CHAPTER 1

The forest seemed to stretch on forever as Eva ran. Branches clawed at Eva’s sleeves as she moved. She could feel her lungs burning. Her legs had gone numb, and her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She was already exhausted but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t stop.

Not when her future was being signed away. Not when she’d been sold off to a creature she’d never met all in the name of marriage. Not when Jennifer, her sister, was supposed to be the bride.

“She’s their daughter. I’m just the maid who wore her clothes when it was convenient.” Eva thought in her mind.

And now, she was running away from an engagement to a werewolf lord.

The forest started to get covered with fog but she didn’t dare look back. Her breath came in frantic gasps as she stumbled over roots, scratched her palms against trees and ducked under low branches.

Somewhere behind her, she could still hear the faint shouting of the DeRyile guards.

“Miss DeRyile!”

“Eva, please, come out!”

“Don’t hide! Don’t make this harder than it has to be. The marriage is set in stone!”

She clenched her teeth. Set in stone for them, maybe.

Suddenly, a deep growl vibrated through the woods. The kind that froze the blood and turned bones to ice. Eva came to a halt. Her scream caught in her throat as she looked through the trees.

She heard another sound—heavy footsteps. These steps were too heavy for a man.

From between the trees, it appeared.

A monstrous bear. Its fur was filled with mud and blood. Its eyes glowed with rage. Its snout twitched, sniffing the air before locking onto her like prey.

Eva took a step back. Then another.

And the bear charged.

She opened her mouth to scream, but the sound never came. Because in that exact moment, something else came out from the shadows.

It was so fast that all she saw was a flash of black. A blur of motion.

The bear didn’t make it three steps before a massive wolf—pitch black and larger than any natural beast—slammed into its side, snarling loudly.

Eva stumbled backward. Her legs gave way as she collapsed into the moss and leaves. She watched the battle unfold with wide eyes. The two beasts clashed like titans. They were so quick that all she saw were fangs and claws tearing through the air. All she could hear were the sounds of snarls and growls.

Blood poured out everywhere. The bear reared back, wounded and disoriented, before the black wolf lunged and sank its fangs into its throats.

It was over in seconds.

The bear collapsed, twitching once… then lay still.

The black wolf turned and its eyes locked onto her.

Eva gasped, moving backward but it came closer to her. Its gaze devoured her. She should’ve screamed. Should’ve run.

But she couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe.

Something deep inside her chest vibrated. It was a soul-deep pull. Something inside her felt like it had woken up after years of being dead. she looked into the wolf’s eyes and suddenly, felt shivers run down her spine. She felt connected to this wolf in a way she didn’t understand. She felt drawn to it for some reason…like a moth to a flame.

Her eyes widened as the wolf stopped before her, towering, terrifying—and yet not.

She didn’t feel too scared anymore. Not when she saw the way its ears flicked at her voice. Not when its chest rumbled. Then the rumble changed. It became a word.

“Mate.” The wolf growled.

Eva’s entire body jolted.

Her lips parted, but before she could speak, the wolf lunged, not to kill, but to claim.

The wolf sank its teeth into her neck. Eva gasped. She winced as she felt a sharp pain. Her breath caught in her lungs as her eyes went wide. Her body was frozen beneath the weight of his bite. It wasn’t brutal, but it was possessive. It felt like the universe had snapped something into place.

Then—

“Eva!”

“Miss DeRyile!”

The shouting was back. Louder. Closer.

The wolf stiffened. His golden eyes moved to the direction of the voices. The spell broke.

Eva’s heart slammed against her ribs. Her body, still shaky was filled with a single command: Run.

She shoved the wolf with all her strength. To her surprise, he moved, stumbled slightly. Just enough.

She didn’t wait.

She ran again. Branches scraped her arms and face as she ran through the undergrowth, not knowing where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away.

Behind her, the black wolf let out a sound. Not a growl. A groan. A frustrated, shocked sound like he couldn’t believe she’d slipped away.

And then his body began to change.

