“I’m not in the mood for this, Aldric.” I muttered, pushing away his attempt to nuzzle my neck.

He crossed his arms, the spark of displeasure passed across his features before he covered it with a gentler voice. “So you sulking,” he whispered. “Trust me —this time you’ll actually like it.”

Since I gave no response, he simply brushed his fingers over my head and let the topic set aside, for now.

As soon as our skycraft landed, Aldric revealed his so-called plan to “fix” about forgetting my birth-moon — a trip to Celestdawn Crest, the territory of lover—where our first trip as a mate felt magical.

“Come,” he beckoned, warmth in his voice. “The evening meal awaits us at Mooncrest Tower.”

I once adored Celestdawn Crest. It was the first territory I explored beyond our territory, the Wolfpine Forest and Aldric had made the trip feel like a dream with moonlit walks and wolf-run nights.

But now, going back to the territory of lover only deepen my heartache. I couldn’t feel the magical and romance as I knew the truth.

Even as the meal was served, I couldn’t bring myself to eat. I only moved the food around, lost in my thoughts.

“You always love moon-seared tuna,” Aldric muttered with a small frown. “Is it not to your liking now?”

“I’m not hungry,” I answered, expressionless.

He moved closer, his eyes gleamed with excitement. “Then, let’s go, I’m sure you’ll love this.”

He led me to a high-end couture cavern.

A pack manager and a keeper welcomed us and when the keeper handed me a scroll and Aldric could barely contain his excitement.

“Mate, I bought you the entire moon-couture collection for you, hurry and mark it.”

I scribbled my name without glancing at him.

“The one in charge of moon-couture collection have talked to me and reserved exclusive designs to your aura.” He added.

Just as I placed my mark, I responded to him, in an icy and indifference tone, “Alright. Thanks”

Then, the pack manager urged us to see their collection inside and the keeper immediately displayed the items Aldric had chosen.

I stood close to him and said in a low voice, “Aldric, stop giving me gifts, especially such expensive and luxurious one.”

Shock and confusion flickered across his face. “Seraphina, you mean everything to me. I’ll spend every day doing whatever it takes to your happiness for cycles — for as long as I breathe.”

Oh, Aldric .…

If only you knew, no more cycles for us, not anymore.

“Just pick your favorites,” he said suddenly, breaking into my thoughts. “I’ll be waiting in the fitting chamber, okay?”

No need my response, he took out his crystal communicator as he walked away.

I let out a long sigh and turned to the keeper. “That’s all. Thank you,” I said.

I dragged myself to the fitting chamber and tried on a few pieces in haste.

Even when Aldric showered me with compliments, I gave him only a flat, indifference stare.

However, he didn’t notice— too caught up in his crystal communicator as messages kept flashing.

“I’m done,” I said, forcing to draw his attention away from the crystal communicator.

He hurriedly put his crystal communicator away and gave me a startled look. “That’s all? That’s … unlike you. You look flawless in everything you try on. Just take them all—change every piece every hour if you want.”

The pack manager, who’d been observing our interaction, finally spoke up with open admiration, “Alpha Wolfsbane, you’re really the ideal mate. I’ve never seen any wolf cherish his Luna the way you do. No wonder you become the formidable young leader.”

Aldric smiled with his Alpha charm, returning the praise. “It’s thanks to the quality of your collection. And, well … my stunning Luna has a way of elevating everything she touches.”

Wolves whispered around us, swooning like it was a romance tale.

I bit back the urge to snap, “Trust me, this isn’t some romance tale!”

“I’m tired,” I said. “Let’s go back to the Mooncrest Tower.”

Aldric wrapped up quickly. “Send everything to my pack manor. My Beta will handle the payment.”

“Sure, Alpha Wolfsbane, have a nice day,” the pack manager responded with pleasure.

As we headed to the Mooncrest Tower, my mind kept racing, ever since Mirael Ashmoon became his Beta, she’s been managing his spending for moon. How much has she spent for herself under the disguise of professionalisms?

