Betrayed by My Mate, Claimed by His Enemy

(Isara’s POV) “All I needed to do was mix a small potion into her meal to force an early birth,” Xavian said lightly, almost entertained. “Then I would tell her there were pack complications. She would weep, I would hold her and everything would continue as before.” Memories struck me like claws. Each lost pup. The agony. The blood staining white sheets in the healer’s den. After every loss, Brienne would arrive at the Moonstone Healing Hall carrying warm broth. “I made this for you myself,” she would say, her eyes shining with fake sorrow. “I know your heart is broken. I am here, sister.” She would sleep beside my bed, curled in a chair, gripping my hand whenever I woke up crying from empty womb pains. Xavian would sit on my other side, brushing my hair back. “We will try again,” he would whisper gently. “The Moon Goddess will bless us. I promise.” I believed them. I trusted them. My hands shook so badly I bit down on my palm to stop myself from screaming. They had poisoned me four times. “Will you truly cast her aside once my womb is fully restored?” Brienne asked, her tone sweet and false. “Of course,” Xavian replied calmly. “Once the pack healer confirms the rituals succeeded, there is no reason to keep her as Luna.” I could almost hear his smile. “Then we can stand together openly as Alpha and Luna.” Brienne’s voice softened. “And my family. What will they think?” Xavian let out a cold laugh. “The same family that always favored you over her. They will support us. Her own mother once told me she finds Isara an embarrassment to the bloodline.” The words cut deep because they were true. “She already transferred her five percent shares of Silverhowl Trading House to me years ago without knowing,” Xavian continued. “When I reject her, she will leave with nothing. No allies. No pack support. She will crawl back to some forgotten border village where she belongs.” Brienne frowned slightly. “How will you make it happen?” Xavian’s chuckle was dark. “Next week we will hold a grand gathering in the Alpha Hall to announce your pregnancy to the elders, allied Alphas and trading partners.” He went on. “During the feast, someone will slip a potion into her moon wine. Later, Blaise will discover her in one of the upper chambers with strange males in a disgraceful scene.” Brienne gasped softly. “You will trap her?” “She will be too drugged to understand anything. Blaise will ensure images are captured by crystal record. Before the night ends, everyone will believe Isara Silverhowl betrayed her loyal mate during a celebration for her sister’s pregnancy.” “That is perfect,” Brienne breathed. “She will look like the villain.” “Exactly. The separation will be clean. She will walk away empty handed.” Xavian sounded pleased. My heart pounded so violently I feared it would break my ribs. He planned to poison me again. Shame me before the entire pack. Strip me of everything. Their sounds filled the clearing once more. I stepped back slowly from the carriage, silent as a shadow. Blood dripped from my bitten palm, yet I felt nothing. Only ruin. Only fury. Only heartbreak. When I was far enough, I ran. I climbed into my own carriage and trembled so badly I struggled to grip the reins. I sat in darkness, tears falling freely, my hand resting over my stomach to shield my unborn pup. Four pups slaughtered. Used in cruel moon experiments to heal my sister so she could bear my mate’s heir. And now he meant to destroy my name and steal what little remained mine. The ride back to the pack castle felt unreal. I nearly crashed twice as my thoughts replayed his words. “She is foolish. She has no one. She belongs in a poor border hut.” I entered the castle like a ghost and went straight to Xavian’s private study. I needed proof. Truth. Something solid. My fingers shook as I searched through scrolls, his rune bound tablet and locked drawers. Beneath a drawer lining, I found a small bronze key. I opened the cabinet. Healer records with my name. Dates matching every pregnancy. Ritual procedures I never agreed to. Payments sent to a secret research coven. My breathing grew uneven as I searched faster. Then I found it. The transfer parchment. The company shares he gifted me at our mating ceremony. I had unknowingly signed them back to him. “She will leave with nothing.” A bitter laugh escaped me. Xavian knew nothing. He believed he built Silverhowl Trading House with his own strength. But five winters ago, when his business nearly collapsed, a hidden investor rescued it. All debts were paid. Expansion funded. Losses covered. That investor was me. Under my maiden name, Isara Ashmoon, I created a secret account no one knew. Before my mating, Sariah had left me her entire savings from decades of seamstress work and her parents’ inheritance. It was nearly a million gold coins. I invested carefully. The wealth grew. When Xavian’s empire began to fall, I poured one hundred forty-seven million into saving it. His kingdom of trade stood on my fortune. And he called me foolish. I copied every record and hid them where he would never search. Then I sank to the cold stone floor and cried until nothing remained inside me. When the tears ended, emptiness stayed. I did not