The Real Heir, The False Luna

Alina

The steering wheel felt oddly chilled under my palms despite the harsh afternoon sun pouring through the windshield.

I had just returned from the market at the edge of Nightfall territory, my bags filled with carefully chosen ingredientsrosemary, thick cuts of beef, cream for his mushroom sauce, and the red wine he once said reminded him of better days. I always picked everything myself, even with servants available.

Because he liked my cooking.

Because whenever Alpha Soren ate what I made, the sharpness in his gray eyes softened, and for a moment, it felt like I mattered.

I placed the last bag on the passenger seat and leaned back, exhaling slowly. Five years. Three as his lover, two as his fiance, still waiting for a wedding that never came.

He had proposed under the silver oak tree behind the packhouse, holding my hands like I was fragile and irreplaceable, saying, Youre the only one who stayed. I believed him.

I always did.

On my way back to the packhouse, I passed Mooncrest Bistro, his favorite restaurant just outside the pack bordersa neutral place where alphas often held business dinners. He liked it for its human-style dishes in wolf-sized portions, once calling it the best of both worlds.

A thought lingered. He had been distant latelyalways busy with meetings, patrols, and alliances. Last night, he barely touched my food.

Maybe he was just overwhelmed. Maybe takeout from Mooncrest would make him smile again.

Without overthinking, I parked.

The bell chimed softly as I entered, warm air greeting me, scented with roasted garlic and grilled meat. My wolf stirred faintly at the familiar comfort.

My eyes moved through the room.

And then I saw him.

Alpha Soren.

He sat by a corner window seat, sunlight spilling over him, softening the sharp lines of his face. He looked at ease. More at ease than he had been around me in a long time.

A smile formed on my lips before I could stop it. So he really was here.

I straightened my cardigan, a strange nervousness I hadnt felt in years suddenly settling in, and started walking toward him. In my mind, I imagined slipping into the seat beside him, teasing him for not telling me he was here, maybe even stealing food from his plate just to annoy him.

But I slowed.

He wasnt alone.

Across from him sat a woman. At first, it was only her hairlong, dark, falling in soft waves almost identical to mine. Then she shifted, and my breath caught.

Her face. The shape of her nose, her lips, even the faint curve of her smile.

It was like looking at a reflectiononly softer, more refined, almost unreal.

I stopped completely.

No. Thats impossible. There are plenty of women with dark hair.

But then she laughed.

And Alpha Soren smiled.

Not just any smilebut one I had not seen directed at me in years.

I moved without realizing it, slipping closer and stopping behind a decorative pillar near their table. Close enough to hear. Close enough to confirm what I was seeing.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, his gaze warm.

I know how much you loved this place when we were children, he said in a low, familiar tone. You used to beg your father just to bring us here every full moon.

The womans eyes lit up. You really remembered everything about me, Alpha. She reached out, brushing his hand lightly. I cant wait to marry you and become your Luna.

Marry. Luna.

The words struck me like a violent blow to the chest.

My heart skipped before pounding painfully against my ribs.

Marry? But Im his fiance.

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone, dialing his number without thinking. My vision blurred slightly.

Across the room, his phone lit up on the table.

He glanced at it.

For a brief second, I thought I saw surprise flash in his eyes. Then it vanished, replaced by something cold and controlled.

He turned the phone over and ended the call.

Just like that.

No hesitation.

The woman tilted her head slightly. Who was that?

No one important, he answered smoothly, not even glancing in my direction. Just someone from the pack.

No one important.

Five years.

Five years of standing beside him through his nightmares. Five years of enduring whispers that I was nothing more than the maid who seduced the Alpha. Five years of believing I mattered.

No one important.

I quickly typed a message instead. Are you busy? Im near Mooncrest.

His phone vibrated again. This time, he didnt even look. He continued speaking to her as if nothing had interrupted him at all.

Ill handle everything, he said gently. Just a few loose matters to settle.

She hesitated. What about her?

Her.

My stomach dropped.

He sighed faintly, as though the question itself was tiring. Ill get rid of that maid first. Then Ill formally introduce you to the pack.

That maid.

The world around me tilted.

So that was all I was. Not his fiance. Not his future Luna. Just that maid.

My breath caught, refusing to come properly.

Inside me, my wolf whined softly, confused and wounded. For wolves, betrayal cut deeper than anything else. Even chosen bonds carried sacred weight.

