Austen snatched the necklace from my hand.

"Lower your head, Sera," Austen said softly.

Seraphina obediently lowered her head, revealing her long, pale neck.

His hands were steady as he held the necklace, his focus absolute. In the fading light, he looked like a priest performing a sacred ritual.

His eyes saw only her.

That focused gaze, those careful movements, that gentle expression…

It was exactly how he had looked when he’d placed the bonding necklace on me at our ceremony.

The moonstone glowed against her skin. She looked like a real Luna, elegant and captivating.

"So beautiful!" the onlookers gasped.

"Seraphina is a natural-born Luna!"

"That necklace looks like it was made for her!"

"She deserves that title more than anyone!"

Every compliment was a knife in my heart.

Seraphina, surrounded by her fawning entourage, had a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

She stroked the necklace, basking in the attention.

Then, her eyes met mine.

A look of fake panic crossed her face, as if she'd forgotten she was the one who demanded it.

"Oh no!" She made a show of fumbling to take the necklace off. "I can't wear this! It belongs to the true Luna! I'm not worthy..."

Her voice trembled, and tears of "remorse" filled her eyes.

"Sera, it's fine," Austen said, stopping her hand. "Just wear it for a little while. It looks good."

"No! Absolutely not!" Seraphina shook her head, pulling at the clasp while looking at me. "Evelyn, I'm so sorry! I was just so captivated by its beauty!"

She made a show of fumbling with the clasp, her fingers shaking dramatically.

I instinctively reached out my hand.

But just as the necklace was about to be passed to me…

Her fingers "accidentally" slipped.

The Moonlight Necklace slid from her grasp.

CRACK.

The sound of shattering stone split the air.

The moonstone hit the stone steps. A spiderweb of cracks fractured the gem's surface before it shattered into a thousand pieces.

The sacred symbol of generations of Lunas, destroyed right before my eyes.

"No!" Seraphina fell to her knees, staring at the fragments with red-rimmed eyes. "I didn't mean to! I really didn't mean to!"

"It's all Evelyn's fault!" a girl named Ellie immediately accused. "Sera was trying to give it back to you! Why didn't you catch it properly?"

"Yeah!" another girl, Camilla, chimed in. "Now look what happened! Such a precious treasure is ruined!"

"Sera was being so careful! You're the one who couldn't hold on to it!"

The accusations crashed over me.

I could only stare at the glittering shards on the ground. My heart had shattered with them.

That necklace, just like my past life's spirit wolf and my position as Luna... all so fragile.

"Evelyn." Austen walked up to me, his tone an undeniable command. "Sera didn't do it on purpose. Just look at her. She’s devastated. Forgive her."

I looked up at him.

There was no pain in his eyes for the broken necklace, no guilt toward me.

Only protectiveness for Seraphina and annoyance at me for "making a scene."

"She didn't do it on purpose," he repeated, his voice harder. "Don't make her feel guilty."

I opened my mouth to argue.

To remind him of the honor this necklace represented.

To tell him Seraphina obviously let it go.

To tell him how much this hurt.

Then the memory of the potion hit me like ice water. The Moon-Eclipse Potion. In twenty-eight days, I would be free. None of this would matter.

Why waste a single emotion on these people?

"Of course," I said, turning to leave. "The Alpha is right."

"Evelyn!" Austen called after me.

I heard his footsteps following.

But in the next second, a pained moan came from Seraphina.

"Austen… I don't feel good… my stomach hurts…"

His footsteps stopped cold.

"Sera! What's wrong?" Austen spun around and ran to her without a second thought. "I'll get you to the infirmary right now!"

I kept walking, not looking back.

Behind me, I could hear his worried voice and the comforting murmurs of the others.

Back in the main building, I went straight to my closet and started packing a bag.

An hour later, the door opened.

Austen walked in, a hint of apology on his face.

"Evelyn, about the necklace…"

"How is she?" I asked, not looking up from my packing. "Is Seraphina okay?"

