Ellen's POV

“Yes,” I replied, my voice slicing through the quiet like the edge of a dagger. My face remained emotionless, though inside I relished the hint of fear that flickered in Jaime’s eyes. He paced the room in agitation, his steps erratic, resembling a wild animal trapped in a cage, desperately seeking a way out. “Terry is gone, Jaime. Who will now claim the Blackthorn legacy?”

He halted abruptly and turned to face me, his features softening into a practiced look of false warmth. Once upon a time, that expression might have convinced me. But not anymore.

“My Luna, Ellen,” he murmured, his voice oozing artificial sweetness. He reached out to take my hand, his gesture deliberate, every move choreographed. “We’re both mourning. Terry was our world. Don’t you think it’s too early? I’m just not ready—”

“Is that really why?” I interrupted, my tone sharp and low like a blade sliding between ribs.

His carefully built mask cracked for a second. His jaw locked, and a hardness entered his eyes. “You don’t grasp the weight of grief,” he barked, the bitterness in his voice catching me off guard. “Did you even care for her? Or is this just another power play for your Luna title? Barely two months since her death, and you're already talking about replacements? It’s vile. Cold-hearted.”

The words pierced me, but I didn’t let it show. I forced tears to form, letting them shine in my eyes, and made my voice shake deliberately. “How dare you question how much I loved her? I devoted every part of myself to Terry—everything!” I paused, then softened my voice ever so slightly. “But I’m not just a grieving mother, Jaime. I carry the title of Luna. We are exposed without an heir. The council has made that painfully clear.”

He let out a hollow, bitter chuckle, his eyes scanning me with growing disdain. “The council,” he repeated with a sneer. “They’re obsessed with bloodlines and protocol. They couldn’t care less about our loss. About Terry. About us.”

There was no “us” anymore, but I left that unsaid. Instead, I stepped closer, pressing a hand to his chest, pushing down the nausea rising in me.

“Jaime,” I murmured, voice quivering with feigned fragility, “if we don’t take action soon, the Moonstone’s power will dwindle. Blackthorn will crumble.”

He stared at me for several long moments, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped away. “Fine,” he muttered reluctantly. “We’ll talk more about this after the council meeting. I need to prepare.”

I watched him go, my gaze hard and unyielding.

---

Days slipped by, then weeks. Jaime continuously dodged any conversation about having another child. His excuses were thin, worn, and unconvincing. I saw the truth clearly—he never planned to do what the role demanded.

The council’s warning echoed in my mind—without an heir within two years, I would forfeit my position as Luna. Worse, the Moonstone’s protective strength, shared between the Blackthorn and Brightstone packs, would become compromised.

One afternoon, I came home to the packhouse earlier than usual. The sight that greeted me froze the blood in my veins. Velma emerged from the master bedroom, her complexion ghostly and her hair a mess. Jaime appeared behind her, his shirt halfway open. For a brief moment, his face betrayed panic before he quickly composed himself.

“Luna Ellen,” Velma said shakily, avoiding my stare.

Jaime jumped in too fast, his tone overly casual. “It’s nothing,” he said, flashing that detestable smile. “Velma was just—”

“Don’t waste your breath,” I cut in sharply, my voice like frost. I turned and began walking away. “I’m heading to the Blackfang territory. They requested assistance with the border conflict. Let the council know I’ll be managing the matter personally.”

I heard him call out after me, his voice laced with desperation—but I didn’t turn back.

---

The journey to Blackfang was perilous. Rogues had been spotted roaming near the territory, and two warriors were assigned to protect me. Surprisingly, Jaime had offered to accompany me—his sudden display of care made every instinct scream in warning. “When you return,” he had said smoothly, “we’ll begin trying for another child.”

Was that a promise—or a threat?

Two days into the journey, our group was ambushed. The attack came without warning, swift and silent. Shadows darted between trees. Beta Dhan yelled for me to escape, raising his sword to intercept the attackers. I nodded and bolted, running into the forest. I wasn’t far when searing pain stopped me in my tracks—a sudden arrow embedded in my abdomen. I looked down, horrified, as blood blossomed across my clothes.

From the darkness, Jaime emerged. A bow rested in his grip, a sinister smile twisting his features.

“Jaime,” I gasped, my voice a thread. “You... how could you?”

He tilted his head, mocking me. “How?” he repeated, amused. “Because you’ve always been so gullible, Ellen. And I can’t have you running to the council, ruining my plans over a meaningless affair.”

I tried to shift into my wolf form, but my body refused. Poison laced the arrow’s tip—I could feel it draining my strength, paralyzing me. I stumbled forward, agony coursing through me as I struggled to remain upright.

Jaime raised the bow again, drawing back another arrow, this one aimed directly at my heart.

“You’ll regret this,” I hissed through gritted teeth, every word heavy with rage.

He smiled with savage delight, a predator savoring the inevitable. “Farewell, my Luna.”

