Just because I forget to bring my mate's lover back—leaving her alone in the wilderness for three hours—he flies into a rage and throws me into an abandoned well in the desolate countryside.

"You need to experience the torment that Belinda was put through."

The well is deep and narrow, forcing me to curl up in my wolf form. I struggle to breathe. I plead for mercy and beg for forgiveness. However, all he does is tell me off icily.

"Stay there and repent for your sins. You'll only understand the dignity required of a Luna once you learn your lesson from this."

He orders his men to seal the well with a large boulder. I let out anguished howls and roars as I claw my way upward. However, I only fall back down over and over again.

The walls of the well are covered in my claw marks. I continue like this until I can't make a sound through my parched throat.

…

Half a month later, my mate's heart softens when he sees the birthday gift I've prepared in advance for him. He decides to end my punishment.

Unbeknownst to him, worms and snakes have already gnawed my body beyond recognition at the bottom of the well.

When Connor Turner saw the craftsman's gift, a thought crossed his mind—he hadn't seen me in a while. "Strange. Clara hasn't come to cause trouble lately. Did she finally learn her place?"

"Exactly. She was spoiled rotten. A little suffering will do her good."

His warrior, Duncan Dixon, hesitated before speaking cautiously. "Alpha, Luna… she's still in that well."

Connor's pen stilled for a fraction of a second, then resumed as if the words meant nothing. "I assumed she'd had enough by now. Let her reflect a little longer."

Duncan looked troubled. "She hasn't made a sound for days. And there's a terrible stench coming from down the well. Do you want to check on her?"

Connor remained indifferent. "She's probably faking it—pretending to be all pitiful so we'd let her out. Someone like her would do anything to survive. She's likely already skinned and eaten the venomous snakes in there. With all that blood and rot, no wonder it reeks."

Duncan wanted to say more, but Connor cut him off, irritated. "Enough. I'll have her released before my birthday banquet tomorrow. As long as she learns her lesson and apologizes to Belinda, I'll let this go."

Checking his pocket watch, Connor dismissed Duncan and turned to welcome Belinda Carter, who had just returned from seeing the witch doctor, Tamara Howe.

"Dr. Howe, how is Belinda?" he asked.

Tamara's fingers curled around the gold coins Belinda had slipped her, her lips twisting into a satisfied smile.

Belinda coughed weakly, her frail body sinking into Connor's embrace. "Alpha, I feel much better. You don't have to bear Luna's fault."

Connor gazed at her tenderly. "You're too kind, Belinda. But don't worry. Clara has been punished. She won't trouble you again."

As they shared their tender moment, I chuckled softly behind them.

But no one noticed.

There was nothing I could do to Belinda anymore.

After all, I was already dead.

I struggled in despair for days, but even in my final moments, I couldn't lie down and rest. The well was too narrow, too cramped—I couldn't even sit.

Days without water had left my hair falling out in patches, my exposed skin shriveled and dry.

Venomous snakes coiled around my limbs while maggots and insects feasted on my flesh.

When my soul finally broke free, I didn't dare look back at the well.

Belinda's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, though she was quick to mask it with a delicate sigh. "Alpha, you don't have to do this. I never wanted her to be punished. If you keep going, Luna will end up blaming me."

Connor's tone was unwavering. "She wouldn't dare. Don't worry. After this, she'll think twice before acting out again—unless she wants to find herself back in that well.

"She's always been so proud. But after being trapped down there, forced to relieve herself like an animal… I doubt she'd ever risk this punishment again."

So he knew. He knew my pride was everything, yet he chose to strip it from me, to hand me the most degrading death imaginable.

My carefully maintained nails raked against the jagged stone walls as I tried to climb. But the moment my fingers grazed the edge, the guards shoved me back down.

Then Connor ordered the well to be sealed, preventing any rainwater from reaching the depths, effectively guaranteeing my thirst.

Weak and shaking, I stood in the darkness, feeling the insects and snakes gnawing at my toes.

My survival instinct screamed at me to lower my head and sink my teeth into whatever I could catch, but the cramped confines denied even the basic movement of a crouch.

With the last of my strength, I cast a Whisperbind Spell, sending my desperate plea directly to his ears. But all I received in return was his merciless judgment.

"You're already terrified from a few insect bites. Did you ever think about how helpless Belinda felt when you left her to be torn apart by those beasts?"

His words snuffed out the final ember of hope.

And the irony? The one who ultimately begged for my release was Belinda herself—if only to uphold her gentle, saintly image.

After enough sighs and tearful requests, Connor relented, though irritation sharpened his voice. "Duncan, get Luna out. Have her cleaned up before she comes to apologize. I don't want her filth staining Belinda's presence."

Belinda's eyes shimmered with feigned pain, as if recalling a nightmare. "Alpha, when Luna's out, you should comfort her. I know better than anyone how terrifying it is to be alone in the wild for so long."

Connor scoffed. "Comfort her? She deserves this! Because of her mistake, the convoy left you behind and you were forced to walk alone through the woods for half an hour before making it back to the pack. You were nearly dragged off by a starving beast!

"I can't even imagine how frightened you must have been. And yet, you're still so kind and too forgiving. That's why Clara keeps taking things too far!"

Connor's so-called righteous fury on Belinda's behalf was nothing short of ridiculous.

Just two weeks ago, I had led a trading convoy to negotiate with a neighboring pack. Because of my status as Luna, they treated me with the utmost respect, which clearly didn't sit well with Belinda.

She cornered me when no one was looking, her voice dripping with venom. "So what if you're Luna? The Alpha doesn't even care about you."

I didn't bother responding. I simply brushed past her and climbed into my carriage.

Yet, unexpectedly, she was unwilling to travel in the slightly worn-down mule cart. Consequently, she was left behind in the wilderness.

By the time Connor and his men found her, a giant eagle had its talons wrapped around her. She was battered, trembling, barely clinging to life.

With a breath as fragile as a dying ember, she whispered, "I only ever wanted to admire you from afar, Alpha. I never imagined even that would be taken from me. I just hope Luna will take good care of you. Then I'll have no regrets."

Connor howled in agony, cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world. I stood at the edge of the crowd, watching with cold indifference.

After all, given a werewolf's innate prowess, even the weakest Omega was capable of nocturnal hunts. A bald eagle? It was a triviality, a speck against our might.

And Belinda had only been in the wilderness for three hours.

However, when Connor seized my ear and forced me into the depths of the forsaken well, the façade of indifference shattered.

"Clara, Belinda has night blindness, and you left her wandering alone in the dark?

"Her sister was carried off by vultures when she was a child. She's been terrified of giant birds ever since. Do you even understand what you put her through?

"I'll make sure you understand that being Luna doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. If you refuse to admit your mistakes, then don't even think about coming out."

Even now, he sat there, arrogant and self-righteous, waiting for me to break, waiting for me to crawl back and admit I was wrong.

But this time, things wouldn't go his way.

"Alpha! Luna—she's stopped breathing!"

Duncan's panicked voice froze Connor in place.