The knife slides into my chest so smoothly I almost don’t feel it. Almost. Kai’s golden hair has turned silver in the moonlight. He looks perfect, pristine, serene.
“It’s okay,” he whispers, cupping my cheek with his free hand. “I’m here, Arya. ”
His lips stretch into a smile as the metallic scent of blood fills my nose. My blood.
Kai did this. My Kai. My prince. My Alpha to be.
My whole damn world. My murderer. “Why? ” I choke out.
He won’t even meet my eyes. Something flashes in his gray eyes—wolf gold bleeding through, cold and dark. “God, you’re so naive sometimes. ” He chuckles, then drives the knife into my chest again.
And again. Memories hit me like punches with each stab. Him teaching me to track prey. Us running beneath full moons.
Fighting side by side. His laughter. His trust. I shaped my entire life around him.
What did I do wrong? My blood pools beneath me, warm and wet. The earth soaks it up. Some distant part of me thinks how wrong it is to die here, so far from our territory.
“You’ve done well, pet,” he says, wiping blood from my lips with his thumb. Then he licks it off. He licks it. I want to scream.
The last thing I feel isn’t despair. It isn’t even pain. It’s rage. Pure, all-consuming rage that makes my wolf rise up one final time, snarling.
That’s how I die. Absolutely furious, his name on my lips like a curse. With my last breath, I feel Kai’s lips on my forehead. I smell that familiar pine and frost scent, now tainted with my blood.
And I pray to whatever gods might be listening to give me one more chance. Not to live. Not for mercy. Just one chance to make things right with Kai.
And by making things right, I mean to make the bastard pay. I wake up feeling like I’ve been hit by several trucks and maybe a train for good measure. My head’s pounding. Kai’s face flashes through my mind—the knife, the blood, the pain.
My hands snap to my chest, searching for wounds that aren’t there. Oh thank God. Only a nightmare. But it felt so real.
The metallic taste of blood in my mouth. His scent of white amber and frost. Wait. Where the hell am I?
I crack open my eyes and find myself in the fanciest bedroom I’ve ever seen. The bed alone is bigger than my entire sleeping quarters back at camp. Silk sheets. Velvet curtains.
The kind of luxury I’ve only seen when infiltrating rich pack estates for raids. Before I can process any of this, the door bursts open and two girls in black uniforms rush in, nearly tripping over their own skirts. “My lady, you’re awake! ” one of them squeals.
“We were so worried. ”
I look around for whoever they’re talking to, but there’s nobody else here besides me. Jesus, how drunk was I last night? “Lady Leandra, are you feeling better?
” the other one asks, pressing a cool hand to my forehead. I try to swat her away, but my arm feels weird. Everything feels wrong. Like I’m wearing someone else’s skin.
Who’s Leandra? A woman in an emerald green dress sweeps in, reeking of omega pheromones and expensive perfume. “Oh, my precious daughter! What were you thinking?
”
She grabs my hand, and I’m too stunned by her calling me daughter to yank it away. “Wait just a damn minute,” I cut in, finally finding my voice. It comes out higher than usual. “I think there’s been some kind of mistake.
”
“Oh, thank God she can speak,” green dress exclaims. “With the mating ceremony so close, imagine if she’d been left mute. Or worse. ” She shudders delicately.
“Disfigured. ”
“Look, lady,” I try again, scooting away from her. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not getting mated to anyone anytime soon. You feel me?
”
They all stare at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Why is she speaking like a peasant? ” green dress stage-whispers to the maids. “I can hear you,” I snap, but it doesn’t come out nearly as threatening as usual.
The slap catches me off guard—not because I didn’t see it coming, but because it actually hurts. Usually it takes a lot more than some omega’s backhand to make me flinch. “Leandra Evangelene Valtoria! ” she shrieks.
“If you think for one second you can act your way out of this marriage—”
I slap her back. Or what should have been hard. Instead of knocking her out cold like my slaps usually do, the crazy lady just yelps and stumbles back, clutching her cheek. Something is very, very wrong here.
