| Body |
"Little wolf," Raven's voice was rough velvet in the candlelight. "just looking at you makes me hard. You're making it impossible for me to focus on dinner."
His dark eyes traced my silhouette as he sat across our anniversary table, wine glass dangling forgotten from his fingers.
I'd spent hours preparing for tonight. The black dress hugged every line of my body, the silk falling like water over the lace beneathâhis favorite.
The neckline dipped just low enough to hint at promises for later, while the slit along the side flashed tempting glimpses of the thigh with each movement.
Five years of marriage, and I still felt a thrill when he looked at me like thisâlike I was the only woman in his world.
His Alpha pheromones filled our dining room, making my skin flush with heat. That unique scent of hisâpine needles and winter frostâgrew stronger with his desire, calling to my wolf.
My breath caught as his eyes darkened to amber, a sign of his wolf rising to the surface.
He tipped back his red wine glass, finishing it in one long swallow. The movement emphasized his strong throat, making my mouth go dry.
"Let me fill that for you," I murmured, rising from my seat.
I picked up the red wine bottle and bent to pour. I saw his eyes rest on the silver moon lily pendant at firstâhis gift from our first anniversary. Then his eyes moved to my chest under the pendant.
His scent intensified, becoming sharp with need. Before I could straighten, strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind. His breath was hot against my neck as he pulled me back against his chest.
"Raven..." My voice trembled as his hot breath caressed my neck. Strong arms lifted me onto our dining room table, scattering the carefully arranged silverware.
My black dress rode up my thighs as he pressed between them, his powerful hands skating up my sides with possessive intent.
"Little wolf,â he growled against my ear, the sound pure Alpha dominance.
âDo you know how irresistible you look tonight?âHis scent surrounded me, making my toes curl as his pheromones called to my wolf.
The candlelight danced across crystal glasses, casting warm shadows through the deep red wine.
He nuzzled my marking scar, sending shivers of pleasure through our mate bond. I arched into him, my fingers tangling in his silk shirt.
"The dinner," I protested weakly as his lips traced a burning path down my throat. "I spent hours..."
"Later," he promised, his voice rough with desire. My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively as he lifted me again. "Right now, I need to properly appreciate my mate on our anniversary."
We barely reached our bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind.
"I've missed you," I murmured against his neck, my fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw. "You've been so busy with pack business lately."
Raven's skilled hands gripped my haunch, drawing a soft gasp from my lips.
His eyes darkened with desire as he pulled me closer until I could feel every hard plane of his body against mine. The thin fabric of my anniversary dress did nothing to shield me from his heat.
His kiss was deep, and passionate, making heat pool low in my belly as my toes curled with pleasure.
"You know I'd rather be here with you, Sylvia." His breath was hot against my ear, followed by a gentle bite that made me gasp. "Only you, little wolf."
Every brush of his fingers left fire trails on my skin, and I found myself arching into his touch, wanting more.
The mate bond between us hummed with electricity as his hands roamed higher, each caress more demanding than the last. My wolf stirred within me, responding to his dominance despite her weakened state. When his lips found my neck, right over our mating mark, my toes curled with pleasure.
"My beautiful little wolf," he growled, the sound vibrating through his chest. His touch grew more insistent, making my breath catch. "My perfect Luna."
"Mine," he growled, and I arched into him, wanting desperately to believe it.
Then his phone buzzed.
At first, he ignored it, his lips trailing fire down my neck. But it buzzed again. And again.
Raven tensed above me, his whole body going rigid. The phone buzzed again, insistent. Pack business - I recognized that specific ringtone and had heard it too many times before.
"Don't," I pleaded, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Please. It's our anniversary."
He hesitated, then reached for the phone. I saw the caller ID flashâBeta Marcusâbefore Raven answered.
"This better be important," he snapped, but I could already feel him pulling away emotionally, if not yet physically.
I watched his face as he listened, noting how his expression shifted from annoyed to concerned to... something else. Something I couldn't quite read.
"I'll be right there," he said finally, already moving to get up.
"Are you serious?" I sat up, clutching the sheet to my chest. "It's our anniversary, Raven. Our anniversary. Whatever it is, surely Marcus can handle it."
He was already pulling on his clothes, and his movements rushed. "It's pack business. This needs the Alpha's attention. I'm sorry, little wolf."
"Fine." I turned away, not wanting him to see the hurt in my eyes. "Go be Alpha. It's what you're best at anyway."
He paused, then leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead. "I'll make it up to you. I promise."
The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with the cooling sheets and the ghost of his touch on my skin.
I curled into his pillow, breathing in his scent and fighting back disappointment. This wasn't the first time pack business had interrupted our special moments, and it probably wouldn't be the last.
"He's the Alpha," I whispered to myself, sitting up slowly. "The pack needs him."
It has been five years since Raven became the Alpha of our pack.
Five years ago, I lost my father forever. He was the powerful Alpha of Cold Moon Pack but had fallen defending our borders from Blood Moon Pack's ruthless expansion. I'd felt his death through our pack bondsâa searing pain that dropped every Cold Moon wolf to their knees.
Our once-mighty pack fractured, vulnerable as newborn pups. Enemy packs circled our borders like vultures, waiting to claim our territory.
It was then Raven found me during the Moon Goddess ceremony.
The moment our eyes met, our wolves recognized each other. True matesâa blessing so rare it was almost a myth. Even then, my wolf was weaker than she should have been, but Raven didn't care.
"You're mine," he'd said fiercely, right there in front of both packs. "Your strength, your weakness, your everythingâit's all mine to protect."
The other Alphas had whispered, of course. A powerful wolf like Raven, choosing a mate who might never bear him pups? But he'd silenced them all by taking the Cold Moon Alpha position, merging our packs, and protecting my father's legacy.
"He'll probably be hungry after handling pack business," I murmured, heading to the kitchen. Maybe I could salvage what remained of our anniversary with my mother's moon-blessed cookiesâRaven's favorite.
The cookies would need some special decorations stored in the top cabinet. I dragged the wooden ladder from the pantry, positioning it carefully. My wolf whined softly - she'd been feeling so weak lately that even simple tasks seemed to drain me.
"It's fine," I assured myself, starting to climb. "Just a few more steps."
The world suddenly tilted. My wolf's usual grace failed me, and my ankle twisted sharply as I missed a step. I crashed to the floor, pain shooting up my leg.
"Raven?" I called out instinctively, before remembering I was alone.
Tears pricked at my eyes as I sat there on the cold kitchen floor, cradling my throbbing ankle. This wasn't the first time I'd needed him lately and found myself alone.
Last week during the pack run, when I'd felt too weak to keep up. The council meeting where I'd nearly fainted, and he'd barely noticed.
"Stop it," I scolded myself, wiping away a stray tear. "He's doing his job. The pack comes first."
