Chapter 5
Freya's POV
I stared at my father's face, so similar to mine in features yet so different in expression. Three years had passed since I'd cut all communication with him, yet this was the first time he'd made a real effort to contact me. Ember bristled beneath my skin, her protective instincts flaring at the sight of the man who had cast us out.
"What do you want, Marcus?" I kept my voice deliberately flat. "You found me easily enough now, didn't you? The Silver Moon Manor isn't exactly hidden."
His nostrils flared at my lack of respect. "You will be at Mist Valley Cottage tonight for Riley's welcome ceremony. Seven o'clock sharp."
The demand hit like a physical blow. Mist Valley Cottage—my childhood home with my mother, now occupied by Marcus and his "real" family.
"Mother only had one daughter," I said, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "And I don't have a sister."
Ember growled deep in my consciousness, a wave of protective fury washing through us both. I placed a steadying hand on the desk, fighting the sudden dizziness that accompanied my anger.
Marcus's face darkened. "Don't play stupid. You know Elena is my true mate. Riley is my pure-blooded daughter." His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "And I know where you've hidden Isabella."
Ice flooded my veins. The threat was unmistakable.
"If you—" I started, but my voice caught.
"What? Going to threaten me, little half-breed?" His smile was cruel. "Despite your cleverness, we've been tracking your movements for weeks. It's only a matter of time before you make a mistake and lead us right to her."
Inside me, Ember roared to life, clawing at my consciousness with a ferocity I'd never felt before. The wolf's instinct overwhelmed me, a fierce, twofold urge to protect both our unborn pup and my mother. My vision edged with red, and I tasted blood where I'd bitten my cheek.
"If you go anywhere near my mother," I managed, my voice trembling with the effort of restraint, "I swear by everything sacred, I will show you exactly what this half-breed can do."
Marcus looked momentarily taken aback by the intensity of my response before his expression smoothed into something calculating.
"Speaking of mates," he said, abruptly changing tactics, "tonight will also serve as the discussion meeting for the Moonshade Pack's hunting ritual next month."
"What?" I frowned, confused by the sudden shift.
"As Ethan's mate, you're expected to attend whether you like it or not. The hunting ritual is important—especially with the Zeta position opening." His tone suggested I should already know this.
Zeta was a title the Moon Goddess established several years ago. The Zeta serves as the female leader of the pack, a position earned through trial rather than relationship.
Traditionally, the Luna was the female pack leader. Luna was the title given to the Alpha's mate, but it comes without trial or proof of capability. Five years ago, a terrible incident happened to a nearby pack when their corrupt Luna betrayed them. While her Alpha was defending the borders, she conspired with rogue wolves to seize control. The entire pack was nearly destroyed.
After that tragedy, the Moon Goddess established the Zeta position—a female leader chosen through merit and trial rather than mating. If the Luna and Zeta are the same wolf, it proves the Luna worthy of her position. If they're different individuals, they create a necessary balance of power within the pack.
The Zeta is a female leader with her own standing and power, blessed by the Moon Goddess with enhanced combat abilities. Even an unmated female can become Zeta if she proves herself in the hunt.
I narrowed my eyes. "And why exactly would Moonshade Pack hold their discussion meeting in Starscar territory?"
Before Marcus could answer, a face suddenly pushed into view beside him—Riley's perfectly sculpted features crowded the screen, her silver-blue eyes widening in manufactured concern.
"Dear sister," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "It's because of my leg." She gestured downward, though the injury remained out of frame. "Ethan was so concerned about me traveling that he arranged to move the meeting here. Isn't he thoughtful?"
The room seemed to tilt beneath me. So Ethan had already made arrangements with Riley and my father without saying a word to me—even as he handed me dissolution papers this morning. Ember whined, confused and hurt by our mate's betrayal.
"Such a gentleman," Riley continued, her smile razor-sharp. "He insisted I shouldn't strain myself after everything I've been through."
I cut the connection without another word, my stomach heaving as a fresh wave of nausea hit me. I barely made it to the small bathroom off the communication room before emptying what little breakfast I'd managed earlier.
As I rinsed my mouth, I caught my reflection in the mirror—pale, with shadows under my eyes. I felt a faint flutter in my abdomen, as if Ember was soothing me in her own way.
"We're okay," I whispered, though I wasn't sure if I was trying to convince Ember or myself.
Mist Valley Cottage. The memories flooded back—my mother's laughter in the kitchen, the scent of silver polish and herbs, the workshop where she'd taught me the ancient Carter family craft. Before Marcus had taken it all, before Elena had methodically erased every trace of our existence there.
I considered simply not going. It was clearly a trap of some kind. But if Marcus really had been tracking me... what if he did know where my mother was hidden? The specialized medical equipment at Duskpine Haven that kept her alive couldn't be quickly relocated.
Evening shadows stretched long across the forest as I pulled up to Mist Valley Cottage. The familiar stone path to the front door was now lined with unfamiliar flowers—Elena's touch, no doubt. I spotted Ethan's sleek black SUV and several vehicles bearing the Starscar Pack emblem, but notably absent were any cars belonging to the Moonshade Pack elders.
So. No discussion meeting. Just as I'd suspected.
I steeled myself before pushing open the front door. The scent hit me immediately—familiar yet wrong, like returning to a childhood home now occupied by strangers. The layout was the same, but nearly everything else had changed. My mother's handwoven tapestries had been replaced with modern art. The weathered oak furniture was gone, exchanged for sleek, contemporary pieces.
Only the ancient stone fireplace remained unchanged, though even that had been stripped of the Carter family crest that had once adorned its mantel.
Voices drifted from the dining room—Marcus's booming laugh, Elena's affected trill, and the softer tones of Riley and Ethan in conversation. I nearly turned around then, the weight of their deception and my own foolishness suddenly too much to bear.
But a sharp pang of hunger twisted my stomach, and the resulting rumble sounded painfully loud in the dead silence of the foyer. My hand flew to my belly as heat rushed to my cheeks.
Ember stirred inside me, pushing and nudging as if saying, "Feed the pup now."