Eleanor' POV:

"Madam Luna, Eleanor's here," Rosa called out.

They dragged me down the stairs like I was baggage, not even caring that my leg almost twisted.

I stepped into the living room and saw every single one of Carl's relatives sitting there.

Carl was lounging on the couch chatting with his little brother, Calvin, like nothing was going on. His little sister, Della, was lazily munching on chips next to them.

The cozy family scene just made me look even more pathetic.

"Kneel!" Anna snapped.

"I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I kneel?" I shot her a glare, staring straight at her aging face.

She clearly didn't see that coming. I'd always been the quiet, obedient one-now I was talking back. Her face darkened. "So rude! Rosa, Karen, get her on her knees!"

I heard Karen scoff. Then she slammed her foot into my knee. I gritted my teeth, groaning from the pain, but I still didn't kneel.

Rosa stepped in, clearly losing her patience, and kicked my thigh hard. It burned like hell. I gasped, sweat dripping down my face, my body starting to give way.

They grabbed my arms and forced me down, shoving me to my knees.

I was shaking all over, clenching my teeth as the pain nearly brought tears to my eyes. Still, I forced myself to lift my head, only to catch Carl's emotionless face.

He stared right at me, silent and distant, like he didn't care I was barely breathing from the pain. When our eyes met, all I saw in his cold stare was irritation, zero trace of concern.

I looked away, my heart sinking. There was this dull, suffocating ache sitting right in my chest.

'I can't believe I was still hoping for anything from him,' I laughed bitterly to myself. 'You're such an idiot, Eleanor.'

"Look at what you've done!" Anna snapped. "You got exposed for plagiarism at the Starluxe Competition! Now every clan out there is talking about how our Luna is a fraud!"

"I told you before-if you don't have the skills, just stay put and give Carl a pup already! It's not like we Stormfang can't afford your useless ass. Instead, you went out and made a fool of yourself, and now the whole werewolf community's laughing at us!"

Anna's glare could've burned a hole through me. Her face was flushed with fury, and her voice was like nails on glass. Whatever grace a Luna should have? Yeah, she had none. Honestly, it was almost funny.

So I forced a smile, pushing through the pain, and said with a bite in my voice, "It's not me who's an embarrassment, Ms. Anna. Maybe you should ask your precious grandson, our noble Alpha Carl. Wasn't it all his doing?"

Carl's expression twisted, but I wasn't scared of it anymore. I looked right at him, my tone sharp and cold-mocking, even. For the first time, I really looked down on him. "He threw both me and the entire Stormfang Pack under the bus for Katherine. How noble of him."

"Have you lost your mind?" Carl snapped, glaring. "How dare you-"

"For god's sake," Anna cut him off, her voice rising with fury. "You little brat, you think you can disrespect us and get away with it? Karen, bring me that whip!"

"Grandma?" Carl frowned, trying to calm her down. "You don't have to-"

Anna's face was dark with rage. "You never should've taken her as your mate in the first place. A delta's daughter wasn't good enough for you-and now look what a mess she's made. She needs to be taught a lesson. Don't stand in my way, Carl."

Karen walked over holding a whip-one that had been kept in the pack for years, reserved only for punishing those considered traitors before casting them out. Never in a million years did I think it would end up being used on me.

I clenched my jaw and glared at Anna and Carl, their cold, cruel faces so alike it made my stomach turn.

Karen let out a wicked laugh from behind me. Anna lifted her chin slightly. "Hit her until she admits she was wrong."

"Yes, ma'am," Karen said smugly, clearly enjoying this.

She raised the whip and brought it down hard. The pain ripped through my back like I was being mauled by a wild beast. Tears welled up in my eyes instantly, but I clenched my teeth and refused to make a sound.

I forced myself to sit up straight, glaring at Anna with defiance.

Anna looked pissed. "Keep going. Let's see how long she lasts."

The loud snap of the whip echoed again and again, relentless. I held out as blood started trickling from the wounds. To stay silent, I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood. Eventually, the pain just blurred into numbness.

I was on the verge of shifting-I wanted to fight back so badly, even if it meant dying here. But I held myself back. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of watching me fall apart.

"Luna Eleanor, are you ready to admit what you did wrong?" Karen's voice was cold.

I kept my head down and my mouth shut. There was no way I was giving them that.

"That's enough," Carl said irritably. "Grandma, it's done."

Della let out a giggle. "Carl, once she's dead, you'll be free to shack up with Katherine."

Hearing those words, my legs gave out and I collapsed. Carl suddenly got to his feet. "Eleanor?"

"Wake her up. Keep going," Anna said coldly.

"She could die if this keeps up," Carl murmured.