I managed to pull myself up using the counter, testing my weight gingerly on the injured ankle. It hurt, but I could walk.
The moon-blessed cookies lay half-mixed on the counter, mocking my attempts at creating a perfect anniversary surprise.
My phone chimed.
"Maybe it's Raven," I thought hopefully, reaching for it. "Maybe he's finished early."
The name on the screen made me pause: Astrid.
"Thank you for being so understanding about Raven's 'pack duties.' He takes such good care of me."
The attached photo loaded, and time seemed to stop.
My mate - my Raven - his hands on another woman's haunch, his lips on her neck, their bodies pressed together in an intimate embrace that mirrored our own moments ago.
"This is ridiculous," I whispered, my voice sounding strange in the empty kitchen. "Raven wouldn't..."
But the timestamp glared up at me: ten minutes ago.
I stared at the screen, unable to process what I was seeing.
His scentâpine needles and winter frostâstill lingered on my skin from our intimate moments just before. The mark on my neck still tingled from his kisses.
Is this what he called ... pack duties? Is he giving up our anniversary just for ... this kind of duty?
Chapter 0002
Sylviaâs POV
Sleep eluded me after last night's revelation. I spent hours staring at the cold, empty space beside me in our bed.
Dawn found me in our kitchen, staring at Astrid's photo from last night. The intimacy in their embrace twisted my heart, even though I knew - rationally - that Raven wouldn't cross that line. Not with James's widow.
Not with the woman carrying his dead Beta's child.
But hadn't I said that every time before?
When did he rush to her side during pack meetings? When he spent hours "comforting" her while I handled pack duties alone?
Astrid - widow of James, Raven's former Beta who end life protecting him three months ago.
I'd always encouraged Raven to look after her and had even defended him when others whispered about how much time he spent with her.
"She's grieving," I'd say. "She needs support." I'd even brought her soup when morning sickness hit.
This was different though. This wasn't just another missed dinner or forgotten appointment. This was our wedding anniversary.
Moments before that photo was taken, he'd been in our bed, whispering words of love, our bodies joined as one. His marks were still fresh on my skin when he left me for her.
"I need to talk to him," I whispered to myself, my wolf stirring weakly within me. "Calmly. Rationally. There has to be an explanation."
"Get it together," I whispered to myself, my wolf stirring weakly within me. "The pack needs its Luna."
The monthly safety inspection couldn't wait, even if my mate hadn't come home all night.
I forced myself up, wincing at my still-throbbing ankle from last night's fall. My wolf's usual healing hadn't kicked in - another sign of her weakening strength that I couldn't afford to dwell on.
The pack grounds were already busy when I arrived. Warriors training, pups playing, daily life continuing as if my world hadn't tilted on its axis hours before.
I focused on my checklist, methodically checking each area's safety protocols.
The accident happened near the training grounds.
I was noting some loose boards that needed repair when a blur of motion caught my peripheral vision.
A young wolf - clearly new to the pack from his unfamiliar scent - came tearing around the corner at full speed. He was looking back over his shoulder, laughing at something.
"Watch out!" I called, but it was too late.
He slammed into me hard, his momentum sending us both sprawling. My already weakened state meant I couldn't catch myself properly.
Pain exploded through my forehead as it hit the edge of a training post. Warm blood immediately began trickling down my face.
"Oh, goddess!" The boy scrambled up, shifting back to human form. His eyes went wide at the blood. "I... I didn't see you!"
I pushed myself up slowly, fighting a wave of dizziness. "This is exactly why we have rules about running in the training areas. You could have seriously hurt someone."
Instead of contrition, his expression shifted to defiance. "It was an accident! Why are you making such a big deal about it?"
"A big deal?" I pressed my hand to my bleeding forehead, trying to stay calm. "You were running full-speed in a training zone without looking where you were going. What if I had been one of the younger pups? Or someone elderly?"
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes. "Just wait until my sister's mate gets here. He'll show you how we handle stuck-up wolves who think they can boss everyone around."
The surrounding pack members who had gathered gasped. I almost wanted to laugh at the bitter irony - this pup had no idea he was threatening his Luna.
"Your sister's mate?" I kept my voice level, though blood was now dripping onto my collar. "And who might that be?"
"You'll see." He smirked. "He's coming now. He'll scare you to death."
Familiar footsteps approached from behind. My heart clenched as Raven's scent washed over me - mixed with Astrid's.
Of course. Of course, she'd be with him.
"What's happening here?" Raven's Alpha voice rang out.
I turned slowly, dignity intact despite the blood on my face. And there they were - my mate with Astrid at his side, her hand resting delicately on his arm like she belonged there.
"Your Luna was attacked," I said coolly, watching his face. "This pup shifted without warning and drew blood. He refuses to apologize."
Raven's eyes narrowed at the blood on my face, but before he could speak, Tommy straightened up with a smirk.
"You should see my sister and Alpha Raven together," he announced proudly, clearly emboldened by Astrid's presence. "They look like a real Alpha pair. Not like..." His eyes raked dismissively over me.
"Tommy," Astrid's soft voice carried a gentle reproof. She pressed closer to Raven, her hand resting delicately on his arm. "You shouldn't say such things. Alpha Raven and I are just... close friends."
But her eyes told a different story as she gazed up at him. "He's been so kind to me during this difficult time."
Raven's arm moved automatically to support her waist. The gesture was small, but it spoke volumes. How many times had he held me like that? When had that protective instinct shifted to another woman?
"She's weak!" Tommy continued, encouraged by Raven's silence. "Can't even dodge a playful jump. How can she be our Luna if she can't even have pups? Everyone can see who really belongs at our Alpha's sideâ"
"Enough!" Raven's Alpha voice rang out, but I barely heard it over the roaring in my ears.
Can't even have pups.
The words struck like physical blows. my weakened wolf, my mate's growing distance - all my private shame laid bare before the pack.
"Tommy." Raven's Alpha voice was cold with anger as he focused on the defiant pup. "You've not only broken pack safety protocols, but you've injured your Luna. This behaviorâ"
"Raven," Astrid's soft voice interrupted, breathy with distress.
Her hand tightened on his arm as she swayed dramatically. "Oh... I don't feel well..." She pressed her other hand to her stomach, her face going pale.
I watched, heartbreaking, as my mate's attention immediately shifted to her. His arm went around her waist, all thoughts of pack discipline forgotten. "What's wrong?"
"My stomach..." she whimpered, pressing against him. "The baby..."
The baby. James's baby. The child my dead friend would never know, growing in the abdomen of a woman who used it as a weapon.
"We need to get you to the healer," Raven said urgently, already turning away. He barely glanced at my bleeding forehead. "Tommy, we'll discuss your behavior later."
"But Raven-" I started, my vision blurring slightly.
"Later, Sylvia," he cut me off, leading Astrid away. "This needs immediate attention."
