"Finally, my dear niece. You've come to your senses." Dr. Dahlia Fields greeted her with a warm smile, pulling her into a tight hug. “So are you ready?”

Lavender managed a small smile. “I’m ready now, Aunt Dahlia. I want to work here, learn, and start over.”

Dahlia’s gaze softened. “You’ve come to the right place. But you should know, working at Silverpine isn’t just about tending to wounds and mixing potions. You’ll start with field training, visiting remote werewolf villages and dangerous territories. Rogues often lurk in those areas. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

Silverpine was more than a medical facility; it was a safe house for werewolves across the continent. Renowned for its advanced healing course, Silverpine was the ideal destination for aspiring healer wolves, drawing patients and students from distant territories. This was where Lavender would rebuild her life.

“I’m not afraid,” Lavender said, even raising her head a little higher. “I need this, Aunt Dahlia. I need to reclaim who I was before everything.”

Her aunt studied her for a moment, then nodded. “All right. Let’s get you started.”

As Lavender filled out the application form, her mind wandered to memories she had tried to bury. It had been years since Alpha Cedar had proposed to her during a sparring session. Cedar had been 27 at the time, already feeling the burden of his age and the growing impatience of not having met his fated mate. As an Alpha, the pressure to find his destined partner was immense, with whispers in the pack questioning why fate had not yet blessed him. Lavender, on the other hand, had been just twenty, young, and eager to prove herself. Cedar had admired her strength and resilience, seeing in her a partner who could stand by his side and complement his leadership.

“You’re my chosen mate,” he had said, gripping her hands tightly. “Even if my true mate comes along, I’ll reject her. You’re all I need, Lavender.”

She’d believed him. Believed in their bond. And when they marked each other that day, she thought their future was set in stone. But fate had a cruel way of intervening, shattering the life she had built.

“Cedar won’t let you go,” Dahlia’s voice broke through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. “You know how possessive Alphas can be. He’ll try to stop you.”

Lavender’s jaw tightened, her grip on the pen firm. “That’s why I’m asking for your help. Train me to become a true healer wolf. I want to be strong enough to reject him officially, without needing his consent.”

Dahlia’s eyes widened slightly, then she smiled. “You’ve made up your mind, haven’t you? Very well. I’ll help you. But it won’t be easy, Lavender. You’ll need to pour your heart and soul into this.”

“I’ve already lost everything,” Lavender said quietly, looking down at the accomplished form in her hand. “There’s nothing left to lose. Except myself. And I won’t let that happen.”

Her aunt nodded, placing a hand on Lavender’s shoulder. “Then let’s get to work.”

When Lavender got home, the maids were cleaning when she saw Cedar. The sight of Cedar looking toward the kitchen, where Fern was assisting with cleanup, made her stomach turn. The soft smile on his lips, the way his eyes lingered—it twisted the knife already lodged in her heart.

“We need to talk,” Lavender said, stepping into his line of sight and blocking his view of the kitchen.

Cedar hesitated but nodded. “Let’s go to my office.”

Inside, the tension was thick. Cedar gestured to the chair, but Lavender remained standing. “Who is Fern to you?” she demanded, her voice sharp.

Cedar sighed, rubbing his temples. “I’ve told you, it’s complicated. I’m helping Flint.”

“Then why isn’t she with him?” Lavender’s voice trembled with restrained fury. “Why is she here, where you can’t stop looking at her?”

Cedar’s frustration flared. “You’re imagining things, Lav. Trust me.”

The words stung. Trust me. The same words that once reassured her now felt empty and hollow.

You are a liar, Cedar! She screamed inwardly.

But then, after her application was approved and she completed her healing training, she would reject him and walk away.

Lavender stood on the balcony. Below, she caught glimpses of Fern laughing with some girls. Her eyes thinned, noticing the fresh mark sitting above the blonde girl’s collarbone.

It was an Alpha's mark, and the bitch was flaunting it like a badge of honor.

Her knees weakened to the point that she had to lean against the railing for support. A few days ago, Cedar was fiercely denying it, but now Fern was flaunting it as if she had won a prize.

