Chapter 1

The night my mate, Alpha Levi Jones, lay dying amidst the chaos of a rogue ambush, he made his younger brother, Beta Justin Jones, swear to protect me once he was gone.

And Justin kept his promise—at least, for five years.

When he ascended as Alpha after Levi’s death, he ensured I was well cared for. But everything changed one fateful night.

I hadn’t anticipated my heat arriving early. The moment my scent thickened the air, instinct overpowered reason, igniting a fire neither of us could control. Our wolves took over, stripping away restraint, binding us in a way we never intended.

That single night altered everything. I carried his pup.

A part of me dared to believe it meant something. My mind drifted to the Luna’s ring he kept tucked away in his drawer. Foolishly, I convinced myself it was meant for me.

But when I stepped into the packhouse, eager to share the news, the sight before me shattered every illusion.

Alpha Justin stood in his chambers with another. Joey Miller—his chosen mate, a breathtaking Beta—was wrapped around him, their bodies entwined in a heated bonding ritual.

My heart turned to ice. I barely had the strength to turn away.

Then his voice, husky and indifferent, stopped me in my tracks.

“Sara Roberts, can you grab me a box of suppressants?”

My grip tightened around the pregnancy test in my hand. Forcing a brittle smile, I nodded.

When I returned with the suppressants, he sent me fifteen hundred dollars as payment for the errand. A transaction. Nothing more.

Joey’s gaze flicked to the box before settling on me, her lips curling with amusement.

“Your brother’s widow seems so pure,” she mused, her voice dripping with mockery, “but she certainly knows how to pick things.”

Justin’s expression hardened. “You’re still young. Stay out of things that don’t concern you. Take some time in the outer territory. A few days should clear your head.”

So I obeyed. But I never came back.

That very day, I visited the pack doctor and scheduled an abortion.

She studied me, concern flickering in her gaze. “Are you sure?”

I wasn’t surprised. Only days ago, I had radiated excitement over my pregnancy. Now, my face was hollow, my spirit drained.

“Book the earliest slot,” I murmured, my voice devoid of life.

The pack doctor had seen enough fleeting relationships to know better than to argue. But when it came time to sign the consent form, she hesitated.

“You need a family member’s signature,” she informed me.

Without thinking, I called the only person who might have counted as family.

The phone barely rang before Alpha Justin rejected the call.

I swallowed back the sting of rejection, offering the doctor a lifeless smile. “I don’t have family. I’ll sign it myself.”

When the procedure was over, a message from him lit up my screen. A screenshot of a cabin reservation, accompanied by a curt instruction:

“Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. You know why.”

How thoughtful. He had arranged a place for me to disappear—for a full week.

I wasn’t blind. The moment I saw the Luna’s ring gleaming on Joey’s finger, I understood.

I had been a fool to believe that ring was meant for me. An even greater fool to think that, after that night, he might have felt something real.

Now, all I had left was the bloodstained remains of what could have been my pup. And an emptiness that swallowed me whole.

The cabin had everything one could ask for—luxury, warmth, comfort. But beneath the heavy blankets, all I felt was a bone-deep chill.

With trembling fingers, I dialed a number.

Amy Prescott.

“Amy,” I breathed. “That medical aid team you mentioned… I want in.”

She hesitated, concern lacing her voice. “Sara? I thought your Alpha wouldn’t let you go. Did something happen?”

Her hesitation deepened. “If you’re leaving because you’re angry, don’t be rash. If he finds out, he’ll track you down.”

I understood her worry.

After that reckless night, I had slipped away before Justin woke. He never acknowledged what had happened, never looked at me any differently. To him, I was still Levi’s Luna.

His indifference burned more than anything else. How could he take me, then act as if nothing had changed?

So, I left. Disappeared for a while, hoping distance might clear my head.

In response, Alpha Justin turned the entire pack upside down searching for me. His frantic actions led everyone to believe he cherished me, that I was like a treasured younger sister.

And for a moment, I had let myself believe it too.

But I was wrong.

One night with his true mate, and I became nothing more than a fleeting mistake. All I received in return was a temporary place to hide.

I couldn’t stomach the thought of watching them bond, parading their love in front of me every single day.

“I have his approval,” I lied smoothly.

Amy exhaled. “Alright. I’ll add you to the team and send you the details.”

I booked a flight for seven days later. Long enough to serve out my unwanted exile in the cabin before disappearing for good.

As I packed, I realized there was nothing I truly needed.

Since the night Levi died, I had belonged nowhere. Everything I had after that came from Justin—shelter, money, security. I had never touched the inheritance my parents left me.

But I refused to owe him anything.

I returned most of the money he had given me, keeping only what I needed to survive.

With everything settled, exhaustion consumed me.

In my dreams, the earth trembled beneath me.

I didn’t hear my phone ringing. Not the first time. Not the second. Not the third.

Then—

A loud, insistent pounding shattered the silence.

“Sara! Open the door!”