The following day swept me into a flurry of responsibilities. As Luna, my duties to the pack consumed my time and energy. After wrapping up the morning meeting, a mind link from Cassian interrupted my focus—his tone laced with irritation.

"Selene, why didn’t you wake me up? You left early without telling me, and now I’ve overslept."

A familiar wave of frustration surged through me. Since our mating, I had devoted myself entirely to him, attending to his every need. Each morning, I carefully laid out his clothes, lovingly prepared his breakfast, and gently woke him to ensure his day started smoothly. This routine, one I had meticulously upheld, had become second nature to me. Yet, his tone now revealed an unsettling truth—my acts of love had turned into mere obligations and duties he expected me to perform without question.

Taking a deep breath, I let the weight of my realization settle. I was not his caretaker—I was his Luna. His unreasonable demands were not mine to obey.

"Well, since you’re running late, you’d better get up soon," I replied, my voice carrying a subtle edge.

"What am I going to wear today?" he asked, as if dressing himself was an impossible task.

"Just pick something from the closet, Alpha. Everything you need is there," I answered, my patience wearing thin.

"But I can’t find it..." His voice trailed off into a familiar whine of dependence.

An Omega called for me, and I seized the opportunity to end the ridiculous conversation.

"I have other matters to attend to. You’ll have to manage on your own," I said, turning away.

Barely a moment passed before his voice pierced through the mind link again.

"The shirts are wrinkled! You didn’t iron them? How am I supposed to attend a meeting like this?"

And, as expected, another complaint followed.

"You didn’t prepare anything to eat!"

As his words echoed in my mind, the weight of my choices bore down on me. I had given up my wolf—my essence—to be with Cassian. I had envisioned a life filled with love, pups, and leadership by his side. But now, those dreams feel foolish, naïve. Staying with him no longer held any appeal. I felt nothing but emptiness.

Desperate for peace, I left the pack house and wandered into a nearby town. There, I found solace in an inn catering exclusively to she-wolves. A sanctuary. A place where I could momentarily escape the suffocating weight of my regrets.

Lying on the bed, I stared at the wooden ceiling, lost in memories. Regret clawed at me as I reflected on the past. Then, a mind link shattered my thoughts.

"My daughter..." My mother’s voice—soft yet filled with concern. The Moon Goddess. She had always been my guiding light, warning and advising me. And yet, here I was, drowning in remorse.

Her voice was a balm to my wounded spirit, a reminder that I was not alone. But it also served as a stark symbol of the price I had paid for my choices—a burden I would carry forever.

Flashback

My 18th birthday—a momentous day for every wolf.

"Are you excited to find out who your mate is?" my mother asked, her eyes shimmering with both joy and apprehension.

"Yes, Mom! Can you show me?" My heart pounded in anticipation.

With a wave of her hand, the mystical orb she possessed revealed my destined mate. As the image materialized, I saw him—Alpha Cassian of the Celestial Night Pack in Moonvale Town. His strong, commanding presence filled the orb. My heart soared. But then, my mother’s smile faded into something more troubled.

"Your mate..." she began, her voice tinged with hesitation.

"What is it, Mom?" A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach.

Her gaze softened, her concern unmistakable. "He is cursed. His bloodline has been plagued for generations. This curse was placed on by a wolfless woman, betrayed by his ancestor—an Alpha who was friends with a powerful witch. It is a dangerous fate, Selene."

My mind reeled. "What kind of curse? What happened?"

With a deep sigh, she explained, "Many years ago, an Alpha from Cassian’s lineage cruelly rejected his wolfless mate. He belittled her, played with her emotions, and tormented her until she was driven to abort their unborn child. In despair and fury, she sought the aid of her closest friend—the most powerful witch of that time. Together, they cursed his bloodline. Every Alpha would be doomed to make their mate wolfless. If you choose Cassian, you will lose your wolf. Your wolf will never wake again."

A pang of sorrow pierced my heart. But as I gazed at the orb, I saw more than a curse—I saw the man I had loved long before I knew he was my mate.

"But..." I hesitated. My love for Cassian burned brighter than any warning. "Mom, I don’t care anymore. I’m so sorry, but I will choose my mate!"

Her eyes widened in silent plea. "Are you sure? Think carefully, my daughter. Won’t you regret losing your wolf—your essence?"

I inhaled deeply, the weight of my decision pressing upon me. "But, Mom, choosing my wolf means turning away from my fated mate. I choose Alpha Cassian."

End of Flashback

Regret coursed through me. The choice I had made for love now felt like a distant echo of foolishness. I had embraced my mate, only to later realize the depth of my sacrifice.

Outside the window, darkness had settled. I remained silent, ignoring my mother’s mind link. I couldn’t face her—not after what I had done. The weight of my regret was unbearable, and I let the stillness of the inn swallow me whole.

Then, Cassian’s mind link intruded again, his voice brimming with impatience.

"Why aren’t you home yet? Where’s dinner?"

A deep, unsettling revulsion stirred within me at the thought of returning to him. I chose to stay at the inn, savoring the quiet—a stark contrast to the chaos I had left behind.

