"We are here."

The coachman’s voice pulled Nina from her thoughts as the family’s carriage rolled to a stop in front of tall iron gates.

Over the last few days she’d been taught on how to behave like a noble.

Marjorie had let her eat at the family table for the first time. Her hair had been dyed black to match Sabrina’s, and finally the day came.

Her parents sat across from her, not speaking to her once.

Every now and then, their discussion drifted back to the gold and the properties they’d purchase once they got it in their hands. Totally ignoring her, like she was not there.

Nina peered out of the carriage as they rolled into the estate and her breath caught in her throat. Carefully trimmed flowers lined both sides of the pathway, swaying gently in the cool evening breeze. Three great fountains rose from the grounds at strategic corners, their waters glittering under the lantern light.

Nina had never seen such a display of wealth and beauty in her life. She looked up and saw the Vermont mansion standing tall against the night sky, its glass windows catching shadows instead of reflecting light.

From the outside, the mansion was stunning in a way that felt almost unreal. But she couldn’t fully appreciate it, because she knew what awaited her inside.

She dragged in a shaky breath as she stepped out of the carriage. The air was crisp, sharp against her lungs. The sun had long disappeared behind the clouds, but the moon was absent too, leaving behind a strange, lightless void.

As though even the sky wanted no part of what was about to happen to her.

"Hurry up, Nin—Sabrina."

Marjorie called, and Nina’s eyes lifted to meet her stepmother’s gaze for only a second. Her lips pressed together, but she said nothing. Over the past few days, Marjorie had spent every moment criticizing the way Nina walked, talked, and even breathed, quickly training her to pass as her daughter Sabrina—a legitimate daughter of the household, not the illegitimate child who had spent her entire life being treated as less than a servant.

Sabrina had watched all of it happen without saying a single word about what Nina had threatened her with. Nina had half expected Sabrina to run to her mother in tears and expose her plan to get her into trouble, but Sabrina said nothing.

Because she knew that if she spoke, Marjorie might panic and send Sabrina to the Alpha King, as the Alpha King had demanded from the very beginning.

Nina wasn’t surprised. Sabrina was always selfish and cared only about her own well-being. She didn’t care that her entire family could be executed, as long as she wasn’t dying alone.

A guard approached and greeted them with a stiff bow before leading them toward the mansion. The moment they reached the large front doors, two more guards approached carrying a large iron box.

"All personal items must be placed into the box," one of them intoned.

Nina frowned in confusion as she removed her wristwatch and placed it inside. Her parents followed suit.

Why did they need to do that?

She wondered, but she didn’t ask, as they were immediately led into the building.

Nina stiffened as Marjorie suddenly hooked their arms together, her grip firm and her face arranged into a mournful expression.

As though she hadn’t gleefully sent Nina here to die.

Nina glanced at her but kept her expression still. Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t pull her arm away.

They moved forward, following the guard. The hallway stretched long and high above them. Ancestral portraits of the Vermont bloodline lined both walls. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

They climbed a grand staircase that looked as though it had been hand-carved from marble. At the top, a set of double doors swung open to reveal a bright, spacious living room.

A fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, casting warm light across the room. By the hearth sat an old woman. A servant stood behind her, massaging her shoulders with slow, careful movements.

The woman looked to be in her eighties, but there was a dangerous yet graceful aura about her. Her hair was completely white but still full, swept back elegantly from her face without a single strand out of place. Her skin was pale and lined like delicate paper, yet she carried herself like royalty. Her blouse and skirt shimmered faintly in the firelight.

She looked exquisite.

And terrifying at the same time.

Nina swallowed nervously and felt Marjorie tighten her grip on her arm.

This had to be the Alpha King’s grandmother.

The moment she heard their footsteps, the old woman opened her eyes. A slow smile curved her lips as she rose, leaning on a polished walking stick. Her movements were deliberate and regal. She commanded the room without effort.

"The Storm family," she said warmly, her gaze sweeping over their faces. "Welcome. I am Lady Eloise, the Matriarch of House Vermont."

She extended her hand.

Jonathan stepped forward quickly, taking it in both of his.

