"The Hunt Festival is our most sacred tradition. Tonight, we celebrate our strength, our speed, our very nature as wolves." Alpha James began. His voice carried across the clearing. "Tonight, we hunt as our ancestors did. We prove ourselves worthy of our lineage."

Our breath formed clouds in the frigid Alaskan air as the entire Frostshadow Pack gathered around the massive bonfire.

Alpha James stood before us. His powerful frame was silhouetted against the flames. Leon, his son, stood at his right. He was tall and proud. Those piercing blue eyes that seemed to look through everyone.

Now, pack members began shifting around me. Human forms melted into powerful wolf shapes. Some were massive, like Leon's dark brown wolf. Others were smaller but no less intimidating.

Soon, the clearing contained only three groups. The elders who chose not to hunt. The children too young to participate. And me. The adult without a wolf.

"Skye," Alpha James approached. "Since this is your first Hunt Festival as an adult, you may use this."

He extended his arm, offering me a hunting rifle.

Whispers rippled through the remaining crowd. This was unprecedented. Weapons weren't typically allowed in the Hunt Festival.

"Thank you, Alpha," I said. I accepted the rifle with steady hands despite the humiliation burning in my chest.

"Good luck," he said, but his eyes held pity.

As the wolves disappeared into the forest, I felt the weight of sympathetic stares. They all believed I would fail. That I would return empty-handed.

I gripped the rifle tighter. I'll prove them wrong.

Midnight found me deep in the forest. I was alone with the rifle and my determination. The full moon illuminated the snow with an otherworldly glow. It turned the landscape into a sea of silver and shadow.

My breath formed crystals in the air as I tracked a snowshoe hare through the underbrush.

Not the most impressive prey, but it would be something. Better than returning empty-handed.

I positioned myself behind a fallen log. I sighted down the barrel as the hare paused to nibble at exposed bark. My finger tensed on the trigger.

Then it hit me. A scent so powerful it made me dizzy.

Pine and snow and something wild that I couldn't name. The smell invaded my senses. It was overwhelming in its intensity. I'd never experienced anything like it before. My nose had never been this sensitive.

My heart pounded against my ribs as realization dawned. This was what they'd described. This was what happened when you found your mate.

But this can't be happening.

Without my wolf, I shouldn't be able to detect a mate's scent. Yet here I was. I was drawn by an invisible thread I couldn't explain or resist.

The scent pulled me deeper into the forest. It led me away from the familiar hunting grounds of the Frostshadow Pack.

Perhaps this was a sign my wolf was finally coming.

The scent grew impossibly stronger. It made me dizzy with its intensity. I closed my eyes, trying to steady myself.

When I opened my eyes again, all thoughts of mates and wolves vanished in an instant.

I found no mate. Only a monster...

---

Not twenty feet away stood a massive grizzly bear, its breath visible in the cold night air.

In the moonlight, I could see the silver tips of its brown fur, the massive paws that could tear me apart with a single swipe.

I had wandered far from the pack's hunting area, far from any help. And without my wolf, I was just a human girl facing one of nature's most dangerous predators.

"Oh God, no..."

The bear dropped to all fours and took a step toward me.

I turned and bolted, my boots slipping on the snow-covered ground. Behind me, I heard the bear's huffing breath, the sound of its massive body crashing through the underbrush.

My foot caught on an exposed root hidden beneath the snow, and I went down hard.

The rifle—the gift from Alpha James that I'd nearly forgotten—tumbled into the snow beside me. As the bear's growl grew closer, my fingers closed around the cold metal of the gun.

Rolling onto my back, I raised the rifle with shaking hands.

I fired.

Once. Twice. Three times.

The reports echoed through the silent forest, each shot jolting through my arms. The bear roared, but kept coming.

I squeezed my eyes shut, certain I was about to die.

Then came a sound I hadn't expected—the bear's pained bellow, followed by a heavy thud.

