Just as I reached the edge of Silver Ridge’s territory, my steps faltered.

A loud, bloodcurdling howl echoed through the dense forest, followed by the unmistakable clash of warriors battling. The scent of blood and sweat mixed with the earthy aroma of pine, and my wolf, Selene, growled.

The pack was under attack again.

I debated whether to keep moving or turn back. My heart warred with my resolve—leaving meant freedom from pain, yet the pack was still my responsibility as Luna, no matter how undeserved the title felt now.

Selene howled in my mind, urging me to fight. “If we leave, they’ll fall. We owe them better than this.”

I took a deep breath and turned back toward the chaos.

---

When I reached the battlefield, I froze. The enemy wolves bore the crest of Alpha Jude’s pack—the very Alpha Lorian had claimed to strike an alliance with.

Among the mayhem, Alpha Jude’s towering form stood out. His dark, imposing presence was impossible to miss. He wasn’t fighting; he was watching the battle unfold with a twisted smirk on his face. His beta, a wiry man with sharp features, stood beside him.

I pushed through the throng of warriors, my heart hammering. My voice cut through the din like a whip. “Alpha Jude!”

He turned slowly, his piercing eyes locking onto mine. “Ah, Luna Isolde,” he drawled, a mocking edge to his tone. “How nice of you to join us. I was wondering how long it would take before you showed up.”

I squared my shoulders, ignoring the growing ache in my chest. “I thought my husband had made an alliance with you. Why are you attacking our pack?”

The word “husband” felt foreign on my tongue, and I spat it out more for formality than truth.

Alpha Jude laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that sent chills down my spine. “Husband, you say? You mean the bastard who’s been frolicking with... what’s her name again?”

“Aveline,” his beta supplied with a sneer.

Gasps rippled through the Silver Ridge warriors nearby. They turned to me, their expressions a mix of disbelief and sympathy. The weight of their gazes pressed against me, but I stood firm.

Alpha Jude’s grin widened. “I came here to force Lorian into compliance, but seeing you here—unaware of his escapades—is far more entertaining.”

My fists clenched at my sides, nails digging into my palms. “Get to the point, Alpha Jude. What do you want?”

He smirked, gesturing to his beta. The man stepped forward, handing me an envelope. I didn’t need to open it to know its contents.

“These are yours to keep,” Jude said mockingly. “A little souvenir of your husband’s... extracurricular activities.”

Anger and humiliation burned through me as I clutched the envelope.

“You planned to run away?” Alpha Jude said, his tone oozing derision. “Isn’t that weak? Why not get back at him instead? I’m free if you’re interested.” He winked, his words coated with venom.

Disgust roiled in my stomach, and I struggled to keep my expression neutral. “Thank you for the evidence,” I said coldly. “Now leave.”

Alpha Jude’s smirk didn’t falter. “Think about my offer,” he said before turning to his warriors. “We’re done here.”

As the enemy wolves retreated, I stood frozen, the envelope crumpling in my grip.

---

Back at the packhouse, whispers followed me as I passed, their curious eyes attempting to gauge my reaction. I kept my face blank, a mask of indifference that hid the storm brewing inside.

Once in my quarters, I collapsed onto the bed, my hands trembling as I opened the envelope. Inside were photos of Lorian and Aveline, their intimate poses leaving no doubt about their betrayal.

Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall. I reached for the mind link and connected with my father.

“I can’t leave this week,” I said, my voice cracking.

His concern was immediate. “Isolde, what happened?”

The dam broke. Between sobs, I told him everything—the betrayal, the bruises, the photos. My father listened in silence, his presence a steadying force even through the distance.

“You don’t have to endure this,” he said softly. “Come to the Lycan Dominion. Start anew.”

I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. “I will. Just... not yet. There are things I need to settle first.”

---

That night, I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. The bruises on my arms and torso stood out starkly against my pale skin. The pain of the bond throbbed dully, a constant reminder of Lorian’s betrayal.

Selene’s voice was a low growl in my mind. *He doesn’t deserve us. Let’s leave, Isolde.*

But I couldn’t. Not yet. Not while the pack was vulnerable. Not while Lorian’s leadership faltered.

This wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about reclaiming my power, my dignity, and ensuring the pack’s survival.

“Soon,” I whispered to my reflection. “Soon, I’ll leave. But not as a victim. I’ll leave as a survivor.”

I bit down on my lip, tasting blood, trying to gather my courage.

