Chasing Feyre: Cold Alpha's Beta Mate: Read Chapters 1-5

FEYRE

The scratch of pen on paper fades into a hum as I stare at the battle plans spread across the oak table.

My fingers trace the inked formations, and a voice cuts through my focus.

“What do you think about that, Feyre?”

Asher’s question pulls me back to the council room.

I lift my head, meeting the gazes of every warrior and advisor seated around me.

Their eyes hold expectation, the kind that comes with relying on the only female beta in our territory’s history.

I give a single, firm nod.

“It’s solid. If our warriors shift their formations mid-fight, they’ll throw any enemy off balance before they can react.”

A low rumble of approval rolls through the room.

Heads bob in agreement. One warrior adds a tweak to the strategy, another builds on it, and the tight tension that clings to every pack meeting melts away just a little.

Satisfaction never lasts long in the Midnight Pack.

We clawed our way back from the brink of extinction once, and peace has always been a fleeting visitor here.

One by one, the council members file out, their steps lighter now that a plan has been set.

Beneath my skin, my wolf Naya stirs.

The feeling coils tight in my chest, watchful and patient.

There must be something unusual.

I noticed, then I tried to push the feeling down: Leaders do not waste time on shadows.

Soon, only Asher and I remain.

Staying behind after council meetings has been our habit for years.

It started when we were too young and too stubborn to believe the pack would hold without one last check.

Now it is just us, two wolves who rebuilt a home from ash.

Asher leans back against the table, arms crossed, his gaze studying me with a mix of authority and soft concern.

At twenty-five, he is the Alpha of the Midnight Pack, and my oldest friend. Titles have never been able to define what we are to each other.

“I trust you to handle the territory exchanges,” he says. “You always see the details everyone else misses.”

“I’ll go over the rookie rosters tonight,” I reply, closing my folder with a soft click. “Some of those kids belong in support roles, not on the front lines.”

A faint smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “That’s exactly why you’re my beta.”

The word still carries weight, even after seven years.

I became beta at sixteen, a choice that made every neighboring pack whisper.

Too young, they said.

Too female, they sneered.

They watched us wait for the day our inexperience would destroy everything.

They never got that day.

I am twenty-three now, a female beta who stands beside her Alpha without flinching.

Asher and I built this pack back together, piece by piece, after the attack that killed his parents and our strongest warriors.

The memory hangs between us, unspoken but ever present.

He stepped into leadership too soon, and I stepped at his side without a single moment of hesitation.

Not because fate told me to, just because someone had to.

Asher slips into the role of overprotective sibling more often than I like, but I tolerate it because it comes from love.

His mother, the late Luna of our pack, took me in when I was four years old.

A rogue wolf had torn through my home, leaving my parents dead in the forest and me alone.

She gave me a new family when mine was burned to the ground.

The rogue was never found.

The elders closed the case, called it a random attack, a tragedy we had to move past. Their words never quieted my grief.

Some nights, when the moon hangs low and the woods go still, I wonder if the beast that killed my parents still breathes under the same sky.

That thought sharpens every instinct I have, every strike I land, every choice I make as beta.

Asher’s gaze flicks to me, catching the distant look in my eyes. “You’re overthinking again.”

I huff softly. “Occupational hazard for the pack’s beta.”

He chuckles, but his expression softens into seriousness. “You’re doing good, Feyre. The whole pack knows it.”

I nod, but my chest tightens.

Respect among wolves is earned every single day, never given freely.

We do not survive on trust alone.

The conversation shifts to logistics and training schedules, but my mind drifts.

Twenty new graduates, all eager to fight, all desperate to prove their loyalty.

Fighting is in our blood, a instinct woven into every wolf’s soul.

We protect the pack, or we lose everything.

Fate has a way of weaving itself into our lives, whether we welcome it or not.

Every werewolf has a mate, chosen by the moon long before we learn to shift.

Most find their bond at eighteen, a sudden, overwhelming pull that changes their lives forever.

I shifted for the first time at fifteen.

The pain seared through me, hot and unrelenting, and I still remember the scent of blood and dirt when it ended.

Naya woke inside me fierce and unyielding, a part of me I had never known but always recognized.

The mate bond never came.

At eighteen, nothing.

No pull. No recognition. Just silence.

Back then, I was grateful.