Had I actually hit it? Had I brought down a grizzly bear?

My eyes snapped open. In the silver moonlight, I saw not just the fallen bear, but the massive brown wolf standing over it, fangs bared in a silent snarl. Blood matted the fur around its muzzle, evidence of its attack on the bear.

I knew that wolf.

"Leon," I whispered.

The wolf's head turned toward me, those blue eyes locking with mine.

I should have felt relieved. Grateful.

Leon had saved my life.

"Thank you, Leon!" I called out, pushing through the snow toward him. My voice cracked with emotion. "If you hadn't shown up, I would have been dead for sure. You'll definitely be the champion of this Hunt Festival!"

But as I approached, something in his ice-blue wolf eyes made me pause. There was no warmth there. Instead, his gaze was cold, almost... distant.

Before I could decipher his expression, Leon began to shift. The transformation was fluid and graceful—fur receding into skin, bones and muscles rearranging themselves under the pale moonlight.

I'd seen people shift before, of course, but something about watching Leon transform made heat rise to my cheeks.

Leon stood at least six-foot-two, his tall frame dominating the clearing. His golden hair, now tousled from the shift, caught the moonlight like spun silver. The defined muscles of his chest and abdomen rippled with each breath, testament to years of training and his Alpha bloodline.

No wonder Leon was the fantasy of nearly every girl in the pack. Even Maya, the most popular girl in our pack, knew he wasn't her mate but still hovered around him like a moth to a flame.

Looking at him now, strong and completely naked, I finally lowered my gaze in embarrassment.

But it wasn't just my face burning; a strange heat stirred in my lower abdomen, a sensation I had never felt before. Warmth and dampness gathered between my legs.

That's when the scent hit me again—stronger, more intoxicating than before. Pine and snow and wildness, but now with another note. Something metallic. Blood.

Could he really be my mate?

I wondered, my heart racing as the scent enveloped me. Wait, something's different. This blood smell... it's not the bear's.

Slowly, I lifted my eyes back to Leon and froze in horror. There, on his left shoulder, was an unmistakable wound—a bullet hole that was slowly closing.

In my panic, I had shot wildly at the bear... and hit Leon instead.

"Leon, I... I didn't mean to," I stammered, taking a step toward him, hands outstretched in a helpless gesture. "I was so scared of the bear..."

He regarded me with those piercing blue eyes. His expression remained unreadable as he said flatly, "It's fine. We should head back."

Without another word, he gathered some nearby vines and wove them into a makeshift rope with practiced skill.

I stepped forward, reaching out to help him.

"Let me—" I started.

"Don't," Leon said, his voice cool as he pushed my hands away. "Just take care of yourself. That's enough."

I stepped back, feeling the sting of his rejection. My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I watched him secure the rope around the grizzly's massive carcass and begin dragging the impressive trophy through the snow.

Guilt gnawed at my insides. Was he angry with me?

It had to be because I had shot him. I wanted to apologize again, but the words stuck in my throat as I watched his rigid back moving away from me.

I followed silently behind Leon, the only sounds in the wilderness being our footsteps and the soft scraping of the bear's body across the snow.

That unique scent continued to plague my senses.

Questions burned in my mind, threatening to consume me from within. Finally, I gathered my courage.

"You showing up here wasn't a coincidence, was it? Did you... did you sense me too? Are we... are we mates?"

Leon halted so suddenly I crashed into his solid frame, my body pressing against the hard planes of his chest.

The impact sent a jolt through me, but it was the unmistakable hardness pressing against my thigh that made my breath catch.

His cock, rigid and unyielding, sent a flush of heat coursing through me, pooling low in my belly.

His breath, warm and ragged, carried the scent of pine, blood, and raw masculinity. My heart pounded.

He's my mate.

The thought seared through me, undeniable, intoxicating.

I tried to step back, nerves sparking, but Leon's hand shot out, gripping my waist with possessive strength, pulling me closer.

