Chapter1: Under The Blood
Moon
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Seven years of loyalty, sacrifice, and devotion to Lukas Harrow, Alpha of the Blacksky Pack. Seven years, gone. Under the light of the Blood Moon, everything fell
apart.
The night had started beautifully. A bouquet of 9,999 nightshade roses–meant to symbolize eternal love–arrived at my den, along with a velvet box holding a silver anklet. It was gorgeous, the delicate engravings sparkling like stolen stars. Lukas had never been the romantic type. For a moment, I allowed myself to believe he was finally apologizing for years of neglect.
I should’ve known better.
I posted a picture of the roses online, hoping to share a rare moment of happiness with the pack. Then came the comment from Lukas‘ s prized she–wolf,
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Chapter: Under The Blood Moon.
Celeste Drayton:
“Funny how some people settle for leftovers.”
The ground felt like it was splitting beneath me. My hands trembled as more comments flooded in, whispers of betrayal. Then the truth hit me like a blow.
Celeste wasn’t just mocking me. She was wearing the moonstone collar–the Alpha‘ s heirloom, meant for his true mate. Worse, they had been spotted in a private den beneath the ridge, laughing together loudly enough for the patrols to
hear.
Rage took over my disbelief. I grabbed the bouquet and marched to their den, the roses burning my nostrils. My wolf, Maia, urged me to confront them.
“Calm down,” I told her. But I couldn’t
calm down. Not after this.
When I arrived, they were having dinner. Candles lit up an expensive feast as Celeste,
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Chapter: Under The Blood Moon.
wearing an emerald gown, sipped from a crystal goblet. The moonstone collar
glowed at her neck, mocking me.
Lukas leaned back in his chair, his golden
eyes gleaming with amusement. He didn’t even flinch when I barged in.
“Ayla,” he said with a drawl, his voice dripping with anger “What are you doing here?”
I threw the bouquet at their table, knocking over their wine. It spilled across the cloth, red as blood.
“Discussing pack strategies, are we?” I hissed, my voice shaking. “Or is this the
‘strategy‘ that involves claiming another she–wolf as your mate?”
Celeste laughed, her voice sharp and cruel.
“Oh, Ayla. You‘ re so predictable. You think this is about strategy?” She stood, smoothing her gown as she walked toward Lukas. “He chose me because I’m better. Better–looking. Better–bred. Just… better.”
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“Celeste.” Lukas‘ s voice was firm, but the smirk on his face told me he enjoyed the show.
I glared at him, my claws stretching out. “Seven years, Lukas. Seven years I stood by you. Endured your cruelty. And this? This is what I get?”
Lukas rolled his eyes. “Stop being dramatic. Celeste is an asset to the pack. You‘ ve been nothing but a liability.”
His words hit deep, but I didn’t let him see my pain. I grabbed the silver anklet he’d given me hours ago, ripped it off, and tossed it at his feet.
“I hope you and your ‘asset‘ are happy together. I’m done.”
The anklet rolled to a stop against his boot. Without hesitation, he crushed it under his
heel.
“You’ll come crawling back,” he sneered. “You always do.”
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I turned and walked away, Maia howling inside me. Not this time, I told her. We‘ re
done.
But it didn’t end there. As I walked away, I felt the sting of the pack‘ s mental link. Lukas‘ s voice boomed in my head.
“Ayla’s throwing another tantrum. She can’t stand not being the center of attention.”
Laughter echoed through the link, and then my mother‘ s voice joined in, cold. and cruel.
“Ayla, stop embarrassing yourself. Apologize to Lukas. He’s been patient enough.”
I severed the link, my chest tight with fury. My mother. She had never been on my side –not when my father left, not when Lukas started abusing me. She only cared about appearances, about keeping her status in the pack.
The Blood Moon hung high, casting eerie
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shadows over the forest. As I walked back
to my den, I made a decision. I wouldn’t be anyone’s pawn anymore.
But fate wasn’t done with me.
When I opened my den‘ s door, the familiar scent hit me first. Celeste‘ s perfume. Inside, the sight made me freeze. The bed I’d shared with Lukas was in disarray, sheets tangled and stained with betrayal. On the nightstand sat a single black envelope, sealed with the Alpha‘ s
crest.
I ripped it open, my heart racing. The letter was brief, written in Lukas‘ s cold, commanding hand:
“Ayla,
Effective immediately, you are stripped of your title as Alpha‘ s mate. You will vacate
the pack‘ s territory within 24 hours. Failure to comply will result in exile by force.
Sir Alpha Kane.”
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The paper crumpled in my fist as fury blinded me. Exile? For what? For being betrayed? For being nothing but disposable?
I stormed out, heading straight for Lukas‘ s quarters. My blood boiled with every step. When I burst into his room, he looked up from his desk with a calm expression, as though he had been waiting for me.
“You‘ re late,” he said.
“You think you can exile me?” I snapped, slamming the letter onto his desk. “For
what crime?”
Alpha Kane leaned back, his icy blue eyes piercing mine.
“Lukas has chosen a new mate. You‘ re a distraction, Ayla. And distractions weaken the pack.”
“A distraction?” My voice cracked. “I gave everything to this pack. To Lukas. And now I’m tossed aside like trash?”
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Kane’s lips twitched into a small smirk.
“Life isn’t fair, Ayla. But you knew that.”
Something inside me broke. I lunged at him, claws out, but before I could reach him, he grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the wall.
“You‘ re lucky I’m not killing you,” he growled, his breath hot against my ear. “Leave. Now. Or you’ll wish you had.”
He released me, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping. But even as I lay there, humiliated and broken, something inside me settled. A strange calm.
The crimson light of the Blood Moon washed over me. This wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
I forced myself to my feet and met Kane’s gaze with defiance.
“You’ll regret this,” I said, my voice steady. “I swear it.”
He chuckled and waved me off.
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But as I left the pack‘ s territory, one thought burned through me: They would all regret it.
Under the Blood Moon, I swore vengeance. -not just on Lukas and Celeste, but on the entire pack that had betrayed me.
The game wasn‘ t over. It was just beginning.
