On the night of my birthday, while I sat alone in the Shadowveil Pack house, my mate, Alpha Haynes, was hosting a lavish banquet—not for me, but for his beloved childhood sweetheart. The news reached me through a pack member who had seen it all, and the whispers of the wolf guards only confirmed my worst fears.

"Our Alpha didn't even care about the Luna's birthday," one muttered.

"She's pitiful," another added, their voices dripping with disdain.

The rumors spread through the pack like wildfire, and soon, everyone was casting pitying glances my way. The daughter of the Bloodmoon Pack's Alpha, a true Lycan, reduced to a laughingstock. And as I sat there, surrounded by their judgment, he was in the arms of another, laughing as if I never existed.

***

It was supposed to be a special day—my birthday. I had woken up that morning with a small flicker of hope in my chest, clinging to the idea that Haynes, my mate and Alpha of the Shadowveil Pack, might remember the significance of today.

By noon, that hope had begun to wane. But still, I held on. He had promised he’d come home early, just for me, to celebrate. And like a fool, I believed him.

But as the afternoon stretched into evening, he mind-linked me. I listened to him with a nervous smile, expecting to hear him say he was on his way. Instead, his voice came through, distant and cold.

[I won’t be able to make it home early, Aeliana,] he said, his tone flat. [An unexpected meeting came up. I’ll be late.]

The disappointment hit me like a punch to the gut, but I forced a smile, even though he couldn’t see it. “It’s okay,” I lied. “I understand.”

The line went dead, and I stood there, clutching the phone in my hand, staring at the wall as the truth slowly settled in. He wasn’t coming. Not because of some important pack matter, but because of her—Leila. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the rumors were too loud, too insistent to ignore.

One of the pack members had seen them together at a famous hotel, where Haynes was hosting a grand banquet for her, his childhood sweetheart. Just because she was sad. The irony stung more than I could bear. While I sat alone, on the day that was supposed to be mine, my mate was with another woman, celebrating her.

And it wasn’t just the fact that he’d chosen her over me—it was how openly he did it, without a shred of guilt or concern for what others might say. The whispers started almost immediately, spreading through the pack like wildfire.

Everywhere I turned, I could feel their eyes on me, watching, judging. They pitied me—the daughter of the Bloodmoon Pack’s Alpha, a true Lycan, reduced to nothing more than a joke. Once, I had been respected, revered even, for my powerful lineage. My family’s blood ran deep, our history rich with tales of strength and honor. But all of that seemed so far away now.

I laughed bitterly at the absurdity of it all, the sound hollow in the empty room. How had it come to this? When did I become so insignificant in his eyes?

I unwrapped the cake I had prepared for us, the one I had been so sure we would share. The icing was perfect, the smell sweet and comforting, but as I took a bite, it tasted like ashes in my mouth. Pointless. This was all pointless.

Without thinking, I reached out through our bond, mind-linking Haynes. His response came swiftly, his voice as cold as the winter air. [Yes?]

There was a brief silence as I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to sound calm. “Where are you?” I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

[I told you I’m in a meeting. What’s the matter?]

He didn’t even flinch as he lied, his tone as smooth as ever. He didn’t know that the whole pack already knew where he truly was, and with whom. There was no guilt, no panic in his voice—just the same icy indifference.

I glanced around the room, catching the pitying looks from the Omega maids as they scurried about, pretending not to notice me. Something inside me snapped, the last thread of patience fraying beyond repair.

“Let’s break up,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “I don’t want to be your mate anymore. I don’t care if breaking our bond will kill me in pain—let’s just end it.”

There was a pause on the other end before his irritated voice cut through the bond. [What the hell is this… You’re making a fuss again.]

I sneered, the bitterness in my heart spilling over. “Stop lying, Alpha. Everyone in the pack knows you’re with Leila right now.”

And with that, I severed the mind link, not caring about his reaction, not wanting to hear whatever excuse he might come up with.

The truth was, I had grown to hate this place—this pack, this life. But more than that, I hated myself for still clinging to the remnants of what should have been. For still caring, still hoping that he might one day choose me. Yet even as I spoke those words, even as I declared my intent to end our bond, fear crept in.

What would I do if I left? Returning to the Bloodmoon Pack felt impossible—how could I face them after failing so spectacularly? They all expected me to be living the perfect life of a Luna, not this miserable existence where I was little more than a shadow in my own home.

I stood up abruptly, pushing the half-eaten cake away, and made my way to the kitchen. The maids tried to help, but I waved them off, packing up the untouched dishes myself.

Once everything was packed, I left the pack house, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed me. I made my way to the villa Haynes had given me as a wedding gift. It was a beautiful place, nestled in the west part of the Shadowveil territory, well-maintained and elegant. But I had never truly occupied it—after all, my place was supposed to be with him, in the pack house.

But now, as I stood in the doorway of the villa, I realized how much I needed this space. A place away from him, away from Leila.

I spent the night in silence, the villa echoing with the emptiness I felt inside. The bed was soft, the sheets cool against my skin, but I slept fitfully.

The next morning, I found a few messages on my phone, all from Haynes. He had realized I wasn’t at the pack house and was less than pleased.

[What the hell is wrong with you now?]

[I know you’re at the villa I gifted you. Come back when you’ve calmed down. Don’t test my patience, Aeliana.]

I stared at the messages, a strange sense of detachment washing over me. His words no longer held the power to hurt me like they once did. Instead, they felt…empty. Meaningless.

