I had wished that after I burned the past bond items, the Alpha and Beta would finally leave their Luna in peace. But they did not.

Several days passed within the pack territory and slowly, Alden began to act as though nothing had occurred. Fresh flowers were delivered to my chamber again. Messages came through my crystal communicator, gentle and light, asking how my day as Luna had been, sharing small jokes, even trying to press a brief greeting kiss when we crossed paths near the manor gates. It felt as if the recent moons of pain had never existed.

Draven followed the same path, stepping back into his role as the elder brother.

Warm drinks delivered, shared memories when we were a pup and easy laughter. Each time they said, “We regret it, Luna. Let us fix this,” it sounded less like remorse for betrayal and neglect and more like an excuse for a minor scrape during training.

Then came the sudden invitation to dine.

“Our offering,” Alpha sent. “The old gathering den. You remember it.”

Part of me wanted to erase the message and pretend it never reached my mindlink. But another quieter part, the tired, worn part of my wolf, wondered if perhaps we could close this bond without anger. Without bitterness.

So I came.

The moonbrew den had not changed. Wooden tables worn smooth by time, low lantern light, soft music humming through rune charms. The scent of herbs and roasted meat filled the air, mixed with memories I was unsure I wanted to reclaim.

I watched Alden and Draven laugh, as we once had and for a brief moment, it almost felt… bearable.

Then Alden’s crystal communicator glowed. He glanced at it and froze.

“It is Selene,” he said under his breath, frowning.

“What? Speak clearly… attacked? By the rogues? Where are you?” His voice sharpened as he rose abruptly.

In moments, both Alden and Draven were standing.

“She is crying,” Alden explained, tension tight in his voice. “She was harmed. We must go to her.”

There were no farewells. No glance toward me. They rushed out, as though the Moon Goddess herself had called them.

I remained seated, staring at untouched food, the small lantern flame slowly fading. I paid the moon-credits myself.

Outside, the sky broke open. Thunder rolled across the land and rain fell heavily upon the stone paths. The streets were empty, no moonchariots, no passing pack warriors. The den keeper offered a cloak, but the doors were already sealed for the storm. I had no choice but to walk.

Each step felt heavy. My arm throbbed beneath its healing wraps. My body ached. Yet worse than the pain was the storm itself. Thunder had always terrified me since I was a pup. Lightning and roaring skies made it feel as though the world would be torn apart.

I pulled my cloak tighter and kept moving, the territory blurred by rain and shadow.

Then, a flash of light. A loud horn call. A moonchariot rushing fast.

There was no time.

Darkness claimed me.

When I woke, everything felt unnaturally soft. I blinked beneath dim lantern light, pale stone walls surrounding me. My body hurt, but the pain felt distant, dull. I turned toward the movement near the wall.

“Alden…?” I whispered.

It was not him.

A man sat quietly nearby. Tall, dressed in dark cloth, his eyes unreadable. He did not move until I tried to rise.

“You are awake, my Luna,” he said calmly. “Do not strain yourself.”

“Who… are you?” I asked.

“Kaegan,” he replied. “I found you after the accident and brought you to the Healer Sanctum. You were unconscious.”

I wished to ask more, but the room spun and darkness returned.

When I woke again, Kaegan was gone. No message. No mark. No trace through the mindlink.

Only one message remained on my crystal communicator.

From my mother. [Mindlink me when you begin your journey. Everything is prepared. Go back to our pack, my darling.]

I did not tell her what had happened. I could not. I would not burden her heart.

The healer told me I was fortunate. The moonchariot struck from the side. No bones were broken. Still, I needed several more days to rest.

So I stayed. Alone.

When the day of release arrived, I returned to the manor only to gather the final remnants of my belongings before leaving the Stormfang pack lands.

That was when Alden appeared in the chamber doorway.

“Good, Luna, you returned,” he said lightly. “We needed to tell you… We sold your moonchariot. And some of your belongings. Selene required emergency moon-credits and….”

“What?” I froze. “You sold my things?”

“Calm yourself,” Draven said, entering. “We will repay you. Selene has suffered since the attack. She needs care. Could you prepare meals for her? She has not eaten well.”

I stared at them. “Are you truly saying this to your Luna?”

Draven frowned. “Where were you anyway? Selene said you attended a gathering after the den meal. You were absent when she needed you. That was selfish.”

I laughed, empty and bitter. “A gathering. Of course.”

Then I threw the parchment toward them.

“There. That is where I was. The Healer Sanctum. You left me in the storm. I walked through thunder and rain. I was struck by a moonchariot.”

