Chapter 1
Selina’s POV
Tonight was special.
It was our 5th anniversary.
That day, he didn’t just steal my heart; most importantly, he saved my life.
So, each year on this day, we would celebrate, and I would prepare his favorite dishes for a romantic night together.
I checked the honey-glazed roast chicken crackling in the oven, and a smile danced on my lips.
Luka had been up north at the Iron Claw Pack, smoothing out an alliance treaty with Alpha Blaze.
He would be home in any minute.
My stomach did that familiar, fluttery flip-flop just thinking about him. I could already feel the phantom sensation of his strong arms wrapping around my waist and the rough, woody scent of cedar and pine that always clung to his skin...
A sharp ping from my phone snapped me back.
I wiped my hands on my apron, expecting a “crossing the border” text.
Instead, it was a video from an unknown number.
The smile slid off my face...
There was Luka, the man who almost died to save me, pinned against a clearing by a woman in a red coat. His Alpha aura flared with a raw, desperate passion as he pressed his lips to hers...
I froze.
The man who had once been my shield had just become the blade that pierced my heart.
My head began to throb, a dull, rhythmic buzzing starting behind my eyes.
“No,” I whispered. “This isn’t real.”
If that were really Luka, I would know it. The mate bond would have told me!
A betrayal that deep should have felt like my heart being ripped out through my ribs.
It had to be a deepfake—a setup by a rival pack.
My hand started to shake. I turned toward the corner of the island where the Crystal Mirror sat, which was pulsing a soft, rhythmic blue light.
I pressed my palm against the cool surface, my mind racing.
“Locate Alpha Luka,” I commanded, my voice cracking.
The blue light swirled, and a holographic map materialized in the air. A gold pulse flickered steadily.
He was in the Iron Claw territory. Exactly where he said he’d be. He hadn’t lied about his location.
I closed my eyes and pushed into the Mind Link.
Silence. Long silence...
My heart was a frantic bird trapped in a cage.
Just as I was about to spiral, his voice sliced through my mind.
“Hey, babe?”
“Where are you, honey?”
“I’m still at the Iron Claw Pack. Look, sorry, there’s been a change of plans. Alpha Blaze wants to have a formal dinner to finalize the terms. I’m waiting for him now. I’m not gonna make it back tonight, Selina. Don’t wait up.”
The link severed before I could get another word out.
The rejection hit me like a physical blow.
My mate, my Alpha, had never dismissed me like that. Never.
My pheromones spiked, a bitter, metallic scent filling the room as my wolf recoiled in distress. The air felt too thick to swallow.
Was the “dinner with Blaze” a cover for the woman in the red coat?
A sudden, searing pain bloomed in my abdomen. It wasn’t the mate bond; it was pure stress manifesting as a physical ache.
I sank to the floor, my knees hitting the wood hard. Tears began to fall, hot and heavy, splashing onto my apron.
It didn’t make sense. There had been no signs. He was the man who still brought me flowers.
I wanted to believe the video was a lie, that I was being paranoid.
But the dismissive tone in his voice... That was real.
I don’t know how long I sat there, curled into a ball on the kitchen floor, while the roast chicken turned to ash in the oven and the festive lights dimmed.
Eventually, the emotional whiplash took over. I drifted into sleep on the couch.
When I woke up, the gray light of dawn was starting to peek through the windows.
My body felt like lead. My face was stiff with dried salt.
I had a quick shower and then dragged myself to the kitchen.
The front door thudded shut, and the familiar scent of cedar and pine drifted into the hallway.
I snapped almost instantly.
“Luka!”
I cried out, my voice cracking with the weight of the video burned into my mind.
“Where have you been? Were you really with Alpha Blaze last night? Or are you hiding something from me?”
I was desperate, clinging to a shard of hope.
I wanted him to be honest, even if the truth would destroy me—if he had strayed, I just needed him to have the courage to admit it.
“Selina, babe, what’s going on?” Luka looked at me, confused.
“I told you, Blaze wanted dinner. I can call him right now to prove it. Why would I lie about where I was?”
“Stop it! Just stop lying!” I screamed, my humanity drowning out as my wolf, Violet, snarled beneath my skin. I was spiraling, my hands shaking as I lashed out at him.
“Babe, calm down. Just breathe,” he commanded, stepping forward to grab my shoulders with his large, heavy hands.
“Don’t touch me!” I shrieked, struggling against his grip, my knees nearly hitting the floor as I tried to shove him away.
“Sorry, I missed our anniversary. It’s all my fault. But you should never doubt me, babe.”
He held me tight and tried to calm me down. “I know you missed me. And I’ve been thinking about you, too.”
He pinned me against the wall.
Before I could shout again, his lips crashed onto mine.
He didn’t release his Alpha aura to break me, but to soothe me. It flared out, thick and captivating, wrapping around us like a heavy velvet shroud. His scent permeated the air, soothing my senses.
I missed him. But now, I wasn’t sure who he was anymore.
The bitter, metallic scent of my distress began to fade, replaced by the warmth of his presence. He leaned over me, his nose pressing against my neck, his breath fanning across my lips as the kiss deepened into something long and desperate.
Without breaking the kiss, he swept me up into his arms.
I felt his rumble vibrate in his chest, a low sound of possession, as he carried me toward the bedroom.
…
When he got up from bed, I watched his tall figure moving towards the bathroom, and he suddenly turned to look at me. “Just sleep some more, babe.”
Then, his phone screen lit up with a ping.
I took a glimpse at it.
“Did she find out?”
