CHAPTER 2

Briar POV

Two days went by, and Tristan never came back to our bedroom. The sharp pains in my stomach only got worse. I found myself wondering if I should just pack my bags and escape this nightmare.

Why did Genevieve come back now? What made her dump Alpha Killian and run straight back to Tristan? I had to find out the truth if I wanted to handle this situation. I just needed her to slip up once. If she made one wrong move, I could prove to Tristan who she really was.

Was he really so blinded by her that he couldn't see she was just using him? If she actually loved him, why did she dump him in the first place? It was incredibly frustrating that he couldn't see her pattern of jumping from one powerful Alpha to another.

I was entirely on my own. Beta Cassian had checked out of the situation; his ultimate loyalty was to his Alpha. Meanwhile, the household staff and pack guards whispered and laughed behind my back. The pack was buzzing with rumors about how I couldn't keep my husband, making me look weak and pathetic. To make things worse, the wives of the council members stopped calling me, and they even canceled my invitations to several upcoming pack events.

Left with no other options, I decided to visit Genevieve’s parents. Her father was the former Beta under Tristan's late father, Alistair.

As I stood on their front porch, a tiny flicker of hope sparked in my chest. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. When it opened, the former Beta, Sterling, stared at me in shock.

"Luna Briar!"

"May I come in?" I asked quietly.

"Of course," Sterling replied, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped aside.

His wife, Beatrice, walked into the living room, drying her hands on a kitchen towel. She watched me with cold curiosity.

My throat felt incredibly dry. I swallowed hard and got straight to the point. "It's about Genevieve. You need to tell her to leave Tristan alone. He is my husband."

Sterling let out a gruff sigh, while Beatrice crossed her arms and shrugged. "They were childhood sweethearts, Luna Briar. Their history goes back way before you ever joined this pack. Genevieve loves him. Honestly, we think *you* are the one who should step aside, not our daughter."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. "Beatrice!" I gasped.

"Don't 'Beatrice' me," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "Please leave our home."

The sting of her words burned deep inside me. It was so insulting that Vesper, my wolf, practically clawed at my mind for revenge. But I simply turned and walked out. Arguing with them was pointless; they only cared about what they could gain from their daughter's new position. My hopes of getting their help shattered.

When I got back to the pack house, I found Tristan sitting on the sofa in the main hall. Genevieve was sitting right beside him.

"Why did you go corner her parents?" Tristan roared, standing up the moment I walked in. "Do you honestly think you can force me to leave her?"

"Please, Tristan, don't be angry with her," Genevieve whimpered, her voice dripping with fake innocence. Tears welled up in her eyes. "She’s just acting out of pain. I'm the one ruining this marriage. I should just pack my bags and go." She made a show of getting up to leave.

"Exactly! You should!" I blurted out.

"Briar!" Tristan bellowed. He took a step toward me, his oppressive Alpha aura flaring to crush my spirit and force me to submit.

"Tristan, stop. Don't be so cruel to her," Genevieve pleaded, dabbing at her tears. She turned her tear-stained face to me. "Luna Briar, I know you hate me. But I promise I will stay out of your way. I won't cause any trouble." She let out a small sob, and Tristan immediately rubbed her back to soothe her.

"I love Tristan," Genevieve continued, looking up at him with adoring eyes. "Alpha Killian mistreated me for two whole years. When I couldn't survive it anymore, I ran back to the only man who ever truly cared for me. I know I made a mistake leaving him, but I can't change the past."

Tristan wrapped his arms around her in a protective hug. "Don't cry, Gen. I've got you."

She nodded against his chest, casting a quick, triumphant look at me before pulling back. "I promise I will stay in the background and be invisible, Tristan. Just please don't throw me out."

"No one is throwing you anywhere," Tristan growled, glaring directly at me. "I am the Alpha of Silvercrest, and what I say goes." He took a slow breath, kissed Genevieve's forehead, and wiped her tears. Then, his cold eyes locked onto mine. "We need to talk. Upstairs. Now."

Stunned, I followed him up to my bedroom. As I walked, I glanced back and saw Genevieve sporting a smug smirk.

Tristan shut the door firmly behind us. "Briar, what is wrong with you?" he snapped. "Why are you attacking Genevieve? She hasn't done anything wrong. I'm the one who wants her here. She keeps offering to leave, but you have to understand something—she was my first love long before you ever showed up. I am not abandoning her. She survived two years of abuse, and she deserves safety. How is her being here hurting you?"

"Because I am your mate!" I choked out, my voice cracking with raw emotion. "Are you really this blind? We were chosen for each other by the Moon Mother!"

"That's enough, Briar!" he shouted. "It is perfectly normal for Alphas to have lovers alongside their Lunas. I am an Alpha, and you simply cannot satisfy what my body needs. Genevieve knows me inside and out. I am keeping her here, and my decision is final."

I stared at him, utterly horrified. "Tristan..." I whispered, my lips trembling.

"You will still keep your title as my Luna," he murmured, stepping closer and taking my hand.

Despite the disgust pooling in my stomach, my body betrayed me. The physical pull of the mate bond made my pulse race at his touch, even though he had just cheated on me. My wolf, Vesper, still craved his closeness.

Suddenly, I caught a faint scent and heard a soft rustle outside the bedroom door. Genevieve was listening in.

Determined to show her that she couldn't completely replace me, I grabbed Tristan's hands and pulled his arms tightly around my waist. The power of the mate bond flared instantly, and Tristan reacted on instinct, pulling me flush against his chest. I buried my face in his neck, inhaling his scent.

"We are fated mates, Tristan, and you can't ignore this pull," I whispered. "I won't share you like other Lunas do. If you refuse to let Genevieve go, then you need to reject me right now."

Tristan pulled back, his eyes wide with genuine shock and horror. "What? I can't reject you! I will never reject you, Briar. Don't even say that."

Right then, the door swung open. Genevieve stood there. Gasping dramatically, she slapped a hand over her mouth and let out a loud sob.

Tristan instantly let go of me, pushing me away. "Genevieve?"

Tears streamed down her face as she turned and bolted down the hallway. Tristan snatched his hand from mine and ran after her.

"Gen, wait! It wasn't what it looked like!" he yelled as he ran.

A cold shiver ran through my entire body, and my legs gave out. I sank onto the floor, staring at the empty doorway. I couldn't keep living like this. I had to do something, and I had to do it fast.

After sitting in the quiet room for a long time, I picked up my phone. I scrolled through my contacts until I stopped on a name I hadn't called in years: Clara.

Clara and I had been roommates in college. Over those four years, we had become inseparable, but we had drifted apart after my marriage.

Her older brother, Alpha Logan Vance, was the leader of the largest and most terrifying pack in North America—the Frostfang pack. While our pack only had about a hundred and fifty wolves, his territory boasted a massive, unstoppable force of over five hundred.

Logan was legendary. He had a reputation for never sleeping with the same woman twice, and he was known for being incredibly brutal and calculating. Rumor had it he could easily take down five rogue wolves at once with nothing but his bare claws.

I had only met him once, during a college spring festival. He had only stayed for an hour, but during that entire time, he had stared at me with an intense, predatory gaze that had made my skin tingle. At the time, I had ignored it.

But Alpha Logan held massive influence over the Elder Council. If I could get him on my side, he could help me break free from this miserable marriage, keep my dignity, and help me reclaim the birthright of my father's pack.

I dialed Clara’s number, praying she would answer and throw me a lifeline. But luck clearly wasn’t on my side today.

The phone just kept ringing, eventually going straight to voicemail. No answer.