"Mom, my birthday’s coming up! Can Dad be with me, please?” Castor pleaded, his small hands shaking as he clung to my shirt.

In just two days, my only son, Castor, the rightful heir to the Alpha legacy, would turn six.

But fate had dealt us a bitter blow. His father, Draco Monroe, the current Alpha of the Wind Winder Pack, had long vanished from our lives, more devoted to his rank than to fatherhood, abandoning the bond that should’ve been stronger than any pack duty.

In the end, Castor had grown up without the comfort of his father’s affection, a love he had longed for but was always denied.

To make matters worse, Alpha Draco remained oblivious that Castor had a mysterious curse draining his life.

While Castor slumbered peacefully in his room, I anxiously awaited Alpha Draco’s return, hoping he would arrive before midnight.

At last, he came home with his weary warriors, exhaustion etched on his face. With my little courage, I told him Castor's heartfelt wish, his only plea before the curse would take over his life.

Just this once, I pleaded with him to grant Castor’s wish. But Alpha Draco dismissed it without a second glance.

"You know I’m the Alpha. I can’t just abandon my responsibilities," he said, repeating the same excuse I had heard countless times before.

As always, his duties as Alpha overshadowed the moments he could have spent with his own son.

On the eve of Castor’s birthday, I reached out through the mind-link, pleading with Alpha Draco to return to the pack mansion, where Castor and I eagerly awaited him. But as always, he was neck-deep in his duties, making no promises he’d show up, leaving us hanging on by a thread of hope.

Before Alpha Draco could make it home, Castor suddenly collapsed, his strength slipping away like sand through my fingers.

Panic surged through me as I called for the healer. But when he arrived and examined my son, he only sighed and said, "I'm afraid your son's curse is taking his life."

Devastated and unprepared to lose Castor, I desperately tried to reach Alpha Draco through our mind-link, but he was unreachable.

In my despair, I urged the healer to do everything he could, but despite our efforts, my son drew his last breath in my arms. Left high and dry, I held him as life slipped away.

My heart crumbled into tiny pieces, knowing how I was a gifted Luna but lacked the ability to take my son back. As I cried my heart out, I swore on my life to unveil the truth to whoever cursed my son and to cut ties with Alpha Draco once and for all.

Under wraps, I arranged Castor's burial with no one known except for a few servants, the healer, and the Beta.

While I was on the verge of despair, Alpha Draco was oblivious to everything that transpired.

Little did I know, he wasn’t neck-deep in his Alpha duties but instead spent time with my sister, Astra Garfield, who had stolen the spotlight from me and my son.

If it weren’t for his loyal warriors, who were too worried to stay silent, I would’ve been left in the dark about the truth.

Alpha Draco shattered my faith and forced me to stand my ground, determined to reject him when he returned, allowing him to bask in Astra’s embrace instead of mine. Well, it was Astra, whom he thought to be his chosen mate.

Yet, in the end, Astra opted to chase her dreams in a neighboring town, leaving Alpha Draco to redirect his focus onto me. I thought that being chosen and claimed would make me victorious in winning his heart, but I was sorely mistaken and left with nothing but regret.

As I gathered my composure, I wiped away my tears while standing at my son’s grave. Eventually, I steeled myself to return to the pack mansion, accepting the painful truth that it had never truly felt like home.

Though Alpha Draco would occasionally drop by, he never lingered, always opting to slip away whenever I urged him to spend time with us.

Every corner of the pack mansion echoed with memories of Castor, each a bittersweet reminder of our lost joy.

With tears streaming down my face, I began the heart-wrenching task of clearing away the remnants of our life together, feeling the weight of our shared history pressing down on me.

With Alpha Draco’s neglect heavy on my heart, I packed my belongings, resolute in my decision to leave.

Just as I was about to leave, the door swung open, revealing Alpha Draco holding Astra in his arms like a bride.

He stared at me, eyes ablaze with surprise, yet he brushed past me as if I were just a fleeting shadow, not worth a single word of explanation.

That wasn't new to me. Whenever Astra was around, I vanished from his sight.

As soon as Alpha Draco spotted my suitcase, he came to an abrupt halt, his gaze darkening with barely concealed fury, his inner wolf raging beneath the surface.

"Stella, what's this drama about now?" he demanded. "Can’t you just be a little more understanding? Just because I didn’t make it home on time doesn’t mean you must put on a show."

While Astra, still clinging to his neck, looked up at me and said, "Stella, I twisted my ankle after being chased by bandits. I almost lost my life, so he brought me here to care. You don't mind, do you?”

Still, I stayed silent, watching as Alpha Draco laid Astra on the sofa, treating her like she was the mate he was meant to cherish.

Out of the blue, he summoned the healer to tend to her while shifting his focus back to me.

“Go back to your room!” he barked. “I’ll have dinner with Castor tomorrow. Isn’t that what you want?”

“Too late. Just enjoy your time with Astra,” I shot back, my voice cold. “Alpha Draco, being mated to you is my greatest regret.”

