"What's the matter, Elena? Why do you look so pale?" Damon asked as he stepped out of the bathroom, his voice soft and laced with probing.

I offered no reply. I simply sat on the edge of the bed, my mind compulsively replaying the sickening stream of celebratory messages over and over again.

"Elena?" Damon walked closer, trying to catch a glimpse of my phone.

I quickly locked my phone screen and looked up at him, noticing that my sudden movement had brought a look of alarm to his eyes.

"It's quite festive in the group chat," I replied calmly—a calmness that even terrified me.

Damon momentarily faltered. He then coolly resumed drying his hair, though the stiffness in his shoulders betrayed him. "What group chat are you talking about?"

I slowly stood up and looked him in the eyes, replying, "It's the group chat made up of all your closest allies. Isabelle is pregnant, Damon."

He immediately let go of the towel, causing it to fall onto the marble floor. He then hurriedly explained, "I can explain this—"

I moved toward him, every step deliberate. "How do you want to explain this, Damon? Do you want to explain why you permitted her to share photos of her pregnancy in your most trusted circle? Or do you want to explain why you stood by as she accepted every single oath of loyalty from your allies?"

Damon's complexion was drained of color. He tried to speak, but he found himself unable to respond on the spot.

I closed in on him. "Do you want to explain why you, the admin of the group chat, remained silent while the Betas were openly discussing the naming ceremony? That is a sacred ritual that only the Luna of the pack can preside over, Damon."

His voice began to tremble slightly, saying, "I-It's not what you think, Elena."

I directly stopped in front of him, asking, "What is it then, Damon? How exactly are things supposed to be, Damon?"

Damon responded with a chilling, detached tone, sounding like a complete stranger. "You ought to know that our union was always a contract for the benefit of the two major packs, Elena. You surely knew that to be the case."

I felt a sudden, fierce pain seize my chest, as if something inside me had shattered. I then asked in a trembling manner, "What is your point, Damon?"

Damon's gaze was utterly cold, devoid of any remorse. "What could you possibly be lacking, Elena? You're the Luna of the pack, you command respect, and you possess endless wealth and authority. You dwell in the grandest mansion, wear the most expensive clothes, and the household staff treats you with the utmost deference. What more could you possibly want, Elena?"

I stared at the man before me. We had been together for three years, but now he seemed like a completely ruthless stranger to me.

I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper, "What, then, of the love between us, Damon?"

Damon scoffed. "What do you mean by love, Elena? You're past the age of playing an innocent young lady in love. You ought to know that the alliance of the packs far outweighs any personal emotion."

I felt sick to my stomach. "Do you plan on keeping that pup, then?"

In that instant, the only sounds in the room were the harsh breathing of the two of us, punctuated by the distant cry of a nocturnal bird.

Damon replied flatly, "I need an heir, Elena."

I suddenly burst out laughing, even as my tears streamed down my face. I retrieved a crystal vial from beneath the pillow, its base holding the residue of a dark blue elixir. "You require an heir, huh? What is this, then, Damon?"

Upon seeing the crystal vial, Damon's eyes immediately widened in surprise. "T-That's—"

I immediately cut him off, reaching into the bedside drawer to retrieve a piece of parchment. "I have the official test report from the shaman here, as well as the formal diagnosis from the healer of the pack."

I took slow, deliberate steps toward him. "Those so-called elixirs you prepared for me were Shadowmoon Drugs, right?"

Damon, with his back against the wall, had no way out. "Please hear me out—"

I could barely speak without trembling, saying, "It's been three years, Damon. You personally brewed this toxic drug for me for every full moon for three long years."

Damon sounded very weak, saying, "I never intended to cause you any harm—"

I bellowed, "You didn't intend to harm me? You forced me to drink such a potent drug for three years, suppressed my wolf, cut off my connection to the Moon Goddess, and made me infertile! You actually dare to tell me now that you want an heir?"

In that instant, my voice reverberated throughout the room, a sound saturated with pure fury and deep despair.

Damon turned deathly pale, a fine sheen of cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.

In the meantime, a wolf's howl sounded outside the window, the unmistakable signal of the border patrol. In the quiet of the night, that sound was especially eerie and piercing.

He finally broke his silence, his voice laced with a slight desperation. "I'm willing to compensate you, Elena. I can give you anything you want—territory, jewels, authority—"

I wiped my tears away, my voice settling into a stillness that was far more unnerving than any rage. "You want to compensate me? What do you believe could ever compensate a woman for having her right to bear a pup deliberately taken from her, Damon?"

Damon's gaze shifted away, unwilling to meet mine.

I spoke softly, yet each word held a terrible, cold menace. "You irrevocably destroyed the most valuable thing I will ever have, Damon. Do you even realize what you have done?"

