Betrayed and Saved by Love

Liliana’s POV Knock. Knock. Knock. A sharp rap against my door pulled me from sleep, followed by my mother’s firm voice. “Lini! Wake up! It’s already seven! Breakfast is ready, and you need to leave for school soon.” I groaned, rolling over and burying my face in the pillow. Why did mornings have to be so cruel? “Comiiiing…” I mumbled, stretching my limbs before reluctantly pushing myself out of bed. The wooden floor was cold against my bare feet, sending a small shiver up my spine. I shuffled to the bathroom, letting the warm water of the shower wake me up, steam curling around me in thick ribbons. As I stepped out, the scent of lavender soap clung to my skin, calming yet invigorating. Moving to my closet, I pulled out my favorite black wrap top, a beige plaid skirt, and my sleek black Michael Kors boots. I ran a brush through my butt-length brown hair, watching as it cascaded like silk down my back. My green eyes stared back at me from the mirror, sharp yet thoughtful. “Pff… if only I was a little taller,” I murmured to myself, standing on my tiptoes just to see if it made a difference. At 5’3, I had long accepted my fate as ‘petite,’ but it didn’t mean I had to like it. I'm Liliana Knight—daughter of Alpha Luca Knight and Luna Nolwenn Black-Knight, the only heir to the Silver Moon Pack, nestled deep within the hidden expanse of Rocky Mountain National Park. By birthright, I'm destined to be a Luna, but my heart longs for something else—to be a lawyer, an advocate for the werewolves who have no voice. I don’t want power. I want justice. With a sigh, I left my room, making my way downstairs toward the dining hall, where the air was thick with the comforting scent of freshly baked bread, sizzling bacon, and the rich aroma of coffee. The long oak tables were already filled with Pack members, laughter and conversation blending with the clinking of silverware. Unlike in some Packs, our Omegas weren’t treated as slaves. They were respected, paid members of our community—doctors, chefs, teachers, warriors. They had homes, they had futures. My father made sure of that. “Morning, everyone!” I called out, weaving through the crowded room toward my father, who was seated at the head of the table. His tall, imposing frame was impossible to miss, even when he was relaxed. The silver streaks in his black hair only made him more distinguished, and his piercing blue eyes softened when they landed on me. “Morning, Princess. Sleep well?” he asked as I leaned down to hug him. “Pretty well, yeah. But I wish Mom would wake me up more… I don’t know… gently?” A chuckle rumbled in his chest, but before he could reply, my mother emerged from the kitchen. Luna Nolwenn, fierce yet elegant, placed a warm hand on my shoulder before delivering a playful smack to the back of my head. “I tried waking you three times, little sleepyhead.” Her lips curled into a smirk as the Pack burst into laughter. I rubbed the spot on my head with a mock glare but smiled as I settled into my seat. My breakfast consisted of buttered toast, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, fresh orange juice, and an apple—a meal meant to energize me for the day ahead. Just as I took my first bite, Harry entered the room. His usual 6’0 frame looked smaller today, shoulders slumped, his black hair messy from sleep. His brown eyes, always shadowed with something deeper, barely met anyone’s gaze as he sat down. “Hi…” he mumbled, sounding as defeated as always. My heart ached for him. Harry wasn’t just my cousin. He was my brother in every way that mattered. And like every morning, he carried the weight of a tragedy that wasn’t his fault. Flashback 14 years ago The Crescent Moon Pack was a place of warmth, love, and legacy. Led by Alpha Nathan Black and Luna Lily, it thrived under their reign for three years, growing stronger with each passing moon. And on that fateful night, the Pack gathered not for battle, not for loss, but for joy—to celebrate the birth of their firstborn son, Harry. He was only three months old, a chubby little thing with black hair and warm brown eyes, the pride of his parents and the future of their Pack. His birth had been a blessing, a promise of many years to come. That night, the Silver Moon Pack was there too—my father, Alpha Luca, my mother, Luna Nolwenn, my uncle, Beta Liam, and his mate, Beta Esther, along with my father and my uncle’s youngest sister, Lola. They had all gathered at Crescent Moon Pack to celebrate family, to laugh, to rest for just a moment from the burdens of leadership. I was left behind that night. I was three years old, having a slight fever. Zoé, my cousin and just a few months old, Beta Liam and Beta Esther's daughter, stayed behind with me. And that saved our lives. Because while the halls of Crescent Moon Pack rang with laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses raised in toast, something sinister crept through the trees. Rogues. A coordinated attack. The alarm was raised too late. There was no time to usher the women, children, and elders to safety. There was only chaos. Only blood. Only death. The screams came first. They tore through the night like the wail of a mother mourning a child. Then came the howls—wolves fighting, wolves falling, their lives stolen by the merciless jaws of those who had come to destroy them. The scent of blood soaked the earth, thick and suffocating. It wasn’t just warriors who fell that night. The Crescent Moon Pack was slaughtered. My uncle, Alpha Nathan, fought until his last breath, trying to defend his mate, Luna Lily, who refused to leave Harry’s side. My grandparents, Nolan and Sonia Black, perished alongside them, their years of wisdom and leadership reduced to nothing but fading memories. Beta Esther, my aunt by marriage and by bond, was killed trying to