As the cherished future Luna of the prestigious Stormveil Pack and a gifted healer, Isolde Carrington believed she had everything-a loving family, powerful abilities, and her destined mate, Marcus Dravenwood. But her perfect life crumbles when, the day after their mating ceremony, Marcus and her best friend Freya Langston vanish, leaving behind only a mate bond suppression potion. Refusing to succumb to despair, Isolde seeks solace in an unexpected connection-a secret affair with a devastatingly handsome Omega. For three fiery years, their relationship remains purely physical-until Marcus returns with a pregnant Freya, forcing Isolde to end things with her enigmatic lover. "Do you truly know who I am?" he growls, his golden eyes glinting dangerously. "You'll regret casting me aside so easily." His warning proves prophetic when Isolde discovers her "ordinary" lover's true identity-Killian Vandermere, heir to the Alpha King's throne and the most powerful wolf alive. What began as an act of rebellion was, in truth, a carefully orchestrated plan, and now Isolde finds herself ensnared in a deadly game of power and passion. To make matters worse, Marcus, wracked with guilt, refuses to sever their mate bond and begs for a second chance. Torn between her duty as Luna and her undeniable connection to Killian, Isolde must choose: forgive Marcus and embrace her destiny, or risk everything for the man who truly owns her heart.
Chapter 1 1
Isolde Carrington's POV
My fingers trembled as I held the crumpled note, its damning words blurring before my eyes. A mate bond suppression potion. That's all Marcus left behind.
I dropped the note, the parchment fluttering to the floor like the remains of my shattered heart. Marcus and Freya were gone. My mate. My best friend. Gone, together.
My legs moved before my mind could catch up. I stumbled through the corridors of the packhouse, my heels clicking on the polished floors. Each step echoed, a cruel reminder of the emptiness inside me. Servants paused to glance at me, concern etched on their faces, but no one dared speak.
My chest tightened as I reached the front doors. Pushing them open, I stepped onto the wide stone terrace, the crisp night air biting at my skin. The grounds stretched out before me, bathed in the pale glow of the full moon. Somewhere out there, Marcus and Freya were running away together, leaving me behind without a second thought.
"You knew this could happen." My voice was a hoarse whisper, spoken to no one but the wind.
I had always known that Marcus wasn't entirely mine. He had been distant, even after we discovered we were mates. His smiles never reached his eyes. His touch had been cool, calculated, even during the mating ceremony. But I had ignored the warnings, blinded by the mate bond and my desire to be the Luna my pack deserved.
The betrayal felt like a blade to my chest, twisting deeper with every breath.
A low growl broke the stillness, and I turned sharply. My wolf stirred uneasily, her instinct to protect me pushing through my despair. But there was no threat. Just him.
The figure stepped out of the shadows, his golden eyes catching the moonlight. "You shouldn't be out here alone, Isolde," Killian said, his deep voice a mix of concern and irritation.
I stiffened. Killian Vandermere, the enigmatic Omega who had wormed his way into my life- and my bed. For years, he had been my escape, my secret rebellion against the expectations placed on me. He was supposed to be nothing more than a fleeting distraction, but now, standing before me, his presence felt heavier.
"I don't need protection," I snapped, wrapping my arms around myself.
Killian tilted his head, his golden eyes narrowing. "You think I don't know what's happened?"
Of course he knew. The entire pack must know by now. The future Alpha and Luna were supposed to lead together, to strengthen the pack through their bond. Instead, Marcus had chosen Freya, leaving me humiliated and abandoned.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said, my voice colder than I intended.
Killian didn't move. His broad shoulders were tense, his jaw set as he studied me. "They're fools," he said finally, his voice softening. "Marcus and Freya don't deserve your loyalty or your pain."
His words were a balm and a torment. He had always been able to see through me, to pierce the armor I wore so carefully.
"Why are you here, Killian?" I asked, turning to face him fully. "To gloat? To remind me that I'm nothing without a mate?"
A flash of anger crossed his face. "You think I would do that?" He stepped closer, the heat of his body radiating against my chilled skin. "I'm here because you deserve better than this."
My breath caught, and for a moment, I hated him. Hated him for being here, for seeing me at my weakest. But more than that, I hated the way his words made me want to believe him.
"Leave me alone," I whispered, my voice breaking.
Killian's gaze hardened. "If that's what you want," he said, his voice low and steady. "But don't pretend this is the end, Isolde. You're stronger than this."
He turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me alone with my grief.
Killian Vandermere's POV
The scent of betrayal lingered in the air like poison. Isolde's pain was palpable, a storm that threatened to consume her. And I hated it. Hated seeing her like this.
My hands clenched into fists as I strode through the darkened woods. The pack's whispers about Marcus and Freya had reached me hours ago, and I had come to the packhouse knowing exactly what I would find-Isolde, broken and vulnerable.
She didn't see it yet, but this was the moment I had been waiting for. The moment when her perfect world would crumble, leaving her open to the truth.
For years, I had played the role of the dutiful Omega, hiding in plain sight. I had watched her, studied her, and bided my time. My feelings for her weren't part of the plan, but they had grown nonetheless, a fire I couldn't extinguish.
Isolde Carrington was mine. She just didn't know it yet.
The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. My wolf growled softly, restless and eager. He wanted to claim her, to protect her from the pain she carried, but it wasn't time... Not yet.
Reaching a secluded clearing, I stopped and tilted my head back, letting the moonlight wash over me. My golden eyes glinted in the darkness as I allowed a small smile to curve my lips.
Marcus and Freya had made their move, but they had underestimated Isolde. She wasn't some fragile flower to be trampled on. She was fire and fury, and when she rose from the ashes of this betrayal, she would be unstoppable, and I would be there, waiting.
Isolde Carrington's POV
I sat by the window in my chambers, staring out at the forest. My thoughts were a whirlwind of anger, sorrow, and confusion.
Why had Marcus done this? Why Freya?
The answers wouldn't come, and the questions burned like acid.
A knock at the door broke my reverie. I turned, my heart leaping with a mix of hope and dread. "Come in," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
My mother stepped into the room, her expression a mixture of concern and disappointment. "Isolde," she said softly, closing the door behind her.
"Don't," I said sharply, rising to my feet. "I can't handle another lecture right now."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't argue. Instead, she crossed the room and placed a hand on my shoulder. "You're stronger than this," she said quietly. "You'll get through it."
Her words should have been comforting, but they only deepened the ache in my chest. I didn't want to be strong. I wanted to be free of this pain, free of the bond that tied me to someone who didn't want me.
I turned away, my gaze returning to the window. "I don't know if I can," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
"You can," my mother said firmly. "And you will. Marcus and Freya don't define you. You are Isolde Carrington, and you are destined for greatness."
Her words hung in the air as she left the room, leaving me alone once more.
Destined for greatness. The words felt hollow, a cruel joke in the wake of my shattered life.
But deep down, a spark of defiance stirred. If Marcus and Freya thought they could break me, they were wrong. I would rise, nd they would regret underestimating me.
Chapter 1 1
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Chapter 2 2
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Chapter 3 3
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Chapter 4 4
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Chapter 5 5
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Chapter 6 6
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Chapter 7 7
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Chapter 8 8
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Chapter 9 9
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Chapter 10 10
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Chapter 11 11
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Chapter 12 12
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Chapter 13 13
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Chapter 14 14
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Chapter 15 15
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Chapter 16 16
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Chapter 17 17
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