweet smile, the childhood sweetheart who had vanished years ago, leaving a wound he said no one could ever fill.
Adrianna.
My breath caught, and I pressed my hand against the cold glass. My wolf whimpered low in my chest, her sadness wrapping around me like a shadow.
Gabriel’s hand moved gently through Adrianna’s hair, his voice low and warm. “I can’t believe we have a pup together,” he said. “I’m glad you’re back in our lives. I will give you everything.”
The words struck me like claws through my heart.
I stumbled back, the hallway spinning. The boy from the news, he wasn’t just some child he rescued. He was their son.
My knees weakened, and I gripped the wall to steady myself, biting my lip until I tasted blood. Every promise he’d made, every vow he’d whispered under the moonlight, shattered in an instant.
He told me he had no mate. That Adrianna was gone forever. That fate had chosen me to be his Luna.
And yet there he was, holding her like she was the only thing that had ever mattered.
Samantha’s POV
When I got home that night, the silence of the pack mansion felt heavier than ever. Every echo of my footsteps sounded like mockery. The walls that once felt warm now seemed to whisper reminders of what had happened, that I was left at the altar while my supposed mate held another woman in his arms.
I didn’t sleep that night. I kept staring at the empty side of the bed, the side that should’ve been his if everything had gone as planned. The rain outside didn’t stop, as if the Moon Goddess herself wept for me.
By morning, I was already sitting in the garden when Gabriel finally came home. His scent reached me before he did, oak and smoke, sharp and familiar, making my heart ache even when I didn’t want it to.
He looked tired but unbothered, dressed casually, his dark hair slightly messy. When his eyes met mine, I wanted to see guilt in them, regret maybe—but all I saw was calm indifference.
“Samantha,” he said, voice steady. “About yesterday…”
I laughed softly, though it wasn’t out of amusement. “You mean about our wedding day?”
He frowned, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin it. But a child’s life was at stake. You have to understand—the wedding could happen any other day, but a pup’s life? That’s something you can’t postpone.”
A cold laugh slipped from my lips before I could stop it. Inside, my heart felt shredded. He thinks saving that child justifies leaving me before the Moon Goddess.
But all I said was, “You’re right.”
His shoulders relaxed as though I’d just forgiven everything. “I knew you’d understand.”
Of course he thought that. I was always the understanding one, the calm, obedient Luna-to-be who never raised her voice, who always smiled even when her heart ached.
He glanced toward the mansion doors, and before I could ask what he was looking at, she appeared.
Adrianna Jordans.
Her scent, honeysuckle and rain, drifted into the air before her voice did. She walked beside a small boy who clung to her hand, his curious eyes scanning everything.
Gabriel smiled softly when he saw them, the kind of smile that used to belong only to me. “Samantha,” he said, his tone light. “This is Adrianna. You might’ve heard of her. My childhood friend.”
Childhood friend. My stomach twisted.
Adrianna smiled politely. “I’m so sorry for the awkward timing, Samantha.”
Gabriel continued, “She and her pup will stay here in the mansion for now. It’s safer here after what happened with the rogues.”
My gaze flicked to the little boy, Hans. His hair was dark like Gabriel’s, his eyes was the same. I didn’t need the Moon Goddess to tell me the truth. The resemblance was undeniable.
I forced a small smile. “Of course, Alpha. Whatever you decide.”
Inside, something cracked quietly.
The next morning, I woke to noise, feminine laughter, footsteps, the clatter of furniture being moved.
“Omega May?” I called, rubbing my eyes. “What’s going on?”
But when I opened my door, I froze.
Adrianna stood inside my room, surrounded by omega maids carrying boxes and linens. She turned to me with a sly little smile, her fingers brushing over my vanity as though it already belonged to her.
“Oh, Samantha, good morning,” she said sweetly. “I hope you don’t mind. I was just… settling in.”
“In my room?” I asked sharply, my sleepiness vanishing.
Her smile didn’t falter. “Well, technically, this used to be my room years ago. Before I left. It holds a lot of memories, you see.”
“This is my room now,” I said, crossing my arms. “I don’t care what it used to be.”
Adrianna sighed dramatically, her eyes glistening as if she were about to cry. “It’s just that Hans wants to stay here with me. He said he likes the scent, it feels familiar to him. I didn’t want to make a fuss.”
