Alison's POV

"Here's your glass of...?"

The world shattered around me in an instant, one second, I was just doing my job, and the next, I was standing frozen, watching the man I once adored with someone else.

The glass slipped from my fingers and shattered against the floor, echoing in the empty hall. I didn't even realize I had dropped it until the shards of crystal scattered around my feet. Alpha Kendrick looked up from the couch, his hands still tangled in Priya’s hair, while Priya’s narrowed eyes found me in an instant. Silence fell over the room, thick and dangerous.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing walking in like you own the place?” Priya’s voice cut through the silence like a whip.

“I.. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I didn’t know…” My words stumbled out, tripping over each other as I stared down at my hands, trembling.

“You didn’t know?” Priya sneered, untangling herself from Kendrick’s grasp. “You didn’t think to knock, either, did you, slave?”

I wanted to speak, to retort, to say something, anything that might stand up to her venomous glare, but nothing came. Instead, I clenched my jaw, tightened my fiat and lowered my gaze. Sarcasm burned into my tongue, but I swallowed it, knowing better. I could feel Alpha Kendrick’s gaze on me, cold and impassive, as if he barely saw me.

With a quick step, Priya closed the distance between us and raised her hand. I braced myself, but nothing prepared me for the sting as her palm cracked across my face. The impact sent me reeling, throwing me backward. I hit the floor with a sickening thud, sharp pain radiating through my body as shattered glass bit into my palms and knees. The pain was a thousand tiny fires beneath my skin, but I didn’t dare make a sound.

"Pathetic." Priya’s voice dripped with disgust as she watched me struggle to sit up. “It’s your own fault for being so useless.”

I fought to keep my head down, to avoid showing how much I was hurting, how much the pain twisted and curled inside me. My mind raced with thoughts I couldn’t control, anger, sadness, a desperate longing for the man I fantasized about to defend me. He was right there, just feet away from me, but he might as well have been a thousand miles away.

“Enough Priya.” Alpha Kendrick’s voice boomed cutting through my thoughts, sharp and commanding.

My heart leapt, and for one foolish, ridiculous second, I thought he was about to say something in my defense, to chastise Priya for her cruelty. I glanced up, hope flickering in my chest like a dying flame, but one look at his expression extinguished it instantly.

“Alpha, I... ” The words died on my lips as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small, glimmering box, he opened it to reveal a ring. My stomach twisted as he took Priya’s hand, right there, in front of me.

“Priya,” he said, his voice as smooth as silk, “will you be my wife?”

Priya’s eyes sparkled with triumph as she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in an exaggerated display of surprise. “Oh, Kendrick,” she purred, turning the ring so it glinted in the light, “yes, a thousand times yes.”

She turned her gaze toward me, a cruel smile tugging at her lips as she held her hand out to flaunt the ring. My vision blurred as I fought the tears that threatened to spill, but I couldn’t hold back the overwhelming ache that spread through my chest.

"What the hell are you still doing here, you slave?” Kendrick’s voice was cold, dismissive, as though I were nothing more than a smudge on the wall, an inconvenience.

“N-nothing… Alpha,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. It took everything in me to stand, to rise from the broken glass and make myself small enough to escape this nightmare. I felt numb, like a ghost slipping from the room, trying to disappear into the walls.

But his eyes... oh, those dark, terrifying eyes... followed me, pinning me to the spot before I could take another step. There was something in that gaze, something far more dangerous than Priya’s slap or her sneering insults.

He signaled for Priya to leave, she glanced between us, her amusement fading as she caught the darkness clouding Kendrick’s face. She opened her mouth to protest, but Kendrick’s low growl silenced her.

"Leave us,” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

Priya’s face contorted with fury, but she hesitated only a moment before she turned on her heel, throwing me one last glare before slamming the door behind her. The silence that followed was suffocating. Kendrick’s gaze lingered on me, that same dark intensity that made my heart pound with dread.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” I whispered, clutching my bleeding hands to my chest. My voice shook, and I hated myself for sounding so weak, so pitiful.

