Thedoor suddenly bursts open. I don’t even jump. I just sigh.

Layla doesn’t knock. She doesn’t announce herself. She doesn’t walk into a room like a regularperson.

She breaks in.

“One day, I swear you’re going to knock like a civilized human being,” I say, looking onas she struts in awake like she owns the place.

Layla snorts. "Where’s the fun in that?" She slams the door behind her, arms crossed over her waist, eyes raking mybody like a hunter. "Okay. First ofall, why do you look like you just had your own funeral?”

I arch a brow. "I don’t."

"You do."

I roll my eyes. “I just didn’t know that looking into a mirror made you apsychologist.”

Layla grins. "That’s the spirit. ‘Keep up thatsarcasm, we might survive this night’”

She walks over to my dressing table, where two dresses are laid out — both far toofancy for a girl like me.

I already know what’s coming.

She taps the red dress. "Wear this one."

I shake my head. “I wasthinking the black one.”

Layla gasps like I just told her to burnthe packhouse down. "Absolutely not! Blackis for blending in, and tonight, my darling Naomi Carter, we are not blending in. You’re going to go in thereand own the damn room.”

“Or, and hear me out, I can go in, enjoy theparty, and leave without anyone noticing me.”

Layla looks as if she were personallyinsulted. “Why do I evenbother with you?

I smirk. “Because I make yourlife a little more interesting.”

She huffs but doesn’trefute it.

The Ghost That Haunts Me

While Layla keeps herself occupied with the make-over process I get lostin thought.

Five years.

It’s been five years since I wasrejected. Five years since he spoke thewords that tore me to pieces without pausing.

"Wolfless. Worthless."

“You thought someone likeyou would ever be my Luna?

I was eighteen.

I never had loved anyone before — never even really thought much about what it would be like to belong to someone in thatway. Butthen I turned eighteen, felt the mate bond click into place, and thought, this is the one.

Fate had chosen him for me.

And he hadstared me in the eyes and spat in fate’s face.

I was nothing to him. Less than nothing.

Because so Iwas weak in his eyes.

“A pathetic person such asyou sickens me.”

I squeeze my eyes closed, pushing the memory away before it can sinkits claws in further.

I hate that it still hurts.

I hatethat some small part of me still feels that bond pull.

It’s pathetic.

And the worst part? Henever even officially declined me.

I still feel the bond. And my wolf— Haven — still aches for a mate who never wanted her.

Two years after my departure from the pack, shehad surfaced.

A surprise, given that I’d been toldI was wolfless. Turns out, Haven was always there, lying dormantwithin me.

Nobody knows about her. Not even my parents.

And especially not him.

Layla’s voice pulls meout of my thoughts. "You’re doing it again."

I blinkat her image in the mirror. "Doing what?"

"Thinking about him."

Istart to deny it, but she just deadpans at me. "Naomi, please. “I can feel the self-hatred comingin.”

I look away. “Iwasn’t thinking about him at all.

“You’re terribleat lying,” she says bluntly.

I sigh. "Fine. Maybe I was. A little."

Layla crosses her arms. “Are you still secretly hoping that he’ll see you tonight and drop tohis knees in regret?”

I glare at her. “There isn’t enough money to pay mefor that.

"That’s the attitude!" she grins. “Now let’s work onthem getting you to actually believe it.”

She sitson my bed and gives me the eye. “You’ve got to gethim out of your system. And not just him — the whole damnpast. You can’t keep making this weight likeit’s some punishment you deserve.'

"I don’t—"

“Yes, you do,”she interrupts me. “I have this feeling that you believethis entire thing is your fault. That had you are strongeror louder or more — whatever. He wanted you.

I stare at theground, unable to meet her eyes.

“Naomi,” shesays, more gentle this time. “You don’tneed him to desire you. You don’t require anyone toaffirm you. You’ve been busyfive years showing that you’re not the same girl he threw out. But now it’s time for you to really livelike that’s true.’

Something in my chest aches.

Because she’s right.

Ideparted, yes, but I never really went away.

And that ends tonight.

I catch Layla’seyes in the mirror. "Fine," I say. "Let’s do this."

She grins. "Damn right we will."

The Queen Walks In

One hour later, we wentdownstairs.

My parents are waiting for us, and when they seeme, my father whistles low.

“My daughter is a woman now,” hesays, his eyes gleaming with pride.

My mother beams. "Of course she has. She’s turning outjust like me, after all.”

Layla snorts. “Humble as ever, Aunt Lily.”

We all laugh, but my mom hasa point. I am like her — same hazeleyes, same brown hair, same quiet strength. A strength I hadn’t been sureI had, until now.

And tonight, for thefirst time in many moons, I think I feel like her daughter.

Like I belong.

“You girls coming with us?” my mother says,pulling her shawl tighter. “Theo andClara already went.”

Layla waves a hand, as ifbrushing the request away. “We’ll take Naomi’s car. We’re fashionably late.”

I smirk. “Did you get the‘late’ part?”

Layla grins. “Exactly. Let them wait.”

Thepackhouse is a short walk away, but we’re not going to hoof it in heels — not the way we intend to arrive.

As my parents’ car drives away, I feelit suddenly.

A shift. A tension coiling low in my belly, winding tight like the stringon a bow.

He’ll be there.

I knowit as well as I know my own name.

What’s he gonna dowhen he sees me?

Will he acknowledge me? Will he regret it?

A malevolent little voice inthe back of my head whispers — Will I even care?

I shake my head sharply. No. Doesn’t matter.

Tonight isn’t about him.

It’s about me.

Layla elbows me, a knowing grin on herface. “You ready?”

I mirror her gaze,inhaling, steadying myself.

Then I say, with aslow, confident smile —

“Let’s go make history.”