Rejected Healer Luna's Comeback!

Rejected

Adeline sat in the garden, her favorite place in the whole pack territory. The flowers here didn't judge her. They didn't care that she was an Omega wolf in a family of Betas.

Her chest still ached from what happened an hour ago. Cameron Blackwood, the Alpha's son, had stood right here and said the words that crushed her heart.

"I reject you as my mate."

Just like that. No explanation needed. She knew why. Everyone knew why. She was weak. Pathetic. An Omega she-wolf who didn't deserve an Alpha mate.

Adeline touched the grass beneath her, trying to ground herself. The mate bond had barely formed before it shattered. The Moon Goddess herself had paired them, but Cameron didn't care about that. He cared about power and status, and she had neither.

"I should just die,"

she whispered to the roses.

"Nobody wants me here anyway."

Her father, Beta Tyler Greece, hated her. He'd hated her since the day she was born twenty years ago. It wasn't just because her mother died giving birth to her. It was because of what she was.

Two Beta wolves should produce Beta children. That's how it worked. But somehow, Adeline came out wrong. An Omega. The lowest rank in the pack hierarchy.

Her father had been so sure she wasn't his child that he did every test possible. Traditional wolf tests. Modern DNA tests. Everything. They all said the same thing: Tyler Greece was definitely her father.

That made it worse somehow.

The old Alpha King had made a promise to her father years ago. Tyler had saved his life during a rogue attack. In gratitude, the Alpha made a deal if Tyler's first child was a girl, she'd marry the Alpha's son and become the future Luna. Either way, the Greece family would stay important.

But then Adeline ruined everything by being born an Omega. The deal fell apart. Her father's dreams of securing his family's position disappeared. And he blamed her for all of it.

Adeline stood up slowly. Her legs felt weak, but she needed to get back to the house. Maybe she could hide in her tiny room and cry where nobody would see her.

She walked through the pack grounds with her head down. Other wolves passed by, but nobody greeted her. Nobody ever did. She was invisible to most of them, disgusting to the rest.

When she reached the main house, she hoped to slip upstairs unnoticed. But her luck had run out for the day.

"Did you cry?"

Adeline looked up. Her half-sister Jennifer stood in the hallway, blocking her path. Jennifer was eighteen, beautiful, and everything Adeline wasn't. Strong. Confident. Loved.

"It's none of your business,"

Adeline said quietly. She wiped her face, trying to hide the tears.

"What's with that attitude?"

Jennifer's fake concern disappeared. Her pretty face twisted into a sneer.

"Since when did you grow wings?"

Adeline didn't answer. She just wanted to get past her sister and hide. She tried to walk around Jennifer, but the younger girl grabbed her ragged yellow shirt and yanked her back.

"I'm talking to you! How dare you walk away from me? Who do you think you are, you daughter of a cursed bitch?"

Something inside Adeline snapped.

All the years of abuse. All the insults. All the pain. Her mother dead. Her father's hate. Cameron's rejection. It all built up into a wave of anger she couldn't control.

Her hand flew up and slapped Jennifer hard across the face.

The sound echoed in the hallway.

For a moment, both sisters just stared at each other. Jennifer's eyes went wide with shock. Adeline had never fought back before. Not once in twenty years.

"You... you slapped me?"

Jennifer touched her reddening cheek, disbelief all over her face.

"Leave me alone!"

Adeline's voice cracked. She turned to run, but Jennifer grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled hard.

"How dare you! I'm going to make you regret ever touching me!"

"Let me go, Jennifer,"

Adeline begged, trying to twist free. The grip on her hair was so tight it felt like her scalp would tear.

"Please, let me go!"

"Never!"

But then suddenly, Jennifer did let go. Adeline stumbled back, confused. She watched her half-sister reach up and deliberately rip her own expensive red dress in several places. The sound of tearing fabric filled the hall.

"What are you doing?"

Jennifer didn't answer. Instead, her fingernails grew longer and sharper wolf claws. But she didn't attack Adeline with them. She dragged them across her own arms, creating shallow scratches.

