Kat POV:
The morning sun hit the ashes in the fireplace, illuminating the charred remains of the photo album. The only record of the day I turned eighteen, the day I failed to shift.
I watched the last corner turn to gray dust.
Liar, my inner voice whispered. It sounded different today. Like an echo from a deep cave.
"Luna?" A maid knocked. "The Alpha requests your presence. The preparations for the Moon Festival are beginning."
I stood up, smoothing my simple black dress. "I'm coming."
In the walk-in closet, my fingers brushed the velvet box containing the Moonstone necklace—the symbol of the Luna's authority. Heavy, cool to the touch.
I slipped it into my pocket.
Downstairs, the Pack House was chaotic. Streamers in crimson and silver. The smell of roasting meat was overwhelming. Full Moon. Instincts sharp, cruelty apparent.
Alex stood at the center, directing Gamma warriors. Radiating power. When he saw me, his eyes flickered to my bare neck.
"Where is your necklace?" he asked, voice tight. "The pack expects their Luna properly adorned."
"It's being cleaned," I lied. My heart didn't even race. "It was tarnished."
"Hurry up then," he grunted. "And make sure Aria is comfortable. She's the guest of honor."
The chatter died. Wolves exchanged glances. A guest of honor? That title was for war heroes, not a random Omega.
I walked past him, out the back door to the Goddess Temple. A small stone structure, rarely visited.
I entered the sanctuary.
I pulled the Moonstone necklace from my pocket. The gems seemed to pulse, pleading.
"You deserve a Luna who is cherished," I whispered.
I dropped the necklace into the donation box. It landed with a heavy thud among coins and cheap trinkets.
A sudden lightness in my chest, followed by a sharp pang. The first chain was broken.
When I returned, the party was in full swing. Drums mimicked a heartbeat. And there, on the raised dais next to my husband's throne, was Aria.
I stopped dead.
She was wearing silver.
Not just silver. A gown of shimmering silk, liquid moonlight. Only the Luna wears silver on the Full Moon.
A murmur rippled through the crowd. Elders frowned.
"Alex," I said, approaching the dais. My voice was calm, but the air dropped in temperature. "Why is she wearing that?"
Alex looked down, annoyed. "It's just a dress, Kat. Don't be petty. It fits her condition. Silver protects the unborn."
"It is the color of the Luna," Elder Thomas rasped. "This is a breach of protocol, Alpha."
Alex's eyes flashed red. "I am the Alpha! I decide the protocol. Aria carries the future. She deserves the protection of the Goddess."
He placed a hand on Aria's stomach. She preened, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder—a claiming gesture.
The crowd went silent. To nuzzle another wolf in public while your mate stood right there... the ultimate insult.
I should be screaming. Shifting and tearing her throat out.
But I felt... dead.
My wolf went cold. She didn't whimper. She curled into a ball and turned to stone.
She's given up. My wolf has died of a broken heart.
Aria smirked. "Can you get me some water, Katarina? The wine is too strong for the baby."
She used my full name. Like a servant.
Alex didn't correct her. He watched me, waiting for submission. Waiting for a scene so he could punish me.
"Of course," I said softly.
I turned my back. I wasn't getting water. I was starting the countdown.
