At the pack gathering, my mate, Alpha Liam, came back smelling like a scent that didn’t belong to me. And my best friend, Jade, sat in the corner with a fresh bite mark on her neck. Everyone tried to brush it off, calling it a “training accident.” I smiled and pretended to believe them. I should have felt his betrayal through our mate bond, but the connection had been strangely foggy lately. As it turned out, out of the twenty people in the room, I was the only fool left in the dark. Since you love putting on a show, let me build you a stage. “Luna Serena, don’t be mad! It was really just an accident!” The tension in the living room of the massive villa was suffocating. Alpha Liam stood in the middle of the room, that strange, foreign scent still clinging to him. Jade sat on the couch in the corner, a fresh bite mark glaringly obvious on her neck under the bright lights. A dim light, an awkward silence. The man was Liam—my boyfriend of five years, and my fated mate for two. The woman was Jade—my best friend of ten years, the girl I used to share everything with. Just minutes ago, Liam and Jade had walked back in together. They claimed they went outside to grab some drinks, but when they returned, Liam was covered in a scent that wasn’t mine. Dead silence. It lasted for a painful ten seconds. Then Chad, a Beta who hosted the party, burst into a loud, forced laugh. “Hahaha! What’s with those faces? They just used the same cologne, that’s all!” He slapped his thigh and turned to me. “As for the wound… Serena, did it scare you? During group training yesterday, Jade accidentally got nicked! Look at how tense you all are!” As soon as Chad spoke, the frozen pack members came back to life. “Yeah, Luna Serena, don’t take it seriously!” “Accidents happen during training. Look at the angle, it was obviously a mistake!” “Chad’s right! Just a minor accident. Look how pale Serena is, we really scared her!” Jade sat across from me, her face even paler than mine. She bit her lip, avoiding my eyes, fidgeting with her hem. Her voice trembled. “Luna Serena… please don’t be mad. It was just an accident during training…” Then, Liam walked over. He saw everyone’s faces, noticed the bite mark on Jade’s neck, and realized what was happening. He rushed over and wrapped his arms tightly around my shoulders. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t watch her closely enough during training yesterday, and she got hurt.” Liam sounded perfectly panicked and apologetic, his warm breath brushing my ear. “Don’t be mad. I’ll be more careful next time.” His embrace was tight, smelling of the familiar scent I used to love. But right now, it made my stomach churn with pure disgust. I looked around. Chad’s fake smile, Jade’s teary eyes, the guilty, dodging looks of the pack members. They were good actors. Their coordination was flawless. I should have known if he was lying through our mate bond, but the connection felt like it was wrapped in a thick fog. Then, I caught a faint whisper on the mind link. It was Liam and Jade. “Did she believe it?” Jade’s voice flickered in my mind. “Yeah. Don’t worry, she’s too stupid to notice. She hasn’t suspected a thing this whole time, she won’t start today,” Liam replied. I froze. Looking at Liam’s “sincere” face, I suddenly smiled. I gently pushed him away, let out a long breath, and patted my chest as if relieved. “Oh my god! You guys are so mean! How can you make a training accident sound so scary?” I grabbed a throw pillow and tossed it at Chad. “Chad, that was a terrible joke. No beer for you tonight!” The tension in the room instantly evaporated. Everyone let out a massive sigh of relief. “I knew Serena was the best!” Chad cheered, grabbing a beer. “My bad, my bad! I’ll drink to that! Let’s party, guys!” Liam relaxed too. He kissed my forehead. “You’re the best, babe. Let me get you some food.” Jade came over, wrapping her arm around mine. “Serena, you’re not mad at me, right? I was so scared.” “Silly girl, why would I be mad at you?” I squeezed her hand, smiling warmly. “We’re best friends.” But as she relaxed, a cold dread coiled in my chest like a venomous snake. Best friend. Beloved Alpha. Trusted pack. I had been living in a giant lie.