She used her extraordinary hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation, picking up snippets of Fern boasting about her mark.

"I'm so happy, girls," Fern was saying. "Finally, Alpha Cedar will introduce me as his mate. You all have to congratulate me when it happens."

"Oh wow. We're pleased for you!" one of the girls replied, feigning excitement. "But what's Luna's reaction regarding this? Did she get mad or upset about it?"

Fern paused. And as though she had sensed Lavender listening in, she turned and looked up at the balcony with a smirk. "Oh, don't worry about Luna," Fern said confidently. "She knows her place now."

The nerve of this girl to say those words about her. She wondered if Cedar knew that behind that seemingly innocent facade, Fern was actually quite cunning and manipulative.

Just last night, Cedar had the little bitch occupied in one of the quarters on their floor. She refrained from questioning him when he relocated to that dreadful room, not even when she detected the muffled sounds of pleasure emanating from it. After all, she had decided to leave him for good, to give him the freedom he seemed to desire.

A cough interrupted her thoughts, and she turned sharply to see Cedar standing by the doorframe. The man she had loved for so long was now a stranger she barely recognized.

"I need to talk to you," he said.

"I don't think we have anything to say," Lavender replied. She could feel her wolf’s low growl vibrating in her chest.

His expression softened, but only slightly. "I know this isn’t easy, but I need you to understand. This is the way it has to be."

Lavender’s eyes narrowed. "And why is that? Because Fern is your true mate? Because I was never enough for you?"

Cedar flinched but quickly masked it with a deep breath. "You are enough, Lavender. But this isn’t just about us. It’s about the pack, the future of Shadowpelt. Fern and I have a bond that can’t be denied. She's my fated mate, the one the moon goddess has paired me with, so I have to honor that connection."

She gulped down the lump in her throat. "So what now? You plan on making her your Luna, replacing me like I was never even here?"

Cedar hesitated, seemingly taken aback by the question. "I want us to stay united. I’m asking you to accept her, Lavender."

His words only ignited the fire in her chest. "And what if I don’t accept it? What if I refuse to bow down to your decisions?"

Cedar’s eyes darkened. "You don’t have a choice. I’m the alpha. You’ll do as I say, like everyone else in this pack."

Lavender felt her anger boiling in her veins as his alpha aura crashed over her. It was a suffocating presence that demanded submission, and even though she was his Luna, she couldn't resist the command.

"I refuse to do it," she uttered through clenched teeth. "I won’t let you do this to me, Cedar. You know I'll die in pain if you continue to sleep with her!"

"Then you leave me no choice." Cedar’s voice was cold now, distant. "I’ve made arrangements. You’ll have to participate in the bonding ritual."

Lavender blinked, confusion sweeping over her. "The bonding ritual? What are you—"

But Cedar didn’t give her a chance to finish. "I’ll be bonded to both of you. You, Fern, and I. That's the sole method to resolve this issue and maintain harmony."

Her stomach twisted at the thought. A ritual. Bonded to them both. To him and Fern, in a union that felt more like a trap than a choice.

"You can’t be serious," Lavender chuckled, but stinging tears were streaming down her face. "You want me to accept this, to accept her?"

Cedar stepped closer, gripping her wrist. "I don’t want this either, but it’s what we must do for the pack. The bond, the ritual—it will help you understand. It will help you heal with the wounds brought by Fern mating with me."

"I don’t need healing," she spat, pulling her arm from him. She was aware that Fern was watching from a distance and amused by the argument happening. "I need freedom. And I need to be rid of this pain."

Cedar's gaze hardened once more, the alpha within him emerging as his eyes flickered to his wolf's amber ones. "This is the only way forward. Do not make this harder than it has to be."

Before she could respond, he turned and left. Lavender stood there, shaking.

How could she accept it? He was offering her nothing but chains that had once been a symbol of their love.

—

That night, as she lay in bed, the sound of footsteps outside her room jolted her from her thoughts. She opened the door to find Fern standing there.

"I thought we should talk," Fern said in a sweet face and voice.

Lavender’s wolf growled. This woman, this interloper, would not take her place in Cedar’s life.