"Jennifer, stop! What are you—"

Before she could finish, Jennifer dropped to the floor like a stone. She started crying immediately, loud sobs that would bring everyone running.

This was a trap. Adeline could see it now, but it was too late to run.

"What's going on here?"

That deep voice made Adeline's blood run cold. She turned around slowly.

Her father stood at the end of the hallway. He wore his official Beta uniform, looking powerful and angry. Beside him stood Clarissa, Adeline's stepmother. The woman's face showed fake concern, but her eyes glittered with satisfaction.

"Jennie!"

Clarissa rushed past Adeline to her daughter's side. She knelt down and pulled Jennifer into her arms.

"What happened to you? Who hurt you like this?"

"Mom, please don't blame Addie,"

Jennifer said through her tears. Her voice shook perfectly, like she'd practiced this.

"She didn't mean it."

Clarissa stood up and pointed at Adeline. She looked at her husband with tears in her own eyes now.

"Tyler, do you see this? She's grown wings now. She's rebelling against us. Look at what she did to our daughter! What's next? Will she hurt me too? Will she hurt Johnny?"

Adeline watched her father walk to Clarissa and pull her into a hug. The way he looked at his second wife with love and gentleness made Adeline's stomach turn. He'd never looked at anyone like that. Certainly not at Adeline.

"Don't cry, my dear,"

Tyler said softly, patting Clarissa's silky black hair.

"I won't let her get away with this. Not this time."

He ordered two female servants to take Jennifer to her room. Clarissa followed them, throwing one last victorious look at Adeline.

Now it was just father and daughter in the hallway. They stared at each other across the space. Tyler's face was cold and hard.

"You have the nerve to glare at me now. Your mother is right. You've truly grown wings."

"First of all,"

Adeline said, surprised by her own boldness,

"that woman is not my mother. She will never be my mother."

Her father actually smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. He clapped his hands three times slowly, like she'd made a good joke.

"I see."

Then his eyes changed. They went from brown to bright gold, the sign of his wolf coming forward. When he spoke next, his voice had power behind it that made Adeline's bones shake.

"Kneel!"

Adeline's knees hit the floor hard. She had no choice. This was the way of wolf packs. Betas could force Omegas to submit with a single command.

But this time was different. Even though her body obeyed and her knees pressed into the hard floor, Adeline kept her eyes up. She looked right at her father with all the defiance she had left.

She was done. She was tired. She had nothing left to lose.

"Very good,"

her father said coldly. He walked over and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her partly off the ground. His grip was iron. Adeline started to choke, but she didn't look away.

"You evil child. You denied me everything. You killed your mother. You made me a widower. The Alpha King's son wants to marry your sister now he chose Jennifer as his mate. But you couldn't stand that, could you? I've been too soft on you all these years. Today, that ends."

Adeline couldn't speak out loud anymore, but she could still use the mind link that connected all pack members.

"Kill me," she sent the thought directly to her father. "I'm tired. So tired of being a pest. Just kill me and end it. It'll benefit you and your new family, right? Send me to hell. Out of sight, out of mind. Just end me, Beta Tyler."

Her father's eyes widened slightly. He'd expected her to beg for mercy. To apologize. To submit completely like she always had before.

He hadn't expected her to ask for death.

Tyler's face twisted with rage. He threw Adeline to the ground hard. She gasped, trying to pull air into her burning lungs.

"Death would be too easy for you. No, you're going to learn your lesson properly this time."

He called for the pack guards.

She should have run. She should have begged. But Adeline stayed on the floor and stared at the ceiling and thought: whatever comes next, I will survive it.

Betrayed

He let go of her and she feebly fell to the floor, coughing laboriously while holding her aching neck.

"I will make you see what the entrance of hell looks like before I send you away with the king of cessation,"

her father spat before turning around to leave. Not long after he departed, two of the residence's guards came over and dragged her away forcibly, straight to the pack's prison, and handed her to the prison guards who then took her to the Z section, a place reserved for very notorious delinquents.

There she was thrown into a small, dim cell cramped with 5 other beefy men who smelled horrid, just like the cell itself.

"Enjoy your stay here,"

one of the prison guards said with a snort before turning around to leave with the large golden key in hand.