My pulse thundered as his fingers slipped beneath the waistband of my pants, delving into the sensitive heat between my thighs. A shiver raced through me, my body arching instinctively into his touch. I closed my eyes, a soft moan escaping as his fingers explored, teasing the edges of my desire.

In that moment, I was his, ready to give in to his desires, longing for things I couldn't name.

But then, nothing.

His hand withdrew abruptly, and he shoved me back.

"Mate?" His voice was a low, guttural growl, dripping with disdain. "You could never be my mate."

I staggered backward, my boots sinking into the snow as a searing pain tore through my chest. It felt as though something essential was being ripped from my soul, leaving behind a raw, gaping wound.

I'd always had a crush on Leon. What girl in the pack hadn't?

He was the Alpha's son. With his golden hair and ice-blue eyes, he looked like prince from a fairy tale.

Yet my feelings for him had only ever been admiration, maybe attraction—certainly not love or obsession. So why did this hurt so deeply?

"It's getting late," Leon said, his voice devoid of emotion. "We need to get back to the pack. The competition is almost over."

Without waiting for my response, he turned away and resumed dragging the massive grizzly through the snow.

I stood frozen for a moment, trying to catch my breath as the pain continued to pulse through me in dizzying waves.

Forcing myself to move, I followed after Leon, nearly running to keep up with his long strides.

---

By the time we reached the Frostshadow Pack's campground, most hunters had already returned.

The massive bonfire at the center of the clearing illuminated an impressive display of the night's hunt—rabbits, deer, and even a few elk arranged to showcase each wolf's prowess.

Leon unceremoniously dropped the grizzly near the fire, the massive carcass landing with a heavy thud that drew all eyes in our direction. Murmurs of awe rippled through the gathered wolves as they took in the size of the bear.

Without a word, Leon stalked away toward the supply tents, presumably to find clothes.

I lingered near the periphery, unsure where to place myself in this celebration.

The rifle hung heavy in my hands, a reminder of my failure—not only had I failed to bring down prey of my own, but I'd shot the pack's future Alpha.

"What did you catch, Skye?" Maya's voice dripped with false sweetness as she approached, dragging a decent-sized elk behind her. "Don't tell me you came back empty-handed."

I clenched my fists, the pain in my chest momentarily overshadowed by a flare of anger. "Mind your own business."

"You shouldn't even be in this competition. A person without a wolf participating in the Hunt Festival is like a blind person entering an archery contest. It's just pathetic."

The words struck a nerve, and I felt my eyes begin to burn with unshed tears. Before I could respond, an arm dropped around my shoulders.

"Say another word about my sister," My brother Ethan growled, "and Leon and I won't be taking you joyriding anymore."

Maya's smile faltered. She stuck out her tongue childishly, but retreated with her elk, throwing one last smug look over her shoulder.

"Thanks," I murmured, leaning into my brother's warmth.

Ethan squeezed my shoulder. "Don't let her get to you. Maya's just jealous because you've always been smarter than her."

I tried to smile, but the pain in my chest had returned, a dull, persistent ache that made it hard to focus on anything else.

Leon returned to the bonfire, now dressed in dark hunting clothes, his hair slightly damp as though he'd hastily washed away the blood from the hunt. My eyes followed him involuntarily, drawn to him despite the agony his words had caused me.

Alpha James began his inspection of the night's bounty, moving methodically from one kill to the next with appraising eyes.

Finally, he stood beside the massive grizzly, placing one hand on its thick fur.

"The champion of this year's Hunt Festival," he announced, his voice ringing through the clearing, "is my son, Leon!"

Cheers erupted around us. Some wolves even threw back their heads in celebratory howls.

Ethan stepped forward to clap Leon on the back.

"Where did you find such a beast?" my brother asked, admiration clear in his voice. "You've got the luck of the Ancestors this year!"