My jaw tightened. “Then perhaps you should ask Gabriel to prepare another room for you. There are plenty.”
But before I could say another word, the door burst open.
Gabriel. His aura filled the room, commanding and heavy. His eyes flicked from Adrianna’s tear-streaked face to me, and his expression hardened immediately.
“What’s going on here?” he demanded.
Adrianna sniffled. “I was just asking Samantha if we could have this room, but she—”
“She what?” he snapped, turning to me.
“I told her it’s mine,” I said firmly. “Because it is.”
He exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face. “Samantha, can’t you just give up the room? How can you be so selfish?”
His words hit like a blade. “Selfish?” I repeated, disbelief surging through me. “You already didn’t show up at our wedding, and now you want me to give up the one space that’s mine? What more do you want me to give up, Alpha?”
For a moment, I thought he’d soften. That maybe the man I loved would show a flicker of remorse.
Instead, his gaze stayed cold. “You’re still not over that? I told you I saved a child. Is that wedding more important than a pup’s life?”
My voice shook. “It’s not just the wedding, Gabriel. You promised me.”
He ignored me. “Enough. Leave this room immediately. You can stay in one of the guest rooms downstairs.”
Adrianna reached for his arm gently, and he let her. Watching her touch him so freely made bile rise in my throat. He used to hate being touched in public, except when it was me.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she whispered, casting me a victorious glance over her shoulder.
And just like that, they left together, her hand still on his arm.
The door shut, and the silence that followed was unbearable.
I stood there for a long time, staring at the room that used to be mine. My scent still lingered in the sheets, in the air, but it already felt foreign. The omegas looked at me awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
“It’s fine,” I whispered. “Leave everything. I’ll pack my own things.”
When they left, I sank onto the edge of the bed, tears finally slipping down my cheeks.
This wasn’t the man I had fallen in love with two years ago. Back then, Gabriel was tender and fierce. He used to hold my hands and say I was the only she-wolf who ever made his heart calm. He used to promise that once we were married, he’d make me the happiest Luna in the world.
Now, I couldn’t even recognize him.
The Alpha who used to chase away my nightmares had become the one living inside them.
I gathered my belongings slowly, a few clothes, my books, the necklace he’d once given me during a full-moon ceremony. I hesitated before placing it into the box.
“Do you remember this, Gabriel?” I murmured softly. “You said the stone would protect me as long as you lived.”
The stone didn’t even glimmer anymore.
By the time I finished packing, the sky outside had dimmed to dusk. I carried my things to the guest room, feeling like a stranger in my own home. The corridors echoed with Hans’s laughter somewhere down the hall, followed by Adrianna’s soft, adoring voice. And Gabriel’s.
Samantha’s POV
My birthday was only a few days away, and despite everything that had happened, the omegas had been bustling around the mansion since dawn, decorating, whispering, carrying boxes of ornaments and ribbons.
For a brief, foolish moment, I thought… maybe it was for me.
After all, Gabriel had always been extravagant when it came to my birthdays. He used to say the Moon Goddess herself must’ve chosen that day to bless his life with me. Two years ago, he’d filled the entire garden with lanterns that glowed like fireflies, gifting me a moonstone necklace that he said matched my spirit. Last year, he’d thrown a feast that lasted until sunrise.
So when I saw the preparations this time, the colorful banners, the boxes marked “decorations,” the sweet smell of honey cake, I felt a tiny spark of hope.
Maybe he wanted to make amends. Maybe he hadn’t completely forgotten the woman who’d waited for him at the altar.
But when the designs finally arrived that afternoon, that spark died.
I unrolled the blueprint for the decorations on the long oak table and froze. It wasn’t elegant or romantic like the celebrations we used to have. No moonlight theme, no silver decor. Just bright balloons, cartoon wolves, and little paw prints everywhere.
I blinked, thinking it must’ve been a mistake. “This… can’t be right,” I murmured to the omega who delivered it.
She looked uneasy. “Alpha Gabriel said these are the final designs, Lady Samantha.”
I thanked her quietly and walked straight to Gabriel’s office, my heart pounding, dread curling in my chest. His door was slightly open, and I could hear his voice before I even knocked, steady, authoritative, the voice of an Alpha who thought he had everything under control.
“Come in,” he said without looking up when I entered.
