Chapter 1: The Pack Hall

The pack hall was decorated with silver roses when Adrian walked in.

I smiled.

Tomorrow would mark ten years since we had chosen each other. Ten years since Adrian and I had completed our mate-bonding ceremony and promised to spend our lives together.

We had been eighteen when we met. We had fallen in love before either of us knew anything about fated mates. We chose each other, marked each other, and built a family together.

Our bond wasn’t a fated bond. It was a chosen one and for five years, I’d believed that was enough.

"Alpha, everything is ready," the head servant said.

Adrian didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on me and then he said, "Cancel everything."

My smile disappeared. "What?"

"The anniversary ceremony, cancel it."

I stared at him, my face frozen in shock. "Why?"

"Selene is coming tomorrow."

My heart sank.

Selene, his fated mate. Five years ago, she had walked into our territory, and Adrian’s wolf had recognized her immediately.

Adrian had already spent five years loving me when fate gave him someone else. He could have rejected Selene. Instead, he decided he couldn’t betray his fated mate—but he also refused to reject me.

So he kept me as his Luna and gave Selene everything else.

"I thought tomorrow was our anniversary," I said in a broken voice.

"It still is."

"Then why are you canceling it?" I queried.

Adrian’s expression remained calm. "Because Selene needs me."

I laughed coldly. "Of course she does. She always does."

"Elara, you knew this day would come."

"No." I looked at him. "I knew you had a fated mate. I didn’t know you’d eventually erase ten years of our life to make room for her."

His jaw tightened. "I haven’t erased anything."

"Then what am I?"

"You’re my Luna," he answered.

There it was, the title he’d decided was enough. Before I could respond, footsteps sounded behind me as Rowan ran into the hall.

"Dad!" He threw himself into Adrian’s arms.

Adrian caught him easily. "Why are you here?"

"I brought something for Aunt Selene!" Rowan pulled a small velvet box from behind his back.

My eyes fell on it. It was my Luna necklace. The silver pendant Adrian had given me during our bond ceremony.

I stared at my son. "Where did you get that?"

Rowan looked confused. "From your room."

"Why?"

"Because Dad said Selene needs something special tomorrow."

I turned toward Adrian and he didn’t deny it.

My fingers went cold. "That necklace is mine."

Rowan hugged it against his chest. "But Selene is going to stand beside Dad tomorrow."

His innocent words hurt more than anything Adrian had said.

"Rowan," I whispered, "why would she need my Luna necklace?"

He looked at me as though the answer were obvious. "Because she’s Dad’s real mate."

Adrian reached for the box. "Give it to me, Rowan."

Rowan handed it over.

Adrian looked at the necklace, then at me.

"Elara, it’s just a necklace."

I stared at him. "No, it isn’t."

It was the first thing Adrian had given me after we chose each other.

The symbol of the life we had built. The proof that once upon a time, he had chosen me without needing the Moon Goddess to tell him to.

And now he wanted to place it around the neck of the woman fate had chosen instead.

"Aunt Selene will just wear it for tomorrow, Mom. Why are you being so mean? Didn't you tell me to always share my things with others?" Rowan said innocently.

My wolf whimpered inside me.

"Yes, I know, Rowan. But it's —"

"It’s just a necklace, stop throwing a tantrum!" Adrian harshly interrupted me.

"You're being mean to Aunt Selene. I don’t like you anymore!" Rowan retorted, storming off with his father.

For five years, I’d told myself I could survive being second.

I had believed my title, my home, and my son’s love were enough but standing there, watching Adrian hold the symbol of our bond for another woman, I finally understood.

He wasn’t asking me to share his life. He was asking me to step aside gracefully while he built a new one.

If they want me gone then I'll grant their wish.