---- That night, I dined like a future Luna. The kitchen Omegas served meat so rare it still pulsed with warmth, and the wine-likely imported from Fangshade Ravine-carried hints of wolfsbane and forbidden berries. After a soak in a mineral-infused bath, I slid into anightdress spun from Silverloom silk. It shimmered like starlight against my skin. For the first time in moons, I felt sovereign. In control. Above the games of men. Smirking, I snapped a picture of my wineglass against the towering skyline outside my window, where the twin moons hung heavy and expectant. Caption: Rising where they said I'd fall. Moments later, my phone buzzed. Alpha David: Where are you? The smirk vanished. How ironic that he, Alpha David Grimsbane, who once rejected me for my ---- diluted Beta lineage, now demanded answers. I deleted the comment, locked down his profile, and when his call came through- growling through the line-I blocked him without hesitation. Let him stew in silence. That night, I slept like a queen in her den, blanketed by ancestral power and the certainty of what came next. At dawn, a soft knock stirred me. "Good morning, Miss Blackridge," a maid said, bowing respectfully. "Your morning meal is ready." I stretched lazily, letting the Silverloom sheets cling to my limbs like mist. The luxury wasn't just material-it was earned. "Bring it in," I said. ---- Breakfast was a feast fit for a high-ranking wolf: blood oranges, honey-drizzled meats, ashroot tea brewed strong enough to jolt the spirit. Afterward, I bathed in enchanted oils that left my skin glowing with the faintest shimmer-an old ritual for strength and clarity. I chose a tailored outfit-white silk blouse with silver-threaded runes at the cuffs, and high- waisted trousers etched subtly with the Blackridge crest. Every inch of me announced who I was. When I descended the stairs, my grandparents awaited by the armored vehicle already humming in the driveway. "Shall we go?" Grandfather asked. The journey was smooth, but my instincts stirred uneasily. "Who exactly is Alpha Michael Greenbrook?" I finally asked.