In the ancient Empire of Varelia, where blood determines power and an Omega's fate is often decided before she can choose it for herself, Seraphine Vale has spent years learning how to survive.Born into a powerful noble family, Seraphine's childhood was marked by cruelty, violence, and betrayal. Now nineteen, she has escaped the household that destroyed her and is sent to the imperial capital, hoping to disappear among the countless faces of the court.But the capital is more dangerous than she imagined.Behind its magnificent palaces and glittering balls lies a world of political alliances, forbidden magic, ancient bloodlines, and deadly secrets. And at the centre of it all stands Cassian Ardent, the Empire's most feared Alpha.A powerful Duke and celebrated military commander, Cassian possesses everything an Alpha could desire—status, influence, wealth, and authority. Yet unlike the men Seraphine has known, he does not demand her obedience. He sees the fear she tries so desperately to hide, but instead of using it against her, he gives her something she has never been offered before: a choice.Their relationship begins with distrust.Seraphine doesn't believe an Alpha can protect her without eventually trying to possess her. Cassian, meanwhile, finds himself inexplicably drawn to an Omega who refuses to bow before him.As their paths become increasingly intertwined, Seraphine discovers that the horrors of her childhood may not have been random. A conspiracy buried within the imperial court connects her family's downfall to an ancient power that has been sleeping beneath the Empire for centuries.And Seraphine may be the only person capable of awakening it.With enemies closing in, Cassian must choose between his loyalty to the Empire and the woman he has sworn to protect. Seraphine must confront the past she has spent years running from—and discover that surviving was never the same thing as living.Because the Empire expects its Omegas to kneel.But Seraphine Vale was never meant to remain on her knees.She is the moon—and the moon does not kneel.