know my next move. Then I remembered his warning months ago. “Stay away from Raiden Ravengrowl. He is my greatest rival. Ruthless. Dangerous. He would destroy me without mercy.” Raiden Ravengrowl. Alpha of the Ravengrowl Pack. Xavian’s sworn enemy. He was the only one who could stand against him. With shaking hands, I searched through hidden contacts. It took long minutes before I found Raiden’s private number buried deep in Xavian’s secured files. I stared at it. Once I made this call, my life would change forever. But when I thought of my murdered pups, Brienne’s laughter and Xavian’s cruelty, I pressed the call rune. It rang twice before a deep voice answered. “Who speaks?” My throat tightened, yet I forced the words out. “My name is Isara Silverhowl. I am Alpha Xavian Silverhowl’s mate.” Silence followed. “The Alpha’s mate,” he said slowly. “What do you seek from me?” Tears blurred my sight. “I require your help.” “Why would the Luna of Silverhowl contact me? I am your mate’s enemy.” His tone sharpened. “Because I want him ruined,” I whispered. “And I believe you despise him as much as I do.” The silence stretched long. Then Raiden laughed. Low. Dark. Dangerous. “Luna Silverhowl,” he said calmly, “you now hold my full attention.”

(Isara’s POV) “Speak,” Raiden’s voice cut through the line, sharp as steel. “Explain why the loyal Luna of Xavian Silverhowl wishes to see her Alpha ruined.” I told him everything. The false explosion spell on the tracking rune. Finding Xavian in the hidden clearing with Brienne. The words I heard about the moon experiments on my unborn pups. His plan to disgrace me and cast me aside. By the time I finished, tears were sliding down my face once more. Raiden said nothing for a while. “Do you hold proof?” he asked at last. “Yes.” My voice no longer trembled. “Healer records. Gold transfers. Share agreements. All of it.” “And you possess half of his trading empire?” “He does not know. No one knows,” I replied. “I also have evidence of crimes within his pack business. But I cannot act openly. He has allied Alphas, legal wolves and my own bloodline behind him.” “Your bloodline stands with him?” The question pierced deep because it was true. My mother never truly wanted me. When I was ten, the truth came out. Brienne and I had been exchanged at birth due to a mistake in the healer’s den. I had grown up in a small border village, raised by a kind seamstress. We had little coin, but I had known warmth and simple joy. Then the great house of Silverhowl claimed me and brought me to their grand city estate. Yet my mother could not release Brienne. She had raised her. Loved her. So she kept us both. But it was always clear who she favored. “Isara, stand straight. You look like a farm pup.” “Isara, speak properly. Your tone shames us.” “Isara, why can you not be like Brienne?” No matter how hard I tried, I was never enough. I studied court manners but stumbled. I learned the old tongue yet spoke it imperfectly. Brienne shone bright and graceful and my mother made sure I knew I was less. By eighteen, I had learned silence. To shrink. To expect nothing. That was when I met Xavian. Strong. Confident. Ambitious. He looked at me as if I mattered. “You are not like the others,” he once told me. I gave him my heart without caution. When he asked for my hand after six moons, I agreed without doubt. The night before the mating ceremony, my mother pulled me aside. “Xavian Silverhowl uses you. But you are too blind to see.” I ignored her. I became his Luna. Spent eight years trying to be flawless. All the while Brienne lay with my mate in secret and I never suspected. My chest tightened as I forced myself back to the present. “My family adores my sister,” I told Raiden quietly. “When Xavian rejects me, they will support him. I cannot rely on them.” Raiden paused. “Then you seek vengeance.” “I seek justice,” I corrected, my voice breaking. “He slaughtered my pups. Used their essence to heal my adopted sister so she could bear his heir. He tricked me into surrendering everything. Now he plans to throw me away like refuse.” “And why come to me?” Raiden asked, curious. “Because you despise him,” I answered honestly. “He warned me about you. Said you would stop at nothing to see him fall.” Raiden gave a low, dark laugh. “What is it you desire from me, Isara?” I tightened my fists. “I want him stripped of all he owns. His trade empire. His name. His freedom. I own half of his company. You are his strongest rival Alpha. Together we can destroy him.” Silence lingered before Raiden spoke again. “If I help you, it will not be an act of kindness. I will demand payment.” My stomach tightened. “What payment?” “Become my mate.” “Your mate?” I whispered, stunned. “Yes,” Raiden said simply. “If I am to wage war against Xavian Silverhowl for you, I require something lasting. Not gold. Not shares. You.” “But…” He cut me off. “Consider my offer, Luna Silverhowl. You hold my number.” The bond line went dead. I stared at the communicator, thoughts racing. Become Raiden Ravengrowl’s mate. The sworn enemy of my mate. I shook my head. No. I did not need him. I had proof. I had power. I could stand alone. I would see Xavian lose everything, just as he had stolen everything from me.