"I was worried that you'd be upset, Elena," Damon said softly, his voice barely a whisper as he made a desperate, last-ditch attempt to justify his actions.

I retorted with a sneer, "You're worried about upsetting me, huh? You deceived me for three years, convincing me my own body was defective and forcing me into a cycle of self-blame with every passing month, Damon!"

Damon stated nonchalantly, "You just have to stop drinking that drug from now on."

I stared at him as I recalled every single detail of our three years together.

I remembered how, on every full moon, he would watch me drink the "elixir" with a look of profound love and worry in his eyes. I remembered how he comforted me after every menstrual cycle, saying, "It's alright, Elena, since we still have time. I'm sure the Moon Goddess will watch over us."

It turned out that every comforting word he uttered had been a deception, and the concern in his eyes was nothing more than a carefully crafted mask.

"E-Elena?" Damon tried to approach me, stretching his hand toward my cheek.

I quickly stepped back, raising a hand to keep him away. I then replied coldly, "You'd better stay away from me. You make me sick, Damon."

Damon's outstretched hand froze, hanging midway to my face, then slowly fell to his side.

I unfurled the parchment, adding, "Do you want to take a look at the healer's diagnosis? It's stated that the continuous use of Shadowmoon Drug has already severely weakened my connection to the Moon Goddess."

Damon's pupils constricted sharply.

I then recited the figures on the parchment aloud, declaring, "It also stated that my Wolf Nature Index fell from 98% to 47%."

"Elena…" Damon attempted to offer an explanation.

I then pointed to the small text marked in red ink, saying, "It's noted that based on the current extent of the damage, there is a strong possibility of permanent infertility."

In that instant, the temperature in the room seemed to drop to freezing point. I noticed that Damon's complexion had turned deathly pale, his forehead now glistening with a thicker layer of sweat.

I stated deliberately, "I might suffer from permanent infertility, Damon. Do you truly grasp the implication? It means I might be denied the chance to have my own pups for the rest of my life!"

Damon tried to speak up, but he couldn't even utter a single thing. He leaned against the wall, looking like he might collapse at any moment.

I stared at him as the final illusion I held in my heart was utterly destroyed. It turned out that Damon, the man whom I once thought I would spend my life with, was actually capable of such cruelty. "I'm going to submit an application to the Council of Elders to sever our mate bond."

That statement immediately sent a shockwave through the room.

Damon reacted intensely, springing away from the wall. "Y-You can't do that, Elena!"

"Why shouldn't I?" I looked at Damon, my gaze utterly devoid of emotion.

"It's because of the alliance…" He started, though his voice was uneven and shaky.

I burst into rage, all the anger I had buried surging to the surface. "You almost ruined my life for the sake of another woman, Damon! How dare you bring up the alliance at this moment!"

I didn't even spare him another glance, turning my back and heading for the door. I was the only one who had suffered the damage as things stood. I stated flatly without looking back, "I'll be speaking with the Council of Elders tomorrow."

"Elena Johnson!" Damon yelled, his voice filled with rage.

I slammed the door shut with a deafening bang and then locked it. I then heard Damon's urgent knocking coming from the other side. "Open the door! We need to talk about this!"

I paid him no mind, instead sinking slowly to the floor against the door. Damon's voice gradually faded, settling into silence. It was silent throughout the room, marked only by the rasp of my breathing and the occasional distant sound of a bird outside.

I thought I would cry for a very long time, only to realize that I had no more tears left to shed.

It was then that the long-forgotten communication token on my desk suddenly sprang to life, casting a dim, silver sheen. It took the form of a crescent moon pendant, its exterior covered in elaborate carvings of complex runes.

I was stunned. That communication token was something Liam Carter had given me just before our parting. Damon had cast a powerful barrier over the residence, so it had lain dormant for three whole years.

Its sudden illumination signaled that someone was reaching out to me.

I felt my hands trembling as I picked up the communication token, my fingers gently tracing the runes on the surface.

I then heard a gentle voice emanating from it. "I know these messages may not reach you, but I wanted to tell you that the stars are beautiful tonight, Elena—just like the Big Dipper that's shining as bright as your eyes. I wish you could witness it.

"I'd just want you to know that I'll always be here, waiting for you, regardless of your location or the circumstances."

It was unmistakably Liam's voice. It was still as gentle as ever and instantly recognizable.

Liam and I were each other's first love. Yet, my parents tore us apart in the name of securing a strong alliance, insisting that Liam's pack was too weak. I was eventually forced to become mates with Damon three years ago.

I clamped my hand over my mouth as tears started streaming down my face again. They were different now, no longer born of despair but a tangled blend of deep-seated pain and burgeoning hope.

I noticed that there were more messages queued in the communication token, as its light indicator continued to blink. I wiped away my tears and stared at the communication token that had come back to life.