"Talk?" Lavender echoed, raising her brow. "About what?"

"About how you’re going to make this work. About how you’re going to let Cedar and me be happy."

A wave of disgust washed over Lavender. She could feel the sharp edge of Fern’s words.

"You’ll never replace me," Lavender said firmly.

"Oh, Luna. I already have." Fern whispered in her ear.

Lavender sat on the edge of her bed, her hands trembling as she stared at the small bundle of herbs Dr. Dahlia had left for her. The healer had been a quiet but constant ally in her journey, teaching her how to harness the power that had always been within her, but she hadn’t known how to use it.

She’d spent hours training with Dahlia in secret, learning how to call upon her healing abilities in new ways. At first, she’d only been able to mend small cuts and bruises, but now, her powers were growing stronger—strong enough, she hoped, to finally break free from Cedar’s hold.

The thought of the bonding ritual Cedar had proposed made her stomach turn. She couldn't go through with it. She wouldn’t.

Her mind wandered back to the day Cedar had told her about Fern being his true mate. The coldness in his eyes when he said it, the way he tried to justify his betrayal, still stung. He had promised her that they would reject their fated mates. And now he was asking her to accept Fern as part of their bond, as if nothing had ever happened.

Her wolf growled low in her chest at the thought. Cedar’s commands still held power over her, but Lavender could feel it slipping, like the first cracks in an old stone wall. She was changing, becoming stronger, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Lavender closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The soft whisper of her healing powers hummed through her body. She was more than just his mate. She was a healer, a special kind of werewolf with unique abilities. One of those abilities was the power to break free from the control of an alpha, to reject him without him needing acceptance for it to become effective.

Later that day, Lavender found herself in the pack’s garden, the quiet space offering her a brief escape from the chaos of the packhouse. She had become familiar with the garden, especially the small alcove where she often went to meditate and practice her healing. Today, though, she was not alone.

Dr. Dahlia was there, waiting by a patch of lavender plants that had been her namesake. The healer had a calm look on her face, as if she had been expecting Lavender all along.

"You’re growing stronger," Dr. Dahlia said. "But you still have much to learn, Lavender. Your power is not just about healing others—it’s about healing yourself. You must understand that before you can truly reject Cedar."

Lavender nodded, though her heart was heavy with doubt. "But how can I heal myself? Especially since the bruises of infidelity are harder to mend than physical wounds?"

Dr. Dahlia took a step closer. "You must trust your power. Trust that your bond with Cedar was never meant to be permanent. And then reject him."

Hope sparked inside her, though she was still afraid. Could it really be that simple? Could she truly reject Cedar after everything they had been through?

"But what about the pack?" Lavender asked. "What about everything Cedar said? If I reject him, it’ll destroy everything. The pack that he had united for the greater good will fall. He always says, I'm the heart of his pack, and without me, they will crumble."

The healer shook her head gently. "The pack will adjust. It’s not your responsibility to keep everything together. You were never meant to carry that burden alone."

Lavender inhaled deeply. She had spent so long thinking she had to fix everything that she had to stay by Cedar’s side for the sake of the pack. But now it was clear. Cedar was only after the welfare of the pack. And not her.

Cedar had only been drawn to what she could contribute, not to what she truly needed.

How come she realized this now, after all this time?

Dr. Dahlia smiled as if reading her thoughts. "I know this isn’t easy, but I believe in you, child. Do this for yourself. For your future and for your own happiness."

Lavender clenched her fists, feeling her healing power pulse through her veins. "I won’t let him control me anymore."

The healer’s gaze softened, and she placed a hand on Lavender’s shoulder. "When you are ready, you will have the strength to reject him.Your wolf will have the strength to challenge the alpha's dominance and stand independently."

Lavender stood tall. She could do this. She would do this.

That night, as she lay in her bed, her mind was clearer than it had been in weeks. Cedar’s presence in her life, his power over her, no longer felt as absolute.

Tomorrow, she will train harder. Tomorrow, she will take a step closer to achieving her freedom. And when the time came, she would reject him with all the strength she had.