Its muscles shrank. Its fur retracted. Its bones cracked and twisted until what stood in the wolf’s place was a tall, bare-chested man with dark hair, broad shoulders, and fire in his eyes.

Zayne.

Alpha of the Rivers Pack.

The mark of his bite was fresh in his mind.

He stood there, stunned.

“She shoved me,” he whispered to himself, half in awe. “She… actually pushed me off.”

He wasn’t used to being touched, let alone rejected. But it wasn’t rejection. He knew it. No mate bond burned that brightly without a return.

He blinked, shaking himself, and raised a hand to his earpiece. “Leo.”

“Alpha. Where the hell are you?” Leo answered “You’re supposed to be preparing for the engagement ceremony. The elders are—”

“I found her.”

“What do you mean you found—?”

“My mate.” Zayne’s voice was low “She was just there, in the forest. And I bit her.”

“…You bit her?”

Zayne’s jaw tightened. “Yes.”

“Alpha,” Leo said “you realize what this means? The DeRyiles are waiting. The treaty must be sealed tonight. You promised.”

Zayne’s fist clenched. His gaze never left the direction Eva had vanished. “I promised because I hadn’t found her. Now I have. The treaty can wait.”

Leo’s voice dropped. “The DeRyiles won’t wait. They’ll take this as a betrayal. This engagement was the only thing keeping peace balanced. The humans—”

“Then send Elder Trask in my place,” Zayne snapped. “He’ll handle the formalities. Say I’m... delayed by border tensions.”

“And what will you be doing?”

“Finding her.”

There was a pause. “Alpha, do you even know what she looks like?”

Zayne stared into the trees. His heart was still pounding from the feel of her—her skin, her scent, her fire.

He could still taste her.

“…I never saw her face,” he murmured.

Leo cursed softly in the background.

CHAPTER 2

The sky was dark when they found her.

There was mud all over her torn dress, and her face was pale, filled with blood and dirt. Her bare feet were blistered and bleeding, and her eyes still burned with panic as she was dragged through the DeRyile gates.

“Let go of me!” Eva screamed, writhing against the iron grip of the family’s hired handyman. His fingers dug into her bruised arms. He didn’t give two fucks about her desperate struggling.

“You’ve caused enough trouble for one night, girl,” he snapped.

The gates closed behind them with a clang that felt like the end of freedom itself.

Inside the manor, the lights were low. The hallways were silent—eerily so. The stillness didn’t comfort Eva. It suffocated her.

She barely had time to catch her breath before the door to Mr. Jason DeRyile’s study slammed open.

He was waiting.

Jason, her foster father, stood behind the desk. The years had not softened him. His face was as severe as his rules. He had wrinkles all over his face. He didn’t speak right away. He simply pointed to the ground in front of him.

The handyman shoved her forward.

She fell hard.

Eva hit the floor with a grunt, her elbows scraping the ground. She tried to stand, but Jason’s voice stopped her.

“Stay down.” He ordered.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“You’ve shamed this family,” he said, stepping around his desk. His shoes echoed as he walked toward her. “Do you have any idea what you've done?”

“I didn’t ask to be part of this family,” she whispered. “You only kept me around to clean your boots and take your daughter’s punishments.”

That was when the first blow came.

It was a harsh, open-handed slap that sent her crashing sideways. Pain exploded across her cheek. She gasped, eyes stinging with tears.

“You think you have a choice?” he hissed, his face inches from hers. “That marriage has been in place since before you could walk. It is the only thing keeping our kind from war.”

She blinked hard. Her vision was getting blurry..

“Then let Jennifer go!” Eva cried. “She’s your daughter—”

“You are my foster daughter,” Jason growled, grabbing a fistful of her hair and yanking her head back. “And as my ward, your life is a tool to be used. That marriage is your duty.”

Eva gritted her teeth, even as pain spread through her scalp. “No… it's your deal. I was just the spare.”

He let go of her, letting her slump back to the ground, shaking.

A slow clap echoed from the doorway.

Jennifer.