I realized then that it might be time for me to send Liam a reply.

I lightly tapped the communication token, and subsequent messages surfaced—every one was a record of his devotion during those three years. He informed me how the Silverfang pack had become formidable under his leadership and how he dedicated prayers to me every night of the full moon.

Liam stated solemnly, "I'll always be waiting for you, regardless of the time or the circumstances, Elena. It is my solemn pledge to you, Elena, as the man who swore to be your guardian."

Liam's messages spoke volumes of sincerity and profound affection. His feelings seemed all the more genuine and warm compared to Damon's chilling betrayal.

I couldn't help but cry at that thought, my tears falling onto the communication token and briefly intensifying its faint glow.

…

It was the following morning when Sebastian White, the butler, knocked on my door, saying, "You are required to accept these gifts, Luna Elena."

"What gifts?" I asked as I opened the door and stepped out.

Sebastian stood in the living room, holding a thick roll of parchment stamped with an official seal. He then handed it to me, saying, "Alpha Damon has granted you full ownership of the forest on the eastern border, as well as three mines situated in the northern highlands and two fishing preserves along the western tributary, Luna Elena."

I took the parchment and quickly read over the numerous, tightly packed terms, noting that these were the Blackwood pack's most prosperous lands. "How much are these worth?"

Sebastian looked at me tentatively before replying, "They are worth approximately 80 million dollars. Alpha Damon has said that they are meant as compensation for you, Luna Elena."

It was a hefty sum that was enough to buy out a medium-sized pack. I was still sickened by Damon, though. I tossed the parchment onto the coffee table, a profound and cutting irony filling my very being.

Did he really think that money could restore my faith in him or keep me bound to his side as a mere tool? It would only deepen my resentment either way.

I still kept the assets, though, as it was necessary capital for my planned departure.

I made up my mind and walked to the communication token. I gently touched the runes on the surface and began recording a reply. "I have received your messages, Liam. I want to see you again. I want to leave this place, Liam."

I activated the communication token's transfer mechanism once I finished recording my message. It flashed silver, and the message vanished into the air, traveling across thousands of miles toward Candonia.

I resolved to live life on my own terms this time.

…

It was already evening when Damon showed up at my door, wearing a formal black suit. He simply stated, "It's the Blood Moon Festival tonight, so you'd need to accompany me as the Luna of the pack, Elena."

It was a sacred, annual ritual honoring the lineage of the very first Alpha, a mandatory assembly for all the most powerful and influential members of the surrounding packs.

I kept my gaze down, fixated on the cup of coffee in my grasp.

Damon stated gravely, "You ought to know that the foundation of the alliance demands security. It is important for the Council of Elders to observe our unbroken bond harmony, Elena."

"You need me to put on an act with you, huh?" I asked, the mockery in my voice sharp and deliberate.

"You can think of it that way if that is truly how you choose to see it," he replied, sounding rather rigid.

"Alright then," I replied, agreeing to Damon's proposal. I thought that this Blood Moon Festival offered the perfect moment to cut all bonds permanently.

…

That evening, the Blood Moon Festival took place at the very heart of the pack's territory. There was a gigantic bonfire that illuminated the entire ceremonial platform, and the Elders of all major packs were seated in their traditional garb around the stone circle.

I walked beside Damon, wearing the silver gown traditionally worn by the Luna of the pack. I had worn this exact gown before our wedding, but now it felt like an outfit meant for a final goodbye.

"Good evening, Luna Elena!" Chief Elder Dominic rose to his feet to welcome us.

It wasn't long before the ritual priests commenced the recitation of the ancient supplications, while the glow of the massive bonfire danced and played across the faces of all present.

It was then that I saw a familiar figure—Isabelle, who occupied the most conspicuous seat in the honored section, her pregnant belly visibly showing.

I was stunned, the smile on my face immediately faltering.

In the meantime, the Council of Elders began to debate the critical matter of carrying the line, which had always been a customary segment of the Blood Moon Festival. Chief Elder Dominic spoke up, saying, "Alpha Damon, as for your heir, a robust bloodline is essential to secure the future of the pack."

I felt a crushing vise tighten around my heart, and the wolf within me, long quieted by the potent Shadowmoon Drug, let out a mournful howl. It was a physical, rending pain that stole my breath—a howl for the pup that would never be and the monstrous betrayal of my mate.

Damon replied, "About that matter…"

I could no longer hear what he was saying. I could only register the painful howling of the wolf within me—a consciousness that had been irreparably wounded, deeply betrayed, and relentlessly tortured by the effects of the drug.

It was then that one of the Elders beside me looked at me with concern, asking, "Is everything alright, Luna Elena?"

"I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired," I replied with a strained smile. I knew that everything was going to be different after tonight, though.