I stepped inside. “Alpha,” I greeted softly. “I just saw the designs for the celebration.”
He looked up from his desk briefly, his eyes meeting mine. “Oh, good. What do you think?”
“I think they’re…” I hesitated. “Childish.”
“Exactly,” he said without missing a beat, his pen still moving on the documents before him. “It should be suitable for children. It’s for Hans’s birthday, after all.”
My breath caught. “Hans’s… birthday?”
He looked up again, confused by my tone. “Of course. It’s on Saturday. You should also attend—it’ll be good for the pack to see harmony between us.”
Saturday. I stared at him, my pulse quickening. “Alpha,” I said slowly, “Saturday is also my birthday.”
His brow furrowed as if trying to recall. Then his eyes widened slightly, just a flicker of realization, quickly buried beneath indifference.
“Oh,” he said simply. “Right.”
Right. That was all he said.
The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating. I wanted him to say more, to at least look sorry. But he just went back to signing papers as if my birthday were some irrelevant detail.
Once upon a time, he’d counted down the days to it. Now, he couldn’t even remember.
I stood there, feeling the sting of humiliation creep up my neck. Then, as if to salt the wound, he added, “Speaking of which, your parents’ pack hasn’t sent their monthly contribution yet. Did you contact them?”
My jaw tightened. “Contribution?” I repeated slowly.
He nodded. “Yes. The Heaven Blossom Pack has always sent support to help strengthen our resources. I was just wondering if something happened. Perhaps you can remind them.”
I almost laughed. My chest burned with disbelief. “That’s what you’re worried about? My parents’ money?”
He blinked, unbothered. “It’s not about money. It’s about alliances.”
But I didn’t want to hear it. I turned and left before my anger could spill out in ways I couldn’t take back.
By the time I reached the corridor, my hands were trembling. The memory of his calm, detached face haunted me.
So this was what I’d become to him, a connection to a wealthy pack, a symbol of alliance.
That night, as the moonlight spilled softly into my room, I sat at the edge of my bed, staring at the shadows dancing across the walls. My wolf stirred restlessly.
I didn’t plan what I was doing next. I just followed the ache in my chest, the faint bond that still tethered me to him even when it hurt. Barefoot and quiet, I padded down the hall toward his quarters.
The scent hit me first—vanilla and rosewater. Not mine. Not his usual earthy musk.
Then I heard it.
Soft moans. A woman’s voice. And his.
“Ah, Adrianna… you’re so much better than Samantha. She’s like a log in bed.”
The words sliced through me like a silver blade.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. My hands went cold, my heart stopped beating for a moment, and then everything inside me cracked open.
I didn’t move. I didn’t even cry. I just stood there, numb, listening to the sound of betrayal echoing through the door.
My wolf howled inside me—a sound of rage, heartbreak, and disbelief all at once. I clamped a hand over my mouth to stop the sob that threatened to escape, then turned and fled down the hallway, my bare feet silent against the marble floors.
By the time I reached my room, my tears were blinding me. My body shook as I fumbled for my phone, fingers trembling so badly I almost dropped it.
I dialed my brother’s number.
He answered after two rings, his voice steady and warm, so painfully familiar. “Samantha? It’s late. What’s wrong?”
The sound of his voice undid me. “Benedict…” My voice cracked. “He… he betrayed me.”
“What?” His tone sharpened instantly. “Who did?”
“Alpha Gabriel,” I whispered, tears choking me. “He—he didn’t come to our wedding because he saved his child with another woman. Adrianna. His childhood sweetheart. She has his son. He’s been lying to me all along.”
There was silence on the other end, the kind that screamed with restrained fury. “He what?” Benedict growled, his Alpha tone leaking through. I could almost feel his power surging through the phone. “I’ll gather our warriors. He won’t get away with this, Sam.”
“No!” I cried quickly. “Don’t, please.”
He hesitated. “Samantha—”
“I don’t want war,” I said firmly, though my voice trembled. “I just need until my birthday. After that, I’ll leave Blackraven. For good.”
“Samantha…” His voice softened, pain lacing through it. “You don’t deserve this. You should’ve told me sooner.”
“I know.” My voice broke. “But I kept hoping he’d change. That maybe the man I loved was still there somewhere.”
“Then let him live with his choices,” Benedict said quietly. “And when you walk away, make sure he sees what he lost.”
