Chapter 1 Chapter 1

ELISA'S POV The morning sunlight seeped into the room through the windows. I laid in my bed, staring at the ceiling. My thoughts were all jumbled up. Two years. It had been two years since I married Alpha Jackson of the Midnight Pack, and in all that time, I had never felt truly loved. My wolf, Lily, had always advised me to leave him. She always encouraged me to find a place where I could be happy. But I loved Jackson too much. Despite our arranged marriage, I had always hoped that we could live as a happily married couple. A sudden noise snapped me out of my thoughts. The door to our room creaked open and Jackson entered. He had a cold expression on his face. “How are the final preparations for the ball going?” he demanded I blinked in confusion. What was he talking about? “The ball?” Jackson’s eyes flared with anger. “Tonight is the fifth yearly Northern Pack Ball! Hurry up and get dressed. I might take Gina as my company. She's much more presentable than you!" With those words said, he turned away and slammed the door behind him, leaving me in shock and confusion. I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes. Once again, I felt the ache of rejection. His actions caused a throbbing ache in my chest. Jackson had always neglected me. He usually forgot to inform me of important events. He always dismissed my efforts, and treated me like an afterthought. And now, he was threatening to take Gina, my stepsister, to the ball instead of me. Gina. She had always been the favored one, even though she was adopted. My parents had taken her in after the Beta’s untimely death, and she had effortlessly taken over the role of the golden child when I was kidnapped at the age of five. By the time I escaped and returned three years ago, Gina had already inserted herself in the hearts of my family and pack. I wiped away my tears. Jackson probably forgot to tell me about the ball. Now, I have to make preparations last minute. I would do my best anyway. That way, he might even be impressed with me. That was what I always wanted. I heard Lily's voice in my head "Elisa, you deserve better. You deserve to be loved.”“I know, Lily,” I whispered “But I love him. I can’t just walk away.”"He clearly doesn't love you""I know. I just - I want to try. He will learn to love me with time" Lily sighed “Just promise me you won’t let him break you.” I took a deep breath "I won't let him. I promise" My chest ached from Jackson’s earlier words. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being unwanted. I took a deep breath and say up. I had to move on and make this night a success. If not, Jackson will have my head. As I stood up and moved toward the closet to pick out a dress, I heard Gina’s voice from behind me. “Oh, looks like you guys are fighting again.” she said excitedly. I turned to see her standing in the doorway. She was wearing a gold glittery dress that shimmered in the sunlight. She looked more like a Luna queen than I ever had. The sight of her made me self conscious. Gina was beautiful. Even a blind man could see that. “It's none of your business, Gina. You have no right to ask.” I said. Gina’s smile turned into an evil one “Bitch! You think you're so cool, huh? You do know that Alpha Jackson doesn’t like you at all, right? You’re nothing but a contract Luna.” Her words hit me like a slap in the face. I clenched my fists, trying to control my anger. Gina had a way of getting on my nerves. Every single time, she would find a way to push me to the wall. It made her happy to see me down and I didn't know why. I never did anything to her. For some reason, she just didn't like me and she made sure to show me every chance she got. “Get out, Gina. Now.” I said to her. I wasn't in the mood to argue. I had a ball to plan. Also, I didn't want things to get out of hand. I could feel myself getting more aggravated by the second and I didn't want to say or do something I would regret. I just wanted her gone so I could focus on the task at hand. Instead of leaving, Gina stepped closer. Her hand moved behind her back. Before I could react, she lunged at me with a small knife. As soon as I saw her, I gasped, panicking instantly. What the hell is she doing? I knew Gina never liked me but I never expected her to want to hurt me this badly. I moved to the side, dodging her attack. I reached out to grab her hand to stop her but I wasn't lucky. The blade cut deeply into my hand, making me scream. “Gina, stop!” I shouted, trying to push her away. "Never. I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget" The struggle between us was intense. She pushed the knife further into my palm. The pain intensified. Out of desperation, I kicked her. Gina stumbled backward and fell, hitting her head on the dresser. She fell to the floor as a result. She cried out in pain, clutching her head. “Help, it hurts!” Just then, the door burst open, and Jackson stormed into the room. His eyes widened as he took in the scene - Gina lying on the floor, and me standing there with blood dripping from my hand. I tried to explain, but Gina spoke up first. “I don’t know why Luna hates me so much,” she whimpered. “She accused me of trying to take her place…” Jackson glared at me “Why did you do that, Elisa?”

