Maya woke with a jolt, gasping for air. She was back in her bedroom, the morning sun peeking through her curtains. Her hands were normal again—no claws, no fur. Had it all been a dream?
"You're awake," Caleb said, sitting up in a chair beside her bed. His eyes were tired, his clothes rumpled.
"How did I get here?" Maya asked, her throat dry and scratchy.
"I found you passed out at the training grounds," Caleb explained. "You were half-shifted, Maya. Your wolf was breaking through."
A chill ran down her spine. "Did anyone else see?"
"No. I carried you home before dawn." Caleb leaned forward, his face serious. "What were you doing out there?"
Maya looked away. She couldn't tell him about meeting Liam. "I needed air. The bond sickness is getting worse."
Before Caleb could reply, Maya's mother burst into the room, her face pale with worry.
"Alpha Marcus is here," she whispered. "He wants to see you. Now."
Maya's stomach dropped. The Alpha never made house calls.
"Tell him she's too sick," Caleb suggested, standing protectively by Maya's bed.
"You don't refuse the Alpha," Maya's father said from the doorway, his expression grave. "He's waiting in our living room."
With Caleb's help, Maya got dressed and made her way downstairs. She could feel her wolf stirring inside her, agitated and unhappy.
Alpha Marcus sat in her father's armchair like it was a throne. His cold eyes narrowed when he saw her.
"Leave us," he commanded Maya's parents and Caleb.
"I'm staying," Caleb insisted, his jaw set.
Alpha Marcus's lip curled. "Fine. You can hear this too."
Once everyone else had left, Marcus leaned forward. "You look terrible."
"Thanks to you," Maya shot back, immediately regretting her boldness.
Marcus smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I've come with a warning. Last night, my son officially joined Rowan's pack."
Maya's heart sank, even though she'd witnessed it herself. Hearing it confirmed made it real.
"This means war between our packs is inevitable," Marcus continued. "And you, Maya, are the cause."
"Me?" Maya gasped. "You're the one who forced me to reject him!"
"I gave you a choice," Marcus said coldly. "And you chose poorly. Now my son has turned traitor."
"You replaced him with Kira before he even left!" Maya cried.
Alpha Marcus's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed. "You know too much for your own good."
"Why are you really here?" Caleb asked, stepping closer to Maya.
Marcus stood, towering over them both. "To deliver a message. Maya is to report to my office at noon. The pack council will decide her punishment for causing this division."
"Punishment?" Maya echoed, her voice shaking.
"You rejected the son of an Alpha—a sacred bond. There are consequences." Marcus moved toward the door, then paused. "And if you're thinking of running away to join my son with Rowan's pack, know this: he's already moved on. Rowan's daughter has been quite... comforting to him."
The words hit Maya like a physical blow. She sank into a chair as Marcus left, the door slamming behind him.
"He's lying," Caleb insisted, kneeling beside her. "Liam wouldn't—"
"Wouldn't what? Find someone else when I rejected him?" Maya's eyes filled with tears. "Why wouldn't he?"
Caleb had no answer for that.
By eleven thirty, Maya had decided to face whatever punishment the council had planned. Her wolf was growing more restless by the hour, and the pain in her chest had spread to her entire body.
"You can't go," her mother pleaded. "It's a trap."
"If I don't go, they'll come for all of us," Maya replied, trying to stand strong despite the pain.
A soft knock at the back door interrupted them. To Maya's surprise, Luna Evelyn—Liam's mother—slipped inside, glancing nervously over her shoulder.
"I don't have much time," she whispered, pulling a small bottle from her pocket. "Drink this before you go to Marcus."
Maya stared at the amber liquid. "What is it?"
"A special tea to help with the bond sickness," Luna explained. "It will clear your head and keep your wolf calm, at least for a few hours."
"Why are you helping me?" Maya asked suspiciously.
Luna's eyes softened. "Because my son loves you, despite everything that's happened. And because what Marcus is doing is wrong."
Maya took the bottle with trembling hands. "Is it true? About Liam and Rowan's daughter?"
Luna shook her head firmly. "No. Marcus is trying to hurt you, to make you reckless." She gripped Maya's hands. "But you must be careful today. Marcus is planning something."
After Luna left, Maya drank the tea. It tasted bitter and sweet at the same time. Almost immediately, the pain eased and her wolf grew quieter.
"Let me come with you," Caleb begged as Maya prepared to leave.