“Thank you, Ben,” I whispered. “I’ll be fine. I just need a few more days.”
We hung up, and I sat there for a long time, clutching the phone to my chest.
Outside, the moon glowed full and pale, a silent witness to everything.
That night, I finally accepted what I had been denying for too long—Alpha Gabriel Timothy of Blackraven Pack was no longer my alpha. Maybe he never truly was.
And on my birthday, the day he forgot, I would take back what was mine, my freedom, my pride, and the pieces of my heart he had carelessly shattered.
Samantha’s POV
The dining hall smelled faintly of roasted meat and freshly baked bread, but even that comforting scent couldn’t disguise the bitterness in the air. I sat quietly, across from Alpha Gabriel, while Adrinna Jordans fed her son small spoonfuls of soup as if she owned the place. Her laughter rang through the hall, light and taunting, and when my eyes met hers, she didn’t even have the decency to look away.
She tilted her head slightly, her long neck in full view, bare and marked with hickeys. My stomach churned. The mark of my mate was supposed to be there, but instead, there were only reminders of her nights with him. She was flaunting them, every purple bloom a slap to my pride.
Gabriel didn’t seem to mind. He was focused on cutting Hans’s meat, smiling gently as the boy thanked him. My gaze lingered on that image, a father’s tenderness, the kind I once thought would be shared between us and our future pup. Foolish.
Adrinna’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Samantha, could you pass me the juice on your side?” Her tone was sweet, dripping with false innocence.
I glanced at the pitcher, then back at her. “You have arms, don’t you? You can reach it yourself.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care.
For a moment, silence blanketed the table. Then Gabriel slammed his fork down. “Samantha.” His tone was warning. “Can’t you do a simple favor without being difficult?”
I clenched my fists beneath the table, feeling my wolf stir inside me, hurt, humiliated, ready to snarl. But instead, I swallowed the anger, picked up the pitcher, and poured the juice into her glass. Adrinna smiled, smug and victorious, her eyes gleaming with mockery.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly, like poison wrapped in silk.
I wanted to throw the glass in her face.
Gabriel leaned back in his chair and looked at me again, his expression shifting from irritation to cold calculation. “By the way, Samantha. Has Heaven Blossom Pack sent the funds yet? We need additional budget for Hans’s birthday celebration.”
For Hans. Not for me when it was my parent’s money.
My jaw tightened. “You’re asking me about money again?”
“It’s for the pack,” he said simply. “You know Blackraven isn’t as wealthy as Heaven Blossom. If you could just ask your parents—”
I laughed bitterly, cutting him off. “No, Alpha. There will be no more money. I’ve already told my parents to stop funding Blackraven Pack. You have enough assets and businesses to sustain yourself. You don’t need their help.”
The table went quiet. His expression darkened instantly. “What did you say?” His voice dropped an octave, dangerous and sharp.
“You heard me,” I replied, keeping my gaze steady. “No more money.”
The next second, his palm slammed against the wooden table, the sound echoing through the hall. Hans jumped in his seat, and Adrinna gasped softly, though her lips twitched upward in hidden amusement.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he growled. “You’re cutting off the lifeline that supports this pack. That supports you.”
I stood slowly, forcing my voice to stay calm. “Maybe it’s time you learned to stand on your own without bleeding my parents’ generosity dry.”
Gabriel’s eyes burned with fury. He pushed his chair back so hard it scraped the floor. “You’re unbelievable,” he spat, and stormed out of the hall. Adrinna hurried after him, carrying Hans in her arms as if afraid I might harm them.
But I just stood there, shaking. My nails bit into my palms as I tried to steady my breathing. My wolf whimpered inside me, confused and wounded. How did it come to this? How did the man who once swore to love me above all turn into this stranger who only saw me as a bank connection?
Hours later, the mansion buzzed with noise. Visitors, mostly other Alphas, had come to see Gabriel. Laughter echoed from his office, deep and loud. I passed through the corridor quietly, heading to my guest room, but as I neared the office, their words floated to me, sharp as claws.
“I heard the wedding with Samantha was canceled,” one Alpha said, chuckling.
“Canceled?” another barked a laugh. “Man, Gabriel wasn’t even planning to attend that wedding in the first place.”
Their laughter roared louder. My breath hitched.