"She was just emotional," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The doctor said she just needs to rest."

"Good to hear."

He watched me packing and frowned.

"You're not really leaving over a necklace, are you?"

A necklace?

I stopped and looked at him.

"In your eyes, that was just a necklace?"

"That's not what I meant…" He looked flustered. "I know it was important, but it's broken. We can find the best craftsman to fix it. There must be some magic that can repair it perfectly…"

"Repair it?" I laughed, a cold, empty sound. "Austen, some things, once they're broken, stay broken."

"It's not just the necklace."

He was silent for a few seconds, then pulled a small, ornate box from his jacket.

"I got this for you." His voice softened. "I know you've been upset lately. I hope this makes you happy."

I took the box, my heart giving an unwelcome flutter.

Just then, the door was thrown open again.

"Austen!" Camilla burst in, ecstatic. "It's the best news!"

"Seraphina's pregnant! They just confirmed it!"

The box slipped from his hand, falling to the floor with a clatter.

His face was a storm of emotions.

Shock, joy, panic… all swirled together.

"What did you say?" His voice trembled.

"Sera's pregnant!" Camilla was practically bouncing. "She's scared right now! She wants to see you!"

Austen glanced at me, a flash of guilt in his eyes.

But the hesitation was quickly replaced by excitement.

"I'm coming," he said, rushing out the door.

The door slammed shut.

I bent down and picked up the gift box, slowly opening it.

Inside was a gaudy, oversized ruby ring.

The style was gaudy, the color garish. It wasn’t me. It was proof he’d never really seen me at all.

I closed the box and walked to the trash. The ring made a soft clink as it landed.

"You're going to be a father!" a voice celebrated outside.

The excited voices outside faded away.

An invisible fist clamped around my heart, squeezing the air from my lungs. The pain spread from my chest through my entire body.

Seraphina was pregnant?

With Austen’s child?

Two hours later, Austen finally returned.

He looked flustered, but he was trying to hide it behind a mask of nonchalance.

"Evelyn, about Sera's pregnancy, I need to explain."

I put down my book and looked at him.

"The baby isn't mine," he said, walking toward me, his tone certain. "It has to be her ex's. She just broke her bond with her previous mate, right? The timing fits perfectly."

He said it so casually, as if it were a minor inconvenience.

"So?" I asked calmly.

"So, you don't need to worry." He sat beside me, trying to pull me into a hug. "There's nothing wrong between us. You're overthinking this."

Overthinking?

I looked at his matter-of-fact expression, and a wave of sadness washed over me.

Did he really think a few simple words would put me at ease?

Did he think I was still the same foolish woman who would forgive anything he said?

Just then, I heard laughter from outside the window.

My gaze drifted down to the garden.

Seraphina was standing there, surrounded by a crowd of fawning girls.

She had one hand on her stomach, a satisfied smile on her face.

It wasn't the look of a nervous, first-time mother.

It was the smug look of a victor.

When she thought no one was looking, she glanced up toward the main building, a sly glint in her eye.

In that instant, I understood everything.

The child was Austen's.

In my past life, this never happened.

Seraphina was never pregnant, and she certainly never had a child with Austen.

Was it my distance this time that pushed them together?

Was it my coldness that made him seek comfort in her arms?

"I get it," I said, standing up again and walking to my closet.

"Get what?" Austen frowned.

"I get that you two are a perfect match." I shoved the rest of my clothes into my suitcase. "Now that she's having a baby, your future together is even more secure."

"Evelyn, what are you talking about?" His tone grew impatient. "I told you the baby isn't mine. Why won't you believe me?"

"It doesn't matter if I believe you or not," I said, closing the suitcase. "What matters is, I'm leaving."

His face changed. "What?"

"You heard me." I dragged my suitcase to the door. "I'm leaving."

"No!" He shot to his feet, physically blocking my path. "You can't leave. You are my Luna. And you are carrying our child!"