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

ELISA'S POV I looked at Gina in disbelief. I couldn't believe what was happening. The worst part was that Jackson believed every word she said. He glared at me like I was the devil. "That's not true!" I shouted. Jackson acted like he didn't hear me. He checked on Gina’s supposed injuries, asking her how she felt. As he spoke to her, I noticed how soft his voice was. He spoke to her in a tone that he had never used with me. He was so concerned about her. The sight of them together brought tears to my eyes. He looked at her the way I wished he would look at me. Gina give me an evil grin as Jackson fussed over her. Jackson didn't seem to notice that. Jackson stood up and gave me a death glare. If looks were knives, I'd be covered in blood by now. "Apologize to Gina," Jackson demanded. "You're not listening to me" I retorted "I said I didn't push her!" Jackson’s expression hardened. "You two are the only ones in this room. Who else could it be but you?" My body shook with rage. My hand throbbed painfully from where I had grabbed the knife. It hurt me that my own husband didn’t believe me. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and to my surprise, my parents, the Alpha and Luna of the Blue Moon Pack, walked in. I gasped in surprise, forgetting everything that had happened. I was so excited to see them. I hadn’t seen them in a year. I was just about to hug them when they rushed right past me to Gina. They didn't even bat an eyelash at me. "Oh my god, baby Gina" my mom cried out "What happened to you? How did you fall so hard?" Baby Gina? My mom's voice was filled with so much concern that it made me want to puke. "It was Elisa" Gina cried to them "She hurt me. I don't know why she hates me. She thinks I want to take her position" My parents turned to me with stern expressions, clearly expecting an apology. I felt so hurt. This wasn't fair at all. I hadn’t been treated fairly since I returned home. I had thought I could have a better life than when I was a rogue, but I was wrong. The home I had tried so desperately to return to was hell. My parents disliked me and always told me to learn from Gina. I smiled coldly and asked, "Do you guys think I did it too?" My father stepped forward "Elisa, even if you don't like Gina, you can't hit her! You're the Luna. How can you be so evil? I thought you were better than this""You know how important today is" my mom added "Yet you beat Gina like that. I am so disappointed in you." My lips quivered as I tried to hold the tears in. I didn't want to cry now, not in front of them. But it was so hard to keep my emotions in check. They couldn't see how hurt I was. "After I returned, you didn’t see me as your daughter" I spoke "You never believed what I said. So just tell me, what are you going to do with me?" Gina started to sob louder, clutching her head. "I just wanted to talk to her. I don't know why she pushed me so hard. I don't understand why she hates me." My father’s face turned red with anger. "Elisa, you need to learn some manners. This behavior is unacceptable.""What kind of attitude is that!" Jackson yelled. "You hurt your sister but you won't apologize?""I'm the only daughter of my parents" I cried out "Where do I have a sister? I don't have an evil sister like her," I tried my possible best to get along with Gina but for some reason, she didn't like me. She was hell bent on causing trouble for me and I had no idea why. She wasn't my sister. Sisters don't do this to each other. As soon as I said those words, my parents both gasped in horror. The next thing that happened shocked me to my core. My father stepped closer to me and slapped me hard across the face. I gasped in surprise. Did he just.... The sting of my father’s slap lingered on my cheek. I could feel the heat radiating through my skin I stood there, shocked with my hand on my face. No... This can't be happening. Tears pricked at my eyes even more and it took every self restraint in me not to cry. I didn't want to give Gian the satisfaction of seeing me in tears. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gina’s smirk. It was obvious that she was pleased that her plan had worked. Gina always had my parents wrapped around her finger. They didn't care about me one bit. Nobody did, not even my supposed husband. I was tired of it all. I'm a good person. I deserve to be loved and treated with respect. Why does this keep happening to me? "How dare you!" my father raised his voice "We didn't teach you to behave this way""How could you say that about your sister, Elisa?" my mom said "Why are you so cruel? Can't you see your sister loves you? You keep pushing her away" I looked at them with tear blurry vision. “Why do you always take her side?” I asked them, my voice breaking. “I said it once and I'll say it again. She’s not my sister because she’s evil. Can’t you see that? She's deceiving you all” My father's eyes blazed with anger. He raised his hand to slap me again but Gina stopped him. Gina sniffled, crying "Father don't. Please, don't hurt her. This is all my fault. I just... I just want a bond with my sister. I don't want you guys to fight" Jackson shook his head "Can you see how much she cares about you?""She's a liar! Can't you all see it?" I shrieked “That’s enough. Apologize to Gina now!.” I looked at Jackson, staring at him as if it would be for the last time. . My heart felt like it had been shattered into a thousand pieces. He was supposed to be my husband, my partner. But instead, he was always defending Gina. “No, I won’t apologize,” I said “I’m done.”“What did you say?” Jackson asked. “I said I’m done,” I repeated. I meant it. I was done with everything - the unfairness, Gina's preferential treatment, my parents' and husband's neglect. I deserved better than this. The next words I said shocked me. “Jackson, let’s get a divorce. From this day on, I’m no longer the Luna of the Midnight Pack.”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