Then Gabriel’s voice joined in, lazy and proud. “That whole wedding preparation was worth it. Heaven Blossom sent hundreds of thousands before the event. It was easy money.”
I froze. My blood turned to ice.
“So, you never planned to marry her?” another Alpha asked.
“Why would I?” Gabriel replied, his tone dripping with arrogance. “She’s just leverage. Her pack is rich, and I needed the funds for Blackraven’s expansion.”
The room erupted in laughter again, but my heart was already breaking apart.
And then I saw it, through the small crack of the slightly open door. Adrinna was sitting on his lap, her hands roaming over his chest as she kissed his collarbone. His friends didn’t even look surprised.
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
Adrinna’s voice purred. “But what now, darling? I heard Samantha stopped her parents from sending money.”
Gabriel smirked. “If she still wants to eat and live peacefully here, she’ll change her mind soon. I won’t spend a single penny on her stay in my pack.”
A cruel laugh followed.
That was the moment something inside me snapped.
I pressed a trembling hand over my chest as tears spilled down my cheeks. My wolf howled inside me, hurt, humiliated, and furious. Every word I had heard cut deeper than any blade. The love I once protected, the loyalty I held onto despite the betrayal, all of it suddenly felt foolish.
I staggered away from the door, every step heavier than the last. My vision blurred, my throat tight. The truth was out. All this time, I wasn’t his Luna. I was his pawn. His source of wealth. His convenient connection to a powerful pack.
When I reached my room, I collapsed against the bed, letting the sobs finally escape. My mind played back every moment we’d shared—his promises, his warmth, his laughter when we used to talk about our future. None of it had been real.
Samantha’s POV
The morning of my birthday dawned bright and cruel. The entire Blackraven mansion was draped in gold and blue banners, laughter echoed through the corridors, and servants rushed about carrying cakes, decorations, and gifts. But none of it was for me. Not anymore.
It was Hans’s birthday too—or rather, that was what the Alpha made it. My birthday had been swallowed by a child’s celebration, and I had been reduced to a mere guest in what used to be my own day.
When I entered the grand hall, all eyes turned to me. I could feel them, pitying, whispering, judging. Every she-wolf in the room knew. Every warrior had heard. That I was the rejected one. The Luna-to-be who was never claimed. The daughter of the wealthy Heaven Blossom Pack who had been used, discarded, and replaced.
But still, I held my head high. My long silver gown shimmered faintly beneath the chandeliers, and I carried myself with the pride of my bloodline. No one needed to see how my heart trembled beneath the calm fa?ade.
Alpha Gabriel stood at the center of it all, his arm around Adrinna. She wore a crimson dress that clung to her body, her smile wide and radiant. She looked like she owned the world, and perhaps she did—mine, at least.
I walked toward the refreshment table, pretending not to notice the lingering stares. I poured myself some wine, just to keep my hands busy. The glass trembled slightly between my fingers.
“Samantha,” a soft, honeyed voice called.
I turned, and there she was. Adrinna Jordans, the woman who had stolen everything from me, approaching with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Her scent filled the air, sweet jasmine, cloying, suffocating.
“Happy birthday,” she said cheerfully. “Or… should I say, happy Hans’s day?” She giggled, the sound grating on my nerves.
I didn’t answer. I just looked at her, waiting for her next game.
She leaned closer, her lips almost brushing my ear. “I heard you’re no longer able to bear a child,” she whispered, her tone dripping with false sympathy.
My heart skipped a beat.
“But didn’t you know?” she continued, her voice lower now, cruel. “Alpha Gabriel told me himself that he poisoned you. He didn’t want an offspring from you, Samantha. He said he’d rather never have a child than have one with you.”
For a second, everything went silent.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. My vision blurred as her words sank in. Months ago, when the pack doctor told me I couldn’t conceive, I had fallen apart. Gabriel had comforted me then—held me in his arms and told me that it was fine, that he didn’t need children, that all he needed was me.
So it was him. He had done it. He had taken that away from me.
Adrinna wasn’t finished. “He doesn’t love you, Samantha. He loves your money. You’re just a convenient source of wealth. You’re nothing but a cash cow.”
Something inside me snapped.
Before I could even think, my hand moved on its own. Slap!
The sound echoed through the hall. Adrinna staggered back, her hand flying to her cheek, her eyes wide in shock. Every head turned our way.
