Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I stared at the acceptance letter in my hands for the millionth time, still not quite believing it was real. Knight Industries – the Knight Industries – wanted me. The same company that practically ran the East Coast's business world thought I was worthy of their corporate team.

“Sophie Turner, Strategic Operations Manager,” I whispered, testing how it sounded. Way better than “Sophie Turner, the Beta who's not Beta enough.”

My wolf preened at the accomplishment, even as she paced restlessly beneath my skin. We'd achieved this on our own merit – no pack connections, no mate's influence, just pure skill and determination.

Take that, everyone who said female warriors should focus on “more suitable pursuits.”

I adjusted my blazer in the full-length mirror, smoothing down the crisp navy fabric. The suit had cost a month's savings, but looking the part of a corporate executive mattered. At least that's what the career blogs all said.

“You've got this,” I told my reflection, trying to channel some of that Luna warrior confidence everyone claimed I had too much of. My hands still shook with excitement as I tucked the acceptance letter into my pocket.

The mate bond hummed warmly in my chest, carrying hints of Tom's emotions. He felt… content? Happy? The bond had been harder to read lately, but I blamed that on stress. Being a Beta couple wasn't exactly easy.

My wolf nudged me impatiently. “Tell mate. Show mate our strength.”

“Soon,” I promised her. First, I needed to look perfect. Tom always said appearance mattered for pack leadership.

The spring air hit me as I stepped outside our pack house, carrying the familiar scents of home – pine trees, fresh grass, and the unique musk of werewolves. Young wolves training in the yard paused their sparring to watch me pass. A few dropped their eyes respectfully – proper protocol for addressing their Beta.

“Looking sharp, Sophie!” called Maria, our pack healer. She was gathering herbs from her garden, her dark hair tied back in a messy bun. “Hot date with Tom?”

I grinned, patting my pocket. “Better. Got some big news to share.”

“About time something good happened around here,” Maria said, her expression turning serious. “The pack's been feeling… unsettled lately.”

I knew what she meant. Tension had been building in the Silver Moon Pack for weeks. Everyone pointed fingers at the impending land talks, but something just didn't sit right.

“I'm positive it's just our imagination,” I declared, trying to sound surer than I actually was. “After all, we're the most powerful pack around here.”

Maria hummed noncommittally. “Just be careful, Sophie. Sometimes strength isn't enough.”

My wolf bristled at the cryptic warning, but I kept my voice light. “Am always careful. See you at the pack run tonight?”

“Wouldn't miss it.” Maria turned back to her herbs, but I felt her eyes on me as I walked away.

The path to Tom's house wound through the prettiest part of pack territory. Wildflowers dotted the grass – the same ones he'd said reminded him of my “wild spirit” when we first discovered we were mates.

Two years isn't long, but sometimes it seems like an eternity. Back then, everything had been simple. The Moon Goddess had blessed us with a mate bond, and that was all that mattered. Before pack politics and Beta responsibilities complicated everything.

My steps slowed as Tom's house came into view. His black Jeep sat in the driveway next to a familiar Harley-Davidson. My stomach clenched.

“It's fine,” I muttered. “Lily's probably just helping with paperwork again.”

My best friend had been spending a lot of time at Tom's lately, helping him organize pack documents. It made sense – she was great with administrative stuff, and Tom had been swamped with Beta duties.

Still, something nagged at my mind. Little things I'd been ignoring. The way they'd stop talking when I entered rooms. How Lily always seemed to know Tom's schedule better than I did. The faint traces of her perfume I sometimes caught on his clothes.

“Trust mate,” my wolf insisted, but she sounded uncertain.

The mate bond fluttered uneasily as I approached Tom's front door. My enhanced hearing picked up sounds from inside – movement, breathing, something else I couldn't quite place. Or didn't want to place.

The door was unlocked. Tom never left his door unlocked. He'd lectured the entire pack about security protocols just last week.

“Hello?” I called out, stepping inside. No answer.

The sounds grew clearer, coming from upstairs. My wolf whined, picking up on something I was still desperately trying to deny.