I stumble to the nearest reflective surface—a massive gold-framed mirror—and nearly scream. The face staring back at me isn’t mine. It’s younger, softer. Delicate cheekbones, full lips, long silvery-blonde hair cascading past slender shoulders.
And eyes. Pale lavender eyes. This isn’t my body. This isn’t my face.
This isn’t me. “What the hell is happening? ” I breathe. So this is what it looks like.
Death. Or something worse. I’m in someone else’s body, in some noble’s estate, being prepped for a mating ceremony to some Alpha I’ve never met. And the last thing I remember is Kai stabbing me in the chest and licking my blood off his fingers like I was some kind of delicacy.
No. No, no, no. This isn’t happening. I need to get out of here, find Kai, and make him pay for what he did.
But first, I need to figure out where I am and who this Leandra person is. The name itches at my brain. Leandra Valtoria. I’ve heard it before.
The daughter of some wealthy noble family. Rumored to be beautiful, fragile, and utterly useless. The kind of omega wolves write ballads about—delicate and submissive and perfect. And now apparently, I’m her.
“You need to calm down, my lady,” one of the maids says, approaching cautiously like I might bite. Lady Leandra would never use such language. It’s not proper for someone of your station. “Well, Lady Leandra’s not here right now,” I say, which is probably the truest thing I’ve said since I woke up.
“So you’re stuck with me. ”
The woman in green—who I’m now guessing is my mother—gathers her composure. “Clearly the Healer was right. The shock has addled your mind.
Perhaps some rest will restore your senses. ”
“I’m not addled,” I growl. “I’m not your daughter. I’m not anyone you know.
”
“Then who are you? ” she asks sharply. The question hangs in the air. Who am I?
Arya Storm, orphan turned warrior. Kai’s personal attack dog. The one who killed and bled and died for a pack that threw me away like garbage. But I can’t say that.
Not to these people who think I’m some noble’s daughter. “I’m… ” I trail off. “I’m tired.
I need rest. ”
An hour in my room, pacing the silk sheets, brings a brilliant idea. If the memory serves—and it does, because I spent my whole life studying pack alliances—the Valtoria estate sits on the border of Silverclaw territory. Kai’s pack.
All I have to do is walk. And if I can get back to Silverclaw territory, find Kai, sink my teeth into his throat before he realizes who I am, I can end this. Forget about whatever else is going on. Just one goal.
Revenge. Night falls. The estate quiets. I slip out of my room, down the servants’ passages, through the kitchens.
The lock on the back door is old and rusty—easy to pick with my hairpin. But when I step outside, something stops me dead. The scent. Pine and frost with an undercurrent of something wrong.
Something dark. I freeze. Kai’s here. He’s on this estate.
I duck back into the shadows, heart pounding. My eyes search the darkness, and there. At the edge of the garden. Two figures.
The moonlight catches golden hair, a familiar face. Kai. But he’s not alone. There’s a woman with him—powerful, elegant.
Her silver-white hair gleams like liquid moonlight, and there’s something in her bearing that screams dangerous. Zara. The Alpha. No wonder I couldn’t get out through the Valteria estate.
The pack has been here. He has been here. “She’s a tool,” Kai says. “Nothing more.
”
My blood runs cold. But I don’t move. I’m frozen, listening. “She’s as loyal as they come,” Zara replies.
“Perfect for what we need. ”
“She served her purpose. ” The cold, casual way Kai says it makes my stomach turn. “Now she’s gone.
”
“And the Valtoria girl? ”
Kai smiles. “In a coma. But she’ll wake soon.
And when she does, she’ll be mine. ”
I nearly gag. Leandra. I’m in Leandra’s body because her own pack put her in a coma.
They’re going to use her. Use me. In some sort of alliance between Silverclaw and the Valterias. “You’ll be Alpha of the Western territories, my son,” Zara says.
“And the Valterias will be your puppets. ”
“I’ll be Alpha of everything,” Kai corrects, his eyes glinting. “And that girl—” He looks toward the estate, and for a moment I’m sure he’s looking at me. “She’ll be my Luna.
Whether she knows it or not. ”
Zara laughs. “As if she’d dare refuse you after everything you’ve done to her pack. ”
“Her pack?
