Chapter 2

He pinned me hard against the solid oak of the door with a single hand. He didn’t hold back, letting the suffocating weight of his Alpha aura and pheromones crash over me all at once.

My knees buckled instantly. A primal, physiological tremor crawled up my spine, screaming at my Omega wolf to submit. I dug my fingernails into the metal doorknob behind my back, fighting with everything I had just to keep from sliding to the floor.

"Playing hard to get now?" His thumb rubbed roughly over the bruised skin on the side of my neck—a fresh mark from last night. His tone was a cruel, mocking drawl. "Giving me the cold shoulder, talking back... is this because I burned you this morning? Did I hurt your fragile little ego? Or are you just that jealous of Selena?"

"You're overthinking it, Alpha." I jerked my head to the side, breaking his grip. I didn't shy away, meeting his furious gaze head-on. "I genuinely wish you both the best."

That hollow, indifferent obedience acted like a match to gasoline. Caleb’s rage flared. The one thing he couldn't stand was my refusal to lose my mind over him anymore.

He leaned in abruptly, his scalding breath fanning across my ear. When he spoke, his voice was a deadly whisper meant only for me, each word designed to draw blood.

"The night you turned eighteen, when you lost control and stole a kiss. Those anonymous late-night confessions. Sneaking around, hoarding clothes that smelled like my pheromones. Did you really think I didn’t know?"

I went rigidly stiff. The pathetic, dirt-cheap crush of my past life was being ripped open and trampled right in front of my face.

"Let’s be honest. Deep down, you’re just a desperate, pathetic Omega, biologically wired to crave a high-ranking Alpha’s scent." He scoffed, his words dripping with absolute degradation. "You used to throw yourself at me. Now you’re playing the ice queen. It’s a cheap trick, Elara."

"You could spend your entire life trying, and you would still never hold a candle to Selena. You aren’t even worthy of being her backup pacifier."

Finally, a spark of pure anger ignited in my chest. I wasn’t made of stone. Being degraded like this... I couldn't just stay numb.

"If I'm so unworthy, then why the hell are you losing your mind in my bedroom?" I let out a cold laugh, throwing his venom right back at him.

That was the breaking point for the arrogant Alpha.

Caleb shoved me aside and closed the distance to my nightstand in two long strides. He ripped the drawer open and dumped its contents onto the rug.

The love letters I had once treated like sacred relics, an old lighter he had casually tossed my way, the small glass bottles holding the fading remnants of his scent—they scattered everywhere.

Crack.

The heavy heel of his combat boot shattered the glass.

He ground his heel into the pile of letters. Then, he grabbed my scalded right hand, pinning it violently down into the sea of broken glass.

"Hoarding this filthy trash, lusting after your guardian day in and day out—don't you disgust yourself?"

His grip was crushing. My wrist bones popped, groaning under the pressure. White-hot pain exploded from my sprained wrist and my blistered hand all at once. I sucked in a sharp breath, cold sweat beading on my forehead, but I clamped my jaw shut and forced a mocking smile.

"It is disgusting," I ground out, staring at the ruined keepsakes. "Thanks for taking out the trash, Alpha. Saves me from getting my hands dirty."

Caleb froze. A flicker of sheer disbelief crossed his eyes.

Then, his grip tightened brutally. His voice dropped to a lethal, freezing pitch. "If you had actually thrown yourself at me last night, I would have temporarily marked you on the spot, and then tossed you to the lowest-ranking Betas in the pack. I would have let them all taste my leftovers."

"Your scent, your body, your feelings—they've always been nothing but a joke to me. Stop flattering yourself."

The muscle memory of my past life made my heart clench for a fraction of a second. But the blinding agony in my wrist instantly crushed whatever pathetic lingering affection I had left.

This was the man I had loved. A selfish, violent tyrant who got off on trampling over people's dignity.

"Remember this." Caleb released my hand, standing tall as he unleashed one final, concentrated wave of his Alpha aura, slamming it straight into the scent gland at the nape of my neck. "If I ever catch you looking at me with those desperate eyes again, I will permanently seal your Omega pheromones and cripple your gland for good."

With a deafening slam of the door, he was gone.

I collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air. My wrist was already turning a mottled purple. The blisters from the scald had burst open, and a deep, needle-like agony throbbed in my gland.

