I stared at Alpha Kale with hollow, broken eyes, the ache of betrayal clawing at my soul more viciously than any physical wound. For a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze, remorse, perhaps, as he released his grip on me with a sharp breath.

“I’m sorry, Alina, it’s just-” his words, meant to be a balm, were swiftly interrupted by Talia’s faint whimper.

“Daddy… Mommy is sick,” came Marcus, Talia’s son’s small voice, piercing the tension like a fang to the throat.

In the blink of an eye, Kale turned his back on me and rushed to her side, scooping Talia into his arms as though I were nothing more than dust in the air. He pressed his hand to her forehead, whispering low and tender words meant only for her ears.

“I think it’s the stench of vomit, Kale,” Talia moaned weakly, her voice laced with artificial fragility. “I feel so lightheaded… I can’t even eat.”

“Clean that up,” Alpha Kale snarled over his shoulder, his Alpha command laced with dominance as he walked away, the boy toddling after them like a pup following his sire.

My mother-in-law stared at me with disdain, let out a loud hiss, and turned on her heel, the click of her heels echoing like venomous punctuation.

Suppressing the urge to shift from rage, I crouched down and began to clean the mess, my vomit, the broken bowl, the spilled seafood, all evidence of my humiliation. The weight of being Luna meant nothing here. Not when the Alpha had chosen another she-wolf to protect.

When I finished, I ascended the stone staircase to the room that had once been our sanctuary, the same one I had shared with Kale for two years, never knowing I had mated with a monster wearing a man’s face.

Kale, Alpha of the Hallowfang Pack. He had come into my life on a night filled with storm and sorrow, the same night Talia abandoned him at the altar. I’d found him at the bridge, ready to leap, his wolf barely restrained beneath his trembling skin. I had saved him. I had offered him warmth and body and heart, believing I was his salvation.

He was my boss then. For two years, I worked by his side, mistaking his kindness for something more. When I felt like I had no one, Kale was there; he paid for everything, held me as I wept, promising I’d never be alone.

Then came the storm. The night we gave in. What I once thought was fate. We made love, and by morning, he wept, calling it a mistake, blaming himself for my grief. He begged to fix it. So we married in secret, bound by wolf law, hidden from the world.

His pack never approved. His mother had loathed me from the beginning, spitting curses about my orphaned lineage and lack of title. She called me a breeder, nothing more. And now, even that purpose has been taken from me.

I didn’t know when Talia returned or when Kale’s heart began to drift, but I knew without doubt that she was back, and I was already forgotten.

He had become her creature. Her puppet. And I? I was this pack's Luna stripped of her moon.

I retrieved the resignation letter I had written weeks before my due date, a quiet dream of leaving the corporate world behind to raise my pup in peace. That dream had died with my child. Now all I needed was Kale’s signature on that letter and the divorce papers, which were soon to arrive.

I packed the documents with steady hands and moved to strip the walls of every framed photograph, every smile that now rang false. One by one, I tossed them into a box, along with all the lavish gifts he had given over the years, jewels, furs, enchanted trinkets, hollow tokens of a love that had never been real.

A knock came at the door.

Kale entered, his eyes sweeping over the near-empty room, then resting on the box at my feet.

“Why is the room bare? And why are you packing the gifts I gave you?” he asked, frowning.

“I don’t like them anymore,” I replied coolly. “I’m giving them away.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Is this because I raised my voice earlier? I apologized. I’ll buy you more. But you need to try to get along with Talia, she’s my brother’s widow.”

I gave a dry laugh, no longer surprised by the depths of his deceit. “You never told me you had a brother.”

Kale hesitated, then let out a fake chuckle. “He was the black sheep of the family. Now that he’s gone, I’m responsible for them. But Talia… she means nothing to me now. I have you.”

I stared at him long and hard. I wanted to believe those words, needed them to be true, but I knew the scent of a lie when it brushed against my wolf senses.

“Fine,” I said at last. “But I don’t want her living here.”

