Aria's POV

My chest ached so badly it felt as if my wolf was clawing desperately inside my ribcage.

Tears blurred my vision as I pressed a trembling hand over my heart, trying to steady the frantic pounding beneath my palm. Inside my mind, my wolf paced restlessly, whining in pain as though she could feel the mate bond between us stretching thinner with every passing heartbeat.

How could Caleb do this to us?

How could the man who once stood beside me beneath the sacred moonlight—swearing before the Moon Goddess that I was his destined Luna—decide to sever our bond in the span of a few moments?

Years of love.

Years of trust.

And he was ready to throw it all away as if it had never meant anything.

What had gone wrong between us?

Had I truly done something so terrible that my Alpha—my mate—would cast me aside like an unwanted omega?

No.

This could not be how our story ended.

Our bond had been forged beneath countless full moons. The Moon Goddess herself had blessed it. It could not crumble simply because of a single accusation.

Just because his stepsister claimed something had happened and my brother had become the accused did not mean Caleb could simply destroy our marriage… or the sacred bond tying our wolves together.

I needed to speak with him.

I had to make him understand.

I remained seated in the quiet chamber of the packhouse for a long time, my thoughts spiraling endlessly. Finally, gathering the last of my courage, I closed my eyes and reached out through the mate mindlink that still connected us.

My wolf stirred anxiously.

Caleb…

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then the link opened.

He had heard me.

But neither of us spoke.

Silence stretched between our minds like thick fog drifting through a dark forest—heavy, suffocating, impossible to escape.

I squeezed my eyes shut as tears slipped down my cheeks.

Through the bond, I could feel his presence.

His emotions were turbulent.

Rough.

Unsteady.

Like a wolf barely holding itself back from losing control.

Caleb… I whispered again.

A long breath echoed faintly through the link.

Aria.

His voice sounded hoarse, raw with emotion. Beneath it, I sensed the bitter taste of strong liquor dulling his senses.

My chest tightened painfully.

Please don’t do this, I pleaded softly. We can resolve everything else first. Let the truth come out before we make a decision like this. Breaking our bond does not have to happen now.

Caleb… please.

For several heartbeats, the mindlink remained silent.

Then he spoke again.

I don’t want this either, Aria.

His voice cracked.

Believe me, I hate this. I still love you. The Moon Goddess knows I do.

My wolf whimpered softly at his confession.

Then come back to me, he continued, desperation creeping into his voice. Stop defending him. Leave your brother out of this and stand beside me instead.

Please.

The desperation in his voice twisted painfully around my heart.

I closed my eyes, fighting another wave of tears.

I can’t do that, I whispered.

Marcus is my brother. He’s the only family I have left. How can you ask me to abandon him?

A sharp scoff echoed through the link.

And Clara is my sister, Caleb snapped.

Before my father returned to the Moon Goddess, I promised him I would always protect her. I swore it as his son and as the future Alpha of this pack. I cannot betray that promise.

His voice hardened.

If you continue defending your brother, Clara will forever see you as the sister of the wolf who harmed her. Every time she looks at you, she will remember that night.

Then his tone softened again.

Almost pleading.

But if you come back to us… if you stand beside her and show her you believe her, we can still fix this.

The pack will see their Luna standing beside her Alpha.

You can still save our bond, Aria.

My fingers trembled as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

I felt completely helpless.

So that’s what you want? I asked quietly.

You want me to choose between you… and my own brother.

Caleb didn’t answer.

The silence spoke louder than any words.

I inhaled slowly before speaking again.

Then listen to me carefully, Caleb.

My thoughts trembled, but I forced the words forward.

You stand with your sister, and I will stand with my brother. If it turns out Marcus truly committed something unforgivable, I will kneel before Clara myself and beg for her forgiveness in front of the entire pack.

I swallowed the painful lump in my throat.

But until the truth is revealed… I will not abandon him.

The silence that followed felt colder than the longest winter night.

Finally Caleb spoke again.

His voice sounded distant.

Bitter.

Fine.

Do whatever you want. If you’re determined to destroy what we have, then go ahead.