” Kai raises an eyebrow. “Oh, don’t be obtuse, Kai. Your precious Arya and her little rebellion? The other packs are still holding onto hope.
Still whispering about the warrior who would save them. ” She shakes her head. “That’s why you had to kill her. A dead symbol is useless.
A living one is dangerous. ”
“All I had to do was get her to our territory, stab her in the heart, and she was powerless,” Kai muses. “A rogue’s death. No one to mourn her, no one to avenge her.
”
The words hit me like a physical blow. He didn’t just kill me because I was inconvenient. He killed me to silence a rebellion. To kill hope.
And I didn’t even know there was a rebellion. “I still don’t understand why you let her believe you loved her,” Zara says, her voice slightly disgusted. Kai’s smile is cold. “Control isn’t just about force.
It’s about devotion. You make them love you, worship you, want to please you. And then—” He makes a stabbing motion with his hand. “It’s so much easier to control them when they think you’re the answer to their prayers.
”
My hands are shaking. My new body’s hands, but my old rage is still there, burning in my chest. “I want the Valtoria girl to know the same,” Kai continues. “She’s got no family to protect her after the wedding.
Just me. And when she’s broken, the Valterias will fall in line. The entire region will belong to us. ”
“You’ll be the most powerful Alpha the West has ever seen,” Zara says approvingly.
Kai’s smile widens. “And you’ll be the most powerful Luna mother. Imagine—the two of us, ruling everything. ”
“No, wait, you said the Valteria girl would be Luna.
”
“She’ll serve her purpose. But no one, and I mean no one, will ever replace you, Mother. ”
My stomach twists violently. No.
No, this can’t be right. Kai—praising his mother? They were at each other’s throats the entire time I knew him. He hated her.
She hated him. Unless it was all a performance. Unless their fights were staged for the pack, to make people think they weren’t in league together. Everything.
Everything was a lie. “I want the Valtoria girl broken by the ceremony,” Zara says. “Whatever it takes. Her family doesn’t matter after the wedding.
”
“Whatever it takes. ” Kai’s smile is chilling. “She didn’t grow up in a pack. Doesn’t know how to fight or defend herself.
She’ll be the perfect little puppet. ”
I stand there in the shadows, and I feel the last of my old self dying. The Arya who trusted Kai, loved Kai, would have died for Kai—she already died. But this new creature, born from betrayal and rage, was just given a new purpose.
I don’t just want revenge anymore. I want to burn everything they love to the ground. Kai stirs from his position. He’s coming this way.
I press myself farther into the shadows, barely breathing. There’s a branch under my foot. Don’t. Move.
Do not move. “Leandra’s room is secure? ” Kai asks. “No way in or out?
”
“The only exit is through the main doors,” Zara confirms. “With the guards stationed outside—”
“Good. I want to see her. ”
“No.
” Zara’s voice cuts him off. “You’ll see her at the ceremony. A proper young lady like her deserves to be surprised. ”
“She’s an untried Omega,” Kai protests.
“I need to know—”
“She’s untouched. Acquiescent. Easily frightened, just as we’ve planned. The perfect bride.
”
Kai sighs. “Fine. But I want the ceremony soon. I’m tired of waiting.
”
“Patience. We’ll have everything we want soon enough. ”
Their footsteps fade into the night. I stay frozen for what feels like hours, not even daring to breathe.
Okay. Okay. They don’t know I heard them. They think I’m still broken and confused in my room.
This is good. This is very good. This is leverage. I work my way back inside the estate, my escaped plan abandoned.
Revenge was a good plan. But this—this is so much better. I’m going to play their game. Let them think I’m the weak, compliant Omega they want.
Let them bring me to Kai. And when they do, I’ll have already learned everything I need to know to destroy them. My room feels like a cage when I return, but it’s also armor. Every time one of the maids chips away at my defenses, I remind myself that this is all part of the game.
Lady Leandra is fragile. Lady Leandra is vulnerable. Lady Leandra would never escape, would never fight back, would never be a threat. So I will be the perfect Lady Leandra, right up until the moment I’m not.