(Isara’s POV) I did not hesitate. I walked straight into our chamber and began gathering my belongings. I did not yet know my next step, but I knew one thing clearly. I could not remain in this place any longer. I moved without thinking, pulling gowns from their hooks, emptying carved drawers, folding everything into travel trunks. “Isara?” I froze. Xavian’s voice came from the doorway. “What is happening? Why are you packing?” Slowly, I turned to face him. The moment he saw my face, his expression shifted. My eyes were swollen and red from crying. My cheeks were still wet. “What is wrong?” He stepped toward me quickly. “Are you hurt? Tell me what happened.” The worry in his voice made my stomach twist. He played his role perfectly. He sounded sincere. I shook my head. “It is nothing,” I whispered hoarsely. He moved closer, studying me. “It cannot be nothing. You have been weeping.” I knew he would not let it go. So I lied. “It’s just about Sariah,” I said, my voice breaking. His brows pulled together. “Your foster mother? The seamstress who has been asleep in the healer’s hall since the carriage accident?” I nodded. “The healers sent word. She grows weaker. They said she may not survive.” For a heartbeat, relief flickered in his eyes. Then it vanished, replaced with false sorrow. “Oh, Isara.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. “I am sorry. I know she is dear to you.” My skin crawled beneath his touch. The same hands that had ordered the deaths of my pups now held me as if he cared. I wanted to scream. I wanted to shift and tear him apart. But I stayed still. I let him embrace me. “Xavian?” Brienne’s soft voice called from the doorway. His body stiffened. He released me at once and hurried to her side. “Are you well?” he asked her, true concern filling his tone. Not the false comfort he had given me. Brienne smiled gently. “Yes. I only wished to know if you told Isara.” Xavian turned back to me, his mood suddenly bright with excitement. “Isara, Brienne carries wonderful news.” I raised a brow. “Wonderful news?” He nodded eagerly. “Yes. We will hold a celebration next week in the Alpha Hall. A grand gathering. My allies, trading partners, elders, everyone important will attend.” I already knew. The pup inside Brienne. My mate’s pup growing in my sister’s womb. And I knew what he planned for me during that celebration. “All of that for this news?” I asked calmly. “Yes,” Brienne answered sweetly. “Xavian wished to do something meaningful for me. We are family, after all.” A feast to honor the life created through the slaughter of my own unborn pups. “There will be a private family dinner tonight first,” Xavian continued. “Only us and your parents. The large celebration follows next week. I have arranged everything already.” “I am not interested,” I said flatly. Brienne’s smile faltered. “But Isara…” “I said I am not interested.” Her face fell, eyes filling with tears. “Isara,” Xavian snapped, irritation flashing across his features. “Your parents will attend. They expect you.” “I cannot celebrate while Sariah lies dying,” I replied quietly, letting the lie fall easily from my lips. “She is old,” Xavian said with a shrug. “She has lived her years. But this pup.” He rested his hand on Brienne’s stomach. “This is new life. A reason for joy.” My fists clenched. Sariah had treated him like a son despite knowing I was not her blood. His coldness shocked me. “Do not be selfish,” he continued. “Brienne wants to include you in something important.” “I said no.” Brienne’s tears spilled freely. “I only wished for us to stand together as a family. But if you despise me so much…” Her voice trembled. “I am worried for Sariah,” I said, turning back to my packing. “She was not your true mother,” Brienne murmured softly. “She was only…” “Do not.” My voice turned sharp and cold. “Do not finish that sentence.” Brienne flinched and clung to Xavian. “You see? She hates me. I try to be a loving sister, but she rejects me.” “Enough,” Xavian said firmly. He faced me, eyes hard as stone. “You will attend the dinner tonight. And you will attend the gathering next week. That is final.” “No,” I replied. “Yes.” He stepped closer, his Alpha tone heavy with command. “You are my Luna. You will come, you will smile and you will support your sister. Do you understand?” I looked at him. The male I had loved for eight long years. The father who had murdered our pups. “Very well,” I said softly. “I will attend.” Satisfaction flickered across his face. “Good. Dinner begins at the seventh hour.” He placed an arm around Brienne and guided her away, whispering something that made her laugh lightly. The door closed behind them. I stood motionless, staring at the wood with cold fury burning inside me. Xavian had no idea that a storm far greater than any he commanded was already rising against him.