When Aldric stepped into the shower, I seized my moment. I grabbed his crystal communicator and scrolled through his financial logs.

And there it was.

The trip to the Hawaian Isle with Mirael wasn’t simply for a new lodgewild. Aldric had bought her an isle.

An entire isle.

And the most hurtful part, he named the isle after her, “Lovely Mirael” just like when he bought me a moon-tower and inscribed in my name.

Driven by a creeping urge, I explored his crystal gallery and found countless intimate shots of them neatly archived. A wildfire surged through my chest.

Aldric, who once claimed he couldn’t bear having unknown she-wolves near him, always insisted on hiring male Beta.

I should have questioned when his old Beta resigned and Mirael appeared from nowhere to replace him.

I never thought a third wolf would end us.

I never imagined a rogue she-wolf would be the reason our bond shattered. Yet here I stood. Aldric had made his choice and now I had to make mine.

I transferred every damning piece of evidence to my own crystal communicator and backed it up in a locked archive, even Mirael’s social-mirror traces hinting their affair included. She tried to hide it, but the truth lingered in every line.

Just as I finished, Aldric stepped out of the bathroom, his hair damp, a knitted-towel around his shoulders. He caught sight of my expression—my barely contained disgust—and mistook it for something playful, smirking like he understood nothing.

“See yourself, mate,” he murmured, his wolf golden eyes gleaming. “After having what you wished, you appear eager for my touch.”

I forced a smile, stepping closer. “Everything I have is for you, my Alpha.”

I let my thin cloth fall as desire flared in his golden eyes.

But despite the intimate, my mind wandered.

I kept seeing Mirael in my place.

Did she feel the same thrill?

Did she melt under his touch the way I used to?

What had driven him to turn his back on me?

Were the promises he made six cycles ago nothing but a lie?

Or had he simply tired of the she-wolf he finally won, chasing after a fresher, more thrilling one?

Those thoughts haunted me even as Aldric whispered against my ear, “Thank you, little wolf, you make me feel alive again.”

When he finally fell asleep, I slipped from the bed, washed away his scent from my skin and stepped onto the balcony.

The Celestdawn Crest night sky, once felt enchanted to me, turned into a taunting snarl that night—a bitter reminder of the evidence I had dug up.

A low murmur slipped out of me. “Just days until our fourth mating anniversary. Such a fine offering you’ve given me, Aldric. Don’t worry—I’ll repay you.”

***

The next morning, we returned to the Wolfpine Forest earlier than planned—Aldric claimed the pack needed him back.

Over the morning meal on the skycraft, I made up my mind to test him.

“Mate,” I said casually, cutting into my moon-baked pastry, “What do you think of the male lead in the lore-book I’m reading?”

“He betrayed his mate even though he once adored her. They’d shared a den since their pup days, but another she-wolf appeared and… I guess her fire tempted him.”

Aldric huffed out a laugh. “That’s the weakest excuse I’ve ever heard.”

“Seraphina, you’ve always been the she-wolf who made me work the hardest to win you over. Think back— how many times you turn me down six cycles ago, till you say yes.”

I clenched the moonsteel knife harder, wishing it cutting into something other than my moon-baked pastry.

“Right,” I said, pulling a smile over my fangs. “You chased me so hard back then. I can’t picture you doing what that male lead did.”

Aldric swallowed hard, sensing something beneath my tone, then pinched a bit of pastry from my moonsteel plate and stuffed it into my mouth.

“Mate, stop imagining such foolish things. I’d never betray you,” he murmured, brushing away a smear of jam with his thumb—then licking it the way he always had.

It struck me like a claw to the chest, how many she-wolves had melted under that same teasing charm?

“Such a smooth-tongued wolf,” I growled under my breath.

“Hm? What did you say?” he asked, looking at me.

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering where they got this pastry, taste so good,” I answered calmly.

“I’ll ask the attendant. You can have it every dawn if you want.”

I kissed his cheek sweetly, acting to be the doting Luna. “You’re so thoughtful.”

