Chapter 3

At exactly seven o'clock, a black luxury sedan pulls up to the villa.

I yank open the passenger door, but my movements freeze instantly.

Lily leans against the leather seat. The moment she sees me, she shrinks back. "Elara..."

Fury flares in my chest.

"Explain." I glare at Caleb in the driver's seat. My inner wolf lets out a hostile growl in my mind. His promise from last night that it would be just the two of us feels like a hard slap across my face.

Caleb looks away for a split second before putting on his usual self-righteous attitude. "Elara, the Moonlit Restaurant got booked out at the last minute. The Hollowthorn clan happens to be hosting a banquet at their private estate tonight. Lily is terrified about the forced mating arrangement today, so I brought her out to get her mind off things. Stop being so sensitive, okay?"

"Get her mind off things?" I dig my nails deep into my palms. "You turned our reconciliation dinner into a family outing to comfort her?"

"She is an Omega who needs protection!" Caleb raises his voice, rushing me with pure impatience. "Just get in the car. Everyone is waiting."

I stare at his hypocritical face as a sharp pain pierces the mate bond in my chest. Forcing down the rising nausea, I slam the passenger door shut and climb into the back seat.

Let's see just how low they can go tonight.

The private estate is brightly lit. The main hall is packed with Betas and Omegas from the Blood Moon Pack.

The second we walk through the doors, Lily glues herself to Caleb's side. She shamelessly releases her sickly sweet Omega scent, letting it wrap tightly around my fated mate.

"Elara." Near the banquet tables, Lily walks up to me holding a glass of juice. Her eyes are rimmed red, and she speaks just loud enough for the people around us to hear. "I am so sorry about last night. I was just so scared, and Caleb was the only one I could rely on. You are so generous, and you are going to be our Luna. You wouldn't hold a grudge against a helpless Omega like me, right?"

Every eye in the vicinity immediately snaps to me.

I don't even bother wasting a single word on her. I shoulder past her and stride straight toward the restroom.

I just turn on the faucet when the sharp click of heels echoes behind me.

A soft click follows. The restroom door is locked.

I look through the mirror. The fragile act completely vanishes from Lily's face, replaced by pure smugness and contempt.

"See?" She walks up behind me and lets out a low laugh. "All I have to do is snap my fingers, and your fated mate will completely ruin your little reconciliation dinner. What is the point of being the best female warrior, Elara? He doesn't love you at all."

I spin around and grab her by the collar.

"Say one more word, and I will snap your neck," I grit out.

Instead of showing fear, Lily smiles even wider.

She suddenly slips a bracelet laced with crushed silver off her wrist.

Silver burns werewolves like lethal acid. Keeping her eyes locked on mine, she raises the bracelet and slashes the jagged edge hard right across her own forearm.

A sickening sound of tearing flesh fills the air.

Skin splits open. The silver dust sears her wound with a harsh sizzling noise. Blood gushes out instantly, and the foul stench of burning flesh fills the small room.

"Ahhh!"

Lily lets out a bloodcurdling scream. She shoves me away, stumbles backward to burst through the restroom door, and runs out.

By the time I walk back into the main hall, radiating pure hostility, the entire estate has fallen dead silent.

Lily is trembling in Caleb's arms. Blood stains her dress red. Caleb grips her bleeding arm tightly. The moment he catches the scent of silver on her wound, his eyes turn bloodshot with rage, and his pupils slit completely.

"Elara! Are you out of your mind?!"

Caleb's roar echoes through the hall. His heavy Alpha aura crashes down on me like a tidal wave.

The Betas and Omegas back away. They look at me with absolute fear and blame.

"How can our Luna be so vicious..."

"Using silver on a defenseless Omega... that is just cruel."

Those whispers slice away at my nerves. Anger, grievance, and humiliation twist together in my gut. My inner wolf violently thrashes against her cage in my mind. I step forward, pushing right through his heavy aura, and snap back.

"You must be blind, Caleb! Did you actually see me touch her? She cut herself! Can't you smell the smugness in her scent?!"

"Enough!" Caleb shields Lily behind him. "She is an Omega who can't even shift! Who would use silver to cut themselves? I always thought you were just stubborn, Elara, but I never imagined you could be this wicked!"

Wicked.

My fated mate just used that word to describe me in front of the entire pack.

The bond pulls tight, tearing at my heart with agonizing pain. I suddenly stop fighting.

Wasting my breath on a man this blind and rotten is a pure insult to my warrior blood.

"Fine. Perfect." I let out a cold laugh.

I shove past the crowd blocking my way and storm right out of the estate.

I get into the cab I booked earlier. The mate bond in my chest still pulses wildly with anger.

Right then, a strong mental wave hits my mind. Caleb is actually forcing a mind-link on me.

"Elara, you completely embarrassed me today!" His voice echoes in my head. "First thing tomorrow morning, you are going to take the most expensive gift you can find and apologize to Lily in person! We have to maintain our ties with her clan. If you keep acting this childish, I will seriously have to reconsider if you are fit to be Luna!"

Apologize?

He wants me to bow my head and apologize to a manipulative bitch who framed me?

I bite my lip hard. Gathering every ounce of mental strength in my body, I forge it into a razor-sharp invisible blade and slash it brutally right through the mental link connecting our souls.

"Get the hell out of my head!"

A sharp crack rings out.

With a shattering sound only our souls can hear, I violently and permanently sever our mental tie.

The agonizing sensation of a torn soul rips through my brain. Cold sweat breaks out all over my body. But right beneath that intense pain, an unprecedented, absolute thrill of breaking free floods every inch of my veins.