(Isara’s POV) When the seventh bell rang from the pack tower, I walked down the grand stairs wearing a simple black gown. Xavian stood in the main hall beside Brienne. The moment he saw me, his brows drew together. “You wear black?” he asked. “I have nothing to rejoice over,” I answered softly. His jaw tightened, yet he said nothing more. Brienne wore a flowing pink gown that made her glow like a blessed Luna under the full moon. “You look radiant,” Xavian told her gently. She smiled brightly. “Thank you.” He did not spare me a glance. A servant rang the arrival chime at the entrance. “That will be your parents,” Xavian said as he went to receive them. I watched him greet my mother and father warmly, embracing them as if he were the perfect son in law. My mother, Rhoswen, noticed my dress at once. “Isara, why are you dressed in black? Tonight is a celebration.” “I cannot celebrate while Sariah still fights for her life in the healer’s den,” I replied calmly. “Oh.” My mother’s face remained cold. “That is unfortunate. But this evening is about Brienne and her joyful news.” Of course it was. Nothing else mattered to them. We moved into the dining chamber. I sat at the far end of the long oak table. Xavian took the head seat as Alpha. Brienne sat on his right. My parents took the seats to his left. They laughed and spoke among themselves as if I were not present. I felt invisible in my own home. Halfway through the meal, Brienne rose to her feet. “I have something to share,” she said, her voice trembling with excitement. All eyes turned toward her. Xavian looked proud. “I am with pup,” Brienne said softly. My mother gasped and rushed to embrace her. “My sweet girl. That is wonderful.” My father, Nolric, nodded with a wide smile. “Congratulations, sweetheart.” “Who is the father?” I asked quietly. The room fell silent. Brienne blinked at me. “What?” “I asked who fathered the pup,” I repeated. “You are not mated. You have no known partner. So who is he?” “Isara,” my mother snapped. “How dare you speak like that.” “It is a fair question,” I said evenly. Brienne’s eyes filled with tears. “I was seeing someone in secret. He passed away months ago. This pup is all I have left of him.” The lie flowed easily from her lips. I looked at my parents. They avoided my gaze. That was when I understood. They knew… They all knew the pup belonged to Xavian. My own parents knew my mate betrayed me with my sister and they celebrated it. “I am sorry for your loss,” I said without emotion. “And congratulations on the pup.” Xavian cleared his throat. “As I mentioned earlier, I will host a grand celebration this coming Saturday. Allies, trading partners, warriors, all will attend to honor this blessing.” My mother clapped her hands happily. “How exciting. Brienne, you will need a new gown.” “It is already prepared,” Xavian replied with a small smile. “Only the finest for my… for Brienne.” He nearly revealed the truth. I saw him stop himself. “Isara, you must wear something proper as well,” my mother said, glancing at my black gown with disapproval. “I own many gowns,” I answered quietly. “None fit for such a celebration,” she replied. “Tomorrow you and I will visit the city tailors.” “I would rather spend tomorrow at the healer’s hall beside Sariah.” My mother’s eyes hardened. “Isara, that woman is dying. There is nothing you can do. But you can stand beside your sister during her joyful time.” That woman. Not your foster mother. Only that woman. “If you will excuse me,” I said as I rose from my chair, “I do not feel well. I am going to rest.” “Isara, sit down,” Xavian ordered sharply. “No.” “I said sit down.” “And I said no.” I met his gaze without fear. “I came as you demanded. I heard the announcement. I am leaving.” I turned and walked from the dining chamber. Behind me, Brienne’s voice trembled with false tears. “She despises me, Mother.” “Do not worry, my dear,” my mother soothed. “At least now, thanks to her, you are…” Her words dropped too low for me to hear. My breath caught. They knew everything Xavian had done. And they approved. I climbed the stairs and closed the chamber door behind me. I lay upon the bed, staring at the ceiling while laughter, clinking goblets and music drifted upward from below. They celebrated my suffering. Soon, there would be nothing left for them to celebrate.