If only. If only I had listened to my mother—the wisdom of the Moon Goddess. I could have been the Lunar Princess, radiating power and grace, instead of this pitiful Luna, shackled to a faithless Alpha.

"I had something urgent to take care of," I lied, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. "Let the maids cook dinner tonight."

His surprise was palpable. "What?"

In the past, the very idea of eating food prepared by the maids was beneath him. I had been the one to cater to his every meal, dedicating myself to his comforts.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, my tone edged with challenge.

A pause. Then, his voice softened, hesitant. "No. Just... take care of yourself."

"Thank you," I replied flatly, devoid of warmth.

A heavy silence stretched between us before he finally asked, "Selene, are you angry?"

His question—so painfully late—stirred something within me. Anger, perhaps. But mostly, disappointment. Was he truly this oblivious, or did he simply not care?

Yet, with startling clarity, I realized it no longer mattered. The anger had long since faded, leaving behind nothing but emptiness.

"I’m not angry," I murmured, more to myself than to him.

Anger was a luxury I could no longer afford.

With an apologetic tone, Cassian reached out through our mind link. "Selene, it's difficult for Sienna to raise a child on her own. She doesn’t know anyone else here—she only has me."

His words hit me like a slap. It was as if he had forgotten that I, too, only had him. But of course, that never mattered to him.

"I already understand, okay? She must have been through a lot," I replied, forcing myself to sound calm.

However, the sarcasm in my voice didn’t go unnoticed. Cassian's reaction was immediate and defensive. "Selene, what’s that supposed to mean? What’s with your attitude?"

"I said I understand," I repeated, now with an unmistakable edge in my tone. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Do you have to talk to me like that?" he snapped, frustration creeping into his voice.

I let out a tired sigh. "What do you want me to say?" I countered, feeling my patience wear thin.

A heavy silence settled between us. After a moment, Cassian muttered a curt, "Fine! Do as you wish," before abruptly severing the mind link.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. If I questioned his visits to Sienna, I was the annoying one. If I asked when he planned to return, I was still the problem. Now, even trying to be understanding is met with irritation.

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to push away the frustration. There were far more important things to focus on—like rediscovering my own path, even if it meant losing the version of myself I once knew. Could I do that, now that I had sacrificed my wolf?

The night stretched on as I lingered in the inn, drowning in regrets and unanswered questions. The thought of returning to the pack house was unbearable, yet when I finally did, Cassian was already gone. I took a shower, hoping to wash away the exhaustion, and crawled into bed, seeking refuge in sleep.

Just as I began to drift off, Cassian’s urgent mind link jolted me awake.

"Selene… my stomach… it hurts."

I mumbled a barely coherent response, too exhausted to care. In my sleep, I vaguely registered him calling my name again, but it felt distant, unimportant.

Sometime later, the sound of the door opening startled me awake. Cassian stood by the bed, his face twisted in pain.

"Selene, why don’t you care anymore? You used to worry when I was sick!"

His words stirred up memories I had tried to bury. Once, when he had a stomachache, I had rushed to his office with medicine despite the pouring rain. I arrived drenched, disheveled—a sight that drew laughter from his wolf subordinates. Cassian did nothing to stop them. He simply told me not to show up at his office again because, in his words, I was an embarrassment.

If it hadn’t been for Beta Adrian and his quiet kindness—handing me my favorite chocolate tea to warm me up—I might have shivered all the way back to the pack house. Adrian had always been my silent protector. Every time Cassian belittled me or treated me like a servant, Adrian was there, offering a small act of comfort.

I suddenly realized that Adrian had transferred to the Celestial Night Pack around the same time I did. We had known each other since childhood, growing up in the same town. We spent countless hours playing together, running through the woods like normal children. We had even attended the exclusive school for wolves together. That was where I had first seen Alpha Cassian—and foolishly, I had fallen for him long before discovering he was my mate.

Lost in these thoughts, I was pulled back to the present by Cassian’s expectant gaze.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. "We might be out of medicine. Maybe you can get some yourself."

Cassian stared at me, his frustration evident. Without warning, he grabbed my arm, his grip tight. "Selene, how long are you going to keep fighting with me about Sienna? I’ve told you, there’s nothing between us!"

His words hung in the air, but I met them with a calmness that surprised even me. "Oh, okay," I said evenly, my lack of emotion standing in stark contrast to his anger.

His frustration boiled over, and he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The silence that followed was liberating.

And as I sat there in the quiet, my thoughts drifted back to Adrian—the only person who had ever truly been there for me.

The days blended into a dull, unchanging cycle. After Cassian stormed out, he stayed away for several days, and I made no effort to ask where he had gone. On the third day, he finally reached out through our mind link.

"I'm heading to another pack for a meeting," he informed me.

"Okay, stay safe," I responded, a dry chuckle escaping my lips as the link faded.

Absentmindedly, I opened my social media. A post from Sienna on Twitter immediately caught my attention:

[First holiday in what seems like forever. I never thought I'd miss the sand on my feet! Someone insisted on bringing me to the beach!]

