Chapter 1After Joren found out about my peanut allergy, his childhood packmate Sybil started slipping peanut oil into every dish at his Blood Moon celebration.
The second I swallowed it, angry red welts exploded across my skin. My throat started tightening.
I dug into my pocket for my EpiPen and brought it to my lips.
Wait—this doesn't feel right.
I looked down. Someone had replaced my EpiPen with a candy pen.
Joren switched it out.
Sybil Greystone burst out laughing, nearly spitting out her drink.
"Surprise! I told Joren to swap it. You should see your face!"
My wolf whimpered somewhere deep inside me. My throat kept closing. I looked at Joren, barely able to get the words out.
"Joren... if you don't give me my EpiPen now, I'm going to die."
He didn't even look worried. Just annoyed.
"Die? Seriously? Nobody dies from eating peanuts."
"Sybil's right. You're being dramatic."
I gave up trying to explain. My fingers found the Pack Bond charm around my neck and pressed hard.
It should've sent an emergency signal straight to Alpha Roderick.
Joren's eyes snapped to me.
"What did you just do? Don't tell me you actually—"
He grabbed the charm and ripped it off my neck, the cord snapping. He turned it over, looking for proof.
When he didn't find anything, he threw it on the floor and crushed it under his boot.
I reached for the broken pieces, but everything felt heavy. My breathing was getting worse.
"Anaphylaxis... please... I need my EpiPen..."
Sybil crossed her arms, smirking.
"Oh please, Moira. Are you actually dying, or is this just another sad attempt to get Joren's attention?"
"Your little stunts are embarrassing on a normal day, but tonight's his Blood Moon celebration. Can you not make everything about yourself for once?"
I could barely breathe. I stared at her, helpless.
She and Joren grew up in the same pack. Always called each other "brother" and "sister."
When I got jealous early on, Joren had brushed it off.
"She's like a sister. If we were supposed to be mates, don't you think it would've happened by now?"
Sybil played along.
"Joren's a pain in the ass. Only you would put up with him, Moira."
I believed them.
But then I started noticing things.
At pack gatherings, whenever Joren and I talked, Sybil would cut in—bringing up old memories, inside jokes I wasn't part of. Shutting me out.
I'd just sit there like an idiot.
Then she'd turn to me with fake sweetness.
"Moira, you're not jealous just because Joren and I have history, are you?"
"We grew up together. Don't be insecure."
When I tried telling Joren, he laughed. Called me petty.
Now she wasn't even hiding it anymore.
"Just because you're Alpha Roderick's granddaughter doesn't mean you get to act like a princess. What, you can't handle Joren not worshiping you for five minutes?"
"Now you're faking an allergic reaction? Seriously?"
The other wolves started laughing.
I forced the words out. "I'm not faking... please... just give me my EpiPen..."
The room went quiet.
Then they laughed even harder.
Sybil's voice cut through.
"Oh my God, she's still going! Someone get this girl an Oscar!"
"Joren, don't tell me you're buying this."
One of Joren's friends spoke up.
"Bro, you're not seriously falling for this, are you? Don't let her push you around."
That did it. Whatever hesitation Joren had? Gone.
He straightened up, cold.
"Worried? Please. If anything, she's getting off easy."
He nudged my leg with his boot.
"Drop the act, Moira. Keep this up and we're done."
I couldn't answer. My throat was swelling shut.
He paused—just for a second.
Then Sybil stepped between us.
"See? Told you she's a good actress. She almost had you. Since when does an allergic reaction turn someone purple?"
I tried lifting my head. "Please... my EpiPen..."
Before I could finish, Sybil grabbed my hair and slapped me hard. Twice.
"Is this what you want?"
She pulled out my real EpiPen and waved it in front of my face, teasing.
My eyes locked on it.
"Give it... please..."
I could barely breathe now.
I reached for it.
She jerked it back.
I collapsed onto the couch as she tossed the EpiPen into an ashtray.
Then she grabbed someone's beer and poured it on top.
The pen sat there, useless, soaking in ash and alcohol.
I gagged.
Chapter 2
"Oh, look at that! I thought you were dying, but you still know when something's disgusting. Doesn't seem very allergic to me!"
Sybil stared at me like I was trash.
Joren's face twisted with irritation.
"Moira, enough. Can you let me have one normal Blood Moon celebration without turning it into a damn circus?"
One of Sybil's packmates rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, this act is so old. We were faking shit like this back in training. Can't you at least be creative?"
My body started convulsing. Every breath felt like glass shredding my throat.
"I'm not... faking... this is real..."
I looked around desperately, hoping someone—anyone—would step in.
No one moved.
Sybil grabbed Joren's arm and pulled him toward the other side of the room.
"Ignore her. Let's do the hunt ceremony. Once nobody's watching, she'll drop the act."
After Joren finished the traditional hunt blessing, Sybil "accidentally" spilled blood wine all down her chest.
The room exploded.
"Damn, Sybil! You trying to get everyone's attention?"
"Forget a towel—make Joren lick it off!"
"Wonder if Joren's little mate's gonna get jealous?"
"She's too busy dying to care!"
They were all laughing as my vision started going dark.
I could barely see Joren glance my way before leaning down toward Sybil's chest.
Through the noise and jeering, I watched them move together.
My skin felt like it was on fire. Every nerve ending screamed. My wolf was fading fast, pulled under by the poison in my system.