He paused.

I… I don’t even recognize you anymore, Aria.

His words cut deeper than claws.

I don’t know who you’ve become.

Before I could respond, the mindlink snapped shut.

But not before I felt the echo of his broken sob through the fading bond.

My hand slowly fell to my lap.

Fresh tears slid down my pale cheeks as quiet whimpers escaped my throat, soon turning into uncontrollable sobs.

Why, Caleb?

Why couldn’t he wait for the truth?

Why was he so determined to end our bond like this?

“Aria…”

Marcus’s voice broke through my thoughts.

I hurriedly wiped my face, not wanting him to see me like this. I didn’t want him blaming himself for my pain.

But the more I wiped my tears, the more they fell.

When I finally looked up at him, my eyes were swollen and burning.

“I’m sorry,” Marcus whispered.

His voice was heavy with guilt.

“I’m so sorry, sis.”

He wrapped his arms around me tightly.

I could feel his body trembling as he cried as well.

I immediately shook my head and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

“No,” I said firmly.

“You don’t need to apologize.”

I pulled back slightly so he could see the truth in my eyes.

“I believe you, Marcus.”

My voice softened.

“I know the kind of wolf you are.”

Even if the whole pack turned against us…

Even if I lost more than I already had…

“I will stand beside you.”

My grief slowly hardened into determination.

“We’re going to fight this together,” I said.

“We will prove your innocence before the pack council.”

I squeezed his shoulders.

“I promise you something right now.”

I met his gaze firmly.

“Your sister will never abandon you. No matter what happens.”

Marcus nodded quietly.

He reached up and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

I did the same for him.

Then we hugged each other again, holding on tightly.

Drawing strength from the bond that had kept us together since the day our parents returned to the Moon Goddess.

Because even if the pack rejected us…

Even if my Alpha chose to walk away from me…

I would never turn my back on the only family I had left.

Third Person's POV

Aria had always believed that protecting Marcus was the purpose the Moon Goddess had given her.

She was five years older than her younger brother, and from the time they were pups, she had quietly taken responsibility for him. Even as children running through the forested lands of their pack territory, she had always walked a step behind him—watching, guarding, making sure nothing would harm him.

But when tragedy struck their family, Aria had been only sixteen, while Marcus was still an eleven-year-old boy who barely understood what death truly meant.

Their parents—both loyal warriors of the pack—had died during a brutal attack by rogues along the border of their territory. The battle had been sudden and merciless, and by the time the pack arrived to drive the rogues away, it was already too late.

From that moment on, the siblings were left alone beneath the watchful eyes of the pack.

Yet long before that tragedy, Aria’s future had already been quietly tied to another.

From the day she was born, the elders of two influential families within the pack had agreed that one day she and Caleb would be joined as mates.

Such arrangements were not uncommon among powerful pack bloodlines. They were meant to strengthen alliances, preserve stability within the territory, and ensure unity among the wolves who carried the pack’s future.

It had never been meant to force two wolves into a loveless bond—only to guide the paths their lives would take.

Fortunately, what had begun as a promise between families slowly blossomed into something genuine.

Aria and Caleb had grown up within the same territory, training under the same elders and learning the ancient traditions of their kind together.

From a young age, their wolves had always been comfortable around one another. Even before their mate bond awakened, there had been an unspoken pull between them—something deeper than simple friendship.

Their personalities were remarkably alike.

Both were stubborn.

Both fiercely loyal.

Both willing to protect the people they loved with tooth and claw if necessary.

Because of those similarities, affection had grown between them naturally over the years.

By the time they reached adulthood, what had once been nothing more than an agreement between two families had become something far more powerful.

It had become love.

When Caleb turned twenty-one, his father—who had served as one of the pack’s leading Alphas in the council—passed away after a long illness.

With his death, Caleb inherited both his father’s responsibilities and the heavy expectations that came with them.

Leadership was never an easy burden.

And yet Caleb carried it with determination.

Clara, his younger stepsister, was the daughter Caleb’s father had with his second mate later in life. Though Caleb had never truly felt comfortable around the woman his father had chosen as his second Luna, he cared deeply for Clara.