She walked into the room with a smirk playing on her glossy lips. She was dressed in a silk nightgown. She looked more like someone preparing for a ball than witnessing her sister’s punishment.

“Well, well, little runaway,” Jennifer purred, stepping closer. “Did you enjoy your romantic night in the mud?”

Eva turned her face away, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

But Jennifer saw it—the bruise on her neck, vivid and shaped like fangs. Jennifer assumed it was a hickey.

She gasped theatrically, then chuckled. “Oh my God… is that a love bite?”

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Jennifer crouched beside Eva, who winced as her step-sister brushed back her matted hair.

“Looks like little Eva’s been sneaking off for some late-night fun,” Jennifer sneered. “Better enjoy your disgusting hookups while you can. That old fossil you are going to marry—he won’t satisfy anything.”

Jason’s face darkened. “What have you done in that forest?”

Eva’s voice broke. “Nothing, except from running.”

“If this deal falls apart, there will be blood, Eva. Do you understand me?” Jason said “They will come for us. You think the werewolves will forgive being insulted by a runaway human bride?”

She spat blood on the floor. “Why do I care? You treat me like a slave, not a daughter. Either way I'm going to be discarded as a piece of trash.”

Jason went still. Then he turned, opened a locked drawer in his desk, and pulled out a faded envelope. Her heart skipped when she saw it. she wondered what was inside. Another punishment?

“This,” he said coldly, holding it up, “contains information about your real parents.”

Eva froze.

Jason leaned in close, letting her see it, smell it—then yanked it away again. “Cooperate. Fulfill your duty. And this will be yours.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed. Her breathing was heavier now due to how desperate she was.

The envelope disappeared back into the drawer with a click.

Eva’s shoulders slumped.

“I hate you,” she whispered.

Jason said nothing. Jennifer only smiled wider.

-

Three days later and in the River Pack territory, Alpha Zayne paced before the large arched windows. His whole body was filled with tension.

He hadn’t slept. Not well.

His claws itched to shift, to run, to find her. But he hadn’t seen her face. All he knew about her was the fire in her soul, the scent of her skin, and the blood-deep echo of the mate bond still burning under his own.

He turned as Leo stepped into the room.

“Any word?” Zayne asked immediately.

Leo shook his head. “Nothing yet. We need to be careful in human territory. They're shielding her well.”

Zayne’s jaw clenched.

“She ran from me,” he said, pacing again. “But not out of disgust. She was chasing by someone. She was afraid of them. Of what would happen.”

“She was also afraid of you,” Leo pointed out. “You marked her, Alpha. Bit her basically. You didn’t complete the ritual. She’s probably confused, scared… maybe in pain.”

Zayne’s hands curled into fists.

“The humans interrupted before I could give her my blood,” he growled. “I didn’t seal it. The bond is raw. Incomplete. It’s my fault.”

Leo nodded,“So what now?”

“I will marry the human girl the treaty demands,” Zayne said bitterly. “I’ll honor the agreement.”

“But?”

“But my true mate. She will be my Luna. The only one who matters.”

Leo exhaled slowly. “You do realize what that could cause, don’t you? Marrying one, claiming another?”

“I don’t care.” Zayne’s eyes burned gold. “A treaty is politics. A mate is destiny.”

Before Leo could reply, the doors burst open. Two of Zayne’s trackers stormed in, panting from their run.

“Alpha!” they shrieked.

Zayne turned to them immediately, hoping for news “What is it?”

“We found her!” one of them gasped. “The girl… the human bearing your mark.”

Time stopped. Zayne’s heart beat even heavier now.

“Where?” he demanded, stepping forward.

CHAPTER 3

The moment they told Zayne they’d found her, his heart exploded with something close to hope and something far too dangerous to name.

The girl bearing his mark. The one he’d bitten in the forest. The one whose scent still haunted his every breath. He had finally found her. Thank the moon goddess.

He rushed to the meeting hall where the guards had said she was. He was so excited that he could feel his pulse loud in his ears. He was barely able to breathe through the anticipation. But when the doors opened and he saw the woman inside—

He stopped dead.

