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.

Lavender stood in front of the mirror, staring hard at her reflection. The woman who looked back seemed familiar yet different. Her eyes held a fire she hadn’t noticed before. But underneath that strength was the same aching wound Cedar had carved into her heart the day he brought Fern into their lives.

Every day felt heavier than the last. Fern’s presence in the packhouse was like a thorn lodged deep, impossible to ignore.

Lavender’s mind wandered to the mornings she could barely face. She remembered standing in the doorway of the kitchen, watching Cedar move around, preparing breakfast for Fern. He never used to cook, not even for her. She watched as they shared quiet laughter over plates of food, their heads leaning close together like they were the only two people in the world. Afterward, Cedar would leave for patrols with his warriors, never once looking back at her.

The nights were worse. Cedar’s side of the bed was cold and empty more often than not. Fern’s constant demands had stolen him away, her wolf insisting she could only rest when Cedar was close. Lavender learned to shut her ears to the noise that spilled from the guest room—moans, whispers, the creak of the bed frame. She buried her face in her pillow, forcing herself to pretend it wasn’t happening.

But pretending didn’t stop the pain.

One morning, desperate for fresh air, Lavender walked into the garden. The crisp scent of flowers did little to soothe her as her eyes caught sight of Fern, surrounded by a group of women, giggling and chatting as the bitch held a pregnancy test in her hand.

Lavender’s stomach twisted, and her feet faltered. Before they could notice her, she turned to leave, but Fern's voice rang out, bright and sickly sweet.

“Luna Lavender! Wait!”

Her heart sank as Fern ran toward her, waving the test in the air. Lavender stopped, her body stiff as Fern approached.

“Look!” Fern said, shoving the test in Lavender’s face. Two bright lines stared back at her, sealing her heartbreak. “I’m pregnant!”

Lavender forced a smile, though her chest burned. “Congratulations."

But Fern wasn’t satisfied. Her lips curled into a smirk. “It’s funny, isn’t it? Cedar and I have only been together for a little while, and already the Moon Goddess has blessed us. Meanwhile, you and Cedar…” She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Oh, I forgot—you’re not real mates. Of course, you’d never have a child.”

Lavender’s hands trembled, but she dug her nails into her palms to keep calm. "Enjoy your moment, Fern," she said evenly, turning her heel. “I have things to do.”

But her retreat only seemed to fuel Fern’s irritation. “Walking away, huh? Is that all you can do?”

Before Lavender could react, Fern shoved her hard from behind. She stumbled, her feet slipping on the wet stones, and fell into the fountain. The cold water shocked her system, but the humiliation burned hotter.

Fern laughed. “Oops,” she said mockingly, crossing her arms. “Careful, Luna. Don’t slip.”

Lavender stood slowly, water dripping from her hair and clothes, her wolf roaring with fury. She stepped out of the fountain, her anger radiating off her in waves. “You really don't want to stop, do you, Fern?" Lavender growled.

Fern rolled her eyes, but before she could speak, Lavender’s hand snapped out. The sound of the slap echoed through the garden. The girls behind them gasped in shock as Fern stumbled back, a red mark already forming on her cheek.

The smugness vanished from Fern’s face, replaced by shock and rage. But before Fern could utter another word, Cedar's voice pierced the atmosphere with a sharp edge.

“What the hell is going on here?”