Back then, during a duel with fellow pack members, I lost my balance and broke my leg.

With Alpha Draco watching the chaos unfold, I cried out, asking him to rush me to the infirmary.

Instead of coming to my rescue, he waved me off, saying, “It’s just a broken leg. Why bother me when you know I’m swamped with my duties?”

Little did he know, he was my final refuge right after my sister forsaken me.

When Alpha Draco dismissed my feelings, assuming it was nothing more than burning with envy, I uttered, “Let’s put an end to this. I don't want to be mated to someone only to be cast aside in the end.”

Besides, our marriage beneath the full moon felt like a forced union, especially with Alpha Draco’s reluctance hanging in the air.

No matter how determined I was, he insisted that I shouldn't use my tactics to divert his attention, convinced I was manipulating him through my son to draw him closer and steal moments together.

A year ago, Castor had been a lively child, brimming with energy and undergoing rigorous training. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he had fallen victim to a mysterious curse, leaving even the seer at a loss to uncover who had cast it upon him. Since that fateful moment, Castor had been in and out of treatment, fighting a battle none of us could fully understand.

With the curse, Castor was forced to put his training on hold, spending most of his days resting in his room and visiting the infirmary for regular check-ups.

As his health slowly deteriorated, Castor had once hoped to feel the warmth of his father’s affection, but Alpha Draco never made an effort to visit him.

It seemed that led him to believe I was exploiting our son to garner his sympathy and love. Just the idea of it tightened my claws in frustration. Even my inner wolf writhed in anger at the thought that our mate could doubt our loyalty.

“Alpha, I don’t care what you think; I’m exhausted. I’m leaving, whether you like it or not,” I insisted, determination surging within me as I headed for the door with my luggage in tow.

When I was set to walk away, Astra asked, “Is my dear sister throwing a fit just because her dinner plans with her son were pushed aside? You didn’t cancel that for our mountain trip, did you?”

Alpha Draco’s soothing words to Astra grated on my nerves. Fed up, I ignored them and pulled my suitcase toward the door.

Sensing something was amiss, he rushed after me, grasping my hand and urging me to stay, insisting it was still midnight.

“So, Astra is right? You’re throwing a tantrum just because I couldn’t keep my promise, huh?” he questioned.

With tears streaming down my face, I saw a shadow of pity cross his features. In a surprising turn, Alpha Draco acknowledged his fault, suggesting we defer the dinner with Castor and me to the following month.

But it felt like a faint glimmer of hope; my son was gone, and the dinner table would forever hold his absence.

If only he truly cared, he wouldn’t be so oblivious, spouting such foolish words.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I said, “No need for that, Alpha!”

In that instant, Alpha Draco gazed at his empty palm, momentarily taken aback. He couldn’t fathom that the Luna who once clung to him would now weave around him like a wisp of smoke.

Shaking off his surprise, he attempted to reach out, but Astra’s hand tightened around his arm, pulling him back.

"Alpha Draco, this is all on me," Astra admitted, her voice trembling with guilt. "I knew deep down that Castor was pretending to have a cursed illness, yet I still stooped to competing with a child for your attention. And now, I’ve only managed to ignite Stella's anger toward me.”

Dumbfounded, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that my sister, who had already swept Alpha Draco away from me and my son, would have the audacity to believe that Castor’s cursed illness was nothing but a deception.

With the healer's presence, he stepped forward, poised to unveil the truth. Yet, I raised a hand to stop him, my heart heavy with disbelief and turmoil.

When my wolf could no longer contain her fury, she surged forth, taking control and shifting into my majestic form. In a blind rage, I lunged at Astra, claws poised to strike. Through a mind link, I growled a fierce warning, "My son would never fake his curse!"

In an instant, Alpha Draco stepped in to halt the confrontation, pushing my wolf aside and shielding Astra behind him.

“Stella, what are you doing? She’s your sister. Don’t lose sight of that!” he thundered.

With a deep breath, I steadied myself and shifted back to my human form, locking eyes with Astra.

With a wounded expression, she pleaded, “Alpha Draco, don’t let me come between you two. If my sister refuses to see that Castor is faking his cursed illness, I’ll just drop it.”

Caught off guard, I looked at Alpha Draco and demanded, “Even you think Castor is faking it?”

He faltered, grasping for words, but then his gaze swept the room.

“Where is he?” he pressed. “Where have you stashed him?”

It was clear as day that Alpha Draco had been captivated by Astra’s allure. If he hadn’t taken to disappearing into the shadows, he might have caught sight of the potions and herbal treatments the healer had prepared for my son.

I remembered the moment Castor grasped his time, which was running short. His only wish was for us to be together as a family once more.

Desperate, I had pleaded with Alpha Draco, even going so far as to kneel before him, my heart laid bare. In the end, I clung to his pants, vowing that this would be the last time I troubled him. I was ready to release him from the chains of our bond.