I stepped back unsteadily, nearly bumping into a passing waiter. I muttered an apology I barely heard myself say before turning and rushing out.

The moment the door closed behind me, I ran.

I didnt know where I was going. I just ran.

Past parked vehicles. Past market stalls. Past the forest line marking pack territory.

My lungs burned, but I didnt stop.

Was I only ever a reflection of her? Was that the reason he chose me that night?

The memory returned without warning.

Five years ago.

I had been kneeling on the cold floor of the packhouse hall, cleaning spilled liquor after one of his drunken breakdowns. I was just a maid in the Nightfall Pack then.

Alpha Soren, once powerful and feared, had been broken. The pack was unstable, and he drank himself unconscious almost every night.

I was new. Invisible. Until he suddenly grabbed my face.

His grip was rough, yet trembling. He tilted my chin upward and stared at me as though he were seeing a ghost.

Youre back youre back for me, Evelina, he whispered hoarsely.

Then he collapsed.

I wasnt Evelina. I was Alina.

But the next day, he came looking for me. He apologized, spoke to me, and little by little, his drinking lessened while the emptiness in his eyes softened. Eventually, he began to smile again.

He told me I had saved him.

I once believed it was fate. Now I wondered if I had only been convenient.

I dont even remember how I got back to the packhouse. By nightfall, I was already lying alone in our bed, staring at the ceiling.

He never came homeor maybe he did, I couldnt tell. I didnt move when the door creaked open; I only pretended to be asleep.

But sleep never came.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face.

My face. Noher face.

Morning arrived too quickly.

The packhouse was unusually lively. Laughter echoed from below, mixed with hurried footsteps and excited whispers. My head throbbed heavily from the sleepless night.

A young omega maid knocked softly at my door.

Miss Alina? There are visitors downstairs. The Alpha said you should cook he said he missed your food.

Missed.

The word tasted bitter.

I forced myself upright, washing my face with cold water until my skin stung. I dressed simply and tied my hair the way he liked.

Because I needed to see it through.

As I went down the grand staircase, the voices grew clearer.

Then I saw them.

Two strangers sat in the main halla man and a woman.

The woman from the restaurant looked even more striking in daylight, wearing a cream dress with a graceful posture and a soft, composed smile.

She looked like me.

Or maybe I looked like her.

Alpha Soren stood beside them. When his eyes met mine, something flickered across his face before he quickly masked it.

Alina, he said. Come here.

I walked forward slowly, each step heavier than the last.

These are my childhood friends, he continued. They just returned from abroad.

The man stood and offered his hand. Gideon. Pleasure to meet you.

I shook it automatically.

Then Soren turned to the woman, his voice softening in a way I knew too well.

And this, he said, is Evelina.

The name echoed violently inside my mind.

Evelina.

Five years ago, he had whispered it against my skin, holding my face like I was something sacred.

Youre back youre back for me, Evelina.

Everything suddenly made sensethe way he had looked at me like I was a miracle, the delays, the fading affection over time.

Because she had not been here yet.

And now she was.

So all this time I was never the one he chose.

I was only what remained in her absence.

A replacement.

Alina

I didnt cry.

Not when Alpha Soren presented Evelina as though she were something sacred, untouchable, irreplaceable. Not even when the packs gaze shifted toward her with open admiration and toward me with quiet pity that stung worse than any insult.

I refused to cry.

Instead, I drifted through the packhouse like something unseen, something already forgotten, even though I had once believed this place would always be mine.

Five years. Five years of loving him without hesitation. Five years of enduring the elders cold stares, the warriors silent judgment, and the maids hushed whispers that followed me wherever I went. I bore every word and every look because I convinced myself love made it worthwhile. I told myself birth meant nothing, that being a maid did not decide what I could become.

He chose me, I used to believe.

But now the truth had taken shape too clearly to deny. He had never chosen me at all. He had mistaken me for someone else.

And even after realizing I wasnt Evelina, he kept me nearnot out of love, but because I resembled a memory he couldnt release.

So what was I to Alpha Soren? Never his Luna. Never his equal. Only a substitute wearing someone elses shadow.

Evelina and Gideon, heirs of the Crosswell Pack in the south, had arrived recently, and the pack spoke of them with clear admiration. Crosswell was known for its wealth, its strength, and its influence among allied territories. Their visit was described as a simple vacation, but no one truly believed that. Alphas did not cross into another Alphas lands without purpose.