“…Leah?” he asked.

Leah Westbank. She was the daughter of Alpha Garrett Westbank. Their families were allies. They’d grown up side by side, trained together, hunted together. She had always been around—always been there. They had been friends since childhood. They were quite close. And yet… never once had he looked at her and felt this. He never had any form of attraction to her, talk more of feelings.

Looking at her, what he felt now was… nothing. This wasn’t what he felt with the girl in the woods that night.

There was no rush. No fire. His wolf stirred but not in hunger. Not in yearning. He was quiet. Watchful.

Cautious.

She stood. She looked a little too poised. Her blonde hair fell in perfect waves. Her clothes were luxurious as always. The red dress she wore hugged her clothes in all the right places. Her lips curled into a small, victorious smile.

“Zayne,” she breathed, walking toward him. “I always know we are meant to be together... The mark; It’s yours.”

He stared at the side of her neck. The skin there shimmered faintly. It was his mark. Undeniably his. A perfect imprint. It stared back at him.

“This doesn’t make sense,” he muttered, stepping closer.

“It does,” Leah said softly. “It only feels… distant because the ritual wasn’t finished. You bit me, but you didn’t give me your blood. We can fix that. Just… complete it now.”

He backed away a step. His wolf was silent.

There were no feelings of claws. No growl. No urge to touch her.

Just… silence.

Leah’s smile widened “You don’t feel it?”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

Meanwhile, Eva was dropped by her father's men at the gated entrance to Rivers Pack. She considered running away for about one second when a wild howling arises from not far. Good. That's werewolf for sure. She didn't sulk long as a stunning girl shows up to pick her up.

"Eva DeRyiles? We've been expecting you! I'm Zoe, Zayne's sister." She hugged her like an old friend. Eva was a bit startled but she didn't dislike it. She couldn't remember when was the last time being squeezed affectionately.

Eva followed her lead.

Zoe was practically bouncing as she walked alongside Eva through the heart of the Rivers Pack territory. Her arm looped through Eva’s as though they were already fast friends.

“You’re going to love it here, I swear,” Zoe said brightly. “We’re not like other packs. We’ve got rules, yes, and protocol, but Zayne’s made this place feel like home. Safer. More equal.”

Eva managed a small nod. Everything felt strange. There was too much stone, too many tall warriors walking by and giving her unreadable looks. She was used to hiding in corners, not being paraded through halls like some honored guest.

“This is the west courtyard,” Zoe continued, gesturing toward a space lined with bushes and trees. “We hold festivals here when the moons align. You should see the lights at night. I can’t wait for you to see them.”

Eva looked around. It was peaceful.

Zoe didn’t seem to notice her quiet hesitation. “And that’s the training arena,” she pointed next. “Zayne trains with the warriors there every morning. He says no Alpha should lead without bleeding beside his pack. It’s… kind of amazing. He doesn’t talk about it, but he earned every ounce of their loyalty.”

Eva glanced sideways at that. “You care about him a lot.”

Zoe laughed softly. “Of course I do. He’s my brother. But he’s also… the best Alpha I’ve ever known. He’s strong, sure, but he carries it quietly. Like it’s not a crown, just a burden he chose.”

Eva’s chest tightened. Her thoughts went to Mr. DeRyile’s fists. To the cold threats and shackles of duty. What kind of leader chose their burden?

They passed under an arched hall, and Zoe turned left toward the eastern wing.

“You’re not what I expected, honestly,” Zoe added, looking at Eva curiously. “You’re… stronger. I thought you’d be all noble and uptight, but you’ve got fire.”

Eva gave a dry chuckle. “I’ve been raised in a cage. Fire’s all I had left.”

They rounded the next corner and that’s when it happened.

Eva stopped cold.

Zayne was standing in the chamber up ahead. In his arms was Leah. They were close—too close. His head was slightly lowered. He had his hand on her back. To Eva, it looked like an intimate moment between lovers.