"Yo, little girl, welcome to the crew. I must confess you are a pretty one. And you smell fresh,"

one of the men whom she couldn't see suddenly spoke out, to which the other men laughed.

"And I bet she isn't just smelling fresh. She is still pure, a virgin. I can tell from the moment I saw her."

"I trust your instincts. Now that reminds me. It's been long since I tasted a bitch and now look, the heavens have sent this fresh pie to us, why don't we devour it to show our gratitude?"

one of them with an eerie voice proposed and the others laughed, voicing their agreement.

The scared Adeline crept quickly to the gate and pounded hard on it with all her might, hollering at the top of her lungs.

"Let me out! Get me out of here, please! Let me out! Someone help! Save me! Tell my father I'm sorry. Let me out, please!"

She kept crying until her mouth was gagged and she was dragged backward by one of the hefty men whose hands and feet were chained. Several clanking sounds indicated that many of them had risen, prepared for action.

She got thrown violently to the floor and two men held her hands and began planting kisses on it and then another two held her feet wide apart also doing the same as the one holding her hands. She tried to struggle against them in a bid to free herself to no avail. They were far too strong for a weak Omega like her to resist.

"Please don't hurt me. I beg you. I'll do anything else you want,"

she pleaded tearfully.

"We want to escape from here. Can you grant that?"

one of them asked and she shook her head. She couldn't even leave here, how could they leave? They were kept here for a reason so they wouldn't commit more heinous crimes in the world.

"Since you cannot do that, then what use do you have other than providing your delicious body for us to appreciate?"

another one questioned.

One of them knelt between her legs and unzipped his pants. She frantically shook her head.

"No, please! Please don't, I beg you!"

she cried.

One of them licked the tears on her right cheek.

"As expected, she'll taste amazing!"

he exclaimed in delight.

Hearing this, the man between her legs drew her close and tore off her underwear.

"No!" she wailed, but her eyes widened when she felt something huge force its way inside her. Then the dreaded, intense pain greeted her, making her entire being tremble. Her sobs increased and she continued pleading with the men to let her go but the man inside her increased his pace of thrusting.

Hours later, the men pushed her towards the gate. She was barely breathing at this point. The only thing she knew was discomfort all over her body, especially down south. Her body kept trembling as tears continued to flow. She heard the men's dirty talk and unbridled laughter.

"Damn! She tasted so sweet!"

"Ah, let her rest a bit. When I get the chance to dig her again, I'll make sure she passes out several times."

"I'll make her scream my name until she loses her voice!"

Footsteps were soon heard and several prison guards came into view. The same ones who had forcefully thrown her inside this hellish cell.

One of them squatted at the gate, in front of Adeline, wearing a wicked smile.

"Pretty, have you learned your lesson?"

he asked.

She sniffed and closed her eyes in response to him.

He nodded sagely.

"Very well then. Since you're so headstrong, I guess you enjoyed it here. You can stay here a little longer. Boys, as long as you don't kill her, pound anywhere you want, any style, and as long as you like. We'll come to pick her up tomorrow. If you've done a good job, we might let you out of your cell to play for a bit. But if you don't, we'll make you dance with the most venomous snake species."

the guard chuckled before leaving.

"Well, I've been hungry to pound her again. Might as well start now. My shaft's been hurting so much,"

one of the men said and he rose, the chains on him clanked.

"Bitch, I'm going to use the second hole. Remember to scream well for me, ok?"

the bald man then dragged Adeline backward with the other men lauding him. He made her do a crawling position on the rough, filthy floor and forced himself in between her butt. Adeline wanted to scream out her anguish but another vicious man forced his member into her mouth.

"You harm my cock, I'll have your pretty head off. Note, we don't mind f*cking a headless body, and I wouldn't mind f*cking your severed head,"

the man warned before commencing his seemingly endless thrusts into her mouth.

"Dad, if I get out of this damned place alive, I swear to make you pay!" she swore in her heart.

She didn't know if she would survive the night. But deep inside, something that had never burned before was starting to burn now.