Leon didn't respond to Ethan. Instead, his gaze traveled over the crowd until it found me standing at the edge.

After a moment of charged silence, Leon turned to his father. "Alpha," he said, his voice carrying across the now-quieting crowd, "I have something to announce."

The clearing fell silent, all attention riveted on the Alpha's son.

My heart began to race, a sense of foreboding washing over me like the first chill wind before a blizzard.

"Tonight in the forest," Leon announced, his voice carrying across the now-silent clearing, "I discovered that Skye is my mate."

Gasps and excited murmurs spread through the gathered wolves. Shock registered on every face, some delighted, others confused, and a few clearly displeased. Elder wolves exchanged knowing glances while young girls whispered furiously.

For a fleeting moment, hope fluttered in my chest.

Had Leon changed his mind since our encounter in the forest? That punishing pain that had been radiating through my body since his first rejection eased slightly, allowing me to breathe.

Then Leon raised his hand, silencing the growing tide of congratulations and surprised exclamations.

"But," he continued, his voice dropping lower, heavier, "I cannot accept this mate bond."

The words fell like an avalanche, burying that brief spark of hope. The clearing went deathly quiet. Even the crackling bonfire seemed to hush.

"Skye has no wolf," Leon said, his ice-blue eyes now fixed directly on mine, his tone clinical and detached. "And during tonight's hunt, she shot me with the rifle Alpha lent her."

More gasps rippled through the crowd. Some turned to look at me with fresh horror, as though I'd committed some terrible crime. The weight of their stares pressed down on me from all sides.

"As future Alpha," Leon continued, unwavering, "I need a strong Luna, someone who can protect our pack and produce powerful offspring. Our pack hasn't produced an Alpha King in twenty-eight years."

He looked around, meeting the eyes of the older pack members who nodded in solemn agreement.

"The next Alpha King election, I must give everything I have. For the good of our pack, I must reject this mate bond."

Every word was a fresh cut, deeper than the last. I felt my body grow cold, then hot, then numb. The blood in my veins seemed to freeze, making it difficult to even draw breath. If Ethan hadn't returned to my side, I might have collapsed under the weight of Leon's public rejection.

Around me, the pack's reaction was immediate and mixed. Whispers spread like wildfire. Some nodded in approval of Leon's pragmatic decision, while others looked uncomfortable, stealing pitying glances in my direction.

Maya's voice rose above the murmurs, clear and triumphant. "He's right! A Luna without a wolf would make us the laughingstock of all packs. How could she possibly lead us?"

Several others nodded, emboldened by Maya's outspoken support.

This can't be happening. Not like this. Not in front of everyone.

Alpha James stepped forward, his expression grave. He placed a heavy hand on Leon's shoulder, his eyes searching his son's face.

"Leon, are you certain this is what you want?" he asked, "Perhaps we should wait. Skye might yet develop her wolf. It could be just a matter of time."

Leon shook his head, resolute. "I can't take that risk, Father. I won't make a decision that could harm our pack's future." His expression softened slightly as he glanced toward me. "Skye is a good person. I never wanted to hurt her. I'll always protect her like a sister."

Like a sister.

The words twisted the knife deeper. I didn't want his protection. I wanted...

Ethan looked torn, his gaze shifting between Leon and me. After a moment of visible internal struggle, he squeezed my shoulder gently.

"I should talk to him," he muttered. "This is... this is too sudden."

Before I could respond, Ethan had crossed to Leon's side. They exchanged quiet words before walking away from the fire together, heads bent in serious conversation.

The sound of shattering pottery cut through the whispers. My mother stood at the edge of the clearing, a plate of freshly baked cookies now scattered across the snow at her feet. Her face had gone pale, eyes wide with shock and dismay. But no one paid attention to the broken plate or the wasted cookies—all eyes remained fixed on the unfolding drama.

My parents rushed to my side. Mom wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close against her chest as though I were still a child. Dad stood rigid beside us, his jaw clenched and eyes burning with barely contained fury.

