A knock on the door broke his reverie.
He quickly wiped his tears and composed himself.
“Come in.”
The secretary entered, holding a gold–embossed envelope.
“Alpha, the invitation you requested.”
Rocco took the envelope, and his heart gave a violent lurch.
The envelope bore two crests intertwined: the Silver Moon and the Blackwood Pack.
His fingers lingered on the edge of the envelope for a long moment.
Opening it meant facing reality.
Caterina was really marrying someone else.
Taking a deep breath, he tore open the seal.
He pulled out the exquisite card inside.
The gold foil lettering shimmered in the sunlight, each word a dagger stabbing into his heart:
Alpha Damon of Blackwood & Luna Caterina of Silver Moon
Cordially invite you to attend their Uniting Ceremony
Date: The Full Moon, this Saturday
Location: The Sacred Laurel Grove of the Silver Moon Pack
Rocco’s hands trembled violently.
The full moon.
The sacred moment that should have belonged to him and Caterina.
The night they had once sworn their eternal vows.
Now, under that same moonlight, she would become another Alpha’s Luna
The card slipped from his fingers and fluttered to the floor.
He collapsed into his chair, his hands clutching his head.
“Caterina… Caterina…” he groaned in agony.
2/3
His heart felt like it was being ripped apart by hand, every beat a fresh torment.
Damon Blackwood.
He knew the name, of course. One of the most powerful Alphas in North America, in control of a vast empire.
Wealth, power, status–he had it all.
Most importantly, he would give Caterina everything she deserved.
Unlike him, who had only hurt and betrayed her.
“I’ve lost,” Rocco whispered. “I’ve lost her.”
Meanwhile, I had spent the last two days entertaining more old friends than I had in the past year.
“Brianna!” I hugged my high school classmate. “When did
you get here?”
“Came straight from the airport,” she said with a grin, looking me up and down. “Goddess, Caterina, you’re practically glowing!
“Nervous for the Luna ceremony tomorrow?” she asked, winking.
“A little,” I admitted, my fingers tracing the rim of my teacup.
“Damon is seriously handsome,” Brianna murmured, sneaking a glance at him talking with my father. “And the way he looks at you? So gentle.”
I nodded, a warmth spreading through me.
“Brianna, come on,” she lowered her voice. “Damon has been waiting for you for years. You’re telling me you had no idea?”
My teacup paused in
“What do you mean?”
hand.