On his father’s final night, beneath the pale glow of the Moon Goddess, Caleb had made a promise.

He would always protect his younger sister.

No matter the cost.

Clara and her mother had always treated Aria kindly as well, and for many years their relationship appeared peaceful and harmonious within the pack.

Meanwhile, Marcus grew into a cheerful and hardworking young wolf.

Despite losing their parents so young, he never allowed bitterness to take root in his heart.

When he turned eighteen, he met Sophia during their final year of training at the pack’s warrior academy—a place where young wolves learned to control their transformations, hone their strength, and understand the ancient laws that governed their kind.

What began as a simple friendship soon deepened into genuine love.

Two years later, beneath the light of the full moon, Marcus asked Sophia to become his future Luna.

She accepted without hesitation.

Their engagement was celebrated warmly throughout the pack. The elders blessed their union, and many believed the two young wolves would bring prosperity and happiness to the territory in the years to come.

Everything seemed perfect.

But while Marcus was happily building his future, someone else had already begun watching him with growing resentment.

And that person’s jealousy would soon destroy everything.

Among werewolves, jealousy was often described as the most poisonous sickness that could infect a wolf’s heart.

Once it took root, it spread like wildfire—devouring reason, loyalty, and love until nothing remained.

And when that fire burned long enough, it destroyed everything in its path.

Even the one who carried it.

---

Weeks passed beneath the watchful gaze of the Moon Goddess.

Just as Caleb had declared during their final argument, a formal mate rejection decree was delivered to Aria at the packhouse. The parchment bore the Alpha seal of his family and the mark of the pack council, leaving no doubt that the process had already been set into motion.

Along with it came the official accusation against Marcus—an allegation that he had attempted to dishonor Clara.

Not long after, several pack warriors arrived at Aria’s home.

Under the authority of the elders and the Alpha council, Marcus was taken into custody to await judgment before the pack.

Neither Aria nor Marcus were surprised by the arrest.

They had known this moment would come.

The Wolfhart they had long feared—the formal trial where the truth of a wolf’s crime was judged beneath the law of the pack—had finally been called.

Even so, deep inside Aria’s heart, a fragile thread of hope still remained.

She believed her marriage could survive this storm.

In her mind, severing a mate bond was never meant to be the answer. A bond blessed beneath the sacred light of the Moon Goddess was not something to discard lightly. It was a sacred tie between two wolves—one that should never be broken without absolute certainty.

She believed she and Caleb should wait until the elders uncovered the truth before making a decision that could never be undone.

But Caleb refused to listen.

---

The mate rejection decree felt unusually heavy in Aria’s hands as she stood before the house that had once been her home.

The Alpha’s residence.

For a long moment, she simply stood there, staring at the familiar wooden doors carved with the ancient symbols of the pack. This place had once been filled with warmth, laughter, and the quiet comfort that only bonded mates could share.

Now it felt cold.

Distant.

Unfamiliar.

Slowly, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The air smelled the same—cedarwood, fire smoke, and the lingering scent of Caleb’s wolf—but the warmth that once lived in those walls had vanished.

Even though everything between them had already begun to crumble, Aria still wanted to speak with him one last time.

Ending a relationship was painful enough.

But ending a mate bond blessed beneath the Moon Goddess was far more serious. It was not something wolves treated lightly. A bond tied by fate and sealed by the Moon was sacred.

It should never be broken without a final conversation.

She opened her mouth to call his name.

But before the sound could leave her lips, something else reached her ears.

A faint groan.

Low.

Breathy.

It came from the bedroom.

Aria froze instantly.

Her wolf stirred uneasily inside her mind, lifting its head in alarm as she listened more carefully.

She recognized that voice.

It was Caleb.

But the soft moan that followed did not belong to her.

The realization struck her like lightning.

Blood roared in her ears as her heart seemed to stop beating entirely.

Moments later, the bedroom door swung open.

Caleb stepped into the hallway.