(Isara’s POV) Hours passed. The laughter below slowly faded until the pack house fell silent. My parents retired to one guest chamber. Brienne took the other. And Xavian… I knew exactly where my Alpha would be. My throat felt dry. I needed water, but I forced myself to wait a little longer to be certain everyone slept. At last, I slipped from the bed, crept down the stairs and entered the kitchen. I poured water from the stone basin into a glass. Then I heard Xavian’s low voice drifting from his study. “I do not care what it takes. Keep her under the sleep spell.” I froze, the glass halfway to my lips. “No. I do not want her waking,” he said coldly. “I pay you enough gold to ensure that.” My heart pounded against my ribs. “The spirit watchers detected brain activity? Then increase the potion. I do not want her conscious. Ever.” I slowly set the glass down and moved closer. The study door stood slightly open. “You fail to understand,” Xavian hissed. “Sariah is a threat. If she wakes, everything collapses.” Silence. Then his voice again. “Yes, I know it breaks healer law. That is why I will triple your payment.” Another pause. “Because she saw me,” he snapped. “She saw me with Brienne months ago. She threatened to tell Isara. So I dealt with it.” My hand flew to my mouth. “The carriage crash was no accident,” Xavian said without emotion. “I forced her off the mountain road myself. She should have died, but the old woman survived. Now she lies in a coma and she must remain there.” No… “If she wakes and tells Isara what she witnessed, my plans shatter. Keep her asleep until after the celebration. After that, I do not care. Let her die naturally. Just make sure it cannot be traced to me.” The call ended. His chair scraped across the floor. I ran. I rushed up the stairs and closed the chamber door just as his footsteps echoed through the corridor. I pressed my back against the wood, shaking. Xavian tried to kill Sariah. He kept her trapped in forced sleep. He planned to let her die. With trembling hands, I grabbed my communicator stone and called Raiden. He answered on the second ring. “Luna Silverhowl. It is late.” “I need your help,” I whispered desperately. “It is about my foster mother, Sariah. Xavian forced her carriage off the road months ago because she caught him with Brienne. Now he pays the healer to keep her in a coma. She shows signs of waking and he plans to let her die.” Silence answered me. “Please,” I begged. “I must move her somewhere safe. I cannot do it alone. His wolves are everywhere.” “Where is she kept?” “Moonfang Healing Den. Chamber 27.” “She will be moved before dawn,” Raiden said calmly. “She will be protected.” Relief washed over me. “Thank you. Thank you.” “But you understand what this means, Isara.” I closed my eyes. “Yes.” “Speak it.” “I accept your offer,” I said softly. “I will become your mate.” “Good. Four days remain.” The line went silent. I sat in the darkness, the stone still in my hand. I had agreed to mate with a wolf I had never met. My mate’s greatest enemy. Xavian did not know it yet, but I had become his reckoning. I could not sleep. My mind replayed every word I heard in that study. Then footsteps approached. A soft knock followed. “Isara?” Brienne’s voice sounded gentle. “May I enter?” I gave no answer. “Isara, please. I only wish to speak.” Silence. “Open the door.” The handle turned. She stepped inside. There was a pause. Then her tone changed. The sweetness vanished. “You look pitiful, sister,” she drawled. I remained still. She smirked. “Know this. The pup in my womb belongs to Xavian. He chose me.” I slowly sat up and faced her. A cruel grin curved her lips. “He told me how dull you are in his bed. How you never satisfied him. How he shut his eyes and imagined someone else.” My hands curled into fists. “And those pups?” She laughed. “Four chances. And you failed each time. What kind of she wolf cannot even carry a single heir?” My vision blurred with rage. “Your body must be flawed,” she continued. “Perhaps the Moon Goddess knew you would be a terrible mother.” I rose and walked toward her. “Xavian loves me,” Brienne said with pride. “I carry his true heir. A strong pup who will live. Because I can give him what you never could. A real family.” I shoved her. She stumbled back, eyes wide. “Leave,” I said coldly. “You vicious creature,” she hissed. “How dare you.” “I said leave.” I slammed the door shut and locked it. Silence followed. Then footsteps moved down the hall. I returned to the bed and sat down. Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed below. A scream pierced the air. “Xavian! Help! Xavian….” My blood turned to ice. What did she do? The chamber door burst open so violently it struck the wall. The lock splintered. Xavian stood there, chest heaving, fury burning in his eyes. Behind him, my parents held a sobbing Brienne. “You pushed her down the stairs?” Xavian’s voice was dangerously calm. “What? No!” “She came to comfort you,” my mother cried. “To make peace. And you attacked her.” “That is not true.” I stepped forward. “She entered my chamber and insulted me.” “It is true,” Brienne sobbed. “I only wished to check on her. She pushed me.” “I shoved her away from my door. I did not push her down the stairs.” Before I could speak another word, Xavian’s fist struck my face. The force threw me backward. My head slammed against the stone wall. Pain exploded through my skull. Darkness swallowed me whole.

(Isara’s POV) When I woke inside the pack infirmary, my head felt like it had been split by a claw. My cheek burned and I tasted iron on my tongue. I tried to rise, but my limbs felt heavy and weak. Pain covered every part of me. “You are awake at last.” Xavian’s voice was flat and cold. I forced my eyes open. He sat near the tall window of the Moonfang Healing Den, watching me like I was nothing. Memories rushed back. In eight winters of being his Luna, Xavian had never struck me before that night. “Xavian,” I breathed. “How could you?” “Beg forgiveness from Brienne.” “What?” “You heard me. Kneel and apologize to your sister for harming her.” “I did not harm her.” I tried to sit up again despite the pain. “She mocked me. She said cruel things.” “I do not care what words she used.” He stood. “You touched a she wolf who carries an Alpha heir. You could have killed my pup.” “She threw herself down the steps of the pack house.” Tears slid down my face. “She lies. She always lies.” “Apologize.” “No,” I said, my voice firm. His eyes darkened. “No?” “I will not beg for a sin I did not commit.” He watched me for a long moment. Then he smiled and it was colder than winter frost. “Very well.” He seized my arm and pulled me up. My legs shook beneath me. “What are you doing?” I gasped. He gave no answer. He dragged me from the room and down the stone hall of the Healing Den. “Xavian, stop. Where are you taking me?” He kept walking until we reached the sacred ward where the most wounded wolves lay. My stomach twisted. “No,” I whispered. “Please, Xavian.” He ignored me and stopped before Room 27. Sariah’s chamber. “Xavian, please,” I cried. “Don’t do this.” He pushed the door open. Sariah lay pale and still upon the bed of furs, silver threads of moon magic glowing around her. Crystal runes blinked softly beside her, tracking her fading life. Raiden’s warriors had not arrived yet. A healer turned, shocked. “Alpha, you cannot enter without…” “Remove the life binding spell,” Xavian ordered, his voice like ice. The healer stared. “My Alpha?” “I said remove it.” “My Alpha, if we break the spell, her spirit will leave within moments.” “I am aware,” he replied coldly. “Do it now.” The healer looked at me, then back at him. “I need the High Council’s seal before—” “I am Xavian Silverhowl, Alpha of this territory,” he said quietly. “My word is law. I fund this Healing Den with my gold and my power. If you refuse me, I will strip you of your rank and banish you from every pack land. Do you understand?” The healer’s face lost all color. With shaking hands and tears in her eyes, she began to undo the glowing threads of moon magic. “No!” I lunged forward, but Xavian caught me and held me back. “Please,” I sobbed. “She is all I have. She raised me. Please.” The soft hum of magic faded. The glowing runes dimmed. “Xavian, please!” I fell to my knees. “Do not do this. I beg you.” He looked down at me. “Apologize to Brienne.” “I will apologize,” I screamed. “I will beg for anything. Just spare her.” “Say it.” “I am sorry,” I cried, shaking. “I am sorry for pushing Brienne. I am sorry for everything. Please, Xavian. Do not take her