I stood there, blood dripping onto my collar, watching my mate walk away with another woman.
The whispers started immediately:
"She's gotten so weak lately..."
"The Alpha clearly prefers Astrid's company..."
My wolf whimpered, too weak to even growl at the disrespect.
The wound on my forehead throbbed in time with my pulse, each beat sending fresh pain through my skull. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision.
"Luna?" One of the pack healers stepped forward hesitantly. "Let me help with that cut..."
I backed away, somehow keeping my feet under me. "I'm fine. Everyone return to your duties. Tommy, report to my office tomorrow morning to discuss pack safety protocols."
The walk back to my office was endless. Each step was a battle against dizziness and nausea. By the time I closed my door, my legs were shaking so badly I could barely stand.
I slid down the wall, finally letting the tears fall. They mixed with the blood on my face, hot and bitter. My wolf curled up small and quiet within me, as broken as I was.
Not because I thought Raven was sleeping with Astrid.
Although my wolf was weak, she told me that he did not betray our physical bond. But what hurt worse was watching him choose her again and again.
Every time she swayed, he caught her. Every time she called, he ran. Every time she needed him, he forgot about everyone elseâincluding his Luna, his mate, his wife.
A knock at the door made me flinch.
"Sylvia?" Raven's voice. "Let me in."
I didn't move.
"Please, little wolf. I brought medicine for your head."
A laugh bubbled up in my throat - harsh and foreign. He'd left me bleeding to tend to Astrid's latest dramatic episode, and now he wanted to play caring mate?
I opened the door.
Raven stood there with a first aid kit and concern in his eyes. The same eyes that had looked at Astrid with such urgency minutes ago.
"Let me help," he said softly, reaching for me.
I stepped back, maintaining distance. "How is Astrid? And James's baby?"
His face flickered at the deliberate mention of his dead Beta. "She's fine. Just stress."
"Of course she is." The words came out bitter. "She's always fine after she gets what she wants."
"Sylvia..." He sighed, setting down the first aid kit. "You know I have to look after her. After James..."
"After James end life saving you, yes. I know." I pressed my hand to my throbbing head. "But when did looking after her start meaning abandoning your actual duties? Leaving your injured mate? Ignoring pack discipline?"
"You're bleeding," he said instead of answering, reaching for me again. "Let me-"
"Don't." I held up a hand.
The look of hurt on his face almost made me take back my words. Almost. But I remembered the photo Astrid had sent, the way she clung to his arm, the countless times he'd chosen her needs over mine.
"I love you," he said softly, reaching for me again. This time, I let him pull me into his arms, too tired to resist. "I love you more than anything, Sylvia. You're my mate, my Luna, my everything. I'm sorry I've made you doubt that."
Chapter 0003
Sylviaâs POV
"Just a bit further," Raven's warm hand pressed against my lower back, guiding me through the pack's shopping district.
After yesterday's confrontation in my office, this sudden tenderness felt like a peace offering. "I want to show you something special."
My wolf, still weak from whatever was affecting her, nonetheless purred at his touch. Despite everything - the photo, the injuries, the constant presence of Astrid - my traitorous heart still skipped when he looked at me like this, like I was his whole world.
"Another apology gift?" I tried to keep my tone light, though the bandage on my forehead from yesterday's incident still stung.
His fingers tightened slightly on my waist. "Not an apology. A reminder." He stopped in front of David's Jewelry, the pack's finest artisan shop. "A reminder of who we are together."
The bell chimed softly as we entered. David, an elderly wolf with clever hands and kind eyes, looked up from his workbench. "Alpha, Luna! I have it ready."
"Have what ready?" I turned to Raven, but he just smiled mysteriously.
"Show us your finest pieces, David," Raven commanded, but his voice was warm. "Let my Luna choose what speaks to her heart."
David brought out tray after tray of exquisite jewelry. Diamonds that caught the light like Starfire. Rubies deep as fresh blood.
But it was a delicate silver necklace that caught my eye - moonstones arranged like a cascade of tears, or perhaps stars falling through a night sky.
"This is beautiful." I couldnât help reaching for it.
"Ah." David smiled. "A unique piece. I crafted it using moonstone from the sacred caves. There will never be another quite like it."
Raven lifted the necklace gently. "Perfect for my Luna. Turn around, love."
I swept my hair aside, shivering as his fingers brushed my neck. The metal felt cool against my skin, but Raven's breath was warm as he fastened the clasp.
"Beautiful," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder.
The bell chimed again.
"Oh!" A familiar voice broke our moment. "What a gorgeous necklace."
My muscles tensed as Astrid glided into the shop, one hand resting on her slightly swollen belly.
After yesterday's confrontation and injury, I was in no mood for another of her performances.
"Astrid." Raven straightened, but his hand stayed on my shoulder. "Shopping for the baby ceremony?"
My grip tightened on the necklace. "Baby ceremony?"
"Didn't Raven tell you?" Astrid's eyes widened with fake innocence. "He's helping me plan James's baby's naming ceremony. It's tradition for the Alpha to stand in when... when the father is gone."
Something cold settled in my chest. "Is it?"
"Sylvia," Raven stepped forward, his expression pleading. "As Alpha, it's my responsibility to look after James's family."
"And as Luna, it's mine to organize pack ceremonies," I countered. "Yet this is the first I'm hearing of it."
Astrid sniffled delicately. "The necklace just reminded me so much of the ones James used to give me... and with the ceremony coming up..."
David cleared his throat. "As I mentioned, it's a unique piece. But I have other lovely-"
"Please," Astrid's eyes filled with tears. "Seeing it... it's like a sign from James. Like he's telling me he's watching over his child."
I felt Raven's fingers tighten on my shoulder. Felt the shift in his energy.
I saw the moment Raven's resolve cracked. "Sylvia, love... maybe you could pick another necklace for your birthday? This one would mean so much to Astrid..."
The shop went very quiet.
"What?" My voice came out barely a whisper.
"You have so many beautiful pieces," he continued, not meeting my eyes. "And Astrid has lost so much..."
"Are you serious?" I looked between them - my mate of five years and the widow who'd slowly been taking my place. "This necklace was meant for your Luna, your mate, and you want to give it to another woman?"
"Don't be selfish," Raven's voice hardened. "I've bought you countless jewels. One necklace won't hurt."
"Selfish?" The word hit like a physical blow. "I've watched you slowly pull away from me. I've endured the pack's whispers about my weakening wolf. I stayed silent when you missed our anniversary for her. And I'm selfish?"
"Please don't fight," Astrid whimpered. "I never meant... I just miss James so much..." Tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Stop it!" I snapped. "Stop using James's memory to manipulate everyone! If you need help with the baby, we can hire a nanny. The pack has resources-"
"No." Raven's voice cracked like thunder. "James end life saving my life. I owe him everything. I will personally ensure his child and mate are cared for."
