Her Covenant on the Blood Moon

I, Cora Crestwood, heiress to an ancient werewolf clan, gave up everything for Alpha Jaxon Ryker and became his mate.

On our fifth anniversary, I discovered Jaxon was having an affair with an Omega named Lilah. In his private study, he had her pinned beneath him, growling in her ear.

"You insatiable little thing…"

I saw Jaxon's bare torso. Beside the sacred mate-bond tattoo meant only for me, a new, serpentine mark—Lilah’s mark—was coiled. Lilah's fingers traced the serpent as she nestled against him. "If Cora finds out you tattooed my mark on you," she purred, "will she be angry with me?"

"I've just been feeling so unsettled lately," she continued, her voice a pathetic whine. "I needed this to feel secure…"

Jaxon’s grip tightened on her waist. "This is temporary," he snarled. "You know how important Cora is to me. If you breathe a word of this to her, you'll regret it."

The scene shattered what was left of my heart. I immediately contacted my aunt through the mind-link.

"Aunt, I'm going to activate the Blood Moon Covenant."

————————

1

I was once the revered ritualist of the Crestwood clan. Five years ago, for Jaxon, I gave up everything.

To prove his love, he had once conquered the entire Laurel Valley and laid it at my feet during a territorial war.

Once, during a winter hunt, he had gifted me the pelt of a rare snow wolf king.

"Cora, to make you happy, I would conquer the world for you," he had said, draping the warm pelt over me.

Back then, his voice was so powerful it made me swoon.

But now, it was all a cruel joke.

At my own anniversary party, I hid in the shadows, watching Jaxon tangled with Lilah.

Lilah's fingers slid triumphantly over the defiled tattoo on Jaxon's chest.

I knew that tattoo was the physical manifestation of our mate bond. To defile it was to fracture our very connection.

It was meant to bind our souls together forever.

He had smiled when he got it. "With this," he'd said, "no one can ever tear us apart."

And now, an ugly snake had been added to that sacred mark, glowing with a piercing light.

"You gave me something that was supposed to belong only to Luna Cora. She won't be angry, will she?" Lilah asked in a cloyingly sweet voice. "It's just that I've been feeling so unsettled lately. This was the only thing that could make me feel secure."

Jaxon’s movements paused. He gripped her waist harder, his voice a low growl. "This is only temporary. I'll have it removed."

"You know how important Cora is to me. If you dare let her find out, I'll make you pay."

I clapped a hand over my mouth, stifling a sob.

So this was the great love he had for me?

Even so, I didn't confront him or cause a scene. I simply shuttered my heart and waited for the blood moon to rise.

The blood moon appeared once a century. It was the only chance to activate the ancient covenant and completely sever the mate bond.

It would arrive in three days. It was my only path to freedom.

…

Later, Jaxon gave me a diamond necklace, his face a mask of guilt.

"I'm sorry, Cora. I was experimenting with a power upgrade and it... messed with the tattoo. But don't worry, I've already had someone look at it. It'll be fixed in a few days. I designed this necklace myself. For our anniversary."

I stared at him in silence, a storm of emotions churning inside me.

Jaxon reeked of cheap perfume, a clumsy attempt to cover Lilah's scent.