And yet, I wanted to laugh.

I blindly grabbed a roll of gauze and haphazardly wrapped my bleeding hand. The physical pain was a gift; it made me clearer than I had ever been in my life.

It was a clarity that demanded action.

Ignoring the prying, mocking stares of the pack house Omegas and housekeepers, I shoved my documents into a tote bag and hailed a cab straight to the city center.

I spent the entire afternoon navigating the concrete jungle of the human world. Expediting my visa, finalizing my enrollment at a top university in New York, and quietly transferring the meager inheritance my parents had left behind.

The only way I would ever own my life was by escaping this glorified cage they called the Blood Moon Pack.

It was pitch black by the time the visa confirmation email dinged on my phone. I let out a long breath, dragging my exhausted body back through the heavy oak doors of the pack house.

Back in my attic room, I reached out out of pure habit, searching for the custom lumbar pillow on my bed. I was born with a spinal defect, and whenever I was subjected to an Alpha's aura, I needed that pillow just to sleep through the agony.

My hand met empty sheets.

I flicked on the lights. The sickeningly sweet, artificial rose scent of Selena’s pheromones lingered in the air. My bed had been tossed. The pillow was gone.

My phone screen lit up with an Instagram notification.

It was a selfie of Selena, lounging against my pillow. The caption was a masterclass in petty bitchiness: "Thank you Caleb for the custom soothing pillow~ Some people hog resources they don’t even know how to appreciate. Better to give it to someone who actually deserves a high-ranking Alpha’s favor ❤️."

That pillow... Years ago, when Caleb had seen me writhing in bed in pain, he had broken his own cold demeanor to have a doctor custom-make it for me. It was the one shred of warmth I had clung to from my youth.

And now, he was using it to score points with his new plaything.

Nausea mixed with a spike of fresh anger. I spun around and yanked the door open, fully intending to hunt down the head housekeeper for a standard pillow.

Instead, I was met with a wall of solid muscle. Caleb blocked the doorway.

One hand tucked casually into his pocket, his gaze swept over my pale face. "It's just a piece of bedding. Don't make a scene," he said, his tone utterly dismissive. "Selena's nerves are fraying because of the pregnancy. She needs it more than you do."

He paused, letting the cruelty of his next words sink in. "Your pain is irrelevant anyway."

Staring at that arrogant, entitled face, I felt a wave of pure absurdity wash over me.

"At the end of the day, whatever I give you still belongs to me." Caleb stepped closer, his eyes searching my face for any sign of jealousy or heartbreak. "Who I choose to give it to is none of your damn business."

I didn't cry. I didn't scream or throw a tantrum. I just looked at him, my expression dead.

"Okay," I nodded simply.

That absolute flatline of emotion completely threw him off. His brows snapped together, a dark storm brewing in his golden eyes.

"What the hell is this attitude?" His hand shot out, two fingers pressing dangerously against the scent gland at the base of my neck. "Don’t push me with this icy act, Elara. I could cripple your gland right now. I could strip you down to a basic Beta, forcing you to rely on me to survive for the rest of your miserable life."

I didn’t flinch away from his touch. Instead, I locked my gaze dead onto his.

"Then I suggest the Alpha takes care of himself and his future Luna, and stops invading my personal space." My voice was crystal clear, without a single tremor of submission. "I’m staying out of your way. I'm handing over your things without a single complaint. You should be thrilled."

I took a step forward, forcing him to subconsciously step back half an inch.

"You aren't bothered by my distance. You’re just used to me trailing after you like a lovesick puppy. You don't care about me, you care about the worship," I said, ruthlessly tearing down his sick, twisted possessiveness. "Alpha, stop staring at me like a neglected, bitter ex-boyfriend. It just makes you look pathetic."

"Elara!" Caleb roared, his ego bruised beyond repair. He raised a hand as if to strike me, but the frozen, mocking look in my eyes made his fist stop dead in mid-air.

His chest heaved violently. Unable to find an outlet for his explosive rage, he viciously kicked the doorframe, turned on his heel, and stormed down the hall in a pathetic retreat.

I watched with cold eyes until his broad shoulders disappeared around the corner. I shut the door, flipped the deadbolt, and looked down at the flight confirmation to JFK on my phone screen. A slow, dark smirk curved my lips.

Hold tight to your Luna, Caleb.