“She is going to live here,” Kale said sharply. “She has nowhere else to go. I’ll send her up so you two can talk.”

He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my face, letting his lips land on my cheek. He didn’t notice, or didn’t care, and left without another word.

Moments later, the door opened again. Talia entered, looking around with open smugness.

“Perfect. Clear the space. I’ll be moving in soon,” she announced with a smirk.

I nodded. “You can have the whole house. I won’t be here much longer.”

Talia’s grin widened. “Oh, darling, so you do know. Kale told me something earlier. He said your pup died for a good cause. That Marcus is doing better now. You should be proud, your child gave mine a future.”

The words sliced through my chest like silver. I sank onto the bed, staring at her without blinking. “If my pain gives you joy, then take it. Feast on it.”

Talia’s amusement faltered. She scowled. “You’re not angry? What’s wrong with you? Your mate betrayed you, killed your child, left you barren, because I asked him to!”

I looked at her coldly. “Congratulations. He’s yours. Enjoy the leash you’ve got around his neck.”

Talia began pacing the room in frustration, her composure slipping. Then, in a flash, she grabbed my arm, her claws digging in slightly.

“You ungrateful bitch. I’ll show you what happens when you spoil my fun.”

“Let me go,” I growled, trying to yank free.

She refused to release me and instead dragged me toward the top of the staircase. Just as I twisted my wrist loose, she screamed, loud and theatrical.

“Luna Alina, no! Please!”

And then she tumbled down the stairs.

The thudding of her body echoed through the manor, followed by a chorus of hurried footsteps. Kale and his mother appeared at the bottom, finding Talia crumpled and bleeding.

Kale’s eyes burned with fury, glowing red beneath the surface.

“What the fuck have you done?” He demanded. His voice was trembling with rage as he stared up at me, no longer as a husband, but as an Alpha ready to unleash hell.

I stood frozen at the top of the stairs, staring at Talia’s lifeless body twisted unnaturally at the base. The sharp scent of blood hit my wolf senses before Marcus’s anguished cry broke through the silence.

“Mommy!” he wailed, clutching her limp hand as his small claws protruded in panic.

Alpha Kale’s amber eyes snapped to mine, blazing with fury. His voice was a low growl, filled with venom. “If anything happens to Talia or my pup, you’ll wish you’d never been born.”

With that, he scooped her into his arms, her head lolling against his chest. Marcus trailed behind them, sobbing, his small wolf whimpers echoing through the hall. Kale’s mother turned on me, her upper lip curling.

“I curse you, demon child! The Moon should’ve swallowed you in your mother’s womb.”

They vanished, leaving only the cold scent of betrayal behind.

I collapsed onto the steps, numb. No one asked if I had pushed her. No trial, no pack council, no justice. Just accusation, because that’s what Talia wanted.

I was still there when the guards came. They didn’t speak. Two massive wolves in human form grabbed me with claws out and zero regard for rank.

“Let me go! What are you doing?!” I cried, but their grip tightened. They shoved me into a black SUV and drove through the woods to the Hallowfang Pack’s private infirmary.

Inside, the antiseptic stung my nose as they dragged me into a sterile room. Alpha Kale was already there, his face a mask of barely contained rage.

“Kale, I swear I didn’t-”

A sudden slap knocked my head sideways. The taste of blood filled my mouth. My wolf growled beneath my skin, but I forced her down.

Not now…

“I’ve had it with your lies, Alina,” he snarled, his aura pressing down on me like a storm cloud. “You pushed Talia, and now you’ll give her your blood. She’s carrying my heir.”

His words struck like claws to my gut.

“I didn’t touch her, and she’s not getting my blood,” I hissed through clenched teeth, though my voice trembled.

Kale’s hands closed around my neck in a flash, fangs bared in a cruel snarl. “You’ll obey.”

I kicked and clawed at his wrists, gasping as my vision blurred.

“You’ll kill her!” The doctor shouted, rushing forward.

Kale released me, and I collapsed to the floor, coughing and choking as air rushed back into my lungs. My heart pounded wildly as I looked up at the man I once called mate.