Kendrick advanced, each step echoing through the room as he closed the distance between us. I tried to back away, but my feet felt rooted to the floor, trapped beneath his cold, unfeeling gaze. He stopped mere inches from me, his eyes tracing over the cuts on my hands, the trembling in my shoulders.

"Look at you,” he said softly, his tone almost amused. “So fragile… so easy to break, what a pathetic life.”

I swallowed hard, willing myself not to react, not to flinch. I knew better than to give him any satisfaction, any hint of the fear simmering beneath my skin. But as his fingers grazed my cheek, tracing the spot where Priya’s slap had landed, I couldn’t help the shiver that ran down my spine.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Alpha,” I stammered, desperate to say anything that might appease him, to make myself small enough to escape his wrath. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Oh, I know you didn’t mean to.” His voice was soft, almost a whisper, and that made it all the more terrifying. “But you did. And now… you’re going to have to pay for it.”

I felt the walls closing in, the air thickening around me as his fingers trailed down my arm, stopping at the torn skin on my palm. He pressed down on the wound, sending a jolt of pain shooting through me, but I bit down on my lip to stifle the cry threatening to escape.

“Pain looks good on you, my dear little Alison,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “It suits you.”

I fought to keep my voice steady, to hold back the tears that burned in my eyes. “Please… don’t…”

He leaned in close, so close that I could feel his breath against my ear, and whispered, “Begging now, are we?”

My heart raced, a wild, panicked rhythm that I couldn’t control. I forced myself to hold still, to keep my breathing steady, but every instinct screamed at me to run, to flee from the twisted satisfaction in his gaze.

“Do you know why you’re still here, Alison?” His voice was low, dangerous, as he took a step back, crossing his arms and regarding me with a disdainful glare. “Because I enjoy watching you squirm.”

I flinched, the words cutting deeper than any slap, any bruise. He enjoyed this... my suffering, my helplessness. I was nothing to him but a pawn, something to toy with, to control.

“Now,” he said, his voice a cold command, “clean up this mess. And don’t let me see you slacking, or you’ll regret it.”

“Yes, Alpha,” I whispered, lowering my head to hide the shame burning in my cheeks. My hands shook as I knelt down, gingerly gathering the shards of glass with trembling fingers. Each piece cut into my skin, fresh blood mingling with the tears that finally slipped free, no longer able to hold back the overwhelming weight of despair.

As I worked, Kendrick’s footsteps retreated, but I knew he hadn’t left entirely. He stood by the door, watching me with that dark, predatory gaze, as if waiting for me to falter, to give him a reason to punish me again.

And in that moment, I knew I was truly trapped. There was no escape from him, from this place, from the endless cycle of cruelty and power that bound me like chains.

As the last piece of glass slipped from my fingers, I dared to glance up, meeting Kendrick’s gaze one final time. His expression was unreadable, his eyes as cold as ever, but I could feel the threat simmering beneath the surface.

“Good girl,” he murmured, a twisted smile tugging at his lips.

And then, without another word, he turned and left, leaving me alone with my shattered pride, the sting of his words echoing in my mind.

But something inside me stirred, something small and defiant... a glimmer of hope that one day, somehow, I would be free from him. Even if it was just a foolish dream, I clung to it, holding onto that fragile spark as if it were my last shred of sanity.

Kendrick’s POV

The light was dim, filtering through the high kitchen windows, casting shadows that seemed to dance as I walked into the quiet room. But then, there was a sound, soft, unexpected. Singing. Her voice, untrained and raw, yet filled with a haunting melody.

I stepped forward, my boots scuffing against the tile floor. Her singing stopped, and she whipped her head up, startled. Alison's wide eyes met mine as she knelt on the kitchen floor, scrubbing, looking every bit the slave she was a mere servant in the Silver Moon Pack, where I'd held dominance and strength for years. But there was something different in her gaze that unnerved me, though I’d never admit it aloud.

