Chapter 1I'm on my knees, soaked and muddy, digging through a fountain—right in the middle of an Alpha Summit.
All for my kid's lost moonstone.
Then I hear that voice behind me.
"Lowly human."
Torven. The Alpha who dumped me five years ago for being "just a human."
Now he's got some pureblood princess on his arm, smirking down at me.
"Still crawling around like a stray dog, I see."
Security grabs me. Everyone's laughing.
And he offers me "charity" like I'm a beggar.
Then the elevator doors open.
My three-year-old son comes running out.
Straight into the arms of the most powerful Alpha King in the world.
"Daddy!"
When my husband's silver eyes lock onto mine—when that deadly, possessive energy fills the entire hall—
Torven's face goes white.
Because he just realized:
I became UNTOUCHABLE.
---
"Lowly human."
Those four words smacked me from behind while I was crouched by the fountain, digging through pebbles.
The water was freezing cold. My skirt was soaked through, fingers full of mud and sand.
I'd been at this for nearly ten minutes, all for that moonstone—the one my son's father gave him on his first beach trip. He could lose anything else. Just not that.
That voice came again. "Torven, you know her?"
I looked up. The guy up front wore this expensive-looking moon-colored robe, some gorgeous woman clinging to his arm.
Torven Grimstone.
My ex-mate.
Or more like, the pack Alpha who threw me out like garbage five years ago.
I figured he'd pretend not to know me—honestly hoped he would—but other wolves had already spotted him and started swarming.
"Alpha Torven! Didn't expect to run into you here!"
"You here to get in good with the royals too?"
Torven nodded, face all cold and distant. The woman next to him—Valeria Shadowfang, his fiancée—smiled this perfect smile, gripping his arm like she owned him.
I didn't bother looking. Just kept searching for that stone.
We were done anyway. He had his pureblooded fiancée. I had my life to live.
But I forgot how good wolf hearing is.
Didn't even notice the guard until his shadow fell over me and this harsh voice came down from above.
"Humans aren't allowed here."
I looked up. Tall guy in uniform, hotel security badge on his chest. Looking at me like I was trash.
"I'm just looking for something. I'll leave when I find it," I said, trying to stay calm.
"Looking for something?" He snorted. "A bottom-feeding human sneaking into wolf territory—what could you possibly be looking for? Stealing something's more like it."
He wasn't being quiet either. A few Alphas nearby turned to look, whispers spreading like wildfire.
"How'd a human even get in?"
"Got some nerve..."
I bit back my anger. "Like I said, I'll leave once I find it. I'll pay for any damage."
"Pay?" The guard laughed like I'd told him a joke, pointing at the fountain. "You know what this is? Custom moonstone work. Forty thousand for the set. What're YOU* gonna pay with?"
He reached out to grab my arm.
I jerked away. Was about to speak when a voice I knew too well cut in.
"Enough."
Torven had walked back over. Standing a few steps away, looking at me like I was nobody.
"What're you looking for? How much? I'll pay for it." His tone was the kind you'd use on a beggar. Eyes never even landed on my face. "Take the money and go. Stop making a scene."
Valeria next to him let out this soft laugh. "Ravenna, I get that you're hurt, but humans and wolves—there's always gonna be a gap. Why do this to yourself?"
She paused, voice getting sweeter. "And heard you had a kid? The father... he's not some rogue, is he?" She covered her mouth, giggling. "That'd be... yikes."
A few people laughed quietly.
I squeezed the broken moonstone piece in my hand—not the one I needed. Just some busted shard I'd grabbed from the bottom.
Didn't look at them. Just crouched back down and kept searching.
Torven clearly didn't expect that. He frowned, voice dropping lower. "What's it gonna take for you to leave?"
He pulled out his phone, fingers sliding across the screen. "Fine. I'll set you up with some small pack. Here. Take it and get out. Don't show your face around me again."
"Valeria's always been my fated mate. Those two years with you? I was just feeling sorry for you."
Hearing that still made my chest tight. But it didn't hurt anymore. Hadn't in a long time.
"Don't need it," I said.
His fingers stopped. He glanced up at me, then back at his phone.
Then his whole face changed.
Not angry. Not disgusted. Something weirder—like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Your pack bond..." His voice came out rough. "Why's it gone?"
"You went rogue? No pack would take you?"
That line dropped like a bomb. The whispers around us cut off cold.
Every eye turned on me.
Chapter 2
I glanced at him, couldn't be bothered to respond, just bent back down to search the bottom of the fountain.
Five years ago, my old pack bond got overwritten by something way stronger. Of course he couldn't track it.
But I didn't owe him an explanation.
"Like I said. Don't need your charity."
Torven stared at me. His face got darker and darker. "Ravenna, do you even know what being a rogue means? Without a pack, you're walking meat. Any random wolf could tear you apart!"
Valeria click-clacked over in her heels, looking down at me with this mix of pity and disgust in her eyes.
