I stood there in the shadows, the cold night pressing in on me. For the first time in years, I felt truly alone. watching Kieran from a distance. He had never found time to join me at any pack gatherings or even our most important ceremonies, but here he was, running through the healer’s cabin, fetching potions and speaking softly to another woman as if they were mated for life.

It hit me like a punch to the chest. Kieran wasn’t too busy to care for me, his Luna of seven years. He just didn’t *want* to.

In the bustling courtyard, Kieran held Selene close, his voice gentle as he murmured, ““Selene,”brushing a strand of hair from her face. “The healer said you need to stay active and eat healthy. You need to cut down your intake of farts even in the early stages of pregnancy. So we need to be careful.”

Selene pouted, her lips curling up into a mischievous grin. “I know, but you’re the one who keeps bringing me all these enchanted meats and moonberry tarts.”

Kieran laughed softly, tucking her closer to him. “Alright, I’ll take the blame for spoiling my mate too much. I’ll make sure you only get the best from now on.”

"Good. Now you owe me," she teased, brushing her hand down his chest, a smirk playing at her lips.

Watching them interact, my heart shattered. They behaved like soulmates, their bond deep and undeniable. Meanwhile, I stood in the shadows, a stranger to the man I once thought I knew, invisible in my own life.

My wolf whimpered inside me, torn between anger and despair. I turned away from them, wrapping my arms around myself as if to shield my heart from the icy truth. I slowly stepped back into the woods, letting the damp leaves and cool breeze swallow me whole.

Outside, the night sky mirrored my mood, dark and foreboding. The wind picked up, rustling through the trees as the first drops of rain began to fall. As I reached the edge of the woods, I saw Kieran drape his cloak over Selene, shielding her from the storm. He opened the door of his carriage and helped her inside with such tenderness, it made my chest ache.

Selene giggled, pulling him close by his tunic, then planted a slow, teasing kiss on his lips. Kieran held her face in his hands, returning the kiss with a passion that had long since faded from our bond.

When they pulled apart, she tugged on his tunic playfully, biting his lip with a mischievous grin. Kieran just smiled, as if he was more than pleased by her boldness.

As they were about to leave, Selene glanced back toward the forest. Her eyes met mine, and she smirked.

“Lyla,” she whispered, her voice laced with mockery, “you’ve already lost.”

I felt a strange calm settle over me. My heart, though aching, suddenly felt lighter, clearer. I returned her look with a small, resigned smile. “You’re wrong,” I whispered to myself. “I haven’t lost anything… because I don’t want him anymore.”

As their carriage disappeared into the night, I turned away, my decision made. I took out my communicator and sent every piece of evidence I had gathered to my mentor, an experienced pack elder who knew the laws of separation better than anyone. I would ensure that when this was over, I walked away with everything I deserved.

The rain soaked through my cloak, chilling me to the bone, but I barely noticed. Just as I put my communicator away, it rang. It was my mother.

“Lyla, where are you? I stopped by your den and you weren’t home. Kieran’s not with you either, is he?” Her voice was filled with concern.

I fought back the wave of emotions rising in my throat, my grip tightening on the communicator. “Mom, it’s okay. We’re just out on a walk. Kieran’s here.” My voice wavered slightly, but I managed to keep it steady.

“Oh, good,” she replied, her voice softening. “You know how worried I get when you’re out late like this, especially with everything going on in the pack.”

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile as I lied. “Don’t worry, Mom. We’re fine. Just heading home now.”

The tears were threatening to spill over, but I couldn’t let her hear me cry. “It’s raining, so be careful on your way home. Text me when you get there, okay?”

As soon as the call ended, I crumpled against the tree, my body shaking with the force of the sobs I had been holding in. For the first time in years, I let myself break, alone under the night sky.

The world around me moved on, indifferent to my pain. Wolves passed through the woods on patrol, rain dripping from the branches above, but I stayed there, crying until there was nothing left inside.

In the silence that followed, I realized something. I wasn’t crying because I had lost Kieran. I was crying because I had lost myself along the way, trapped in a bond that had long since died. But now, I was ready to break free.

Wiping my tears, I stood tall, feeling the weight lift from my chest. I wasn’t weak anymore. I wasn’t his anymore.