I followed the noise to Tom's bedroom, my warrior training screaming that I should turn back. Clothes littered the hallway like breadcrumbs leading to destruction – a man's shirt, a woman's lacy bra. I recognized that bra. I'd gone shopping with Lily when she bought it.

My hand shook as I pushed open the bedroom door. My whole world shattered into countless tiny fragments.

Tom and Lily were wrapped in his sheets, their bodies rocking together in a manner that made it quite obvious what I was witnessing. The mate bond screamed in agony, sharp enough to make me gasp.

Lily looked up first, her expression shifting from passion to recognition. Not a trace of shame crossed her face. My best friend since childhood just stared at me like I was an annoying interruption.

“Sophie,” she said, her voice almost bored. “You're early.”

Early? The word hit me like a slap. They'd been expecting me. They'd planned this.

Tom turned slowly, his eyes meeting mine. The bond between us stretched like a rubber band about to snap. How long had he been betraying me? How many times had he held me while carrying her scent?

Details burned themselves into my brain: Lily's red lipstick smeared across Tom's neck, the possessive way he moved to shield her body, the intimate familiarity of their position. This wasn't their first time. Maybe it wasn't even their tenth.

The acceptance letter slipped from my numb fingers, floating to the ground like a dead butterfly. The wildflowers scattered across Tom's hardwood floors, already wilting. Just like every dream I'd ever had about my perfect mate and my loyal best friend.

Tom reached for a sheet with deliberate, unhurried movements. No panic, no remorse, no desperate scramble to explain. He'd wanted me to find them.

“How long?” The question scraped out of my throat.

“Does it matter?” Tom's voice was cold, detached.

“Eight months,” Lily answered, wrapping Tom's sheet around her body with casual possession. Her hand rested on his shoulder – a clear claim. “Since that night, you missed the pack council meeting for your job interview.”

The interview that had landed me the position at Knight Industries. That night, Tom had said he was proud of me for chasing my dreams. Had he gone to her bed straight from mine?

“You're my best friend,” I whispered. “My sister.”

Lily laughed, the sound like breaking glass. “Oh, Sophie. Always so naive. Did you really think someone like Tom would be happy with a mate who overshadowed him? A female who couldn't just be content being a proper Luna?”

Each word hit like an arrow, finding every insecurity I'd ever had. Too strong, too ambitious, too much.

“This isn't what it looks like,” Tom said, but his eyes were hard. “You brought this on yourself, Sophie. A mate should support their partner, not compete with them.”

“Support?” The word tasted like ash. “Like how you supported me by sleeping with my best friend?”

“You were never going to be the Beta female this pack needs,” he continued as if I hadn't spoken. “Always trying to prove yourself, always pushing for more. The pack needs stability.”

My wolf howled in betrayal, the sound building in my throat. Years of warrior training helped me swallow it back. Warriors don't break. Even when their whole world is burning down around them.

“The Moon Goddess chose us,” I said, hating how my voice shook. “We're mates.”

“The Goddess makes mistakes,” Tom replied. “Or maybe this is her way of showing us what's right. Lily knows her place. She'll make a proper Beta female.”

Lily's lips curved into a subtle smirk, her eyes holding mine with quiet triumph. She'd won. She'd finally taken something I loved that she couldn't have.

“Did you ever love me?” I questioned, even though the answer was the last thing I wanted to hear.

“I loved who I thought you could be,” Tom said. “But you chose to be this instead.”

The mate bond pulsed once, violently, the first crack spider webbing across its surface. Soon he would reject me formally, strip away my Beta status, leave me packless and mateless. Everything I'd worked for, gone because I dared to want more than what tradition allowed.

I took one step backward, then another. Strategic retreat, just like I'd learned in combat training. Always have an escape route. Never let the enemy see you bleed.

“The pack meeting is tonight,” Tom said, his voice already dismissive. Already done with me. “Don't make this harder than it needs to be.”

Lily's smirk widened. “I'll help you pack your things, bestie. For old times' sake.”

I turned and ran, leaving behind my flowers, my letter, my best friend, my mate – and the last pieces of the girl I used to be.

The Moon Goddess had blessed me with a perfect mate. But she never warned me that sometimes the things we think are

blessings turn out to be our worst nightmares.

I just never thought my nightmare would be wearing my best friend's face.