The betrayal was unexpected.

And that was why it cut so deeply.

Tristan Mendez only had two things he held dear: his family and his music. After his dazzling debut at the opera house, the world seemed within reach. Applause still echoed in his ears, the bow still warm in his hand. For one fragile moment, he believed the future was bright.

Then the ground was ripped from beneath him.

Accused of theft by his own brother, and met with silence from the family who should have defended him, his sentence was sealed, and he was cast into a merciless mining camp under the orders of Lady Arriane.

There, days blurred into years. Cruelty, hunger, and despair stripped him down until even his music was silent. The boy who once lived for melody nearly vanished in the dust.

But one man remembered.

Lord Shannon, Alpha of his clan, had been among the audience that night, transfixed by the young musician’s song. When Tristan disappeared, disbelief turned to determination. Refusing to accept the impossible, Shannon searched, uncovered the truth, and found what no one else dared to look for.

Freed from chains, Tristan faces a world both familiar and foreign. The past has left scars that will not vanish overnight. Healing will not be easy. Trust must be relearned. But at his side stands the Alpha who swore to protect him, even against shadows that wait to strike again.

This is a tale of betrayal and survival. Of music once silenced and a voice reclaimed. Of an Alpha’s unshakable vow and the fragile soul he refuses to let fall.

A glass of whiskey shattered against the floor.


"That'll come out of your pay, you clumsy fool," Carlos barked. "Get me another one."


Carlos Suarez lounged at the head of the table, shuffling cards in solitude. Three of his men lingered nearby, waiting for recognition after the crash of glass.


"Speak!" he snapped, eyes still on his hand.


Finally, one of them broke the silence. "You're not going to like this, boss. The Alpha was seen walking out of Troy's office this morning."


Carlos stopped mid-shuffle. "The Alpha? You mean Shannon?"


"Word is… warning Troy to keep someone out of your fight."


The man hesitated. "The musician. Lives out at Hearthstead. Name's Tristan."


Carlos pushed his chair around to face the three men. "So… the Alpha has a soft spot."


Another man across the table shifted uneasily. "Boss, you know what they say about getting between an Alpha and their—"


Chapter 39 - The Wrong Leverage