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K inleigh stood in the shadows staring at her moon-fated mate as he embraced another woman. Kissing her in a way that brought tears to her eyes. A searing pain ripped through her heart, almost bringing her to her knees as the bond she shared with Vaughn Wishard fractured. The poisoned shards sliced her soul to ribbons.

No , she thought. This couldn't be happening . They were supposed to have their mating ceremony later that night!

Her wolf's anguished howl mourned as the betrayal seared through them both. She thought about the countless promises of love, vowed under starlit heavens, all reduced to nothing in a single, devastating moment.

Vaughn was studying under her father, James, to be his successor since he had none. Pack law forbade a female from being alpha, so when Vaughn turned out to be her moon-fated mate, her father started tutoring him.

Kinleigh bit her lip hard, forcing herself to watch. When her fingers curled into fists, digging her nails deep into her palms, a moment of clarity struck. She pulled out her phone and started to record the two secretive lovers rendezvousing for a tryst. Just that morning, he pulled her close and nuzzled her neck as he murmured words of undying love. The kiss he’d placed on her lips, full of passion and promise, echoed mockingly in her memory. Nothing but a cruel illusion.

“I’m getting tired of watching that bitch run her hands all over you,” the woman huffed. Shocked, Kinleigh recognized her friend, Annette. She had weekend plans with the bitch to go shopping. “Like she has a claim to you.”

“Just dumb good luck Kinleigh turned out to be my fated mate,” Vaughn said with a smirk. “At least the High Luna did one damn thing right.”

“I hate the thought you have to fuck her.”

“That doesn’t happen all that often, sweetheart. She thinks I give a damn about all that romantic bullshit.” He gave her another kiss. “I knew long ago I was made different. I was made to be alpha. Fuck the High Luna, I’m choosing you to be my mate.”

He was defective. That’s all Kinleigh could think of to explain the words coming out of his mouth. Nothing but a broken awful man.

“I truly hate her,” Annette growled. “All she talks about is cooking for you. Massaging your shoulders. What a perfect couple you two are. It makes me want to vomit every day, after all, we’ve been in love since childhood.”

Childhood? The admission pierced through her soul, stealing her breath. How could she not know about them? What about the bond? Tears blurred her vision as she watched them kiss.

“Patience, my love,” Vaughn said. “Kinleigh and I have our mating ceremony tonight, then I’ll officially be named Alpha Heir. I can regulate her to duties far away from the pack so you and I can move out of the shadows.”

“You’ll have to give her the mate bite.”

“It’s all for show,” he declared. “She’s a lackluster fuck. I have to think of you just to get hard.”

The callousness in his voice finished shattering her. Nausea rose, threatening to choke her. Tears streamed down her face as her wolf clawed desperately to escape, wanting to attack the woman running her hands over her mate. Kinleigh refused to give up her skin because it was obvious Vaughn didn’t love her ... didn’t even want her. How could the High Luna give her such a horrible man? He fooled them all.

There were no signs, no warning, that she’d been blind. Questions filtered through her mind. How did she not see the writing on the wall? How did he deceive her so well? Truth was, he was a master manipulator. All the little touches he gave her. All the kisses they had shared. All the tender moments. Everything mutated into a dagger that twisted deeper with every harsh word, and the person sinking it into her back was her own fated mate.

Her wolf gave one more howl of pain. She didn’t want to hear anymore, and neither did Kinleigh. Vaughn had clearly expressed his true colors. It was time to end this farce of a bond and all his expectations to be the next alpha of the Lightfang Pack. She stopped recording and immediately sent the video to her father. Then she turned her back on the two lovers and made her way back to her house. By the time she arrived, her father was already there.

“I will banish him,” he said angrily. “He won’t be able to set foot on our pack lands ever again.”

“He’s my moon-fated mate,” she whispered brokenly. “I won’t have another. He’s destroyed everything, including my chance to have pups and give an heir to our pack.”

“That doesn’t matter,” her father soothed. “You’re more important than anything.”

“I loved him,” she cried. Her father’s arms came around her and she collapsed into his embrace, sobbing. “I thought he loved me.”

“He’s not worth your tears.”

“I know,” she mumbled. It was hard to talk when she kept having to swallow down her sorrow. “I never want to see their faces or hear their voices ever again.”

“It will be done.” He rubbed circles on her back. “You’ll need to reject him, and I’ll make sure he accepts the rejection.”

She leaned back. “How was I so stupid, Dad?”

“You’re not stupid. He planned this after he found out you two were mates. At least you found out before the ceremony tonight.”

Kinleigh shuddered at the thought. She rubbed her forehead absently, hoping a migraine wasn’t coming on. That’s the last thing she needed.

“You are a strong woman,” he declared. “I’ll gather the pack for a meeting tonight so we can end this. Hold your head up. Don’t let him see you cry. Focus on the anger and betrayal.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Perhaps you should get away. Go on a vacation. Spoil yourself.”

