My Mate Sent Me To Prison I Return As His Nightmare novel Chapter 1

The Hunters crashed my mating ceremony. I—Adira Wade, revered Totem Guardian whose sacred carvings protected the whole twelve packs—hauled away in silver-lined cuffs while still in my ceremonial dress.

The charge? Creating false totems and fraud.

Before I'd even been formally charged, my mate-to-be Alpha Aiden had already replaced me with his first love, Sylvia.

Three years in the Silver Cage. That was my sentence.

My father, already battling late-stage silver poisoning, died heartbroken from the shock. And my mother suffered a mental breakdown.

When I finally walked out of that hellish prison, I was nothing but a hollow shell.

That's when Alpha Grayson appeared—Sylvia's stepbrother, all wolf-gold eyes and gentle hands.

"I've waited you for ten years," he whispered, reaching for my scarred hands. "Be my dear Luna."

But one year into our mating, I discovered a conversation on the car's dashcam between him and his Beta Nathan.

"Do you ever regret creating those counterfeit tokens, having someone report Luna, destroying evidence that would've cleared her name?"

"Not a second. Sylvia and I could never be together. This was my gift to her—removing her competition so she could build her reputation and marry into the Silverstone pack."

"Moon's Mercy, Alpha Grayson. But all of that was meant for Luna. Your actions destroyed her pack..."

Grayson's voice turned hoarse: "Stop. For Sylvia, I could even slaughter without mercy."

...

"As for Adira... I claimed her as my mate, didn't I? I'll make it up to her for the rest of my lives."

"If you're so dedicated to making amends," his Beta—Nathan—challenged, "why not clear her name? Sylvia's already mated."

"Since her release, she's afraid of showing up at gatherings. They whisper 'murderer,' call her 'the bloodthirsty bitch' who killed her father and drove her mother insane for power."

"She lost control of her inner wolf from a beating in the Silver Cage, for Moon's sake. Between the physical trauma and everything else, she's severely depressed."

"Clearing her name would help her heal, Alpha."

"Absolutely not," Grayson snapped, his voice hardening.

"Four years ago, Adira was unstoppable—the darling of every territory, Alpha councils falling at her feet. If she clears her name now, she'll reclaim her spotlight and Sylvia will be permanently relegated to her shadow."

"Luna? What's wrong?"

I looked up through my tears to see Grayson in the doorway, concern perfectly arranged on his handsome face.

"Thinking about the past again?" He crossed the room and gently lifted me from the floor, placing me on our bed.

"Listen," he murmured, voice dripping honey, "I don't give a damn what any pack members says about you. Your reputation means nothing to me."

"You'll always be that legendary Totem Guardian everyone worshipped. You're the love of my life, and I'll protect you forever."

His voice was achingly gentle as he warmed my ice-cold hands between his, his eyes filled with what looked just like real devotion.

If my car hadn't needed servicing—if I hadn't stumbled across that recording—I might have lived my entire life believing his beautiful lie.

I raised my arm, revealing the angry maze of scars crisscrossing my skin. The newest cuts were still raw, weeping slightly.

"It hurts so much, Grayson," I whispered. "Every time I drag the silver blade across my skin, it hurts so goddamn much."

"If you cleared my name? Maybe I could stop hurting myself. Maybe I could breathe again."