Their Game, Her Ruin

Chapter 2

Autumn

Sarah giggles at Brielle’s words, while Olivia snorts.

“Yeah, nobody wants an Omega for a Luna. That’s just biology, sweetie. Never know you might find an Omega male to make you his mate,” she says, side-eyeing me. I want to punch their bitchy faces, unfortunately I know better than to provoke them, they are all Luna blood and would rip me apart in seconds.

“Let’s have some fun, shall we?” Brielle squeezes my arm as she steers me through the place.

I stumble after her, trying to slip out of her grip, but her claws are hooked in deep, and I hiss. “Brielle!” I yelp as her nails slice through my top.

“Brielle, I really have to—”

“Oh, come on,” she coos. “One drink. One game. Don’t be such a bore. Ever since you killed your brother, you’ve become such a hermit.” I flinch at her words. I never killed my brother, yet they all blame me for his death. However, hearing Brielle casually mention him stings, since she used to date him before he passed away.

Before I can argue, before I can even form a coherent protest, Brielle’s hands are on my shoulders—firm, insistent. Her nails dig in slightly as she steers me with the precision of a general directing troops. Then, without so much as a glance back, she shoves me forward through a narrow side door. The hinges creak in protest, and I stumble into the sitting room.

The air inside is thick with mingled scents: pine, smoke from the roaring fireplace, and the faint tang of something floral—likely Mrs. Kailee’s signature lavender polish she uses on every piece of furniture. The room is far too warm for comfort, bodies and laughter filling the space until it feels like the walls are closing in. It’s suffocating. My pulse quickens as I take in the crowd.

Pack members. Familiar faces that once felt like family but now seem alien to me, their smiles too wide, their voices too loud. They’re clustered in groups around the ornate coffee table and spilling onto mismatched armchairs. Some perch on the arms of furniture while others lean against the walls like they’ve always belonged here. My throat tightens at the sight of them.

I used to belong here too.

But now? Now I avoid these people like the plague, keeping my head down and steering clear of their gatherings. The weight of their judgment—or worse, their pity—would crush me if I let it. I’ve worked hard to stay invisible since… well. Since everything changed.

And yet here I am, thrust into their midst like a lamb thrown to the wolves.

As my eyes scan the room, my stomach churns. A familiar figure catches my attention near the back of the crowd, her auburn hair catching the light just so—it’s Emily. Of course it is. She’s perched on the armrest of a chair, laughing at something someone just said, her expression bright and carefree. But when her gaze flicks to mine, her grin sharpens into something more pointed. She smirks, lifting a hand in a small wave that’s far too smug for my liking.

Something cold twists in my chest as realization dawns.

Of course Emily knew Mrs. Kailee would ask me to work tonight. Of course she faked being sick so she could dodge this responsibility and leave me to deal with it instead. She set me up for this—probably had a good laugh about it too.

I press my lips into a tight line, refusing to give her the satisfaction of any visible reaction. But inside? Inside I’m screaming every curse I know.

A burst of laughter erupts across the room, echoing off the high ceilings and making my ears ring. It’s only then that I notice just how many people are packed into this space—not just pack members but familiar faces from college too. Half my classmates are here it seems, mingling with ease among people who’ve probably never given them a second glance before tonight.

I freeze near the wall, instinctively shrinking into myself as though willing the shadows to swallow me whole. My back presses against the cool plaster as I try to melt into it, but it’s no use.

They’ve already seen me.

Whispers ripple through the crowd like wildfire—too low for me to catch specific words but loud enough to feel their weight pressing against my skin. Heat rises up my neck and floods my cheeks as I feel dozens of eyes turning toward me, curiosity and something sharper glinting in their gazes.

And then I see him.

Jaxon Stone.