7 Years in Prison for My Mate—He Made Me Kneel

The pack run was mandatory. Sterling's voice had echoed through the pack house that evening, cold and commanding: "Every member participates. Even the omegas."

I stood at the edge of the clearing in my gray servant's uniform, watching as pack members began to shift. Bones cracked and reformed, skin gave way to fur, and soon the forest was filled with wolves of every size and color.

Arianna's laugh rang out like silver bells as she stepped closer to me, her auburn hair catching the moonlight. "How cute," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Even our little omega gets to pretend she belongs here."

The words hit their mark, but I kept my expression neutral. Around us, other pack members snickered. I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for a reaction, hoping for entertainment.

"Of course, Luna," I replied quietly, lowering my gaze in practiced submission.

She smiled, satisfied, then began her own transformation. Her wolf was beautiful—a rich brown coat with golden highlights, elegant and refined. Everything a Luna should be.

Sterling's shift was more dramatic. His black wolf was massive, easily the largest in the pack, his green eyes now a piercing amber. He was magnificent and terrifying, every inch the Alpha. As he padded forward, Arianna's wolf immediately moved to his side, their bodies touching in a display of unity that made my chest ache.

I shifted last, deliberately slow, letting my bones reshape into my own wolf form. My coat was darker than I remembered—almost charcoal gray with silver undertones. Seven years in that Council cell had changed more than just my human appearance.

Sterling's howl split the night air, a command that resonated in every wolf's bones. The pack surged forward as one, following their Alpha north toward the mountain trails. I fell to the back of the group, exactly where an omega belonged.

The run was beautiful and brutal. Sterling set a punishing pace, his powerful legs eating up the ground as he led the pack through dense forest and rocky terrain. Arianna's wolf stayed glued to his side, matching his stride perfectly. They moved like they were made for each other.

I kept to the rear, watching the pack dynamics unfold. The betas formed a loose circle around Sterling and Arianna, while the gammas and deltas spread out in formation. The other omegas struggled to keep up, their smaller wolves working twice as hard to maintain the pace.

But I wasn't struggling. My silver wolf was stronger than she appeared, her muscles coiled with a power that hummed just beneath the surface. I had to consciously hold back, force myself to appear winded and weak.

Old Margaret Hayes, a grizzled she-wolf who had been my mother's friend, glanced back at me. Her amber eyes were filled with concern, and she slowed her pace slightly, as if to offer me protection. The gesture warmed something in my chest that had been cold for seven years.

As the pack disappeared deeper into the northern forest, I made my choice. While Sterling led his wolves toward the mountain peaks, I veered east, slipping away from the group with practiced silence. My paws found the familiar deer paths that led toward the southeastern border.

Toward Nightshade Pack territory.

The forest grew quieter as I moved away from the pack run. My wolf's senses were sharper than they'd ever been, picking up every rustle of leaves, every shift in the wind. The Council prison had taught me to be hyperaware of my surroundings, to trust my instincts above all else.

I was nearing the border when I caught his scent.

Pine and leather, with an undertone of something wild and untamed. Alpha scent, but not from my pack. My wolf stilled, every muscle tensing as a massive shadow detached itself from the trees ahead.

The black wolf that emerged was enormous, easily matching Sterling's size. But where Sterling's wolf carried himself with cold authority, this one moved with fluid grace. His coat was midnight black, so dark it seemed to absorb the moonlight, and his eyes—

His eyes were pure amber, burning like liquid gold in the darkness.

We stared at each other across the small clearing, neither moving. Then he lifted his muzzle and scented the air, his nostrils flaring as he caught my essence.

The change in him was instantaneous. His entire body went rigid, his amber eyes widening with something that looked like recognition. Like wonder. Like hunger.

My own wolf whined low in her throat, a sound I'd never heard her make before. Deep in my chest, something sparked to life—warm and electric and completely different from the cold mate bond I'd shared with Sterling.

The Moon Goddess hadn't abandoned me after all.

The massive wolf shifted, bones cracking and reforming until a man stood before me in the moonlight. He was lean and powerful, with dark hair that fell across his forehead and sharp features that spoke of strength and intelligence. When he spoke, his voice was careful but respectful.

"You're a long way from your pack."

I shifted as well, my human form emerging as I faced him across the clearing. "I came to make a deal."

His eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn't dismiss me outright. That was more respect than I'd received from anyone in Shadowcrest.

"What kind of deal?"

I met his amber gaze directly, letting him see the steel in my spine. "Sterling West has been making illegal deals with rogue wolves, expanding territory without Council approval. If you help me gather evidence, I'll help you bring him down."

He studied me for a long moment, and I could see his mind working behind those intelligent eyes. "You're talking about justice," he said finally. "Not because you're offering information, but because you deserve it. Both things can be true."

The mate bond hummed between us like electricity, warm and real and nothing like the toxic connection I'd once shared with Sterling. This felt like coming home.

"Three days from now," he said, his voice low and sure. "Midnight, here. Bring whatever evidence you have." He paused, his amber eyes intense. "And Emerson—be careful. Sterling has already proven what he's willing to do to you."

I nodded, already backing toward the tree line. "I will."

As I disappeared into the shadows, I smiled to myself. He didn't know that I already had the first batch of photographs tucked safely in my pocket, taken during my cleaning duties in Sterling's office.

The game was just beginning.