The pack needed me focused, and love felt like a weakness I could not afford. Part of me still believes that.

But as the years pass, the uncertainty grows.

If I ever find my mate, I want him to be kind. Steady.

I want him to be someone who sees me, not just the beta of the Midnight Pack.

I want him to choose me, not because the moon demands it, but because he wants to.

The thought feels foolish, a fragile dream I keep locked away.

Naya stirs again, sharper this time, a jolt of warning that races down my spine.

Something is coming.

I straighten my posture, forcing the instinct down as Asher gathers the last of the files. I turn to him, my tone low and firm, leaving no room for delay.

“I’m going to find Cami. I have to speak with her at once.”

Asher’s jaw tightens faintly. He catches the unspoken urgency in my tone and does not waste words on needless questions.

Outside the council room, the pack goes about its day, completely unaware of the danger creeping toward our borders.

I have never ignored my instincts.

Right now, they are screaming that the fragile peace we fought so hard to build is about to break. And this time, the threat may be closer than I ever could have imagined.

FEYRE

I’m practically jogging to keep up with Cami.

The forest’s hush isn’t peace, it’s a lull.

I can’t help glancing at her every few seconds, Naya pacing restlessly in my head.

Cami is a healer, rare and vital, but she can’t mend her own wounds.

She is soft, too trusting, and this border’s been twitchy lately.

I should’ve insisted she bring backup.

Cami glances over her shoulder, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “Chill out, Feyre. You’re acting like a mama wolf guarding her pup.” She slows her steps so we’re walking side by side, her tone softening. “I know you’re worried, but I’ve patrolled this border a hundred times. I can handle myself.”

I snort, but my shoulders relax a little.

“Handle yourself? You once tripped over a root and sprained your ankle while gathering mint. If a rogue showed up, you’d be defenceless.”

Cami laughs, swatting my arm playfully. “Hey, that root was evil! Besides,” she says, her eyes lighting up with that familiar hopeful glint, “I’m still holding out for my mate. He must be tall and kind, and he will protect me.”

I roll my eyes, but there’s no bite to it.

“You’ve described half the pack. Good luck narrowing it down.”

“Hey, a girl can dream,” she says, swinging her herb pack gently. “What about you? Still pretending you don’t care about finding your mate?”

I shrug, shoving the thought aside like I always do. “I have a pack to help run. Mates are the last thing on my mind.”

It’s only half a lie. I’m not opposed to the idea, not really.

Cami bumps my shoulder, her smile softening. “You’ll see. When it happens, you won’t be able to deny it. It’s not just fate, it’s feeling.”

I shake my head, but before I can retort, she points to a cluster of green leaves just off the path. “Look, those are feverfew. I need a few sprigs for the infirmary. Wait here, I’ll be two seconds.”

I nod, my unease creeping back as she veers toward the undergrowth. “Hurry. And yell if you see anything weird.”

She waves a hand over her shoulder, already bending to pluck the herbs.

“Relax! I’m a healer, not a target.”

Five minutes pass, and I’m about to call out to her when Naya suddenly freezes.

A sharp jolt of panic shot down my spine.

The mindlink bursts open before I can even think, Cami’s voice thin and broken.

“Feyre.” My heart lurches. I’ve never heard her sound so weak, so scared. “Help me. Please.”

Fear slices through me so sharply my vision blurs.

I’m moving before I can process the words.

“What happened? Where are you?”

“I… I was attacked,” she gasps, each word a struggle. “A rogue. It came out of nowhere. I’m hurt, Feyre.”

The whole world narrows to her voice, to the sound of her labored breathing.

“Don’t fall asleep,” I snarl, pushing my legs harder, ignoring the burn in my lungs. “Tell me where you are. I’m coming, I promise.”

“I don’t know,” she sobs. “North. Dense trees. Everything’s spinning. I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Her link flickers, weakening by the second.

I let instinct take over, my senses stretching until I lock onto her scent.

I find blood before I find her.

Her chest rises in shallow, uneven breaths, and my throat tightens until I can barely breathe.

“Oh, Cami,” I choke, dropping to my knees and carefully lifting her head into my lap.

Just then, I feel them before I hear them.

Five, maybe six heartbeats, steady and alert, closing in behind me like a wall.

Their presence presses against my back, heavy with authority, and I straighten instinctively, keeping Cami cradled in my arms, refusing to turn.

