Mira’s POV

The night before the Blood Moon smelled of rain and pine.

In our pack, that scent meant a good omen—blessings for the mating ceremony. But that night, it only made my chest feel heavier.

I sat at my dresser, brushing my hair while the candlelight flickered over my reflection. My twin sister’s face stared back at me—though she wasn’t in the room. Same brown eyes, same heart-shaped face, same dark waves of hair. The only difference was in the way we carried ourselves. Karina, my twin, wore her beauty like a crown. I wore mine like a burden.

And tonight, that burden felt ready to crush me.

I could still hear Mother’s sharp voice echoing in my head from just minutes ago.

“She’s gone, Mira. Karina ran away!”

The brush slipped from my fingers. “What do you mean gone?”

“She left with that outsider she’s been sneaking out to see.” Father’s voice was like the crack of a whip—angry, but laced with something else. Panic. “The Blood Moon ceremony is tomorrow night. The Alpha’s expecting her. Do you understand what this will do to our family’s standing if the truth comes out?”

I remembered the way my heart thudded painfully against my ribs. “You can’t mean—”

“You will take her place,” Mother cut in, her tone leaving no room for argument. “You’re identical. No one will know until after the ceremony. And by then, it will be too late for Alpha Gabriel to back out.”

Alpha Gabriel Blackwood.

The name alone was enough to make my throat tighten.

The Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack was everything I wasn’t—commanding, cold, impossibly proud. I’d seen him only twice in my life, and both times he hadn’t looked at me like I was anything worth remembering. To him, I was just Karina’s quiet, awkward twin.

And now, they expected me to stand beside him as his Luna.

“Dad,” I tried again, “this is wrong. The mate bond is sacred and—”

My father’s hand slammed against the table, making me flinch. “Do you think I care about your romantic notions? This is politics, Mira. Our family needs this alliance. Without it, we lose protection, we lose trade and we lose everything!”

In that moment, I realized I had no choice. Not really. Refusing meant ruining my family, bringing shame to our bloodline. And shame, in werewolf society, was a scent that clung forever.

So I nodded, even though my stomach twisted into knots. “I understand.”

The next evening came faster than I wanted.

The Moon Temple stood in the heart of Silver Fang territory, its white stone glowing under the silver light. Wolves from both our packs gathered, their voices a low murmur of excitement. I could feel the weight of their eyes on me as I stood in the ceremonial dress—a flowing silver gown threaded with moonstones that caught the light with every movement.

No one here knew it wasn’t Karina beneath the veil.

I kept my head low, my palms damp as I clutched the bouquet of white wolfsbane. Tradition. Symbol of purity and loyalty. How ironic.

Then I sensed him.

Alpha Gabriel.

His presence pressed against me before I even saw him. Tall, broad-shouldered, wearing the black ceremonial coat of an Alpha. His silver eyes swept over me—cold, unreadable, and sharp as a blade. My wolf whimpered inside me at the sheer dominance rolling off him.

We stood before the Moon Priestess. Her voice rang out over the crowd.

“On this Blood Moon, two souls shall bind as one, under the blessing of the Moon Goddess. Do you, Alpha Gabriel Blackwood, accept this bond?”

“I do,” he said, voice deep enough to vibrate through my bones.

“And do you, Karina Blackthorn, accept this bond?”

My lips trembled around the lie. “I do.”

The priestess raised a silver dagger and pricked our palms. Gabriel’s warm, calloused hand closed over mine, and for a second, I thought I felt the mate bond spark between us—like lightning trying to catch fire. But it didn’t last. It fizzled into nothing, leaving only the awkward silence between two strangers.

He marked me with a swift bite to my neck, his fangs sharp and efficient. Not gentle. Not tender. Just necessary.

When the ceremony ended, the crowd howled their approval. I smiled through the veil, hiding the fact that I felt hollow inside.

Later that night, when the echoes of celebration had died away, I found myself alone in Alpha Gabriel’s chamber.

The room was vast, cold, and intimidating—much like the Alpha himself. Dark wood and iron dominated the space, the massive bed draped in black and silver silks. A fire roared in the hearth, but it brought me no comfort. My body ached from the weight of the gown, the suffocating veil, the false identity I carried.

I sat carefully on the edge of the bed, lowering myself as if the mattress might burn me. My hands twisted the fabric of my dress, my mind screaming for relief, for escape, for anything.

The door swung open.

