Selene wiped the tears staining her cheeks and moved toward the door, her resolve firm. But just as she reached for the handle, Kane''s cold,manding voice stopped her in her tracks.


    "If you leave," he said, his tone sharp and unyielding, "I will destroy the Iron Crown Pack."


    Her body froze as his words cut through the tense air like a knife. Slowly, she turned around, her brows furrowed in disbelief. Her frown deepened when her eyesnded on him-his once-familiar gaze had changed. His eyes now glowed a molten brown, almost unrecognizable, like apletely different man had taken his ce.


    Her hands trembled slightly as she stared at him, feeling a chill creep up her spine. His expression was different, too-a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, one that sent shivers through her.


    "Don''t forget," he continued, his voice cold andced with arrogance, "your brother submitted to me during the war. Killing him wouldn''t be a challenge for me. After all, I''ve killed plenty of Alphas in battle before. One more won''t make any difference."


    Selene blinked, trying to process wrong, but her shattered heart held her back. This wasn''t the Kane she thought she knew. How could she trust him now? He imed he was unconscious, yet somehow, another woman was pregnant with his child. It was clear to her-he was lying.


    14 she wanted to step toward him, to demand what was


    "You''re nothing but a coward," she spat, her voice trembling with anger. "You know my brother would kill you if he ever found out the truth."


    Kane strode toward her, closing the distance between them in just a few steps. He leaned down, his face inches from hers, staring into her eyes with an intensity that made her wolf stir uneasily.


    Selene''s dark blue eyes glimmered as her wolf growled inside her, responding to the challenge. The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with anger and betrayal. Her gaze locked onto his glowing brown eyes, which looked unnatural–foreign even.


    This wasn''t the Kane she had known.


    "K-Kane?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as though she was trying to convince herself this was still her mate.


    His smirk widened slightly, his tone dripping with disdain. "She is carrying my child. ept it or leave," he said coldly. "But don''t expect me to beg for your forgiveness. I''m not that kind of man. If you walk out that door, she will take your ce."


    Selene''s eyes widened, her blood boiling at his words. Her breathing quickened as her fury bubbled to the surface. She didn''t understand what had happened to him, or why his eyes looked so foreign, but none of that mattered now. She clenched his cor tightly in her hands, pulling him closer as her wolf growled at him.


    "I can make your life miserable if I want to," she snarled, her tone low and threatening.


    Kane didn''t flinch. His glowing brown eyes remained locked on hers, unyielding and unfazed. But as Selene continued to re into them, she noticed something strange in their depths-something she couldn''t ce.


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    Before she could say more, Kane suddenly hissed in pain and stumbled back, clutching his forehead.


    Selene froze, startled. He groaned, gripping the bandage that covered his head, his expression contorted with difort.


    She stood still, watching him with a mix of shock and anger. Even as he groaned in pain, she felt no desire to go to him. The betrayal he had dealt her was too deep, too raw. How could she care for him after everything she had just learned?


    Kane didn''t say another word. He straightened himself, avoiding her gaze entirely, and left the room without looking back.


    Selene remained rooted in ce, her body tense and her mind racing. His final words echoed in her ears, tearing at her heart. He would never ask for forgiveness. He would never change. The man she thought she loved had been nothing more than an illusion.


    Her shoulders slumped as despair threatened to overtake her. She wanted to leave, to walk out the door and never look back, but then images of her twin brothers shed through her mind. She shut her eyes tightly, her chest heaving as she tried to steady herself. If she left Kane now, it would ruin her brothers'' standing in their pack. Her actions would ripple far beyond herself.


    Her wolf stirred inside her, refusing to allow her to abandon her post. The Alpha within her wanted to fight for her ce, to rule as Luna. The bond, the mark on her neck, and the mate connection were still there, binding her to him despite the betrayal.


    Selene sighed, her hand reaching for the luggage once more. But as her fingers brushed against the handle, they froze. Her other hand instinctively moved to her belly, resting there for a long moment.


    "I won''t repeat the same mistake I madest time," she whispered to herself. "I won''t run away again. This throne, this position-it''s mine. How could I let another woman take it from me?"


    Her eyes hardened with renewed resolve as she stood tall. Her fury was still burning, but it was now matched by her determination. Kane may have betrayed her, but she wasn''t going to let him-or anyone else-take what was hers.