Chapter 1

I kneeled in a puddle of my own blood, nine months pregnant, watching my Alpha husband sign my death warrant with a smile on his face.

"Exile," he said, not even looking at me. "Effective immediately."

My sister stood behind him, fingers curled around his arm, wearing the Luna crown that had been mine six hours ago.

The pack guards dragged me through the territory gates and hurled me into the snow like garbage. My belly hit the frozen ground. Pain split through me, and amniotic fluid soaked my dress.

I was going into labor. Alone. In rogue territory. In the middle of a blizzard.

Twelve hours ago, I had been Luna of the Silver Fang Pack, the most powerful territory in the northern provinces. I had a mate who marked me on my eighteenth birthday, parents who said they were proud, and a sister who called me her best friend.

Now I had nothing.

It started this morning, when my sister Vanessa burst into the pack court, sobbing so hard her mascara bled down her face.

"Liam... your Luna tried to poison me. She put wolfsbane in my tea because she's jealous of our bond!"

She collapsed into my husband's arms, convulsing, foaming at the mouth with perfect theatrical timing.

I stood frozen. "Vanessa, what are you—"

"SILENCE!" Liam's Alpha command hit me like a freight train. My wolf whimpered and my knees buckled.

He didn't ask me a single question. Didn't look at the security footage. Didn't wonder why his pregnant wife would suddenly try to kill her own sister.

Instead, he turned to the council and declared, "I, Alpha Liam Ashford, reject Serena Blackwell as my mate and Luna. Vanessa Blackwell will take her place."

The rejection hit me like a silver blade through the chest. Our mate bond, the one I'd cherished for five years, snapped like a burning thread.

I screamed. Blood poured from my nose. My wolf howled inside me, clawing at my ribs.

My parents sat in the front row of the council. My mother looked at her nails. My father checked his watch.

"Mom," I gasped. "Dad, please—"

"You brought this on yourself," my mother said coldly. "You were always jealous of Vanessa. We warned you."

Vanessa peeked over Liam's shoulder, and for half a second, I caught it—a smirk. Quick, sharp, and venomous.

Then it vanished, replaced by fresh sobs.

"Don't let her near me, Liam! She'll try again! Please, get her away from me!"

"You heard her." Liam's voice was ice. "Guards, remove the exile from pack territory. If she resists, use force."

I didn't resist. I couldn't. The rejection had severed my wolf's strength, and the baby inside me was pressing against my spine.

As the guards dragged me past the gates, I looked back one last time.

Liam was placing my Luna crown on Vanessa's head.

She tilted her face up and kissed him. Right there. In front of the whole pack.

And my mother applauded.

The blizzard swallowed me whole. I crawled through the snow, bleeding, contracting, my vision going white.

That was when I heard the growl.

Three rogue wolves emerged from the tree line, eyes locked on the blood trail I was leaving behind.