A week passes. Then two. I’m given a room, clothes, food. The maids talk to me like I’m a child.
My mother—Lady Valtoria, which I’m just rolling with—treats me like a bargaining chip. And apparently, I’m about to be mated to the Alpha of Silverclaw. Silverclaw? The pack that killed me?
The pack that’s been trying to exterminate the border packs for years? And the Alpha—Kai’s father—has been missing for months, which means the new Alpha is—
“Lord Alaric, madam. The new Alpha of Silverclaw. ”
The name sends ice down my spine.
Lord Alaric wasn’t Kai’s father. Kai’s father died years ago. He was the uncle, the brute, the one who took over after his brother was killed in battle. And he’s been trying to arrange a marriage with a Valtoria for years.
To secure the territory, to consolidate power, to—
A knock on the door. One of the maids enters with a tray of food. “My lady, the healer is here. She would like to examine you before tonight’s ceremony.
”
Ceremony. Tonight. Of course. Perfect.
I take a deep breath and force myself to smile. “Of course. I’ll be right there. ”
The healer is a woman in her sixties, gray hair, sharp eyes.
She examines me with magic and herbs, asking about my dreams, my visions, the nightmares that have been haunting me since the ceremony date was announced. “I see you’ve had some unusual memories,” she says. “A warrior’s memory. Someone who fought with her pack.
”
I stiffen. “I dream of things that aren’t real. ”
“On the contrary, they are quite real. But they’re not yours, are they?
”
I hesitate. “I don’t know what you mean. ”
The healer’s eyes narrow slightly. “Don’t play games with me, young lady.
I’ve been serving the Valtoria family for forty years. I know when a body—” She pauses. “I know when a spirit is at odds with its form. ”
“So you know.
”
“I know that the Leandra I was called to treat a month ago was a girl who’d fallen into a coma after a mysterious illness. And I know the woman sitting before me now bears her face but carries herself differently. ” She sits down, suddenly looking all of her age. “What I don’t know is who you are and how you came to be here.
”
I look at her for a long moment. “My name is Arya. Arya Storm. Before I—before I was in this body, I was a warrior for the border packs.
I was killed by someone I trusted. And when I woke up, I was here. ”
The healer is silent for a long moment. “The moon spirits work in mysterious ways.
”
“You believe me. ”
“I believe that you are not Leandra Valtoria. ” She takes my hand. “But I also believe there are forces at play far larger than either of us.
And if you are truly a warrior, as you say, then perhaps you are exactly what this family needs. ”
My breath catches. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want—”
“Revenge?
” She asks, grasping my hand. “I cannot grant that. But I can offer you counsel. ”
“I’m listening.
”
“The Alaric who seeks this marriage is not the man he claims to be. He has secrets—dark ones. He consorts with beings that should not be meddled with. ”
“He’s not just a pack leader?
”
“He’s a monster in sheep’s clothing. And if you marry him, you will become his property in every sense of the word. You will be trapped within a marriage that no one outside of it can break. You will serve him utterly.
”
“Then what do I do? ”
The healer’s eyes are ancient. “You survive. Whatever happens, you survive.
And you wait for the right moment to strike. ”
“That’s your advice? Survive? And I’m already planning on that.
” I huff. “You misunderstand. I don’t mean wait until you’re broken to escape. I mean wait until you have everything you need to destroy him completely.
”
“And how do I get everything I need? ”
“For that, you’ll need allies. ” The healer presses a small vial into my hand. “This is a poison.
It won’t kill him. But it will make him vulnerable—temporarily. You’ll need to find someone who holds his leash if you want to truly cut his strings. ”
“His leash?
His mother? ”
The healer shakes her head. “Someone far more dangerous. Someone who’s controlling him from the shadows.
”
“Who? ”
“That’s what you need to find out. ” She stands. “Now, I recommend you rest before tonight.
You’ll need your strength. ”
I walk her to the door. As she’s about to leave, she pauses: “One more thing. Your memories may not be entirely your own.
The wolf inside you—it’s not Leandra’s. It’s a warrior’s wolf. A huntress. If you can come to understand it, you may unlock the full extent of your new power.
