Lunara’s POV
When I called his nickname–Alpha–his tense shoulders eased immediately, mistaking my calm
for surrender.
His golden eyes softened, the wolf in him momentarily soothed. He crossed the room with that confident grace only Alpha–blooded males carried. He leaned down to kiss me.
I turned my face slightly. His lips brushed my cheek instead of my
mouth.
“I’m exhausted,” I murmured, wrapping the fur–lined blanket tighter around my frame. “It’s been long day.”
Kael’s expression tensed. The Alpha in him didn’t like rejection, not even this subtle. But he forced a smile, masking his annoyance. “Of course. You should rest, Luna.”
But then came the buzz. His enchanted wrist comm glowed faintly, and when he looked at it, the tension in his shoulders vanished. His entire being lit up as he typed a response.
As soon as he finished, he rose from the bed and began pulling on his leather armor and cloak in
haste.
“An urgent matter at the Council Hall,” he said without meeting my eyes, fastening the wolf–etched clasp at his neck.
“Of course,” I said coolly, my voice devoid of emotion. “Take your time.”
Kael paused. He turned, confused. Once upon a time, I would’ve pressed for answers, clung to his arm, begged him to stay. I would’ve cried, demanded to know why he always had emergencies at nightfall.
But now, I invited him to go.His comm buzzed again, and his moment of hesitation melted into movement. He slipped out of the room without further explanation.
“I love you,” he muttered as he left.
“And I hate you,” I whispered, the ache in my chest turning sharp.
By dawn, the sun filtered through the enchanted windows, warming the cold side of the bed he never returned to. He hadn’t come back.
I didn’t need to guess where he was. His scent was already fading, overwritten by Ashira’s overly sweet perfume that clung to his clothes these days.
Still, it didn’t bother me.I dressed in silence, donning a long, hooded cloak to conceal my identity, and made my way through the back tunnels of the packhouse to avoid notice. The Moonveil Grove Healing Den was a place of secrecy, protected by mists and oaths. It catered to she–wolves who needed help, but not judgment.
I sat on a healer’s stone bed, cold beneath my palms, while the incense of memory moss burned nearby.
“Are you certain?” the healer asked softly. Her wolf spirit flickered behind her eyes–ancient, wise, and patient.
2/3
4:13 am
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words clung to my throat. My hand drifted to my lower stomach. My unborn pup stirred faintly, just a whisper of life.
I remembered Ethan–his laughter echoing through the den, his tiny claws gripping my fingers, his first shift under the full moon. I remembered the way he’d whispered “Mommy” into my fur as we cuddled during stormy nights.
Tears burned behind my eyes. No. I couldn’t do this.
“I… I changed my mind,” I breathed, voice cracking. “I can’t go through with it.”
The healer nodded. “Then you won’t. Take your time. The forest waits for no one, but your heart deserves patience.”
This pup–this second chance–was mine. A bond of blood and spirit. Not even betrayal could steal that from me again.
I left the den through the garden path, heart heavy yet whole. But as I rounded the stone corridor leading past the Moon Blessing Wing, I heard laughter. Familiar. Too familiar.
My body tensed. Then I saw them. Kael and Ashira. They strolled out of the maternity hall, entwined like vines under the moon. His hand was firmly on the small of her back, his mouth at her ear. She giggled like a shy omega.
Her hand rested on her belly.I froze.
She was pregnant. Before I could shift into mist and vanish, their eyes caught mine. Ashira’s face was drained of color.
“Lunara!” she hurried toward me, her aura fraying with false concern. “I–I was here for a check–up. Kael just-”
“Don’t apologize, Ashira,” Kael cut her off gently, sliding his arm protectively around her. His eyes sparkled–not with guilt, but pride. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
I smiled coldly. “He’s right. You’ve done nothing wrong, Ashira.”
They blinked, startled. I used to weep, rage, accuse. I used to beg Kael to stop seeing her. And every time, he gaslit me, made me doubt myself.
“She’s your sister,” he would say. “She’s mated, and I’m yours. You’re being paranoid, Luna.”
Now, I gave them nothing but silence and a smile sharp as claws.
Kael shifted awkwardly. “We’ll talk at home. Let me escort Ashira back to her den.”
I didn’t even hesitate. “Please. Take your time.”
I brushed past them, my wolf holding her head high.
“Oh, and congratulations on your pregnancy, Ashira,” I called over my shoulder, voice like frost on a blade.
Their expressions crumbled behind me.
Kael returned home unusually early.
“You’re early,” I said, lounging on the fur–strewn chaise, my face buried in an old lunar history scroll.
“Yes,” he replied. “I finished at the Council early. I rushed home to see my beautiful mate.”
Chapter Three
2/3 9.5%
4:13 am GDDD
He bent to kiss me. Again, I turned my head, letting his lips graze my cheek.
He paused. Watched me. Sensed the shift.
“I think we need time together,” he said softly. “I’ll take leave from my Alpha duties. Just us. Some time to reconnect.”
I kept my voice neutral. “You’ve been busy. I understand.”
His brow furrowed, clearly rattled. This wasn’t me. I would’ve pounced on that offer. I would’ve wept with joy at his attention.
But now, my heart was stone, and my wolf was silent.
“What’s going on, Lunara?” he asked, stepping closer. “Why are you acting this way?”
I didn’t answer. Not yet. Not until I was ready to tear the entire pack down around him.
4:13 am G