To any outsider, we appeared the ideal mated wolves—Aldric, the charming Alpha and me, his loyal Luna.

But that harmony was only a mask and even the most “perfect” Alphas could betray his mate.

At the skyport, Aldric said he had urgent matter and rushed to the pack alliance.

But secretly I followed him and saw him slip into the parking grounds where Mirael waited in a dark carriage.

They exchanged a close, intimate kiss before riding off together.

I didn’t waste a heartbeat—I headed straight to the moon tribunal to have the severance scroll prepared.

I sought neither his wealth nor his territories, nor the privileges of his bloodline. The scroll itself plainly marked me as the injured party of his infidelity.

“This will be my gift for both our anniversary and our goodbye,” I whispered, my written-name marking the end of the life I once cherished.

Thus, I spent my time in a peaceful moonbrew den, choosing not to set foot in the manor after we returned from Celestdawn Crest.

The idea of returning to that den, once filled with our memories and then with his betrayal, was more than I could bear.

Still, as dusk settled, Aldric called, his voice a blend of confusion and concern.

“Where are you? The butler said you haven’t come back since this morning. And when the driver reached the skyport, he said you’d already gone.”

I kept my voice light, smoothing over the irritation coiling beneath my ribs. “Oh, I went shopping with a friend. Sorry, I forgot to tell you. She’s the one who picked me up at the skyport.”

There was a pause on the line before Aldric let out a low chuckle. “So that’s it. You must not have been satisfied with the shopping in Celestdwan Crest last night. No wonder you only picked a few pieces.”

“No,” I answered, keeping my tone warm and even. “The pieces in Celestdwan Crest were beautiful. I just found some lunar ornaments to go with them.”

"I see. It's a good timing then, I want to take you to my inner packmates' evening gathering," he said, his voice warm and cheerful as if everything in our lives was picture-perfect, "Go back to the manor now, I've sent someone to get your dress and hair ready."

“Alright,” I answered simply.

Even though I agreed, a heaviness coiled in my chest. None of Anthony’s packmates ever cared for me. No matter how hard I tried to be polite and respectful, I could always feel their hostility simmering beneath the surface.

In their eyes, I was merely an ordinary outsider who had somehow been the Luna of Aldric Wolfsbane. Their envy was thinly veiled—some wolves didn’t bother veiling it at all, dressing their insults as humor.

Even worse, I knew some of them were actively pushing other she-wolves toward him.

Was Mirael one of them? I asked myself bitterly.

And it didn’t take long before the truth revealed.

As soon as I arrived at the evening gathering, the truth hit instantly.

Every one of Aldric's packmates already knew Mirael well. Their easy chatter about her “running late because of the crowd on the northern trail” told me everything.

They were too casual, too close to her, how to exchanging glances, chattering and laughing as if she had long been part of them.

It struck me like a claw across the face—every one of them knew about his affair.

I fixed my gaze on him, my jaw clenched, my voice gentle but carrying the unmistakable bite beneath.

"So ... Mirael is part of your packmates too, Aldric?"

Aldric's eyes flickered at my question. "She ...."

Yet one of his packmates cut in before he could explain, chuckling. "No, no, she's my packmates? But hey, if she’s running with our pack tonight, we’re all packmates, right?”

“To be honest, I’m the one who brought her to Aldric after his helper resigned.” She added proudly. “She trained in administrative field, so it’s a good fit.”

“Exactly,” another packmates chimed in, elbowing Aldric casually. “Must be nice having a helper you’re already… familiar with, huh, Aldric?”

I caught the blush flicker across Aldric’s face, but kept my own expression composed.

“Oh, I see, so she’s a she-wolf you place your confidence in,” I replied with a mild smile.

The pack broke into howls of laughter, treating me like a clueless outsider.

Just then, the curtain dragged open and a voice rang out. "Here comes — our Mirael!"

Mirael swept in, her laughter echoing through the cavern as she greeted the pack.

She moved like the favored wolf of the night, basking in every admiring gaze.