"How long have you been here, Alison?" I asked, the words slipping out of my mouth before I could think them through.

She swallowed, then answered in a voice so quiet I almost didn't hear it. "17 years, Alpha."

Seventeen years. Seventeen years of watching her serve in silence, her presence nothing more than background noise, her life a flicker in the vast landscape of my own power. And yet, for some reason, I felt an odd curiosity to understand this girl, this woman who had silently woven herself into the fabric of my pack.

“Stand up,” I ordered.

Her hands trembled as she set the scrub brush aside, lifting herself with the barest hint of defiance. A flicker of something rebellious flashed in her eyes, a spark that had no place here. But I ignored it, drawing closer, circling her as though she were prey. The faintest scent of lavender and something uniquely hers hit my senses. I didn’t want to accept this pull, but it tugged at something buried deep within me, something animalistic and raw.

"Have you gotten your wolf yet?" My voice held an edge, as if her answer would determine her worth.

"No," she replied, her gaze dropping to the floor. Despite her weakness, despite her quiet compliance, I sensed an underlying strength, one that refused to break, no matter how much I pushed her.

“Why aren’t you afraid of me?” I pressed, my tone sharper now, probing. She was defiant but obedient, a balance that infuriated and intrigued me. I could sense that she had opinions, thoughts she kept buried. She could air them if she wanted to, yet she didn’t. Not with me.

She hesitated, her lips parting as if to say something, then closing them, trapping her words behind a veil of fear. I leaned closer, something primal roaring to life within me, my senses sharpening, my control slipping.

With one swift movement, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her against my body. She gasped, and the sound broke through the haze, sending a surge of satisfaction through me. She may have resisted the idea of fear, but her body betrayed her. Her heartbeat hammered against my chest, and I knew, then, that I had her under my power.

"Alpha, please, no," she whispered, her voice laced with desperation, eyes wide with apprehension. A thrill coursed through me.. my wolf stirring at her protest.

The anger, the challenge, the pure defiance in her tone.. what right did she have to question me? I spun her, pressing her back against the wall, pinning her there, her face a mixture of terror and confusion. My hand snaked up to her neck, thumb tracing the delicate line of her pulse, savoring the fear I could feel pulsing beneath her skin.

"Why are you resisting me?" I demanded, my voice rough, my control slipping as I let the beast within rise. "Do you not find me worthy, or is it something else?"

Her lips trembled, and I could see the words forming, but they stayed locked behind clenched teeth. The silence, that silent defiance, ignited a fury within me, an animalistic need to remind her exactly who she was, who I was.

"You’re nothing but a slave," I hissed, tightening my grip slightly. "Someone I can do with as I please, whenever I please. Remember that.”

Without waiting for a response, I leaned down, capturing her mouth in a brutal, possessive kiss, forcing her to understand her place. Her struggle, faint but real, only fueled my dominance. She was powerless under me, and I wanted her to know it. She gasped against me, her hands pushing weakly against my chest, but it was useless. Her strength could never match mine.

Then, a subtle tap at the open door startled me, breaking the kiss.

"Alpha!" Silas, my Beta, cleared his throat from the doorway, eyes averted yet respectful. "I apologize for the interruption. I have news that requires your attention."

I exhaled heavily, forcing myself to let go of her. Alison collapsed to the floor, her back sliding down the wall, her breathing ragged. She barely glanced up at me as she clutched her neck, her skin already blooming with faint bruises. Something in me almost softened at the sight but I hardened my heart, dismissing the thought.

I turned to Silas, my voice cold. "Speak."

With one last glance at Alison, I strode out of the kitchen, feeling her gaze linger on my back. Silas fell in beside me, his tone dropping to a confidential murmur as he filled me in on the pack’s current affairs.

“There’s a council meeting scheduled,” he began, keeping pace with my brisk stride. “It’s an opportunity to strengthen our alliances, perhaps with Nightfang. I heard Alpha Xander would be present at the meeting, We’ll need their support soon.”