There were always intentions beneath such visits. Often, arrangements. Sometimes, unions meant to bind power together.

The morning after they arrived, I went looking for Soren. I needed to hear him, even if the truth would hurt. Even a lie would have been easier than being left alone in silence.

I stopped a maid passing through the kitchen.

Have you seen the Alpha? I asked, steadying my voice.

She avoided my eyes. Hes likely occupied, Miss Alina.

Likely, I repeated softly.

He usually tells me when he has meetings, I added.

Her mouth tightened. Hes with important guests.

Important guests. I nodded once and stepped aside, though something inside me felt heavier than before. There had been a time when I always knew where he was. When he left, he told meno matter how trivial it was. A patrol. A meeting. Even a brief errand.

Now I had to ask like a stranger.

Still, I went to his office.

The door was slightly open, and voices drifted out from within.

Hers.

I pushed it gently.

Soren stood by his desk, sleeves rolled up, expression focused. Evelina sat comfortably on the sofa, legs crossed with effortless elegance, reading through documents as if she had always belonged there.

They both looked up when I entered. His expression softened for a fleeting moment, instinctive, before hardening again.

Alina, he said flatly. You shouldnt be here. Im busy.

The words landed heavier than they should have.

I glanced toward Evelina. She met my eyes without hesitation, calm and faintly smiling, as though my presence did not unsettle her at all.

Soren followed my gaze and shifted slightly.

She needs to be here, he added quickly. Shes from Crosswell. Were discussing interterritorial matters.

Interterritorial matters. Of course.

Important things.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came. What could I even say? Why didnt you tell me she had returned two years ago? Why didnt you tell me you were already close to her again? Why did you let me stay in a future that no longer existed?

None of it came out.

I understand, I said instead.

I turned and closed the door quietly behind me.

The hallway felt tighter as I walked away. Voices followed me, growing clearer as I passed.

She really thought Alpha Soren loved her?

A soft laugh trailed after.

Hes been completely taken with Miss Evelina since she came back two years ago.

Two years.

The words echoed, sharp and relentless.

Evelina had returned two years ago. That was when everything changedwhen Soren began delaying our wedding without explanation, when his warmth faded, when his attention stopped lingering on me.

Everyone knew.

The warriors who bowed more deeply to Evelina. The elders who suddenly approved alliances. The maids who watched me with quiet pity.

Everyone knew.

No one told me.

Not one person warned me. Not one voice told me I should leave before it hurt more.

They let me stay, smiling at a future that was already gone.

By the time I reached the corridor bend, my steps had grown unsteady. I nearly collided with someone.

Gideon.

He leaned against the wall as though he owned it, arms crossed, eyes slowly tracing me without restraint. Not polite. Not respectful.

Just assessing.

From my hair to my waist. Then lingering a moment too long.

He gave a low, amused whistle.

Now thats unexpected, he said lazily. For a maid, youre quite appealing.

A chill crawled up my spine.

I dont understand what youre implying, I replied, stepping aside.

His smile deepened. You look like my sister. I suppose Soren found that useful.

My stomach tightened at his tone.

His gaze flicked over me again before returning to my face. If things ever fall apart for you here, Alina, Crosswell might have use for someone like you.

I didnt wait to hear more. I walked away, pulse racing. Something about him felt wrongtoo sharp, too invasive. My wolf stirred uneasily, though even she felt dulled, as if exhaustion had weakened her instincts.

By afternoon, I tried to bury myself in work.

Old habits returned easily. Before Soren chose me, I had been nothing more than a maidcleaning, cooking, scrubbing stone floors until winter cracked my skin.

So I cleaned again.

I carried water into the garden and began wiping down the benches. The air was calm, almost too calm, the sky clear and indifferent above me. My head ached, but I pushed through it.

I knelt near the fountain, scrubbing a stain.

Then something struck the back of my head.

Everything went white.

Pain erupted instantly as I collapsed forward onto the stone path. I tasted iron before I understood what had happened. My ears rang so loudly I could barely hear anything else.

I forced my eyes open through the haze.

On the second-floor balcony of the Alpha wing stood Evelina.

She was looking down at me.

Our eyes met.

Her expression gave nothing away.

Then the world slipped away.

When I woke, antiseptic burned faintly in the air.