"What about my father?" The words escaped before I could stop them, years of buried pain erupting. "He end life defending this pack too. He end life in a war your father started, Raven. Where was this devotion then?"
The room temperature seemed to drop. Raven's face went white, then dark with rage.
"That's enough!" Raven's eyes flashed Alpha red. He stepped back, jaw clenched. "You've gone too far."
"Have I?" My fingers found the necklace clasp. "Or have you just never gone far enough for me?"
Astrid's tears had mysteriously dried. She stepped closer to Raven, placing a hand on his arm. "Perhaps I should go..."
"No." Raven wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We'll go. You don't need this stress in your condition."
I watched, numb, as my mate led another woman toward the door. Just before they left, Astrid turned back. Her eyes met mine over Raven's protective arm, and the mask slippedâjust for a moment, but it was enough.
That smile. That calculated, victorious smile.
My heart stopped as years of "coincidences" suddenly realigned in my mind.
Every time she'd swooned during pack meetings, it had been when I was speaking. Every stomach pain had struck just as Raven and I were having a moment. Every "emergency" had interrupted our private time.
All those times I'd defended her to others: "She's grieving," I'd said.
But now, watching her triumphant smirk, I saw the truth.
The door closed behind them with devastating finality.
I walked out of the shop, the bell's cheerful chime a mockery of the moment we'd shared minutes ago.
Through the window, I saw Raven helping Astrid try on my necklace and saw her lean into him with practiced vulnerability.
My fingers found my phone, scrolling to Elena, my best friend since childhood.
The only one who knew everything - about my father, about how I'd fallen for Raven despite our families' history, about how I'd given up my birthright to be his Luna.
The phone rang twice before she answered.
"Elena?" My voice cracked. "Can I come over?"
"Always, love. What's wrong?"
"Everything," I whispered, watching through the window as my mate adjusted the necklace on another woman's throat.
Chapter 0004
Sylviaâs POV
Dawn light crept through Elena's guest room window, painting shadows on unfamiliar walls. I hadn't slept, the events from the jewelry store playing on an endless loop in my mind. The necklace. Astrid's tears. Raven's betrayal.
A soft knock echoed through the house.
"Sylvia?" Elena's voice carried from downstairs. "Raven's here. He's... he's been sitting at the door all night."
My wolf stirred weakly, responding to our mate's proximity despite everything. I moved to the window, and my breath caught.
There he was - the powerful Alpha of the Silver Moon pack, sitting on Elena's doorstep like a penitent wolf.
His usually immaculate clothes were wrinkled, and dark circles under his eyes matched mine. A bouquet of moon flowers - my favorites, so rare they only bloom at midnight - trembled slightly in his hands.
"Go away, Raven," I called down, hating how my voice shook.
He looked up, those dark eyes that had once held my whole world were now filled with desperation. "Please, little wolf. Just five minutes."
"You gave up your right to call me that when you gave my necklace to another woman."
"I was wrong." His voice cracked. "I was so wrong. Please, just let me explain."
Elena appeared at my side. "Want me to chase him off? I may not be an Alpha, but I can still bite."
I almost smiled. "No. I need to face this."
The walk downstairs felt endless. Each step was a battle between my heart, which still ached for him, and my pride, which screamed to remember his betrayals.
I opened the door.
Raven immediately dropped to his knees, the mighty Alpha kneeling before me. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, my love."
"Sorry for what?" My voice came out bitter. "For missing our anniversary? For abandoning me while I was bleeding? For giving my necklace to Astrid?"
"All of it. Everything." He reached for my hand. I let him take it, watching as he pressed his forehead to my knuckles - a wolf's deepest gesture of submission. "I've been a fool. I let my guilt over James cloud my judgment. But I promise you, I've fixed it."
"Fixed what?"
He looked up, hope flickering in his eyes. "Everything. I've arranged for Astrid to move to one of the pack's remote properties. I've hired the nanny you suggested. I've deleted her number and removed her from pack meetings. She'll be cared for, but she won't come between us again."
My heart stuttered. "You... you did?"
"I should have done it months ago." He pulled something from his jacket - a velvet box. "And this... I spent all night searching every jewelry store in three territories."
Inside lay a necklace almost identical to the one from yesterday. Almost, but not quite.
"I don't want a copy," I said, even as tears threatened. "I don't want another woman's leftovers."
"You're right. You deserve better." He set the box aside, still on his knees. "You've always deserved better. Do you remember when we first met? Not as adults, but as pups?"
The memory rose unbidden. Me at six years old, lost in the forbidden woods between territories. Him at eight, found me crying under a silver moon.
"You gave me your jacket," I whispered. "Led me home even though our packs were at war."
"I knew even then." His thumb traced circles on my palm. "Knew you were meant to be mine. Through all the fighting, all the politics, all the tragedy - you were my constant star."
"Until I wasn't." I pulled my hand away. "Until Astrid needed you more."
"No," he caught my fingers again. "I lost my way, but you've always been my true north. Please, little wolf. Let me make this right. Let me prove myself again."
"How?"
"I'll do anything." He pressed something else into my palm - his phone. "Look. I've already deleted her contact. Check my messages and my calls. I'm an open book to you."
I scrolled through, seeing he was telling the truth.
"The baby ceremony..." I began.
"Marcus will handle all preparations for the baby blessing ceremony," he said, hope blooming in his eyes. "I won't even attend. My place is with my Luna, celebrating our anniversary properly this time."
He reached for my hand again. "Just us, little wolf. No interruptions, no pack business, no... distractions. I swear on the moon herself."
My wolf whined softly, wanting to believe.
Memories flooded back - countless moments of joy and love before Astrid entered our lives. The way he'd held me through my father's death. The way he'd defied his own pack to mate with me.
"I need time," I said finally.
"Take all you need." He stood slowly, relief evident in every line of his body. "I'll wait forever if I have to."
I looked at the necklace again. It was beautiful, but... "I think I'll get you something too. Show you I'm willing to try."
His smile - that rare, real smile that crinkled his eyes - made my heart ache. "I love you, little wolf. Never doubt that."
I watched him leave, hope warring with caution in my chest.
After he disappeared from view, I picked up the discarded necklace box, running my fingers over the velvet.
The jewelry inside sparkled, catching the morning lightâbeautiful, but not quite the same as the original piece.
"Maybe I'm being too harsh," I whispered, my wolf stirring with longing. The sight of our proud Alpha on his knees, the desperation in his eyes, the way he'd spent all night searching for a replacement necklace...
"Hey." Elena squeezed my shoulder. "I know that look. You're already forgiving him, aren't you?"
"Not forgiving exactly," I said slowly, closing the box. "But maybe... maybe willing to try? "
I set the necklace box down carefully. "I think... I think I want to meet him halfway. Show him I'm willing to try too."
Elena's eyes lit up. "Shopping trip? I know just the places for Alpha-worthy gifts."
