Stella turned toward Vladimir with wide, innocent eyes. "Alpha, I truly desire this treasure."
Before Vladimir could respond, I intervened sharply. "That belongs to me."
Because my voice was harsh, Vladimir's expression turned predatory and dark. "It is a mere trinket. She honors you by even noticing it. Do not cause a scene in my den," he growled.
Fury boiled in my veins. "That bracelet belonged to my pack mother!"
I was a rogue's pup, raised in secret within the distant forest borders with my younger brother. My foster mother possessed nothing. That charm was a gift she spent months gathering pelts to buy for my First Shift ceremony.
Vladimir knew its value to my soul.
His brow tightened as he hesitated, glancing at Stella.
That she-wolf, the master of deceit, quickly feigned regret. "I am so sorry, Abigail. I did not know it held such magic for you. Here, take it back."
She reached out, but as she did, her grip intentionally failed. The bracelet hit the stone floor and shattered into useless shards.
My hand remained frozen in the air as I watched the last tie to my mother break forever. Tears fell before I could mask them, but I silenced my cries and struck her across the face with all my strength.
Stella staggered back in shock, her head hitting the heavy oak dresser, a dark mark forming on her skin.
Vladimir erupted in a wolfish rage. He struck me so hard I crashed to the ground, my ears ringing with the force of an Alpha. My palm landed on the broken shards, and blood soaked the floor.
Stella began to wail, crying out, "Alpha, my face! Will I be scarred for the mating season?"
Her face, so much like my sister's, only made his anger worse. Vladimir lifted her in his arms protectively. "It is all right, my love. I will take you to the healer."
He stormed out with such force that he crashed into the stone pedestals along the wall. A heavy statue tipped over and struck my head, sending a stream of blood down my face.
He did not spare a single glance for the mate he had cast aside.
I was used to this kind of cruelty. Without a word, I reached for my crystal communicator and called for a healer from the village.
When I regained consciousness, Vladimir sat by my cot, his face as cold as winter.
Usually, he would be howling threats at me. Instead, he looked at me with loathing and said, "Tomorrow, we fly to the Moon Cliffs. You once trained in the sacred water rituals, did you not? Stella will grant you her mercy if you dance for her in the tides. This is your penance."
I had learned the water rites only because Vladimir admired the elegance of the sea fairy. That’s why I wanted to prove that I was worthy of standing in his pack. I even spent my small savings to rent a private lagoon for his lunar birthday, hoping to surprise him.
But when he saw me beneath the water, the look of disgust in his eyes struck harder than any blow.
He commanded the guards to strip away my breathing charms, leaving me gasping beneath the waves for nearly an hour. I lost my senses from the drowning weight before he finally pulled me out.
Since then, I have been terrified of deep water.
"I'm not going," I said instinctively.
Alas, he didn't even bother to argue.
The next morning, his men dragged me onto a flying craft powered by moon crystals. As it rose into the sky, my stomach tightened.
The ocean surrounding the Moon Cliffs glittered under the sun, a vast blue territory. To any other shifter, it was a paradise. But as I watched the waves rise and fall like the breath of a beast, I felt a heavy terror crushing my lungs.
The moment we landed, I bolted, running toward the furthest edge of the cliffs. Oddly, he did not hunt me down. A surge of unease crawled up my spine.
Suddenly, the bright sky turned to ash. The golden sunlight vanished as thick, enchanted storm clouds rolled in. The wind howled like a hunting predator, and I knew a supernatural gale was coming.
Terrified, I called his crystal communicator. "Where are you? Where is my shelter for the night?"
Vladimir laughed with a chilling sound on the other end. "After your crimes, you believe I would grant you the safety of my walls? You truly are a delusional stray."
My heart pounded harder. "What do you mean?"
The wind screamed, but his voice was even sharper. "The pack is leaving on the chopper. The magic here will kill the crystal's connection soon. If you wish to live, find your own way to survive the moon storm."
The bond snapped, and his words sliced through my spirit like silver blades.
Clutching my thin cloak, I heard the first rumble of thunder echo over the peaks, and then the sky tore open. Heavy rain hammered down, so the horizon disappeared as the sea churned into a furious, thrashing beast.
My eyes widened with horror, and I spun to run in the opposite direction. But thunder exploded, the gale shrieked, and waves rose like giants, crashing down upon me.
The freezing tide swallowed me whole, and the violent water muffled my screams for mercy. Lightning tore the sky apart, illuminating the world for one last, terrifying second.
And as my life slipped into darkness, I saw them. In that flash of light, my foster parents smiled at me with warmth.
"Dear pup, your true father has been searching for you. Do you wish to return to his kingdom?"
No! If this pain was the price of being a Lacroix, then I would rather spend eternity in that quiet mountain village.
I did not want blood ties, nor did I want to know Vladimir Barnes.