"Ravenna, I know you've never wanted to accept your place. But you're just a human—can't shift, your bloodline's worthless. Torven offering you shelter is already incredibly generous. Stop being stubborn. It's embarrassing."
The whispers around us got louder. I could hear them, stabbing like needles.
"A human? Trying to climb up to an Alpha? Delusional."
"Look at her. Bet she's been scrounging around like a stray dog these past few years."
"Humans are humans. Not even good enough to be our slaves."
I ignored them. Kept feeling around at the bottom.
My fingertips touched something round and smooth.
Got it!
I carefully pulled it out of the water, wiped it clean on my sleeve—a moonstone. Not big, but bright.
"Found it." I let out a breath, gripping the stone tight as I started to stand.
A hand suddenly clamped down on my wrist like a vice, yanking me upright.
Torven's face was right in mine, voice low but loud enough for every wolf in the hall to hear crystal clear.
"Ravenna, back then you turned your nose up at my protection. And now? You probably can't find a single pack in this territory willing to take you in, can you?"
"This is the price for rejecting an Alpha, you ungrateful piece of—"
His fingers tightened. My wrist went numb from the pain. But what I was really scared of was him crushing the moonstone in my palm.
"Let go!"
"Let go?" Torven let out a cold laugh. "You know how many rogue humans die out in the wild every year? Without a pack backing you, you're bottom-tier prey."
"I'm giving you one last chance. Get on your knees. Beg me. Like a dog. If I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll let you be the lowest servant in my pack."
I looked at his face. Arrogant. Contemptuous. Whatever bit of warmth he used to have had rotted away in some gutter long ago.
"I said. Don't need it."
"Then who else is gonna take you?" He suddenly shouted, an Alpha's pressure exploding out of him like a mountain crashing down. "A discarded human! Who besides me would even want you?"
The lower-ranked wolves around us dropped their heads under the weight of it.
But it didn't touch me.
Not even a little.
There was something way stronger inside me protecting me—the mark from my mate.
I lifted my head and looked him right in the eye.
"Because I already have a fated mate."
Torven's grip went slack. His whole body froze there, expression shifting from fury to shock to complete disbelief.
"You're human." His voice cracked. "How could you possibly have a fated mate?!"
Chapter 3
"How could a human possibly have a mate?"
"She's lying. Can't you tell?"
"Just trying to get under Alpha Torven's skin. So pathetic!"
The chatter around us exploded like a bomb going off—doubt, mockery, and most of all, excitement from people eager to watch the drama unfold.
Torven stared at me like he was trying to burn a hole through my skull.
"Ravenna, you think making up some BS story like this is gonna get to me?"
"You're human. You don't even have a pack scent. What wolf would want you?"
He stepped closer, his Alpha pressure cranking up another notch.
"Or did you sleep with some random guy and now you're calling him your 'mate' just to save face?"
I didn't answer. Just gripped the moonstone tighter. My son was still upstairs waiting for me. I didn't have time for this.
Valeria saw my reaction and smiled—a smile loaded with meaning.
"Since Ravenna's so eager to be an Alpha's mate," she glanced around the room, voice sweet but every word dripping with venom, "why don't we let her stay and help out?"
"Everyone here today is an Alpha leader. Someone's gotta serve drinks, right? Ravenna, this is a great opportunity. Who knows—maybe you'll actually manage to snag one of them."
She tilted her head, smile all innocent. "Better than begging on your knees for charity, don't you think?"
The wolves around us burst out laughing. To them, turning "an Alpha's ex-human girlfriend" into a servant was the best entertainment they'd had all day.
"Great idea! Put her to work doing grunt jobs—perfect fit!"
"Humans were born to serve us anyway!"
"Valeria's too kind, even giving her a chance. I'd have kicked her out already!"
I couldn't help but laugh bitterly, voice low and steady. "Are you all deaf? I said. Let me leave!"
Valeria's face darkened. "Ravenna, don't push your luck. I'm giving you the honor of serving wolves, and you're not even grateful?"
Torven's expression got even uglier. "Ravenna, what the hell do you want? Money? Status? Or are you hoping I'll change my mind? Let me make this clear—never gonna happen! My Luna can only be a pureblooded wolf like Valeria. Give it up already!"
Right then, a few uniformed pack guards came striding over.
The guard from earlier immediately pointed at me. "Captain, this human messed up the hotel fountain and won't leave!"
The captain's face turned nasty real fast, voice dropping low. "Today's Alpha Summit has an extremely important guest—the Alpha King. He brought the Luna Queen and the heir. This is their family's first public appearance."
"So we absolutely cannot have any screw-ups!" His eyes landed on me, sharp and venomous. "Especially from some low-class human like you. You standing here is an insult to the King himself!"
Two guards stepped forward, reaching out to drag me away.
"Wait."
Torven suddenly spoke up.
He wasn't looking at the captain or the guards. His gaze was locked on my hand—on that moonstone. His body trembled slightly, voice coming out hoarse and strange.
"Ravenna, why don't you get it yet..."
"I don't need tokens from weaklings anymore."