“You’re not off the hook,” he growled. Then he turned to the doctor. “Drain her. Every last drop, leave just enough for her to crawl.”

The doctor hesitated. “She’s too weak, Alpha. She lost a lot of blood the other day during the-”

Kale seized the man by the collar, lifting him off the floor like he weighed nothing. “I said drain her!”

The doctor paled, then nodded quickly. Kale stormed out while his enforcers restrained me again. I thrashed, but the needles pierced my arms, and the blood began to flow.

Darkness swirled as I slipped under.

--

A bucket of icy water yanked me back to the waking world. Shivering, soaked, I blinked against the harsh light. My body screamed in pain.

Kale stood before me, rage still simmering beneath his cool tone.

“Done pretending now?” he asked, sneering.

“I’m cold,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Please…”

He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me to my feet. Pain tore through my scalp.

“Where’s Marcus?” he snapped. “You sent someone to take him, didn’t you?”

“What…? I don’t understand.”

“You had him kidnapped,” he snarled. “To punish me!”

I stared at him, my heart beating wildly. “You’re losing your mind.”

His claws dug into my arm as he shoved me back against the wall. “You’re a jealous, barren she-wolf who couldn’t stand the fact that Talia gave me what you couldn’t!”

“I gave you everything,” I whispered. “You took my child. You let them carve him out of me while I screamed. And now you accuse me of harming another pup?”

Kale’s face darkened. He motioned, and two guards dragged in a disheveled man. He fell to his knees and pointed at me.

“She paid me! I didn’t know the boy was yours, I swear!”

I stared in disbelief. “He’s lying! I don’t even know him!”

“You always lie!” Kale roared, grabbing my arm. “You’ll confess if it’s the last thing you do.”

He dragged me through the hallway and out onto the landing strip. A private jet waited, its engines humming.

“Kale! Wh-what are you doing?!” I shouted as he shoved me up the ramp.

The jet soared into the night sky. My wolf was pacing now, sensing danger. Kale stood in front of me as the wind roared. The cabin door unsealed with a hiss and swung open, revealing nothing but clouds and death beneath.

“Admit what you did or you’re going out that door,” he said, his voice void of mercy.

Terror struck me like lightning. “You know I’m afraid of heights, Kale, please! Have mercy!” I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks.

“I warned you,” he said.

And then he shoved me.

The roar of the wind swallowed my scream as I plunged into the abyss.

I woke up with a strangled scream, my claws scraping the hospital mattress as I bolted upright, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. My skin was slick with sweat, my wolf thrashing beneath the surface, responding to the phantom fall from the skies that had haunted my dream.

“Easy, Luna Alina,” came a calm, rehearsed voice. A hand gripped my wrist lightly, checking the pulse that thudded too fast. “You’re safe now.”

I blinked away the haze, the sterile scent of antiseptic surrounding me as the beep of the EKG machine echoed steadily. My vision cleared to reveal the doctor standing beside me. But we weren’t alone.

Alpha Kale. Talia. And his mother, Elder Luna Sasha Hallowfang.

All three stood at the foot of my bed, reeking of false sympathy and concealed contempt. My wolf snarled internally.

“How are you feeling, Alina?” Talia’s voice broke with practiced sobs as she clutched a tissue.

I ignored her, turning my eyes to the doctor instead. “What happened?”

Kale stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with fury beneath the false calm. “Ungrateful bitch,” he spat. “Talia saved your life. When I shoved you out of the jet, she threatened to jump too if I didn’t catch you. So I did. You were unconscious. She hasn’t left your side for two days.”

I looked at them blankly. Then a laugh bubbled from deep in my chest, turning into hysterical cackles that drew alarm from the heart monitor. My wolf rose with me, baring her teeth in laughter.

“She set me up. You almost killed me, Kale,” I hissed. “Should I give you a fucking medal for saving the life you tried to take?”

Kale’s mother sneered. “You should’ve let her fall, Kale, you are an Alpha. Might’ve finally shut her cursed mouth.”

