Cecilia watched from a distance as Albert tended to Hailey with an attention he had never given her. The warmth in his gaze made Cecilia’s heart tighten with resentment. While Albert poured himself into another’s company, his own son remained forgotten, left waiting for any sign of fatherly care that would never come.

Taking a shaky breath, Cecilia clenched her fists. The sorrow and frustration choked her voice as she forced herself to speak, each word laced with years of disappointment. “You want me gone, Albert?” Her tone was low but resolute. “Fine. I’ll be out of your life.”

Albert barely glanced at her, brushing off her words with indifference. He had never wanted to be her mate; he’d only accepted the union because of pressure from their families, bound by ancient customs and the alliance between their packs. But their connection had been nothing more than a hollow arrangement, lacking the bond and warmth that other mated pairs shared. His neglect had even weakened her connection to her wolf, leaving her spirit drained and her powers dulled. Even her rare healing abilities weakened to the point that she could not use it for her son.

Cecilia had always known that her ancestral heirloom, the Lunarstone, could restore her connection to her wolf, but it was a burden she’d resisted. A legendary relic passed down to the eldest child, it held immense power, and the thought of wielding it terrified her. She’d never wanted to rely on it, fearing that its power would only add another layer of responsibility to a life already burdened by unfulfilled obligations.

As her gaze hardened, Albert smirked, a sneer curling his lips. “Is this another one of your stunts to get my attention?” he taunted. “Now that you realize using Evan isn’t enough, you’ve decided to make it all about you?”

A fresh wave of anger surged through Cecilia, but she forced herself to remain calm. Her son, Evan, had been in a fragile state for the past year. He’d grown pale, his once-bright energy faded, and dark veins traced beneath his skin, a stark sign of some unknown ailment. His appetite had dwindled, and fainting spells plagued him. The healers had been stumped, unable to explain why his condition worsened while he remained immune to their treatments.

During the worst of it, Cecilia had pleaded with Albert, using their mind-link to beg him to visit their son. Evan had been desperate to see his father, clinging to the hope that Albert’s presence might lift his spirits. But her pleas had been ignored; Albert had dismissed her attempts as manipulations, a tactic to gain his sympathy.

She’d endured years of being invisible, overshadowed by his disregard and the attention he lavished on Hailey. And now, after nearly a decade, all her efforts to support him, to keep their family together, had gone unnoticed. Her resolve hardened as she met his gaze, the weight of her decision grounding her. “Believe whatever you want,” she replied, her voice hollow. “I’m leaving.”

Cecilia turned to gather her belongings, her movements brisk as she pulled her suitcase behind her. But before she could step out of the door, Hailey spoke up, her tone laced with calculated sweetness. “Alpha, aren’t you still planning to celebrate Evan’s birthday together? You didn’t cancel that for our hiking trip, did you? Cecilia’s upset enough already…”

Albert’s expression softened as he reassured Hailey, entirely oblivious to Cecilia’s pain. “Don’t worry, Hailey,” he murmured soothingly. “I know my priorities. We can go to Evan’s celebration anytime. The weather now is good for hiking, we can't wait for another season to arrive.”

Cecilia’s scoff broke the silence, a bitter sound that echoed through the room. She continued toward the door, unwilling to let herself be further humiliated. But suddenly, Albert’s hand gripped her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “It’s the middle of the night, Cecilia,” he said impatiently, his voice tinged with frustration. “Is leaving now really that important to you?”

His gaze lingered on her face, and for the first time, he noticed her red, swollen eyes, evidence of the tears she’d shed alone. A flicker of pity crossed his face, so fleeting she might have imagined it. “Look, let me clear my schedule for next month,” he offered reluctantly. “Then, I’ll take Evan out myself, alright?”

“Next month?” she whispered, incredulous. “You really think he has a ‘next month’ to wait for?”

Pulling her arm free, she took a step back, watching as Albert stared down at his empty hand, shocked at her rejection. For years, she’d been the one clinging to him, hoping for scraps of attention, and now, with her resolve finally strengthened, he seemed bewildered by her defiance.

Before he could gather his thoughts, Hailey stepped forward, grabbing his arm as if to steady him. “Alpha, this is all my fault. I should’ve known better than to compete with a child for your time.” Her voice held a perfect note of guilt, but her eyes sparkled with a smug satisfaction that made Cecilia’s blood boil. “Evan was faking his illness anyway; I shouldn’t have let it affect our time together.”

Faking?

What the heck did she say?