The mall was quieter than usual this early. Elena and I wandered, looking for something worthy of an Alpha, of the mate who'd just humbled himself to win me back.
A familiar voice drifted from the luxury boutique ahead.
"Oh yes, my husband is so generous."
I froze. Astrid.
"These are gorgeous pieces, madam," the saleswoman gushed. "Your husband has excellent taste."
"He does spoil me." Astrid's laugh tinkled like snek. "Especially now, with the baby."
I edged closer, staying out of sight.
"Another piece for your collection?" The saleswoman was wrapping something in silk.
"He insists. Says nothing's too good for his..." Astrid's voice dropped sweetly, "family."
My eyes fixed on the credit card in her hand as she paid. Black metal with a familiar silver moon insignia - Raven's secondary pack card.
Three months ago, he'd casually mentioned needing it back, something about pack accounting and consolidating expenses.
"Have you seen my black pack card?" he'd asked then, barely looking up from his papers. "The backup one?"
"It's in my wallet," I'd replied, already reaching for it. "Though I've barely used it."
"Good. The council wants all secondary cards recalled. Something about tighter financial controls."
I'd handed it over without a second thought. My mate is always so responsible with pack finances. Always so concerned about proper protocols.
Now I watched that same cardâthe one that was supposedly canceled for pack securityâglinting in Astrid's manicured hands. The card he'd taken from me, his Luna, only to give to her.
All those pretty words this morning about ending their connection, about putting our marriage first... while she still had access to pack funds, to his accounts, to his trust.
"Your husband must really love you," the saleswoman smiled.
"Oh yes." Astrid caught my eye in the mirror, her smile turning razor-sharp. "He does."
The world tilted sideways. All his pretty words, his promises, his show of deleting her contact - worthless.
He didn't need her number when he was still funding her shopping sprees, still letting her call him husband.
My wolf, weak as she was, howled in agony.
I stumbled back, memories taking on new, horrific meanings:
"I've arranged for her to move..." - To a luxury property?
"I've hired a nanny..." - While giving her his credit card?
"She won't come between us..." - Because he'd hidden their connection better?
My phone buzzed - Raven, sending a photo of dinner preparations for our makeup celebration.
Another text arrived immediately after a receipt from the boutique, forwarded from his bank alert. Astrid's purchase was made seconds ago with his card.
Chapter 0005
Sylviaâs POV
"You manipulative fool!" Elena's voice cut through the pristine shopping atmosphere.
Several customers turned to stare as she planted herself in front of Astrid. "Calling yourself his wife while wearing the jewelry you stole from his actual mate?"
Astrid's practiced mask of innocence slipped into place as she pressed a protective hand to her belly. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just shopping with the allowance my... husband has given me."
"Allowance?" Elena spat the word. "You mean the credit card you're flashing around? The one that belongs to my best friend's mate?"
"Oh." Astrid's eyes flickered to me, still standing in the doorway. Her lips curved into a poisonous smile.
"You're making such a fuss over nothing. No wonder Raven prefers my company. At least I don't suffocate him with jealousy and send my friends to fight my battles."
The saleswoman shifted uncomfortably. "Perhaps we should-"
"No." I found my voice, at last, stepping forward. "Let's have this out right here. Every penny you've spent is our pack's common property - my mate's money. You need to pay it back."
Astrid laughed, the sound like breaking glass.
"Pay it back? With what money? My mate end life protecting your precious Alpha. The least you can do is let him take care of his friend's widow."
She gestured at her shopping bags. "Besides, Raven gives it freely. Unlike you, I don't have to beg for his attention."
"Using James's memory again?" Elena's eyes flashed gold. "Is that your only trick?"
"At least I gave James pups before he end life." Astrid's voice dripped honey-coated venom. "Poor, barren Luna. Can't even give Raven one child. No wonder he-"
The crack of my palm against her cheek echoed through the cafe.
Silence fell.
"How dare you?" I whispered, trembling with rage. "You use James's memory, manipulate everyone's guilt, play the grieving widow while spending pack money on luxury goods-"
Astridâs wolf exploded out of her, fangs snapping at my throat. I barely managed to dodge, my weakened wolf struggling to respond. Elena shifted instantly, putting herself between us.
Astrid's claws caught my thigh before Elena could block her, tearing through flesh and muscle. The pain was shockingâI'd forgotten how vulnerable I'd become. Blood soaked through my dress where her claws had shredded both fabric and skin.
But instead of pressing her advantage, Astrid shifted back to human form, one hand protectively curved over her belly. Her eyes glittered with malicious triumph.
"How dare you attack me?" she gasped, loud enough for the gathering crowd to hear.
"I'm carrying a noble warrior's child! James's baby!" Her voice turned venomous as she lowered it for my ears alone.
"If anything happens to this child because of your jealous attack, imagine how Raven will feel. Losing his best friend's baby because his mate couldn't control herself?"
Elena snarled, still in wolf form, but we both knew we were trapped. Any move against Astrid now would make me look like the aggressorâthe Luna attacking a expecting a baby widow.
"You manipulativeâ" Elena started to lunge forward, but I grabbed her with my good arm.
"Don't," I whispered. "It's what she wants."
The world spun slightly as blood continued to soak my dress. The mall's pristine floor now bore crimson droplets.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to watching Astrid's smug smile as she wielded her expecting a baby like a weapon, knowing I couldn't fight back without looking like a monster.
"Luna!" Sarah, our pack healer, pushed through the gathering crowd. Her eyes widened at the sight of my injury. "You're not healingâyou need treatment immediately."
The world tilted dangerously as she examined the wound. "You need to come to the clinic immediately. You're not healing properly."
Elena supported me as we hurried to Sarah's clinic, leaving behind the chaos of scattered shopping bags and shocked onlookers. Each step sent fresh pain through my thigh, a constant reminder of how vulnerable I'd become.
"I don't understand," I whispered as Sarah cleaned the wounds. "I used to be one of the strongest wolves in the pack. Now I can barely shift."
Sarah's hands stilled. Something flickered across her face. "Actually... I have your latest test results. The ones about your wolf's weakness and the... the fertility issues."
My heart stopped.
"And?" Elena gripped my good hand.
Sarah's smile was radiant. "It's not permanent! Your wolf isn't naturally weak, Luna. And you're not barren. With proper treatment, you could be back to full strength within months."
The words hit like a physical blow. All this time... all these years of thinking I was broken...
"I can..." My voice cracked. "I can have pups?"
"There's no reason you couldn't, once your wolf regains her strength. You and Alpha Raven could start your family within the year."
Joy bubbled up through the pain, so intense it brought tears to my eyes. A family. The dream I'd thought forever out of reach. The one thing I'd wanted more than anything.
"All those years," I whispered, remembering every disappointment, every pitying look, every whispered comment about the Luna who couldn't give the Alpha heirs. "I thought there was something wrong with me."