protect her mate. Lola, my father’s baby sister, barely twenty, fought tooth and nail, refusing to let death take her quietly. She fell among the warriors, her spirit burning bright even as her body was extinguished. And in the midst of the c*****e, my mother was taken. Bryan Hellstone. A man who had once called himself her friend, but had been anything but. He was the son of the former Beta of Crescent Moon Pack, a man who had betrayed his Alpha long ago by aligning with rogues, only to be banished. But Bryan never let go of his twisted obsession. He had wanted my mother since they were young. And when she rejected him? When she told him she could never love him the way he wanted? When she chose my father, who was her fated mate, instead? Something inside him snapped. He decided if he couldn’t have her, no one would. He took her, dragged her into the shadows of the mountains, and for three weeks, he tortured her. Three weeks of pain. Three weeks of nightmares. Three weeks of a mate bond being tested beyond its limits. My father never stopped searching. He tore through every rogue den, hunted down every lead, not caring if it ended in violence or blood—only that he found her before it was too late. And when he did… She was barely alive. Bruised. Starved. Breathing only because her wolf refused to let her die. My father wept for the first time in his life when he saw her like that. And when Bryan Hellstone stood before him, smiling like he had won, like he had the right to breathe the same air after what he had done— My father tore his heart from his chest. Not metaphorically. He ripped it out with his bare hands, let the blood spill over his fingers, let life fade from Bryan’s eyes as he collapsed at his feet. It should have been the end of it. But the damage had been done. My mother survived, but the cost was devastating—she would never be able to have children again. And so, when Harry was left alone in this world, an orphan of the war, they took him in. Not out of duty. Not out of obligation. But because he was family. Because he was the last piece of my mother’s brother, the last child of the Crescent Moon Pack, the last reminder of a world that should never have been destroyed. They named him the future heir of Silver Moon Pack. And from the moment I was old enough to understand what loss meant— Harry, Zoé, and I were more than cousins. We were brothers and sisters. Bound by blood, by love, by survival. Bound by the night that changed everything. End of Flashback “Hey, Harry.” I slid a full plate of food in front of him, offering a small smile. “How are you today?” He poked at his scrambled eggs. “I’m okay… like every day.” I sighed. He wasn’t okay. He hadn’t been okay for years. Harry never was a great talker, but he was always there when Zoé or I needed him. He had his good days and his bad days, and today looked like one of the latter. He didn’t want to be Alpha. He didn’t think he deserved it. “I did nothing to gain that place,” he had told me once, his voice thick with guilt. “I’m just adopted by you. Everyone died because of me… If I wasn’t born, none of this would’ve happened.” No matter how many times my father, my mother, or I tried to tell him otherwise, he couldn’t shake the guilt. But whether he had been born or not, Bryan Hellstone would still have attacked. That’s what everyone in the Pack kept telling him—that he was loved, cherished, wanted. That he wasn’t responsible for the actions of a monster. But no matter how often we told him, he never truly believed it. And so, I did the only thing I could do—I loved him anyway. “Finish your food,” I nudged his arm, grabbing my bag. “We’re going to be late. I’ll drive. ” Harry huffed but didn’t argue, shoveling food into his mouth before muttering, “Okay, go first to your car if you want. I’ll be there in a minute.” I leaned down, pressing a kiss to my mom’s cheek and then my dad’s before heading outside. The crisp morning air bit at my skin as I slid into the driver’s seat of my car, turning on the heat. A moment later, Harry opened the door and dropped into the passenger seat. “It’s okay, I’m here. We can go,” he mumbled, plugging in his phone and playing his favorite song—"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day. Fitting. The ride to Mountain Colorado High School was a quick fifteen minutes, the road winding through the snow-dusted town. I liked that it was a mixed school, blending werewolves and humans alike. It was refreshing to see the outside world beyond Pack life. When we pulled into the parking lot, students milled about, backpacks slung over their shoulders, laughter and conversation mixing in the crisp morning air. “See ya at lunch, Harry,” I called as I grabbed my bag. “Yeah, lunch is at 12:30 for me,” he replied, running a hand through his dark hair. “No problem, mine’s at 12:15. I’ll save a seat for you,” I promised, offering a small wave. Harry gave a short nod before heading off in the opposite direction. I rushed to my locker, spinning the dial quickly and grabbing my English textbook before making my way to class. As soon as I stepped inside, I spotted Ben—my boyfriend—who had saved me a seat. A grin pulled at my lips as I rushed toward him. “Hi, honey. Thanks for the seat,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to his lips. Ben chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re welcome, beauty. You always manage to arrive at the last second. If I wasn’t there first, we’d have the worst seats in the room.” I giggled, knowing he was right. I liked sitting in the middle, where I could hear the latest gossip and still keep up with class. Call me a semi-nerd if you want. The classroom hushed as Mrs. Mays entered, books in hand, her no-nonsense expression settling over the room. And just like that, my school day officially began.