As I headed to the pack house with the weight of my life pressing down on me, I overheard voices from the garden.

“He’s finally going to crown me Luna!” Vera announced to her friends, who gasped in shock.

I froze.

Darius was going to make her his Luna?

Anger boiled up inside me, mixing with the heartbreak like I might explode. I was furious at him. Furious at Vera. But most of all, at myself. How had I been so stupid? So naive? I’d wasted years clinging to this illusion of a mate bond, believing in something that no longer existed between us.

The truth hit me hard. I turned and ran to my room, my heart pounding, and my vision blurred with tears. Every step felt like I was breaking a little more. I couldn’t keep pretending anymore.

When I got to my room, I grabbed my phone with a shaking hand and called the only person who would still care about me.

“Dad,” I sobbed as soon as he picked up, my voice trembling. “I’ve had enough. I’m coming home.”

There was silence on the other end, but I knew he could hear the pain in my voice. He’d been waiting for this, hoping I’d see the truth before it was too late.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he said softly. “Come home. I’ll be waiting.”

I hung up the phone with my father, my chest still tight from our conversation. Telling him I was coming home had been the hardest thing I’ve said in a while, but I knew it was the right choice. I was done with this life, done with Darius. The pain, the rejection, the betrayal—it was time to leave it all behind.

The door to my room creaked open, and Darius stepped in. My heart skipped a beat, not from excitement but from pure unease. He glanced at the phone in my hand, suspicion etched across his face.

"Who were you talking to?" His voice was low, almost accusing.

I forced a smile, slipping into the familiar act I’d perfected over the years. “My dad,” I said, casually. “He just called to check on me. Nothing important.” I paused, looking at him expectantly. “Did you need something?”

Darius didn’t answer. Instead, he crossed the room in a few strides and pulled me toward him. The suddenness of his touch made my skin crawl. I stiffened as he leaned in, trying to kiss me. I dodged, turning my head just in time.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered quickly, stepping back. “I’m not feeling well tonight.”

He frowned, his brow furrowing. “Clara reported back to me.”

My pulse quickened, and my nerves went haywire.

Clara—what did she tell him? Did he know? The thought of him finding out about the miscarriage made my stomach twist. He didn’t deserve to know. He didn’t deserve that truth.

“What did she say?” I asked, feigning calm, though my heart pounded in my chest.

“That you only have a few non-life-threatening bruises.”

A small, relieved breath escaped me.

He didn’t know. Thank Goddess.

I quickly scrambled for a reason to keep him at bay. “It’s not my injuries,” I said, forcing a casual tone. “I’m on my period. I really can’t tonight.” I glanced at him, hoping that would be enough. He had seen me bleeding earlier—it wasn’t a complete lie.

Darius’s gaze lingered on me, unreadable for a moment, but then he stepped back. “Alright.” He walked over to the table, pulled a small jar of ointment from his pocket, and placed it down. “Put this on your bruises.”

I stared at him, stunned. His tone wasn’t harsh. It wasn’t cold. It was almost... considerate. I couldn’t remember the last time he had shown me any kind of care, and now, after everything that happened, and years of neglect—he was acting like this?

“Thanks,” I managed to say as he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, completely confused.

Thinking about it, it was strange that he was suddenly begging me for intimacy. I was so desperate for a scrap of his attention that I didn't even question it. But, even with my head clear, I didn't understand what he was playing.

Why was he being considerate now, after years of treating me like I was nothing? And why had he started sleeping with me again, even getting me pregnant?

My head hurt from trying to figure him out.

I climbed into bed, ignoring the ointment on the table. I was too tired, too broken to care.

The next morning, I woke to the unsettling sight of Darius leaning against my door frame, watching me. My heart leaped in my chest as I sat up, startled.

“You like strawberry shortcakes, right?” His voice was casual like it was normal.

I blinked at him. “What?”

He held up a slice of cake. “I got you a slice.”

I couldn’t stop the bitter laugh that escaped me. It was ridiculous. “Are you trying to kill me now?” I asked, shaking my head. “It’s been years. Of course, you’d forget that I’m allergic to strawberries.”

Darius looked annoyed, his jaw tightening. “Stop making a fuss. Do whatever you want with the cake. I don’t care.”

