I woke up feeling worse than the night before.

Jack hadn’t come to bed. That wasn’t unusual. Sometimes he stayed in his office late, going over pack matters. But last night, after what I’d seen, it felt different.

I had to talk to him.

My stomach churned as I got ready. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest. Maybe there was an explanation. Maybe I’d misunderstood what I saw.

But deep down, I knew better.

When I walked into the kitchen, pack members were already buzzing about the ceremony. They greeted me with smiles, their excitement obvious.

“Luna Caroline,” one of the younger wolves said, bowing slightly. “Last night was incredible. Alpha Jack is so lucky to have you.”

I forced a smile. “Thank you.”

The words felt hollow.

I made my way to Jack’s office. The door was closed, but I didn’t bother knocking. I pushed it open, stepping inside.

Jack sat at his desk, papers spread out in front of him. He looked up, his face calm, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

“Caroline,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “What is it?”

I closed the door behind me. My hands trembled, but I clenched them into fists to steady myself. “We need to talk.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Can it wait? I’m busy.”

“No,” I said firmly. “It can’t.”

His jaw tightened. “What’s this about?”

I took a deep breath. “Last night, I saw you. In the hallway. With Clara.”

Jack froze for a split second, but then he sighed and shook his head. “Caroline, that’s not what you think.”

“Then what is it?” I demanded.

He stood up, towering over me. “Clara had a question about the ceremony. That’s all. You’re reading too much into this.”

“Really?” I said, my voice shaking. “Because I heard you. I heard what you said to her.”

Jack’s expression darkened. “You were eavesdropping?”

“I had to,” I snapped. “You’ve been avoiding me for weeks. Acting distant. And then I find you whispering to Clara, telling her she’s the one you want?”

“That’s enough,” he said, his voice sharp.

“No, it’s not!” I yelled. “You owe me an explanation!”

Jack sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “Caroline, I don’t have time for this right now. The pack needs me.”

“What about me?” I asked, my voice cracking. “I’m your mate. Your Luna. Do I mean anything to you?”

He didn’t answer.

The silence cut deeper than any words could.

Jack turned back to his desk, picking up a stack of papers. “We’ll talk about this later. I have work to do.”

“Of course you do,” I muttered bitterly.

I waited, hoping he would say something. Anything. But he didn’t even look at me.

The pressure in my chest grew heavier. Without another word, I turned and walked out of the office.

The hallway felt colder than usual. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold back tears.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. Jack and I were supposed to be a team. We were supposed to trust each other.

But now, everything felt wrong.

I wandered aimlessly through the packhouse, trying to clear my head. My feet led me back to Jack’s office door.

I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Part of me wanted to leave. But another part, the part that refused to be ignored, pushed me forward.

I stepped inside. The room was empty.

Jack must have left to check on the pack.

I glanced around, my eyes falling on his desk. Papers were scattered everywhere, his handwriting scrawled across them.

I knew I shouldn’t. But I couldn’t stop myself.

I walked over and picked up the first sheet I saw. It was a list of patrol schedules. The next was a financial report.

Then I saw it.

A folded piece of paper tucked under the edge of his desk.

I pulled it out, my heart racing.

It wasn’t like the other documents. It was personal.

My hands shook as I unfolded it.

The handwriting was delicate, slanted, and familiar.

Clara Sinly.

Her name was signed at the bottom, but it wasn’t just her name that caught my attention.

The words on the page sent a chill down my spine.

“Jack, I can’t wait forever. You promised me things would change. I’m starting to lose faith in you. Prove that I matter to you before it’s too late.”

My chest tightened.

I stared at the note, my mind racing.

This wasn’t just a misunderstanding. Clara wasn’t just another pack member.

She was something more. Something I couldn’t ignore.

The door creaked open behind me, and I froze.

“Caroline?”

I turned quickly, shoving the note into my pocket. It was Beth.

She frowned, stepping inside. “What are you doing in here?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Just…thinking.”

Beth’s eyes narrowed. “Are you okay? You’ve been acting strange all morning.”

I forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t press further. “Everyone’s asking for you. They want to know when the Luna will make an appearance.”

I nodded absently. “I’ll be there soon.”

Beth hesitated, then left the room.

I leaned against the desk, my legs feeling weak.

The note burned in my pocket like a hidden secret, too heavy to ignore.

I had proof now. Proof that Jack was lying to me.

But what was I supposed to do with it?

My role as Luna was starting to feel like a title without meaning. I was supposed to be Jack’s partner, his equal. But he didn’t treat me like one.

He treated me like an afterthought.

The mate bond ached, a continous display of what I was supposed to feel for him.

But now, all I felt was anger.

And heartbreak.

I straightened, taking a deep breath. I couldn’t let this break me. Not yet.

There were still questions that needed answers.

And I wasn’t going to stop until I found them.

The gathering was in full swing. The packhouse buzzed with laughter, conversations, and the sound of clinking glasses. I stood near the edge of the room, my heart heavy.

Jack moved through the crowd like a true Alpha. Confident. Commanding. Everyone seemed drawn to him.

But I couldn’t shake the memory of the note I’d found. The words replayed in my mind like a broken record.

Clara was here. I’d seen her earlier, standing close to Jack, laughing at something he said. Too close.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

Beth nudged me from the side. “You’re awfully quiet tonight,” she said.

“I’m fine,” I replied, forcing a smile.

But I wasn’t fine. I couldn’t just stand here and pretend everything was normal. Not when I knew what I knew.

Jack caught my eye from across the room. He smiled at me, but it felt hollow. Forced.