The drama seemed to blow over just like that. Music started playing again. People ate BBQ, drank beer, and played games. But I felt like a ghost, completely detached from the world. I watched them. I noticed Liam and Jade purposely avoiding each other. They didn’t even make eye contact. But the way the others looked at me had changed. It was subtle, but I caught it. It was pity, mockery, and amusement. They were probably laughing at me in their minds: *Look at Serena, the clueless Luna. Her mate is cheating on her, and she believes any stupid lie.* Halfway through, I excused myself to the restroom. I stared at my pale face in the mirror. Serena, you’re pathetic. There was a knock on the door. It was Chad. He handed me a glass of warm water, his playful smirk replaced by a patronizing look. “Here, Serena. Have some water.” I didn’t take it. I just looked at him coldly. “What do you want, Chad?” Chad sighed, leaning against the doorframe, keeping his voice low. “Serena, look… we’re all adults. Sometimes, it’s better to play dumb.” My heart sank, but I kept my face blank. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “I mean, Liam still treats you well. He’s an Alpha; sometimes they just need a little excitement. But in his heart, the pack is the pack, and you’re still his Luna.” Chad looked at me with an air of superiority. “I heard you’re the Alpha King’s least favorite daughter because your mother passed away when you were born. Even if you throw a fit, the Alpha King won’t back you up. Liam is the Alpha of Moonridge now. Staying with him at least keeps you as Luna. Just turn a blind eye, and your life will still be comfortable. Don’t you think?” I got it now. He wasn’t here to comfort me. He was here to warn me. He was telling me: *We all know Liam is cheating, but you better pretend you don’t. Play the good Luna, don’t make a scene, and don’t ruin our fun.* Looking at Chad’s smug face, I found it incredibly ridiculous. “Chad, Jade was marked by my Alpha,” I said, staring into his eyes. “And instead of being angry, you’re telling me to be generous?” Chad stiffened, looking uncomfortable for a second, but quickly shrugged it off. “Serena, don’t look at it that way. We’re just trying to have fun. Besides, Jade…” He waved it off. “Anyway, I’m telling you this for your own good. Be smart. Don’t push Liam too far, or you’ll end up with nothing.” “For my own good?” I let out a cold laugh. “Well, thanks a lot.” I pushed past him and walked back to the living room. I didn’t blow up. Because I knew that if I did now, they would just deny it and turn it on me. They had the numbers. They were a united front. I needed proof. I needed solid, undeniable evidence to drag them all down.
3:00 AM. The villa was finally quiet. Everyone was passed out in their rooms. Liam lay beside me, fast asleep, snoring softly. I stared at the ceiling, waiting in the darkness. Then, I heard voices. Not with my ears, but deep in my mind, echoing at the edge of my consciousness. I thought it was a dream at first, but the voices grew clearer. It was Liam, Chad, Jade, and several others from the pack. They were talking in a private mind link. “She bought it. We’re safe,” Jade’s voice laughed with relief. “I told you she was easy to fool,” Chad chimed in. “You should’ve seen her face. Like a total idiot.” “Alright, let’s drop it,” Liam said. “That was too close tonight. Be careful from now on.” “But with her mate bond blocked, what could she possibly find out anyway?” Liam added, sounding incredibly smug. I lay frozen, barely breathing. They forgot to block me from this link. Or rather, they thought I was asleep and couldn’t hear anything since my mate bond was suppressed. I didn’t even know you could suppress a mate bond. “By the way, how much of that suppressant do you have left?” Chad asked. “Enough for six months,” Liam replied. “Once she’s completely used to the foggy connection, I could mark someone else right in front of her, and she wouldn’t even feel it.” They laughed. My hands clenched the sheets. So that was it. There was nothing wrong with my mate bond. He had poisoned it. “What are you going to do about the Hunt Festival tomorrow?” Jade asked. “With so many packs there, if she makes a scene…” “She won’t,” Liam said confidently. “She has no proof, and she doesn’t have the guts. Her Alpha King father doesn’t care about her. She has nothing without me.” “True,” Chad agreed. “Even her job at the agency—she only got that director position because of you. If she’s smart, she’ll keep her mouth shut and play the good Luna.” “Exactly,” Jade purred. “Once she’s fully trained, we can keep having our fun.” I wanted to laugh. My job? I pulled endless all-nighters and launched three major campaigns to secure that director position. Liam had done nothing but forward my resume once. Yet in their minds, all my hard work was just his charity. They kept talking, planning tomorrow, scheduling their next hookup, laughing at how they’d keep deceiving me. I lay there, recording every single word in my mind. I didn’t cry. Tears are too cheap for this level of rage. I closed my eyes and waited for dawn. Since you think I’m a fool, and since you think I’m easy to handle. Since you love putting on a show in your little mind link. I’m going to play a game so big, it’ll ruin you. I’ll show you what happens when you push a quiet person too far.