"A child?" I scoffed. "Aren't you more concerned about the one in Seraphina's belly?"

"It's not mine!" he snapped, growing agitated. "Evelyn, stop being unreasonable!"

Unreasonable.

That word extinguished the last bit of warmth in my soul.

"Fine." I moved around him. "Since I'm so unreasonable, you don't have to worry about me anymore."

"Where could you possibly go?" he demanded, his voice dripping with terrifying confidence. "Outside this pack, you are nothing. You have nothing."

His voice was dripping with a terrifying confidence.

As if I was his property, and I could never truly leave him.

I didn't answer. I just walked out of the room.

Downstairs, I made a call on a secure line.

"It's me, Evelyn," I whispered. "Arrange for pickup. I'm leaving ahead of schedule."

"Understood, Master. We'll meet at the old oak tree on the back hill in two hours."

After hanging up, I glanced at the clock.

Two hours to go.

I headed to the back garden to wait.

Night fell, and the pack grew quiet.

I sat alone on a stone bench, watching the distant lights.

This place was once my home.

Now, it was the place I was most desperate to escape.

When the time was almost up, I started toward the back hill.

The moonlight was faint, the path rugged.

I walked carefully, trying not to make a sound.

Finally, I reached the old oak tree.

I saw a figure waiting in the shadows.

"You came."

A familiar voice.

My heart sank.

It wasn't my contact from the Alliance.

It was Seraphina.

She stepped out of the shadows, a cold smirk on her face.

In the moonlight, her expression was sinister.

"Surprised?" she purred, stroking her belly. "The men you were waiting for? Let's just say they've been... detained. Permanently."

I took a step back. "What do you want?"

"To send you on your way, of course." She pulled a black crystal from her robes. "Since you want to leave so badly, you can just never come back."

The crystal began to glow with an eerie red light, a foul energy filling the air.

"The Soul-Devouring Curse," I recognized the forbidden magic.

"Clever girl," she sneered, chanting an ancient spell. "But you're too late."

"You and that little bastard in your belly can go to hell together!"

A spear of black energy shot from the crystal, aimed right at my stomach.

A searing pain tore through my consciousness.

I could feel the small life inside me writhing in agony, its faint heartbeat fading fast.

"No! My baby!"

I desperately summoned my healing energy to fight back, a silver light clashing with the black curse.

But the curse was too strong. I couldn't block it all.

"Hahaha!" Seraphina's laughter was manic. "After you're dead, I'll be Austen's Luna! It's all your fault for stealing everything that was mine!"

I felt the life inside me growing weaker, about to slip into an eternal sleep.

"My baby..." A silent scream tore through me for the child I was about to lose. "I'm so sorry..."

My vision went black, and I collapsed onto the cold, rocky ground.

Before I lost consciousness, I heard Seraphina's triumphant voice.

"No one can save you now."

When I opened my eyes again, I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

The room smelled of herbs, nothing like the pack's infirmary.

"You're awake."

A gentle male voice came from beside the bed.

I struggled to turn my head and saw a young, blond-haired man sitting in a chair, his eyes filled with concern.

"Who...?" My voice was a dry whisper.

"Liam Grey. Senior Healer of the Neutral Healers' Alliance." He handed me a glass of water. "The Alliance sent me to investigate a surge of forbidden magic, and I found you."

I took the water, my hand still shaking.

"How long was I out?"

"Ten days." Liam's expression was grave. "You were hit by a high-level curse. Your spirit wolf almost shattered completely."

Ten days.

"My baby..." I whispered, my hand flying to my stomach.

"Still there," Liam said, gently placing his hand over mine. "The heartbeat is very weak, but it's alive."

Just then, a sharp pain shot through my chest.

"Ah!"

"It's the Moon-Eclipse Potion," Liam’s voice was tight with alarm. "It’s activating. You have to fight through it. Hold on!"

