The first light of dawn painted the kitchen in soft hues as I carefully sliced the venison into perfect cubes. My fingers worked with practiced precision, the knife gliding through the meat as I hummed a quiet tune. James loved my deer stew—it was the dish I'd made when we first became mates seven years ago, and the memory of his smile that night still warmed my heart.

I rubbed herbs between my palms, releasing their fragrance into the air. Rosemary, thyme, and a touch of juniper—James's favorites. The pack house kitchen was empty this early, giving me the solitude I needed to prepare this surprise. My hand instinctively moved to my slightly rounded belly, a smile spreading across my face.

"Little Moon will love this recipe too, someday," I whispered, using the nickname James had given our unborn pup during one of our rare quiet moments together. After years of heartbreak and multiple miscarriages, this pregnancy felt like the Moon Goddess had finally answered my prayers.

I added the vegetables and broth, adjusting the heat to let the stew simmer slowly. The rich aroma filled the kitchen, making my mouth water. James had been working so hard lately, barely coming home as he prepared for his potential promotion to Beta under the Lycan King. I understood his ambition—I always had—but I missed him. Today, I would bring a piece of home to him.

Three hours later, I carefully packed the still-warm stew into containers, tucking fresh bread alongside it. My heart fluttered with anticipation as I made my way through the pack house toward James's private office. Several pack members nodded respectfully as I passed, murmuring "Luna" with deference that still made me blush even after all these years.

"He'll be so pleased," I told myself, smoothing down my dress with my free hand. "A perfect lunch for my perfect mate."

As I approached his office door, I heard low voices inside. James often held meetings at this hour, so I slowed my steps, not wanting to interrupt something important. The door was slightly ajar, and I moved to knock when something made me freeze.

A woman's laugh—intimate, sultry, and unmistakably familiar.

My breath caught in my throat as I peered through the crack in the door. James stood with his back against his desk, his powerful frame relaxed in a way I hadn't seen in months. And there, pressed against him with her hands on his chest, was Vanessa Pierce, his Beta-ranked assistant.

Their heads were bent close together, her copper hair falling forward as she tilted her face up to his. His hand rested on her waist, fingers splayed possessively across the small of her back in a gesture that was achingly familiar to me.

"We should be more careful," she was saying, her voice a purr. "Your Luna might suspect something."

James chuckled, the sound cutting through me like a blade of ice. "Ellie? She's too busy with her pregnancy books and nursery plans to notice anything."

The container slipped from my suddenly numb fingers, hitting the floor with a crash that seemed to echo through the hallway. Stew splattered across the polished wood, the rich brown liquid seeping outward like blood.

The door swung open fully, and there stood James, his expression shifting from irritation to shock as he registered my presence. Behind him, Vanessa's eyes widened, though I caught the flicker of something else there—satisfaction, perhaps?

"Ellie," James said, his voice instantly hardening into the Alpha tone he'd never used with me before. "What are you doing here?"

I stared at the man I'd loved for seven years, the father of the pup growing inside me, and felt something crack within my chest. Pack members had begun to gather, drawn by the commotion, their curious eyes darting between us.

"I made your favorite stew," I whispered, my voice trembling as I gestured to the mess at our feet.

"This is inappropriate timing," James said coldly, his gaze flicking to the onlookers. "We're in the middle of important pack business."

"Pack business?" The words escaped me before I could stop them, my voice rising. "Is that what you call having your hands all over her?"

A collective gasp rippled through the gathered wolves. James's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with anger—not guilt, not remorse, but anger at being challenged.

"You don't understand the pressures I'm under," he snapped, stepping into the hallway and lowering his voice. "This promotion could change everything for us, and your pregnancy is becoming... an inconvenience to my advancement."

The word hung in the air between us. Inconvenience. Our pup—our miracle after years of heartbreak—was an inconvenience.

"Leave," he ordered, the full weight of his Alpha command pressing down on me. "We'll discuss this at home."

I stood frozen, staring into the cold eyes of a stranger wearing my mate's face, as something inside me began to calculate a revenge so complete it would destroy the very foundation of our bond.

I collapsed onto the cold marble floor of our quarters, my knees giving way as the door slammed shut behind me. The weight of James's betrayal crushed my chest, making each breath a struggle. My wolf, Aria, howled in agony within me, the sound echoing through my mind with such force I feared I might shatter.

"How could he?" I whispered, wrapping my arms protectively around my slightly rounded belly. "How could he call you an inconvenience?"

Tears streamed down my face, soaking into the ceremonial robes I'd worn for the pack council meeting earlier. The fabric—once a symbol of my pride as Luna—now felt like a mockery. Seven years of devotion, of supporting his every ambition, of enduring the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages... all dismissed with a single cold word.

