Chapter 5: The Pendant That Was Stolen

My heart seized. I reached out to grab it back.

“Give it back.”

The moment I raised my arm, the guards pinned me down again.

Kane, afraid I would hurt Vera, immediately pulled her into his arms.

Vera quickly squeezed out a few tears.

“Kane, this pendant was the bloodline token my father put in my swaddling clothes when I was born.”

“It disappeared a few years ago. I always thought I’d lost it. I never imagined Evelyn was the one who took it.”

“If she likes anything else, I’m happy to give it to her.”

“But this is a relic my father left me. Please, ask her to return it.”

Kane didn’t bother asking for a single detail before he turned on me.

“I gave you the Luna’s residence, resources, and status. Why would you steal someone else’s token?”

I shook my head.

“I didn’t steal it.”

“My mother left it to me. Before she died, she told me I had to keep it safe, no matter what.”

A dark glint flashed in Vera’s eyes as her fingers tightened around the stone.

Kane’s voice was laced with revulsion.

“You’re still lying?”

Blood from my forehead ran into my eyes, blurring my vision. I could no longer see their faces clearly.

I stopped trying to explain to Kane and focused only on Vera.

I gave up resisting, letting the guards hold me before the oath stone.

“Vera, give the pendant back.”

“If you return it, I’ll leave Greenridge territory immediately.”

“I’ll swear an oath right now that I’ll never appear in front of you or Kane again.”

Vera held the pendant between two fingers, savoring my fear.

“Since you like it so much, I’ll give it to you.”

She stretched out her hand.

Just as I reached for it, she deliberately loosened her grip.

The moonstone struck the edge of the oath stone and shattered.

It was the last thing my mother had left me, and the only clue I had to finding my birth parents.

The urge to shift surged through me, a violent, undeniable wave. My canines ached with rage.

I broke free of the guards, lunged forward, and slapped Vera across the face.

Vera froze for a second before lunging back at me, claws extended.

Terrified she and the pup would be hurt, Kane threw himself between us.

In the chaos, I was shoved to the floor.

A sharp, tearing pain ripped through my abdomen. Warm blood soaked through my clothes.

The faint scent of my pup vanished from the air.

My wolf went silent.

Before I lost consciousness, I saw Kane charging toward me, his face ashen.

I looked at him.

“Kane, I hate you.”