The Heart Of Deciet

Kathie POV

The full moon was fast approaching—a time sacred for mating ceremonies in our pack. But my destined mate, Alpha Jason of the Shadowfang Pack, declared he wanted to mate with a she-wolf I had taken under my wing instead.

“She’s the daughter of a healer,” he explained, “and her mother, back in the Southern Woods, is gravely ill. Her final wish is to see her daughter mated before she dies.”

His words were hollow, a feeble justification for betrayal. It wasn’t the first time Jason used others’ plights to excuse his selfishness. But how could he forget? During his weakest years, I—Kathie Green, the Beta's daughter—had been his strength. I sacrificed everything to help him ascend to Alpha, believing I would stand by his side as Luna.

This ceremony was supposed to be mine.

When I confronted him, anger and heartbreak trembling in my voice, his emerald eyes bore into mine with cold disapproval.

“Kathie, don’t be selfish,” he snapped, his tone sharp. “You know Emma looks up to you like an older sister. How can you abandon her now? She’s vulnerable. She needs us both!”

My stomach churned at his audacity. His “need” for her was evident in every lingering glance and soft touch I’d witnessed.

“And what about me?” I demanded, my voice breaking. “I’ve been by your side through everything, Jason! I gave up my future, my family, for you!”

He sighed, exasperated, as though I were a child throwing a tantrum. “Kathie, don’t make this harder than it has to be. You’ve always been strong. Just give me a few years. I promise I’ll come back to you after this.”

Two years? Was he truly asking me to step aside while he bound himself to another wolf under the moon?

The final blow came days later when Jason officially announced his mating ceremony with Emma Gray.

I didn’t attend.

On the morning of their bonding, whispers filled the packhouse. Jason’s face darkened when one of his closest warriors informed him, “Kathie’s gone. Word is, she mated with a rogue Alpha last night and left with him at dawn.”

The rumors spread like wildfire.

That same morning, I stood at the edge of my family’s ancestral territory, the thick scent of pine and soil filling my lungs. The Green lands felt like home and exile all at once. I dialed my mother's number.

“Kathie?” Her voice was laced with surprise. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you preparing for the ceremony?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m coming home, Mother. I’m ready to help lead the pack.”

A pause. Then, suspicion crept into her voice. “What happened with Jason? Don’t tell me you—”

“I’m done with him,” I said firmly. “He made his choice, and I made mine. I won’t waste another moment on someone who doesn’t value me.”

The door to my old room creaked open before I could pack up my few belongings. Standing there was Emma, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming with triumph.

“Kathie!” she chirped. “Would you come with me to pick out my bonding dress? It would mean so much to me if you were there.”

Her feigned sweetness made my blood boil.

I turned slowly, raising an eyebrow. “Do you not know how to knock?”

Her expression crumpled into one of practiced hurt, her voice softening. “I’m sorry, Kathie. I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just too excited—”

“Don’t apologize,” I cut her off, my tone as icy as the northern winds. “You’re thrilled, aren’t you? After all, you’ve gotten exactly what you wanted.”

Before she could respond, a familiar deep voice cut through the tension.

“She’s the future Luna now, Kathie. She has every right to do as she pleases.”

Jason stepped into view, his towering frame and commanding aura filling the doorway. His hand rested possessively on Emma’s shoulder, a gesture that made my heart ache and burn with fury in equal measure.

Emma flushed, glancing up at him with faux modesty. “Brother Jason, don’t say that. Kathie might be upset and refuse to come with me.”

Jason’s lips curled into a cold smile. “She can come if she wants. It doesn’t matter. I’ll go with you myself.”

They left without another glance in my direction.

Months ago, I would’ve followed Jason to the ends of the earth. I had loved him since we were both young wolves, meeting during my training to become Beta of the Silverclaw Pack.

When Jason became Alpha of Shadowfang after a vicious power struggle, I stood by his side. Together, we navigated alliances, rivalries, and battles. For him, I left my family’s pack and worked tirelessly to solidify his position.

Those were hard years, filled with sleepless nights and endless challenges. But they were ours, and they had meaning.

Or so I thought.

When Emma first entered our lives, she was just a homeless girl u had decided to shelter and now she has become the worst mistake of my life.

She appeared on my doorstep with tears in her eyes. “My family has nothing. Please, Kathie, I don’t know where else to go.”

Jason, ever the protector, insisted we take her in.

At first, he seemed indifferent to her. “She’s a clumsy pup,” he’d mutter, annoyed by her endless questions and mistakes. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even bother.”

But his irritation quickly turned into something more.