I nodded, half-listening as my mind drifted back to the kitchen, the look on Alison’s face, the way she’d looked at me as though she held some kind of power over me. She didn’t, of course, but something about her grated against my control, threatening to expose a part of me I wasn’t ready to ever confront.

“Alpha?” Silas’s voice cut through my thoughts, jolting me back to the present. “Are you certain about your engagement to Priya? There are whispers in the pack that—”

“Whispers?” I sneered, my voice laced with contempt. “Let them whisper. The engagement with Priya is strategic. With her beside me, I’ll gain the alliances I need.” My tone grew colder. “It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.”

Silas hesitated, glancing around before lowering his voice even further. “And...Alison?”

I stopped in my tracks, fixing him with a warning glare. "What about her?"

Silas’s gaze faltered, but he pressed on, his voice barely a whisper. “Alpha, I know it’s not my place, but... You know she’s your mate.”

The word left his lips like a poison, slithering into the air between us, stirring something deep and instinctual. I had sensed it two years ago, felt the strange pull toward her, still feel it when ever she is within reach, but I refused to let it control me. Not her. Not a slave. She could never be my Luna.

“She’s nothing to me,” I replied, my voice steely. “And she will never be anything more than a servant in this pack. If you value your position as Beta, I suggest you keep such thoughts to yourself.”

Silas nodded, though there was a glimmer of something in his gaze, a hint of doubt. But he wisely dropped the subject, returning to matters of the pack.

We rounded the corner toward my quarters when a thought struck me, and I turned to him. “Send out the invitations to Priya’s engagement and wedding ceremony. I want it to be the grandest affair in the entire history of Silver Moon Pack. We’re securing our future, our alliances.”

Silas nodded again, his expression impassive, but I could tell he was suppressing his own thoughts. Good. My wolf stirred, restless, but I pushed it back. Alison can never be my mate nor my Luna, and nothing would change that. I couldn’t afford weakness... not now, not ever.

As I walked away, I felt an inexplicable tightness in my chest, a discomfort that lingered like a thorn under my skin. I forced myself to ignore it, but her face, the raw vulnerability, the faint bruises seemed burned into my mind. I clenched my jaw, shoving the memory aside. This was a distraction, nothing more.

In my world, weakness had no place.

Alison's Point of view

"What a day?" I exhaled as I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting the rough bandage on my hand and brushing the dirt out from beneath my nails. It didn’t really matter, but I wanted it to. I wanted to look less worn down, less like a servant at least for tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I would be turning eighteen, and the thought sent my heart spinning with a strange, stubborn hope. Would this birthday mean something more? Would I finally find my mate? The man who would help me out of this enslavement

The very idea of a mate… it was everything I’d clung to during my years here. When I closed my eyes at night, I pictured a strong man, someone who would see me, value me, maybe even love me. A laugh bubbled out of me, bitter and absurd. What if, just by some miracle, that mate turned out to be Alpha Kendrick? The thought was ridiculous. I had a crush on him no doubt, he was powerful, commanding, and he now belonged to someone else. I shook my head, reminding myself of Priya and the engagement dinner tomorrow night. Priya was beautiful, poised, from a noble family and exactly the kind of woman worthy to become the packs Luna. I knew better than to get lost in my foolish fantasies. I had spent my entire life in Silver Moon Pack learning my place.

Still, I let myself imagine what it might be like to be with someone who cared. I knew it was a stupid thought, but my life was already filled with pointless dreams that kept me going. And after all, tomorrow would be the one day I could at least fulfill one of my long time dreams, Alpha Kendrick had finally promised me time to myself. My first day off in seventeen years of working like a horse around these stone walls.

I ran my fingers over the smaller cuts on my hand, the skin sore and bruised from cleaning. Tomorrow, I would be free, if only for a day. I’d explore the pack grounds I’d only glimpsed from the castle’s windows or the brief market runs. Just for a day, I’d get to feel something other than scrubbing floors or dodging the sharp words of my superiors. Maybe I’d find a place to sit alone, a corner that felt a little less lonely, and just… breathe.

