Lunara’s POV

When I returned to the packhouse, I didn’t hesitate. I went straight to Kael’s private study—once a forbidden territory. He had always warned me not to enter, claiming it was laden with "confidential Alpha-bound documents." But I wasn’t the same obedient Luna anymore.

The oak door creaked open. A rush of magic swept over me, brushing against my skin like static. The study was laced with low-level wards—nothing I couldn’t break through. I stepped inside, heart pounding. My eyes scanned the bookshelves lining the walls, all smelling faintly of dust and moon herbs.

Then I saw it.Behind the shelf of old treaties and training scrolls, faint glowing runes shimmered—barely visible to the untrained eye. A steel safe, masked with concealment glyphs. My breath hitched.

I moved closer and placed my palm near the lock. It responded with a soft hum.

A blood-activated seal.I bit my thumb and smeared a line of blood across the sigil. A soft click. Then another. The runes dimmed—and the safe door slowly swung open.

Inside lay dozens of files—medical records, scent-coded transaction parchments, and soul-pact agreements with healers from the Crescent Moon Hospital. Each one detailed something more horrific than the last. My fingers trembled as I flipped through the documents.

He hadn’t just arranged Ethan’s death—he had traded his life.

There, in a blood-bound transfer scroll, were their names:

Donor: Ethan Winslow

Recipient: Ashira Thorne

Ashira. My sister. My packmate.Rage flooded me. The room spun as realization sank in—Kael had orchestrated our son's death to save Ashira’s life. Not just through bribes. No. He had bound the healers with blood oaths to silence them. Cloaked Ethan’s death as a rogue attack. And made sure everything disappeared with him.

I clutched the edge of the desk, my claws slipping out against my will. My wolf howled in grief.

He took my son. My heart. My blood.

My phone felt heavy as I took pictures of everything—every document, every signature, every hidden truth. I closed the safe and replaced the spell. For now, he couldn’t know I had found it.

This wasn’t grief anymore.It was war.

Back in our bedroom, my heart twisted with another decision. My hand drifted unconsciously to my stomach.

I had dreamed of this child. Another chance at motherhood. Another soul to love after Ethan. But how could I bring a pup into this den of lies and betrayal? A child fathered by a male who had torn my life apart.

I pulled out my phone, fingers numb, and dialed the underground healer’s number.

“Moonveil Grove Healing Den,” a soft voice answered. “How may we assist you?”

“I… I need to schedule a soul-cleansing,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “A termination.”

There was a pause on the other end.

“Tomorrow morning, 10 a.m.?”

“Yes.”

“Name?”

“Lunara Winslow,” I answered.

Not Lunara Thorne. I wouldn’t use the name of the pack that ruined me. Not now. Not ever again.As I ended the call, I turned—and found Kael standing in the doorway.My entire body stiffened.

“Where are you going?” he asked, brow raised.

I slid my phone into my robe pocket and masked my scent. “Just a checkup with the healer,” I said coolly, refusing to meet his eyes.

Kael stepped closer, studying me. “Is something wrong?”

I forced a small, bitter smile. “Everything’s just the way it’s supposed to be.”

He lingered for a second before heading into the bathroom.The door shut. Water began to run.

Then his phone buzzed.I glanced at it. Just one notification—Ashira [️].

The blood drained from my face.Without hesitation, I picked it up. Ashira’s birthday. The same passcode I had used on the safe. The phone unlocked.

I opened their message thread.

Ashira: I miss you already. When can we meet again? I’ll tell Killian I want to visit my sister.

Kael: Tomorrow, my love. I’ll tell Lunara I have urgent Alpha business to attend to.

Ashira: I’m tired of hiding, Richie. I want us to be free.

Kael: Soon. When I take over as Alpha of the Thorne Pack, I’ll make you my Luna. No one will stop us—not even her.

A raw, guttural sob escaped my throat. I clapped my hand over my mouth. My knees buckled.

My mate. My sister.He had been using me for years, waiting for the moment he could finally cast me aside and crown her.

The bathroom door creaked open. Kael stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist. His eyes met mine.

“You sure you’re okay?”

I turned away before he could see the storm in mine.

“I’m fine, Richie,” I said, with a smile so sharp it could cut through steel.

But my wolf stirred inside me.This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Lunara’s POV

When I called his nickname—Alpha—his tense shoulders eased immediately, mistaking my calm for surrender.

His golden eyes softened, the wolf in him momentarily soothed. He crossed the room with that confident grace only Alpha-blooded males carried. He leaned down to kiss me.

I turned my face slightly. His lips brushed my cheek instead of my mouth.

“I’m exhausted,” I murmured, wrapping the fur-lined blanket tighter around my frame. “It’s been a long day.”

Kael’s expression tensed. The Alpha in him didn’t like rejection, not even this subtle. But he forced a smile, masking his annoyance. “Of course. You should rest, Luna.”

But then came the buzz. His enchanted wrist comm glowed faintly, and when he looked at it, the tension in his shoulders vanished. His entire being lit up as he typed a response.