"How dare he," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "How dare he do this to you, publicly, without warning."

Through the haze of tears that had begun to blur my vision, I caught sight of Maya in the crowd. Her lips were curved in a satisfied smirk, eyes gleaming with vindictive pleasure at my public humiliation. She leaned toward her friends, whispering something that made them laugh, their eyes darting toward me.

The pain in my chest transformed, crystallizing into something harder, sharper. A resolve, cold and unyielding as Alaskan ice.

If Leon didn't want me, fine. If the pack thought me weak because I had no wolf, fine. I would show them all exactly what Skye Anderson was made of—with or without a wolf.

But first, I needed to escape the pitying stares and malicious whispers. I needed to breathe air that wasn't heavy with the scent of pine and snow and wilderness—his scent.

I gently extracted myself from my mother's embrace, wiping away tears with the back of my hand.

"I need to be alone," I whispered, my voice surprisingly steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Mom nodded, understanding in her eyes. Dad looked ready to argue, but a look from Mom silenced him.

With as much dignity as I could muster, I turned and walked away from the bonfire, away from the celebration that had become my public shaming. I forced myself to keep my head high, my back straight.

I am more than their judgment. I am more than his rejection. I am more than the wolf I don't have.

The mantra repeated in my mind as I disappeared into the shadows of our pack's territory, leaving behind the firelight and the eyes that had witnessed my greatest humiliation.

Behind me, I could still hear Maya's laughter, carried on the wind like the distant howl of a wolf.

The walk home from the Hunt Festival was a blur. I barely registered the snow crunching beneath my boots or the wind whipping against my tear-streaked face.

My chest felt like it had been hollowed out, leaving nothing but a raw, pulsing emptiness where my heart should have been.

Mom guided me through the door of our cabin. The familiar scent of pine furniture and cinnamon that usually brought comfort now seemed distant, like it belonged to someone else's life.

"Let's get you warmed up," she whispered, her voice gentle as she helped me out of my snow-damp clothes and into soft flannel pajamas.

I crawled into bed without a word, curling onto my side and pulling my knees to my chest.

My mate, my wolf, my dignity—all gone in a single night.

Mom sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers combing through my silver hair with the same tenderness she'd shown when I was a child. The gesture, so familiar and loving, only made the tears come faster.

"This isn't your fault, Skye," she murmured, her voice breaking slightly. "None of this is your fault."

I began to cry quietly, my body shaking with each silent sob. Mom didn't try to hush me or offer empty platitudes. She simply continued stroking my hair.

I don't know how long I cried, but eventually, the sound of the front door opening and closing announced Dad's arrival. His heavy footsteps approached my room, and soon I felt the mattress dip as he settled on the other side of the bed. His large, calloused hand came to rest on my leg, warm and steady.

"My little warrior," he said softly, using the nickname he'd given me when I was small and insisted on following him and Ethan into the woods for training.

As my sobs gradually subsided into occasional hiccups, I became aware of what was missing. Or rather, who.

"Where's Ethan?" I asked, my voice raw from crying.

The brief silence that followed told me everything I needed to know before either of my parents spoke.

"He's with Leon," Mom finally said.

"Seriously?" In the moment I needed him most, my brother had chosen his best friend over me. His Alpha over his sister.

"Of course he is," I whispered.

Dad's hand tightened slightly on my leg. "He's torn, Skye. He doesn't—"

"Don't make excuses for him," I cut in. "Not tonight."

Mom and Dad exchanged a look over me, their silent communication as clear as if they'd spoken aloud. They wouldn't push, not when I was already shattered.

---

I must have drifted into a fitful sleep, because the next thing I knew, I was being pulled awake by the sound of voices in the hallway outside my room.

"—think she would be?" That was my father, his deep voice thrumming with barely contained fury.