He was half dressed, his shirt hanging loose and his hair disheveled, completely unaware of her presence.

He walked forward casually—

Until his eyes suddenly landed on the pale feet standing before him.

His steps stopped.

Slowly, his gaze lifted.

Up her legs.

Up to her trembling hands.

Until it finally met her eyes.

Electric gray.

Aria’s expression was empty.

Hollow.

She looked as though her soul had already left her body.

Caleb’s face drained of all color.

Shock and guilt flashed across his features as the truth dawned on him.

She had seen everything.

Neither of them moved.

She stared at him in silent disappointment.

He stood frozen in horror.

Then footsteps sounded from the doorway behind them.

Lupas entered the house.

He was one of the pack scribes, a wolf tasked by the elders to witness important legal rites—especially those involving the breaking of sacred bonds.

When he noticed the tense silence in the room, his brows furrowed slightly.

Without saying a word, Aria calmly reached into her satchel and pulled out the parchment bearing the mate rejection decree.

Beside it was a small ceremonial blade used during rejection rites.

To Caleb’s complete disbelief, she signed the parchment immediately with steady hands, then pricked her finger with the blade. A drop of her blood stained the document, sealing her consent to the severing of their bond.

She handed the parchment to Lupas.

The scribe accepted it slowly, his expression filled with pity.

“My Luna…” he began gently. “You still have time to reconsider. A bond blessed by the Moon Goddess is not easily broken. Both of you may still speak before this becomes permanent.”

Aria let out a faint, humorless laugh.

“Every bond has its limits, Lupas,” she said quietly.

“Once those limits are crossed… there is nothing left to repair.”

She turned her gaze toward Caleb.

Tears shimmered in his eyes.

“Our bond crossed that limit today.”

Just then, a voice called from the bedroom.

“Caleb… where are—”

A young woman stepped out of the room, wrapped only in a blanket.

The moment she noticed Lupas standing there—and Aria beside him—her eyes widened in shock. Embarrassment flooded her face before she hurriedly retreated back inside the room.

The scribe grimaced slightly in disgust.

Aria, however, did not react at all.

Her expression remained eerily calm.

“Once the rejection rite is complete, send me a copy of the council record,” she said quietly.

Lupas nodded.

Without waiting for a reply, Aria walked past Caleb and toward the door.

He remained rooted to the spot.

His heart screamed at him to chase after her.

To beg for forgiveness.

To stop her from leaving.

But his feet refused to move.

Because deep down, he already knew the truth.

He was the one who had destroyed everything.

After a long moment, Caleb slowly reached for the parchment with trembling hands.

His chest tightened painfully as he pricked his own finger and let his blood fall onto the document beside hers.

The rejection rite was complete.

The mate bond between them shattered.

Far away from the house, as Aria walked beneath the fading evening sky, she felt the invisible thread connecting their souls finally snap.

Her wolf let out a long, mournful howl inside her mind.

But Aria did not stop walking.

Because in that moment, she realized something with absolute clarity.

From this day forward, her only goal was to fight for her brother’s justice.

She would do whatever it took to prove Marcus’s innocence—

Even if it meant standing against the entire pack alone.

Third Person's POV

Everything in Aria and Marcus’s lives was collapsing piece by piece—like a pack left leaderless beneath a darkened moon.

Nothing that had happened over the past months felt just or right. Misfortune followed them like a shadow, each new blow heavier than the last, until even breathing felt difficult.

Yet amid all the chaos, one thing within Aria only grew stronger.

Her faith in her brother.

The longer she watched Marcus suffer beneath the pack’s judgment, the more certain she became that he was innocent.

Marcus changed with each passing day.

The cheerful young wolf who once laughed easily and spoke excitedly about the future now seemed like a fading spirit. His shoulders were always hunched, his gaze distant, as if the light inside him was slowly being swallowed by darkness.

Whispers followed him everywhere within the territory.

When he passed other wolves, their mindlinks buzzed quietly with gossip and suspicion. Some did not even bother to hide their disdain. Their cold stares struck deeper than claws.

Depression wrapped itself around Marcus like iron chains.