"Thank you for having us, Your Grace. We are most grateful for this opportunity."

His voice was overly eager, almost breathless.

The Matriarch’s smile faded slightly at his enthusiasm. Her gaze slid from him to Nina and then back again.

Nina lowered her head, staring at the polished floor. She could feel the old woman’s eyes on her, and she held her breath.

Jonathan seemed to realize his mistake. He cleared his throat and tried again, his tone more measured this time.

"We are most grateful that our daughter has been found worthy of becoming a Luna. We earnestly wish for her to live a long, fulfilling life."

The Matriarch moved closer, her eyes raking over Nina carefully. Despite the rich fabric of her dress, Nina looked pale, almost malnourished. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her head still lowered, and her shoulders tense.

Something about her made the Matriarch pause.

Her eyes flickered between Jonathan and the girl, her frown deepening. There was a certain resemblance between them. The same bone structure. The same shape of the eyes.

But something didn’t feel right.

She couldn’t place it.

"Your daughter is beautiful," she said finally, forcing warmth back into her voice.

Nina curtsied low.

"I am most honored to be here, Your Grace."

"Good."

The Matriarch nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Dinner will be ready shortly. The Alpha and the rest of the family will join you then."

Nina’s head lifted slightly, her eyes widening before she could stop herself.

The Alpha?

Wasn’t it said that no one had ever seen him?

Would he really show himself so easily?

The Matriarch caught the flash of surprise in her eyes, but she merely smiled and gestured toward the chairs arranged near the fireplace.

"Please, sit. The servants will bring tea while you wait."

Marjorie immediately unhooked her arm from Nina’s and moved toward the chairs, lowering herself onto one of the velvet cushions with obvious delight. She looked around the room like a child in a candy store, her eyes gleaming at the expensive furniture, artwork, and chandeliers.

Only after sitting did she notice that Nina was still standing near the Matriarch.

The old woman’s brows knit faintly as she regarded her.

Marjorie waved quickly, her voice artificially sweet.

"My dear, come. Come sit with me."

Nina’s throat tightened. She dragged her feet across the plush rug and lowered herself into the seat beside Marjorie, her body stiff and her hands folded tightly in her lap.

The Matriarch studied them a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. Her walking stick tapped softly against the floor with each step.

The moment she was gone, Marjorie leaned in close to Jonathan, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"This place is magnificent! The stories don’t do it justice. It’s absolutely stunning."

She glanced around again, drinking it all in.

"But, honey, I thought no one had ever seen the Alpha. They say he’s so hideous he refuses to allow mirrors in his own chambers. Why would he agree to meet us?"

Jonathan nodded, keeping his voice low.

"I heard the same. Perhaps, since we are to be family now, he doesn’t feel the need to hide himself."

Marjorie giggled.

"Can you imagine? Our family connected to the Vermonts. The wealth. The power. The status!"

"Once she’s gone," Jonathan murmured, glancing briefly at Nina, "we’ll have access to everything. The dowry alone will set us up for life."

Nina sat stiffly, listening to her parents discuss her death as though it were a business transaction.

A minor inconvenience on the path to riches.

She had known they didn’t care about her. But hearing it so plainly, so casually, still made her chest twist painfully.

She pushed the feeling down.

She couldn’t afford to feel anything right now.

"The Alpha is here."

A guard’s voice rang out across the room, and everyone scrambled to their feet.

The double doors swung open.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

He walked in like he owned the room.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Sharp-featured.

His long black hair fell past his shoulders, slightly disheveled, with a few strands brushing against his jaw.

But it was his eyes that caught her attention.

Grey.

Pale grey, like winter frost.

Cold and piercing, framed by dark lashes.

They swept across the room, assessing, dismissing, until they landed on her.

Nina’s breath caught in her throat.

There was no ugliness.

No disfigurement.

There was only a face so striking it stole her breath away.

He moved with the kind of presence that made the air feel heavier, as though the room itself bent to accommodate him.

And he was looking directly at her.

Nina’s knees threatened to buckle. Her heart stuttered in her chest, then seemed to stop altogether.

This was no monster.

No.

This was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.