"Let her! An Alpha like you feeling pity for a worthless wolf like her?" Anna snapped.

"I'll do it!" Della chirped, lifting a container of hot water and dumping it straight on my back. I groaned in agony, trying to get up, while Della laughed like it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.

Their eyes were full of smug satisfaction, like I wasn't even a person-just some trash they needed to get rid of. Not their Luna.

"Eleanor," Carl said evenly. "You should admit you were wrong."

My hands trembled as I stayed quiet for a few seconds. "Fine. I will. But I have one condition."

"What condition?" Carl asked, frowning.

"I want to break the mate bond," I said as I shut my eyes tight, forcing the words out. "Let me go, Carl. I don't want to be your mate anymore. I don't want to love you. Just... let me go."

"Say yes!" Della tugged at Carl's arm excitedly. "Then you can be with Katherine already."

"She's a disgrace to the Stormfang Pack. Letting her be Luna was already more than enough payback for what her grandfather did for us."

"Totally, kick her out already. Nobody wants her here."

"Just end the mate bond, Alpha. We've all got your back."

They were all shouting, like driving me out would somehow cleanse their precious pack. Like I'd tainted their beloved Alpha just by existing.

I stared straight at Carl, not saying a word, just waiting. I couldn't take it anymore. I was done-done with how they treated me, done with him.

Carl stiffened for a second, then let out this bitter laugh. He stepped up to me, grabbed my chin-hard-and leaned in, voice low and cold. "So you actually think you can walk away from me-no matter what it costs?"

His expression dripped with scorn, like the idea was some kind of joke. Like I'd never survive without him. But I didn't flinch. My voice was steady: "Even if I die out there, even if rogues tear me apart... I'd still rather that than stay your mate."

That was the only thing I knew for sure.

Eleanor' POV:

"Say yes already, Carl! Kick her out!" Della shouted, barely containing her excitement. "She's just a delta's daughter. A nobody. I've had enough of her pretending to be Luna. Eleanor is a damn joke."

She was way more eager than me, like she was the one trying to ditch the mate bond.

"That's not happening," Carl said, grabbing my neck, eyes glinting with cruelty. "You think just because you don't love me anymore, you can walk away?

"I'm the alpha of Stormfang. Everything goes my way. If anyone's sending you away, it'll only be because I'm sick of looking at your disgusting face. You hold zero power here. Got it?"

His fingers tightened. I was starting to lose air.

"You're not going anywhere. Katherine said you make a decent little servant, so that's what you'll be-forever stuck here.

"You're going to keep waiting on me and Katherine. If you die, it'll be right here in Stormfang, when I say so."

Carl, like a demon, crushed whatever scraps of hope I had left. He wrecked the image of the man I once thought was perfect.

"Carl," I grabbed his hands hard, fury bubbling up. "You bastard!"

I shoved him back with everything I had, ripping his hand off my throat and yelling at him. But I was no match for him. Carl didn't even need to shift-he just growled and slammed me to the ground like it was nothing.

My head hit the floor hard, blood immediately pouring out. Everyone froze in shock.

Carl looked stunned too-his expression faltered for a split second before he picked me up in a rush and shouted, "Get the healer! Now!"

Della stormed after him, yelling like crazy. "Carl, are you kidding me? She freaking attacked you! You should toss her out and let her rot-whether she lives or dies has nothing to do with us!"

"Back off!" Carl snapped at her, voice sharp as a whip.

"Are you actually losing it?" Della stopped dead. "You can't stand Eleanor-so why the hell are you helping her?"

That was the last thing I heard before everything went black.

When I came to, the healer had already patched me up. Carl was stone-faced as he dragged me back to the pack house and shoved me into a windowless, cramped storage room. Locked the door tight. No way out.

Anna told Rosa to bring me some barely edible food every day, and stationed a few deltas outside to keep me in check.

To stay alive, I had no choice but to deal with the cold meals, the dark, and the silence.

"Luna, time to eat." Rosa kicked the door open and tossed the food onto the floor like she couldn't care less.

It's been a month. I've gotten used to her half-assed attitude by now. I sat quietly against the wall as she threw me a glare and muttered, "Anna said this is your only meal today. Eat it or don't, whatever."

"If you're not gonna eat, why don't you just die already? Would save me the trouble of coming here every damn day. What a drag.

"Seriously, what's the point of a mutt like you even being alive?"

With that, she slammed the door and locked it with a loud click.

I slowly dragged myself toward the bread on the floor and picked one up without a word. Suddenly, the main door burst open with a loud bang. I looked up, confused.

Carl.

He stood there, face dark like a thundercloud. Instinctively, I scooted back.

