Everyone in Moonveil Pack knew our Alpha, Eric, worshiped his Mate.

When he loved, he went feral.

To keep me—an infertile she-wolf—on the Luna throne, he once painted the Elder Council in blood. Stood in front of the whole pack and swore he hated pups. Said he'd end his own bloodline before he let me hurt.

Yeah. That was his version of forever.

Until my body changed.

Then one day he walked into our territory holding a young she-wolf's hand—Velda—and built her a little love nest right next to our home.

I asked for an explanation.

"My pack needs an heir. You can't give me one."

Velda smiled all sweet.

The second he looked away, she flipped me off.

"Zara, you're fat as a pig. What makes you think you can compete with me?"

I looked at her young, perfect face and finally got it.

Those vows? Not love.

Just lust in a crown.

I didn't cry. Didn't cause a scene. I called the witch through mind link.

"Do it. Forcefully sever my mate bond with him."

If he hated this body so much, then the thousandfold pain I'd held back for five years?

Yeah.

It was time to give it back.

"Zara, the silver poisoning in your body has already spread to your organs. If you don't do the purification, you've got less than a month. Are you sure you're refusing treatment?"

"I'm sure."

I stepped out of the healing lodge. A sharp burn ripped through my chest.

I'd thought it was an old battle wound flaring up. Didn't realize it was silver poison—crafted to wipe out wolves like us.

I made it back to the house, barely steady on my feet.

My eyes landed on the old photo frame on the table.

In it, Eric was still a teenage wolf, staring at me like I was his whole damn world.

Even now, I remember that day.

Up in the frozen north, two rogue pups curled together just to survive the cold.

He shoved the last piece of venison into my hands and grinned. "Zara, when I'm Alpha, you'll never go hungry again. I'll make sure you've always got meat."

I teased him. "What if I get fat?"

He ruffled my hair, smiling like it was obvious. "Even if you turn into a pig, I'd still want you. You'll always be my Mate."

That promise used to make me dizzy.

We grew up as rogues, claimed each other as mates on the northern ice fields.

To help him build a pack, I forced myself to get stronger.

We fought for scraps beside corpses. Ripped out rival wolves' throats without blinking.

I stood by him while he built Moonveil from nothing—until it became the territory we rule now.

Later, he put the crown on my head—his Luna. The whole pack looked up to me.

I liked human fashion. Every new luxury drop showed up at our door the second it launched.

I loved to roam. He'd ditch pack business just to run wild with me.

Every anniversary, he went all out.

Even after I lost the pup... after they took my womb and I could never carry again—

He claimed it was his fault. Told the Elder Council he didn't want heirs. Said just the two of us was enough.

The pack swore their Alpha worshiped his Luna.

Then year five of our bond hit.

He brought a rogue named Velda into our territory.

Set her up right next to what used to be our home—and built hers.

The Alpha who used to come home every night?

He stopped coming home at all.

As my body changed, he softened with her and went cold with me.

Every time he looked at me, his eyes dragged over my figure like it offended him.

"Zara, Velda just reminds me of who you used to be. Don't overthink it."

I stopped thinking and rubbed the fang pendant in my palm.

After we killed the rogue who used to bully us, he polished this fang himself. Said it was ours.

Last week was our mate-bond anniversary.

Same day I got ambushed by a vampire.

I called him. Told him I'd been poisoned.

He sounded annoyed. Said I needed to quit pulling tricks like that. Said he'd come back.

I dragged my injured body into the kitchen and made his favorite meal. Waited.

Eric didn't walk in until two in the morning.

I asked why.

"Velda's scared of the dark. What's so special about this stupid day?"

We fought. Hard.

And that's when he finished it.

"Zara, this pack needs a strong heir to take my place. You can't give me one."

Right then, I knew.

Whatever we had?

It was dead.

I bolted from pack territory, not waiting to hear the rest.

He didn't come after me.

I hid out for a week in the cave we used to crash in as rogues. When the pain in my body got too brutal to ignore, I finally went to the healer.

When I came back home, the vase we'd shattered during our fight was still all over the floor.

He hadn't been back.

I knelt to clean it up and sliced my palm on a shard.

Black blood—poisoned—slid from the cut.

I just stared at it.

Should I tell him?

If he knew I was dying... would he even care?

My eyes burned. I let out a dry laugh.

Forget it.

He wasn't the Eric I grew up with. Now he'd just say I was faking it to get his attention.

I drew a slow breath.

The door opened.

Eric stepped inside.

A red mark stained the white collar of his shirt.

The air shifted—heavy with a she-wolf in heat.

Not mine.

Velda's.

I'd know that scent anywhere.

He looked at me, eyebrow raised. "Done throwing your tantrum?"

I said nothing. Slid my injured hand into my pocket.

I hadn't expected him home. The black blood soaked into the fabric.

I thought he'd notice.

He didn't.

Instead, he scoffed. "Trying something new? You're getting more pathetic by the day."

Even after everything, my chest still tightened.

There was a time when a bee sting would've had him panicking.