“What’s going on?” Gabriel’s voice thundered as he pushed through the crowd.
He rushed straight to Adrinna, wrapping his arm around her protectively. She immediately began to cry, crocodile tears streaming down her face.
“She hit me, Gabriel! I was just talking to her nicely!” she sobbed.
I took a step back, shaking my head. “You liar! Tell them what you said to me!”
But Gabriel didn’t even look at me. His eyes were blazing with fury. “Samantha,” he said through gritted teeth, “have you lost your mind?”
“She provoked me!” I cried. “Ask her what she said—”
“Enough!” His voice boomed across the room, laced with Alpha command. My wolf whimpered inside me, forced into submission.
The guards approached before I could even react. Two warriors grabbed my arms roughly.
“Gabriel, what are you doing?!” I screamed.
He turned to the crowd, his expression calm but cold. “For raising her hand against a guest and humiliating our pack during a celebration,” he said, “Samantha will kneel and reflect on her behavior.”
“Reflect?” Adrinna whispered, feigning tears again. “Please, Gabriel… don’t hurt her. I forgive her.”
He glared at me. “Kneel on salt until the party is over. Maybe then you’ll learn humility.”
I gasped. “No—”
The guards forced me down, pushing my knees onto the rough grains of salt spread across the marble floor. Pain shot up my legs immediately, but the humiliation burned worse.
Dozens of eyes watched as I knelt there. Some were filled with pity, others with disgust. I heard murmurs. Someone’s phone camera clicked. My tears fell freely, splashing against the white salt that was already turning red from my scraped skin.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to shift, to tear through this nightmare. But my wolf was too weak, crushed under the weight of Gabriel’s Alpha aura.
And then—
“Everyone, please gather your attention!” The announcer’s voice echoed. “It’s time for a message from Miss Adrinna Jordans, on behalf of her son, Hans!”
All eyes turned to the stage. Adrinna climbed the steps gracefully, dabbing at her fake tears. I stayed where I was, trembling, blood dripping from my knees.
She smiled sweetly into the microphone. “Thank you all for coming,” she began. “I prepared a little presentation for my son.”
The lights dimmed. The screen behind her flickered to life. But instead of cheerful images of a boy’s birthday… a sound played.
Ah… Gabriel… don’t stop…
Gasps filled the hall. My eyes widened in shock.
The moans were unmistakable—hers and his. The recording played louder, echoing through the speakers for everyone to hear.
And then came Gabriel’s voice, “I’ll marry you soon, Adrinna. I promise. You and our son, Hans, deserve everything. Samantha’s just a stepping stone.”
The crowd erupted in shock and whispers. Wolves turned to look at me, horror and pity mingling in their eyes.
Adrinna covered her mouth, pretending to panic. “Oh no! I—I don’t know how that got played! I’m so sorry—”
But when her eyes met mine, she smirked. That small, satisfied curl of her lips told me everything. It wasn’t a mistake. She planned it. She wanted me destroyed.
I couldn’t even breathe. My world spun. Everything blurred. The sound of laughter, whispers, gasps, all melted into noise.
And then, suddenly, a strong hand grabbed my arm.
I looked up, startled. A man, tall, cloaked, unfamiliar, was beside me. His scent was different, powerful, foreign.
“Who—” I started, but he didn’t let me finish.
“Don’t say a word,” he murmured. His voice was low, commanding yet gentle. “Your brother sent me. I’m getting you out of here.”
Before I could react, he pulled me to my feet. The guards turned, but in a blur of motion, he struck them both down effortlessly. The crowd screamed, chaos erupting in the hall.
Gabriel’s Alpha voice roared, shaking the walls. “SAMANTHA!”
I turned once—just once—and saw him shoving through the chaos, his eyes wild, his aura dark with fury. But I didn’t stop. I didn’t look back.
The stranger wrapped his arm around my waist, his speed blurring everything around us. We dashed through the hallways, through the open doors, into the night. The cold air bit into my skin, but I didn’t care.
I closed my eyes, my body trembling, my heart breaking. I let myself lean into his warmth, too numb to speak.
Behind us, I could still hear Gabriel’s distant voice, furious, desperate, echoing through the night.
But I didn’t look back.
I was done with him. Done with Blackraven. Done with the lies.
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