Chapter 1
Cecilia's POV
A hundred years ago, I was the strongest Delta the Silver Moon Pack had ever produced.
Born with the God Bone, unmatched in power, I had Royal Guard recruiters showing up at my door three times, waiting for me to say yes. The whole pack assumed I'd lead them to glory.
Then came that night. My own family dragged me to the altar in the frozen vault.
My mother cried and said, "Lacey was born broken. Without the God Bone, she'll die."
"You're the older sister. You're strong. You'll survive without it."
I refused.
Grant, my fiancé, pulled the knife on me. Brandon, my brother, pinned down my arms and legs. My parents watched from the shadows, saying nothing.
"Don't be so selfish."
They carved the God Bone out of my body, drained every drop of my heart's blood, and threw me into a vault fifty degrees below zero.
My sister took everything that was mine and became the golden girl everyone adored.
A hundred years passed. I became the Supreme Commander of the Royal Guard.
This year, during recruitment, my adjutant handed me the candidate list. I saw a familiar name and smiled. I picked up my pen and crossed it out.
"Doesn't meet the requirements. Denied."
Backstage at the Royal Guard trials, the light was dim and cold. I sat on the throne, watching the magic screen hover above the room.
Out front, the plaza was buzzing with celebration. The Silver Moon wolves crowded around a girl in a white dress.
"Lacey is the most gifted the Silver Moon Pack has seen in a century! She carries the God Bone and her power is off the charts!"
"She's a lock for first place in this year's trials. Getting into the Royal Pack is basically a done deal for her."
Surrounded by all that fawning praise, Lacey ducked her head, shy, leaning into a knight's arms like she barely had the strength to stand. That was Grant. My ex-fiancé.
My father Bourne, my mother Martha, and my brother Brandon all stood behind her, beaming with pride.
I watched that sickeningly warm little scene. My mouth curled into a cold smile.
A hundred years. Time moves fast, but some memories still cut deep the moment you touch them.
That same group of people had pinned me to that altar in the frozen vault. Grant had gripped the silver-laced blade and driven it into my chest, and there hadn't been a trace of warmth left in his eyes. Just a cold, terrible resolve.
I fought back with everything I had, screaming through the pain, but Brandon held my arms and legs down and called me a selfish monster.
My parents just watched from the shadows. My mother even turned away and covered Lacey's eyes, murmuring, "Don't be scared, sweetheart. You'll be better soon."
I could only lie there and watch them cut the God Bone out of me, drain a hundred years of my heart's blood, and dump me in the vault to freeze under the snow.
I nearly died that night. It was the thought of revenge that kept me breathing.
For a hundred years, I clawed my way back from hell, climbing over the bones of monsters and enemies, until the Alpha King himself took notice and brought me into the Royal Guard. Step by step, I became its commander.
"Commander." My adjutant, Reno, stepped forward and pulled me out of the memory.
He held out a gilded scroll. "This is the final candidate list. Lacey of the Silver Moon Pack scored highest overall. It just needs your approval."
I lowered my eyes to the top of the list.
Lacey Silver Moon.
Next to her name, in red: carries a rare God Bone, pure magic.
I picked up the quill off the table and crossed her name out without hesitation.
"Doesn't meet the requirements. Denied." I tossed the scroll back into Reno's hands, my voice flat and cold.
Reno blinked, glanced at the screen where Lacey was still being showered with praise, and said carefully, "Commander, the Silver Moon Pack seems dead set on this spot. If we deny her outright, they might cause a scene out front."
"A scene?" My eyes glinted with amusement. "Then let them. Go tell the Silver Moon Pack, if she wants the spot, she can come see me herself."
I paused. "Alone. Have her walk from the edge of the plaza to the base of the platform and kneel there and beg for forgiveness. Otherwise, throw all of them out."
Reno's expression sharpened. He bowed his head. "Understood."
On the screen, the celebration out front kept going. Grant held Lacey's hand, gazing at her with adoration, announcing their engagement to the crowd.
That's when Reno walked out with a squad of Royal Guards.
The amplification spell carried the announcement across the whole plaza. "By order of the Supreme Commander of the Royal Guard! Lacey of the Silver Moon Pack does not meet the requirements. Her eligibility for the trials is revoked!"
The plaza went dead silent. Every smile froze in place. The cup in Lacey's hand slipped and shattered on the ground.
"That's impossible!" Grant yanked out his sword, furious. "Lacey carries a rare God Bone. How could she not meet the requirements? Who's your commander? Get them out here and make them explain!"
Reno looked at him coldly, slamming the butt of his halberd into the ground hard enough to shake it. "The commander's orders stand. If you want to plead your case, have Lacey walk to the base of the platform steps and kneel there and beg for forgiveness. Otherwise, the entire Silver Moon Pack gets exiled from the capital."