Despite the pain in my thigh, despite the morning's confrontation, hope bloomed in my chest. Raven had sworn to make things right between us. With my condition treatable, with the possibility of pups in our future...
"I have to tell him," I breathed, sliding off the examination table. "Elena, I have to"
"Go." She hugged me carefully. "But be careful. "
I barely felt my injuries as I rushed home, my heart lighter than it had been in months. A future stretched before me - one with strong pups playing in our yard, my wolf running freely under the moon, my mate's proud smile as our family grew...
But...
The sight of luggage in our driveway stopped me cold.
Expensive suitcases. Designer bags. A small mountain of possessions was carried into my home by pack servants.
"Ah, Sylvia." Raven appeared in the doorway, his expression grave. "We need to talk."
"What's going on?" But I knew. Deep in my soul, I knew.
"I heard about the fight." His voice held disappointment. Like I was a misbehaving pup. "Attacking a expecting a baby she-wolf? Causing her such stress in her condition?"
"She attacked me! Her wolves-"
"After you slapped her." He ran a hand through his hair.
"Look, given the situation, Astrid doesn't feel safe in the remote property. She doesn't trust the nanny, not after this. She needs to be somewhere I can personally ensure her safety."
"So you're moving her into our home?" The words tasted like ashes.
"Just until she calms down. Until she feels secure again." He wouldn't meet my eyes. "It's the only way to protect James's child."
The test results burned in my pocket. The hope of our own family turned to dust.
"I'm your mate," I whispered. "Your Luna."
"And she's carrying my best friend's baby." Finally, he looked at me. "A friend who end life for me. Please, Sylvia. Just until the baby comes."
ohhh, her smile.
All this time, I'd been playing a game I didn't even know the rules to. Every move I made pushed Raven further into her web. Every reaction gave her more power.
And now she was moving into my home.
My territory.
My life.
The joy of the test results crumbled to nothing as I watched another woman claim my space, my mate, my future.
I felt like a fool.
Chapter 0006
Sylviaâs POV
"You can't just bring her into our home without even discussing it with me," I said, my voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
We stood in our bedroom, where hours ago I'd been celebrating the possibility of having pups, of fixing our marriage. Now those dreams felt like ashes in my mouth.
"What would you have me do, Sylvia?" Raven ran a hand through his dark hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "You attacked a expecting a baby she-wolf."
"I slapped her," I cut in. "After she flaunted your credit card after she called herself your wife after she mocked our inability to have pups. One slap, Raven. And in return..."
I yanked up my skirt, revealing the angry red gashes that scored my thigh. The wounds still hadn't healedâa testament to my wolf's weakened state. "Look at what your precious widow did to me, Raven. Look!"
His eyes widened as he took in the wounds. For the first time since this mess began, I saw genuine shock cross his face. "She did this to you?" His fingers reached out but stopped short of touching the wounds.
"Oh, Raven!"
Astrid's voice cracked perfectly on his name as she appeared in our doorway. Her timing, as always, was impeccable.
Tears sparkled in her wide eyes, one hand pressed to her belly while the other braced against the doorframe. The very picture of a distressed expecting a baby woman.
"I was so scared," she whispered, those tears now sliding down her cheeks. "When she slapped me... all I could think about was the baby. James's baby." Her voice broke on his name. "I just... I reacted. My wolf... she only wanted to protect our pup."
I watched my mate's face, seeing the conflict war across his features. The wounds on my leg spoke of violence, but Astrid's tears spoke of vulnerability.
My strong, decisive Alphaâthe man who could command hundreds of wolves with a single wordâstood frozen between his mate and his supposed responsibility.
The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken accusations. Through our weakened bond, I felt his turmoil, his desire to protect both women before him.
"Astrid," he said finally, his voice carrying that Alpha authority I used to love. "Regardless of provocation, you attacked my mate. The Luna of this pack. That cannot happen."
Hope flared in my chest, bright and painful. Finally, he was seeing through her actâ
"You're right!" Astrid's knees buckled as she sank to the floor, one hand still protectively curved over her belly.
The movement was graceful despite her apparent distress. Everything about her was always so perfectly choreographed.
"You're absolutely right, Alpha. Luna." She turned those tear-filled eyes to me.
"I was wrong. So wrong. I should never have let my fear control me. Without James, I just feel so... so vulnerable. Every threat seems so much bigger."
My wolf wanted to snarl, to expose her manipulation. But I'd played this game before.
Every time I reacted to her provocations, I looked like the aggressor. Every time I called out her manipulation, I seemed paranoid.
"Get up," I said coldly, watching her performance with new eyes. "Save your tears for someone who hasn't seen both your faces. The sweet, helpless widow you play for Raven, and the smirking manipulator who sent me that photo on our anniversary night."
"Sylvia!" Raven's reproachful tone made my wolf whimper. "She's apologizing. She's carrying James's pupâ"
"James's pup," I laughed, the sound harsh even to my own ears. "How convenient. The perfect shield, isn't it? Every time you want something, every time you overstep, you just need to mention James or pat your belly, and everyone falls in line."
"Please," Astrid whispered, her voice small. "I know I've made mistakes, but I'm tryingâ"
"Trying to take my place?" I stepped toward her, noting how she shrank back even as her eyes glittered with challenge. "Trying to move into my home? Trying to steal my mate?"
"Enough!" Raven's Alpha voice resonated through the room. "Both of you need to calm down."
I turned to him, really looked at him. My mate. My Alpha. The man I'd loved since we were pups ourselves. Five years of marriage, of building a life together, and he still couldn't see what was right in front of him.
"No," I said quietly. "No more calming down. No more understanding. No more compromises." I met his eyes steadily. "One of us needs to leave this house, Raven. Your mate, or your... whatever she is to you. Choose."
Astrid's soft sobs provided the perfect backdrop to our drama. Everything about her was perfectâher timing, her tears, her helpless widow act. And I was done competing with it.
Raven straightened, his Alpha authority filling the room. "Astrid, please wait downstairs. I need to speak with my mate alone."
She hesitated, her hand still pressed to her belly, but even she couldn't disobey a direct Alpha command. As she left, her scentâjasmine and honeyâlingered unpleasantly in our bedroom.
I turned back to my closet, yanking clothes from hangers. "There's nothing to discuss. You've made your choice clear."
"Stop." His hands caught mine from behind, stilling my frantic movements.
His chest pressed against my back, his scentâpine needles and winter frostâsurrounding me, making my wolf stir with longing despite everything. "Just... stop, little wolf."
"Don't call me that," I whispered, but didn't pull away. His warmth was achingly familiar, reminding me of countless intimate moments we'd shared in this room.
"Let me at least tend to your wounds," he murmured, his breath warm against my neck.
I hesitated...