Alpha Gabriel entered, tall and commanding, his shoulders tense beneath the fine cut of his ceremonial suit. He tugged at his tie, loosening it as though even clothes dared not restrain him. His dark eyes, sharp as daggers, flicked toward me. My wolf shrank back, her ears flattening in fear.

He closed the door with a click, sealing us in.

For a long moment, silence hung between us. The air grew heavier with every second, pressing against my chest until I could hardly breathe.

Then his voice, low and edged like a blade:

“Why do you look like you’re about to faint?”

I swallowed hard, forcing a shaky smile. “It’s just… the ceremony. I’m tired.”

His gaze narrowed. He stepped closer, each movement deliberate, predatory. “Tired?”

I nodded, lowering my eyes. “Yes.”

But instead of accepting my answer, his hand shot out, gripping the edge of my veil. With one swift motion, he tore it away. My breath caught.

His eyes scanned me—every detail, every curve of my face. Then, without warning, he seized the strap of my dress, yanking it roughly down my shoulder.

I gasped, clutching the fabric, but his grip was iron. His gaze fixed on my bare skin, his expression darkening, shifting from suspicion to fury.

“There’s no mole.” His voice was a growl now. “Karina has a mole here. But you…” His hand trembled, though not with weakness—only with rage. “You are not Karina!”

My heart stopped.

“Answer me!” he roared, grabbing my chin, forcing my face up to meet his. His claws threatened to pierce my skin as his wolf surfaced beneath his fury. “Who the hell are you?”

“I—” My voice broke. Panic surged through me. “I am Karina—”

“Don’t lie to me!” His snarl echoed through the chamber, rattling my bones. His grip tightened, bruising my chin. His eyes glowed a dangerous gold, wolf pushing at the surface. “Do you think you can trick me? Do you think I wouldn’t notice the difference between sisters?”

Tears burned in my eyes. “Please, Alpha, I—”

“Mira,” he spat the name like venom. “You’re Mira!”

My knees buckled. Denial crumbled beneath the weight of his truth. I opened my mouth, searching for words, but nothing came out. Nothing except a broken sob.

His hand swung fast. The crack of his palm meeting my cheek sent stars exploding across my vision. I stumbled, clutching my face, tears streaming down.

“How dare you,” he snarled. “How dare you stand before me, before my pack, and lie?!”

“I… I had no choice,” I whispered, voice trembling. “Karina—she’s gone, she—”

Another strike. Harder. My head whipped to the side, my lip splitting. Pain burned, but worse was the shame. The humiliation of being unmasked.

“Where is she?” His voice was a growl, so close now I could feel the heat of his breath. “Where is Karina?!”

I shook my head, choking on sobs. “I don’t know. I swear, I don’t know.”

His hands closed around my throat, sudden and merciless. My breath vanished. I clawed at his wrists, my lungs screaming for air. My wolf whimpered, weak and terrified, as his fingers pressed harder.

“Don’t play with me, Mira,” he hissed. His eyes glowed brighter, golden fire in the dark. “If you don’t tell me where she is, I’ll make you wish you’d never been born.”

My vision blurred. Spots of light danced before me. Desperation clawed at my chest as I gasped, barely managing to croak, “I really don’t know.”

For a second, I thought he might crush the life out of me then and there.

Then, with a snarl of disgust, he released me. I collapsed to the floor, coughing, dragging in ragged breaths, my throat burning from his grip.

“You disgust me!” he growled. “You dare deceive me, you dare stand where she should have stood.” He kicked aside my fallen veil, his eyes cold and merciless. “You will pay for this. Do you understand?”

I curled on the floor, trembling, clutching my throat. Tears blurred everything, but I could still see him—looming, furious, his presence suffocating.

He turned toward the door, his voice colder than the night air.

“From this moment on, Mira, you are nothing but a prisoner in my house. Don’t think for a second you can escape the punishment that’s coming.”

The door slammed behind him, leaving me alone in the silence.

Broken. Exposed.

And yet… still breathing.

I lay on the floor for a long time, unable to move. The fire crackled mockingly in the hearth, its warmth a cruel contrast to the ice spreading through my chest. My wedding night had ended not with vows consummated, not with the gentle acceptance of a mate bond, but with violence and threats.

The Moon Goddess had turned her face from me.

Or perhaps she had never looked my way at all.

As I wiped the blood from my lip, a cold realization sank into my bones. I had stepped into my sister’s life to protect our family. But in doing so, I had walked willingly into hell.

And hell had the name of Alpha Gabriel Blackwood.