The Alpha’s face, which had been tinged with a flicker of guilt, shifted instantly to one of cold fury. He positioned Morgana protectively behind him, his eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on me. "What the hell are you doing? She is your sister!"

I ignored his outburst, fixing my steely gaze solely on Morgana. "Watch your tongue. It doesn’t matter if we share blood; you have no right to disrespect my son."

Morgana’s expression turned wounded as she looked up at Thorne, her voice trembling. "Alpha, please don’t let me come between you two. If my sister won’t acknowledge that Cassian is faking his illness, I’ll just drop it."

My heart pounded as I turned to Thorne, my voice low but filled with resolve. "Do you really believe our son is faking it too?"

Thorne’s silence was deafening. He glanced around, his gaze scanning the empty space as if he expected Cassian to magically appear.

With a tone that tried to mask his mounting irritation, Thorne asked, "Where did you take Cassian? I can’t sense him anywhere."

His disbelief stung. He didn’t even trust that our son had been suffering for so long. If only I had his power, I would have summoned the most renowned healers. But as the Luna, I was restricted by our pack’s boundaries and by Thorne’s refusal to acknowledge me.

If he had bothered to come home, he would have seen the table cluttered with herbal remedies and Cassian’s pale, suffering form. But he never came.

I remembered the day Cassian had told me he didn’t have much time left. His voice had been so fragile, his eyes reflecting a deep, unsettling truth. Even though I had tried to hold on to hope, I knew in my heart that he was right, given the rapid decline in his health. Cassian’s final wish had been for us to celebrate his birthday together, as a family.

Desperation had driven me to beg Thorne, even kneeling before him in a display of utter surrender. I had clung to his pants, my voice breaking as I promised that this would be the last time I would ever trouble him. I told him I was willing to let him go, to set him free. In that moment, my Alpha had looked down at me, his eyes betraying a mix of surprise and something else I couldn’t quite decipher.

His voice had wavered with a mixture of joy and disbelief. "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes," I murmured, my eyes closing as tears streamed down my face.

I had loved Thorne with a fervent passion from the moment I laid eyes on him. It had been love at first sight, something everyone around us could see. Even before I knew we were fated mates, my heart had already been his. I had always sought his attention, followed him, done things for him, all in the hope of capturing his heart.

In response to my unwavering devotion, Thorne had grown to loathe me. His disdain reached its peak when, at his coming-of-age ceremony, he learned that I was his fated mate. The revelation had only fueled his resentment, as he would have preferred Morgana by his side.

He had wanted to be with her. Why didn’t I just let him go? Why didn’t I step aside and let them be together? If only I hadn’t been so naïve to believe he might change his mind. Because of my persistence, he had watched Morgana leave for another pack after finding her fated mate there.

My parents had insisted that I accept my fate and stay with Thorne. They believed that rejecting our destined bond was not an option. As a result, Thorne was forced into a mating with me, an arrangement that left me as his Luna.

Our mateship ceremony had been anything but celebratory. Thorne had deemed a grand celebration unnecessary, saying I deserved nothing more.

Years later, when Morgana returned claiming her mate had died, I had realized the futility of competing with her.

Reflecting on it, I had begged him once more, promising that I would leave him alone after all these years. That plea seemed to be the final straw that made him agree to my terms. It was clear he wanted to be rid of me.

But why hadn’t he spent even a final moment with Cassian? Why did he break that promise? It was one thing for him not to love me, but Cassian was his son too. How could he be so heartless toward him?

I looked at Thorne with a deep, gnawing disappointment. Once, I had marveled at his features, seeing them as a living work of art. Now, his face filled me with nothing but disgust.

Just as Thorne was about to speak, Morgana interjected, her voice dripping with faux distress. "Alpha, I’m feeling dizzy again, and my cheeks are throbbing. Can you check if they’re swollen?"

Thorne’s gaze shifted immediately to her, his concern palpable. Morgana, seizing the opportunity, collapsed into his arms with an exaggerated sigh. The handprint I had left on her pale cheek was a stark reminder of the fury I felt.

Tears welled up in Morgana’s eyes as the Alpha gently wiped them away, his touch tender and familiar. I remembered when he had shown me such kindness. In our younger days, he would have helped me up if I fell and comforted me in a similar way. Now, those gestures of affection felt like a distant memory.

His expression had hardened, replaced with a chilling coldness. "Aria, apologize to your sister."

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze with unwavering resolve. "No."

Thorne was visibly taken aback by my defiance. In the past, when he had held contempt for me, I had been careful in his presence, trying desperately to win his approval. Despite my genuine affection for him, it had always seemed insufficient, overshadowed by Morgana’s presence.

