Barnett and I grew up side by side. After five years of dating, out of the blue, he announced his official mate ceremony with my best friend.

I didn’t shed a tear or throw a fit. I simply walked away from the Dewmoon Pack, changed my name, and traveled alone to the werewolf territories down south to open a tiny flower shop.

One ordinary day, an old acquaintance from Dewmoon pack burst through my shop door. He stared at me in shock the second our eyes met.

“You’re alive—why haven’t you gone to find Barnett? Do you know he refused to complete his mating mark because of you? The Dewmoon Pack still doesn’t have a true Luna to this day.”

I only brushed my hair aside to expose the finished mating brand etched into my neck.

“But I already found my mate.”

The air turned icy and awkward the instant the words left my mouth. Prodded by frantic, wordless hints from my old friend, I twisted around.

Barnett stood there in a tailored designer suit, blazing fury burning in every line of his face as he fixed his glare on me. I stared back, thoroughly confused.

I’d been in a secret five-year relationship with Alpha Barnett. All that time, he’d never agreed to formally claim me as his Luna to my parents or the pack.

A few days before my mother’s birthday, I got home early and spotted a mate ceremony invitation resting on our coffee table.

Alpha: Barnett

Luna: Bonnie

My mind went completely blank. I reached for my phone to call him for answers, when Barnett’s voice drifted in from the front doorway.

“Mrs. Sable, keep the upcoming mating ceremony quiet from Eileen for now. She’s clung to me ever since we were kids; she’ll pitch a huge fuss if she finds out…”

His smile dropped dead the moment he caught sight of me standing inside the room.

My mom missed the abrupt shift in his demeanor entirely and turned to me cheerfully.

“Eileen, our Alpha’s marrying your best friend! When are you finally going to bring your boyfriend home for us to meet?”

A bitter, mocking smile tugged at my lips.

“He’s dead.”

“Passed away yesterday.”

My mom gasped in alarm. “What on earth happened? Just yesterday you said he’d headed to the border to fend off rogue wolves and couldn’t make the trip for my birthday—he even picked out a present for me himself!”

A sharp, stinging ache spread through my chest. Mom had known I’d found my fated mate years ago, though she’d never learned his identity. Each year, she’d waited eagerly for me to finalize our mate bond and bring him home. But Barnett had always insisted the timing wasn’t right. To ease her worries, I’d sent birthday and holiday gifts to my folks every single year in Barnett’s name—things he’d never known about, nor cared to notice.

Barnett arched an eyebrow as my mother shook her head and mourned my supposed loss. He edged close to me while her attention drifted elsewhere and lowered his voice.

“Rogue wolves ambushed me on patrol, and Bonnie’s father took grave injuries shielding me. I planned to pay them off to repay the debt, but I couldn’t bear to wound Bonnie’s pride, so a fake mating was the only option. Becoming Luna grants her full access to the pack’s top-tier resources.”

“Don’t hold this against me. We can’t let Mrs. Sable learn about us; it would shock her senseless.”

“She’ll never find out,” I cut him off sharply. She would never know we’d spent five years loving each other.

Something complicated flickered across Barnett’s features.

“Bonnie wants to look perfect for her Luna debut at next week’s ceremony. As her closest friend, you’ll stand by her side and help her prepare, won’t you?”

He smiled at me with the same soft warmth he’d used countless times before, acting as if we’d never shared late nights curled together in pack house, whispering quiet confessions of love after dark.

“Eileen, Barnett…” Bonnie’s voice echoed from the doorway.

Fully aware of my history with Barnett, she wandered inside with a bright grin and looped her arm through mine like nothing was wrong. “My mom cooked all our favorite dishes and sent me to fetch you two for dinner.”

Our families were both high-ranking members of the Dewmoon Pack and had celebrated Winter Moon Festival together for decades. Once, Bonnie had been more than just a friend—like the sister I’d never had. Now, her innocent-looking eyes glinted with suppressed triumph, the thrill of soon stepping into the Luna title impossible to hide.

Sickened by their dual betrayal, I bit back my simmering rage and called out her hollow pretense.

“You know full well I love Barnett.”

“You’ve always known he’s my boyfriend.”