ELISA'S POV As soon as the words left my mouth, the room fell silent. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. I took in the looks on all their faces. Even Gina looked surprised. The shocked expressions on everyone's faces told me they hadn't expected this outburst or my words. I was surprised myself. I loved Jackson with all my heart. I never thought of divorcing him. Never in a million years would I have thought I would say this. Even with the way he treated me, I was still willing to stay, still willing to try and endure I couldn't take it anymore. Every person had a limit and I had reached mine. Jackson along with my family had pushed me to the wall. Now, it's time for me to fight back. I don't know where the sudden confidence came from but now, I knew my worth. I knew I deserved better. I tried so hard to be the perfect daughter, to be the perfect wife but now, I could see that my efforts weren't appreciated. They never would be, no matter how hard I tried. It felt like a veil covering my eyes just fell off. Why did I put up with this for so long? It would always be a competition between Gina and me, a competition that I could never win. My mother's eyes narrowed in anger. She was the first to break the silence. "How dare you!" my mom shrieked" What the hell is wrong with you, Elisa? Do you know what you are saying?" My father stepped forward. He looked so angry that I could feel it radiating off him. "Whatever your problem is, keep it to yourself. You should know that the pack's business comes first. Wait until the ball is over today. We can discuss this later" I looked at them, feeling a deep, aching sadness. It was clear to me now that they cared more about the pack's image than about their own daughter. They didn't even care about the fact that I wanted to divorce Jackson. All they cared about was the pack. Gina was right. I was nothing but a contract Luna. Why didn't I realize this sooner? The realization hit me hard. My life was nothing but a series of sacrifices for people who didn't truly care about me. Wiping the sweat from my forehead with my good hand, I turned to Jackson. "Do you still want me to be your Luna?" I asked. My voice tremblef with the effort to keep my emotions in check. Jackson's face was filled with anger. "You are too bold, too reckless. You don't act like a lady should""And how should I act?" I snapped back. "The way a good wife would. You should be submissive. How dare you talk to me that way?" I shook my head. This time, I couldn't stop the tears from falling "Haven't I been submissive enough? I literally do everything I'm told to. I never argue with you or talk back. Can't you see how hard I try to please you?""Enough with your drama. You just want attention. Everything will wait until the ball is over. Now go out with me and greet the guests! They're already waiting." A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Cold sweat ran into my eyes, making them sting and blur with tears. If my mind wasn't made up before, it was now. I looked at everyone,. "Listen up, all of you. I want a divorce, and your opinions don't matter to me. If you care about your precious faces, go figure it out yourselves. I am not your puppet." With that, I turned to the side and pulled open a nearby drawer, searching for a bandage. My hand hurt like hell. I didn't want to wound to get infected. I found one and began to wrap my injured hand, ignoring the shocked and angry looks from everyone around me. My parents finally noticed my bleeding hand. For a moment, I could see the concerned look on my mother's face. "What happened to your hand?" she asked. Before I could answer, Gina, ever the opportunist, jumped in. "She tried to hit me, so I defended myself. I may have accidentally hurt her hand." Gina cried out. I chuckled sadly. I didn't even bother. Of course, Gina would turn this around in her favour. What else did I expect? My mother turned back to me. The look of concern on her face was replaced with annoyance. "If you didn't try to hurt Gina, your hand wouldn't be hurt." she said. I felt so sad. There was an ache in my chest that throbbed deeply. I was hurt by the fact that my parents wouldn't listen to me. They couldn't even give me the benefit of the doubt. I took a deep breath and spoke "Mom, Dad, I was wrong. I shouldn't have come back three years ago. I don't belong in this family." My voice broke on the last word, but I held back the sobs. I couldn't cry in front of them. Without waiting for a response, I turned and left the room. They stared at me intensely, like I had grown two heads but I didn't care anymore. I walked down the hallway, making my way to the venue. I didn't have enough time to get dressed. I knew I looked a mess. I was dressed in a casual gown which was now wrinkled. My face was stained with tears, and my hands still bleed despite the bandage. I just wanted to get away from them all. As I stumbled down the hallway, my vision became blurred with tears. I clutched my chest, trying to soothe the pain I felt in my heart. The pain I felt was so intense that I started to get dizzy. I cried loudly as I walked. It hurt so much. As I walked, I felt my strength being drained. Just as I was about to collapse, a strong hand caught me, preventing my fall. I looked up, trying to focus through my tears. As I looked at him, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips. He was the most gorgeous man I had ever laid my eyes on.