She stiffened. Her heart thudded dully. Zoe tried to say something, but Eva had already stepped forward.

Zayne turned.

The moment his eyes landed on her, everything inside him roared. Her scent hit him like a punch to the chest.

Wildflowers. Earth and fire. His wolf howled. He couldn’t stop himself.

“Wait—Zayne?” Zoe said in alarm.

Zayne was already moving. In one blur of motion, he was in front of Eva, gripping her dress collar. His eyes were wild and searching. He yanked the fabric aside, scanning her neck. His breath was frantic. But—nothing. There was no scar, no mark.

“No,” he whispered, his hands trembling. “I bit you… it was right here—why isn’t it here?”

Eva shoved him back, hard.

“Don’t touch me!” she snapped. Her voice cracked. She was filled with panic and confusion. What was going on?. “I came here under treaty. I’m not here for you to manhandle like some feral beast.”

Zayne froze. He blinked, stunned. He then realized he shouldn’t have reacted that way. What came over him?

“I came here in good faith,” Eva continued “You have no right.”

Zayne dropped his arms to his sides. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I—”

“I don’t want your apology,” Eva said, then paused, pressing a hand to her neck. Her fingers hovered over the place she remembered the pain.

“The mark,” she whispered to herself. “It’s really gone.”

It was gone because she healed fast.

Eva looked at him then—really looked.

Was this her to be husband? She expected some grizzled old man, not this. Not the tall, muscular Alpha with beautiful eyes and a commanding presence that unsettled something in her chest. But before either of them could say another word—

Leah’s sharp voice pierced the silence.

Leah stumbled, clutching her chest dramatically. “I—I feel it. The bond. It’s pulling. Zayne, please,! She doesn’t belong here!”

Zoe stepped in, alarmed. “Leah—are you okay?”

“Get her out of here!” Leah screamed, pointing at Eva. “She’s ruining everything!”

Eva’s face paled. Her instincts screamed. She knew what would happen if they cast her out. She’d be sent back. To the DeRyiles. To her fate.

“If I go back,” she said evenly, though her voice trembled, “I will be punished. Brutally. I am here under treaty, and you will honor it.”

Zayne closed his eyes. Everything felt suffocating to him - duty, instincts, conflicting emotions.

Then he opened them. And spoke.

“I will honor the treaty,” he said.

Eva stood still, silent.

“I will marry Eva DeRyile… to protect the peace.” He said.

Leah’s face went pale, but then, her eyes gleamed.

Zayne didn’t stop there.

“But,” he continued, “it will be in name only.”

Eva’s chest tightened at his words.

He turned to Leah. “You, my true mate, will be Luna.”

Eva smiled. It was cold. Hollow.

“Of course,” she said quietly. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Zayne felt it.

That stab.

Not from Leah. But from her, Eva.

And for the first time in years, he didn’t feel like a king or a warrior.

He felt like a man standing at a crossroads.

And somehow… already choosing the wrong road.

CHAPTER 4

Zoe had done her best.

She showed Eva the private quarters set aside for her at the northern wing of the pack house. It was a beautiful cozy room with pink walls, thick rugs, and a wide window that overlooked the pine woods. She talked the whole way, pointing out all the training fields, the warriors' barracks, the healer’s den, and the indoor spring bath that she claimed could cure any headache.

“You’ll love it here,” Zoe said with a bright smile. “I mean, it might feel strange at first, being around all of us, but Zayne will make sure you’re safe. He’s… intimidating sometimes, but he’s good. Deep down, he’s good.”

Eva nodded along, managing small smiles, but she barely absorbed a word. Her mind was spinning. Her body was exhausted.

Once Zoe left her alone with a quick hug and a hopeful "Try to rest," the silence became deafening.

Eva stared at the room for a moment. It was too clean, too unfamiliar. Her hands were still trembling. She walked to the window and pressed her forehead to the cold glass.

Everything was happening too fast.

First the forest. Then the bite. Then being dragged back and beaten. Then Zayne—biting her, then rejecting her, now marrying her for peace while another woman wore the title of Luna.