He knew I used to be a warrior. Knew I hated crying. Knew I'd swallow pain without a sound.

Back then, if I got hurt, he'd lose it.

Now?

I cleaned my wounds. Alone.

Seeing me quiet, Eric eased his tone—but the impatience was still there.

"Zara, stop making a scene. Velda's just here temporarily. Other Alphas keep a few she-wolves besides their Luna. Look at you—how much weight have you put on? Compared to them, I've only taken one. And it's just for breeding. You should be grateful."

He always pitched it like that.

Before he could keep going, the mind link snapped open.

"Eric... I had a nightmare. I dreamed vampires were coming to take me. I'm so scared. Can you come back?"

Her voice was soft. Sugary.

The hard lines in his face vanished.

He softened instantly, voice low and careful—like she was something fragile.

That look used to be mine.

He didn't spare me another glance. Just headed for the door.

"Eric."

He stopped. His hand tightened on the knob, irritation flashing. "Velda's scared. As Luna, you're supposed to support our wolves. Don't start being unreasonable right now—"

"Let's sever our mate bond."

He froze.

Then the fury hit.

"What are you insane about now?!"

Disgust filled his eyes.

"First you hurt yourself. Now you want to end this. What's next? Suicide?"

I asked quietly, "No need for anything dramatic... what if I'm really about to die?"

My voice barely held.

But he'd already yanked the door open. Snow and wind blasted inside.

"Then go die. Die somewhere far away."

The door slammed.

Silence swallowed the living room.

A savage pain ripped through my abdomen—the silver poison chewing through my organs.

I grabbed the pain potion the healer gave me and forced it down.

It hurt so bad I could barely breathe.

I wanted to tell him everything.

That a vampire ambushed me.

That silver poison was eating me alive.

That I was actually dying.

I almost took the risk.

Bet he'd come back.

My shaking hand reached for him through the mind link.

Only wind answered.

He'd shut the link off.

A rough laugh slipped out as I looked at my reflection in the broken glass.

Because of the poison, I hadn't eaten in days. I was all bone—ribs sharp under my skin.

And he'd just called me fat. Said my skin was thick.

Nothing hurts like a heart that's already dead.

In his eyes, I'd always be the jealous, dramatic she-wolf.

I counted the time.

"Eric, this is day one of my goodbye."

My time was running out. No reason to keep any of it.

I called the weakest Omegas and handed over everything Eric ever gave me—rare furs, gemstones, all of it.

"Luna... you're really giving this to me? This is prime silver fox fur. If Alpha finds out..."

The young Omega's voice shook. Her eyes didn't.

"Take it. You need it more."

I smiled while they carried off the gifts that used to mean honor. Used to mean love.

"Alpha treats you so well. He always saves the best for you."

I heard the envy. I didn't answer. Just glanced down at the pack feed on my phone.

Velda had posted:

[It's freezing out, but good thing I've got your warmth to keep me cozy.]

In the photo, she was wrapped in a flawless white bear pelt.

Eric hunted that bear up north last week.

I'd begged for it. Winter bedding. The cold cut deeper now.

What did he say?

"I'm slammed every day. Who has time for that? And you're so fat—how could you even be cold?"

So yeah. He wasn't busy.

He just had someone else to keep warm.

After the Omegas left, I went to see Daisy.

She's a warrior from a neighboring pack—Stormcrown Pack. My only real friend.

"I need you to take me to the wolves' graveyard."

She froze. That place is where we bury our own. Wolves only go there when they're picking their final spot.

"Zara, why would you ask me to take you somewhere like that?"

I didn't answer. I just pulled her inside.

The old wolf guarding the graves rolled his cloudy eyes and handed me a map.

I walked the grounds and picked a quiet place facing the sun.

Out of respect for Daisy, he accepted my deposit.

"It's for me. I'm choosing it for myself."

I wrote Zara on the registry.

Once the gold was put away, I dragged a shaken Daisy back to the car.

The second the door shut, she grabbed my shoulders.

"Zara, what is going on? Why are you picking a grave for yourself? Does Eric know?"

Fear was all over her face.

It made me think of him.

If he'd seen that back there, would he be scared of losing me?

I smiled, bitter.

He'd probably think I was being dramatic again.

"Daisy."

I cut her off and slowly untied my loose black robe.

The muscle I used to have was gone. In its place—shriveled, dark skin.

Over my heart, claw marks. Deep. Bone showing.

Black pus leaked from the wounds. The smell of rot filled the car.

"I was ambushed by a vampire. Silver poison. It's already in my bones." I looked out the window, voice light. "The healer said one month. Starting today, twenty-eight days left."

Daisy covered her mouth. Shock wrecked her face.

Tears spilled fast. Her hand shook as she reached for the wound—then stopped.

"How... how did this happen? You were the strongest Beta she-wolf."

"That was before."

I tied my robe back up, hiding the damage.

For some reason, seeing Daisy cry for me twisted something in my chest.

Almost happy.

See?

There was still someone in this world who cared whether I lived or died.