I was in a guest room, lying in bed with my head tightly bandaged. A dull, constant pain pulsed beneath the wrapping.

Voices reached me.

She didnt do it on purpose, Soren said urgently. Calm down, Evelina.

I turned my head slightly.

He stood near the window, holding Evelina as she sobbed into her hands.

When she saw I was awake, she rushed over.

Alina! she cried, grabbing my hand. Im so sorry! I was holding a pot on the balcony and it slippedI didnt know you were down there. I swear I didnt mean it.

Her tears fell onto the blanket.

I looked at her in silence.

A pot.

My mind replayed the layout of the wing. No balcony plants. No decorations along the rail. The Alpha wing was kept minimal, precise.

There had been no pots there.

Unless someone brought one.

You injured me seriously, I said quietly.

Even my own voice sounded distant.

Soren stepped forward immediately, his expression tightening.

Cant you just let it go? he snapped. She didnt mean it. Dont make this difficult, Alina.

I stared at him. But I

No excuses, he cut in sharply. I didnt realize you were this ungrateful.

Ungrateful.

The word cut deeper than the pain in my head.

It was absurd.

All of this was absurd.

The man who once held me like I mattered now looked at me as though I were nothing but a burden.

Evelina suddenly leaned in and wrapped her arms around me.

Im so sorry, Alina! she sobbed again.

Her body trembled against mine.

Then, her voice shiftedso low only I could hear.

It couldve been worse, she whispered. But I only saw a pot.

A pause.

Lucky you, maid.

She pulled back instantly, resuming her tears as though nothing had changed.

I froze.

Soren rubbed her back gently. Its alright. She understands.

Alina

The bandages wrapped around my head felt even tighter as night settled in.

Or maybe it wasnt the bandages at allmaybe it was my thoughts, pressing in on me, refusing to let me rest.

Ever since Evelina and Gideon arrived, Alpha Soren hadnt once stayed the night in our shared room.

Our room. The phrase almost made me laugh now.

He had come in briefly that afternoon to take a few clothes. He didnt look at me. He didnt ask if the pain in my head had eased. He simply opened the wardrobe, gathered what he needed, and left like I was just another object in the corner of the room.

Five years of sleeping beside each other, and suddenly there was only emptiness beside me.

I pushed myself up slowly, wincing as a dull pain pulsed through my skull. Moonlight slipped through the curtains, spilling pale light across the floor. That was when I noticed something near the cabinet.

A phone.

It lay face down on the wooden floor, half hidden beneath the edge of the rug.

My breath caught. He must have dropped it earlier when he changed.

For a long moment, I only stared.

Then I got up and picked it up, my fingers shaking slightly. His scent still clung faintly to the case.

After a pause, I pressed the power button.

Locked, of course.

I exhaled slowly and tried his birthday. Wrong. Then I entered mine, though I wasnt even sure why I expected anything different. Wrong again.

A humorless smile tugged at my lips.

Of course he wouldnt use my birthday.

Then a thought slithered in quietly, uncomfortable and persistent.

Evelina.

My fingers turned cold as I grabbed my own phone and searched her. It didnt take long to find her accountrefined photos, soft smiles, comments overflowing with admiration from pack members.

I scrolled until I found an old post marking her birthday.

July 17.

My hand hesitated before I typed the numbers into his phone.

It unlocked immediately.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

Her birthday. He used hers. Not mine. Not anything that belonged to us. Hers.

My chest tightened painfully, but I forced myself to open his messages.

Evelinas name sat at the top.

Of course it did.

I opened the thread.

The latest message from him read: Ill end things with her this week. Just give me a little more time.

My vision blurred.

End things with her. With me.

Evelina replied beneath it:

I dont understand why its taking so long. You said you only saw me in her because we look alike. But its been two years since we met again, and shes still by your side. My patience is running out, Alpha.

Two years. They had reconnected two years ago. Two years of him standing beside me while thinking of someone else entirely.

My hands trembled as I continued reading.

Alpha Soren replied:

You know Fallendawn Pack has been harassing meemails, letters, every day asking for that maid. Theyre my rivals. I dont know why theyre so fixated on Alina, but I cant let them take her.

Fallendawn.

My stomach dropped.

Evelina answered again:

I understand you hate Fallendawn, but is she really worth keeping? What if shes involved with them somehow? We dont know everything, Alpha.