"I understand your anger," came Leon's measured response, "but I had my reasons. This has nothing to do with personal feelings."

I stiffened beneath my blankets, every muscle tensing at the sound of his voice. The mate-bond, though rejected, pulsed painfully in response to his proximity, like a broken limb that hadn't been properly set.

Careful not to make a sound, I shifted closer to the door, straining to hear their conversation.

"I must win the next Alpha King election," Leon continued, "and I absolutely have the strength to do it. You were there when my mother died—her last wish was for me to become Alpha King. I cannot fail her." There was a brief pause before he added, his voice hardening, "Skye hasn't manifested her wolf, and her shooting skills are worse than an average human warrior's. How could I accept her as my mate? These are simply facts."

"That's not her fault!" my father snarled "Her wolf will appear when it's ready, and that shooting incident was completely accidental. I'll train her in combat myself—she can protect the pack just as well as any wolf warrior."

"A Luna without a wolf cannot protect the pack," Leon replied, his voice maddeningly calm, "nor can she ensure strong offspring."

"Then tell me," my father demanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous low, "what reason do we have to stay in this pack? If my daughter can't get respect and protection here, why shouldn't we leave?"

Leave?

Leave the only home I'd ever known?

The thought was simultaneously terrifying and strangely liberating.

"Dad, please don't be so impulsive," Ethan's voice cut in.

"Remember who you are—you're the Beta of Frostshadow Pack. How can you talk about abandoning the pack so casually? I know this is unfair to Skye, but helping Leon win the next Alpha King election is also my life's goal.

I'll help her find her Second Chance mate, I promise. This heartache is temporary. Don't you want to see Frostshadow Pack become stronger? Don't you remember how devastating our losses were in the great battle against the vampires seven years ago? Leon's mother, our Luna..."

The conversation fell into tense silence.

I clutched my blankets tighter, the mention of the vampire war awakening memories we all tried to keep buried.

So many pack members lost, including Leon's mother, who had sacrificed herself to save several wolf pups, including me and Ethan.

I suddenly felt ashamed of my tears, as if my pain was somehow selfish in the face of what our pack had endured.

Was I being childish to feel so betrayed?

Was I letting down the entire pack by not accepting Leon's rejection with quiet dignity?

"Skye?" Leon's voice called softly through the door, startling me from my thoughts.

I slammed the door shut with all my strength. Leaning my back against the door, I slowly slid down until I was sitting on the floor.

I heard him sigh heavily, followed by the sound of retreating footsteps.

As I lay there in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, I thought about the Alpha King election.

Every four years, Alphas from approximately fifty packs across North America competed for the title. Just three months ago, a new Alpha King had been crowned.

The Alpha King advocated for his own pack and allied packs, establishing policies that favored them. Every pack wanted their Alpha to hold that position, which required not only winning votes but also proving superior strength. A powerful female Luna could enhance an Alpha's fighting abilities.

I understood the importance of the Alpha King election. What I couldn't understand was why Leon had to publicly humiliate me.

Tomorrow, everyone would treat me like a loser, a joke. The thought of facing the pack—of seeing Maya's smug face, of enduring the pitying glances and whispered comments—made me feel physically ill.

A thought flashed through my head — maybe I should just get out of here.

"Time to get up, Skye," Ethan's voice called, muffled through the wood.

I groaned, rolling over in bed. My head throbbed like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it, and my eyes felt gritty, swollen from last night's tears.

"You okay?" Ethan asked, poking his head into the room.

"Fine," I lied, my voice raspy.

He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Listen, the new Alpha of Stormhowl Pack, Maxwell, is visiting today. As the Beta's family, we're expected at the banquet tonight."

"You think I'm in any shape to play dress-up and smile for some visiting Alpha?"

"You gonna hide in here forever? You're stronger than that, Skye. Show up looking like a million bucks and prove to everyone you're not broken."

He stepped forward, placing a sleek black gift box on my bed.