“What…?” Alden whispered. “You were injured?”

“I thought you were safe with others,” Draven murmured. “Selene said….”

“Of course she did,” I interrupted. “It is always Selene.”

Before they could respond, a sharp cry echoed through the stone passageway.

“Help! Alden, Draven, it hurts! Please!”

Selene. Always Selene.

I did not wait. I turned away, crossed the threshold and walked on, leaving them behind.

My wolf body ached from head to toe, every bone and muscle begging for rest. Instead of leaving the healing chamber as I had planned, I remained pressed into the bed, letting the dull pain keep me still. I did not weep. There were no tears left with me.

When I opened my eyes again, pale sunlight slipped through the cloth curtains, warm against my skin. And there, standing at the foot of the bed, were Alden and Draven.

“Good moon, Luna,” Alden said, a nervous smile pulling at his lips as he held a wooden tray. “We brought you morning food.”

Draven carefully placed the tray on my lap. Toasted bread, soft eggs, sliced fruit and a cup of pressed citrus drink. All of it was slightly cool, without care.

“We thought you should eat, Luna Liora,” Draven added, sitting at the edge of the bed.

I looked at them. Their wolves were calm, relaxed. Almost content. As if the last few painful moons had never happened.

Alden rubbed the back of his neck. “Listen, Luna… we regret what happened. Selene told us she saw a crystal image from that night. She thought you were at a gathering while she was wounded. Robbed by rogues, attacked and wounded. She believed you ignored her on purpose.”

Draven nodded. “She truly believed that, Luna. So… perhaps you should apologize to her. Just to smooth things over in the pack.”

I stared at them, stunned, before letting out a short laugh.

“Perhaps you should apologize to your Luna.”

They both blinked.

Alden frowned. “Why would we? I am the Alpha! And we did nothing wrong. You never told us what happened. If you had spoken, we would have gone to you.”

I laughed again, empty and sharp. “Must I beg to be seen now? I vanished for several days and not once did either of you reach out through the mindlink.”

“Do not speak that way,” Draven said firmly. “Selene was attacked. She needed us.”

“And I did not?” I asked. “So if I am not bleeding in front of you, I hold no value as Luna?”

Before either Alpha or Beta could answer, the chamber door creaked open.

She entered.

Selene wore a loose wool sweater, her steps slow, a slight limp to her walk. Her face was pale, lips trembling, eyes filled with tears.

“Are you arguing again, Luna Liora?” she whispered, her voice weak. “I am sorry. I never wished to be hurt. None of this was what I wanted.”

I watched her closely. The shaking of hands. The lowered gaze. The careful tone. Every word was shaped to make her the wounded one.

Tears slid down her cheeks.

“I only wish we were not enemies. We were sisters of the pack once. I want that again.”

At once, the males reacted.

“Stop making her cry, Liora,” Alden snapped.

“Come, Selene,” Draven said gently. “You should not be walking. Let us return you to your chamber.”

Their care for her struck like a blade. Immediate. Protective. Undeserved.

“I will feed you,” Alden said, taking her hand. “You must eat properly.”

“Yes,” Draven added. “We will bring you seafood. Your favorite. You need strength.”

Then they turned toward me.

“You eat what we brought, Liora,” Alden said. “You have been released from healing. Do not be difficult.”

And with that, they guided Selene out of the chamber, leaving me alone once more.

I stared at the tray. Dry bread. Bland eggs. Hard fruit.

From the stone passageway beyond, laughter echoed. Selene’s voice carried clearly. “Mmm, I love crab legs! You remembered I dislike bread, yes? Seafood is my favorite!”

Of course it was. I was given leftovers. She was given a feast.

I did not cry. Not now. I was simply finished.

My crystal communicator vibrated softly. A message from my mother. [The ceremony grounds are chosen. Garments attached. Tell me which you favor, my dear.].

“Mother,” I said calmly through mindlink.

“Liora! Did you see the garments? What do you think of the flowers and the bindings?”

“I like them all. It was difficult to choose. I will decide today. But the older design feels right to me.”

“Good! We will prepare it. How many days until you return to Obsidian Fang Pack? Your mate waits; he is eager.”

“Only a few days more. Something delayed me, but I will come soon. I look forward to wearing the garments… for the Moonbond Ceremony.”

She laughed softly. “That is my girl. We will wait for you.”

The connection closed. I looked down at the untouched food.

Then I felt it. The shift in the air.

Alden and Draven stood in the chamber doorway. I had not heard them return.

Their eyes were fixed on me, their wolves alert.