These aren’t my wolves.

A moment passes, and the air shifts.

Footsteps approach from the side, slower than the others, deliberate.

Black boots stop just in my peripheral vision, polished and sharp, and I force myself to look up.

His frame is broad, and his grey eyes cut through me like shards of ice.

He’s definitely the Alpha.

“You’re a Beta,” he says, his voice is deep, cold, no warmth at all.

“Yes,” I reply. “Beta Feyre of the Midnight Pack. A rogue attacked my friend near your territory. She needs immediate medical attention. Now.”

His gaze flicks briefly to Cami, then back to my face.

Something unreadable settles in his expression, curiosity, maybe, but not concern. “I’ve heard of you. The girl who became Beta at sixteen.”

Then it hits me. The scent.

Cedarwood, cold mountain air, and raw, unyielding power.

It crashes into my senses so hard my breath stutters, my heart stalling for a split second before slamming against my ribs.

Naya howls in my head, warm and urgent, a sound I’ve never heard from her before.

Mate.

Mine.

For one terrible, hopeful heartbeat, I wait for recognition.

For his eyes to soften, for him to feel it too.

Relief floods me, here, a strong Alpha, my mate.

He’ll help Cami. He’ll understand.

He’ll be the steady presence I’ve quietly hoped for.

But the moment passes. He looks away without hesitation, like whatever just passed between us was nothing, a trick of the wind.

The spell shatters, leaving me breathless and off balance, my chest tight with confusion and something dangerously close to hurt.

“Which direction did the rogue flee?” he asks, his voice as cold as before.

The question catches me off guard, and I blink, still reeling.

“I don’t know. My priority was getting to her. She was dying.”

Surely he felt it, that bond wasn’t one-sided.

But he’s acting like I’m just another inconvenient someone.

His brows knit together slightly. “You crossed into another pack’s territory seeking assistance without knowing where the attacker went?”

The words land like a punch to the gut.

My grip tightens around Cami, anger flaring hot in my chest. “She was bleeding out!” I snap, my voice cracking with frustration. “You expect me to grill her about where the rogue went while she’s fading in my arms?”

His eyes harden, the air around him turning colder. “When you request help, you provide what you can to help us neutralize the threat. That is common sense.”

Common sense.

The phrase slices deeper than I expect.

“My friend’s life comes first,” I retort, my voice rising. “If that means I don’t have the luxury of mapping out a rogue’s retreat, then so be it.”

“Then perhaps,” he replies evenly, “next time your pack should avoid splitting up near contested borders.”

He turns away before I can respond, already issuing orders to his wolves. “Check the borders. Don’t stop until you find the rogue. Double the patrols, no one gets in or out without clearance.”

Then he gestures sharply to two of his warriors. “Take her friend to the infirmary. Make sure she’s stable. Then send a runner to inform her Alpha.”

“He shouldn’t let his members stray so far from their nests. Especially ones who can’t even protect a healer.”

The insult hits home, and I’m on my feet before I can stop myself, my fists clenched so tight my nails dig into my palms.

“You watch your mouth,” I snarl. “I didn’t come here for your judgment. I came here for help.”

He pauses, glancing over his shoulder.

“Help was given,” he says, his voice final. “Now stay out of my way.”

As his warriors lift Cami carefully, I call Asher.

Just staring at the cold Alpha's back, my blood boiling.

He felt it. I know he did.

The bond, the pull, the way everything inside me snapped into place when our eyes met.

But he chose to ignore it, to treat me like a careless beta, my friend like a burden.

Naya growls in my head, fierce and unyielding.

I swear to myself then: I’ll make him acknowledge what we are.

Even if it breaks me.

FEYRE

The ambulance siren blares as the medics lift Cami onto a stretcher and load her into the vehicle.

I climb in right after her, my chest tight with a fear that claws at my throat.

The door slams shut, and the vehicle lurches forward, leaving the chaos of the woods behind.

I don’t waste a single second.

My gaze locks onto the dark-haired Alpha sitting across from me, the man whose very presence makes my wolf thrash beneath my skin.

The mate bond hums between us, a raw, unignorable pull that my body can’t deny, even if my mind screams at his cold detachment.