He guided me to sit on our bed, the same bed where just this morning I'd dreamed of having his pups.
He knelt before me, gently examining the gashes on my thigh. Through our weakened bond, I felt his genuine distress at seeing me injured.
"These should have healed by now," he said softly, reaching for the medicinal salve.
His fingers were gentle as they spread the cooling substance over my wounds. "Your wolf's healing..."
"Has been weak for months," I finished. "But you've been too busy with Astrid to notice."
His hands stilled on my leg. Then they moved higher, past the wounds to uninjured skin. The mate bond hummed between us as his touch became less clinical, more intimate.
"I've noticed everything about you," he murmured, his eyes darkening as they met mine.
"Your scent changing. Your wolf's quietness. The way you pull away from me."
His hands slid higher, making me gasp. "I've just been too much of a fool to do anything about it."
"Raven..." I meant it as a warning, but it came out as a plea.
His lips found mine, tasting of regret and desire. Each kiss felt like an apology, each touch a promise. The mate bond sparked between us, stronger than it had been in months, carrying echoes of his guilt, his love, his need.
I should have stopped him. Should have maintained my anger, and my resolve. But five years of love don't end life easily, even when poisoned by betrayal. And right now, with his scent surrounding me, his hands erasing every memory of pain, I needed this connection.
Chapter 0007
Sylviaâs POV
The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery glow through the bedroom window. His tall frame casts a shadow over me.
My breath catches in my throat as he reaches out, his fingers brushing my cheek. The touch was electric, sending shivers down my spine. We hadn't been this close in months.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice low.
"I'm truly sorry, little wolf, forgive me." His apology was filled with regret and longing.
I want to forgive him and let go of the sadness and anger that has consumed me for so long.
But part of me is scared, scared that if I allow myself to feel again, it will only lead to more pain.
"Don't, Raven," I said, pushing his hand away, but not firmly. "We both need time to calm down. "But Raven didn't care. He continued to kiss me "I don't want to calm down," he murmured, his breath rolling over my skin. "I want you, little wolf. Right now. "
The intensity in his voice turned me and my wolf on, and my wolf let out a sound of pleasure in my head.
I closed my eyes, enjoying the feel of his lips on mine, soft and insistent. It had been a long time since we had kissed like this, and a long time since I had felt the heat of his desire.
He licked over the spot I'd marked and growled, his eyes were all over me now, "Baby, spread your legs." His voice got hotter, "Please baby, let me in."
My body trembled with anticipation as I obeyed, opening up for him. Raven's hands were gentle but firm as he guided himself to fill me completely. The sensation was overwhelming, the mixture of pleasure and pain bringing tears to my eyes.
"Look at me," he said with emotion in his voice. "Don't hide from me."
I meet his gaze, my vision blurred by tears. He kisses my face, kisses away my tears, and begins to move inside me. I can feel the wolf inside him, its primal instincts driving him forward, demanding fulfillment.
"That's it," Raven growled, his haunch shaking harder. "I love you, little wolf, believe me."
For a moment, everything felt perfectâlike we'd finally found our way back to each other. The mate bond hummed between us, stronger than it had been in months, carrying echoes of his desire, his guilt, his need for forgiveness.
Afterward, we lay tangled in the sheets, our scents mingled in the air. His hand traced lazy patterns on my skin as my wolf purred contentedly within me.
Our knots of tension and mistrust had loosened, if not completely untied. I was in the crook of his arm, drifting off to sleep.
But in the middle of the night, I woke to cold sheets beside me. Raven's warmth was gone, his scent fading. My weakened wolf stirred uneasily, the mate bond pulling me toward... Astrid's room.
No. Not tonight. Not after we'd just...
But my feet carried me forward anyway, drawn by an instinct I couldn't ignore. The hallway seemed endless as I approached her room, my heart pounding with each step.
Through the doorway, I saw themâmy husband, who had been making love to me just hours ago, now holding Astrid in his arms as she cried.
I pressed against the wall beside the door, my wolf straining to hear their words.
"It's not fair," Astrid sobbed, her face pressed against his chest. "None of this is fair." "I know." Raven's voice was so gentle, so intimate. It made my stomach turn.
"We had something real," she whispered. "Before the moon goddess interfered, before her destiny tore us apart..."
My heart stopped. What?
"Astrid..." Raven's voice held such history, such pain. "We can't change the past."
"Can't we?" Her fingers clutched his shirtâthe same shirt I'd helped him remove hours ago. "Tell me you don't think about it. About us. About what we had before she came along."
The silence that followed was deafening. Raven's hesitation spoke volumes.
"My marriage to Sylvia..." he finally said, his words careful, measured. "It's not reluctant. I do care for her."
Care. Not love. Never love.
"But it's not the same," Astrid pressed. "What we had was real. The moon goddess might have chosen her for you, but your heart chose me first."
My legs trembled as memories realigned in my mind. Every time he'd pulled away. Every time he'd chosen Astrid over me. Every time he'd made me feel like I was asking for too much by wanting my mate's full attention.
"The child..." Astrid's voice dropped to a whisper, her hand moving to her belly. "Sometimes I wonder..."
Raven cut her off quickly. "Don't. That path only leads to pain."
I listened as Astrid continued, her voice breaking with practiced perfection as she detailed her struggles, her loneliness, and her fear. Each word was carefully chosen to twist the knife of guilt deeper into Raven's heart.
My wolf whimpered within me, but for once, it wasn't from weakness. It was from heartbreak.
All this time, I'd thought Astrid was trying to steal my mate. But she'd had him first. She'd loved him first. And some part of him had never stopped loving her.
The Moon Goddess herself broke them up, forcing him to accept me as his mate. I was the Moon Goddess's choice, but not his heart's, and our union was never complete.
I struggled with my emotions, torn between rage and devastation. Part of me sympathized with Astridâlosing the man she loved to another woman must have been painful.
But then I remembered her calculated manipulations, her triumphant smirks, her deliberate interference in my marriage. My sympathy withered.
"I know I should let you go," Astrid was saying, her voice thick with tears. "But seeing you with her... knowing what we once had..."
Raven's silence was another knife in my heart. He should be denying this. Should be pushing her away. Should be honoring our mate bond, especially after the intimacy we'd just shared. Instead, he held her closer, offering comfort that wasn't his to give.
The wolf inside meâmy proud, fierce wolf that had been growing mysteriously weakerâfinally stirred with purpose. She wanted to burst in there, to confront them both, to demand answers about all the lies and I needed to think. Needed to plan.
This wasn't just about a widow seeking comfort anymore. This was about a woman who'd lost her lover to a mate bond, who'd married his best friend instead, and who was now using that friend's death and her expecting a baby to reclaim what she'd lost.
And my mate... My Raven... he was letting her.
I pushed away from the wall, my feet silent on the carpeted floor as I retreated. Their voices followed meâAstrid's perfectly timed sobs, Raven's gentle comforting words. Words that should have been mine. Comfort that belonged to his mate, not his former lover.