"Picked this out for you. Wear it tonight."

I stared at the box, the ache in my chest flaring. Ethan was right, I couldn't let them see me crumble

"Fine," I muttered. "I'll go."

That evening, I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the fitted sky-blue dress Ethan had chosen. It hugged my curves, the silky fabric catching the light. I'd tamed my hair into loose waves and dabbed on enough makeup to hide the evidence of my breakdown.

I looked... presentable.

At the banquet hall, the air buzzed with chatter and the clink of glasses. The long table was laden with roasted meats, fresh bread, and pitchers of wine. My parents flanked me as we took our seats, Ethan across from us.

I scanned the room, my stomach twisting when I spotted Leon near the head of the table, his golden hair gleaming under the chandeliers. Our eyes met for a split second before I jerked my gaze away, focusing on the plate in front of me.

Alpha Maxwell, a broad-shouldered man with a salt-and-pepper beard, stood to raise a toast.

"To the Frostshadow Pack, and to Leon, a fine young wolf who'll make a hell of an Alpha one day."

Then he grinned at Leon. "Tell me, have you found your mate yet?"

My fork froze halfway to my mouth. Leon's gaze flicked to me, cool and unreadable.

"I have," he said evenly. "But I don't think she's suitable."

Whispers rippled through the room, and I felt every eye turn to me. Before I could process the sting, Maya's voice cut through, sharp and gleeful.

"Alpha Maxwell, allow me to introduce the unsuitable woman sitting right across from you. Skye has no wolf and could never produce strong heirs for our pack."

The room went silent. My face burned, and I gripped my fork so hard my knuckles whitened.

"Maya, enough," Alpha James snapped, his tone sharp enough to make her flinch.

Maxwell's eyes slid to me, appraising. "Shame, she's beautiful."

I wanted to disappear. To sink through the floor and never come back.

Maxwell turned back to Leon, his tone casual. "Here's a thought. You don't have to reject your mate. I could send you a strong, beautiful female warrior from my pack to be your Breeder. It'd strengthen the alliance between our packs. What do you say?"

The word "Breeder" hit me like a slap.

A Breeder? Some woman to bear Leon's children while I—what? Sat by and watched?

My father's voice cut through the haze. "Alpha Maxwell, that suggestion is inappropriate."

But Alpha James, to my horror, leaned forward, his expression thoughtful.

"Actually, it's not a bad idea. Skye's always cared for Leon, hasn't she?" He looked at Leon. "What do you think, son?"

Leon's eyes met mine again, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hesitation. Then he spoke, his voice steady. "It could work. If Skye's willing, she could still be the future Luna, and we'd ensure strong heirs for the pack."

"I'm not willing!" I spat, my voice shaking with rage. "Not now, not ever!"

I didn't wait for a response. I turned and stormed out, the chatter of the banquet fading behind me as I pushed through the heavy doors into the cold night air.

"Skye, wait!" Leon's voice chased me, and before I could get far, his hand closed around my arm, pulling me to a stop. "This is the best solution. You'd be Luna. What more do you want?"

I yanked my arm free, glaring up at him. "What more? You think I'd share my mate? Stand by while you sleep with some other woman and have her kids? What kind of woman do you think I am?"

His jaw tightened. "She'd just be a Breeder, not a wife. Once she's pregnant, I wouldn't touch her again."

I laughed, a bitter, broken sound.

"You're unbelievable. I'd rather accept your rejection than live like that."

His eyes darkened, but I didn't give him a chance to respond.

I turned and ran, my heels sinking into the snow as I fled toward the lake, tears blurring my vision.

---

The lake was a mirror of stars, its surface barely rippling in the frigid night.

I collapsed onto the shore, my sobs echoing in the stillness. The pain in my chest was unbearable, a jagged wound that refused to close.

"Miss, I hate to interrupt, but you're sitting on my clothes."

