Tomorrow is my bonding ceremony with my mate.

Luke is about to become Beta of his pack, and he promised he would publicly claim me in front of everyone. Tomorrow.

The thought of the pack watching me, of my father finally having to admit I was worthy of standing beside a man like Luke… for the first time in twenty years, the crushing weight and endless humiliation felt a little lighter.

I wanted to surprise him tonight. I finished work early, crossed half the town, and went straight to his apartment.

But the second I pushed open the half-closed bedroom door, my blood turned to ice.

There was Luke, completely naked, pinning a woman beneath him.

"Luke… why won't you just reject Lena? That disgusting omega," the woman moaned. "You only want me."

I froze. It was her—my stepsister. The person who hated me most in this world.

"Of course you're the only one I want," Luke panted, voice rough. "But to become Beta, I have to give the pack an heir first. It's tradition. I don't have a choice."

"That stupid girl insists on waiting until the bonding ceremony before she lets me touch her." He let out a mocking laugh. "I agreed, obviously. I've got you, Lily. A real, strong she-wolf."

That "stupid girl" was me. My nails dug into my palms until they bled. The pain told me this wasn't a nightmare.

"Ugh, you're really going to mark that filthy thing?" Lily said in disgust, climbing on top of him. "She'll ruin your reputation. Omegas are like cockroaches—you can never get rid of them."

"Mark her?" Luke laughed coldly. "I would never mark an omega. She's just a breeding tool. Once she gives me a pup, I'll throw her out."

"Oh my God." Lily laughed with satisfaction as she straddled him. "She's probably still dressing up right now, dreaming about the pack finally accepting her tomorrow. I can't wait to see her face."

I couldn't believe it. Luke had betrayed me.

My head spun like I'd been punched. The floor felt like it had dropped out from under me.

I bit my lip hard to keep the tears from falling. My mother was an omega—my father's fated mate. I was born with that stain. No matter how sincere or kind I was, in this pack I would always be treated like a criminal. I was supposed to bow my head and feel ashamed for simply existing as an omega. And even then, my father still found reasons to raise the whip.

When I was fourteen, Luke came to Blue Ridge Pack for warrior training. I showed him the way to the training ground. He said he wanted to thank me, and started bringing me food every time after that.

That was all I needed. After my stepmother arrived, my life was nothing but beatings and hunger.

But Luke bandaged my wounds and brought me hot meals. He told me that once he became Beta, he would never let anyone hurt me again.

Then the Moon Goddess finally remembered me. At eighteen, during the mating feast between our two packs, we discovered we were fated mates. I was overjoyed—I thought my suffering was finally over. I thought light had finally broken through.

For him, I stayed. I kept enduring my father, the pack, all of it.

Now the truth crashed over me like sewage, choking me. Every promise, every sliver of hope I had clung to—all of it had been a lie.

I pushed the door open.

Luke was on the couch, pants around his ankles, Lily straddling him.

"Lena?!" He jerked upright.

Lily looked over at me without a trace of panic. She calmly slid off him. "Oh, Lena. Did you really think someone could ever love an omega like you?" she mocked. "You should feel honored—sharing a man with me is more than you deserve."

"Get out," I snarled.

Lily laughed softly and moved toward the door, then paused to glance back. "Oh—that little room of yours in the manor? I'm turning it into my closet. Just so you know."

That tiny room with its single bed was the only space I had left. And now she wanted that too.

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to cave that pretty face in. But there was only one thing I wanted right now—to sever the bond with Luke.

"Almost forgot." Lily paused at the door, flashing a sweet smile. "Can you even afford a dress for tomorrow? I'd lend you one, but—" she shrugged, "—skip it and the pack'll pass you around like a toy. Daddy'll make sure of that."

My hand flew up. Luke lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. "Lena, listen to me!"

She left.