the full moon had always been a symbol of unity in Blackthorn Pack. Wolves gathered under its glow to strengthen ties, to celebrate victories, to reaffirm loyalty to the Alpha. But tonight, the light felt cruel.Cold Exposing.
Esther stood in the center of the clearing, heart thudding against her ribs like a trapped bird.Around her, the pack pressed close, dozens of eyes fixed on her, waiting. She could feel the weight of their expectation, the restless hush of voices dying away.
She turned her gaze to Tyler, her mate. Her partner.Her bond. Alpha's right hand. For years, she had been his silent strength, his
counsel, his organizer. Everything he had accomplished for the Alpha, he had accomplished because she'd been at his side. She was the one who kept him sharp, who turned his scattered ambitions into strategy.
So why did his face look like this? So hard. So
resolute. So... cold.
"Tyler?" she whispered, her voice trembling though she fought to hold it steady
He didn't waver. He didn't even soften.
"Esther," he said loudly, so the entire pack could hear, "I can't continue this bond."
Her Stomach dropped. The clearing erupted with shocked murmurs.
Tyler raised his chin, his tone carrying like a
blade through the night air. "I reject you."
The words sliced her in two. Her wolf roared insideher, frantic, clawing at the unraveling tether that bound her to him. Pain
lanced through her chest as if her soul itself was being torn apart.
"No," she whispered, barely able to
breathe. "You-you don't mean that."
But Tyler was unrelenting. He turned toward the crowd, projecting his voice like he wanted to be applauded. "Dorothy needs me more. She is vulnerable. She deserves my protection."
Esther's heart froze.
And then Dorothy stepped forward.
Her cousin's golden hair spilled over her shoulders like a silken curtain, her wide eyes brimming with tears that caught the lantern light. She looked delicate, tragic, the perfect picture of innocence.
"Please," Dorothy choked, pressing
trembling hands to her chest. "Don't hate Esther for this.
She's... she's been struggling. She's jealous, unstable. I tried to help her,but she-she frightened me."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Wolves shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between the two cousins.
"That's a lie!" Esther snapped, her voice
cracking with fury and disbelief.
Dorothy flinched artfully, clutching Tyler's arm
like she feared an attack. "See? She's so cruel. I never wanted this!"
The whispers came quickly.
"Unstable."
"Always too fiery."
"Dorothy's always been gentle, maybe she really did need protecting."
Esther's throat closed. Rage burned through her veins, hot and wild, but it was smothered under the suffocating crush of betrayal. Her own mate. Her own blood. And the pack-her pack-believing every crocodile tear Dorothy shed.
But one man didn't.
Zayne.
The Alpha leaned casually against a wooden post at the edge of the clearing, his black hair catching the silver sheen of the moon.His eyes, sharp as a wolf's strike, locked onto Esther. He didn't move. Didn't speak. But his jaw tightened, a muscle ticking hard, betraying the fury simmering beneath his cool exterior.
He didn't believe a word.
Esther's breath came ragged. She couldn't takeanother second. She turned, shoving through the wall of wolves, ignoring their
whispers and pitying stares. The forest swallowed her quickly, shadows closing in.
Her vision blurred. The mate bond burned and splintered inside her, every step heavier than the last. Her hands shook. Her chest ached. She wanted to scream, to cry, to tear everything apart.
Instead, she braced herself against a tree, digging her nails into the bark until splinters bit her skin.
"Running already?"
The voice was low, smooth, threaded with dark amusement.
esther spun, her wolf surging. Zayne stood a lew feet away, tall and steady, moonlight cutting his profile into sharp edges. His presence filled the air, the kind of dominance that pressed against your skin whether you wanted it to or not.
Her breath hitched. "What do you want?"
He stepped closer, slow and unhurried, like a
predator circling prey it already owned. "If he's too blind to see your worth," he drawled, "maybe I should claim you myself."
Her eyes went wide. "You're insane."
Normally, she would never speak to the Alpha like that. She had always been careful, polite, formal.
Respectful. But not tonight. Tonight, her heart was shattered, her soul raw. Tonight, she didn't care about titles or tradition.
Zayne's grin widened. He looked like a wolf who had just scented blood, amused and intrigued. "I've been called worse."
Esther's voice cracked, sharper than she meant. "Is this fun for you? Toying with me? Mocking what I just lost?"
The humor in his eyes softened, just a
flicker."Fun? No, Esther. I don't waste my time on games.Least of all with you." His tone was low, steady— too steady-and it made something twist painfully in her chest.
She shook her head, refusing to believe the
sincerity in his voice.
Esther shoved past him, her spine stiff, her breath trembling. "Go to hell, Alpha."
Unbothered, he watched her go, smirk still curling his lips. She might think she'd won that little exchange, but the truth was simple. A seed had been planted.
By the time Esther stormed off the training grounds,her steps quick and unsteady, she heard the rapid patter of footsteps closing
in behind her.
"Esther! Wait up!" Lily's voice rang out,
breathless but determined.