This wasn’t the first time he had chosen Leila over me, and it wouldn’t be the last. Whenever she needed him, he was there—without question, without hesitation. I had fought him on it before, questioned him, and argued until I was blue in the face. But nothing changed.

“You see our connection with malice because you’re overly looking for things to fight about,” he had said once, his voice dripping with frustration. As if I was the one to blame as if my feelings were the problem.

And every time, after he abandoned me for her, he would send roses. A pathetic attempt to smooth over the cracks, to placate me just enough to keep me in line. And like a fool, I had always accepted them, sinking deeper into the illusion that maybe, just maybe, things would get better.

But now, staring at those messages, I felt nothing but exhaustion. I was tired of pretending, tired of fighting for a mateship that had been doomed from the start.

I had forgiven him too many times, always thinking I could save us. But I was done. This time, I was truly done.

Days had passed, and the weight of my decision lingered like a heavy fog. As Luna, I still performed my duties. The Shadowveil Pack was mine by title, but in truth, it was a pack where I was merely a ghost—a Luna in name only, while the true throne was occupied by another.

Stepping out of my office in the evening, the familiar sight of Alpha Haynes standing outside caught my eye. He was dressed impeccably in a suit, his handsome face framed by the setting sun, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the confident set of his shoulders.

But despite his striking appearance, my heart remained untouched, my wolf silent and unmoved. Since the moment we first met, I felt the mate pull but my wolf was adamant about it. My wolf had been eerily quiet, almost reluctant. Perhaps she had known what kind of life awaited us, had I only listened more closely to her instincts.

I kept walking, pretending not to see him, hoping he would just let me be. But Haynes, ever persistent, quickly fell into step beside me. "It's Beta Ark's birthday today," he said, his voice even. "There's a dinner. Let's celebrate with him."

I stopped in my tracks, turning to face him. His expression was unreadable, as always. "Sure," I replied. We walked together in silence.

The night air was crisp, and as the wind picked up, a faint scent reached my nose—jasmine. The familiar floral fragrance clung to the air around Haynes, almost as if it were part of him. My heart clenched in recognition. It was Leila’s scent.

On a whim, I asked, "Do you like the smell of jasmine?"

Haynes’s eyes flickered, a brief moment of surprise flashing across his face. "It's okay," he said nonchalantly.

"Really?" I mused aloud. "Then why have I always smelled this scent on you before?"

He didn’t respond, and I didn’t push the matter further. There was no point. His silence told me everything I needed to know.

When we arrived at the villa where Beta Ark’s celebration was taking place, the warmth and light spilling from the windows did nothing to thaw the chill in my heart. The hall was filled with pack members and elders, all laughing and talking as they awaited our arrival. Leila was among them, her face lighting up in surprise when she saw us enter together.

"Good evening, Alpha Haynes, Luna Aeliana," she greeted us, her voice sugary sweet. "We’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

I forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "I’m sorry. I came in a hurry and didn’t bring a gift," I said, turning to Beta Ark.

Meanwhile, Beta Ark, ever the charmer, waved off my apology.

"I’ve given him a gift on your behalf," Haynes interjected smoothly before Ark could respond. "You don’t need to feel sorry."

His hand lightly grasped mine as he led me to the table. The remaining two seats were placed opposite each other, a detail I couldn’t help but notice. It felt like a setup, a subtle jab at my position.

I released his hand and walked straight to the seat opposite him, my movements deliberate. I could feel the eyes of the pack members on me, their judgment heavy in the air.

I knew what the pack members and the elders were thinking.

The elders—they never approved of Alpha Haynes and me being together and were always cold to me. It was because my pack, the Bloodmoon Pack, even though we were mated, never really approved of any alliance with the Shadowveil Pack. The Elders took it by heart while I understood my Alpha father because, for so long, our pack remained unaffiliated with outside packs; not even the Alpha King managed to get us on his side because we remained neutral throughout the years.

Before, I wanted to get along with the Elders, and I would give them gifts I carefully selected for every holiday.

But I've never seen anyone really use the things I gave them. They probably didn't want to accept me from the bottom of their hearts. I was too naive to see such an obvious thing until now.

Alpha Haynes’s expression tightened slightly, but he said nothing, simply taking the seat next to Leila as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The tension at the table was evident, though Haynes seemed oblivious, engaging in light conversation as though everything was perfectly normal. He peeled shrimp without pause, placing each piece on a plate in front of Leila. It was a simple act, but one that felt like a dagger to my chest.

Haynes had never been one for seafood unless someone peeled it for him. It was a quirk of his—he found it too troublesome to do it himself. And yet here he was, meticulously peeling an entire plate for Leila without a second thought. The sight made my stomach churn.

Beta Ark, ever the observer, noticed the tension. He leaned over, nudging Haynes with a sly grin. "Don’t favor one over the other, Alpha. Peel some shrimp for your Luna too."

His words were meant to be a joke, but I knew better. He was mocking me, making light of my humiliation. Haynes seemed to realize this, glancing at the empty plate in front of me. "Order another plate," he said, his tone clipped.

"No," I replied, taking a sip of my drink to mask the bitterness rising in my throat. "I don’t like shrimp."

Haynes raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by my refusal. "How about pasta then?"

"I don’t like it."

"Dessert?"

"I don’t like it either."

His surprise was evident now as if he had never truly considered my preferences before. Meeting his gaze, I calmly took a napkin, wiping my mouth before adding, "I don’t like anything you said."

There was a brief, stunned silence at the table before Leila spoke up, her voice laced with feigned concern. "Aeliana, are you angry? Why don’t you eat this plate of shrimp? Please don’t be angry with Alpha Haynes."