Her knees gave out.

Eva collapsed to the floor, pressing her fists into her chest as she cried. She couldn’t help the sobs that came out. She was just too… overwhelmed. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want any of this.

She tried to hold it in at first, biting her lip, trembling. But it was useless. The tears came hard and fast.

She cried for the childhood she never had. For the freedom she’d tasted for just a moment. For the confusion in Zayne’s eyes. For the way her soul ached every time she thought about him.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered through her tears. “I don’t belong here.”

—

Down the hall, Zayne couldn’t stop pacing. He kept thinking about her.

That scent. That voice. That look in her eyes when he’d touched her.

He leaned against the wall, trying to push away the pounding in his head.

He didn’t understand what was happening—but something inside him kept pulling him toward her. He didn’t care what the treaty demanded, what the elders expected. He only cared that she was here. That she was in pain. And he could feel it—somehow, he could feel her pain.

Without thinking, he turned and walked toward her quarters. He had to see her.

When he got there, he didn’t knock. He pushed the door open quietly and stopped.

There she was, curled on the floor, shoulders shaking. She had her hands clutched to her chest like she was trying to hold herself together.

Zayne stepped in slowly. His heart clenched at the sight of her. He hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t meant to see her like this. But he couldn’t turn away.

“Eva,” he said softly.

She gasped and scrambled back, trying to wipe at her face, hide the tears. “Wh–what are you doing here?”

Zayne hesitated, then lowered himself onto one knee, keeping a bit of distance.

“I didn’t come to hurt you,” he said gently. “I came because… I couldn’t stay away.”

Eva blinked at him, her red eyes glassy with tears.

“I came to apologize for my behaviour earlier,” he continued, voice low, “I don’t know what came over me but it felt like something woke up in me as soon as you came in”

Eva’s lips trembled. There was something about the words he said and the tone in his voice that made her chest ache “You don’t even know me.”

“I want to,” he said without hesitation. “I want to know you, Eva. I know you don’t want this marriage but I’ll do my best. I promise.”

Her breath hitched.

“I’m sorry for how I acted before,” he said quietly. “I was angry. Confused. And I took it out on you. That wasn’t fair.”

Eva looked at him for a long moment, searching his face. “You attacked me.”

“I did,” he admitted, “I regret it. I don’t know what came over me. Now… here I am, sitting on your floor, not giving a damn about anything but the fact that you’re hurting.”

Eva didn’t respond.

Zayne reached out, slowly, just to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. She flinched slightly—but didn’t pull away. His touch was gentle, his fingers barely grazing her skin.

Their eyes locked.

“I don’t want to scare you,” he said “I just… want to be close to you. Even if you don’t trust me yet.”

For a moment, the air between them thickened. His hand lingered near her cheek. Her breathing slowed. Her eyes shimmered.

They were so close now that he could feel her warmth.

“I don’t trust you,” she whispered. “Not yet.”

“I’ll earn it,” he said.

A pause.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because,” he murmured “I…”

They sat there, lost in the tension, the silence stretching between them like a thread waiting to snap. And for just a breath, it felt like the world had stilled around them.

Then a voice shattered it.

—

Leah stood just outside the door.

She had followed Zayne from the hall. She had suspicion crawling in her veins like fire. And now, seeing him kneeling before Eva, touching her, speaking to her with that soft edge in his voice—something snapped inside her.

That tenderness was hers.

Not Eva’s.

A low growl rumbled in her throat. She turned and stormed down the hallway. In the dark of the corridor, she slammed her hand against the wall and clenched her jaw.

And then she did the unthinkable.

Leah gritted her teeth, raised her arm, and slammed it into the stone pillar at full force. The bone cracked loudly. Pain exploded up her arm. She cried out.

“ZAYNE!” she screamed, stumbling to the floor, clutching her wrist.

She waited.

Waited for the bond to snap into place, for his instincts to drive him to her side.

But… nothing came.

Nothing.

No pull.

No panic.

No answering howl.