“I need to talk to you about the rogue wolf that attacked Cami,” I say, my voice sharp with urgency. I lean forward, ignoring the way his grey eyes don’t soften, not even a little. “My pack and I also have experience in tracking these rogues. We can work together to stop them before anyone else gets hurt.”

I wait for a response, for some sign that he values cooperation, the way Asher always does.

But he just stares out the window, as if I’m a bee buzzing in his ear.

Naya snarls inside me, furious at his dismissal of the bond we share.

I push her down, forcing myself to stay calm as I broach the one topic that makes my pulse race.

“And there’s the mate bond,” I say, my voice dropping to a rough whisper. “You felt it too. I know you did. We can’t just ignore what the moon gave us.”

That finally makes him look at me.

His grey eyes are cold as winter ice, empty of any warmth or recognition.

No flicker of curiosity, no hint of hesitation.

Just unyielding indifference.

“I have no interest in alliances,” he says, his voice low and rumbling, each word a blade to my chest. “And I have even less interest in a bond I did not choose.”

My breath catches.

This man is a lone wolf, a ruler who answers to no one and cares for nothing but his own pack’s control.

“I’m Zade,” he adds, as if granting me his name is a mercy he can barely be bothered to give.

He doesn’t wait for me to reply before turning to the man standing quietly by the door, his Beta. “Dylan. You stay with them. Make sure they don’t cause trouble until they’re allowed to leave.”

Dylan dips his head in a sharp, respectful nod. “Yes, Alpha.”

Zade doesn’t spare me another glance before stepping off the ambulance, his presence vanishing like a shadow.

The mate bond aches, a hollow, throbbing pain in my heart, and I slump back against the seat, my wolf whimpering in defeat.

The ambulance pulls up to the pack infirmary minutes later, and Cami is rushed inside by healers.

Dylan lingers a few feet away, silent and unobtrusive.

He doesn’t press for conversation, doesn’t question my silence, and for that, I’m grateful.

When the doctor finally emerges, his expression relaxed, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“She’s stable,” he says. “The wounds are deep, but she’ll recover. She just needs rest.”

Relief floods me, warm and sharp, and I nearly sink to the floor.

But before I can step into Cami’s room, Dylan’s voice cuts through the quiet.

“The rogue that attacked your friend has been caught.” His tone is neutral, but I hear the weight behind his words. “Alpha Zade has called for the pack. He wants you to witness the verdict.”

My stomach drops.

I know exactly what verdict means for a rogue in a strict Alpha’s territory.

I glance back at the infirmary door, every instinct screaming to stay with Cami, but I know I have no choice.

To defy Zade now would only put her in more danger.

I follow Dylan to a barren clearing just outside the infirmary, where the Darkmoon pack stands in rigid, silent lines.

What strikes me most is how quickly everything unfolded.

One moment, we were rushing Cami to safety, and the next the rogue was already in chains.

Zade did not waste time. He hunted, captured, and prepared judgment with a cold efficiency that makes my blood run thin.

Then the Alpha steps into the clearing.

The entire pack goes still.

His authority rolls off him in waves, raw and unchallenged, so heavy it presses down on my chest even from a distance.

My wolf goes rigid inside me, torn between primal fear and the irrational, burning pull of the mate bond. He moves with the quiet confidence of someone who has never needed to demand respect, he simply takes it.

Part of me recoils at the sheer menace of him.

This is a ruler who does not beg.

But another part of me, the part tied to him by fate, thrums in response.

His strength is not just violence. It is control and reliability.

In a world full of rogues and chaos, he is the kind of Alpha who keeps his pack safe.

And that truth stirs something dangerously warm inside me, even as I fear him.

His gaze sweeps the crowd, sharp and unyielding until it lands on me.

For a long, suspended second, he holds my eyes.

Cold. Sharp. Unreadable.

And then he looks away, as if I am no more significant than a stone on the ground.

The rogue is dragged forward and forced to his knees, trembling and bloodied, his spirit already broken.

Zade steps forward, his voice low and cutting, clear enough for every wolf to hear.

“This male has violated the most basic laws of our kind,” he announces, no trace of softness in his tone. “He has attacked innocent wolves without cause. He has invaded territory that does not belong to him. He was exiled once. He was shown mercy. And he chose to return.”

He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in.

“Mercy has its limits.”

When he draws the silver blade, the crowd falls deathly silent. Every wolf knows what silver means to those like us. It is an end.

