Betrayed Mate Finds Freedom

Ten years. Ten years of my life given to this man, to this pack, to this mate bond that I thought was sacred. I stood frozen in the doorway of our bedroom, watching as Lucas adjusted his tie in the mirror, his broad shoulders squared with the confidence of an Alpha who had never doubted his worth.

"Are you ready for tonight?" I asked softly, smoothing down the silk dress I'd chosen for our anniversary dinner. "The pack is gathering in the main hall."

Lucas barely glanced my way. "Change of plans, Naomi. We're not attending."

My fingers stilled on the fabric. "What? But it's our tenth anniversary. The entire pack has prepared—"

"I've made my decision." His tone carried that familiar edge of finality that brooked no argument. "You should rest tonight. You've been... fragile lately."

Fragile. The word stung like a slap. I'd endured his mother's ritual of dancing barefoot on broken glass last month without complaint. I'd continued my Luna duties despite the blood disorder that made even small cuts dangerous. And now, on our anniversary, I was being dismissed as fragile.

Before I could respond, voices echoed from downstairs. Lucas straightened, a smile spreading across his face—the kind of smile I hadn't seen directed at me in years.

"They're here," he said, almost to himself.

I followed him downstairs, my heart pounding with a strange foreboding. The pack members gathered in the foyer fell silent as we descended, their eyes darting between Lucas and me with uncomfortable glances.

And then I saw her.

A young woman with honey-blonde hair and delicate features that mirrored my own stood beside Lucas. Her hand rested possessively on his arm, and when she smiled up at him, something inside me shattered.

"This is Elodie Brooks," Lucas announced to the pack. "She'll be staying with us indefinitely. Naomi needs rest, and Elodie will be helping with some Luna duties while Naomi recovers."

The room spun slightly. "Lucas," I whispered, "what are you doing?"

He didn't even look at me. "The pack needs to understand that Elodie is to be treated with the same respect as our Luna."

Our Luna. Not his Luna. Our Luna. The distinction cut deeper than any claw.

---

Three days later, I found her in my private chamber—the one place I thought was still mine alone. Elodie stood before my ceremonial wardrobe, her fingers trailing over the delicate Luna robes I'd worn for a decade.

"These are quite lovely," she said without turning. "Though they could use some updating."

Before I could stop her, she grabbed the silver scissors from my sewing table and began cutting. The sound of fabric tearing filled the room as she systematically destroyed each robe, each veil, each piece of my Luna heritage.

"Stop!" I cried, lunging forward. "Those are sacred!"

She turned then, her eyes gleaming with something dangerous. "Sacred? Oh, I hardly think so." She moved to my jewelry box next, pulling out the Luna pendant Lucas had given me