My eyes locked with hers, burning. “Maybe you should’ve let me die the day you all conspired to kill my pup.”

Silence fell, thick as smoke. Kale’s jaw ticked, then he scoffed. “You’re still high on medication. Come on, Talia.”

Talia leaned in suddenly and took my hand. Her claws dug in lightly, just enough to pierce. Her tear-filled eyes were all a show. “I’m so sorry, Luna Alina. Please forgive me. It was never supposed to go this far.”

“Stop pretending,” I snapped, yanking my hand free. “I don’t need your fake remorse.”

She stumbled back theatrically, caught by Kale’s swift hands. His glare was a blade.

“You’re lucky Talia’s merciful,” he growled. “If she weren’t, I’d break every bone in your body.”

And just like that, they left, trailing the stench of lies. The doctor lingered awkwardly.

“I want to leave,” I said, my voice hoarse.

As if sensing my fury, the doctor didn’t argue.

--

Back home, I collected the mail sitting on the foyer table. The divorce papers were finally here, heavy with finality. My resignation letter was next. The only remaining task is to get Kale to sign them without reading.

Fate didn’t delay. Kale appeared in the doorway, tossing a bag at me.

“Dress up. We’ve got a business event,” he said.

“Take Talia,” I replied flatly.

“She’s coming,” he said, his tone clipped. “But you’re still my assistant. It’d raise eyebrows if you’re absent.”

I didn’t argue. Instead, I grabbed the documents, flipping them to the last page and offering a pen.

“Sign these. Hospital discharge papers,” I lied.

He frowned, flipping briefly through before Talia called sweetly from the hallway, “Alpha Kale, come see how I look!”

Kale’s attention shifted in an instant. With a smitten smile, he scribbled his signature on both documents and left. My heart didn’t flinch. I was grateful, so grateful that his obsession made him careless.

I dressed in the black sheath he had chosen, tight and elegant, hugging my curves, masking the storm within. When I descended the stairs, Kale’s gaze lingered a second too long. But the moment Talia stepped into the room, all attention vanished.

The ride to the event was hellish. Talia kept tossing memories like daggers of trysts with Kale in this very car. I clenched my jaw and stared at my phone, confirming my one-way flight for tomorrow.

Kale watched me through the rearview mirror. “Who are you texting?” he asked sharply.

He snatched my phone, but his attempts to unlock it failed.

“What’s the password?” he asked.

“My birthday,” I said coolly.

He tried. It didn’t work. He returned it, flushed with shame.

At the event, Talia slipped into Kale’s arms, basking in the murmured praises of those calling her futurre Luna Talia of Hallowfang pack. I played the dutiful assistant, staying behind them, unseen, unfelt.

His gaze found me often, guilt flickering behind his amber eyes, but I offered nothing in return.

Then, without warning, gunfire shattered the evening.

Chaos erupted. Guests screamed. Shifters shifted. Humans ducked for cover. Bullets sprayed the marble walls.

Alpha Kale’s first instinct was to shield Talia with his body, throwing her down and covering her. I remained standing, frozen, watching him protect her. That hesitation cost me.

A hot sting ripped through my side. Pain bloomed like fire as I gasped, staggered, and fell.

“Kale…” I croaked. “Help…”

In an instant, he was there. He scooped me into his arms, his hand pressing against the gunshot wound. “Stay with me, Alina. You’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

We neared the door. Then…

“Kale! The baby… I- I can’t move!” Talia wailed.

And just like that, he stopped.

I felt his arms tense. Then he turned back.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You’re strong. You’ll make it. I can’t risk Talia… or the baby. I will send someone to help you. I promise.”

He set me down gently, as if I were made of porcelain, fragile, breakable.

Then he turned and ran.

Not to safety. Not to me.

He ran to her.

Through the blood, the smoke, and the screams, I watched him choose. I watched as Talia smirked over his shoulder, triumphant, claiming a victory that shattered me. Again.

And he never looked back.

Not even once.