The word struck Cecilia like a blow. For a moment, she was frozen, her mind racing with disbelief and fury. Her vision blurred, and before she could fully register her actions, she’d closed the distance between them. The sound of her palm striking Hailey’s cheek reverberated in the room.

Hailey gasped, holding her face in shock as silence fell between them. Albert looked taken aback, but his initial surprise quickly morphed into anger.

The Alpha’s expression, once softened with a hint of guilt, hardened into an icy mask of rage. His posture shifted defensively as he moved Hailey protectively behind him, his gaze sharpening. “What are you thinking? She’s your sister.”

Ignoring his rebuke, she directed her steely focus toward Hailey, her voice calm but laced with authority. “You may be my sister, but you will not disrespect my son.”

Hailey’s face fell, a tremor of hurt crossing her features. Turning to Albert, she pleaded, “Alpha, I don’t want to be a source of tension. If my sister refuses to see that Evan’s faking his illness, then I’ll let it go.”

The weight of her words lingered, but she stood her ground, her heart racing with an anger she could no longer contain. Turning to Albert, her voice was a low, unyielding demand. “Tell me, do you believe our son would feign something like this?”

Silence stretched painfully between them. Albert’s gaze drifted from hers, looking past her as though searching for answers in the empty room. He finally spoke, but his tone betrayed growing frustration. “Where is Evan? I don’t sense him anywhere.”

His doubt stung. How could he, a father, not feel the suffering of his own child? The years of Evan’s illness had etched themselves deep into her soul, and if she’d had the power, she would have summoned the best healers long ago. But as Luna, her reach was bound to the pack’s limits—and to Albert’s refusal to acknowledge her efforts.

If he’d ever come home, he would have seen the lengths she went to: the herbs littering the kitchen, the exhausted, pale figure of Evan lying listlessly in bed. Albert, however, never came.

The memory of Evan’s heartbreaking words echoed in her mind: he didn’t have much time left. His fragile voice, the weary acceptance in his gaze—it haunted her. She’d held out hope as long as she could, but the rapid decline in his health left little room for it. Evan had asked for just one thing: a birthday celebration with his family, a final memory of unity.

In desperation, she’d knelt before Albert, surrendering every last bit of her pride. She had clung to his pant leg, her voice breaking as she made a promise she’d never thought she’d utter. She’d told him she’d let him go, that she’d no longer hold him bound. His reaction had been a fleeting mixture of shock and—could it have been relief?

“Are you serious?” he’d asked, his voice wavering with a glimmer of hope.

“Yes,” she’d whispered, eyes closed, tears slipping down her cheeks as her heart broke.

Her love for Albert had been fierce, passionate, and all-consuming from the start. From the moment she’d first seen him, something in her heart had irrevocably shifted. She hadn’t known then that he was her fated mate, but it hadn’t mattered; her heart had already chosen him. Everyone could see her devotion, her unshakeable loyalty.

But in return, Albert’s feelings had soured to disdain. His coming-of-age ceremony had revealed her as his fated mate, a discovery he had met with resentment, wishing instead that he’d been paired with Hailey. She was who he had wanted, not her. And she had been left to face the reality of a mate who resented her very existence.

Why hadn’t she just let him go? She could have stepped aside, but instead, she’d held on, clinging to a shred of hope that one day he’d change his mind. Her persistence, however, only intensified his bitterness, especially as he watched Hailey depart for another pack after discovering her own fated mate.

But her parents had been adamant: accepting her fate was not optional. To reject her bond would bring disgrace, so she’d complied, even as Albert made it clear how little he wanted her. Their mateship ceremony had been a cold, quiet affair, devoid of joy or celebration. Albert had insisted that she deserved no more than that, leaving her to stand as Luna in name only.

When Hailey returned, widowed and alone, she realized the true futility of fighting for Albert’s heart. She could never compete with the bond they’d shared, however fleeting it might have been.

Remembering that painful moment, she’d again begged Albert, offering that she would leave him alone after he did what their son wanted. She hadn’t expected him to take her seriously, but perhaps he’d finally reached his limit. He’d agreed to her terms, just as long as she would leave him alone after.

But his indifference toward Evan remained a mystery she could not fathom. How could he break his word, ignore their son’s suffering, and dismiss his last birthday wish so easily? It was one thing to neglect her, to disregard her place in his life, but Evan was their child. How could he so coldly cast aside his own blood?

As Cecilia stood before Albert, her heart clenched with a disquieting mixture of anger and resignation. Once, she had looked up to him, admired his presence, and cherished every detail of his face like it was crafted from dreams. Now, seeing him felt like facing an illusion gone rotten, and her admiration had curdled into pure disdain. She was still bracing herself, steadying her breath, when Hailey intruded, her voice a practiced pitch of distress.