There is no hesitation in his movements.

The blade slices clean. The rogue collapses.

My blood runs cold. And yet, my body still reacts to him, the mate bond burning hotter than ever, a cruel twist of fate.

Zade wipes the blade clean, his gaze flicking to me once more.

“See that they leave my territory as soon as the healer is able to travel,” he tells Dylan, not addressing me directly. “I don’t want them here any longer than necessary.”

His words cut deep, but I hold my head high, refusing to let him see how much his rejection stings.

We return to the infirmary, and soon Asher’s SUV pulls up, his worried face peering out the window.

He rushes to me the second I step out, his hands checking me for injuries before he even speaks.

“Are you and Cami okay?” he asks, his voice tight with concern.

I nod, my eyes fixed on the Darkmoon pack’s compound in the distance.

As we climb into the car, I tell him everything: the rogue attack, Zade’s cruelty, the mate bond that ties me to the coldest Alpha I’ve ever met.

Asher’s eyes widen, then soften with understanding.

“That’s why you’ve been so on edge. Your mate is Zade of the Darkmoon Pack.”

“He wants nothing to do with me,” I say, my voice bitter. “He ignored the bond, dismissed me like I’m nothing.”

Asher is quiet for a moment, his gaze focused on the road.

“Alphas like Zade don’t act without reason. He’s closed off, but that doesn’t mean the bond means nothing to him. You owe it to yourself to try again.”

I stare out the window, my mind racing.

The mate bond still hums, persistent and unyielding.

Asher is right. I can’t let this end with one cold rejection.

I turn to him, resolve settling in my chest.

“Tomorrow. I’ll go to the Darkmoon Pack with a gift, to thank him for his help with Cami. And I’ll talk to him. Properly this time.”

A slow, knowing smile tugs at Asher’s lips.

“That’s my girl. Go get your mate.”

The car rolls forward, and I glance back at the Darkmoon territory, my heart racing.

Tomorrow, I’ll face Zade again.

And this time, I won’t let him walk away without acknowledging the bond that binds us.

FEYRE

Sleep did not find me at all after the chaos of the day and my conversation with Asher.

My mind races nonstop, replaying every sharp glance and cold word from Alpha Zade.

His stormy grey eyes and unyielding authority burn behind my eyelids.

I finally surrender to the wakefulness and wait for the first light of dawn, my resolve hardening with every passing minute.

Cami is resting comfortably under the care of our pack’s healer, which gives me the space to focus on the one thing I can control.

I take Asher’s advice to heart. I would approach Zade as a Beta of the Midnight Pack, equal in diplomatic standing, and give both of us a last try.

I gather a small bundle of gifts, rare healing herbs, and preserved venison from our territory, a tradition of respect rather than flattery.

I would hear his reasons face-to-face, or I would walk away with my dignity intact.

The walk to the Darkmoon Pack feels lighter than the night before.

I follow the path Dylan had led me on, passing the barren clearing where Zade had executed the rogue.

The memory of his cold brutality sends a shiver down my spine, but I push the thought aside and keep moving.

“Feyre,” At the moment, Dylan comes and calls me over, there are other patrolmen behind him. “Are you here to see Alpha Zade?”

“I am. I hoped to speak with him directly, if he has the time.” I hold up the small bundle of gifts to show my peaceful intent.

Dylan does not press for more details.

He simply gestures for me to follow and leads me toward a large, modern four-story building with floor-to-ceiling windows that glint in the sunlight.

We walk through quiet hallways until we stop in front of a dark oak door.

“He’s inside,” Dylan says, giving me a brief, reassuring nod before he turns and leaves me alone.

My heart thunders against my ribs, but I lift my hand and rap three firm knocks on the wood.

“Come in,” Zade’s deep, gravelly voice washes over me, sending a sharp jolt through the mate bond.

I open the door before I could talk myself out of it, stepping into his spacious office. Zade looks up from his desk at once, with obvious displeasure.

I ignore the frost in his expression and set the gifts on the edge of his desk, standing tall and unapologetic.

“I came here to speak plainly about the mate bond we share,” I say, cutting straight to the point. “Just want to know why you refuse to acknowledge what the moon has bound between us.”