A sudden knock on my door jolted me back to the present. It was nearly midnight, and I couldn’t imagine who would come to my room at this hour. My heart raced with a sick blend of hope and fear, but when I opened the door, I was met with a familiar, unkind face.

“Silas?” I managed to ask, forcing a calmness into my voice that I didn’t feel. Kendrick’s beta rarely looked at me with anything but disdain, and tonight was no different. His smirk was cold, calculating, like he enjoyed knowing something I didn’t.

“You’re to serve at the engagement dinner tomorrow night,” he said, his voice devoid of sympathy. “There’s been a large number of RSVP's and we’ll need all the help we can get.”

A cold weight dropped in my stomach. “But Alpha Kendrick told me I’d have the day off,” I replied, trying to keep the irritation from my voice.

“Well, the orders came from him,” Silas said, with a mocking tone as if he relished watching my fragile hope shatter. “And you will be there, Alison. That’s an order from your Alpha.”

Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared down the corridor. I felt like screaming, the anger bubbling in my chest. How could Kendrick take back his promise so easily, without even a second thought?

I shut the door, fists clenched, trying to swallow down the fury. My voice came out in a broken whisper. “You couldn’t even keep one simple promise…”

I stumbled back onto my bed, feeling that familiar hopelessness seep into my bones. One day. Just one day to myself, and even that had been too much to ask. I sat there, hands gripping the blanket, feeling the weight of years pressing down on me. Tomorrow was supposed to be my escape, but now I’d be just another ghost, serving guests and pretending I didn’t exist.

But tomorrow was also my eighteenth birthday. I pressed my hands together, closing my eyes, praying to the Moon Goddess. "Please," I begged, my voice barely a murmur. "Grant me a strong wolf. If I’m not meant to find a mate who’ll free me, at least give me the strength to leave. I’d rather become a rogue than remain here, trapped in this misery."

My thoughts drifted back to Kendrick, but this time, it wasn’t in longing. No, I felt a bitter resentment gnawing at me. He’d promised me something so small, a day off. And yet, he’d broken even that, as if my well-being didn’t matter, as if I was nothing more than a tool he could wield and discard. I wanted to hate him, but the thought was exhausting. He would never see me as anything more than a mere servant, a nameless girl harboured by his pack, tasked only to serve and stay silent.

I crawled beneath my blanket, curling up tightly as if I could hide from the reality around me. But the pain lingered, sharp and unyielding. I whispered another prayer before sleep claimed me, clinging to the last sliver of hope. Maybe, just maybe, the Moon Goddess would hear me.

Alison's Point of view

A splash of icy water struck me like a whip, jolting me from my slumber. My heart hammered in my chest as I gasped for breath, blinking away the cold droplets that clung to my eyelashes. Panic quickly morphed into fury as I realized what had happened. Priya, standing over me with a satisfied smirk, holding an empty bucket in her hands.

“Rise and shine, servant,” she said, a cruel edge to her voice. “Today’s my special day, and I won’t tolerate anyone slacking off. Breakfast. Now.”

Every instinct screamed at me to lash out, to say something. But as much as the words clawed at my throat, I kept them down. Tomorrow, Priya would officially become Luna, and I knew what that meant for someone like me. So instead, I wiped the water off my face, forcing myself to look up at her with the calmest expression I could muster.

“Yes, Priya,” I muttered, barely meeting her gaze. Her sly smile widened, pleased with my compliance.

“Oh, and make it perfect, will you?” She gave a dismissive flick of her hand before turning and gliding out of my room.

The door slammed shut, and I let out the sharp breath I’d been holding. “One day, Priya. Just one quiet day…” I muttered sarcastically, bitterness filling each word. It was no secret she enjoyed making my life miserable, and I couldn’t afford to keep getting on her bad side if I wanted to survive here. But it didn’t mean I didn’t want to scream every time she looked down at me like that.