He strode over, clearly pissed off, and slapped the bread out of my hand. "This is what you've been eating every day?"

Even after a month of not seeing him, the disgust in his eyes hadn't changed one bit. There was nothing left in me but disappointment now, so I said nothing. Not worth it.

Carl glanced at the rock-hard bread scattered on the dirty floor. His jaw tightened. The anger in his eyes only deepened as he stared me down like I'd done something unforgivable. "Is this really your plan? Starving yourself just to get away from me? What, trying to die now?"

I touched my now hollow cheeks and let out a dry laugh. I couldn't even stand up anymore. He damn well knew Anna was behind all this. They all just wanted me dead and out of their way, rotting in this storage room.

"So what?" I shot back. "You ready to cut the mate bond now?"

Carl stayed silent, his hands clenched tight. I could feel the frustration bubbling under his skin, but I kept my voice calm. "If you're not going to do it, fine. I'll just find a worse way to hurt myself. What, would that bother you?"

He took a step back, staring at me like I'd said something insane-visibly shaken.

Lowering my head, I picked up the dusty piece of bread off the floor and forced it into my mouth. It barely tasted like anything, but it quieted the hunger just a little.

"Alpha, you just got back... maybe check on Vivian first?" Rosa rushed in with a panicked face. She shot me a sharp look, like I'd better not open my mouth.

"Get lost!" Carl snapped. He shoved Rosa hard, and she went down with a cry. Rosa looked up at him, stunned and terrified, too scared to move.

Without saying a word, Carl yanked me off the floor. "Come with me."

"Let me go, Carl!" I hissed through my teeth, trying to fight him off, but my body was way too weak. "I..."

The weight of his Alpha aura crushed down on me as Carl snapped, "Shut up."

I flinched, my hands clenched tight without thinking, grasping at anything to feel a sliver of safety.

With a sharp exhale, Carl bent down and scooped me up like he had zero patience left. I freaked, shouting, "What are you doing?!"

He didn't bother answering-just turned and walked out of the storage room while I clung weakly to his shirt. After being locked in there for a month, the sunlight outside felt like needles stabbing my eyes. He carried me straight into the main hall of the villa.

"Carl, why are you carrying her? She reeks like a trash bin," Carl's mother Vivian stood up, her voice full of disbelief. "Why bring her out? She chose that storage room. Leave her there for good."

Carl didn't even look at her, just kept walking and brought me into the bathroom. Then, without a word, he dumped me into the bathtub and started yanking at my clothes.

"You can't!" I covered my chest in panic, trying to block his hands.

He didn't stop. His fingers brushed across my skin, and every nerve screamed.

I was shaking, lips trembling, then suddenly-I slapped him with all the strength I had left.

Smack. His face whipped to the side.

And finally, he froze.

Carl's POV:

I seriously didn't expect she'd have the guts to fight back.

Eleanor was panting hard, glaring at me with flushed cheeks standing out against her pale face.

I rubbed the spot where she'd just slapped me, staring at her in disbelief. "You really hit me?"

She froze for a second, then awkwardly dropped her hand and stepped away, her eyes following her own fingers. Suddenly, she let out a cold laugh, and the hatred burning in her gaze could've set me on fire. "So what? Alpha Carl, you can hit me back if you want to."

"You're not exactly some saint who never raises a hand," she said flatly. "You're an Alpha-killing me would probably be easier for you than breathing."

"You-" Her words hit a nerve. My hand shot up on reflex. But when I saw those stubborn amber eyes staring me down, I couldn't do it-I dropped it.

Even though her face looked frail, it couldn't hide the fire in her. I'd never seen her like this before.

We grew up together. Eleanor used to be the kind of girl who always listened, soft-spoken like a whisper, and anytime something upset her, she'd run to me. She never said no to anything I asked.

But now? She talked back. She hit me. And damn, she had a temper on her. It's only been a month. How did Eleanor end up like this?

That thought hit me like a punch to the gut. I stood up abruptly and walked out of the bathroom without another word.

"Eleanor, clean yourself up," I said coldly, not bothering to look back. "I don't want to see you in this filthy state."

Back in the living room, I sat down, my chest tight with a dull ache I couldn't ignore. I didn't get why it bugged me so much. Maybe it was realizing for the first time she wasn't the girl I had in my head all this time.

Vivian's expression darkened the second she saw me reappear. She rushed over, her tone full of irritation. "Don't look at me-Eleanor did this to herself! I tried, but she insisted on eating that expired bread. What could I even do?

"I told Rosa to make her proper meals, but she kept refusing. She's just trying to make you feel guilty."