A wry smile tugged at my lips, the irony of the situation hitting me. After all this time, he couldn’t even remember something as basic as my allergies. My bitterness slipped out before I could stop it. “Congratulations,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I heard you’re finally crowning your Luna.”

Darius stared at me for a moment, something dark passing through his eyes, but he didn’t say a word. He turned and left as if the conversation hadn’t even happened.

I sat there for a long time, staring at the empty doorway.

What was that? What was he even doing in my room? His room was in the west wing, far from here. We might be tousling the sheets at night this past month, but I didn't think that was enough to turn him into a romantic.

I glanced at the slice of cake, the strawberries glistening under the morning light. I picked it up and tossed it in the trash. He hadn’t gotten it for me. I knew that. Only one person in this house would ask for a strawberry shortcake this early in the morning.

Vera.

And that just left me wondering what he was really here for.

That afternoon, I went to town for an errand. The marketplace was bustling, vendors calling out their wares, and shoppers chatting away, but I barely noticed. My mind was a storm. All I could think about was getting away from Stormfang and Darius. I needed a concrete plan that could get me out of this place for good.

As I turned the corner toward the bakery, lost in my thoughts, I heard someone mention my name. I froze, quickly slipping into the shadows, and hiding behind a stall. A group of she-wolves were talking about me.

“She’s finally getting ditched by the Alpha,” one of them sneered. My chest tightened as I pressed myself further into the corner, trying to keep my breath steady.

“Vera’s got it all now—strength, beauty, everything. Lyanna’s just a half-breed. No one even cares.”

Their words were like daggers. Vera’s voice echoed in my head, her smugness from before.

'No one gives a damn about you here'.

I’d known that long ago, but hearing it from someone like her was humiliating, and infuriating.

“They were training together this morning,” another one chimed in. “Alpha Darius and Vera looked perfect. Like they’re already the real deal.”

My heart clenched painfully, anger simmering just below the surface.

Darius had never once trained with me. But with Vera, of course, it was different. They kept talking, voices lowering to hushed whispers as they brought up my bleeding from yesterday.

“That kind of bleeding,” one of them whispered, “can only mean miscarriage. I saw it happen to a friend of mine. She’s lost the baby.”

A sharp pain tore through me at her words, fresh grief mixing with my rising fury. I bit my lip hard, struggling to keep myself from making a sound.

“But it was still the Alpha’s child, right? Even if it was half-breed, wouldn’t he come after Vera for hurting it?”

I held my breath, waiting for their response.

“No way,” the other one scoffed. “I overheard Vera talking to him yesterday. Darius said he didn’t care. He couldn’t care less about the half-breed.”

The world tilted. My legs wobbled, and I accidentally knocked against the stall, sending them scurrying. My stomach churned, anger flooding through me like wildfire. It wasn’t just that they saw me as nothing—Darius didn’t care either. I was nothing to him, and neither was our child.

By the time I made it back to the packhouse, my anger had reached a boiling point. I could barely contain it. Every step I took felt heavy, my fury pressing against my chest, clawing to get out. I just wanted to get back to the kitchen, unload the groceries, and lock myself away from everyone.

But the moment I stepped inside, a maid appeared. “The Alpha is calling for you, Miss Lyanna,” she said politely, though there was a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

I nearly growled. Of course, he was calling for me now. I’d just gotten back, and he was already pulling me away. His office was in the north wing, a long walk from where I was, and my patience was hanging by a thread. I hadn’t eaten all day, I was exhausted, and on top of that, I had to hear such vile things. I dumped the grocery bags on the maid and forced myself to head to his office.

I didn't bother knocking and just opened the door.

Darius didn’t even look up from his papers as I walked in. “I heard you haven’t eaten today,” he said flatly. “I had someone prepare a meal for you.”

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by his words. Then I saw the full-course meal on the coffee table, steam still rising from the dishes. Confusion twisted in my gut. Did he expect me to sit there and eat in front of him? I stayed silent, not moving.

After a long pause, he finally glanced up at me. “What’s wrong? Aren’t these your favorites?”