As soon as he finished, he rose from the bed and began pulling on his leather armor and cloak in haste.

“An urgent matter at the Council Hall,” he said without meeting my eyes, fastening the wolf-etched clasp at his neck.

“Of course,” I said coolly, my voice devoid of emotion. “Take your time.”

Kael paused. He turned, confused. Once upon a time, I would’ve pressed for answers, clung to his arm, begged him to stay. I would’ve cried, demanded to know why he always had emergencies at nightfall.

But now, I invited him to go.His comm buzzed again, and his moment of hesitation melted into movement. He slipped out of the room without further explanation.

“I love you,” he muttered as he left.

“And I hate you,” I whispered, the ache in my chest turning sharp.

~

By dawn, the sun filtered through the enchanted windows, warming the cold side of the bed he never returned to.He hadn’t come back.

I didn’t need to guess where he was. His scent was already fading, overwritten by Ashira’s overly sweet perfume that clung to his clothes these days.

Still, it didn’t bother me.I dressed in silence, donning a long, hooded cloak to conceal my identity, and made my way through the back tunnels of the packhouse to avoid notice. The Moonveil Grove Healing Den was a place of secrecy, protected by mists and oaths. It catered to she-wolves who needed help, but not judgment.

I sat on a healer’s stone bed, cold beneath my palms, while the incense of memory moss burned nearby.

“Are you certain?” the healer asked softly. Her wolf spirit flickered behind her eyes—ancient, wise, and patient.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words clung to my throat. My hand drifted to my lower stomach. My unborn pup stirred faintly, just a whisper of life.

I remembered Ethan—his laughter echoing through the den, his tiny claws gripping my fingers, his first shift under the full moon. I remembered the way he’d whispered “Mommy” into my fur as we cuddled during stormy nights.

Tears burned behind my eyes. No. I couldn’t do this.

“I… I changed my mind,” I breathed, voice cracking. “I can’t go through with it.”

The healer nodded. “Then you won’t. Take your time. The forest waits for no one, but your heart deserves patience.”

This pup—this second chance—was mine. A bond of blood and spirit. Not even betrayal could steal that from me again.

I left the den through the garden path, heart heavy yet whole. But as I rounded the stone corridor leading past the Moon Blessing Wing, I heard laughter. Familiar. Too familiar.

My body tensed.Then I saw them.Kael and Ashira.They strolled out of the maternity hall, entwined like vines under the moon. His hand was firmly on the small of her back, his mouth at her ear. She giggled like a shy omega.

Her hand rested on her belly.I froze.

She was pregnant.Before I could shift into mist and vanish, their eyes caught mine. Ashira’s face was drained of color.

“Lunara!” she hurried toward me, her aura fraying with false concern. “I—I was here for a check-up. Kael just—”

“Don't apologize, Ashira,” Kael cut her off gently, sliding his arm protectively around her. His eyes sparkled—not with guilt, but pride. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

I smiled coldly. “He’s right. You’ve done nothing wrong, Ashira.”

They blinked, startled. I used to weep, rage, accuse. I used to beg Kael to stop seeing her. And every time, he gaslit me, made me doubt myself.

“She’s your sister,” he would say. “She’s mated, and I’m yours. You're being paranoid, Luna.”

Now, I gave them nothing but silence and a smile sharp as claws.

Kael shifted awkwardly. “We’ll talk at home. Let me escort Ashira back to her den.”

I didn’t even hesitate. “Please. Take your time.”

I brushed past them, my wolf holding her head high.

“Oh, and congratulations on your pregnancy, Ashira,” I called over my shoulder, voice like frost on a blade.

Their expressions crumbled behind me.

~

Kael returned home unusually early.

“You’re early,” I said, lounging on the fur-strewn chaise, my face buried in an old lunar history scroll.

“Yes,” he replied. “I finished at the Council early. I rushed home to see my beautiful mate.”

He bent to kiss me. Again, I turned my head, letting his lips graze my cheek.

He paused. Watched me. Sensed the shift.

“I think we need time together,” he said softly. “I’ll take leave from my Alpha duties. Just us. Some time to reconnect.”

I kept my voice neutral. “You’ve been busy. I understand.”

His brow furrowed, clearly rattled. This wasn’t me. I would’ve pounced on that offer. I would’ve wept with joy at his attention.

But now, my heart was stone, and my wolf was silent.

“What’s going on, Lunara?” he asked, stepping closer. “Why are you acting this way?”

I didn’t answer.Not yet.Not until I was ready to tear the entire pack down around him.

Chapter 4

Lunara’s POV

My eyes were still on the ancient tome as I muttered, “Nothing.”

“Is this about what you saw at the Healing Den?” Kael’s tone sharpened. “You saw Ashira and I together, didn’t you?”

He folded his arms, voice thick with frustration. “I’ve explained this, Lunara. Ashira and I—”

I cut him off before he could continue weaving lies. “I said I’m fine.” I didn’t look up. “You and Ashira are so close now, practically sharing a den. Good for you. Now can I please read in peace? This text on ancient Luna lineages is getting very interesting.”