Truth of Mother's Death

The next morning, the prison guards came to the cell. One of them unlocked the heavy gate with a large golden key while another grabbed Adeline by her hair and dragged her out.

She didn't move. She didn't make a sound. Her eyes were closed.

The head guard knelt down and put his finger under her nose to check if she was breathing. He nodded slowly and she was still alive, barely.

"Take her,"

he ordered the other two guards.

They lifted Adeline's limp body between them and carried her away. The head guard turned back to look at the prisoners in the cell one last time.

"You saved yourselves from the snakes,"

he said with a cold smile before walking away.

The guards carried Adeline through the prison yard. Her father, Beta Tyler, waited outside with his family. Clarissa stood beside him, looking perfect as always in her expensive dress. Jennifer and Johnny, Adeline's half-siblings, stood nearby.

"Put her down,"

Tyler commanded.

The guards laid Adeline on the ground. She was covered in bruises and marks. Her clothes were torn and dirty. Blood had dried on her lips and chin.

Jennifer gasped when she saw her.

"What happened to her?"

Tyler smiled at his daughter and patted her head gently.

"Don't worry. This was her punishment. She'll never try to rebel again. I did this for you, to avenge what she did to you. Do you like your gift?"

Jennifer looked at her father and smiled shyly.

"I... yes. Thank you, Daddy."

She kissed his cheek.

"That's my girl,"

Tyler said proudly. His Jennifer would become the future Luna of this pack. How lucky he was to be her father.

He turned to two female servants standing nearby.

"Take her to her room. Don't let her come out for any reason. She gets no food today. She needs to think about what she's learned. Understand?"

"Y-yes, sir!"

The servants bowed their heads low, too scared to look up.

Tyler left with Clarissa and their children. Only then did the servants dare to move. They quickly wrapped Adeline's body in a thick black cloth and carried her away on their shoulders.

Inside her tiny room, they laid her on the old wooden bed and covered her with the thin, faded blanket she owned.

Hours passed.

Adeline's eyes slowly opened. Everything hurt. Her whole body felt broken. The pain between her legs was worst of all, along with her throat which felt crushed.

She stared at the ceiling. Tears filled her eyes. One escaped and rolled down her cheek. Then another. Soon she was crying silently, her whole body shaking with sobs.

It wasn't a dream. It was real. Everything that happened was real.

Her father hated her so much that he did this to her. His own daughter. His own blood. What would he do next? Poison her? Kill her and throw her body away?

The door opened suddenly.

Adeline didn't bother wiping her tears. She couldn't move anyway.

A servant walked in carrying a jar of water. She set it on the small table beside the bed.

"Your brother sent this. He wanted you to at least have water since you can't eat today. Aren't you grateful for his kindness?"

"Tell him to go to hell,"

Adeline whispered.

"Take it away. I don't need it."

The servant picked up the jar without another word. She didn't even close the door when she left.

Even the servants had more respect than her. Adeline turned her face to the wall and cried harder.

"Why me?"

she sobbed.

"Why?"

A knock sounded at the door. Before Adeline could respond, someone walked in. Strong perfume filled the small room. Adeline knew the smell. Clarissa.

"How did it feel?"

her stepmother asked. Adeline could hear the smile in her voice.

"Did you enjoy your time in prison?"

Adeline wished lightning would strike this evil woman dead. Why did people like Clarissa get to live while good people suffered?

"Do you hate me?"

Clarissa asked.

Adeline didn't answer. She kept her face to the wall.

"I don't need you to answer. I already know. We hate each other. But there's a difference between us. I'm winning. I have everything. You have nothing. No one to help you. No one cares. And now you're not even pure anymore. Not like my Jennifer."

Adeline heard footsteps. Clarissa sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I have something to tell you. Are you interested?"

Adeline stayed silent. She tried to stop shaking, tried to stop crying. She wouldn't show weakness in front of this woman.

"I'll tell you anyway. Your mother didn't die by accident when you were born. I killed her."

Those words made Adeline turn around despite the pain. She stared at Clarissa with wide, angry eyes.

"What did you say?"

Clarissa stood up with a small laugh.

