Chapter 3

Selene POV:

The data crystal in my pocket felt both heavy and insignificant. It was damning proof, yes, but it was digital. It could be dismissed as fabricated. I needed something more. Something visceral, undeniable, gathered from the very heart of their secret life.

I had to get back inside that manor.

My position as a pack healer was my key. I fabricated a report about a potential outbreak of lung fever among the pack's elderly and used it as a pretext. "One of the servants at the old Vance hunting lodge is on my list for a wellness check," I told the head of security, using the manor's official, forgotten designation. "She's too frail to come to the clinic."

Permission was granted without a second thought. I was just the caring Omega healer, after all.

Dressed in my simple healer's tunic, I was escorted into the manor by a stoic guard who left me at the door. Inside, I was met by a nervous-looking Omega servant. Her name was Maria.

"I'm here to check on Elara," I said, my voice calm and professional.

"She's in her room," Maria whispered, wringing her hands. "But... the mistress and master are out with the young lord. They would not be pleased to find a stranger here."

"This won't take long," I assured her, my eyes already scanning the opulent foyer. "My duties to the pack's health come first."

After a quick, fabricated check-up on the elderly wolf, I made my move. "I need a glass of water," I told Maria, guiding her toward the main living area. "And I noticed you favoring your left hand. This might help with the arthritis." I offered her a small pouch of rare Moonpetal herbs.

Her eyes widened. Moonpetal was priceless. As she accepted it, I steered the conversation. "This is a beautiful home. The Future Alpha must be very proud of it."

Gratitude and our shared Omega status loosened her tongue. "He is," she confided in a hushed tone. "Alpha Richard himself comes twice a week to teach young Lord Leo combat forms. And Luna Eleanor... she brings Lady Lyra the most beautiful moonstone jewelry. I heard her call Lyra the Luna she always wanted, one who would bring honor to the pack."

Every word was a confirmation of the truth I already knew, but hearing it spoken aloud made the betrayal feel raw and fresh. My gaze drifted to the master bedroom, the door slightly ajar.

"May I use the washroom?" I asked.

Maria nodded, distracted by the precious herbs. I slipped into the bedroom. It was a shrine to them. His scent was everywhere, mingled with hers-a cloying mix of rose and ambition. On the wall, a giant holographic projector was active, displaying a still image.

It was Damien and Lyra, dressed in the gleaming white ceremonial robes of a mating ceremony. His hand was on her waist, hers on his chest. They were smiling, looking for all the world like a true Alpha and Luna. They had held their own secret ceremony. They had thumbed their noses at the Moon Goddess herself.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, the sheer audacity of it stealing my breath. I stumbled back, my hand finding the doorframe for support just as the sound of a car crunching on the gravel driveway sent a jolt of alarm through me.

"They're back early!" Maria hissed from the hallway, her face pale with terror.

Before I could react, she shoved me into the nearest hiding place-a large, dark pantry off the kitchen, pulling the door shut just as the front door opened.

My heart pounded in the suffocating darkness. I could hear their voices, loud and clear, from the adjoining kitchen. Leo was chattering about his day. Then, Lyra spoke.

"I am so sick of this, Damien," she complained, her voice sharp. "Sick of pretending. I want you to Mark me. I want you to stand before the pack and formally Reject that pathetic Omega."

The air in the pantry grew thin, hard to breathe.

I heard the clink of glasses, then Damien's low, placating voice. "Patience, Lyra. The treaty is almost signed. I need the stability of the fated bond for just a little longer. My wolf is restless with the power shift."

He sighed, a sound of weary resignation. "On the night of the next full moon, after the signing, I will do it. I will reject her in front of everyone. Then, you and I will complete the marking, and you will take your rightful place as my Luna."

Then came the words that stopped my heart.

"You and Leo are my future, my dynasty," he said, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Selene... she was just a joke the Moon Goddess played, a tool on the path to power. A means to an end."

A tool. A joke.

Tears I didn't know I had left streamed down my face in the silent darkness. I had heard enough.

I waited until their footsteps moved into the living room. Then, holding my breath, I slipped out of the pantry. Maria shot me a terrified look, and I gave her a tiny, reassuring nod before gliding silently out the back door.

As I rounded the corner of the house, my path crossed with Lyra, who had stepped out onto the terrace, her communicator held to her ear. She was wearing a silk robe, her face illuminated by the device's glow.

Her eyes narrowed, sweeping over my simple healer's tunic and hooded cloak. She didn't recognize me, but I saw the flicker of suspicion in her gaze. A healer, here, at this hour? It was unusual.

She didn't say anything, but her calculating stare followed me until I disappeared into the treeline.

I knew then, with chilling certainty, that my time was running out.

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