With a heavy sigh, I dragged myself out of bed, feeling my drenched clothes cling to my skin. My arms trembled with frustration, but I reminded myself of the promise I made to keep my head low, to survive.

Inside the bathroom, I stripped off my wet clothes and stepped into the tub, turning on the faucet. Hot water cascaded down my body, soothing my tense muscles.

As the warmth of the water enveloped me, i let my mind drift away, the anger gradually subsiding into something else, something hopeful. Today wasn’t just any day. Today was the day I had been waiting for, the day everything could change.

"What if the Moon Goddess heard my prayers?"

I closed my eyes, letting the thought sink in, allowing myself that glimmer of hope. I had waited for this moment my entire life, ached for it. Every waking hour had been filled with the desperate need to escape the chains that had been forced upon me.

But then something strange happened. One second I was rinsing my face, and the next, a prickling sensation spread down my spine, freezing me in place. A warm surge seemed to fill my veins, like an awakening I couldn’t control. My vision blurred, and I felt a strange presence within me.

“Hello, Alison,” a voice echoed softly.

I spun around, heart racing, but the room was empty. My chest heaved, panic flaring. “Who’s there?” I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. Silence hung around me, but the feeling only grew stronger, warm and electric.

“I’m Maya,” the voice answered, gentle but clear. “I’m your wolf.”

My knees nearly buckled as her words settled into my mind. My wolf. I wasn’t wolfless anymore. I wasn’t less, I wasn’t incomplete. For so long, I’d watched others shift, heard them talk about their wolves, and wished for a connection like that. And now, finally, I had one.

“Maya?” I whispered, a trembling smile spreading across my lips. “I… I really gave a wolf? I’m not alone anymore?”

I could feel her smiling back, a sensation as warm as sunlight. “No, Alison. You have never been alone, I have always been with you, just waited the right time to surface.”

The relief that washed over me was indescribable. I wanted to cry, scream, run… anything to celebrate this piece of me I’d been waiting my whole life for. Finally, I felt complete.

But just as I began to revel in the joy, Maya’s tone shifted, carrying an undercurrent of urgency. “Alison, there’s something you should .”

“What is it?” I asked, my voice shaking. The fear of having this taken away from me clawed at my thoughts, but Maya’s presence grounded me.

“We already have a mate,” she said, her voice laced with excitement.

A mate? The word left me breathless. I’d dreamed of having a mate who’d see me, who’d accept me as I was. But now, the thought of someone waiting for me sent a shiver down my spine. “A mate? Who is it, Maya?”

There was a pause, a hesitation. Then, her answer came, like a thunderbolt through my mind. “It’s… Alpha Kendrick.”

My heart plummeted. I staggered back, my head spinning, and barely caught myself before I slipped. Alpha Kendrick? The same man who’d barely acknowledged my existence, who was getting engaged tonight and set to marry Priya tomorrow?

“No,” I muttered, refusing to believe it. “No, that can’t be true.”

But Maya’s voice was calm, resolute. “He is our fated mate, Alison. I can feel the pull from his wolf and their scent is so strong.”

A wave of disbelief crashed over me, followed by a rush of emotions I couldn’t untangle. Shock, confusion, excitement, fear… they all jumbled together, leaving me breathless. “Why me? How could the Moon Goddess choose… him?” I whispered, clutching my chest.

But no answer came from Maya this time. The silence only amplified my racing thoughts. Alpha Kendrick was my mate?

Alison's POV

The sound of my boots echoed sharply down the hall as I marched toward Alpha Kendrick’s office. Each step felt like a storm building inside me, rising and intensifying with every stride. My heart thundered, not from fear, but from the burning fury I’d kept buried for far too long. Today, everything would change. I’d make sure of it.

I threw open the door to Kendrick’s office. There he sat, calm as ever, his dark eyes narrowing as I stormed in. Standing by his side was his ever-loyal beta, Silas, who shot me a curious glance before Kendrick dismissed him with a cold wave of his hand.

