The fluorescent hum of the Alpha’s office had always felt like a cage. Today, it felt like a tomb. My father, a monolith of tradition and stern discipline, sat behind his imposing executive desk, his tailored suit a stark contrast to my defiant stance.

“Anastasia, come. Sit.” His voice, deep and resonant, held a familiar tone of paternal authority, the kind that expected immediate compliance. I didn’t sit. Instead, I tapped the heel of my stiletto against the polished hardwood, the sharp click echoing the rebellion simmering beneath my skin.

His nostrils flared, a sure sign of his rising ire. “Fine, show one last shred of defiance,” he sighed, smoothing his mustache. “Henceforth, your days of willful disobedience are at an end.”

My heart leaped. Was this it? Was he finally stepping down, letting me take my rightful place as Luna? I’d trained for this, dreamed of it. “Are you serious?” I all but squealed, my hands clasped together.

“I know I will not regret this, because you are not ruling alone.” He cleared his throat, a sound that always preceded unwelcome pronouncements. “There is a law your great-grandfather put into action… before stepping into your role as Luna, you will first marry.”

The joy in my veins evaporated, replaced by a cold dread. My jaw dropped, words trapped in my throat. Then, the office door opened, and my ex, Jayden Warner, strutted in, his smug smile sealing my fate. My world, the one I had meticulously built, began to crumble.