If Aria and Sophia had not remained beside him during those first terrible weeks—speaking to him through their soft mindlinks and refusing to leave his side—Marcus might have done something reckless simply to escape the pain.

Their family’s fortune collapsed as well.

Pack trials were not only brutal—they were costly. Appeals to the council, petitions to the elders, and the endless legal disputes drained their resources quickly.

In the end, Aria was forced to sell the mansion that had belonged to their parents.

That home had once been filled with the scent of family—the warmth of shared meals, the echo of laughter during training days, and the comforting presence of the two people who had raised them.

Now it was gone.

Sold for coin that barely kept Marcus’s case alive before the pack council.

And Aria knew exactly who stood behind the Wolfhart tearing their lives apart.

Caleb.

Her former mate.

The Alpha was using every ounce of his authority to crush them.

It was not only rage over the accusations against his stepsister that drove him.

Part of it was bitterness.

Aria had rejected him.

She had chosen her brother over their sacred mate bond.

Caleb wanted her to return.

He wanted her to bow her head and beg for forgiveness.

But that day would never come.

Aria had endured far more pain than he believed she could bear. She knew that someday Caleb would regret what he was doing.

But when that day came…

His regret would mean nothing.

Meanwhile Marcus’s spirit continued to deteriorate.

The Pack Academy, once the place where he had trained for years, expelled him soon after the scandal spread across the territory. His dreams vanished overnight—even though no judgment had yet proven him guilty.

Whispers chased him everywhere.

Cold glances.

Cruel words sharp as silver blades.

Marcus was only twenty-one.

No matter how hard he tried to stay strong for Aria and for Sophia, the weight crushing down on him grew heavier each day. Slowly, painfully, he felt himself losing everything—including the wolf he once was.

After Aria managed to secure his temporary release from the council’s holding cells, Marcus tried to help rebuild their lives.

He searched for work across the territory.

But every door closed the moment wolves recognized his name.

Harsh words greeted him everywhere.

How could people condemn someone without knowing the truth?

Being accused of a crime you never committed was a torment that slowly tore a person apart from within.

Hatred burned in Marcus’s chest.

Even that word felt too small for what he felt toward Clara… and toward Caleb.

He understood Caleb believed he was protecting his sister.

But the lengths the Alpha had gone to were destroying far more than Marcus alone.

He was destroying Aria too.

---

“Marcus… pull yourself together,” Aria whispered softly.

She wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as if afraid he might shatter.

“I’m still here,” she murmured gently through their faint sibling mindlink. “I’m not leaving you.”

Marcus buried his face in her shoulder as tears fell freely.

In his hand he clutched the silver ring he had once given Sophia beneath the full moon.

Only hours earlier, Sophia had ended their engagement.

Five months of hearings before the pack council and endless rumors had worn down her faith.

In the end… she could not keep believing.

“I… I think she believes them now,” Marcus choked. “She thinks maybe I really tried to hurt Clara.”

His voice broke completely.

Aria immediately shook her head and cupped his face.

“No,” she said firmly. “Listen to me, my little prince. I trust you. I know you would never do something like that.”

Her gray eyes softened.

“So stay strong… at least for me. We will prove your innocence.”

Marcus slowly pulled away, despair clouding his gaze.

“Caleb won’t stop,” he said bitterly. “He’s determined to ruin us. Why don’t you just give him what he wants?”

Aria frowned.

“He asked you to return to him,” Marcus continued quietly. “If you accept him again as your Alpha… as your mate… maybe he’ll leave me alone. I could even kneel before Clara and beg forgiveness—”

“For what?” Aria cut in sharply. “Did you touch her?”

Marcus shook his head immediately.

“Then we fight,” Aria said firmly. “We keep fighting until the truth comes out.”

She held his face gently.

“I will stand beside you until my last breath.”

Marcus’s eyes filled with tears again.

“I just want you to be happy,” he whispered.

Aria smiled faintly and hugged him again.

“I’ll be happy the day the entire pack realizes they were wrong,” she said quietly. “The day they beg for your forgiveness.”