I tried crawling toward the door, but the second I lifted my head, everything gave out.
I was going to die here.
Then I remembered—a few days ago, one dose of my EpiPen had fallen into my jacket pocket. A backup I'd forgotten about.
I fumbled for it, fingers numb and clumsy.
The moment I felt it, I almost cried.
I pulled it out slowly, shaking so bad I could barely hold it.
My heart pounded as I brought it closer to my thigh, ready to inject.
But my hands wouldn't stop trembling. The pen slipped.
It hit the floor and rolled.
I reached for it.
A boot came down hard.
Sybil ground her heel into my swollen fingers, twisting.
The pain was so sharp I couldn't even scream.
"Why?"
Why was she doing this?
Sybil crouched down, her face inches from mine.
"I heard your family's the strongest pack in the region. And you're an only heir. If you died, wouldn't Alpha Roderick hand everything over to your beloved mate?"
"And if I became Joren's mate after that... wouldn't all that power end up with me?"
Rage burned through the pain. I wanted to rip her throat out.
She'd planned this from the start.
But she was an idiot.
Even if I died, Nightshade Pack had branches. Other wolves with Alpha blood. The pack wouldn't just hand power to an outsider like Joren.
My eyes burned with hate.
But to Sybil, I just looked pathetic.
She smiled, cold and vicious.
"You're tougher than I thought. Guess I'll have to finish this myself."
Chapter 3
Sybil reached for me, her fingers ice-cold.
Her hand closed around my throat, squeezing just enough to cut off my air.
Something inside me snapped. Maybe it was survival instinct. Maybe my wolf clawing its way back. I found one last burst of strength and screamed:
"GET OFF!"
I shoved against the couch and somehow managed to stand.
I wasn't loud, but it was enough.
Joren glanced over. "What's going on?"
Sybil shot me a vicious look before letting go.
Without her grip holding me up, I collapsed forward—right into her.
She grinned and threw herself backward.
We both hit the floor. I landed on top of her.
She shoved me off hard.
"If she's really dying, how does she have this much strength? She's faking!"
My head slammed into the edge of a table.
Pain exploded across my forehead. Blood started dripping into my eyes.
Joren walked over and looked down at me.
"Moira, when are you gonna stop this? I'm running out of patience."
He stared at my face—green and swollen now—and hesitated.
Just as he started to reach down, Sybil grabbed his hand.
"Joren Thornfield! Are you serious right now? She's still playing you!"
"If she's actually dying from an allergic reaction, I'll rip my own head off and let you kick it around."
Joren wavered. "But... she really looks bad. Maybe we should just give her the EpiPen."
Sybil burst out laughing like he'd told the funniest joke she'd ever heard.
"Are you seriously this gullible? Hahaha, we were just messing around earlier!"
She grabbed my arm and shook it.
"Look at her face—red one second, green the next. What a dedicated little actress."
"Oh right, Moira said she was thirsty earlier. That's probably why she's acting like this."
Relief washed over Joren's face.
"So she's just thirsty? That makes sense."
He grabbed a glass of water and brought it over.
When the glass touched my lips, I shook my head frantically.
My throat was so swollen I could barely swallow. Every movement sent fire through my chest.
Joren froze, confused.
"See? She's still faking!"
Sybil snatched the glass from him.
"Joren, you don't get how girls work. They want you to be rough. It's part of the game."
She grabbed my jaw, her nails digging into my skin.
She forced the water down my throat.
I choked, coughing violently. Water spilled down my chin and soaked into my shirt, making the welts on my chest burn even worse.
Sybil laughed.
"See? She's got way more energy now!"
My vision kept going dark. I dug my nails into my palms just to stay conscious.
Joren nodded, smiling. "Yeah, she does look better."
He turned to walk away.
I grabbed his pant leg, barely holding on.
I forced my eyes open and choked out the words:
"Save... me... I'm the... Nightshade... heir..."
He looked down at me like I was insane.
Then he laughed.
"Nightshade heir? What's next, you gonna tell me you're the Moon Goddess?"
The whole room exploded with laughter.
Someone slapped the table. "Bro, she's really committing to the bit! Should we let her play out the whole tragic Alpha princess routine?"
Another voice chimed in. "With her? She couldn't inherit a fucking dog bowl!"
Sybil doubled over laughing, then suddenly grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my head into the table corner.
"Still pretending to be some Alpha heiress? Let me help you inherit this table leg!"
My forehead hit the wood. Blood mixed with sweat and poured into my eyes.
"Come on, keep screaming about being an heir!"
She grabbed my hair again and slammed my face into the floor.
My face hit the ground hard. Blood and dirt smeared across my skin.
Joren stood off to the side, arms crossed, voice casual.
"Don't go too crazy, Sybil. Try not to actually kill her."
He didn't sound worried. He sounded bored. Like he was watching a show that was dragging on too long.
I felt the air leaving my lungs. Every breath tasted like copper.
Sybil's twisted smile. Joren's cold indifference. The laughter all around me.
It felt like drowning.
I stared up at the lights overhead. They were getting dimmer. Farther away.
My wolf was silent now. Gone.
I could feel myself slipping. My soul pulling away from my body.
I was about to close my eyes for the last time.
Then I heard it.
A voice I knew.
"MOIRA!"
The door exploded inward.
Light flooded the room.