Esther quickened her pace anyway, not trusting her voice.
But Lily was relentless-half jogging, half weaving past startled pack members until she finally caught Esther by the arm.
"Oh no,you don't," she panted, glaring at her friend. "You're not running off to sulk alone. Not after that circus."
Esther tried to tug free, but Lily only tightened
her grip, falling into step beside her. "You're stuck with me, sweetheart.And while we're walking, I've got a few things to say about a certain spineless ex-mate and his doe-eyed damsel."
Lily huffed, practically spitting fire. "The
nerve of that snake Tyler-standing there acting like Dorothy's little guard dog when she's the one crying wolf in the first place. And the way she clutched his arm?
Please. I've seen deer hit by carts put on better performances."
"Lily-" Esther muttered, not slowing her
pace.
"Oh no, don't you 'Lily' me," her friend
cut in sharply.
"That smug little doe-eyed routine Dorothy's got going? Pathetic. And Tyler? Don't get me started. The man couldn't recognize loyalty if it bit him in the ass. You should've clawed both their faces off and walked away a legend.",
pespite herself, Esther let out a strangled laugh.
"You're ridiculous."
"Ridiculously right," Lily said without missing a beat. "Honestly, Ess, the only thing keeping me from hexing them both is my healer's oath-and trust me, it's hanging by a thread."
They reached the healer's hut, Esther pushing the door open with a weary sigh. She dropped onto the nearest stool, shoulders
slumping.
Lily, still full of righteous fury, clattered about with jars before thrusting a steaming mug into Esther's hands.
"Drink," she ordered. "Before I pour it on Tyler's head."
Esther snorted into the mug, the bitter brew warming her throat. "Don't waste your medicine."
"Oh, it wouldn't be wasted." Lily plopped
down across from her, eyes glinting with mischief now instead of rage."Especially since I heard you and Alpha Zayne back there."
Esther froze, nearly choking on her sip.
"...You what?"
Lily leaned in with a wicked grin. "Every.
Single Word. 'If he's too blind to see your worth, maybe I should claim you
myself.'" She mimicked Zayne's deep, mocking tone and waggled her brows.
"Honestly, Ess, if I had the Alpha making
declarations like that, I'd already be naming our pups."
Esther groaned, hiding her face behind her hands.
"Moon above, Lily-"
"What?" Lily arched a brow, delight dancing in her eyes. "You can't tell me you didn't notice the way he looked at you. That man wasn't joking. Zayne doesn't waste his breath unless he means it. And judging by that smirk of his, I'd say he's more entertained by you than he's been in years."
Esther shook her head firmly. "He was just
trying to humiliate Tyler."
"Mhm," Lily drawled. "And I'm secretly the Moon Goddess in disguise. Face it, Ess-you've got the Alpha circling you, and if that doesn't make Tyler choke on his ego already, then he's even dumber than we thought.'
Her grin softened then, her voice losing the sharp edge. "You don't deserve what they did to you.
Tyler and Dorothy can rot together. You're stronger than them both, even if you don't see it yet."
Esther blinked back fresh tears, clutching the mug tight. "I don't feel strong."
"That's why you've got me," Lily said
simply, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "And maybe-just maybe-you've got an Alpha too."
The next evening, the pack gathered again. The air was taut with tension, every glance sharp, every whisper cutting. Esther walked
in with her chin high, though the ache in her chest hadn't eased.
She refused to let them see her break.
Tyler, standing tall beside Dorothy, spotted her instantly. His expression shifted into something pained, as though he were the
tragic hero of his own story.
"Esther," he said with a heavy sigh, his
voice carrying over the chatter. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. But Dorothy... she needs me.
She's not as strong as you. You'll be fine on your own, but she... she wouldn't survive without me."
Dorothy lowered her head, eyes shimmering like a delicate fawn about to collapse, leaning into his side as if the world itself pressed too heavily on her shoulders.
"Funny," Zayne said, his voice cutting
through the night like a blade.
The Alpha rose, every eye snapping to him. His smile was sharp, dangerous.
"Because from where I stand, Esther doesn't
look weak. She looks like a wolf who doesn't need anyone holding her leash." His gaze slid to Tyler, his tone edged with steel.
"Perhaps that's the real problem. She was
always too capable for you, wasn't she? Easier to pick someone weaker. Makes
your ego feel bigger."
Tyler's face flushed.
"Alpha-" Zayne didn't blink.
"You were my right hand, Tyler.
And now? You look like a boy hiding behind a girl's tears."
The silence was suffocating. Dorothy's lips parted in outrage, but she didn't dare speak
Esther's pulse thundered in her ears. Heat rose to her cheeks-not just anger, not just humiliation, but something else. Something
dangerous that Zayne had planted in her with every word.
From Zayne's side, Jake stood silently, his arms folded, his sharp eyes missing nothing.
He didn't speak, didn't move, but his mind was already turning. He'd served the Alpha long enough to know Zayne wasn't just teasing. He was circling.
Testing.
And if Jake's instincts were right, this was only the beginning.