"I killed your mother. I made sure she died giving birth to you. Did you not hear me the first time? How sad."

Before Adeline could speak, Clarissa grabbed her nose and pinched it shut. Adeline couldn't breathe. She opened her mouth to gasp for air.

Clarissa shoved a small black pill into Adeline's mouth.

"Swallow it or I won't let go,"

Clarissa said calmly.

Adeline had no choice. She swallowed the pill. Only then did Clarissa release her nose.

"I'm doing you a favor. I'm sending you to be with your mother. My Jennifer will be Luna soon, and I can't have you ruining things for her. Say hello to your mother for me."

Clarissa laughed as she walked out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her.

Adeline clutched her throat. She tried to make herself throw up, but it was too late. The pill was already working its way through her body.

This was it. She was going to die today. No one would miss her. No one would even give her a proper burial.

She coughed and blood came out of her mouth. She laughed bitterly.

"You win,"

she whispered to the empty room.

"Life loves you. I was always just a pest."

The poison worked fast. Her body started shaking violently. She jerked on the bed, unable to control her movements. Pain shot through every part of her.

Then suddenly, everything went still. Adeline lay flat on the bed, not moving, not breathing.

The door opened quietly. A servant peeked inside — the same one who had brought the water earlier. She saw Adeline lying motionless on the bed and smiled.

She closed the door gently and hurried away to find Clarissa.

"Congratulations, master. She's gone."

Clarissa nodded.

"Good. Remember you saw nothing. Adeline killed herself. Tell that to anyone who asks."

"Yes, master."

Clarissa walked away elegantly with her servant following behind. As they passed some guards in the hallway, she repeated the message.

"The girl committed suicide. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am,"

the guards said together, bowing their heads.

After Clarissa left, some of the guards went to check Adeline's room. They found her lying still on the bed with blood on her mouth and clothes.

"She's dead. We'll let the lady handle it. Remember we were never here."

They closed the door and left.

A few seconds of silence passed.

Then something strange happened.

A glowing mark appeared on Adeline's forehead. It was shaped like a half moon and shone with golden light. Her pale skin slowly turned pink again, like color returning to a flower.

Her chest moved. She took a breath.

Adeline's eyes opened suddenly. She sat up fast, gasping for air. She looked around wildly at her small room.

"I'm... I'm still alive?"

she whispered in shock.

She touched her face, her arms, her chest. Everything felt different. The pain was gone. Her body felt stronger somehow.

What just happened to her?

Powers Awake

Adeline stared at her hands in disbelief. She remembered Clarissa forcing that black pill down her throat. She remembered the poison burning through her body. She remembered dying — she was sure she had died.

But here she was. Alive. And her body was glowing with golden light.

She touched her arms, her face, her neck. The bruises were gone. The cuts had vanished. Even the terrible pain between her legs had disappeared completely, like it had never existed.

"Am I dreaming?"

she whispered.

She pinched her arm hard. Pain shot through her skin and she winced.

No. This was real. This was actually happening.

Adeline jumped out of bed and rushed to the small mirror hanging on her wall. She gasped at what she saw.

Her face looked completely different. The blood was still there, dried on her chin and neck, but underneath it her skin glowed. She looked healthy. Beautiful, even. Her face was smooth and soft, not tired and beaten like before.

She looked at her hands again. They had always been rough and calloused from work. Now they looked like the hands of a noble lady, soft and delicate.

"What's happening to me?"

she breathed.

She had healing powers. Somehow, some way, she could heal herself. The poison that should have killed her had awakened something inside her instead.

Maybe Clarissa gave her the wrong pill? Or maybe... maybe the Moon Goddess had finally shown her mercy?

Whatever the reason, Adeline knew one thing for certain: she had to leave. Now.

If Clarissa found out she was still alive, she would try again. And next time, Adeline might not be so lucky.

She moved quickly. First, she washed the blood off her face and hands using the small bowl of water in her room. Then she changed out of her torn, bloody clothes and put on a simple loose dress, the only clean thing she owned.

Adeline opened her door slowly and peeked outside. The hallway was empty. Everyone must be having dinner in the main house.

Good.