”
She leaves. I stand there, my heart pounding. I don’t feel like a huntress. I feel like a girl in a stranger’s skin, trying to figure out how to survive.
But I’m the only one who can. I dress in the deep green gown they give me. The fabric is rich and heavy, trailing on the floor. The maid does my hair in an elegant updo, weaving silver ribbons through the gold-blonde curls.
When I look in the mirror, I barely recognize myself. I look like a noble. Refined. Delicate.
I look like someone who could mate with an Alpha. “There’s a carriage waiting for you outside,” the maid says. “Your mother awaits. Good luck, my lady.
We’re all counting on you. ”
Counting on me. That makes me want to laugh. As I’m descending the stairs, another servant approaches—a man in the Valtoria livery, but with an energy about him that feels out of place.
“My lady,” he says. “I have a message from an old friend. ”
I freeze. “Who?
”
“One who says he remembers you from your previous life. He says his name is Rafe. ”
Rafe. The name sends a jolt through me.
Rafe was a warrior from another pack—one I’d fought beside more than once. A wolf with honor, a man with conviction. Breathing shallowly, I ask, “Where is he? ”
“Waiting near the estate’s east gate.
He wanted to speak with you before you leave for the ceremony. ”
“How did he know? How could he be here? ”
“He’s been watching the estate since you arrived.
He’s known since the beginning. ”
I nod, my mind racing. If Rafe was watching, maybe he’s been trying to find a way to reach me. But what does he want?
To stop the wedding? To help me escape? I follow the servant through the back passages, ducking under creeping vines and over mossy stones, until we reach the east gate. And there, leaning against a tree, is a familiar figure, with broad shoulders and warm brown eyes.
“Arya. ” He says my name like it’s a prayer. “I can’t believe it’s really you. ”
“Rafe.
” I’m in shock. “You—you know who I am? ”
“I’ve always known. ” He steps closer, his voice low.
“I’ve been trying to find a way to get to you since you woke up. But this place is heavily guarded. ”
“You said you had a way to the border? ”
“I do.
But you’re walking into a trap tonight at that ceremony. Alaric doesn’t plan to let you leave. ”
“I know. I overheard him talking.
”
“I can get you out of here before the ceremony. My pack is ready to ride—”
“No. ” The word is out of my mouth before I can stop it. Rafe’s eyes widen slightly.
“What? ”
“I’m not running, Rafe. I can’t. Alaric will use my family—Lady Valtoria, the entire estate—as leverage.
If I run, they’ll burn it all to the ground. ”
“Arya—”
“I’m going to play their game. Let them think they’ve won. And then, when they least expect it, I’ll destroy them.
”
He’s quiet for a long moment. “That’s not just courage. That’s something else. ”
“Desperation.
” I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. “It feels exactly the same. ”
“If you’re set on this path, I’ll be nearby. If you ever need me—”
“I know.
” I take a step back. “Thank you. For listening. For believing me.
”
“As if I could forget you. ” He shakes his head. “Be careful, Arya. Don’t let them break you.
”
“Never. ”
As I turn to walk back inside, he calls out, “Arya. When this is over, come find me. We have unfinished business.
”
I don’t know what he means by that—but it lingers on my mind as I get into the carriage. Westcliff Estate looms before me a black beast against the deepening night sky. I haven’t been here since—since I died. When I step out of the carriage, the ground beneath my feet is dry and cracked, as if even the earth itself is uneasy with what’s about to happen.
Everything feels wrong. The whispers in the servant hallways, the cold look in Lady Valtoria’s eyes, the way the guards’ gazes slide past me like I’m already invisible. They’re selling me off to Alaric, and they all know it. The marriage is supposed to “deter aggression” from Silverclaw—a peace offering, they call it.
But I know the truth: I am a weapon being gifted to the enemy. As I walk toward the great hall, a hand catches my arm. A young servant, barely more than a boy, presses a folded note into my palm before scurrying away. I open it, glancing over the words: “Do not drink the wine.
”
That’s all. No signature, no clue who sent it. But I recognize the handwriting—Rafe’s. He’s here, watching.