from me.” He studied me in silence. “Restore the spell,” I shouted. “Please restore it.” Then a voice echoed from the hall. “Alpha Silverhowl!” Another healer rushed in. “It is Lady Brienne. She cannot breathe. Her wolf is in distress.” Xavian released me at once. “Summon every healer and shaman in this den. No harm must touch Brienne or my heir.” He left without another glance. He even dragged the healer from Sariah’s side with him. I ran into the hallway. “Help!” I cried. “Please, someone help us!” But every healer hurried toward Brienne. I turned back to the bed, staring at the fading crystals and runes. “I am sorry,” I whispered to Sariah. “I do not know how to mend the spell.” I touched the stones and whispered every prayer to the Moon Goddess I knew. Nothing answered me. The glow around her weakened. “No, no,” I sobbed. “Please, Mother. Do not leave me.” The final rune flickered and went dark. “No!” I threw myself over her body. “Mother. Please.” But her spirit had already crossed into the Moon Goddess’s embrace. I do not know how long I lay there, crying over her. When the healers returned, they tried to pull me away. I would not release her. Pack guards had to be called. They dragged me from the room as I screamed and fought like a wild wolf. In the waiting chamber, Xavian sat beside Brienne. She wept softly while my mother stroked her hair. When he saw me being carried past, he did not look troubled. He simply turned back to Brienne and held her close. Sariah was gone. Xavian had ended her life. Just as he had ended the lives of my unborn pups. With shaking fingers, I took out my communicator and sent a message to Raiden. [He killed my mother. It is too late.] His reply came at once. [What happened?] I told him everything. There was a long silence before his next words appeared. [I will make him answer for this, Isara. I swear it on my wolf and my crown.] If Xavian believed he had broken me, he would soon learn how wrong he was.

(Isara’s POV) The next few days moved fast. I held a quiet moon rite for Sariah, inviting only the few pack members and old friends who truly cared for her spirit. Xavian hardly spoke to me. He spent all his time around Brienne, making sure she was comfortable for the grand Alpha gathering. The day before the celebration, I found Xavian inside his study in the pack manor. He was speaking through a crystal communicator with the event steward about the feast. When he noticed me, he lifted one finger, telling me to wait. I stood there while he discussed roasted elk, rare wine and silver moon lilies, as if he had not ended Sariah’s life. At last, he ended the call and looked at me with annoyance. “What do you need?” “I require your mark on these.” I placed a folder before him. “They are for Sariah’s death scroll and burial rites.” He glanced over the papers without reading them. “Fine.” He picked up his pen. “I am sorry about your foster mother,” he said in a distant tone as he signed the first page. “But it was her time, was it not? The healers already told you her spirit was fading.” My teeth pressed together. He kept signing, not truly seeing the words. “It happens. She was old. She lived long enough.” He killed her. And now he spoke as if it was the Moon Goddess’s will. “There.” He pushed the folder back. “All done. Anything else?” “No.” “Good. Finish everything quickly. The gathering is on Saturday. I do not want sorrow spoiling the mood.” Sorrow. That was what my grief meant to him. “Of course,” I said softly, taking the folder. As I turned, Brienne’s voice sounded from the hall. “Xavian? Are you finished? I need your thoughts on my gown. Oh...” She paused when she saw me. “Isara. I did not notice you.” “I am leaving,” I said. “Wait.” She stepped inside, her hand resting over her stomach. “I wish to speak with you.” I remained silent. “I know you are grieving Sariah,” she said gently. “Losing a mother is painful.” My hands tightened around the folder. “But remember,” she went on, “Sariah carried me in her womb. We shared true blood. If anyone suffers more, it is me.” I stared at her. She had rejected Sariah after the blood test revealed the truth. “You only lived with her for ten years,” Brienne said. “She bore me for nine months. That bond is deeper than anything you can claim. So truly, I am the