Her lip trembled. She was angry and scared at the same time. Did this mean it didn’t work?

She fled into the woods, clutching her injured hand, until she reached the crooked little hut by the river—the one she’d sworn never to return to unless desperate.

【Flashback – One Week Ago】

The room smelled like burnt herbs.

Leah stood in front of the witch’s altar, heart racing. “I need a mate mark. One that looks real. I don’t care how you do it. Just make him think I’m his.”

The witch looked at her. “I can create an illusion. A mimic. It will look like his. It will even carry the same heat, the same scent.”

Leah exhaled in relief.

“But it will not last,” the witch said firmly. “The spell must be fed by deception. And it will grow weaker each day. Especially if his true mate is nearby.”

“I’ll make him mark me for real before that happens.”

The witch’s smile was thin and cruel. “Then you best move quickly, child. For once the truth is smelled… it cannot be unsmelled.”

【End of Flashback】

Now Leah was back, seething. Her wrist was wrapped in cloth.

“You said I’d have time!” she spat at the witch.

“You are running out of it,” the old woman replied coolly. “The true mate is near. Her presence diminishes your hold. If you do not get him to complete the bond, your mark will disappear altogether.”

—

Back at the pack house, the courtyard was filled with wolves and elders.

Zayne stood before them in his formal black coat. Leo and Zoe were by his side. His eyes were locked forward.

“Tonight, I announce my decision,” he declared. “For the sake of the treaty and to protect the peace between our peoples…”

He paused.

“…I will marry Eva DeRyile.”

Leah, standing at the edge, forced a proud smile. But her knuckles were white.

Zayne’s face remained unreadable. His words were calm.

But his heart?

His heart was at war.

CHAPTER 5

The sun was just beginning to rise over the mountains, reflecting it’s lovely light on the Rivers Pack territory. The air was heavy with tension and expectation. Today was the day.

The wedding.

And the girl in the ivory gown was not the one originally promised.

Jennifer DeRyile had spent her morning pacing the halls of the guest wing. She felt like glass on the verge of breaking. Her hair was loose, her lips chewed raw. Her fingers twitched at her sides.

“Stupid. Stupid!” she hissed to herself, fuming as she turned another corner. 

She had given up the marriage—thrown it away in favor of convenience, mocking the idea of being shackled to some 'ancient, flea-ridden beast.' But now, now that she knew who the Alpha actually was…

Zayne.

He wasn’t some grizzled elder. He wasn’t an old man she couldn’t bear the thought of tolerating. 

He was tall, powerful, devastatingly handsome, and carried an air of silent dominance that made her knees weak. The way his warriors respected him. The way the halls quieted when he passed.  The way people spoke about him. That was the kind of man a DeRyile should marry. Not Eva. Not the pathetic maid they dressed up like a noblewoman.

She regretted her decision, ever bit of it. She wanted to marry him. Why didn’t they get the correct details about him anyway? If she knew Zayne was the person she was getting married to, she would have jumped at the opportunity. He was one of the most formidable Alphas in the continent, even at his young age. 

“I’ll fix this,” Jennifer muttered. 

She made her way toward the chamber where the bride was being prepared. Eva’s chamber.

She didn’t get far anyway. Why? Because halfway down the corridor, Jennifer slowed as she heard a strange ripping sound. What was that? Frowning, she pressed her back to the wall and peeked through the open door.

Her jaw dropped when she saw the sight in front of her.

Inside, a girl – one she thinks is named Leah, was hunched over the wedding gown—Eva’s gown. Her hands worked like claws, tearing the lace at the shoulders, staining the hem with wine, and slicing seams open with a sharp pin she had hidden in her palm. Her face was twisted in hatred. She looked like a woman on a mission. Her breath was heavy as she hissed curses under her breath.

Jennifer gasped “What the hell are you doing?”

Leah froze when she realized someone was there.

They locked eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Jennifer stepped fully into the room, arms crossed. Her confidence grew with every step. “You psycho. You’re ruining the dress.”

Leah scoffed. “She doesn’t deserve it.”