Zade leans back in his chair, a cold, mocking smile tugging at his lips. “You really thought a handful of trinkets and a bold attitude would make me forget my own will? ”

His words are laced with contempt, and anger flares hot in my chest. “I want nothing more than an honest answer. I am a Beta, not a stray pup begging for scraps of your attention.”

“Spare me your pride,” he snarls, his eyes glinting with icy rage. “You are no different from every other wolf who has thrown themselves at me, desperate for the power of being my mate. I do not want you. I will never want you.”

The words struck me like a physical blow, but I refuse to break.

I slam my palms flat against his desk, the sound echoing sharply in the quiet room.

His eyes harden, but he does not flinch, and that only fuels my fire.

“If you feel that strongly, then reject me,” I snap, my voice thick with suppressed hurt and rage. “Do not hide behind your arrogance. Say it plainly.”

“I, Alpha Zade of the Darkmoon Pack, reject you, Feyre of the Midnight Pack, as my mate.”

The words crash down like a block of ice, slamming straight into my chest.

The mate bond shrieks in agony, a searing, white-hot pain that lances through every vein and coils tightly around my heart. Naya whimpers helplessly at first, her spirit crumpling under the weight of his outright rejection, but the torment only lasts a heartbeat before it curdles into unbridled rage.

I would not let him see me crumble.

The mate link was not a one-sided chain.

If he wants to sever it, he would suffer every bit of the agony he’d forced upon me.

“You think you can reject me alone?” My voice is low, steady, and laced with a fire that matches my wolf’s.

“I, Feyre, Beta of the Midnight Pack, accept the rejection,” I pronounce, my voice loud enough to cut through the silence, “and I reject you, Alpha Zade of the Darkmoon Pack. You are not my mate. You never will be.”

It was not just my pain anymore.

Zade’s entire body goes rigid.

His breath catches sharply in his throat, his grey eyes widening in pure shock, then flinching as a blinding agony flashed across his face.

“You—” he snarls, his voice rough and strained, the pain making it come out as a hoarse rasp.

“I said what I meant,” I cut him off coldly. “You rejected me first. Do not act like you are the victim now. You wanted this bond gone. Enjoy the cost of your choice.”

I walk out of his office, the door clicking shut behind me with a finality that echoes in my bones.

Then, after I come back home, I scream into my pillow, letting the sobs break free, hatred and agony warring inside me.

I hate his arrogance. I hate the mate bond.

I hate that I let myself hope for even a single moment.

A soft knock pulls me from my breakdown, and Asher steps into my room, his face etched with worry.

He climbs onto the bed beside me without hesitation, wrapping me in a gentle, familiar embrace.

“I’m sorry,” he says immediately. “I should never have pushed you to go. This is my fault.”

I bury my face in his chest, the fight draining out of me. “It’s not your fault. I needed to know the truth, even if it was cruel.”

I tell him everything, and by the time I finish, my anger has returned, sharp and clear.

“I want nothing to do with him ever again,” I grit out, ignoring the faint, broken whine of my wolf still grieving the bond.

Asher chuckles softly, brushing a hand over my hair. “On the bright side, I don’t have to start searching for a new Beta anytime soon.”

Despite the ache in my heart, a small, broken laugh escapes me.

His comfort grounds me, but the fire of rage still burns bright in my veins.

Zade had rejected the moon’s choice.

But I would not let him break me.

And somewhere deep down, I know this was not the end of the bond between us.

FEYRE

The soft warmth of sunlight filters through my bedroom window, and I have barely settled into a quiet moment with Asher when a sharp knock cuts through the calm.

“I was just getting comfortable,” my dear brother mutters, but there was no real heat in his tone.

Before we could tease each other further, an omega just informs that a visitor from the Darkmoon Pack had arrived and asked for me by name.

My smile faded.

Asher’s playful demeanor vanishes in an instant. “I’ll escort you to the meeting room. Stay sharp.”

I nod, my pulse quickening as I push away the foolish spark of hope that Zade might have come to apologize.

I had rejected him right back, severed the bond, and walked away with my pride intact.

I had no desire to see him again, not after the cruelty he had shown me.

When I step into the meeting room, to my surprise, the man waiting there is not Zade.

He bores the same striking grey eyes and sharp features, but this older wolf carries a quiet, weathered authority.

I froze for a heartbeat as I place the familiar resemblance.

