Arwen sat on the edge of the bed, her coronation gown still clinging to her like a second skin. The crown lay forgotten on the dresser. Her fingers drummed against her thighs as she stared at the clock ticking away on the wall.
He had told her to wait for him.
"I won't be long," Kael had whispered against her cheek, that same commanding tone masked as affection.
But it had been over an hour.
Restless, a pit gnawing in her stomach, Arwen stood. Something didn't feel right.
She stepped out of the room quietly, her bare feet making no sound against the cold stone floor of the pack house. The hallways were dimly lit, the shadows dancing on the walls as if they carried secrets. Her instincts tugged her toward the east wing.
Then she heard it—soft moans echoing down the corridor, muffled but unmistakable.
Her heart stopped.
Her pace slowed as she followed the sound, turning a corner she never should have, and there it was.
Him.
Kael.
Pressed against the wall with *her*.
Lilith.
The Beta's daughter. The one who always hovered too close. The one who never acknowledged Arwen as Luna.
Arwen froze, every cell in her body screaming. Kael's hands were on Lilith's waist, his mouth against her neck, claiming her the same way he had claimed Arwen—once.
His voice, low and guttural, whispered words he never told Arwen.
She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Until Lilith moaned loud enough to break her trance.
Arwen turned and ran, the betrayal slicing deeper than claws ever could.
Kael's POV
The moment I saw Lilith at the coronation, something inside me stirred—something primal. She wore red. Bold. Defiant. That smug smirk on her lips said she knew exactly what she was doing.
Arwen stood beside me, glowing in her Luna's gown, every eye on her… but my gaze had already wandered. I didn't even hear half of what was said during the ceremony. I was too busy watching Lilith from the corner of my eye, imagining her skin beneath that dress.
The second the guests started to disperse, I leaned close to Arwen and whispered, *"Go wait for me in the room. I won't be long."*
She obeyed, as always.
I found Lilith near the balcony, laughing with one of the Omegas. Her eyes flicked up to mine—sharp, challenging.
"Meet me in the east wing," I said under my breath as I passed her.
She followed.
The moment the door closed behind us, I grabbed her by the waist and slammed her against the wall. Her lips met mine with equal hunger. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want to think.
Clothes were torn—neither of us had patience for finesse. She pulled me to her like she had been waiting for this moment all her life.
She bit into my neck as I took her—rough, fast, the way she liked it. The scent of her filled the room, more intoxicating than any bond mark I ever gave Arwen.
Lilith moaned my name like she owned it.
And for those few minutes, I didn't think about Arwen. Not her crown. Not her tears. Not her loyalty.
Only Lilith.
Only the power in claiming her… again.
Her footsteps thundered up the stairs—quick, broken, panicked.
The scent of her pain hit me before I even turned. Arwen.
I pushed away from Lilith, heart racing for a split second—not with guilt, but with fear of what she'd just seen.
I stormed up the stairs, my bare feet silent against the floor, my mind racing with what to say.
"Arwen! Open the door!" I yelled, banging against it. "I can explain!"
I heard nothing from inside. No sobs. No shuffling. Just silence.
"Arwen, don't do this! Just—just open the damn door!" My voice cracked.
Still, no response.
I clenched my fists, breathing hard. She locked me out. She never did that before.
I leaned my forehead against the door for a second, the weight of her silence pressing on me.
And then… I turned around and walked away.
Back down the stairs. Back to Lilith—who was still on the couch, smirking like she had just won a game.
"She didn't take it well, did she?" she said, sliding her robe off her shoulders.
"She'll get over it," I muttered.
And I kissed her again.
Rougher this time.
This wasn't about lust anymore. It was about control. Power. Reminding myself that I wasn't the one being broken—I was the one breaking.
I pushed Lilith down onto the floor and took her again—fast, hard, without apology.
Arwen's face tried to creep back into my mind, but I shut it out. Right now, she wasn't my Luna.
She was just a complication.
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(Arwen's POV)
I couldn't stop replaying the image in my head—Kael with Lilith. His hands on her, the way they moved together like they belonged.
Just a few hours ago, everything seemed fine. We stood side by side, promising forever. So what happened now?
My heart pounded as I heard him pounding on the door downstairs. I wanted to open it—wanted to reach out and fix whatever was breaking between us. My fingers trembled on the lock.
But then his footsteps faded away.
And then—
Moans.
Loud, unmistakable moans coming from the living room.
The sound shattered something inside me.
I collapsed onto the bed, tears streaming down my cheeks.
I tried to scream, but all that came out was silence.
I was losing him.
And I had no idea how to stop it.
Maybe I should have opened the door when he knocked the first time. Then maybe he wouldn't have gone back to her, I said to my best friend over the phone.
She sighed softly. "No, you didn't push him into another woman's arms. He wanted to—and he did."
I wiped my tears. "But... you don't make a man cheat."
"Exactly," she replied firmly. "He does, if he wants to."
How about I come pick you up tomorrow? Let's go shopping, she said.
No, I can't go. Kael doesn't want me associating with any humans.
"That's not possible. He wouldn't stop you from seeing me. Why don't you talk to Kelvin—Kael's best friend—about all this?"
I hesitated. "Kelvin traveled. He went out to sort some things."
"Oh, that's true. I forgot. He told me he was traveling," she said.