The burning agony spread from my heart through my whole body. My spirit wolf was screaming. I felt invisible chains snapping one by one.

It was my soul-bond with Austen.

The seed I had planted thirty days ago had finally bloomed.

A final, violent SNAP echoed in the depths of my soul.

And then… nothing. Silence. Freedom.

The pain was gone.

I collapsed onto the bed, gasping.

For the first time in two lifetimes, my heart felt light.

I was free.

"It's done," Liam said, checking my vitals. "Your mate bond is completely severed. From now on, you are free."

"But now," Liam looked at me with worry, "you must go to the Shadowmire Swamp to save your pup."

---

Austen's POV

"Alpha, we've searched the entire northern forest. Still no sign of her."

I looked at my captain's exhausted face, my frustration reaching its peak.

It had been ten days.

For ten days, I'd used every resource, sent out hundreds of pack members.

I had personally searched every inch of land, every possible hiding place.

But she was gone. Vanished into thin air.

"Keep looking!" I roared. "I want her found. Dead or alive."

My men exchanged glances. They could all see I was on the verge of breaking.

Back in my study, I collapsed into my chair.

The desk was piled high with search reports, every single one a dead end.

"Austen..."

Seraphina knocked softly and entered with a cup of hot tea.

"You haven't rested in ten days," she said gently, placing the cup in front of me. "You're going to collapse if you keep this up."

I didn't look up. "How can I rest when she's not found?"

"Maybe..." Seraphina said, carefully sitting beside me. "Maybe Evelyn is just throwing a tantrum. You know how women can be. She just wants to make you worry, to prove that you care."

I looked up at her.

Her eyes were full of concern, and something else... a hint of expectation I couldn't quite place.

"Right." I tried to clear my head. "She must still be angry about the necklace, and the misunderstanding about the pregnancy."

After all, Evelyn loved me so much.

We were fated mates. How could she really leave me?

"She'll come back," I said, my voice firming with certainty. "Once I find her, apologize, and explain everything, she'll forgive me."

A flash of disappointment crossed Seraphina's face, but she quickly hid it.

"Of course. But... what if she really doesn't want to come back..."

"She will," I cut her off.

"Evelyn can't live without me," I said, the words a shield against the creeping fear. "She's just trying to make me worry. To make me realize how important she is."

"But what if..."

"There is no 'what if'," I said, standing up. "We are mates. Our souls are connected. She could never truly leave me."

Seraphina bit her lip, her eyes filled with a complicated mix of emotions.

"Then... what about me?" she asked, her hand on her belly. "What about my child?"

"You're my sister. I will take care of you," I said, standing up. "But my Luna can only be Evelyn."

Moonlit Cliff...

I remembered how Evelyn used to go there when she was upset. Maybe I missed a clue!

I stood, ready to race to the cliff.

But just then, a tearing pain ripped through my chest.

"Argh!"

A violent cough ripped through me, and blood sprayed from my lips. My knees gave out. I crashed to the floor as a phantom hand plunged into my chest and tore my soul in half.

This feeling...

The mate bond... it's breaking!

"No! Evelyn!" I screamed at the sky. "Impossible!"

The pain grew more intense. I could feel the invisible thread connecting our souls snapping, inch by inch.

Every break was like another slice into my heart.

"Austen!" Seraphina knelt beside me in terror. "What's wrong?"

"She... she's severing the bond," I gasped, the words torn from me. I curled into a ball on the floor, consumed by agony.

SNAP.

With one final, sickening crack, it was over.

The emptiness swallowed my world whole.

I felt like a walking corpse.

"No... impossible..." I stared at my hands, trembling. "How could she... she loves me so much... how could she really sever the bond..."

A colossal fear suddenly gripped my heart.

She wasn't throwing a tantrum.

She wasn't trying to make me worry.

She was actually leaving me. For good.

"Evelyn..." My voice shook. "Our bond... no!"