The attached photo showed my mate’s hand, his mateship ring still on his finger. The location tagged in her tweet was the same place Cassian had just mentioned.

Suddenly, the ring on my own finger felt unbearably heavy, as if it burned against my skin. Without hesitation, I yanked it off and tossed it into a drawer. From that moment on, I threw myself into my duties as Luna, using an endless list of tasks to drown out the turmoil inside me. I no longer cared when—or if—Cassian would return. I simply worked and worked until exhaustion claimed me, leaving no room for anything else.

One day, Cassian unexpectedly arrived at the pack house to pick me up. I was caught off guard by the sight of his familiar car parked outside. Fatigue from the day’s work clung to me as I approached him.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly.

"Did you forget today is our mateship anniversary?" he replied, opening the car door for me.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Sorry. I’ve been really busy, and it slipped my mind."

"You used to care about this the most. How could you forget?" Cassian’s voice held both disbelief and disappointment.

In the past, I had never missed a single occasion—our mateship anniversary, his birthday, any milestone. I used to plan elaborate dinners, carefully choosing every detail, all to make him feel cherished. But what once brought him joy eventually became an inconvenience.

I vividly remembered the time I threw him a surprise party at a restaurant. Instead of being touched, Cassian had pulled me aside, his expression one of embarrassment. "Selene, you’re making such a big deal out of this. Everyone’s looking at us. It’s very uncomfortable, you know?" he had said, dragging me away in front of the pack warriors and his Beta.

Now, standing before him, I realized there was nothing left to celebrate. The love and devotion that once defined our bond had faded into nothingness.

"Come on, let’s go have dinner and celebrate," he urged, gesturing toward the car.

As he drove, silence settled between us like an unspoken barrier. He kept glancing at me, searching my face for any flicker of the enthusiasm I once had.

"What’s wrong? Are you upset?" he finally asked, breaking the tension.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

"No?" he echoed, frustration creeping into his voice. "Then what’s with the attitude? Here I am, making an effort, picking you up for dinner. Can’t you at least pretend to appreciate it?"

His words hung between us, but I found myself unable to respond. The Cassian who had once meant everything to me now felt like a stranger, and I couldn't force myself to care. His so-called "effort" felt hollow, meaningless. The bond that had once tethered us together had unraveled, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

"I'm not angry, Alpha."

"Fine!" he huffed. Then, as if throwing me a lifeline, he added, "I promise—no more contact with Sienna, okay?"

I stared at him, my emotions tangled. Did he truly believe that a simple promise could erase months of lies and betrayal?

"Are you happy now?" he pressed, his gaze locked onto mine, searching for a reaction.

I said nothing.

The rest of the drive was steeped in silence. At the restaurant, Cassian had gone all out—our table was adorned with flowers, and beside my plate sat a wrapped gift. It was a picture-perfect setting, designed to mimic romance. Around us, other diners cast admiring glances, but I felt nothing, as if I were watching someone else’s life unfold before me.

Before I could even open my gift, Cassian’s phone rang. I watched as his expression darkened with concern.

"Fever? Do you have any medicine? I can’t take you to the pack’s infirmary today, I have something to do. What? That high? Okay, wait for me. I'll be right over."

As he hung up, he turned to me, his face taut with awkwardness. "Selene, it's Sienna. Her child has a fever. I need to—"

A lump formed in my throat, but I forced it down. "It's fine," I said, my voice eerily monotone. "You should go. The child's more important."

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching mine for some hint of resistance.

"Wait for me to come back and pick you up. I'll be back soon," he promised before grabbing his coat and rushing out.

I sat there alone, staring at the half-eaten cake in front of me. Outside, rain drummed against the window, mirroring the storm within me. But I refused to cry. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to finish the cake, savoring its sweetness despite the bitterness curling in my heart. Then, without a second glance at the abandoned gift, I stood up and left the restaurant.

As I stepped into the drizzle, a car passed by and came to a stop. The window rolled down, revealing Beta Adrian. Without a word, he stepped out and opened the door for me.

I slid inside, grateful for his presence. The ride back to the pack house was quiet, but it was a peaceful silence—so unlike the suffocating void that existed between Cassian and me.

When we arrived, I realized I had no umbrella. The rain continued to fall, icy droplets stinging my skin. Bracing myself for the dash to the entrance, I moved to step out.

"Wait, Luna."

Adrian’s voice cut through the rain. I turned to see him holding out an umbrella.

"Use this," he said, his voice deep and steady.

"Thank you," I murmured, taking it from him.

Once inside, I took a long, hot shower, hoping to wash away the lingering chill. Wrapped in a towel, I sat on the edge of my bed and mindlessly scrolled through social media.

Then, Sienna’s latest tweet appeared on my feed.

The image attached to her post showed Cassian sitting beside her and her child, the warm glow of their room casting them in a perfect light. A stark contrast to the cold rain outside. A painful reminder of the life he had chosen—one that didn’t include me.