In our bedroomâthe same room where he'd touched me so tenderly just hours agoâI sank onto the bed. His scent still clung to the sheets, but now it felt tainted. Every kiss, every touch, every whispered promise... had he been thinking of her? Wishing I was her?
Chapter 0008
Sylvia's POV
Morning light filtered through the windows as I stood outside Astrid's room, my resolve hardened by last night's revelations. No more games. No more manipulation. This had to end.
I knocked sharply. "It's me, Sylvia. Astrid. We need to talk."
She opened the door with that perfectly practiced innocent expression. "Oh, Luna! What a surprise..."
"Save it." I pushed past her into the room, then stopped cold. I was surprised to see on her dresser sat my mother's silver urnâthe one thing I had left of her, the most precious possession in my entire home.
"Oh, that?" Astrid smiled sweetly. "Such a lovely piece. Raven told me all about your mother... how she end life protecting your father, who then end life protecting his pack. So tragic."
My wolf bristled at her casual handling of my family's pain. "This ends now, Astrid. I heard you last night. I know everythingâabout your relationship with Raven, about how the moon goddess separated you."
"Finally figured it out, did you?" Her mask slipped, revealing the snake beneath. "Took you long enough. Five years of marriage, and you never wondered why he runs to me every chance he gets?"
"You need to leave," I said firmly. "Find another pack, another life. Stop poisoning my marriage."
She laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Your marriage? Do you mean the one forced on him by the moon goddess? The one that stole him from me?"
"He's my mateâ"
"He's my love!" She snatched up my mother's urn. "I had him first. We chose each other. You? You're just some cosmic joke forced on him by fate."
"Put that down." My voice shook with barely contained rage.
"Or what?" Her fingers loosened on the urn. "You'll attack a expecting a baby woman? Prove to everyone what a monster you really are?"
"Astridâ" "
"You know what's funny?" She started pacing, still holding my mother's ashes. "How easy it was to make him doubt you. A few tears here, a swoon there... He's so desperate to atone for his father's sins against your family that he never questions my motives."
"This isn't about Raven anymore," I growled. "This is about you using my dead friend's child as a weapon. James deserved better than that."
Her eyes flashed. "Don't you dare speak his name! James was a fool who end life for his precious Alpha, leaving me to play grieving widow. But it worked out perfectly, didn't it? Now I have the perfect excuse to stay close to Raven."
"You're insane." I stepped toward her. "Give me my mother's urn."
"Your mother?" She sneered. "Another weak wolf who end life for nothing. Like father, like daughterâalways playing the noble sacrifice. It's pathetic."
Something snapped inside me. "Give. Me. The. Urn."
"Come get it." And then, with a smile that showed her true nature, she let it slip from her fingers.
Time slowed. I lunged forward, but my weakened wolf wasn't fast enough. The silver urn shattered on the hardwood floor, my mother's ashes scattering like gray snow.
"Oops." Astrid's voice dripped false concern. "How clumsy of me."
A sound escaped meâpart wolf, part human, pure anguish. My mother's ashes... all I had left of her...
"What's wrong, Luna?" Astrid taunted. "Upset about a little spilled dust? Like mother, like daughterâboth of you just dirt on the ground."
I moved without thinking, grief and rage propelling me forward. Astrid backpedaled toward the balcony doors, her hand on her stomach, her eyes gleaming with triumph.
"Stay back!" she cried, a voice suddenly loud enough to carry. "Please! Think of the baby!"
"You did this on purpose," I snarled. "Everythingâthe urn, backing toward the balconyâit's all another manipulation!"
She smirked. "Yes, but no one will believe you, Luna. Poor Luna."
Then, with the grace of a dancer, she let herself fall backward through the open doors. A normal wolf would have easily caught themselvesâthe drop was nothing to our kind. But Astrid didn't even try. She just fell, her scream piercing the morning air.
"I promise I'll never go near Raven again!" she wailed as she fell. "Please don't hurt my baby!"
"Sylvia!" Raven's roar came from below. Of course, he was there. Of course, she'd timed this perfectly.
I rushed to the balcony, looking down to see Astrid sprawled dramatically on the ground, Raven already at her side. Pack members gathered, drawn by her scream.
"What happened?" Raven demanded, though his eyes said he'd already decided.
"Sheâshe attacked me," Astrid sobbed. "Said she was tired of me being around. When I told her I'd leave, she said it was too late. That she'd make sure there was nothing left to keep you tied to me..."
"That's not true!" I called down. "She broke my mother's urnâ"
"You want to know what she said, Raven?" Astrid's voice carried clearly. "She said her father was the true Alpha of the Cold Moon tribe. That you only have your position because of her family's sacrifice. She said she's always looked down on you, that she only tolerates you because of the mate bond."
Raven's face darkened with each word. "Sylvia. Get down here."
I descended the stairs, my legs shaking with fury. "She's lying. She deliberately broke my mother's urn to provoke meâ"
"A high fall like that wouldn't hurt a wolf," I argued. "She didn't even try to land properly!"
"I was scared!" Astrid wailed. "When she came at me, all I could think about was protecting the baby. I... I just panicked." She leaned into my husband's arms and gave me a provocative look.
She thought I would come forward again in anger, she thought I would, but I didn't. I suddenly felt confused, their faces were in front of me, but so unreal.
"Enough!" Raven's Alpha voice rang out. His eyes, when they met mine, were cold with fury. "I've seen enough. Heard enough."
"Raven, pleaseâ"
"You attacked expecting a baby woman. Used your father's name to undermine my authority. Threatened an innocent child." Each accusation felt like a physical blow. "I've been patient. Been understanding. But this? This is unforgivable."
My wolf cowered at his tone, but I forced myself to stand tall. "If you'd just listenâ"
"No more listening." His voice dropped to something terrible and final. "You want to act like a traitor? Fine. I'll treat you like one. Perhaps the Blood Moon pack needs a new slave. They know how to handle rebellious wolves."
The world stopped.
The Blood Moon pack. Known for their cruelty. For breaking wolves into mindless servants. My mateâthe man I'd loved since childhoodâwas threatening to send me there.
He was going to hurt me, and in the crook of his arm, he was guarding another woman in a protective position.
Something deep inside me shattered. Not just my heart, but every dream, every hope, and every bit of love I'd ever felt for him.
"A slave?" My voice came out strange and cold. "That's what I am to you now? Not your mate? Not your Luna? Just a disobedient wolf to be sold off?"
He faltered slightly at my tone. "Sylviaâ"
"No." Power rose in meânot my weakened wolf, but something older. Something primal.
I stood straight as I stared into his eyes, fearless. "I, Sylvia, the Luna of Cold Moon pack, now break the mate bond with you, Raven, the Alpha of... "
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