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.

The awful sound echoed through the cottage, followed by the splash of water and a very unhappy groan.


Shannon jolted awake. "Tris? What in the moon's name—"


"Don't come closer!" Tristan croaked, hunched over the basin, one arm braced against the wall. His face was pale, his hair sticking to his forehead.


Shannon froze halfway out of bed. "Why? Are you hurt? Poisoned? Cursed?"


"It's you," Tristan managed between breaths. "You smell terrible."


"I what?" Shannon blinked. "I just bathed last night!"


"Well, now you smell like wet fur and burnt pine."


"Then your natural scent is trying to kill me." Tristan gagged again—"Hrrk—ghkk—"—and waved him off like he was a threat.


Shannon stood helplessly at the doorway, equal parts offended and worried. "You used to like my scent!"


"I did! Past tense!" Tristan groaned, grabbing a towel to wipe his mouth. "Now please, open a window before I vomit again."


Chapter 191 - The Moon Stirs