His jaw ticked with irritation, and I could feel the Alpha in him bristling. Without another word, he stormed into the bathing chamber, the door slamming shut behind him.

I tossed the book aside and stood up, my limbs trembling from the tension. I padded barefoot to the kitchen hollow, needing water—anything to cool the storm rising inside me.

Leaning against the carved stone counter, I tried to breathe evenly, tried not to feel.

Then I heard his boots.Heavy. Deliberate. Each step echoing through the quiet of our den like a warning.

“You’ve been off all day,” Kael growled, entering behind me. “If something’s wrong, just spit it out.”

I turned to face him, arms folded, cloak swaying slightly. “I already told you—I’m fine. No need to fuss over me. Why don’t you go back to the maternity wing? Ashira could probably use some extra care… and attention.”

His golden eyes gleamed with anger. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shrugged, pushing past him. “It means you seem more invested in her well-being than your mate’s.”

“You’re being ridiculous, Lunara!” he snapped. “Ashira is your older sister, and you’re acting like some petty omega in heat. You need to stop this jealousy—”

“I’m not jealous.” My voice was ice. “You two deserve each other.”

Something in him snapped.He growled—deep, low, not quite human—and shoved me. Hard.

I staggered, my back slamming into the corner of the stone counter with a sickening thud. Pain exploded through my spine and lower stomach. I gasped sharply as my knees buckled and I collapsed to the floor, instinctively curling around my belly.

“No…” I whispered. My wolf whimpered deep inside me, terrified.

Kael stood over me, breathing heavily. “I have Council duties. Don’t wait up.”

His voice was flat. Emotionless. He didn’t even look back as he yanked open the door and vanished into the night.

The moment it slammed shut, a pain unlike anything I’d felt before tore through my body.I lay on the floor, the cold stone biting into my skin, and a warm wetness pooled beneath me. My heart dropped.

Blood.“No… no, please no…” My voice cracked as my trembling hand reached down and came away stained crimson.

The air shifted violently with panic and grief.I fumbled for my comm crystal, hands shaking. I barely had enough strength to whisper the activation word before Kael’s name lit up in the glyph runes.

It rang once. Twice.Then he answered.

“Kael—” I choked, tears already falling.

“Don’t call me again until you’re done acting like a child,” he snapped, and the light went dead.

I stared at the glowing shard in disbelief. My fingers tightened. “No…”

I tried again. Nothing. His line was dead.

Gritting my teeth, I activated the emergency runes instead. “Moonveil Guard… emergency,” I rasped.

The pain became unbearable. My vision dimmed. My body went limp.I can’t lose this pup. Not again. Not like this.

As the shadows closed in, one thought burned in my mind:If I survive this… Kael will pay in blood.

And then—darkness.

~

When I woke, the scent of wolfsbane and healing salves filled my senses. I was lying on a bed of moon-thread linens. My limbs were heavy, my soul even heavier.

A female healer stood beside me, her aura calm but sorrowful.

“Luna Winslow,” she said softly. “You’re awake.”

I blinked slowly, heart pounding in my chest as memories returned like a flood. The kitchen. The fall. The blood.

“My pup…” I croaked. My hands moved to my stomach. It felt empty. Too empty.

The healer’s eyes glistened. She took my hand. “I’m so sorry… the injury was too severe. You lost the pup.”

A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it. The walls trembled with my anguish. I wailed, sobbing so hard it felt like my soul was breaking apart.

My son—gone. My unborn pup—gone. All because of the male who once vowed to protect me.

I cried until I could cry no more.Then I lay silent.Wishing I hadn’t survived.Wishing the spirits of the forest had claimed me too.

The door creaked open.Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate.I didn’t even glance up.

“Lunara,” a voice called, deep and cool like ice.

My eyes fluttered open. A tall figure stood beside me, his silver armor still dusted with battle ash. His eyes—cold gray—stared down at me with something unreadable.

Killian Romano.Ashira’s mate.The male she had been betraying me—and him—with.

I didn’t have the strength to speak.He sat beside me without invitation.

“I heard,” he said simply. “I’m sorry.”

His words rang hollow in my ears. Seeing him only reminded me more of her. Of everything I’d lost.

“Ashira’s not here,” I rasped, my voice dry and cracked. “You don’t need to keep pretending.”

His jaw tensed. A snarl ghosted over his lips.

“I’m not here for that cheating whore,” he said darkly.

I blinked, surprised. “You know?”

He nodded once. “Since last moon. You?”

“This week.”

A pause passed between us. An eerie silence, filled only by the hum of protective runes.

“That’s why I’m here,” Killian finally said, his gaze meeting mine with quiet intensity.

I furrowed my brow. “Why?”

“I have a proposition,” he said, voice steady. “How would you like to have revenge?”

My heart stuttered.And for the first time since the pain began, I felt something flicker to life again inside me.Hope.