She tiptoed out of her room and closed the door without making a sound. Being treated like trash all these years had one advantage: she knew every hiding spot in this house. She knew exactly how to sneak out without being seen.

She crept through the hallways, ducking behind furniture when she heard footsteps. She slipped through the kitchen while the cooks were busy. She crawled past the guards' station while they were distracted.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she made it outside.

But she couldn't stop yet. She still had to get past the pack borders.

Adeline ran through the territory, hiding behind trees and buildings. Her heart pounded in her chest. Every shadow looked like a guard. Every sound made her jump.

But nobody stopped her. Nobody even saw her.

Hours later, just as the sun began to set, she reached the edge of Emerald Moon Pack territory.

Adeline stopped and turned around one last time. She looked back at the place that had been her prison for twenty years. The place where her father lived. Where Clarissa and Jennifer lived. Where Cameron had rejected her.

She would never forget what they did to her. Never.

She placed her right hand over her heart and spoke clearly into the evening air.

"I, Adeline Greece, am no longer a member of the Emerald Moon Pack. Moon Goddess, please bear witness to my words!"

To officially leave a pack, you had to spill your blood on pack soil. It was the old way, the traditional way.

Adeline bent down and picked up a thorny branch from the ground. Without hesitating, she dragged the sharp thorns across her wrist.

Blood welled up immediately and dripped onto the earth. She counted to sixty in her head, letting her blood mark her departure.

Then something amazing happened.

The cut on her wrist began to close. The skin knitted back together right before her eyes. Within seconds, the wound was completely healed. Only the blood on her arm proved it had ever been there at all.

Adeline stared at her wrist in wonder. Her healing powers were real. They were incredible.

She looked back at the pack one more time. Her eyes hardened with determination.

"Greece family. Cameron Murphy. One day I will come back. I will make you all pay for what you did to me. I will make you kneel before me and beg for mercy."

Then she turned and walked away into the forest. She was barefoot and had no food, no water, no plan. But she was free.

And she was alive.

***

Meanwhile, back in the pack house, Alpha Harry suddenly stood up from his chair. His eyes flashed bright red, the sign of his wolf coming forward.

He had been talking with Beta Tyler about Cameron's upcoming coronation as the new Alpha King. The ceremony was planned for next month.

"My king, what's wrong?"

Tyler asked, alarmed.

"Someone has left the pack,"

Alpha Harry said slowly. His voice was tight with anger.

"What? Who would leave? This is one of the strongest packs in the world!"

"Go find out. Gather everyone. Now."

"Yes, your majesty."

Tyler bowed quickly and rushed out of the room.

Within minutes, every member of the Emerald Moon Pack had gathered in the ancestral hall. Gamma Miles Weston, the pack's third-in-command, walked through the crowd counting heads. He checked his list carefully, making sure everyone was present.

Finally, he approached the Alpha King and bowed.

"Your majesty, I have counted everyone. All important pack members are here. Even the servants and workers. But one person is missing."

"Who?"

Alpha Harry's eyes narrowed.

"Beta Tyler's first daughter, Adeline, is not present."

Everyone turned to stare at Tyler. Whispers spread through the crowd.

Tyler kept his face calm, but inside his heart was pounding. How could this be? Adeline should be dead in her room right now.

"My daughter isn't feeling well. I allowed her to rest at home."

Alpha Harry raised one eyebrow.

"Not feeling well? I see people on crutches standing here right now. I see elderly wolves who can barely walk. But your daughter gets to stay home?"

He leaned forward in his chair.

"Bring her here. Now."

Two royal guards immediately left the hall, heading toward the Greece family residence.

Tyler quickly opened a mind link to his wife.

Clarissa, she's still in her room, right?

he asked urgently.

Clarissa's reply came back confident and calm.

Of course, husband. She's resting. Don't worry.

After all, Adeline was dead. Clarissa had watched her servant confirm it. There was nothing to worry about.

Clarissa smiled to herself where she stood in the crowd with Jennifer and Johnny. Everything was going according to plan.

But she had no idea that Adeline's room was already empty.

And that Adeline was miles away, walking through the forest toward a new life.