"Alpha, I'm not feeling well. My face... it’s burning," Hailey murmured, her tone teetering on the edge of melodrama. "Do you think it’s swollen?"

At once, Albert's attention flicked to Hailey, his features melting into an expression of concern that only fueled Cecilia's resentment. Hailey saw her chance, clasping a delicate hand to her cheek before collapsing into his arms with a barely concealed smirk. The faint red print on her cheek—left by Cecilia’s earlier, justified slap—starkly mirrored Cecilia’s own simmering anger.

A tear slipped down Hailey’s cheek, and Albert was quick to wipe it away, his fingers soft and considerate as though he feared even a breath would wound her further. Watching this, Cecilia's mind spiraled back to gentler memories—the same touch, once hers, long ago when he’d been her solace. He had held her with that same tenderness, comforted her, and yet now, it seemed like those memories were the remnants of a long-dead dream.

“Cecilia,” Albert’s tone was flat, his gaze turning cold and distant. "Apologize to your sister."

Cecilia lifted her chin defiantly. "No."

For the first time, a flicker of surprise registered on Albert’s face. Once, she had tried so hard to earn his approval, even when he had looked at her with veiled contempt, but that time was long gone. No amount of affection she had shown him ever made her feel secure in his gaze, and she had grown weary of chasing something always out of reach—especially when Hailey was around.

As children, Hailey had always envied Cecilia. Her sister's bitterness had simmered beneath the surface, bubbling over when Cecilia was granted the Lunarstone, a revered family heirloom that Hailey had coveted. And later, when she saw Cecilia’s quiet attachment to Albert blossoming, she swooped in to claim his attention. But Cecilia could have hardly imagined Hailey returning to the Golden Pack after the tragic death of her fated mate, determined to claim more than sympathy.

Recovering from his brief shock, Albert resumed his indifference, settling back against the couch as he held Hailey with practiced ease. "Cecilia, don’t test me further."

At that silent command, the guards stationed nearby stepped forward, forming an unspoken blockade that prevented her from leaving. They guided her back in front of Albert and Hailey, their stances steely and resolute.

Albert looked up at Cecilia with an expression bordering on disdain. "Apologize," he repeated, voice cold.

Hailey’s expression shifted into something both triumphant and saccharine. Her voice lowered as she turned toward Albert, trying to sound gentle. "Alpha, please... she didn’t mean it."

With a sympathetic look, Albert turned to Hailey. "You’re too soft-hearted. Despite everything you’ve done for her, she’s never accepted you as her sister."

Then his gaze fell back onto Cecilia, a promise of retribution gleaming in his eyes. "If anyone hurts Hailey, they’ll pay for it."

The words struck Cecilia like a blow, but she steeled herself, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Without waiting for further protest, he gestured to the guards, who quickly forced her into a kneeling position. As she lowered herself, Albert’s face twisted into a satisfied sneer. One of the guards raised his hand, and she braced herself, expecting the blow.

But Hailey intervened, her voice feigning reluctance. "Alpha, I don’t want the guards to harm her too severely. If anyone should discipline her, it should be me."

Albert nodded approvingly, giving Hailey the reins, and with a chilling calm, Hailey turned to face her sister. She lifted her hand, striking Cecilia twice across the cheek, her nails scratching faint lines that stung more than the impact itself. Cecilia refused to cry out, though her face throbbed from the sharp, humiliating slaps.

With a look of forced remorse, Hailey glanced back at Albert. "I didn’t want to hurt her, Alpha, but... what now?"

Albert’s expression was one of cold satisfaction. "She deserved it, Hailey. You’re too kind to her, even after everything she’s done to you."

The guards finally released Cecilia, and she collapsed awkwardly onto her hands, feeling the sting in her knees. But worse than the physical ache was Albert’s complete apathy as he stared down at her from his place beside Hailey.

"You owe Hailey an apology," he said, his voice as unyielding as stone.

An apology? Cecilia’s mind raced with fury. Hailey, who had belittled her child—her son, Evan—daring to accuse him of being a liar. Cecilia knew her child better than anyone, and lying was not in his nature. Yet, as always, Albert had sided with Hailey, dismissing Evan’s honesty without a thought. That was what burned most of all: the way he chose Hailey over everyone, no matter the wrongs she committed.

She glared up at him, hatred lacing her voice. "In your dreams."

Albert’s gaze darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I'm warning you, Cecilia."

"No, I don't care anymore," she spat, anger breaking through every restraint she had once held for his sake. "I hate you, Alpha!"