Then his reply came:

Ill handle it this week. Theres a plan. I cant let Fallendawn get her. Id rather keep her out of their reach.

I stopped reading.

My head pounded violently.

Fallendawn PackI knew that name. Everyone did. They were Nightfalls long-time enemies, rival alphas locked in conflict for decades over land and power.

But why would they want me?

I was nobody. Just a maid.

Why would two powerful packs fight over someone like me?

Footsteps outside snapped me back.

Panic surged through me. I quickly locked the phone, placed it back where I found it, and stepped away just as the door opened.

Alpha Soren entered, brow slightly furrowed.

Did you see my phone? he asked.

I forced my voice steady. I picked it up from the cabinet and handed it over. You left it earlier.

His fingers brushed mine briefly as he took it. For a moment, I thought he might notice how fast my heart was beating.

Be careful, I said quietly. You might lose it.

He barely looked at me. I will.

Then he left without another word.

I sank back onto the edge of the bed.

A plan.

They had a plan.

And I was part of it.

The realization settled heavily inside me. I wasnt being kept because I was loved.

I was being kept because I was useful.

And whatever they were planning it wasnt safe.

The next day, I spent hours digging.

Old records. Archives. Pack gossip threads. Anything about Fallendawn Pack.

There was plenty about their influence, their wealth, their control over western territoriesbut nothing about their Alpha. No name. No face. No clear record. It was as if he didnt officially exist.

The more I searched, the more restless I became.

Why me? What was I to them?

A knock sounded at my door.

I froze.

Soren never knocked. He walked in like everything belonged to him.

My pulse tightened.

Who is it? I called carefully.

Its me.

Gideon.

My stomach twisted.

I shouldnt open itbut if I didnt, he might make a scene.

Slowly, I cracked the door open.

He stood there casually, hands in his pockets, wearing an easy smile.

You skipped lunch, he said, eyes dragging over me again.

I wasnt hungry.

He leaned in, pressing his palm against the door and pushing it wider. I just came to check on you after what happened.

The way he said what happened made it sound dirty.

Im fine, I said quickly, trying to close the door.

But he forced his way inside.

Gideon, leave.

He shut the door behind him.

The room suddenly felt smaller.

You know, he murmured, stepping closer, you look even better up close.

My back hit the wall. Stop.

He reached out, brushing my hair aside. His touch made my skin crawl.

Ive been thinking, he said softly, if my sister doesnt want you maybe I should keep you instead.

Fear shot through me.

Im engaged to Alpha Soren.

He let out a small laugh. For now.

His hand slid down my arm, gripping too tightly.

Let go of me.

Dont pretend you dont notice, he whispered, stepping closer. Youre wasted here.

His fingers tugged at my dress.

I shoved him, but he didnt move.

Gideon! I shouted.

He covered my mouth and pushed me toward the bed.

Relax, he murmured. Youll like it.

He kissed me roughly, trying to force his touch on me. Terror flooded my body.

I bit down hard on his lip.

He swore loudly.

The door flew open.

Alpha Soren stood there.

For a moment, he just stared.

Gideon stepped back immediately.

I scrambled away, clutching my torn clothes, shaking.

Silence stretched.

What is this? Soren demanded.

Its nothing, Gideon said lazily. She misunderstood.

Misunderstood.

I looked at Soren desperately, waitingfor anger, for action, for anything like the man who once protected me.

But he only stood there.

Still. Thinking.

Like he was weighing something.

The situation only stopped because he arrivednot because he intervened.

Something inside me broke.

Tears came suddenly, uncontrollable.

Soren finally spoke. Gideon. Leave.

Gideon smirked and walked out like nothing had happened.

The door closed.

Soren looked at me.

Alina

I stepped back. Dont, I whispered.

He didnt move toward me. Didnt comfort me. Didnt promise anything.

And in that silence, I understood everything I needed to know.

I was alone in this pack.

Completely alone.

That same day, with what little money I had secretly saved over the years, I went to the regional pack council and filed a formal complaint against Gideon.

It was dangerous. Risky.

But I couldnt stay silent anymore.

If they were building something behind my back

then I would start protecting myself first.

Because no one else would.

Alina

I once thought betrayal was the deepest kind of pain a person could endure. I was wrong.

There is something worse than betrayal.

It is standing inside a courtroom, hands shaking, forced to recount how a man violated youonly to watch the man you once loved rise and defend him as though nothing had happened.