"That's right, our Luna asked for this," Rosa chimed in carefully from the side. "I think she wants to make you feel bad so you'll go crawling back. Don't fall for it, Alpha-Miss Snow's still waiting for you."

"Shut up," I snapped, glaring at her. My voice rose into a growl. "You're a damn housekeeper. An omega. Your job is to clean, not butt into things that aren't yours to comment on. So go do what you're paid for and stop talking like you matter."

Rosa shrank back, her head lowered, not daring to make a sound.

I dropped onto the couch, eyes fixed on Vivian's furious face. "You hate Eleanor. That's why you let them treat her like that."

My voice was low and tight. "If this kept up, what if she really died? I was gone for just a month-if I came back a few days later, she might've starved to death in that storeroom."

Lately, I'd been completely swamped, juggling everything for the pack. I actually trusted Vivian when she said Eleanor would just take some time to reflect. I didn't think she'd suffer like that.

Vivian fidgeted uneasily, her hands twisting nervously. She frowned. "Yeah, I arranged it. So what? Carl, you've always resented her, haven't you? Now she's agreed not to be your mate anymore-you should be thrilled."

She pointed at me, voice rising. "Just kick her out tomorrow. Tell Eleanor to get out of the Stormfang Pack!"

"...Mom." I paused for a few seconds, then looked at her calmly. "I'm not letting her go."

"What?" Vivian shot to her feet, completely stunned. "Don't tell me... you're actually in love with that damn she-wolf?!"

She started pacing, clearly anxious. "What about Katherine? She's almost back from overseas. I was planning to talk to the Crystal Pack about you two getting together as soon as she returns. Otherwise, why would I be so eager to push Eleanor out?"

"So just because Katherine wants to be my mate, I have to go along with it?" I said coldly. "And just because Eleanor wants to leave me, she thinks she can? No one gets to make that call for me."

"I will end the mate bond with Eleanor, but not right now. And you don't need to interfere anymore.

"One more thing, Mom. I'm moving Eleanor to my other private villa."

Vivian stopped in her tracks and spun around, furious. Her face flushed with anger. "I don't agree to that!"

"Doesn't matter whether you do or not." I got up and headed straight for the kitchen. I gave orders to prepare a decent meal and have it taken to Eleanor.

About an hour later, the servants headed upstairs with trembling hands, carefully carrying the dishes.

Eleanor had freshened up and changed into clean clothes. She sat at the table, spoon in hand, sipping soup with a blank expression. I pushed open the door to find her avoiding eye contact, looking down the whole time.

"Finally decided to clean up," I said, sitting across from her.

Eleanor glanced up at me briefly, then suddenly got up and rushed to the bathroom. I frowned, confused-then heard retching from inside.

That frustration just boiled up inside me. I snapped, "Eleanor, what kind of game are you playing this time?

"What, you saw me walk in and suddenly decided to pretend like this so I'd feel sorry for you?"

She wiped her face with some water after throwing up, then slowly came out and sat down at the table, ignoring the bowl of soup in front of her. Instead, she picked at a fruit salad, eating so slowly it was like time had stopped through the entire meal-still refusing to say a word.

I was getting more and more pissed. I gave a sarcastic laugh. "A month apart and look at you-got yourself some serious attitude now, huh? You seriously gonna sit there and only have a bit of fruit salad?"

Grumbling, I shoved a plate of steak in front of her. Eleanor barely glanced at it before her face twisted with disgust again. She turned away, hand over her mouth, trying to fight off another wave of nausea.

I felt like I'd just been slapped in the face-fury hit me so hard I stood up and slammed the table over, along with every plate and dish on it. "How much longer are you planning to act like this, Eleanor?!"

I honestly thought I'd already bent over backwards for her, but she never appreciated it-always pushing the limits.

She just stared at the mess on the floor, frowning, then dropped her fork like she'd had enough too.

"Come with me!" I snapped, grabbing her thin wrist and yanking her downstairs.

"Let me go!" Eleanor sobbed. "Where are you taking me?!"

I didn't answer. Face like a storm cloud, I just wanted to get this stubborn she-wolf out of there.

"Carl!" Vivian called out, clearly shocked. "Honey, calm down-Eleanor's messing with your head-"

But I'd already shoved Eleanor into the car and pulled away from the villa without a second thought.

She went quiet. Curled up in the seat, she stared blankly out the window, hugging herself like she was trying to disappear. For a moment, it looked like she finally relaxed, or maybe just gave up. Not a single word came out of her mouth after that.

I was still pissed-but suddenly, a thought hit me like a slap.

She threw up earlier... not because of me.

It was the food. She's been starving for so long she couldn't handle anything greasy.

I'd gotten it all wrong. And I was only just now starting to put the pieces together.