Marcus managed a small smile through his tears.

Just then—

Knock. Knock.

The sound echoed through the small apartment.

After selling their mansion, Aria and Marcus had moved into a modest home at the edge of the territory. It was simple, but at least it gave them a place where the whispers of the pack could not reach so easily.

“I’ll see who it is,” Aria said softly. “Dry those tears.”

Marcus nodded weakly.

Aria walked to the door and opened it.

The moment she saw who stood outside—

All color drained from her face.

The man she had once loved more than anyone else in the world stood before her.

Caleb.

The Alpha.

His golden eyes gleamed faintly, and the aura of command around him filled the air like invisible pressure.

He chuckled when he saw her pale expression.

“Not even going to invite your Alpha inside?” he asked lazily.

Aria’s expression hardened.

She tried to close the door.

But Caleb pushed it open easily, forcing it aside as if her resistance meant nothing.

She stumbled backward as he stepped inside.

Two pack warriors followed behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Aria snapped. “Leave my home.”

Caleb ignored her and walked into the living room.

Marcus immediately stood up.

Caleb’s gaze landed on the silver ring resting on the wooden table.

A mocking smile curled on his lips.

“Well, well,” he drawled. “Looks like your butterfly finally flew away. I heard Sophia broke the engagement.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Funny thing is… she’s already promised to another. Daniel Stroke—the French merchant who’s been visiting the northern territories.”

Caleb shrugged.

“A friend of mine, actually. Apparently he’s had his eyes on her for quite some time.”

He smirked.

“They’ll likely be wed before the next winter moon.”

His gaze locked onto Marcus.

“So tell me… how does that feel?”

Pain flashed across Marcus’s face.

Aria grabbed Caleb’s arm and forced him to look at her.

“Yes, Sophia ended things,” she said coldly. “But honestly, it’s better that way. Hard times reveal who truly cares.”

Her eyes burned with defiance.

“We don’t need people who abandon us when life becomes difficult.”

Marcus gave her a grateful smile.

Caleb’s jaw tightened.

“You’re playing with fire, Aria,” he warned darkly. “I told you what would happen if you refused to return to me.”

“I’d rather face consequences than return to a man like you,” she replied. “Loving you once was the greatest mistake of my life.”

Anger flashed in Caleb’s eyes.

In an instant he grabbed her waist and pulled her against him.

Aria struggled immediately, but his Alpha strength overwhelmed her.

Marcus rushed forward—

But Caleb’s warriors restrained him.

Caleb leaned close to Aria.

“I want to hate you,” he murmured quietly. “But I can’t. I still love you.”

His voice softened.

“These months without you have been torture. Even our wolves cry for each other through the broken mindlink.”

“Let me go,” Aria hissed. “Your touch disgusts me.”

His eyes darkened.

“Disgusts you?” he repeated bitterly. “This is the same touch you once begged for beneath the full moon.”

“That was before,” Aria said coldly. “Not anymore.”

Marcus shouted furiously.

“Let her go, Caleb!”

But Caleb ignored him.

“Do you know how I felt when I saw my sister bruised and crying?” he said coldly. “You deserve to feel the same pain.”

Before Aria could react, he shoved her against the wall and crushed his lips onto hers.

Tears streamed down her face as she struggled.

Her fists pounded against his chest.

But he pinned her wrists above her head.

Across the room Marcus roared in rage, trying desperately to break free.

Even Caleb’s own warriors looked away uneasily.

“Punish me instead!” Marcus shouted hoarsely. “Leave her alone! You’ll regret this, Caleb!”

Caleb finally pulled away, breathing heavily.

The moment he released her—

Aria collapsed to the floor.

For a brief moment guilt flickered across his face.

But when he saw Marcus kneeling there in tears, his expression hardened again.

“Now you know how it feels,” Caleb sneered.

“That’s how I felt when I saw my sister.”

He stepped forward and punched Marcus hard.

Aria gasped in horror.

Then—

A sharp crack echoed through the room.

Silence followed.

For the first time since everything began…

Aria had slapped the Alpha.