That day, Gideon had come dangerously close to taking more from me than just my dignity. His grip had been certain, his movements controlled, deliberate. There had been no smell of alcohol, no slurred excuses, no signs of confusion. He knew exactly what he was doing from the very beginning.

And yet, when I stood before the regional pack tribunal, voice unsteady but still clear, I never imagined the person who would stand to testify would be Alpha Soren.

My Alpha. My fianc. The man who once told me I saved him.

I witnessed the incident, he said with composed certainty, standing tall as if nothing weighed on him. Gideon did not assault her. This was simply a misunderstanding.

My ears rang sharply at his words.

A misunderstanding.

He was only trying to assist her when she panicked, Soren continued without hesitation. There was no wrongdoing.

I stared at him, unable to reconcile the man before me with the one I thought I knew.

The council exchanged subtle glances among themselves. Gideon stood off to the side, head bowed in an act of remorse that felt rehearsed rather than real. Behind him, Evelina sat composed, hands folded neatly, her expression painted with soft concern.

It felt as though I was no longer inside my own body.

A council member finally spoke. Gideon Crosswell is a respected heir. With Alpha Sorens testimony, there is insufficient basis for the accusation.

And just like that, my case collapsed before midday.

Five years of devotion erased in a single statement.

Outside the courthouse steps, I stood alone, fingers shaking uncontrollably.

Footsteps followed soon after.

I didnt need to turn to know who it was.

Alina, Sorens voice reached me firstcontrolled, but edged with irritation. You should have let this go instead of filing charges. He was intoxicated.

I turned slowly.

I didnt smell any alcohol on him, I said quietly.

Gideon had smelled of expensive cologne, precision, and restraint. Nothing about him suggested drunkenness.

Evelina stepped forward with a gentle sigh. Hes not a bad person, she said softly. It was just an unfortunate mistake.

My chest tightened painfully.

A mistake was an accident. A spilled drink. A misstep.

What happened to me was not a mistake. It was a decision.

I looked at Soren again, but he still would not meet my gaze.

Youve put both packs in an awkward position, he added. This could jeopardize our alliance.

Our alliance.

That mattered more than anything else. More than my fear. More than my humiliation. More than me.

A quiet, broken laugh escaped my lips.

So thats what youre worried about? I asked. Politics? Not what he did to me?

His jaw flexed. Dont exaggerate what happened.

Something inside me finally gave way. I said nothing more and simply turned away.

If I stayed even a moment longer, I might have screamed until there was nothing left of my voice.

That night, sitting alone in the room we once shared, everything became painfully obvious.

Five years had meant nothing. He did not love me. He never truly saw me.

He saw her in me.

Even then, the difference was clear.

With me, I served. I cooked for him, cleaned after him, adjusted my entire life around his. I waited in silence like someone trained to belong beside him but never truly with him.

With Evelina, he changed. He bowed his attention to her, listened to her words, adjusted his time for her presence, gifted her jewelry and gowns that spoke of value I was never granted.

To him, I was always what I had been in the beginning.

A maid.

Even if he called me his fiance.

The realization should have broken me. Instead, it left only emptiness.

That evening, I began to pack.

I folded my plain clothes into a worn suitcase and quietly sold a few of the dresses he had once given me through a discreet merchant in town. I needed enough to leave without depending on anyone.

If I was going to disappear, I would not do it on my knees.

By nightfall, I hid the suitcase beneath the bed.

As though the world wanted to test my resolve, Alpha Soren entered shortly after.

I straightened immediately, keeping my expression neutral.

I need you at the Alpha Gathering tomorrow, he said.

I looked up at him.

The allied packs already recognize you as my fiance. Your absence would raise questions.

I nodded once. I understand.

If Fallendawn truly had something to do with me, then that gathering might reveal why.

The following evening, we arrived at the grand hall.

Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over polished marble floors. Alphas and heirs from various territories filled the space, dressed in elegance, power carefully contained beneath composed smiles.

I wore a simple gownplain, familiar, unremarkable.

Evelina, however, stood out immediately in a silver dress that shimmered with every movement. It fit her perfectly, as though it had been made for her alone.

I recognized it instantly. It was one of Sorens gifts.

Gideon stood beside her, calm and composed, as though he had never cornered me in private or made my skin crawl with fear.