I took a deep breath and started walking toward him.

As I approached, Clara stepped into view. She was by his side again, her hand brushing against his arm.

My stomach turned.

“Jack,” I said firmly, stopping in front of them.

He looked at me, his smile faltering. “Caroline. Enjoying the party?”

“I need to talk to you,” I said, ignoring Clara.

His brow furrowed. “Now?”

“Yes. Now.”

Clara smirked, stepping back but not far enough. She was still close, her presence irritating.

“Fine,” Jack said, his tone sharp. “What’s so urgent?”

I glanced around. Everyone was watching. The pack had stopped their conversations, their eyes fixed on us.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.

Jack frowned. “What are you talking about?”

I looked at Clara. “Her. Why is she always by your side? Why is she in your office, leaving notes?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Clara’s face turned pale, but she quickly recovered, her lips curving into a smug smile.

“This is ridiculous,” Jack said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

“No, it’s not,” I shot back. “I found her note, Jack. I know something is going on.”

Clara stepped forward, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Luna, I think you’ve misunderstood. I would never—”

“Don’t lie to me!” I snapped, my voice shaking. “I saw you with him. I heard him tell you—”

“Enough!” Jack interrupted, his voice booming.

The room fell silent.

Jack turned to face the pack, his expression cold. “Caroline has been under a lot of stress lately,” he said. “She’s imagining things. There’s nothing between me and Clara.”

I stared at him, disbelief washing over me. “Imagining?” I repeated.

“Yes,” he said firmly. “You’re being delusional.”

The words hit me like a slap.

A murmur spread through the crowd. I could feel their eyes on me, judging. Doubting.

“Jack,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “How can you say that?”

“Because it’s the truth,” he said.

Clara stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his arm. “Luna, I understand if you’re feeling insecure, but I assure you, there’s nothing inappropriate happening here.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Jack had turned the pack against me in an instant.

He had humiliated me.

I turned and walked out of the room, my vision blurry with tears.

The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside. I gasped for breath, my chest tight.

This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.

Jack had called me delusional. In front of everyone. He had chosen Clara’s side.

I wandered into the forest, needing to be alone. The trees offered a comforting silence, but it wasn’t enough to stop the ache in my chest.

I sat on a fallen log, staring at the ground.

The mate bond tugged at me, a cruel display of the love I was supposed to feel for Jack. But how could I love someone who treated me like this?

Footsteps behind me broke the silence.

I turned, half expecting Jack to come and apologize.

But it wasn’t Jack.

It was them.

Jack and Clara.

They stood a few feet away, their backs to me. They didn’t see me.

I froze, my heart pounding.

Clara leaned closer to Jack, her voice soft. I couldn’t hear what she said, but the way she looked at him made my blood boil.

Then it happened.

Jack cupped her face and kissed her.

Under the moonlight, with no hesitation.

My breath caught in my throat.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think.

The bond between us shattered into pieces.

Tears streamed down my face as I turned and ran.

The morning was cold, and the air heavy. I woke with a knot in my stomach, the kind that doesn’t go away no matter how hard you try to ignore it.

Jack hadn’t come home last night. Again.

I sat up in the bed that once felt warm and safe. Now it felt like a prison. My eyes landed on the empty side of the bed. The sheets were still neat, untouched.

Something inside me broke.

I got dressed quickly, pulling on a simple sweater and jeans. My hands shook as I tied my hair back.

I had to know the truth.

I marched to Jack’s office. My steps were firm, my heart pounding like a drum. The hallway seemed longer than usual, the walls closing in around me.

When I reached the door, I hesitated for a moment. Then I pushed it open.

The office was quiet, filled with the scent of cedarwood and Jack’s cologne. Papers were scattered across his desk, but something caught my eye immediately.

A scarf.

It wasn’t mine.

I stepped closer, my fingers brushing the soft fabric. The scent was unmistakable. Clara’s perfume.

My chest tightened as I moved toward his desk. The scarf wasn’t the only thing. There was a notebook open, and on the corner of the page, I saw it.

Her name.

Clara.

The words beside it burned into my mind.

“My love. My future.”

I slammed the notebook shut, my hands trembling.

This was it. The proof I needed.

I stormed out of the office, my vision blurred with anger and tears. My feet carried me toward the packhouse, toward the place where I knew I’d find them.

The dining hall was bustling with pack members. Laughter echoed, but it all stopped the moment I walked in.

Their eyes followed me as I made my way through the room. Whispers filled the air.

Then I saw them.

Jack and Clara.

They sat together at the far end of the room, close enough to touch. Her hand rested on his arm, her smile sweet and poisonous.

I couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Jack!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the murmurs.

He looked up, surprised at first. Then his expression hardened.

“What is it, Caroline?” he asked, his tone cold.

I ignored the stares and marched right up to them. “You’ve been lying to me. To the pack. To everyone.”

Clara leaned back in her chair, her smile widening. “Luna, you should really calm down.”

“Don’t call me that!” I snapped, glaring at her.

Jack stood, towering over me. “What are you doing?”

“I’m done pretending,” I said, holding up the scarf. “This is hers. I found it in your office. Along with your notebook.”

He didn’t flinch. Not even a flicker of guilt crossed his face.

“So what if it is?” Clara said, standing beside him.

My heart stopped.

Jack didn’t say anything. He didn’t deny it.

“You’ve marked her, haven’t you?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

Clara tilted her head, exposing the fresh mark on her neck. The proof was right there, glowing like a brand.

The room erupted in gasps and murmurs.