I was *me*. And I would never let anyone take that from me again.

The storm raged on, but for the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of peace.

Soon, I would start over. As my own Luna.

Kieran didn’t return to the den that night. Instead, I received a short, clipped message:

“Lyla, I’m tied up with some urgent pack matters and will be staying at the stronghold. It’s getting cold, so make sure to keep the fire going. Stay safe. Love, Kieran.”

I stared at the message, feeling nothing. In the past, I would have worried, sent a response, or anxiously awaited his return. But now, I couldn’t bring myself to care. I had once believed I was the luckiest Luna, with the most devoted Alpha. But the truth had shattered that illusion—leaving me numb. People’s hearts are hidden beneath layers of flesh, and their lies are often written in their actions, not words.

A few days later, I received the separation papers my advisor, a wise elder from the council, had drawn up. I signed them, ready to leave the life I had known behind. As I packed my things, preparing to return to my old family pack, my communicator chimed with a message from an unknown number.

It was Selene.

We agreed to meet at the Moonlit Tavern. Selene arrived with the smug look of someone who believed she had won a war. She sat across from me, her lips curling into a smile, the scent of victory radiating off her like cheap perfume. A bag sat at her side, filled with goods from the market, no doubt flaunting her new life.

“You showed up,” she said, feigning surprise. “I half-expected you wouldn’t.”

I met her gaze, my heart steady, devoid of any lingering attachment. “Why wouldn’t I come? I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of.” I leaned back, crossing my arms. “You, on the other hand, are quite familiar with hiding, aren’t you? After all, no matter how hard you try, you’ll always be nothing more than the hidden third.”

Her eyes flashed with anger, but before she could retort, I continued.

“Thank you, by the way,” I added, voice cold as steel. “For being careless enough to leave all the evidence of your affair for me to find. You saved me the trouble of gathering it myself.”

Selene’s face tightened, and I could see the facade of confidence beginning to crack.

“So, this drink’s on me,” I said, standing up and tossing a few silver coins onto the table. As I turned to leave, her hand shot out, grabbing my arm.

“What do you mean by that?” she hissed, eyes narrowing.

I pulled my arm free, meeting her gaze with the kind of calm that comes from making peace with loss. “I don’t want him anymore. If you want him, you can have him.”

The fury in her eyes flared, and before I could react, she shoved me. I stumbled backward, my body hitting the cold stone floor of the tavern with a dull thud. My breath caught in my throat as a sharp pain tore through me, unlike anything I had ever felt before. My wolf howled inside me, warning of danger.

Blood stained the floor beneath me, and I gasped, clutching my abdomen. The world spun as I screamed, “Help! Someone help me!”

The tavern erupted into chaos. I vaguely registered Selene fleeing from the scene, but my mind was fixated on one thing: survival. Forcing myself to stay conscious, I pleaded with the tavern staff to call a healer. My vision blurred as the pain intensified, and soon I found myself being lifted onto a stretcher.

“Stay with us, Luna,” a healer urged. “We’ll get you to the infirmary.”

Through the haze of agony, I barely noticed as they contacted my emergency link. My communicator rang out, the sharp tone cutting through the fog of pain. They tried Kieran, my mate, six times before he finally answered.

“Kieran,” I whispered as the healer held the device to my ear. “Something’s wrong…”

But Kieran’s voice was curt, cold. “Lyla, I’m in the middle of an important meeting. Can we talk later? Be good, alright?”

The line went dead, and with it, any last shred of hope I had for him.

I turned away from the healer’s pitying eyes, biting down on my lip to keep from breaking down. My fingers trembled as I reached for the communicator and dialed my mother’s number.

Her voice was warm, comforting, and immediately filled with worry. “Lyla? What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I… I’m at the infirmary,” I managed to say through the pain. “I need help, Mom.”

“Stay calm, sweetheart,” she urged, her voice steady. “Listen to the healers, and do whatever they say. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I ended the call, feeling my strength slipping away. Another wave of pain hit me, fiercer this time, and I cried out. Cold sweat dripped down my face, and my vision dimmed. I clutched the healer’s arm, my voice barely a whisper.

“Please… save me,” I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I can’t lose everything. Not again.”