As she mingled, she boasted loudly about her pregnancy tracing her stomach with exaggerated pride as the crowd showered her with praise.

I tilted closer to Aldric and murmured, “So… who’s her mate? Last I checked, your condition for hiring a helper beside you was staying unmated for five cycles. Mirael has only served you for a few lunar cycles.”

Aldric cleared his throat. "Well, I ... revised the condition. I didn’t want to lose another helper just because they wanted to get mating.”

“Oh, really? So she's already officially mated then?” I replied lightly, each word a quiet strike.

“She ….” Aldric stammered, eyes darting as he searched for an excuse.

Before he could gather whatever excuses he was scrambling for, Mirael approached, tail-high confidence radiating off her, her smile bright and entirely too pleased.

“Oh wow, you must be Luna Wolfsbane! I’ve been a huge admirer for ages.” She gushed brightly.

Not giving me a heartbeat to respond, Mirael slid into the seat next to me, her voice bubbling with forced enthusiasm.

“You know, everyone at the alliance keeps howling about how you and Alpha Aldric first crossed paths. Such a fated love story! Truly romantic.”

As Mirael edged closer, Aldric grew tense, pretending to mingle with the rest of the pack instead of facing me.

Once she realized Aldric’s attention had drifted away, her voice dropped into a hushed, conspiratorial murmur.

“You know, I used to get so envy of your love story. I mean, who wouldn’t want a mate like yours? But guess what—my dream finally came true!”

She giggled lightly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as if she thought the gesture made her irresistible.

“Oh? Is that so?” I replied coolly, barely restraining the growl beneath my words.

Mirael leaned in, speaking in a hushed tone like we were pack-sisters whispering forbidden secrets.

“Yeah … it’s hush-hush, but he’s just as handsome as your mate.”

Her boldness made my blood burn, but I didn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing it. I kept my expression perfectly calm and unreadable.

“Anyway.” She chimed in. “Can I follow your social-mirror? We should hang out sometime, maybe get some moon-spa treatments together!”

I passed her my username without fuss. “Sure,” I replied.

Once she added me, she hooked her arm around mine like we had grown up howling together, rambling about her mate who gave her a manor, a business and even an isle.

She had no idea that her loose tongue was giving me exactly the proof I needed to strengthen my unmating case.

At last, I seized a pause in her chatter and cut off with a courteous smile. “Pardon me, I need a moment to go to toilet-wood.”

Mirael’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, great! I need to go too—let’s go together.”

I let her follow, though unwillingly.

As we reached the toilet-wood entrance, Mirael dropped her knitted-pouch and her stuffs scattered on the ground.

Among the scattered stuffs lay an ultrasound scroll. She crouched to gather them and shot me a triumphant smile.

"Oops, you caught a peek my pup, right? Yes, I carry Aldric's pup."

I felt it in my bones—her smugness was meant to sting, to taunt me once more.

However, I refused to take the bait and simply stepped into the chamber.

When I stepped out, Mirael was already at the basin, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

“You are lucky to be mated to Aldric, the ever-romantic Alpha,” she purred, like two young she-wolves gossiping. “But alas, you cannot satisfy him. He told me that touching me is far more… satisfying than anything you could give him.”

“Oh, didn’t you see us in the runestone lift before? That’s our usual habit, so don’t be surprising if you see more about us.”

“And didn’t you in healer’s den too, before? Or did I get it wrong? We were there checking our pup, a moon along already.”

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a mockery. “One thing’s certain, I will be his Luna soon. So, shall I call you Seraphina, rather than Luna Wolfsbane?”

Her mockery sent a surge of fury through me, but I forced myself to stay calm, gripping my knitted-bag as I stayed in the chamber.

When I stepped out, she was already gone. I rushed to the basin, washing my hands in a fury.

If she appeared in front of me again, I swore I would rip her by the hair before she even blinked.

But when I stepped back into the gathering, my fur bristled.

I paused at the threshold, staring at the sight before me. It reeked of betrayal and shamelessness—truly sickening.