one who lost a mother. You are only making a scene.” Something inside me broke. My hand rose before I could stop it. The sound of the slap rang across the stone walls. Brienne stepped back, clutching her cheek. For a heartbeat she stood frozen. Then she burst into loud tears. “Xavian,” she cried. “She struck me. She did it again.” Xavian rose at once. “What’s wrong with you?” he thundered. “She was mocking me,” I said, my voice trembling. “She said that she felt more pain than I ever could.” “I do not care what she said.” His hand came down across my face. The force made me stumble. I caught the wall to stay upright. “I only tried to comfort her,” Brienne sobbed. “I told her I shared her sorrow because Sariah was my birth mother too and she attacked me.” “You are lying!” Xavian seized my arm harshly. “Enough. I will not hear another word.” He pushed me toward the door. “Leave my sight,” he said coldly. “If you so much as glare at Brienne again, you will regret it.” I stumbled from the study, holding the folder close. Behind me, his voice turned soft. “Are you well, my heart? Did she wound you? Come, let me see.” I climbed the stairs slowly, my cheek burning where he struck me. In eight winters of marriage, Xavian had never raised his hand against me. Now he had done it twice in four days for Brienne. I entered the bedroom and locked the door. Then I opened the folder and looked at the papers he had signed. He had not read a single word. He had signed the separation decree. He had signed the transfer confirming my half ownership of Silverhowl Fragrances. He had signed the proof that I withdrew my gold from his trade empire. He had signed the ruin of his own house and did not even know it. I took images of every marked page and sent them to Raiden. [He signed everything. The gathering is tomorrow night. Are you prepared?] His answer came at once. [Everything is ready. Tomorrow, you leave that manor and never return.] The day of the gathering arrived. Xavian and Brienne left hours earlier for the grand hall of the territory, leaving only my parents behind. At the sixth hour of evening, my mother knocked. “Isara, put on your dress. We are heading to the hall soon.” “All right.” “Wear something bright. Not black.” I did not reply. She sighed. “Xavian works hard to make this night flawless. Do not ruin it with your mourning.” Then she walked away. When the house fell silent, I moved fast. I pulled the travel trunks from the back of the wardrobe and placed them in the hall. On the table, I set a large envelope. Inside were the signed separation scrolls, the images of Xavian and Brienne together and the healer records showing what he did to my unborn pups. There was also the contract proving my fifty percent claim over Silverhowl Fragrances and the document showing I withdrew my investment. And every other paper needed. I looked at the envelope. It sat there like a spell waiting to be unleashed. By the time he opened it, I would be gone. His trade empire would fall and his name would be stained across every pack. I summoned a courier hawk through my communicator, then lifted my bags and stepped out of the manor. A black carriage waited behind the estate walls. Raiden stood beside it and opened the door for me. “Are you prepared?” he asked quietly. I glanced back once at the manor. At the life I was leaving. “Yes,” I said. “I am ready.” I entered the carriage. Raiden joined me. As we rode away, I sent one final message to the courier. [Deliver the envelope now.] Then I blocked Xavian’s number, Brienne’s number and my parents’ numbers. I was finished. “Where are we going?” I asked Raiden softly. “To my kingdom beyond the northern borders,” he said. “Where no one can touch you.” I placed my hand over my stomach, over the small life growing within me. “Good,” I whispered. As the manor disappeared from sight, I watched it fade without regret. Xavian believed I was weak and easy to control. He had no idea what he had forged. The woman who loved him died the night I found him with Brienne beneath the moonlight. The woman riding beside Raiden was different. She would make him answer for every lie, every betrayal, every slain pup. Xavian Silverhowl’s perfect Alpha gathering was about to become his darkest humiliation and I would watch his world burn.