She shook her head. "This is my fight." She hugged him quickly, then whispered, "But if I'm not back in two hours, get Elara."
The walk to Alpha Marcus's office felt longer than usual. Pack members stared as she passed, whispering behind their hands. Some looked afraid, others angry. News of Liam joining the rival pack had spread fast.
At the Alpha's building, Darren—Liam's former best friend—stood guard at the door. His eyes widened when he saw her.
"Maya! You shouldn't be here," he hissed, glancing around nervously.
"I was summoned," she replied, surprised by his reaction.
Darren leaned closer. "It's a setup. Marcus has been meeting with Alpha Rowan secretly. They've made some kind of deal, and you're part of it."
Maya's blood ran cold. "What kind of deal?"
"I don't know exactly, but—" Darren stopped abruptly as the door opened.
Kira stood there, smirking. "The Alpha is waiting." She looked Maya up and down with contempt. "Though he may change his mind when he sees how pathetic you look."
Maya squared her shoulders and followed Kira inside. Luna's tea had given her strength, but how long would it last?
Alpha Marcus sat behind his massive desk, flanked by two council members. To Maya's shock, Alpha Rowan stood in the corner, watching with amused eyes.
"Maya, daughter of Thomas," Marcus announced formally. "You stand accused of endangering our pack through your rejection of the mate bond."
Maya stood tall, ignoring the pounding of her heart. "A bond you forced me to reject."
Marcus's eyes flashed dangerously. "The council has reviewed the situation and reached a decision."
Alpha Rowan stepped forward, his handsome face hiding a cruel smile. "We have a solution that will benefit both packs."
"Both packs?" Maya echoed, confused.
"Yes," Marcus nodded. "To prevent war, we've agreed to an exchange. Liam stays with Rowan's pack, and you..."
"You will join us too," Rowan finished, his eyes gleaming. "As my son's mate instead."
Maya gasped. "What? But Liam—"
"Has already agreed," Rowan said smoothly. "Mates who reject each other often find new bonds. My son has been waiting for someone like you."
"This is insane," Maya protested, backing toward the door. "I won't do it."
"You have no choice," Marcus replied coldly. "Either you go willingly, or we exile your entire family as rogues."
Maya's mind raced. This had to be a trick, but why? What would Marcus gain by sending her to the rival pack?
"What about Liam?" she asked, buying time to think. "He's your son."
A flicker of something—pain, perhaps—crossed Marcus's face before hardening again. "He made his choice when he betrayed this pack."
Alpha Rowan moved closer to Maya, his scent making her wolf growl deep inside. "You have until sunset to decide. My son is eager to meet his new mate."
As they dismissed her, Maya noticed Kira watching from the corner, her face twisted with jealousy and hatred. Something about her expression made Maya even more suspicious.
Outside, Maya leaned against a tree, her mind spinning. Luna's tea was wearing off, and the pain was returning. She needed to find Elara, to understand what was really happening.
A rustle in the bushes startled her. Maya whirled around, her wolf senses on high alert.
"It's just me," Serena whispered, emerging from the shadows. "I followed you."
"Serena! You shouldn't be here," Maya scolded.
"I had to warn you," her little sister insisted. "I heard Mom talking to Aunt Elara. They said the prophecy is coming true—the one about the divided alpha pair."
"What prophecy?" Maya asked.
Serena's eyes were wide and frightened. "When true mates reject their bond, one will fall to darkness while the other finds the light. Together they could save us all, but apart they'll bring destruction."
Before Maya could question her further, a howl pierced the air—a howl she'd recognize anywhere. Liam.
But it wasn't a normal howl. It sounded pained, desperate... a cry for help.
Maya's wolf surged forward, fighting to break free and answer the call.
"He's in trouble," Maya gasped, doubling over as her wolf clawed inside her.
Serena grabbed her arm. "Maya, your eyes!"
Maya caught her reflection in a nearby window. Her eyes had changed to her wolf's amber color, glowing with untamed power.
The tea's effect was gone. The bond sickness was back, stronger than ever. And somewhere in the forest, Liam was calling to her.
"Go home," Maya told Serena urgently. "Tell Caleb to find Elara. Tell them..."
But she couldn't finish the sentence. Her wolf was taking over, responding to its mate's call despite everything that had happened.
As Serena ran toward home, Maya turned toward the forest, toward Liam's howl.
She had no idea she was running straight into a trap that would change everything forever.