Seraphina's POV
The silver blade cut through the air, missing my face by inches.
I threw myself sideways, slamming into my dresser as Elira spun around for another attack. Her eyes weren't just angry anymore - they were totally wild, like she'd lost her mind.
"Stop!" Caelum roared, grabbing Elira's wrist before she could swing again. "What are you doing?"
"Teaching your little pet a lesson!" Elira growled, trying to break free from his grip. "She needs to know her place!"
I scrambled backward until I hit the wall, my heart pounding so hard I could barely breathe. The knife in Elira's hand wasn't normal - those symbols cut into the silver were glowing with a sick green light.
"That blade," I gasped. "What is it?"
Caelum's face went white. "Where did you get this?" he asked, twisting the weapon out of Elira's hand. "This is evil silver. It's been banned for ages."
Elira laughed, but it sounded more like a bark. "Let's just say I have friends who want your little moon-blessed dead."
"What friends?" Caelum's voice was deadly quiet.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Elira's smile was pure evil. "Did you really think the pack leaders would let you throw away our marriage for some nobody omega? Did you think they'd just roll over and accept her as Luna?"
My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"
"I mean your precious mate already talked to the elders this morning," Elira said sweetly. "Didn't he tell you? They laughed in his face."
I looked at Caelum, hoping she was lying. But his face told me everything.
"It's true?" I whispered.
"Seraphina, I can explain-"
"They said no?" My voice cracked. "The elders said no to us being together?"
Caelum's silence was answer enough.
"Oh, this gets better," Elira continued. "Tell her what else they said, Caelum. Tell her about the announcement."
"What announcement?" I felt like I was drowning.
Caelum looked like he wanted to disappear. "My father... he's calling a pack meeting. Today. He wants to make everything official."
"Official how?"
"The wedding date," Elira practically purred. "We're getting married next week. Isn't that wonderful?"
The room started spinning. I grabbed the wall to keep from falling over. "Next week?"
"The elders decided we've waited long enough," Caelum said quietly. "They want the alliance with Elira's pack secured immediately."
"But what about us?" I could barely get the words out. "What about the mate bond? What about everything you promised me yesterday?"
"I tried, Seraphina. I swear I tried. But they won't listen. They say political ties are more important than mate bonds."
"More important?" I felt something breaking inside my chest. "How can they say that?"
"Because that's how it's always been," Elira said coldly. "Alphas marry for power. They don't marry their little playthings."
"I'm not a plaything!" I shouted, startling myself. "I'm his mate!"
"Are you?" Elira tilted her head. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're just another omega who got lucky for a few weeks."
Caelum stepped between us. "That's enough, Elira."
"Is it? Because I think she needs to hear the truth." Elira pushed past him to face me directly. "You were never going to be Luna, little girl. You were just a fun distraction while Caelum waited for his real wife to arrive."
"That's not true!" Caelum complained.
"Isn't it?" Elira's smile was razor-sharp. "Then why didn't you fight harder? Why didn't you refuse the marriage? Why didn't you choose her over your precious pack?"
I stared at Caelum, waiting for him to answer. Waiting for him to tell her she was wrong.
He didn't say anything.
"I see," I whispered. My heart was breaking into a million pieces. "You chose them over me."
"Seraphina, please. It's not that simple-"
"It is that simple!" I was crying now, hot tears running down my face. "Either you choose me or you choose them. There's no in-between!"
"The pack needs this alliance," Caelum said desperately. "Without it, we'll be exposed to attacks from the eastern territories. Hundreds of wolves could die."
"So you'll sacrifice our bond to save them?"
"I'm trying to save everyone!"
"Everyone except me." The words tasted like poison in my mouth.
A loud howl echoed from somewhere in the pack house. Then another. Then a dozen more.
"The pack meeting," Elira said with pleasure. "Time for the big announcement."
More screams joined the chorus. Every wolf in the territory was being called to meet.
"I have to go," Caelum said to me. "But we're not done talking about this."
"Yes, we are." I wiped my tears away. "Go marry your Luna. Go save your pack. Forget about me."
"I could never forget about you."
"Then don't make me watch you marry someone else."
Caelum looked like I'd slapped him. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying goodbye." The words hurt so much I could barely breathe. "I can't stay here and watch you choose her every single day."
"You can't leave. This is your home now."
"No," I said quietly. "This was never my home. I was just visiting."
Another round of screams filled the air. The pack was getting impatient.
"We need to go," Elira said strongly. "The announcement can't wait."
Caelum reached for me, but I stepped back.
"Don't," I whispered. "Please don't make this harder than it already is."
"Seraphina-"
"Go." I turned away so he couldn't see me crying again. "Just go."
I heard their footsteps leaving my room. Then I was alone with my broken heart and the smell of Caelum's scent fading from the air.
Through my window, I could see dogs gathering in the main courtyard. The whole pack was there, waiting to hear about their Alpha's wedding.
I should pack my things. I should leave before the event. I should vanish and never look back.
But first, I had to know for sure.
I had to hear Caelum announce his marriage to Elira with my own ears.
Even if it killed me.
I crept downstairs and hid behind a wall where I could see the courtyard but stay hidden. Alpha Marcus, Caelum's father, stood on the steps with Caelum and Elira beside him.
"My pack," Marcus started, his voice carrying across the crowd. "Today I announce the union that will secure our future."
My hands were shaking.
"My son Caelum will marry Luna Elira Voss one week from today."
The pack exploded in cheers. I bit my lip to keep from yelling.
"But that's not all," Marcus added, and something in his tone made the crowd go quiet. "There's something else you all need to know. Something about the omega who's been living among us."
My blood turned to ice. They were talking about me.
"The moon-blessed omega carries power in her bloodline," Marcus stated. "Power that could threaten everything we've built."
What was he saying?
"Which is why," Marcus's voice turned hard as steel, "she must be eliminated before she can fulfill her destiny."
The crowd gasped. I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out.
"Tonight," Marcus stated, "we hunt."