Minutes passed. The two royal guards who had gone to fetch Adeline finally returned to the ancestral hall.

But they didn't bring a body.

Instead, one guard held bloody clothes in his hands. The other carried a thin, faded blanket.

Clarissa's eyes went wide. Her face turned pale.

Why didn't they bring Adeline's corpse? Why only her clothes and blanket?

Tyler's panicked voice filled Clarissa's mind through their mate bond. *"Clarissa, what's going on? Leaving the pack without permission is a crime!"*

*"I... I don't know!" * Clarissa's hands trembled. *"I don't understand! She was dead. I saw her die!"*

Alpha Harry stared at the bloody items in the guards' hands. Then he turned his red eyes to Tyler.

"Explain this," he commanded.

"She was home when I left, your majesty. I swear it," Tyler said quickly.

Clarissa stepped forward, trying to look worried instead of terrified. "I visited her in her room myself. I even gave her medicine for her... her cramps. I don't understand how she could have left."

"How did she get past the main gate?" Alpha Harry's voice was cold. "How did she reach the border without a single guard noticing?"

Tyler opened his mouth, but no words came out. He had no answer.

The Alpha King looked disgusted. He waved his hand, dismissing the crowd.

"Everyone return to your homes and duties. Now."

The pack members bowed and quickly left the hall. Soon only Tyler, Gamma Miles, and Cameron remained with the Alpha King.

Alpha Harry stood from his throne and walked down the steps slowly. Each footstep echoed in the silent hall.

"It's useless to bring her back now," he said. "She has already completed the ritual. She cut her wrist and declared her departure to the Moon Goddess. The bond is broken. She's no longer part of this pack."

Tyler kept his head bowed, waiting.

"However," Alpha Harry continued, "you will not escape punishment, Tyler. You allowed a pack member to leave without the Alpha's knowledge. That is unacceptable."

"I accept any punishment, your majesty," Tyler said.

"Normally, I would strip you of your title and exile you," Alpha Harry said. "But my son has chosen your second daughter as his future Luna. You will be my family soon. So your punishment will be lighter."

Tyler looked up with hope in his eyes.

"Starting now, you are no longer the official Beta of Emerald Moon Pack."

The words hit Tyler like a physical blow. His greatest fear had come true. The position his family had held for generations was gone.

"I accept the decree, your majesty." Tyler dropped to one knee, placed his hand across his chest, and bowed his head in submission. His face showed no emotion, but inside he was screaming.

This was all Adeline's fault. That cursed girl had ruined everything.

Far away from the pack territory, Adeline walked through the forest eating a sweet fruit she'd picked from a tree.

How long had it been since she'd eaten fruit? Years, probably. The Greece family never gave her anything good to eat.

She bit into the juicy flesh and smiled. Freedom tasted sweet.

She was about to take another bite when she saw something that made her stop.

A man lay on the ground ahead of her. He wore all black, black leather clothes, black boots, and a black mask that covered most of his face. Blood soaked through his shirt from a wound in his stomach.

The fruit fell from Adeline's hand. She took several steps backward.

The man was still breathing, but barely. When he noticed her presence, he lifted his head slightly.

"Get lost," he growled through the mask.

Adeline wanted to run. Every instinct told her to turn around and leave this dangerous stranger behind.

But something stopped her. She felt drawn to him somehow. She knew she wouldn't have peace if she just abandoned him here to die.

So instead of running away, she started walking toward him.

The man frowned behind his mask. "Didn't you hear me?" He pointed behind her with a bloody hand. "I said get lost!"

"I will," Adeline said calmly. "After I help you."

"Are you deaf?"

"You can already tell I'm not, can't you, mister?" She smiled as she reached his side and knelt down.

He was clutching the wound in his stomach. Blood seeped between his fingers.

"I said go away!" He coughed, and more blood came out of his mouth. "It's not safe here, young lady!"

"I know that." Adeline gently pulled his hand away from the wound. When she saw how bad it was, she gasped. The cut was deep and wide.

"Leave now!" he yelled.

"Be quiet," she said softly.

She stared at her own hands, thinking. Her healing powers had saved her from poison and wounds. Could she heal other people too?