We moved through the crowd, and a painful truth settled in.

I was not the one beside Soren.

Evelina was.

His hand guided her gently at the waist, never mine.

A foreign Alpha soon approached them with an easy smile.

So this is your fiance, he said, gesturing toward Evelina.

Soren did not correct him immediately. For a brief moment, he almost looked pleased.

Evelina only smiled faintly, accepting it without protest.

I waited.

I waited for him to correct the mistake.

He didnt.

The Alphas attention eventually shifted to me. And her?

Soren answered without hesitation. A maid.

The word cut deeper than anything I had endured.

The Alpha chuckled lightly. How considerate of you to bring your maid along.

Heat rushed to my face. I couldnt breathe properly. I turned away before anyone could see what was breaking in my eyes.

I moved toward the quieter edge of the hall, near the balcony doors. Cold air brushed against my skin as I tried to steady my breathing while staring into the night.

Then a wine glass was offered to me.

Careful, a low voice said. You look like you might collapse.

I turned.

A man stood before metall, composed, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. His presence was heavy, controlled, and unsettling in its calmness. His dark eyes studied me like he was piecing something together.

Im fine, I answered carefully.

He observed me a moment longer. Youre Alina of Nightfall.

Not a question.

I nodded. And you are?

A faint curve touched his lips, though it held no warmth.

I am the Alpha of Fallendawn Pack.

The name struck like a pause in time.

Fallendawn.

My pulse quickened instantly.

So this was him. The Alpha no records ever properly spoke of. The enemy Soren spoke of in silence and hatred.

His gaze drifted across the hall toward Soren and Evelina, who were laughing together as if nothing else existed.

Watching your Alpha so comfortably with another woman, he said evenly, you should come with me instead of remaining beside that fool.

My breath caught. There was no teasing in his voice. Only certainty.

I turned back briefly. Soren hadnt noticed I was gone. He hadnt looked for me at all.

Slowly, I faced the man again.

I didnt know him. I didnt trust him.

But staying there was no longer something I could endure.

Will you help me get revenge? I asked quietly.

His gaze darkened slightly.

More than that, he replied.

Alina

He didnt pressure me.

That was what stayed in my mind the most afterward. The Alpha of Fallendawn Pack had simply placed a small card into my hand that night during the gatheringthick black cardstock with a single number written in clean silver ink.

One call, he said in a steady voice. And Ill pull you out of that cage you still call a pack.

At first, I almost pushed back.

Nightfall had been my home for years. I knew its halls by heart, the timing of footsteps in its corridors, the routines of its people. I had served its pack, cleaned its floors, and somewhere along the way, I had also loved its Alpha with everything I had.

But then I stood there and watched Alpha Soren laugh beside Evelina, casually calling me a maid in front of other Alphas, and the word cage stopped sounding exaggerated.

It started sounding truthful.

Still, I didnt reach out right away.

Leaving quietly would have been too simple. Too forgiving. Too neat for people who had already rewritten my life without asking.

If I walked away, Alpha Soren, Evelina, and Gideon would simply continue as if I had never mattered. They would reshape the story, erase me in private, and let me fade into something spoken about only in passing.

I refused that ending.

If I was going to leave, it would not be as something discarded and forgotten.

The next morning, I returned to the courthouse and filed an appeal against Gideon. The clerk behind the counter looked genuinely surprised to see me again, especially with the bandage still wrapped around my head.

Are you sure about this? he asked carefully.

Yes, I said evenly. I have more statements to submit.

What I didnt say was that I no longer believed the court would save me.

After that, I began collecting everything I could.

Messages between Soren and Evelina. His promise to end things with me. His admission that he only ever saw her reflected in me. The so-called plan to keep me away from Fallendawn. Even security footage from inside the packhouse that proved what he had been hiding. I had slipped in quietly to retrieve it all, despite only the Alpha being permitted access to that room.

Five years of deception, compressed into files and screenshots.

I duplicated everythingcloud storage, a hidden drive, even an email draft waiting to be sent.

If they planned to erase me, I would make sure I left evidence behind.

Two days before his birthday, I went to his office.

He barely looked up from the documents spread across his desk.

Alpha, I said softly, your birthday is in two days. Are you planning anything?

He leaned back in his chair. Were flying out with the senior officials. Its more of a strategic trip than a celebration.

And me? I asked.