Jennifer tilted her head. “Why do you even care? You’re not the bride.”

Leah straightened slowly “And you are?”

Jennifer’s smirk was sharp. “Damn right I am. I’m going to stop this farce and take my rightful place. I was the one promised to Zayne. This is my wedding.”

Leah’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Her fingers twitched slightly. Great. More competition for her. Wasn’t that what she needed? “You’re here to take Eva’s place?”

“I should’ve never handed it over,” Jennifer muttered. “If I had known he wasn’t old and disgusting—ugh—”

Then her gaze flicked to Leah’s neck. She stared at it and realized what it was. 

A fading bite mark.

Jennifer’s brows lifted. “That looks familiar,” she said without thinking. “Eva had one just like that on her neck when she got dragged back to the manor. A big ugly thing. I thought it was a hickey or something, but maybe not…”

The blood drained from Leah’s face.

“What did you say?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Jennifer blinked. “I said Eva had one on her neck. Looked like she got bitten by a dog or some guy sucked on her for too long.”

Leah stepped closer, too quickly.

Jennifer’s brow furrowed. “What’s your problem?”

But it was too late.

The realization had already settled like a blade in Leah’s mind.

Eva.

Eva was the girl Zayne bit.

Leah started to panic. She just realized that Eva was the girl that Zayne bit. But how? Eva was human. There was no way that a human and a wolf could be mated. Humans couldn’t have mates. She couldn’t jump into the conclusion that Eva and Zayne were mates. It couldn’t be possible.

Leah had other things to worry about.  Her magic mark was weakening by the day. If Zayne knew—if anyone knew—it would all be over. Oh no. 

Jennifer didn’t even see the blow coming.

Leah lunged forward with terrifying strength, striking her across the face. Jennifer crashed into the side of the vanity, crying out as she hit the ground, clutching her bleeding cheek.

“What the hell?!” she gasped, scrambling to get up.

Leah didn’t stop. She advanced again. This time, her fingers curled into claws. Her eyes glinted with cold murder.

She wasn’t thinking. She was surviving.

Jennifer was just collateral damage. Leah had to keep this a secret. Nobody could know about this. and to keep this a secret, Leah needed to kill Jennifer. Zayne was hers and she wouldn’t let anyone come in the way of that. 

But before Leah could land another blow, the door burst open again.

Eva stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock. “What is going on in here?!”

Jennifer pointed a shaky finger. “She attacked me! She’s the one who ruined your dress!”

Leah looked at her, panting.

Eva stared at the ruined fabric, at Jennifer on the floor, at Leah’s face. 

“She lost her mind!” Jennifer shrieked. “She’s jealous or something. Probably wants to be the bride herself!”

Leah’s voice cracked as she glared at Eva. “You don’t belong here. You’re a maid. Not their daughter. They sent a fraud into my pack!”

Eva blinked, stunned. “I didn’t ask to come here. But they raised me as a DeRyile. I was born into nothing, and I’ve survived everything. This dress, this wedding—I didn’t ask for it, but I’ll walk into it with my head held high.”

The fire in Eva’s voice startled Leah.

Jennifer saw her chance and bolted for the door, still clutching her face.

No one tried to stop her.

Leah stood shaking in place, her breath coming in rapid bursts. Eva, chest heaving, watched her with a glare.

But Leah smirked inwardly. No one had noticed what she’d almost done. Nobody knew she had tried to murder Jennifer. No one saw the intent in her eyes, the fury in her fists. As long as Jennifer kept her mouth shut, the secret would stay buried.

She just had to survive this day. Then the air shifted.

The door behind them creaked again, and this time, the tension changed.

Zayne stepped inside. He stood tall, silent and as dominant as ever. He looked at the ruined gown. He saw the tear tracks on Jennifer’s cheek. The fury in Eva’s eyes. The bitter flush on Leah’s face.

He didn’t ask what happened. His eyes locked onto Leah’s.

As he spoke, his voice was cold and deadly  “Are you really… my true mate?”