There was only one way to find out.

Adeline placed both hands over the man's wound. Immediately, her palms began to glow with golden light.

The man felt a cool, soothing sensation spread from her hands into his body. He tried to sit up in shock.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Something that will help you." She pushed him back down gently. "Just relax."

The golden light grew brighter. The man watched in amazement as the pain in his stomach faded. The burning sensation disappeared. He felt energy returning to his body.

After several minutes, the glow from Adeline's hands faded. She lifted her hands away and looked at the wound.

There was blood on his shirt and skin, but no wound. The flesh had completely healed.

"All done." Adeline stood up and brushed dirt off her dress. "Now I'll do what you said. Goodbye, mister!"

She turned to walk away.

"Wait!" The man jumped to his feet, moving faster than someone who'd been dying moments ago. "Don't go!"

Adeline stopped. The man hurried to stand in front of her and pulled off his mask.

She tried not to react, but inside she was stunned. This man was incredibly handsome. He had strong features, dark hair, and piercing eyes. He was tall and muscular, radiating power.

"What do you want?" Adeline asked, pretending to frown.

"Um... sorry for being harsh earlier." He actually looked embarrassed. "I was afraid you might be in danger. Or worse, that you were one of the assassins sent to kill me."

She didn't believe that excuse, but she forced a smile anyway. "Okay. I heard you."

She tried to leave again, but he grabbed her arm. Then immediately let go and apologized.

"What is your problem?" Adeline was getting annoyed. She was starting to regret helping this man.

"I want you to come with me," he said seriously. "To be my pack's official healer."

She looked at him with suspicion. "Why?"

"Because I'm grateful for your help. And if I'm right, you have nowhere to go."

"Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"That doesn't matter. Look, if you agree, you'll have a nice place to live. As much food as you want. Money. Care. Protection. Everything."

"Why should I believe you?"

His eyes suddenly turned bright red, the mark of an Alpha.

"Because I am Alpha Tyrion Whitney."

Adeline gasped and took a step back.

She knew that name. Everyone in the werewolf world knew that name. Alpha Tyrion Whitney of the Silver Moon Pack was famous for being ruthless and dangerous. Other Alphas feared him. He was called the black sheep of Alpha Kings.

And she had just healed him.

She'd been so unlucky. Of all the people to meet in the forest, it had to be him.

Well, he probably wouldn't have died anyway. Werewolves of noble rank could heal themselves eventually. She didn't know why she'd felt so strongly about helping him.

Before she could back away further, he took her hand.

Both of them gasped.

An electric spark shot through their touching skin. The feeling was intense and undeniable.

Tyrion recovered first. A devilish grin spread across his handsome face.

"Seems like the Moon Goddess supports our union," he said.

"You..." Adeline couldn't find words.

Tyrion placed his right hand across his chest formally. "I, Tyrion Whitney, wholeheartedly accept you as my fated mate and Luna. I will never part from you until I breathe my last!"

He looked at her expectantly. "Now it's your turn, my dear."

"In your dreams!" Adeline spat. She tried to pull her hand free from his grip.

"Dear, you can't run away from destiny." His eyes traveled down to her bare, dirty feet. "You must be tired. Running around all day with nothing to protect your feet."

Before Adeline could respond, he lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Put me down!" She pounded on his back with her fists. "Let me go, you bad man!"

He just chuckled. "Your hits feel like tickles, my dear. Stop resisting, my little Omega. We have a long way to go."

He whistled sharply.

Two more men dressed in black dropped down from nearby trees and immediately knelt before him with their heads bowed.

"Look up," Tyrion commanded.

They obeyed.

"This woman is your Luna," Tyrion announced. "From now on, you will protect her at all times. Understood?"

"Yes, your majesty!" both men said together.

Tyrion nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Let's go. I can catch that old man another day."

He started walking through the forest with Adeline still over his shoulder. She continued to struggle and protest, but he ignored her completely.

The two guards followed silently behind their Alpha and their new Luna.

Adeline had escaped one prison only to find herself captured by the most dangerous Alpha King in the world.

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.