Chapter 1

I stood in the center of the ancient stone circle, my white dress swaying gently in the night wind, surrounded by all members of the Blackwood pack.

This should have been the most important night of my life.

"Juniper Walsh."

Cade's voice echoed through the silent forest. He wore traditional black ceremonial robes, looking as dignified as an ancient chieftain. As the Alpha heir, he had the right to officiate our bonding ceremony.

Why don't I feel the excitement I should?

I watched him approach me, that face I'd loved for so many years. Brown eyes, a strong jawline, and that smile that always made my heart race.

"Juniper, you are my destined Luna." His hand covered mine, warm and familiar. "Since we were children, I've known you would be my mate, the queen of my pack."

The pack members began chanting the ancient bonding spell in low voices.

Elder Marcus stood up, his aged voice resonating throughout the stone circle: "According to our ancestral traditions, the Luna must shoulder the sacred duty of protecting the pack and continuing the bloodline. Juniper Walsh, are you willing to accept this responsibility?"

"I..." I opened my mouth, ready to speak the "I do" that would change my life forever.

Just then, a deafening howl came from deep within the forest.

Everyone froze. Hearing a wolf howl during a bonding ceremony was an extremely ominous sign. I saw several older members exchange worried glances.

Immediately after, a massive black wolf burst through the trees, racing toward our stone circle at incredible speed.

"What the hell!" Cade immediately stepped in front of me, his body tense like a drawn bow.

The black wolf stopped at the edge of the stone circle, its body beginning to change. The sound of bones reshaping made my stomach churn, and seconds later, a young man I didn't recognize appeared before us. He was drenched in sweat, his eyes filled with terror.

"Alpha Blackwood!" He fell to his knees, his voice so urgent it was almost incomprehensible. "I bring urgent news!"

Cade's face went pale. "Speak!"

The messenger trembled as he spoke: "Alpha Reid Ashmore has been struck by three silver bullets and is dying!"

What?

My heart seemed to stop beating. Reid Ashmore? That legendary most powerful Alpha?

"That's impossible." Cade's voice carried disbelief. "Reid is one of the strongest Alphas. Who could harm him?"

"Silver Hunters!" The messenger's voice was filled with despair. "The silver poison has spread to his heart. Our doctors say... he can last three days at most."

Elder Marcus shot to his feet, his face as grave as the sky before a storm. "If Ashmore's Alpha dies..."

"Blood war." Cade completed the sentence, his tone filled with dread.

I didn't understand. "What do you mean? What blood war?"

Marcus turned to me, his eyes holding a seriousness I'd never seen before. "Child, you must understand our laws. If a pack loses its Alpha without a Luna to maintain stability, that pack will descend into madness. They'll attack all nearby packs, including ours."

"But they have a Luna, don't they?" I said, though my heart already sensed something ominous.

"The Ashmore pack has never had a Luna. Reid has never bonded."

The air suddenly became thick, as if some enormous weight was pressing down on all of us.

"Then... then what should we do?" My voice was much smaller than I'd hoped.

Marcus's gaze swept over all the unbonded females present, finally settling on me and Poppy in the corner.

"According to ancient law," his voice sounded like it came from a grave, "we must send a 'death companion' to Ashmore territory. She will die alongside the Alpha when he passes, to maintain the pack's spiritual stability and prevent them from launching a blood war."

"Death companion? You mean...?"

"Sacrifice." Cade's voice sounded like someone was choking him. "Complete sacrifice."

I heard a scream from the corner, then the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Poppy had fainted, her small body falling like a leaf.

Several female members immediately rushed to tend to her, but my attention was completely captured by Marcus's words.

"According to tradition," Marcus continued, his eyes now staring directly at me, "it should be the highest-ranking unbonded female in the pack who takes on this responsibility."

The highest-ranking unbonded female. That's me or Poppy.

I felt Cade's hand grip mine tightly, so tight it nearly broke my bones.

"No." His voice was full of threat. "I absolutely will not allow it."

But Marcus shook his head. "This isn't for you to decide, young Alpha. This is law, tradition, it's..."

"It's bullshit!" Cade exploded, his voice echoing through the forest. "I won't let Juniper go to her death!"

I looked at the unconscious Poppy, her pale face appearing so helpless in the moonlight. She was only 22, with her whole life ahead of her. And I...

If I don't go, will they choose her?

"If I don't go," I heard myself speaking, though I wasn't sure if it was my brain or my heart controlling my mouth, "should we let innocent Poppy go to her death instead?"

Cade turned to me, his eyes filled with pain. "Juniper, we'll find another way."

But I knew there wouldn't be another way. I saw fear on Poppy's face and the other girls' faces - pure, primal fear. They all knew that if it wasn't me, it would be one of them.

"This Reid Ashmore," I said, trying to make my voice sound steady, "will he really die?"

Marcus nodded.

I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I saw everyone looking at me. Waiting. Waiting for me to make a decision.

When I looked at Poppy, she had just awakened, fear still lingering in her eyes. She looked so young, so fragile.

But what about me? I was just about to start my new life. Just when I was supposed to become Luna and begin my new life.