Mate's Betrayal, Luna's Justice

The morning light filtered through the curtains as I balanced the breakfast tray in my hands. Three years. Three perfect years of what I thought was love.

I'd prepared Magnus's favorite—eggs benedict with extra hollandaise sauce, just the way he liked it. A small smile played on my lips as I approached his private study. He'd been working so hard lately, barely leaving his desk except for our anniversary dinner tonight.

"Maybe I'll finally get some proper attention from my Alpha mate," I whispered to myself, pushing open the heavy oak door with my hip.

The study was empty, just as I'd expected. Magnus often started his mornings with a run through the territory, claiming it helped him clear his head. I set the tray down on the edge of his massive desk, noticing a folder left slightly open.

"I should really respect his privacy," I murmured, but something caught my eye. My name.

I shouldn't have looked. Some part of me knew that before I even slid the folder out from beneath his coffee mug. But something pulled me forward—some instinct I'd ignored for too long.

"Medical Donation Agreement," read the header in bold letters.

My fingers trembled as I flipped through the pages. There, at the bottom of the third page, was my signature—or rather, a perfect forgery of it. I'd never seen this document before in my life.

"Beneficiary: Trinity Knight," I read aloud, my voice barely a whisper.

The room spun around me as I continued reading. Heart donation. Scheduled for this evening. My heart. Trinity's name.

"Finding something interesting?"

I jerked up, the papers clutched in my white-knuckled grip. Magnus stood in the doorway, his broad shoulders blocking the exit. His eyes—those eyes I'd gazed into for three years—were cold in a way I'd never seen before.

"Alpha," I managed, my voice steady despite the hurricane raging inside me. "I was bringing you breakfast."

He crossed the room slowly, like a predator stalking wounded prey. "And now you know."

I held up the document with shaking hands. "This isn't real. You can't possibly—"

"I can." His voice was gentle, almost tender as he reached for my hand. The same hand that had caressed my face just last night. "And you will, my dear."

The mate bond between us hummed to life, his presence filling my mind with a warmth that turned to ice as his words formed.

"Trading your heart for her life is the greatest value you'll ever have as my rejected mate."

The bond—our sacred connection blessed by the Moon Goddess herself—twisted with his intent. I felt his satisfaction, his certainty that I would comply.

"You can't ask me to—"

"I'm not asking." His mental voice hardened. "I'm telling you what will happen tonight."

I searched his face, looking for any trace of the man I thought I'd mated. "Why?"

"Trinity needs a heart. You have one." He shrugged, as if discussing the weather. "And unlike you, she's actually useful to me."

The casual cruelty stole my breath. "The Moon Goddess—"

"The Moon Goddess gave you to me," he cut in, his eyes flashing Alpha red. "And I've decided what your purpose will be."

He stepped closer, his hand moving to cup my cheek in a mockery of affection. "Your parents' little territory has been fun to play with these past few years. Such pretty forests. Such rich hunting grounds."

My blood ran cold as his meaning became clear.

"If you refuse," he continued through our bond, "I'll invoke my Alpha authority. Your parents' pack will be absorbed into Shadowridge by tomorrow. Every wolf there will suffer. Is your heart worth that price?"

I fought to keep my expression neutral, even as my wolf howled in rage inside me. "I need time."

"Time?" His eyebrow arched.

"To go back to my pack house. To settle my affairs." I forced my voice to break, playing the broken mate. "To say goodbye."

Something like pity flashed in his eyes. "Of course. It's the least I can give you."

I nodded, lowering my eyes in submission. "Thank you, Alpha."

He kissed my forehead—the same spot where his mate mark burned—and I had to bite my tongue to keep from tearing into him right then.

"I'll send a car for you at sunset," he said, already turning away. "Wear something pretty for the ceremony."

The door closed behind him, and I was alone with the document that sentenced me to death. My hands no longer shook. Instead, they curled into fists as my wolf surged forward.

*We are not prey*, she growled. *We are Luna.*

I closed my eyes, feeling the dormant connections I'd suppressed for three years begin to wake. Obsidian Pack. My pack. My power.

"Derek," I whispered into the mind-link I'd kept silent for so long. "It's time."

The response came instantly, his mental voice sharp with concern. "Luna Josie? Is it done?"

"No," I replied, a smile curving my lips as I carefully folded the donation agreement and slipped it into my pocket. "But something much better is about to begin."