On the night of our mating ceremony, my Alpha chose her. Not me. Not the woman who stood by his side for three years. Not the Luna who built his pack with him. Not the mate fate tied to his soul. He chose my best friend. I heard his confession with my own ears. I heard the kiss that followed. And then I walked into the ceremony hall, lifted my chin, and let him mark me anyway. Because in Nightcrest Pack, rejecting the Alpha means exile. So I smiled. I became his Luna. And that same night, I began planning my escape. If Caden wanted to treat me like a placeholder, then I would leave him with exactly what he deserved— a crumbling pack, vanishing wealth, and a loss so devastating it would bring an Alpha to his knees. But the more I pull away, the more he starts looking at me like I’m the one slipping through his fingers. Too late. Because the woman who once loved him is gone. And the only man who sees me now… is the one man I should never want. Elder Rowan. Powerful. Forbidden. Dangerously patient. Now my Alpha wants me back. Now he wants to fight for our bond. Now he says he loves me. But after everything he did… Should I destroy him— or make him beg?