She pondered that for a moment. The idea was appealing to her. “Maybe I’ll go visit Payton. I haven’t seen her in a long while.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” he said, patting her shoulder. “Love you, jellybean.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

****

K inleigh sat next to her father and watched as the pack filtered into the lodge. Her mother died when she was fifteen, and since her father never re-mated, she had stepped into most of the duties that the pack Luna performed. She helped where she was needed, whether working in kitchens or reading to the pups in the library.

Her wolf had made her appearance slightly late in life at age twenty. That’s when she discovered her moon-fated mate was Vaughn. She’d been so happy because he was a gorgeous man. Big, muscular, with baby blue eyes and dark hair. She thought he was as infatuated with her as she was to him, but apparently it had all been a lie.

When Annette entered the room, hatred rushed through Kinleigh’s body. It became even more potent when the woman smiled at her and gave a little wave. A moment later, Vaughn also walked through the doors and shot her a smile. His eyes quickly slid to Annette before meeting hers once again. Before she knew what she knew, Kinleigh wouldn’t have thought anything of the brief moment. Now, however, bitterness surged through her heart. An icy emptiness filled her soul where Vaughn used to be.

Her father walked in and came to stand behind the podium. It only took a few minutes for everyone to settle. Vaughn came to sit front and center, a beaming smile lit up his face as he waited to be called up and crowned the next Alpha before mating with her. Kinleigh would rather slit her own throat than ever be with him again.

“Good evening,” James said, his deep voice not needing a microphone. “Tonight was supposed to be a joyful celebration. However, some important information has come to light, and I thought it best to share it so rumors are dispelled. Please direct your attention to the screen behind me.”

He stepped aside so he didn’t block the video and nodded to someone, who had his laptop open. Immediately, the cell phone recording played for all to see. Kinleigh kept her gaze on her ex-mate and ex-friend. The horror on both their faces was priceless.

Vaugn shot to his feet. “Stop!”

“No,” James refused, his alpha voice heavy with anger. “They all must bear witness to your treachery.”

And so it played out. The knife twisting in Kinleigh’s back digging deeper and deeper with each treasonous word uttered. When the video finally ended, Vaughn turned to the pack. “It’s not what you think—”

“It’s exactly what they think,” Kinleigh said. She came to stand next to her father. “I watched this whole drama play out, and I wanted to scrub my eyeballs with bleach.”

A murmur swept through the crowd. Kinleigh watched with satisfaction as accusing gazes turned to him and Annette. In just a moment, even the rug they stood upon would be pulled from under their feet. James lifted his hand, quieting the room.

“Vaughn, I welcomed you with open arms because you were my daughter’s moon-fated mate. I offered to train you as alpha heir so you may understand how a pack runs. I thought you were a good, trustworthy male, but I was fooled.”

“Sir, I—”

“Do not even try to talk your way out of this. The proof speaks for itself.” Fury thickened his tone. “When you betrayed my daughter, you betrayed everyone. I hereby banish you, Vaughn Wishard, from the Lightfang Pack.”

“What? No!”

Her father ignored his cry as he pinned Annette with his cold, hard gaze. “Annette Smith, you are also banished.”

A loud sob punctuated the room as Annette broke down. Kinleigh had no sympathy for either of them.

“Please, Alpha,” Vaughn begged. “This has been a mistake...”

“The only mistake was your unfaithfulness. As I said before, if you can cheat on your moon-fated mate, then you can cheat on the pack.”

A united consensus swept through the room, all agreeing with their alpha. Her father nodded to her, and Kinleigh took a deep breath.

“I, Kinleigh Shire, reject you, Vaughn Wishard, as my mate.” Pain burned in her chest at her words, but it didn’t compare to the agony in her heart. “Accept it.”

She stared at Vaughn, waiting. Outrage. Hatred. Indignation. It all swirled together, taking root and festering in every cell of her body. Vaughn put a hand over his chest, wincing.

“Accept it!” her father roared.

The alpha command in his voice forced the acceptance and Vaughn was unable to ignore it. “I ... Vaughn Wishard, a-accept your rejection.”

Somewhere deep inside, the bond between them snapped and shattered. Remnants of what could’ve been seared through her blood, igniting a fire of anguish. Kinleigh didn’t even flinch as she stared at the man who ruined everything. She vowed right then and there that she’d forget about him if it was the last thing she’d ever do.

“You have until tomorrow to pack up and leave these lands.” James looked at the rest of the room. “Any objection?”

No one said a word. Not even Mr. and Mrs. Wishard. They stared at their son like they didn’t even know him. James turned to address the sentinels.

“Make sure both of them are escorted off pack lands in the morning.”

Both sentinels nodded.

It was over. Vaughn and Annette wouldn’t be the only two leaving. Kinleigh had her car already packed, ready to travel to Sheridan, Colorado. She needed time to heal and forget the man who broke her heart.