I froze, whipping around to see a man emerging from the water, his form half-shadowed in the moonlight. My heart raced, and I took a step back, instantly on guard.

"Who are you?" I demanded, scanning the darkness. A rogue? I couldn't make out his face.

"Easy," he said, his voice calm, almost amused. "I'm with Stormhowl Pack, here with Alpha Maxwell."

I frowned, my hands still clenched. "Then why aren't you at the banquet? And why the hell are you swimming? The water's practically ice."

He chuckled, a low, warm sound.

"Could ask you the same thing. Why's a pretty girl like you crying by a lake in the middle of the night?"

"It's none of your business."

He swam closer to the shore, and as he started to climb out, I caught a glimpse of bare skin below his waist. My face burned, and I thrust his clothes toward him, spinning around to give him privacy.

"Here," I muttered.

"Thanks," he said, and I heard the rustle of fabric as he dressed.

Desperate to change the subject, I blurted, "Your pack—Stormhowl. You've got a lot of strong, beautiful female warriors, right?"

"Plenty," he said. "Why?"

My chest tightened, the image of Leon with some perfect warrior woman flashing through my mind. I regretted asking.

"No reason," I mumbled.

He stepped closer, his voice softening. "You're beautiful too, you know. Why compare yourself to anyone else?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, Ethan's voice cut through the night.

"Skye!" Ethan jogged toward me, his eyes narrowing at the man behind me. "Who's this?"

"Just a warrior from Stormhowl," I said quickly.

Ethan grabbed my hand. "You ran off, and Mom and Dad are freaking out. Come back with me."

I let him pull me away, glancing back at the stranger. His face was blurred in the darkness.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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The roar of the mag-lev train was deafening, but the frantic pulse in your ears was louder. Cold metal pressed against your back as you hugged the side of the carriage, the city lights a dizzying blur a thousand feet below. You had the stolen data-slate, but they were closing in. Ahead, the maintenance hatch offered a perilous climb down. Behind, the passenger car door was your only route back inside, straight into the arms of the corporate guards...

Wait—that’s not my story.

Mine starts in snow. In silence. In the suffocating weight of being the only one in the Frostshadow Pack without a wolf.

Alpha James’s voice boomed across the bonfire-lit clearing: 'Tonight, we hunt as our ancestors did.' Around me, bodies twisted, bones cracked, fur sprouted. Wolves of every size circled the flames, ready to prove their worth.

And me? I stood there, human-shaped, holding a rifle like a crutch.

'Good luck,' Alpha said, his eyes full of pity.

As the pack vanished into the forest, I followed, determined to prove I wasn’t broken.

Midnight found me tracking a hare—pathetic prey, but prey nonetheless. Then, the scent hit: pine, snow, wildness. My knees nearly buckled. A mate’s call. Impossible. I shouldn’t be able to smell it.

I followed, heart racing, breath crystallizing in the air.

And then I saw it.

Not my mate.

A grizzly bear, towering, silver-tipped, roaring into the night.

I turned to run.

Too late.

It charged.

I fell.

The rifle tumbled into the snow.

I grabbed it, rolled, fired—once, twice, three times.

The bear roared, staggered—but kept coming.

I closed my eyes, waiting to die.

Then—silence.

I opened my eyes.

The bear lay dead.

And over it stood a massive brown wolf, blood on its muzzle.

Leon.

He shifted. Naked. Powerful. Beautiful.

I stumbled toward him, tears in my eyes. 'You saved me!'

But his gaze was cold.

Before I could react, his hand slipped beneath my waistband—teasing, claiming.

My body ignited.

Then he pulled away.

'Mate?' he growled. 'You could never be my mate.'

The words carved my soul open.

Now, back at camp, he stands before the pack, announcing: 'Skye is my mate. But I reject her.'

Every eye burns into me.

Maya smirks.

My parents tremble with rage.

Leon won’t even look at me.

I clutch the rifle—the only thing I have left.

What do I do now?