Ellie POV:
The private jet touched down on the secluded airstrip near the desert border. As the doors opened, the dry, dusty heat of Arizona hit me—a physical blow.
It was the smell of my childhood, but it no longer smelled like home. It smelled like a battlefield.
I smoothed the fabric of the dress David had purchased in Milan. It was white silk, simple but elegant, with a slit that climbed high up my thigh. It didn't just hide my curves; it celebrated them.
David took my hand, his grip warm and grounding. He was wearing a tailored dark suit, looking every inch the powerful Alpha.
"Ready, my Luna?" he asked.
"Ready," I replied.
We took a black SUV to the Pack grounds. The Obsidian Sand Pack was hosting a gathering of regional Alphas. It was the perfect stage.
As we drove through the gates, I felt the familiar wards of the Pack wash over me. But this time, they didn't press down on me like a heavy boot. My White Wolf aura pushed back, carving out its own space.
The car stopped in front of the main hall. A crowd had gathered. I saw faces I recognized—people who had spat on me, ignored me, or bullied me for years.
The driver opened the door.
I stepped out.
Instantly, silence descended on the crowd.
I wasn't the dirty, skinny Omega in rags anymore. My skin glowed with vibrant health. My hair cascaded down my back in shiny waves. And my aura—it was suffocatingly powerful, rolling off me in waves.
I saw Marcus.
He was standing on the steps, holding a glass of champagne. Chloe was clinging to his arm, wearing a garish red dress that clashed with her complexion.
When Marcus saw me, the glass slipped from his fingers. It shattered on the stone, the sound cracking sharp in the silence.
His jaw dropped. He stared at me as if he were seeing a ghost.
"Ellie?" he whispered.
I didn't smile. I didn't frown. I just looked at him with icy indifference.
David stepped out behind me, wrapping a possessive arm around my waist. The power of two Alphas hit the crowd like a physical force. Wolves instinctively lowered their heads, baring their necks in submission.
"Alpha Marcus," David said, his voice booming. "We haven't met. I am Alpha David of the Moonstone Pack. And this..." He squeezed my waist. "This is my Luna, Ellie."
"Luna?" Chloe screeched. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with jealousy. "She's a reject! She's an Omega!"
"Watch your tongue," David growled. The air vibrated with his threat.
Marcus stumbled down the steps. He looked frantic. His eyes were darting all over me, taking in my beauty, my power. I could smell his confusion—and his sudden, overwhelming lust.
"You..." Marcus pointed a shaking finger at me. "You belong to me. You are my mate."
"Was," I corrected him calmly. "You rejected me, remember?"
"I didn't know!" Marcus shouted. His face twisted with anger. He tried to exert his dominance. He channeled his Alpha energy, aiming it at me like a weapon.
"Kneel!" he roared, using the Alpha Command.
The crowd gasped. The Alpha Command forces any lower-ranking wolf to obey instantly.
I didn't flinch. I didn't blink.
I stood tall, the White Wolf inside me laughing at his pathetic attempt. The Command washed over me like a gentle breeze against a mountain.
Marcus's eyes widened in horror. "How...?"
"Your commands hold no sway over me, Marcus," I said, my voice calm but carrying to the back of the crowd. "I am not your subject. And I am certainly not your mate."
Slowly, deliberately, I turned my head, sweeping my hair aside to reveal the fresh, healing bite mark on my neck. David's mark.
Marcus turned the color of ash. "He marked you?"
"He cherished what you threw away," I said.
David stepped forward, placing himself between me and Marcus. His growl was low and lethal. "She is mine. Step back, boy, before I rip your throat out."
Marcus looked from David to me. He was humiliated, confused, and furious. But mostly, he looked regretful.
I leaned into David, using the Mind-Link to whisper to him. *The game has just begun.*
I looked at Marcus one last time, smiling a smile that didn't reach my eyes.
"Shall we go inside?" I asked. "I believe there is a party to attend."