I knew this sudden decision would confuse him, but I had prepared myself for this conversation. “Let’s just say I’ve woken up. I’ve been blind because of love, but now I see clearly.”

When I was younger, I believed love was simple, that it didn’t need the Moon Goddess to pair me with someone. That’s because I loved Lorian in secret for years. We were the best of friends, always together. Even our families joked that we’d end up as husband and wife someday.

But everything changed when we turned eighteen. That’s when Lorian found out his mate was Aveline, our childhood friend. My heart broke into a thousand pieces, but I kept my pain hidden.

Lorian and Aveline seemed so happy together, and my wolf and I suffered silently. I told myself I would support them, even if it hurt. But one night, Lorian came to my room. He looked so broken, tears streaming down his face.

“She rejected me,” he confessed, his voice trembling. “Aveline said she doesn’t want me. She’s marrying an older alpha instead. She said being with me—a beta’s son—is beneath her.”

I didn’t know what to say. Seeing him so devastated made my love for him spill over. I hugged him tightly, wishing I could take away his pain.

Then he looked into my eyes. “Let’s be mates, Isolde.”

I froze, not sure if I’d heard him right. “W-What?”

He wiped his tears and held my hands. “You’ve loved me for so long, haven’t you? I’ve always cared about you too. Now that Aveline is gone, we can be together. I’m choosing you as my mate. Will you accept me?”

My heart raced as I nodded. “Yes,” I whispered, barely able to believe it. “Yes, Lorian.”

For a while, I thought I’d finally found happiness. But that happiness didn’t last long. Two days after our mating ceremony, an envelope arrived for me. Inside were pictures—intimate ones—of Aveline and Lorian together. My hands trembled as I read the letter attached.

Dear Isolde,

It’s been a while. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them. Your husband is quite passionate.

Love, Aveline.

Anger and heartbreak surged through me. How could she be so cruel? I tore the pictures into shreds, vowing not to let her see how much she had hurt me. But she didn’t stop there. More photos came, this time with videos. The next letter was even more taunting.

How can you endure this pain? Don’t you see? I want you to leave so Lorian and I can be together again.

Love, Aveline.

This time, I didn’t destroy the evidence. I kept the photos and videos in a safe place. I needed proof, even if I didn’t know what I’d use it for yet.

Lorian’s behavior confirmed my worst fears. He stopped coming to bed, claiming he was too busy with work. He said late-night meetings with pack alphas were taking up his time. But I knew the truth. Secret cameras I’d planted in his office showed me everything. Aveline was with him during those late nights. Watching them together made the bruises on my body appear worse.

Lorian was so blinded by Aveline that he even neglected his duties as an alpha. The pack suffered, but he didn’t seem to care.

One morning, he rushed into the kitchen while I was eating breakfast alone.

“We have a problem,” he said, looking worried. “Rogues have been spotted near our borders. I need to travel to negotiate a peace treaty with the other packs.”

I sipped my coffee, keeping my face calm. “Go ahead. I’ll handle things here.”

He smiled, planting a quick kiss on my forehead. “I’m lucky to have you, Isolde. You’re always there for the pack.”

As he walked out the door, I gripped my mug so tightly that it shattered in my hand. He was lying again. I knew he wasn’t going to negotiate treaties. He was going to see Aveline.

That night, as I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I saw bruises covering my arms and torso. They were marks of betrayal—physical manifestations of the mate bond breaking under the weight of Lorian’s infidelity.

I stepped into the shower, hoping the water would wash away my pain. But then, a sharp, unbearable ache tore through my chest. It felt like my heart was being ripped apart. My wolf howled in agony, and I collapsed onto the shower floor, gasping for air.

This was the curse of the mate bond. When one mate betrayed the other, the pain was unbearable. I could feel Lorian and Aveline together at that very moment. The thought of them being so intimate made my blood boil.

I screamed, clutching my chest, hoping the pain would stop. The water mixed with my tears as I lay there, broken and defeated.

“Damn you, Lorian!” I cried through gritted teeth, blood dripping from my mouth. “I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done to me.”

As I lay there, a resolve began to form in my heart. I had endured enough. It was time to take back my life, no matter what it cost me.

Lorian came back after a few days, but instead of returning to the mansion, he went straight to the pack doctor’s cottage when he found out I was there.

The sight of him entering the room caught me off guard, his face pale with worry as he rushed to my side.