The next day was the Moonridge Pack’s annual Hunt Festival. The pack gathered in the central clearing, a bonfire roaring, the air filled with the scent of roasted meat and pine. Guests from neighboring packs had arrived, making the crowd lively. I woke up early, put on a full face of makeup with bold red lipstick, and wore a stunning red slip dress. When I walked down, everyone stopped. Liam walked over, eyes wide with admiration. “Babe, why so gorgeous today?” I smiled sweetly, straightening his collar. “It’s the Hunt Festival. I have to look my best.” Liam let out a sigh of relief. He thought last night was completely behind us. “Yeah, it’s going to be a wild day!” Chad chimed in. Jade slid over, wrapping her arm around mine. “Serena, that lipstick color is gorgeous. Can I borrow it?” I looked at her innocent face, swallowing my disgust, and smiled. “Sure, it’s in my bag. Go ahead.” Breakfast was filled with laughter. The pack treated me with their usual fake warmth. They thought the storm had passed. They had no idea a tsunami was coming. The festival began. Guests arrived, the bonfire blazed, and young wolves showed off their strength while the elders drank and talked. Chad stood in the center, shouting to the crowd. “Gather around, everyone! Let’s get a pack photo to show the other packs how united Moonridge is!” He gathered all twenty-something members in front of the fire. Liam stood on my left, Jade on my right. They flanked me like loyal guardians. “Say Moonridge on three!” Chad yelled, holding up his phone. “Moonridge!” Everyone smiled brightly for the camera. Chad grinned. “Thanks, everyone! Moonridge has been together for years. We’re like family. No secrets, no lies!” “Yeah, no secrets!” Liam laughed. “We’re one big happy family!” Jade blew a kiss to the crowd. Seeing their sickening acts, I knew it was time. I stepped into the center of the clearing, facing everyone. “Alpha Liam.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the noise. The crowd went quiet, turning to me. Liam blinked, his smile faltering. “What is it, babe?” I didn’t answer him. I turned to the entire crowd, including the visiting Alphas from other packs. “Everyone, I am Serena, Luna of the Moonridge Pack. I have a few words to say today.” Liam’s smile froze. Sensing something, he quickly stepped forward to grab my arm. “Serena, don’t make a scene—” “Don’t touch me!” I slapped his hand away, my voice dripping with ice. Liam gasped, his hand hanging in the air. I glared at him, my eyes like daggers. “Alpha Liam, I heard everything you said in the mind link last night.” Liam’s face went completely pale. “You said you used suppressants to block our mate bond. You called me a fool who wouldn’t dare make a scene,” I said, my voice echoing. “You even said you could mark someone else right in front of me, and I wouldn’t feel a thing.” The crowd erupted into whispers. The visiting pack members began murmuring excitedly. “What is going on? Drama!” “Is the Alpha cheating on his Luna?” “This is huge!” Liam looked like he had seen a ghost. “Serena, let me explain…” “Explain what?” I snapped. “Explain how you marked Jade?” I pointed at Jade, who was trembling in the crowd, her bite mark burning under the bonfire’s light. “That’s not a training accident,” I shouted. “That’s a mating mark. My Alpha mate marked another woman behind my back!” Gasps echoed through the clearing. The silence that followed was suffocating. Liam suddenly fell to his knees with a loud thud. “Serena! I’m sorry! I was wrong! Please don’t do this! You’ll ruin me!” He tried to grab my legs, crying. Disgusted, I stepped back and kicked him squarely in the shoulder, knocking him to the dirt. “Ruin you? You ruined yourself!” I pointed at him. “You slept with her while I was sick! I worked myself to the bone to save this pack from bankruptcy, and you were busy flirting with her! Now you’re worried about your reputation? Too late!” Jade broke down, sobbing on the ground. “Luna Serena, I’m sorry… it was a mistake… I’ll give Liam back to you, please forgive me…” “Give him back?” I laughed coldly. “I don’t want your sloppy seconds!” I turned back to the silent pack. “Do you think that’s all? Oh, it gets better.” I raised my voice, repeating the vicious words I heard on the link. “‘I bet Serena finds out within six months.’” “‘I bet she never finds out.’” “‘She’s nothing without Liam.’” With every line, I stared down a different face. The people who had been smiling at me minutes ago now looked like they wanted to swallow their own tongues. “You loved watching the show, didn’t you? You loved betting on me?” “Today, I’m letting every pack here watch your downfall!”
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