“You mean that?” He asked, his voice a blend of disbelief and hope.

“Yes,” I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks as I closed my eyes. “I, Luna Stella, wish to end our mateship. I will set you free.”

When I finally insisted on letting go, Alpha Draco didn’t try to halt me. It was a bittersweet relief to be free from him, though the weight of my duties as Luna still to me like a shadow I couldn’t shake.

While I kept my distance from Alpha Draco, memories of who he once was flooded my mind.

Back then, my family and I were on a quiet walk through the woods when we unexpectedly crossed paths with the pitiful him.

He came dashing toward us, rogues hot on his trail, desperate for our help. Without hesitation, we saved him, escaping together before the rogues could strike.

In that fleeting moment, I begged my mother to take him in, and just like that, he became part of our family, my brother in name, if not by blood.

Right there and then, life took a different turn when my parents broke their bond. My father took Astra while I remained in the Northwood Pack with my mother.

With my mother’s protection, I was always at Alpha Draco’s side, clinging to his sleeve, pleading for him to come with us. But his heart was bound to Astra. Yet, I pulled him along, and from that moment, he was tied to me, caught in a choice he never wanted to make.

When my mother fell gravely ill, she entrusted me to Alpha Draco, her voice weak but firm. “Draco, take care of my daughter. I can only find peace when she’s safe in your arms.”

Left with no choice but to claim me as his chosen mate, not his fated one, and we were wed beneath the full moon.

“It’s all you deserve,” he had said, his words sharp as a blade.

Even in her final moments, my mother asked us to make the wedding official, but Alpha Draco evaded her dying wish.

When we stepped out of Northwood Pack’s infirmary, his patience wore thin, and I could feel the storm brewing between us.

“Wasn’t it enough that your mother forced me into this marriage?” he thundered. “Now you want to make it official?”

Before I could utter a word in my defense, he cut me off, declaring there was no point. “Astra’s coming back; once she does, our mateship is as good as over.”

It was as if my mother’s death had summoned her return.

Even then, his heart remained tethered to her. He knew Astra would never accept him as her mate while I still held that bond. So, he waited, biding his time, planning for the moment when we would sever our ties, casting aside the bond that once linked us.

Not long after that, his ailing father called him to Wind Winder Pack to take over as Alpha. I was granted the title of Luna, and Castor was named the heir to the Alpha legacy.

But it was all just for show. The truth was, I wasn’t meant to be Luna; Astra was. The highest honor was always meant for her, the one who held his heart.

Because of Castor and me, Astra hesitated to take Alpha Draco’s vow to claim the mate bond they both longed for. She knew his heart, but my existence complicated everything. I was ready to let him go, ready to fade from his life, from the Wind Winder Pack.

As I regained my composure, Alpha Draco’s cold mind-link pierced through my thoughts, "To the pack mansion. Now!"

Yet, I stood my ground and chose to ignore him.

When the next morning came, all of a sudden, warriors, hot under the collar, stormed into my apartment, kicking my door.

Despite their silence about who had given the orders, they dragged me back to the pack mansion, tossing me before Alpha Draco and Astra like a criminal about to face judgment.

Warriors compelled me to kneel before them in submission. When Alpha Draco's eyes and I met, his gaze was stone cold, devoid of the warmth I had once sought.

"Stella, apologize to your sister," he commanded, his voice cutting like ice. “Look what you have done to her face!”

With confidence, I uttered, “No, I won't apologize and will never be.”

Alpha Draco's eyes flickered with shock at my defiance, not expecting me to be hard-headed.

Every time he scolded me, I always obeyed his commands. Once, I dreamed of finding my fated mate, and when the Moon Goddess finally gifted him to me, I seized the chance.

But no matter how hard I tried, I could never compete with Astra. Nothing I did was ever good enough.

With the elders present, their eyes clouded by ignorance, they proposed a punishment for me. They warned that if I didn’t learn my lesson, my title as Luna would be stripped away. But none of it fazed me. After losing my son, I lost the will to navigate this life.

Alpha Draco remained motionless, declaring, “Don’t push me to my limits, Stella.”

Shaking my head, I shoved the warriors aside as I stood, determined to walk away from this madness.

Warriors blocked my path before I could slip away, forcing me back to kneel before him.

Alpha Draco continued to press for my apology, threatening, “If you refuse, I’ll take custody of Castor, and you’ll never see him again.”

His words made me laugh out loud, leaving everyone in stunned silence. When Astra insisted I didn't have to apologize, Alpha Draco erupted in fury.

“Don’t just say that, Astra! Your sister must face the consequences of her actions!” he erupted.

When Alpha Draco spoke, he turned to me and declared, “Imprison her. Let her rot without food or water; it’s the punishment she deserves!”

Right there and then, he signaled his warriors to take me, which never made me scared out of my wits.

“Punish me all you want,” I shot back defiantly, “but justice will prevail. Don’t be surprised when the Moon Goddess starts haunting you all soon.”