“Oh, hun,” he said, taking my hands in his. His grip was firm, almost desperate. “Why are you in bed? What happened? You can’t get sick—our baby could be affected.”

I yanked my hands away and sat up slowly, keeping my gaze fixed on the blanket draped over my lap. My chest tightened, a bitter mix of anger and sorrow welling up inside me. “It’s nothing,” I said, my voice calm but distant. “Just a little exhausted from handling too many duties lately.”

The words felt like acid on my tongue. Funny how he didn’t even know the real reason I was here—that his betrayal had shattered me, and that I’d lost our baby because of it. Yet here he was, pretending to care, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.

An uncomfortable silence settled between us, thick and suffocating.

Through our mate bond, I could sense hints of his guilt, faint and fleeting, as if he was deliberately blocking me out. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to suppress the emotions threatening to spill over.

Finally, he sat beside me and reached for my hand again. This time, he held on tightly, his touch gentle but insistent. “I know I haven’t been around enough,” he said, his voice low, almost pleaded. “But I promise, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll be the mate you deserve.” He kissed my hand softly, his lips lingering as if to emphasize his sincerity. “When you and the baby are fully recovered, I want us to celebrate your birthday together. What do you think?”

I lifted my gaze to meet his, studying the hopeful expression on his face. His excitement felt misplaced, a stark contrast to the emptiness I carried inside. Still, I forced a small smile and nodded. “That sounds lovely. I’d like that.”

“Cool!” His grin widened, relief washing over him like a wave. It was as if he thought he’d managed to fix everything with just a few words.

---

On my birthday, Lorian took me to a fancy restaurant in the city owned by one of our pack members. He was unusually talkative, recounting stories of the packs he claimed to have visited recently. His voice was animated, almost too eager, as though he was trying to distract me from my own thoughts.

But I knew better. His stories were lies—I’d called those packs myself, and they confirmed he hadn’t been there in a long time.

Such a big, fat liar.

“…and you know what?” he continued, his eyes sparkling with false enthusiasm. “Alpha Rick said he wants us to visit when our pup—”

His phone buzzed, cutting him off mid-sentence. He glanced at the screen, a flicker of unease crossing his face. “Sorry, I have to take this,” he said, standing up quickly and heading toward the restroom without another word.

I watched him leave, my chest tightening. My hands curled around the fork on my plate as I waited, counting the minutes. When he finally returned, his face was pale, his movements tense.

“Alpha Rick... he’s been attacked,” Lorian said quietly, placing a cold hand on my shoulder. “He’s asking for our help, Isolde. I have to go assist him.”

I took a deep breath and stabbed my fork into the slice of cake in front of me. “Go,” I said simply, placing a piece in my mouth.

His eyes widened, clearly surprised by my nonchalant tone. “Hun, please don’t feel bad about me leaving you alone.”

I forced a smile and nodded. “I understand, Lorian. They’re our friends, and we can’t turn our backs on them in their time of need.”

He exhaled a sigh of relief, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. “Thank you, hun. Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you with an even bigger celebration when we return.”

I watched him walk away, my chest heavy with unshed tears. As the door closed behind him, I whispered under my breath, “Keep fooling around, Lorian. One day, you’ll regret it, and even your apologies won’t be enough.”

---

That night, Lorian came back unexpectedly, carrying a pile of gifts. His shirt was pristine, not a single stain or tear to suggest he’d been near a battlefield. Suspicion clawed at me as I waited for him to fall asleep before inspecting the packages.

My heart sank when I read the notes attached to the gifts. Happy birthday, Aveline.

The pain in my chest was sharp, a fresh wound added to the countless others. My first instinct was to destroy the gifts, but instead, I kept them, adding them to the collection of evidence I’d been gathering.

---

The next evening, I followed Lorian to a bar frequented by shifters. My heart pounded as I stepped inside, the dim lighting casting shadows over the crowd. It didn’t take long to find him. He was in a loveseat with a woman draped over him—blonde, curvy, and laughing at something he said.

“Aveline.”

The name felt like a dagger to my chest. My fists clenched as I watched them, bile rising in my throat. His hands roamed her body, and they kissed with a passion that made me sick.

Memories of the first time they’d announced their bond came flooding back, the pain as raw and fresh as if it had just happened. My vision blurred with tears, but I refused to look away.

The crowd around them began to cheer and chant. “Mark her! Mark her!”

Lorian froze mid-laugh, his head snapping toward me.