Favorites? I stared at the food, then back at him, my anger bubbling up again. What was this game? Was he trying to pretend he cared now? After everything?

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What are you doing, Darius?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t care. “Stop pretending like this is normal. Don’t do things out of character and act like you give a damn. Just tell me what you want.”

His eyes darkened, and I heard the low growl in his throat—a warning. Once, that growl would’ve made me shrink, would’ve made me bite my tongue. But not anymore.

The tension between us was palpable. Darius leaned back in his chair, his eyes cold and calculating, as if this situation was beneath him. We were locked in a silent, hostile standoff, my frustration simmering beneath the surface. His expression was unreadable, and the longer the silence stretched, the harder it became to suppress my rising anger.

Finally, he broke the silence, his voice as icy as his gaze. "It’s just food, Lyanna. What are you fussing about?"

I clenched my fists, glaring at him. "I wonder why," I shot back, sarcasm dripping from my words.

He clicked his tongue in irritation, turning his attention back to the papers on his desk. "I have a business trip coming up," he said, dismissively. "I don’t have time to humor your antics. If you want to starve, then so be it."

A bitter laugh threatened to escape, but I held it back. I did ask him to cut the act. Back then, I would have done anything at this point to ease his anger. I wouldn't be doing that anymore.

I turned on my heel, ready to leave, but his voice stopped me cold.

"The Luna’s crowning ceremony will be held when I return from the trip," he said, his tone indifferent. "You’ll organize it. There will be guests from other packs, so make sure everything is perfect."

I froze. My heart pounded in my chest as his words sunk in. He wanted me to arrange someone's ceremony. Their wedding, the mating ceremony, the moment when Vera would officially become Luna? He wanted me to handle it all like some loyal servant.

I gritted my teeth, barely keeping the fury from boiling over. Without another word, I stormed out of his office, the door slamming shut behind me. The audacity! How could anyone be this shameless?

“Damn, fool!”

I cursed myself as I hurried back to the east wing, each step fueling my anger. Many others could handle the arrangements—people who actually belonged in this pack. But no, he insisted that I do it. How would he expect his subordinates to help me set everything when I'm the object of their scorn?

I stopped in the hallway, slapping my cheeks lightly, trying to clear my head. Of course, this was Darius I was dealing with. He was expecting I'd handle it by myself.

But maybe I could use this to my advantage.

The week flew by in a haze of preparations, demands from Vera, and sleepless nights. Every time I thought I had things ready, she’d demand changes. But I gritted my teeth and kept going, knowing that this was my only chance.

Then the rogues came. I thought I lost it, but an opportunity presented itself that I never expected.

Sinister howls echoed through the forest, followed by the blaring siren. Panic surged through the packhouse as warriors clashed with the invaders, trying to protect the pack from the vicious attack. I had just returned from the temple, my arms full of supplies, when the chaos erupted. I sprinted toward the packhouse with the others, only to find the doors locked.

Vera’s doing, no doubt. She boasted about her strength in many ways but she always ran first in actual fights.

Panic gripped me as I ran around the side of the house, heading for the back door near the kitchen. But that, too, was locked. My heart raced, fear clawing at my throat as I stood there, helpless. And then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him—a rogue, eyes wild, teeth bared.

I wasn’t a fighter. I’d never been one. But in that moment, survival kicked in. I dodged his attacks, my breath coming in sharp as I ran, desperate to get away. But he cornered me, backing me up against a tree in the middle of the battlefield. My heart pounded in my chest as I braced myself for the end.

Then a familiar howl cut through the chaos. Darius was back.

Our eyes locked across the battlefield. I silently begged him for help, my heart aching with the need for him to save me. But then, a scream rang out from inside the packhouse, and without hesitation, Darius turned and ran inside.

My heart sank. I knew he was repulsed by having a half-breed like me as his mate, but he could've at least tried to save me for once.

Still, their arrival distracted the rogue. So, I seized the moment and grabbed a nearby rock and smashed it against his head with all the strength I could muster. My breath came in ragged gasps as I stood there, trembling, taking in the carnage around me.

And then I did something I never thought I’d do.

I ran.

I ran into the forest, away from the pack, away from Darius, away from everything I’d ever known.

Screw him and everything.