Asher steps forward first. “Long time no see, Lucien Montgomery, former Alpha of the Darkmoon Pack.”

Lucien shakes hands with him, then he turns to me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Beta Feyre. I’ve heard much about your work with the Midnight Pack.”

I shake his hand, my mind racing.

The former Alpha of Darkmoon had no reason to seek me out, not unless the matter involved his son.

Pushing away the flutter of unease, I meet his gaze steadily. “To what do we owe the honor of your visit, Alpha Lucien?”

“If you don’t mind, I need to talk to you about something important; it's really private.” Alpha Lucien says. His tone is soft but direct.

Asher gives my shoulder a brief, reassuring squeeze before excusing himself, leaving the two of us alone in the quiet room.

I could feel the weight of Lucien's unstated purpose settling over me.

Lucien takes a seat, his movements deliberate, and leans forward slightly.

“I’m here because of Zade, and because of the mate bond the two of you share.”

My fingers curl into fists at my sides.

The ache of the rejected bond flares to life, sharp and persistent, refusing to stay buried no matter how hard I try to smother it.

A flicker of Zade’s cold grey eyes flashes in my mind, the sound of his rejection echoing in my ears, and I push it away violently. “Alpha Zade and I have already settled that matter. He rejects me, and I reject him right back. There is no bond left to discuss.”

I try to hide the way my chest tightens at the mere mention of his name. I make my choice, and I have no intention of revisiting the pain he caused, no intention of letting myself soften, even for a second.

Lucien’s expression softens, a flicker of fatherly concern crossing his face, one that tells me he sees right through my facade.

He leans back in his chair. “I know my son. He is closed off, ruthless, and blinded by his own pride. He turns his back on the moon’s choice out of fear, not indifference. Fear of losing what little control he has left, fear of being vulnerable to anyone. But the Darkmoon Pack struggles. Zade is a strong leader, but he cannot lead alone. A pack needs its Luna to balance its Alpha, and you, whether you want to admit it or not, are the only one who can reach him.”

I stand abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound, patience fraying at the edges.

“I am not Luna material. I am a Beta, a warrior, one who fights with her fists, not her words. I have no interest in filling that role for your son, not after how he treats me, like I’m disposable.”

Lucien doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down.

He simply nods, as if he expected my outburst, and his voice drops to a low, urgent murmur that cuts through my anger. “I do not ask this of you lightly. This is not a request. It is a bargain.”

I pause, my anger warring with curiosity.

My fists relax slightly, and I narrow my eyes at him.

“A bargain? What could you possibly have that I want enough to tie myself to Zade again?”

He studies me for a long moment, his gaze piercing, like he’s seeing every late night I’ve spent wondering.

“You spend years asking questions about your parents. About how they die, and what truly happens the night they leave the pack, why they never came back, why no one will speak of it. You dig for answers, search every corner of your territories, and find nothing.”

My breath almost stops, my chest constricting as cold dread washes over me.

No one outside of Asher knows how deeply I grieve the unknown fate of my parents, how that mystery haunts me every single day, how I wake up some mornings, clinging to the faint memory of my mother’s smile, wondering if she suffered, if they were taken from me by force.

“I have the answers you’ve been searching for,” Lucien continues, his voice steady and unyielding, a thread of certainty that makes my heart race.

He leans forward again, his tone deliberate, like he’s savoring the weight of his words. “If you enter a formal mating agreement with Zade, stand by his side as his Luna for one full year. Then I will help you. "

"Keep up the pretense for the pack. When that year ends, you walk away with the full truth about your parents, and you can take revenge as you want. ”

The room spins around me, the offer crashing over me like a tidal wave, temptation and rage warring inside me.

I want the truth more than anything, but the price is Zade.

The man who broke me, who rejected me, who I still catch myself thinking about when I’m alone.

I hate that he has this power over me, hate that Lucien knows it, that he’s weaponizing my greatest grief to get what he wants.

"...How did you know this?"

Before making any decision, I need to check his words.

“I know a lot of people, Feyre, and it would be easy to track them. Just give me your word. Just a year, be the Luna and give my son his heir. Then you can leave, and my son can have a semblance of normalcy in his life.”

Lucien simply sits there, watching me.

I think my entanglement with Zade is over.

I can walk away and never look back.

But now, the man who rejects me is the only key to the secrets that define my entire life.