Draven spoke first, his voice low. “Garments… for a Moonbond Ceremony?”

Alden stepped forward, confusion darkening his face. “Moonbond Ceremony? Luna Liora… what ceremony?”

“What Moonbond Ceremony are you talking about?” Alden asked, his brow drawn tight, confusion clear on his face.

I smiled slowly, with care, letting the words rest between us like a quiet threat. “The Moonbond Ceremony you will not attend.”

He blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Whose ceremony? Not… not ours, right, Liora?”

I tilted my head, releasing a soft, mocking breath as I stepped closer to the Alpha. “Of course not ours. You have not even marked me yet, Alden. I am still only your chosen Luna, am I not?”

I brushed my fingers lightly over his arm, just enough to unsettle his wolf.

He pulled back at once, shaking my hand away. “Liora… do not act this way. You are still recovering. Just… rest.”

I swallowed the pain that cut deep into my chest. He did not even pretend to care now. How foolish I had been to believe in his bond.

Draven leaned against the stone doorway, folding his arms. “Wait. Why are we not invited, Luna? We have shared cycles together.”

“She is of a distant bloodline,” I said evenly. “You would not know her. My mother wishes me there to stand for our pack.”

“And Selene?” Draven pressed. “Will she go with you, Luna?”

I lifted one shoulder. “No. She has no tie to that bloodline. She is only my adopted she-wolf. There is no reason.”

Alden laughed, clearly pleased. “Good. Then, while you are away, we can travel to Bloodmoon Territory.”

Bloodmoon Territory. My breath caught. That land had been my dream territory for cycles, yet they always claimed it was wasteful.

“Yes,” Draven added casually. “The healer has cleared Selene to travel next moon. We will make the journey.”

“Without me?” I asked, though my wolf already knew.

Alden smiled and I did not return it. “Do not worry, Luna. We will send you a gift for the ceremony. Perhaps garments. Now rest. We must escort Selene to her next healer visit.”

And just like that, the Alpha and Beta turned away again.

I said nothing. I only nodded and closed the chamber door behind them. So this was my place now, a silent presence in another wolf’s life.

Fine. Let them believe I remained. I would leave quietly, vanish without sound. No one would notice and when they did… regret would follow. I only needed time.

Later that afternoon, I finally left my chamber and entered the manor’s hearth room, craving warmth. Soup, perhaps. Something real, not prepared for show.

As I opened the cold storage and began slicing roots, I heard it, a soft step behind me.

I turned slowly.

Selene stood there, wrapped in a pale wool garment, her hair braided neatly. The picture of a fragile, harmless she-wolf.

“I did not know you were awake,” she said sweetly, leaning against the stone counter. “I thought you were still injured… or perhaps pretending?”

I ignored her, cutting steadily.

“I mean,” she continued with a light laugh, “did you truly go to the Healer Sanctum? Or were you lying because I was there, taking attention?”

I set the blade down and met her gaze. “I am not like you.”

Her face hardened. “What do you mean by that?”

“You hunger for attention,” I said calmly. “You always play the wounded one.”

She scoffed, her voice turning sharp. “You are jealous. How does it feel, Luna, knowing Alden and Draven choose me now? Your mate, your protector, both mine. And you? You are nothing.”

My wolf flinched, just enough for her to notice. She smiled.

“You should leave this manor and Crownfang Pack,” she said softly. “You no longer belong.”

I turned back to the pot, stirring slowly, refusing to give her more.

“Still pretending you are above this?” she mocked. “Very well. I will help cook. They will enjoy it.”

I spun toward her. “No, Selene. I do not need help.”

“I will prepare something anyway,” she said cheerfully, taking a blade. “Let us see whose they prefer.”

She stepped closer, cutting fast and carelessly, clearly on purpose. I moved aside, letting her continue.

Then….

“Ah!” Selene cried, dropping the blade. Blood welled on her finger.

“You must be joking,” I whispered.

Too late.

“Alden! Draven!” she cried out. “Help! I am hurt! Luna Liora did nothing!”

Heavy footsteps thundered down the stone passageway.

The Alpha and Beta burst into the hearth room, alarmed.

Alden rushed to her side. “What happened? Are you wounded?”

“She ignored me,” Selene sobbed, clinging to him. “I was bleeding and she just watched!”

I stood frozen, ladle in hand.

“You did not help her?” Draven barked. “What is wrong with you, Luna?”

Selene held Alden tightly.

“I tried,” she whispered. “But she pushed me away.”

“I did not touch you,” I said quietly.

But no one listened.