“Leave us, Silas,” Kendrick ordered, his gaze locked on me.

Silas bowed and slipped out, the door clicking shut with a finality that seemed to trap us in this confrontation. My wolf, Maya, stirred inside me, her presence brimming with strength and fire. She and I had both waited long enough for this.

Kendrick rose from his desk, his expression unreadable. But before I could say a word, he smirked. “I see you finally have your wolf, Alison. And I take it you've discovered the bond?”

I clenched my fists, my body trembling with the effort it took to hold back the tidal wave of emotions crashing inside me. “You knew,” I spat, my voice laced with accusation. “You knew all this time that I was your mate. You let me suffer… let her humiliate me… and you did nothing.”

He folded his arms, a hint of disdain tugging at his lips. “Watch your tone, little pup,” he warned, his voice dripping with condescension. “I don’t appreciate you raising your voice in my presence. Just because you got your wolf doesn't exactly mean we are equal”

A bitter laugh escaped me. “Why? Are you afraid to hear the truth?” I took a step closer, eyes blazing with Maya’s intensity. “Why did you treat me this way, Kendrick? I’m your mate. I belong to you not Priya, yet you let her, of all people, trample all over me while you watched.” My voice cracked. “You’re even going to marry her tomorrow.”

Kendrick’s expression darkened, and his gaze turned sharp as a blade. “Because, Alison,” he snapped, his voice rising, “I cannot be mated to a lowly servant like you, talk more of making you my Luna.”

The words pierced through me, sharper than any blade. A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it, but I refused to let him see any more of my pain. “So it’s always been about status with you,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “If I were someone important, you wouldn’t feel the need to… replace me. I thought this bond was meant to be sacred created by the moon goddess herself, how come you could so easily throw it away fir politics?”

Kendrick’s lips curled into a cold, cruel smile. “I'm glad you finally understand, I cannot let some moon goddess's chess game ruin my packs chance of aligning with the strongest packs by marrying a slave” He leaned in close, his breath chilling against my skin. “That’s why, Alison, I hope you don’t mind, but I have to do this.”

I took a step back, but Kendrick was faster. His grip shot out like a vice, his hand wrapping around my wrist, holding me in place. My heart pounded wildly as I felt Maya bristle, sensing what was about to happen.

“I, Alpha Kendrick of the Silver Moon Pack,” he declared, his voice loud and resolute, “reject you, Alison.”

It felt like I’d been struck by lightning. Pain exploded in my chest, radiating through every fiber of my being. Maya whimpered, her agony echoing through my mind. The rejection tore at us both, unraveling our bond thread by thread, each one a fresh wound that burned hotter than the last. My hand flew to my chest, clutching it as if that could stop the ache tearing me apart.

Kendrick watched, his grip still tight around my wrist, his eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction. “I heard it’s excruciating,” he taunted, leaning closer still holding me in place. “The pain of being rejected by an Alpha. But I could make it easier for you, you know… if you beg. I might even keep you around as my little hidden concubine, beneath—”

“Enough!” I gasped, summoning every last shred of strength I had. My voice was hoarse, broken from the pain, but the fire in my chest hadn’t dimmed. If anything, it blazed brighter.

I forced myself to look into his eyes, to let him see that I would not be his plaything, his pawn, or his shadow. I would not beg. I would never give him that satisfaction.

With one final breath, I gritted my teeth and said, “I, Alison… accept your rejection, Alpha Kendrick.”

The moment the words left my lips, a sharp, blinding spark pulsed through our joined hands, breaking our connection. I felt it crackle, the severing bond snapping like a whip between us. It left a hollow ache, an emptiness, but it was over. The chains he’d bound me with were finally broken.

Kendrick’s eyes widened in disbelief, and he stumbled back, his face twisting in anger as he realized what had happened. “No… No!” he roared, fury contorting his features.

"What did you just do" he yelled.