Mason’s shove caught me off guard, and I stumbled backward, barely catching my balance. He didn’t even glance back at me as he strode away, his steps hurried and indifferent. I braced myself for the fall, but a pair of strong, steady hands suddenly gripped my waist, pulling me upright.

I turned, my breath hitching as I met the gaze of the man who had caught me. It was Ambrose, the Gamma warrior Mason had left behind. His eyes were calm, yet intense, and for a moment, I felt a strange warmth flicker in my chest.

“Luna,” he said, his voice low but firm, “you needn’t be so formal with me.”

I stepped back quickly, my heart racing as I stammered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

He chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. “Luna, if you ever need anything, you can always come to me.”

His words were spoken so close to my ear that I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I turned away abruptly, retreating to my room and pressing a hand to my chest, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

When I opened the door again, he was gone, and an inexplicable sense of loss settled over me.

Not long after, Mason’s Beta, Demetrius, approached me. “Luna, the Alpha has requested your presence in the pack hall for dinner.”

My heart leaped with a fragile hope. Maybe, after everything, Mason still cared. Maybe the mate bond we once shared hadn’t completely faded.

But that hope shattered the moment I stepped into the pack hall and saw Emelia seated beside Mason, her arm looped through his. She was dressed in a striking red gown, the fabric shimmering under the moonlight streaming through the windows. My stomach twisted as I recognized it—the same fabric I’d seen in Mason’s study months ago, the sketches he’d been working on. I’d thought it was a gift for me, something special for our marking ceremony. But that day had come and gone, and I’d received nothing but silence and a cold, empty den.

Now, seeing it on Emelia, I felt a bitter lump rise in my throat. It was never meant for me.

Emelia stood, her smile sweet but laced with venom. “Luna, I’ve heard you’re still upset about the pup. I’m so sorry for my part in it.”

She picked up a glass of wine and offered it to me. “Please, let this be my apology.”

I stared at the glass, then at the gown she wore, my vision blurring with unshed tears. I shook my head, unable to speak.

Her smile faltered, and tears welled in her eyes. “Luna, you must still be angry with me. Alpha, it’s all my fault.”

Mason’s expression softened as he reached out to wipe her tears, but when he turned to me, his eyes were cold and impatient. “Valery, stop being difficult. It’s just a glass of wine. You’re not some delicate flower.”

His words cut deep, reopening wounds I thought had scabbed over. I clenched my fists, my voice trembling as I said, “Mason, I’m still recovering. I can’t drink.”

He hesitated, but Emelia’s soft sob broke the silence. “Luna, it’s just a small glass. You must hate me.”

His patience snapped. “Valery, drink it. Now.”

I stared at him, my heart breaking all over again. Without another word, I took the glass and drained it in one go, the bitter taste of the wine mingling with the salt of my tears. “Happy now?” I whispered, my voice cracking.

For a moment, Mason’s expression flickered with something—regret, maybe. But before he could speak, Emelia leaned into him, her fingers brushing his lips as she offered him a sip from her own glass. His attention shifted to her, and I turned away, my shoulders slumped as I walked out, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me like a leaden shroud.

When I returned to the courtyard, clutching my aching stomach, I immediately noticed the still-warm herbal tonic and a bowl of soup on the table. My eyes blurred with unshed tears, and as I wiped them away, I caught sight of a figure leaning against the tree in the shadows.

Perhaps it was the pain in my heart, or perhaps it was the comfort of these small gestures, but I found myself softening toward him, no longer as distant as before.

With tears still glistening in my eyes, I asked, “What’s your name? Why are you so kind to me?”

His voice was low, rough with emotion. “My name is Oakley Freeman. As for why I’m good to you…” He stepped out of the shadows, his gaze meeting mine, and smiled. “Because I like you.”

For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. The only sounds were the rustle of the wind through my hair and the pounding of my heart in my chest. Before I could respond, a commotion outside the courtyard pulled me back to reality. When I turned to look, Oakley was gone.

I opened the door to find a group of pack members hanging bright red decorations. Confused, I asked, “What’s going on?”

The lead worker gave me a disdainful look before answering. “Luna, surely you’ve heard? Alpha Mason is taking Emelia Rodriguez as his chosen mate this Thursday. It’s already the first of the month, and we’re behind schedule. Please step aside and don’t get in our way.”

I stood there, stunned, unable to process what I’d just heard. Mason was going to take Emelia as his mate? But he’d promised me—sworn to me—that I would be his only mate. How absurd that I was the only one who took that vow seriously.

When I returned to the courtyard, I found several pack members uprooting the oak trees I loved so much. I rushed forward to stop them, but the lead worker merely glanced at me and shoved me aside.

“Luna, we’re just following orders. Alpha Mason said Emelia doesn’t like oak trees, so he wants them all removed. Don’t make this harder for us.”

I fell to the ground, my eyes wide, my lips trembling. I loved oak trees, especially when they stood tall and strong. These trees had been planted by Mason himself, a gift to me. It was under these very trees that he’d made his promise to me—a promise of forever, of loyalty, of love. But now, it seemed he’d forgotten not only his vow but the trees themselves.

The man who’d once been my mate was now a stranger, and the world I’d known was crumbling around me.