The arrow flew, striking true. Darkness crept in, swallowing the world around me. But as my body gave in, my mind clung to a singular, burning vow: You will pay for this, Jaime. I swear it on everything that remains.

Ellen's POV

When consciousness returned to me, I found myself once again in Terry’s hospital room, as though I had merely drifted off for a nap. My hand flew to my chest, where the arrow had struck—or should have. The memory of Jaime’s betrayal was still painfully vivid, etched into my mind like it had truly happened.

A strange unease settled over me. Something felt… off. I couldn’t sense my wolf. Panic prickled beneath my skin. Where is she? Why can’t I feel her presence?

I stood abruptly, scanning the sterile room, my heartbeat thudding in my ears. At that moment, the door creaked open and the doctor entered, a paper clutched tightly in his grasp. His furrowed brow mirrored the confusion rapidly blooming within me as he handed over the sheet.

“You need to read this, Luna,” he said, tension in every syllable.

I accepted the paper and stared at the words. The test result—identical to the one before—stated that Terry wasn’t my biological daughter.

Was this some kind of twisted repetition? A nightmare on loop?

I blinked, my bewilderment obvious. The doctor noticed and hesitated before speaking again. “I know this is difficult to process, but if you’d like, we can perform another test to be sure—”

“That’s not necessary,” I interrupted, forcing a strained smile over the chaos boiling inside me. “I just need some time alone to think.”

He lingered briefly, then gave a small nod and left. I turned my gaze to Terry, still unconscious in her hospital bed. I studied her delicate, unmoving form, and a terrifying thought began to form: Did I somehow return to the past?

I tried to call to my wolf for clarity, for comfort—but nothing answered. There was only emptiness, a cold void where her familiar warmth should’ve been. Panic constricted my throat. I burst out of the hospital and ran headlong into the forest.

I attempted to shift, begging to feel the connection that had always been second nature. But no matter how much I tried, nothing happened. My body refused to change. I collapsed onto the damp grass, gasping for breath as dread closed in.

Could my wolf truly be gone?

I needed guidance—someone who could make sense of this. The pack’s sage might know what had happened.

By the time I reached Sage Hermes at Brightstone, his expression had already turned grave. “What’s wrong, Luna?” he asked as soon as he saw me.

“I... I don’t know,” I replied shakily. “I can’t sense my wolf anymore.”

His face turned even more somber. “Tell me the truth, Luna. What happened?”

“I didn’t do anything!” I cried, emotion cracking my voice.

He stepped closer, gently taking my wrist to check my pulse. His face paled. “She’s gone,” he whispered. “It’s like... she sacrificed herself in exchange for your life.”

His words were a blow to my chest, stealing the air from my lungs.

“My wolf… gave herself up? That can’t be real,” I murmured, almost to myself.

“It’s rare, but it does happen,” Hermes said with a nod. “But you have to be honest. What really happened to you, Luna?”

I remained silent, the weight of his words sinking in. My wolf—who had been with me since I was twelve—was truly gone. I knew why. She had given everything to bring me back. For a purpose I had yet to fulfill.

“No one can know about this,” I whispered. “Please, Hermes. Keep this between us. I trust you.”

He hesitated, then gave a solemn nod. “Alright. But understand this—if your wolf gave her soul, the Moon Goddess will not return her.”

“Is there no other path?” I asked, my voice trembling with desperation.

“I can’t say,” he admitted. “But I’ll search for an answer.”

With that, I left Brightstone and made my way back to Blackthorn. Jaime was there, waiting.

“How is Terry doing?” he asked, feigning concern like a well-practiced actor.

“She’s not improving,” I said, my voice thick with false sorrow. “I have no idea what’s wrong with her.”

He offered a sad nod, his face wearing the perfect mask of grief. “You seem exhausted, love. I’ll have someone bring warm milk to help you relax.”

I resisted the instinct to bare my claws. That milk would be drugged, like before. He still thought I was naive.

“Thank you, darling,” I responded sweetly, putting on my most convincing act as the devoted Luna.

When the servant delivered the drink, I waited for them to leave, then poured it out and replaced it with fresh milk from my own stash.

Not long after, Jaime entered my chambers, his eyes darting to the glass. “You should drink before it cools,” he urged, wearing that familiar mask of kindness.

I took the glass and drank it, meeting his gaze as satisfaction danced behind his eyes.

“Rest well, my Luna,” he said, stroking my hair in a mock display of affection. “I’ll tend to some affairs of the pack.”

Once he left, I immediately slipped out and made my way to the hospital. Using a rare healing potion given by a Brightstone healer, I neutralized the poison slowly killing Terry and spirited her away under the cover of night. Denerus, a faithful warrior in our pack, helped conceal her in a secure location where Jaime would never think to search.

When I returned to the manor, I crawled into bed and forced myself to appear asleep.

Not long after, Jaime’s hurried steps echoed through the corridor.

“Ellen!” he shouted. “Our daughter... she’s gone!”