Looking back, Morgana’s animosity towards me was no secret. From our childhood, she had resented me for being the more capable one, a feeling that only intensified when I received the Moonstone, an heirloom she had long wanted.

When she discovered my growing affection for Alpha Thorne, she started showing him affection as well, but I had never anticipated her return to Silverclaw to disrupt my life further after her fated mate’s death.

Thorne was only surprised by a few seconds and he settled back on the couch, still cradling my sister. His voice cut through the tension. "Aria, don’t make me angrier."

The wolf guards, summoned by Thorne’s mind link, appeared and stopped me from going. They escorted me back to face Thorne and Morgana, their presence imposing and cold.

Thorne lounged on the couch, his posture relaxed, but the air was thick with tension. He looked at me with an almost casual disinterest. "Apologize to Morgana."

Morgana’s smile was a mixture of triumph and challenge. She turned to my mate, her voice soft and placating. "It’s alright, Alpha. Aria didn’t mean it."

Upon hearing that, Thorne looked at her with pity. "You’re too soft-hearted. Even though you’ve always been kind to her, she’s never seen you as her sister."

His gaze turned icy as he addressed me. "Anyone who hurts Morgana will pay the price."

Thorne’s intention was clear: he wanted to make me suffer. He signaled to the guards, who moved to force me into a kneeling position. As I lowered my head, Thorne’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. Meanwhile, one of the guards stepped forward, hand raised, ready to strike.

Morgana, however, intervened. "Alpha, she’s still my sister. I’m afraid the guards might hurt her too much. If anyone should teach her a lesson, it should be me."

At that moment, Thorne nodded in approval. That was when Morgana raised her hand and slapped me twice, her nails leaving sharp, painful marks on my cheek.

My sister looked at Thorne with a conflicted expression. "Alpha, I’ve hurt Aria. What should we do now?"

However, Thorne’s response was cold and dismissive. "She deserves it. You’re too kind, worrying about her even though she hurt you first."

The guards finally released me, and I collapsed awkwardly to the floor. Thorne’s gaze remained unwavering as he looked down at me. "You owe Morgana an apology."

Owe her an apology? It was Morgana who had belittled my son! She claimed my baby was lying! Cassian would never be a liar! Yet this good-for-nothing Alpha always took her side, no matter the circumstances.

I glared up at him, my voice thick with bitterness. "In your dreams!"

"I hate you, Alpha!" I shouted.

As I stared at Alpha Thorne, my eyes were devoid of any trace of affection, replaced instead by a deep, seething hatred. His brow furrowed in response, clearly unsettled by the intensity of my gaze.

"Aria," he said, his voice attempting a note of reason, "just do as you're told, and you can have whatever you want. We can celebrate your son's birthday, just as you wanted."

The words felt hollow and mocking. What was the point of such a celebration now that Cassian was gone? My mate had already made his choice clear, prioritizing Morgana over our son. The entire pack knew it—Thorne had always preferred my sister's company at banquets and public appearances, leaving me isolated and disrespected as Luna of Silverclaw.

Now, with Cassian’s death, he was using the promise of a celebration as a tool to manipulate and coerce me. It was a sickening attempt to lure me back into submission, exploiting my grief for his own convenience.

I fought to keep the pain from showing on my face as I met his gaze. "No need, Alpha. We’re done. I’m leaving this hellhole, just as you’ve always wanted. Enjoy your dream life with Morgana."

It seemed my departure was beyond Thorne’s comprehension. His sneer betrayed his disbelief. "What? Not coming to me, pretending you need me to play with your son anymore?"

His tone was dripping with scorn, a fact not lost on me. Before I could respond, Morgana interjected, her voice laden with feigned innocence. "Aria, stop deceiving our Alpha. If Cassian were really dying, why would you be here alone?"

I could no longer contain my fury. "Shut up! You have no right to speak of my son."

Morgana’s face fell, hurt masking her satisfaction. "Alright, I won’t mention him again. Don’t be mad at me, Aria."

The Alpha's irritation was palpable as he witnessed my hostility towards Morgana. With a cold chuckle, he pulled out his phone and dialed Beta Yuriel. To ensure I heard every word, he put the call on speaker.

"Beta Yuriel," Thorne said, his voice commanding, "find out where my son is. Bring him to me."

He looked at me with a self-satisfied smirk, as if this action would somehow reassert his control over the situation.

I managed a bitter smile, the dreariness of my situation washing over me.

Beta Yuriel’s voice crackled over the speaker, hesitant but clear. "Alpha… Cassian passed away days ago. It happened the day after you left the territory with Morgana."