Youre coming, he answered without hesitation. Everythings already arranged.

Of course it was.

I have something special prepared for you, I added, my fingers tightening slightly around my phone in my pocket.

If he noticed the edge in my voice, he didnt show it.

Instead, his expression shifted slightly. Gideon said he saw you speaking with Alpha Ryker at the gathering. The Fallendawn Alpha. His tone sharpened. Did he say anything to you?

So they were watching me.

I kept my voice steady. He only greeted me.

Soren studied me for a long moment.

Good, he said at last. Dont speak to him again.

Then he stood and crossed the space between us. Before I could step back, he pulled me into his arms.

I havent been giving you much attention lately, have I? he murmured near my ear. Ive just been busy dealing with our guests. But youre still my priority, Mel.

His voice was gentle. Familiar. Almost comforting.

If I hadnt seen the messages. If I hadnt read the plan. If I hadnt watched him defend Gideon without hesitation in court.

I might have believed him again.

I might have fallen for it all over.

I know, I said quietly, forcing a small smile. Its fine, Alpha. I understand.

I looked up at him.

I understand.

The day of his birthday arrived with an unusual buzz throughout the packhouse. Luggage rolled across polished floors, warriors talked excitedly about foreign trips, and officials discussed schedules as though it were some grand occasion.

It looked like celebration.

It felt like departure.

I had already decided.

At the driveway, a line of vehicles waited to take us to the airport.

I walked toward Sorens usual car. Evelina slipped inside first, naturally taking the front passenger seat beside him.

I moved toward the backthen stopped.

A massive teddy bear occupied most of the seat. On the other side, a white cat rested inside a carrier.

Evelina turned toward me with a soft smile.

I cant sleep without my teddy, she said lightly. And I couldnt leave my cat behind.

Her gaze flicked over me. Why dont you ride with my brother instead?

My body went cold.

Gideon leaned against the second car nearby, watching silently with a faint, unreadable smile.

I forced calm into my voice. Thats alright. I already booked a cab earlier. I have a few things to handle on the way.

Evelina blinked, slightly taken aback.

Oh, she said, then smiled again. Just dont be late. You wouldnt want to miss everything.

Miss everything. I almost laughed at the irony.

The cab arrived minutes later. As it pulled away from the packhouse, I didnt look back even once.

Halfway to the airport, I made a call.

Sun News, a man answered briskly.

I have a story, I said quietly. About the Alpha of Nightfall Pack.

There was a pause. Then interest sharpened his tone.

Im listening.

I told him everythingthe engagement, the betrayal, the messages, the courtroom testimony, Gideons actions, the cover-up.

I have proof, I added. Screenshots. Documents. Everything.

He exhaled slowly. This is big, he admitted. Send it. Well verify it. If it holds, well publish before midnight.

Before midnight. That was enough.

After I hung up, my phone rang again immediately.

Unknown number.

I answered.

Are you ready? The voice was calm, deep.

Alpha Ryker.

I looked out the window as the airport came into view.

Yes, I replied.

Good, he said. My people are waiting for you.

At the airport, the group gathered near the gatelaughter, excitement, photos, celebration.

Alpha Soren stood relaxed, Evelina holding onto his arm like she already belonged there.

When it was almost time to board, I spoke.

Ill use the restroom, I said.

Evelina smiled sweetly. Be quick. Dont miss the flight.

She had no idea.

I walked away calmly. But instead of turning toward the restroom, I went the other direction entirely.

Different terminal. Different airline. Different destination.

My hands shook slightly as I checked in for the Fallendawn flight.

When I finally received my boarding pass, my phone began vibrating nonstop.

Sorens name flashed again and again.

Messages followed immediately.

Where are you?

Boarding is starting.

Alina, answer me.

I turned the phone off.

Then I pulled out the SIM card, dropped it into a nearby trash bin, and replaced it with the new one given by Alpha Rykers assistant.

A clean cut.

Once I settled into my seat on the plane bound for Fallendawn territory, I finally allowed myself to breathe.

The cabin lights dimmed as the aircraft prepared for takeoff. My new phone buzzed softly.

I answered.

Im already on the plane, I said quietly.

Alpha Rykers voice was steady. Good.

I looked out at the runway lights stretching into the dark.

This time, I murmured, theyre probably enjoying themselves without me.

A faint smile touched my lips.

But tonight theyll learn what it costs.