The scent of rain lingered in the air as Adira scrubbed the marble floor of the packhouse, her fingers raw from hours of work. The sound of laughter echoed down the halls-his laughter.
Lucian.
Her mate. Her Alpha, The man who had once worshiped the ground she walked on,
Now, he didn't even look at her.
Adira clenched her jaw, forcing her hands to keep moving even as her heart crumbled. She had spent two years by his side, sharing his burdens, his victories, his nights. But in the blink of an eye, it was all erased. He had been spelled, manipulated into believing Selene was his true mate.
And Adira?
She was nothing to him now.
"You're lucky we're even letting you stay here, omega."
The voice was laced with cruelty, a sickeningly sweet tone that made Adira's stomach twist. Selene.
Adira didn't react, keeping her gaze on the soapy water beneath her hands. That wasn't enough for Selene,
A sharp kick landed against Adira's ribs, knocking her onto her side. Pain flared, but she bit her lip, swallowing the cry that threatened to escape.
"You're pathetic," Selene sneered. "Crawling around like a rat, exactly where you belong."
Adira's fingers curled into fists, her wolf snarling inside her. This isn't right. She should be standing beside Lucian, not bowing before his false queen.
But fighting back would only get her punished.
So she remained silent.
Selene huffed, clearly annoyed that Adira wouldn't break, "Oh well," she sighed dramatically. "I just came to let you know-Lucian and I are officially announcing our mating bond soon. The whole pack will be there to celebrate."
Adira's chest tightened. Their mating bond?
No. That wasn't possible.
The spell might have clouded Lucian's mind, but the mate bond was sacred. It couldn't just change.
Selene smirked at Adira's stunned silence. "Oh, don't look so shocked. You didn't actually think he'd remember you, did you? You're nothing to him now."
Adira forced herself to breathe, to keep her emotions locked away.
Selene giggled. "Anyway, don't forget to clean the hall. I'd hate for Lucian to see his former mate looking so useless,"
With that, she sauntered away, leaving Adira trembling with rage.
You're nothing to him now.
No.
No, she refused to accept that.
Adira dug her nails into the floor, breathing heavily. Lucian might have forgotten her... but she would make him remember.
Even if she had to shatter the spell with her own hands…
Two Years Ago
The grand hall of the packhouse was alive with murmurs and excitement. Tonight marked the official choosing of the new Luna—the female who would rule alongside the newly crowned Alpha, Lucian Nightshade.
Adira stood at the very back, among the omegas, her head bowed low. She had no business even looking at the Alpha, let alone hoping for anything. She was an omega, the lowest rank in the pack—a servant, nothing.
But everything changed the moment Lucian pointed at her.
Gasps echoed through the hall, and then… chaos.
"The omega?!" a voice hissed.
"This must be a joke!"
"She's weak! She's nothing!"
Adira's breath caught in her throat as every eye in the room turned toward her, filled with horror, disgust, and outrage. This couldn't be real.
The Elder Council, seated at the front of the hall, immediately stood. The eldest, a grizzled wolf named Elder Garrick, stepped forward, his expression thunderous.
"Alpha Lucian," he said carefully, though his voice trembled with barely contained anger. "You must reconsider."
Lucian's golden eyes burned with authority. "I have made my choice."
Garrick's lips pressed into a thin line. "She is an omega. Omegas do not lead. They serve."
Adira flinched at the coldness in his voice.
Lucian, however, didn't waver. "The mate bond does not follow rank," he stated. "It follows destiny."
The words sent another ripple of unease through the crowd.
A second Elder, a tall woman named Marisol, stepped forward, her expression severe. "Perhaps, Alpha, she is not your mate." Her sharp gaze flicked to Adira. "It's possible she tricked you—used dark magic to force a bond."
Lies.
A murmur of agreement spread through the pack.
Adira's nails dug into her palms. She had been nothing but loyal to this pack, enduring every cruelty, every insult, every order. And now they accused her of witchcraft?
Lucian's eyes darkened dangerously. "Be careful with your words, Elder Marisol."
She hesitated, but then another voice rang out—this time from the ranks of warriors.
"This is madness!" snarled Grayson, one of the Beta-ranked wolves. His muscles tensed with fury as he took a step forward. "Alpha, we fought beside you in battle! We followed you because we believed in your strength. How can you throw it all away for her?" He spat the last word with disgust, his glare cutting straight through Adira.
Lucian turned his head sharply, his expression unreadable. "You question my judgment?"
Grayson hesitated, but then squared his shoulders. "Yes."
Gasps rang through the hall.
Defying an Alpha's decision was a dangerous game.
Lucian's aura exploded across the room, slamming into every wolf present. A low, rumbling growl left his throat—a warning.
"You think strength is only in power?" Lucian's voice was quiet, but it carried through the hall like a blade. "A true Alpha does not choose a Luna based on rank or bloodline. He chooses based on loyalty, courage, and heart."
He turned toward Adira then, his gaze softening just slightly. "And I have watched this woman endure cruelty and hardship at the hands of her own pack… yet she has never broken. That is strength."
A lump formed in Adira's throat.
Lucian wasn't just defending her—he was fighting for her.
Elder Garrick's face twisted in frustration. "You risk your entire rule for this girl! The pack will rebel!"
Lucian's expression hardened. "Then let them try."
Silence.
No one dared breathe.
Lucian turned back to Adira, his golden eyes locking onto hers. He extended his hand. "Come with me."
Adira's heart pounded. She should stay. She should keep her head down. That was what omegas did.
But then she looked at Lucian—the only one who had ever seen her as more than just a servant.
So, with a deep breath, she stepped forward and took his hand.
The bond between them flared to life, crackling like fire in her veins.
Lucian pulled her closer, his voice dropping so only she could hear. "You're mine now, Adira. And no one—no one—will ever hurt you again."
The pack could rage. The Elders could protest.
But Lucian had spoken.
Adira was his mate.
And nothing would ever change that…