The great hall is lit with a thousand candles. Alaric sits on a throne at the far end, massive and intimidating in the dim firelight. A roaring fire dances in a hearth behind him, and beside it stands another figure. Kai.
The sight of him makes my legs go weak—not with fear, but with rage so sharp I can taste it. His golden hair gleams in the firelight. His scent still hits me like a wave: white amber and frost. Gods, I want to kill him.
He looks right at me, and a small, cold smile plays at his lips. Of course. He knows I’m here. He knows who I am.
“You look beautiful,” he says, his voice smooth as honey. “Doesn’t she, my lord? ”
Alaric says nothing, only watches me with eyes like chips of ice. My heart is pounding so hard I can barely breathe.
But I force my face into a serene mask, stepping into their trap. “Thank you for the hospitality,” I say, my voice dripping with practiced grace. “I trust the wine is to your liking? ”
Kai’s smile widens, and he lifts a glass in a toast.
“To our union,” he says as his eyes dart down to the goblet in front of me. I glance at the goblet on the table in front of my seat—a rich, deep red. The wine. And I hear Rafe’s warning again: Do not drink the wine.
“Not a drinker, my lady? ” Kai asks, raising an eyebrow. “I find that staying sober at one’s own wedding is the best way to ensure one remembers it. ” I smile sweetly.
Something flickers in his eyes. He’s not pleased. But he can’t push it without admitting that the wine was drugged. “So,” I say, turning to Alaric.
“Tell me about this ceremony. What does it entail, exactly? ”
Alaric’s voice is strange—like gravel grinding against glass. “Tonight, you will receive my wolf’s bite, and the bond will be sealed.
Nothing can break it. ”
“Nothing except death,” I say. “Including death. ” He stands, his voice dropping to a near-growl.
“Do not think you can wriggle out of this, girl. You belong to me now. ”
For a moment—just a moment—I feel fear crack through my calm. Then his gaze flickers to Kai, and I see it.
A shadow of something between them. Something wrong. That’s when I notice: Kai isn’t just standing idly. He’s watching Alaric with something like contempt.
And Alaric, despite his confident words, keeps looking toward Kai as if waiting for approval. Curious. Very curious indeed. The ceremony begins.
Words are spoken, incense is burned. Alaric’s hand takes mine—his grip is like iron, so different from Rafe’s gentle strength. The bite is coming. Once it happens, I’m bound to him forever.
Panic rises in my throat. I can’t let this happen. I need more time. But as the priest raises his hands and Alaric leans toward my neck, the doors to the great hall burst open.
A massive wolf, black furred, with glowing eyes, charges inside. Guards scatter. Screams erupt. And in the chaos, a hand grabs my arm.
“Come with me. ”
Rafe. He pulls me toward the side door, and I go without looking back. We run through corridors, down staircases, into the cold night air.
He pulls me into the trees—then further, through a hidden grove I’d never known existed. When we finally stop, I’m gasping for breath. “How did you do that? ”
“A wolf can’t be everywhere at once.
You know that. ” He looks at me, eyes fierce. “He expected a simple wedding. We gave him a hunt.
”
“He’ll come after us. ”
“Let him. I’ve been trained for this my whole life. ”
We are surrounded by the forest’s shadow.
The rustle of leaves and the distant cry of wolves are all around. He is close to me—so close I can feel the heat of his body. “Arya,” he says softly, “I need to ask you something. Something important.
”
“What? ”
“If we survive this. If we make it out alive. Will you come with me?
Leave everything behind? Start over? ”
My heart is pounding. “I don’t know how—”
“Just answer me.
” He cups my face. “Do you trust me? ”
“Yes,” I say, “I trust you. ”
His eyes soften.
“Then we’ll figure the rest out later. ”
And then the wolves start howling in the distance, and we both know. Dawn is breaking, and if we can’t find a way to keep moving. The hunt has begun.
But it’s also the moment I realize something that changes everything. He knows my name. He knows who I am, and he doesn’t care. And unlike everything else in my life, this isn’t part of a plan.
It’s real.