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the man. He was the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. The word 'handsome' didn't do him any justice. He was straight up gorgeous. I couldn't believe he was real. He looked like he just stepped out of a magazine. He had brown hair tied in a bun, framing his face perfectly. He had the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I had ever seen. His eyes reminded me of the ocean. I could get lost in them if I stared at him for too long. He was tall and muscular. He was three times my size, making it look like he could crush me if he wanted to. He had an aura of power and confidence that made me want to bow my head at him in respect. Who was he? I had never seen him before but from his aura, I could tell he was most likely a powerful noble. He probably came for the ball from a foreign pack. For a moment, we just stared at each other. For some reason, I felt a strong connection to him. The connection was a pull that stirred my wolf inside me. His face was cold. From his look alone, I could tell he was dominant. “Do you need help?” he asked. His deep voice made my wolf stir further inside me. His voice sent goosebumps down my spine. I nodded, unable to find my voice. He moved closer, and took my hand in his. I was surprised by his gesture. For someone who looked so tough, his touch was surprisingly gentle. As our hands touched, I felt sparks in my skin I watched in awe as he expertly removed the bandage and dressed it again. “There, that should do it,” he said. Once again, his eyes met mine. I could see an emotion in his gaze. I was intrigued by him. I had never felt this kind of connection to someone like this before. “Thank you,” I managed to whisper. “You’re welcome.” There was something familiar about his scent. That was weird because I had never seen him before. But before I could think about it, he handed me a mask. “Are you going to the ball?” he asked. I hesitated. I had no intention of going, especially not after the argument with Jackson and my family. But there was something about this man, something that made me want to follow him, to see what would happen next. “Yes,” I said, surprising myself. “I suppose I am.” He raised an eyebrow but didn’t question me further. He was probably wondering why I was so casually dressed for a ball as grand as that. I took the mask and put it on. The man extended his arm, and I took it, feeling those sparks again. We walked together to the ball, and I couldn’t help the emotions I felt. I was nervous and confused at the same time. Why did I feel such a strong connection to this man? As we entered the grand hall, I saw Jackson across the room. He was talking to someone. I turned away from him, not wanting him to see me. I might have a mask on but Jackson would be able to recognize my dress. The man led me to a table. He pulled out a chair for me, helping me sit. I was in awe. Jackson had never done that for me before. The man set next to me. I could feel the heat radiating off him. My body came alive at the feeling of him being next to me. What was wrong with me? I focused my attention on the ball, trying to distract myself. The ball was in full swing. Couples danced in the center of the room. Conversation and laughter filled the air. Despite all the action going on, all I could focus on was this man and the way his presence made me feel—safe, intrigued, and strangely alive. My body hummed with electric energy just by being close to him. The connection I felt to him made my skin tingle and my heart race. I could barely concentrate on the ceremony. The ball was a gathering for the nobles to discuss and update everyone on pack matters. As I looked around, I noticed the questioning glances and heard the whispers from the people. “Why isn't Luna here?”“How can she not show up for such an important event?” My heart sank in my chest at their words. I was the Luna, but it seemed I was no longer welcome. My family didn't care about me. They cared more about the pack than my own happiness. It sucked. Soon, Jackson appeared at the front, calmly calling the ball to order. He didn’t even glance in my direction. I don't think he even bothered to look for me. I bowed my head, not really wanting to be here but too curious about this man to leave. Who was this handsome man who sat beside me, and why did I feel so drawn to him? Jackson stood at the front. His posture commanded attention as usual. "Good evening, everyone" he said “It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Lycan King has graced us with his presence for this ball.” The room was filled with gasps. Even I was surprised. What's the Lycan King doing here? The Lycan King was like a legend, someone no one had ever seen before. We had heard of him, of how powerful he was but had never seen him. That was how private he was. I was curious to finally know who he was. Jackson continued talking “Before the meeting begins, I have a pack announcement to make. Elisa, the Luna of the Midnight pack, has broken pack rules and will no longer be Luna anymore. Gina will be the temporary Luna of our pack, and I hope you will support her.” My blood ran cold as Jackson made that announcement. I felt a lump in my throat. My chest ached even more. To my horror, Gina walked up to stand next to Jackson. She had a shimmering red dress on, one that showed all her curves with heels. Her long hair was curled and her lips were so red that you could see the colour from a mile away. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could he do this? I was the one who asked for a divorce, yet here he was, making it seem like I had abandoned them, like I was the one at fault. Tears fell freely from my eyes. I was glad I had a mask on. If not I would have been a crying mess. The whispers around us grew louder. People murmured about the sudden change in leadership. "What could the Luna have done?""I'm not surprised. She has always looked like a reckless person""She grew up with rogues. What do you expect?" The whispers made me so harder. I felt humiliated, betrayed. It hadn’t taken Jackson long to replace me, to cast me aside like I was nothing. “I can’t believe this,” I whispered “How could he do this to me?”