Chapter 1

"Elowen, I have been chosen as the High Commander of the North American Pack Alliance. You are no longer worthy of standing by my side. From this moment on, we are finished," Kaelen said, his face a mask of cold indifference.

I had spent five years working double shifts at the local diner to pay for his elite warrior training. Now that he had achieved his dreams, he was discarding me like a piece of trash.

I looked him in the eyes, my voice trembling. "I gave up everything for you. I worked until my hands bled to pay for your tuition. Is this how you repay me?"

A woman stepped forward, her expensive silk dress shimmering under the pack-house lights. "He became the High Commander because of my family's influence. What does a lowly diner waitress have to do with his success?"

This was Seraphina, the daughter of the Regional Governor. She had set her sights on Kaelen's future and didn't care that he was already married.

When I tried to argue, Kaelen didn't hesitate. He backhanded me so hard I hit the floor. "Apologize to Seraphina now," he barked.

In the end, they threw me out into the freezing rain, leaving me homeless on the streets of Silver Creek.

What they didn't know was that I was the long-lost Princess of the Moon Goddess Pack. Even more terrifying, I held a secret identity that would make the entire supernatural world tremble.

1

I woke up long before the sun touched the Oregon pines. I had to make sure Kaelen's breakfast was ready before he left for the National Alpha Trials.

The sky was still a bruised purple when I packed his bag with care.

Kaelen was my husband. Five years ago, I was found injured and unconscious in the woods, and he was the one who saved me.

I had been raised by my mentor since I was seven, with no memory of my parents. My mentor was a hard woman, a priestess of the Old Ways.

I had never known true affection until Kaelen showed up. He pursued me with such intensity that I gave him my heart and my hand in marriage.

The Kaelen family were poor wolves, their father having passed away years ago. Kaelen and his mother, Martha, lived in a shack on the edge of the territory.

His only hope to change their fate was to win the Alpha Trials.

The truth was, I could have given him infinite wealth with a single phone call.

My mentor was the High Priestess of the Zenith Peaks, a woman so powerful that even the Alpha Kings bowed when she walked into a room.

I was her chosen successor―the future Lady of the Zenith Peaks.

However, I preferred the simple life.

I didn't mind the hard work or the tiny house. Since Kaelen's dream was to become a High Commander, I did everything in my power to support him.

Ever since my injury, I had lost contact with the Zenith Peaks. Without my mentor's medicinal herbs, my inner wolf remained suppressed and my powers dormant.

I planned to tell Kaelen everything once he was successful. I wanted us to visit my mentor together so I could finally introduce my husband.

For five years, I was his shadow, making sure he was fed and rested. I handled all the bills so he could focus on his training.

I tucked a hand-sewn protection charm into his bag, along with a scarf I had knitted.

"Honey, you're awake. Why didn't you sleep a little longer?" I asked as I saw him walking into the kitchen.

I quickly lifted the lid off the pot, steam rising as I served him a bowl of hot stew and fresh bread.

We rarely ate meat because every penny I earned at the diner went toward his training equipment and supplements.

In these tough times, a regular meal was a luxury for us. An egg for breakfast was the biggest treat we could afford.

"You work too hard, Elowen," Kaelen said, looking at me.

He took my calloused hands into his and squeezed them gently. "Are you exhausted?"

My heart warmed at his touch. I shook my head and smiled. "I'm fine."

Kaelen pulled me into a chair. "Sit down. Eat with me."

"I've already eaten, I'm not hungry," I lied, wiping my hands on my apron.

In reality, there wasn't enough for both of us. I would rather go hungry if it meant he had the strength to compete.

"Exactly! A woman shouldn't be sitting at the table with the future Alpha anyway!"

My mother-in-law, Martha, walked in, her voice dripping with spite.