Aria's rage surged through me, hot and primal. *Destroy him*, she snarled, her presence more forceful than I'd ever felt before. *He betrayed us. Betrayed our pup.*

"Yes," I whispered, my fingers digging into the plush carpet as a cold clarity washed over me. "He will pay."

I rose shakily to my feet, wiping away tears that no longer served me. James Quinn had taken everything from me—my dignity, my trust, my love. But he would not take my strength. Not anymore.

---

The Moon Archives were silent at this late hour, dust motes dancing in the pale moonlight that filtered through high windows. Ancient texts lined shelves that reached toward the vaulted ceiling, each containing centuries of pack knowledge and ritual.

I moved with purpose through the stacks, my fingers trailing along leather-bound spines until I found what I sought—the section on mate bonds. My heart pounded as I pulled a heavy tome from the shelf, its pages yellowed with age.

"There must be a way," I murmured, carefully turning fragile pages.

Hours passed as I searched, my determination growing with each ritual I dismissed. Then, my breath caught as my eyes landed on a passage nearly hidden in the corner of a page:

*The Severance of Souls: A sacred ritual to unbind what the Moon Goddess has joined. To be performed only in cases of gravest necessity, requiring the willing participation of both mates or the officiating of the Alpha and the consent of the Luna.*

My hands trembled as I read further. The ritual required precise timing, specific herbs, and most importantly—it had to be performed by an Alpha. A cold smile curved my lips as a plan began to form in my mind.

James wouldn't just lose me. He would be the instrument of his own destruction.

---

The night air carried the scent of wildflowers as I made my way through the secluded grove behind the pack's healing quarters. Moonlight dappled the forest floor, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance with each step I took.

Healer Maeve was already waiting, her silver-streaked hair gleaming in the darkness. Her eyes—sharp and knowing—took in my appearance with a single glance.

"Luna Ellie," she said, her voice low. "You requested a private meeting?"

I stepped closer, my heart racing. "I need your help, Maeve. And I'm prepared to pay whatever price you name."

Maeve's expression remained neutral, though I caught a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "What service could you possibly need that requires such secrecy?"

I took a deep breath and withdrew a small pouch from my pocket. The gold coins inside clinked softly as I placed it in her palm.

"I want to schedule a mate bond severing ritual," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "Under a false name. And I need to ensure that James—that Alpha James—performs it himself."

Maeve's eyes widened, then narrowed as understanding dawned. "You know about him and Vanessa."

It wasn't a question.

"You knew?" I asked, a fresh wave of betrayal washing over me.

"Many of us suspected," she admitted, her voice tinged with disgust. "The Alpha's hypocrisy is... difficult to ignore."

She studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "I'll help you. Not for your gold, but because no Luna deserves such dishonor."

As we stood beneath the watching moon, finalizing the details of my revenge, I felt Aria stir within me—no longer howling in pain, but growling with anticipation.

James Quinn had no idea what was coming.

Three days had passed since I discovered James's betrayal, and each moment felt like walking through a fog of pain. Yet beneath that fog, something cold and calculating had taken root. My trembling hands now moved with purpose as I entered the healer's cottage at the edge of pack territory.

Healer Maeve was waiting, her silver-streaked hair pulled back in a severe bun. "Are you certain about this, Luna?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm not Luna here," I reminded her, pulling the hood of my cloak lower. "Today, I am Selene Nightshade."

Maeve nodded grimly and handed me a small pouch of herbs. "Crush these between your palms and rub them on your pulse points. It will mask your scent."

The herbs were bitter and pungent as I crushed them, their oils staining my fingers green. I dabbed them at my wrists, behind my ears, and at the hollow of my throat, feeling the magic take hold as my natural scent—the one James would recognize instantly—began to fade.

"The ritual is scheduled for the full moon, three nights from now," Maeve said, recording the false name in the ancient ledger. "I've ensured Alpha James will officiate personally."

"And he suspects nothing?"

"Nothing," she confirmed. "He believes it's a routine severing for a visiting she-wolf from the northern territories."

I placed my hand protectively over my belly, feeling Little Moon's presence. My revenge would be complete before James even realized what he had lost.

---

The afternoon sun beat down on the training grounds as pack members gathered for the monthly training run. I stood at the edge of the crowd, my presence barely acknowledged. Since the incident at James's office, I had become a ghost in my own pack—pitied by some, ignored by most.

James stood at the center of the field, his powerful frame commanding attention as he issued orders to the warriors. Beside him, Vanessa moved with the easy confidence of someone who knew her position was secure. The sight of them together made Aria snarl within me.

I circled the perimeter, keeping my distance but close enough to observe. As the main group began their run, James and Vanessa lingered behind, their heads bent close in conversation. I slipped behind a storage shed, my enhanced hearing picking up their words clearly.

"The nursery budget was approved yesterday," James was saying, his voice casual. "Twenty thousand for renovations."

Vanessa laughed, the sound grating against my nerves. "Perfect. We can use half of that for our Moonveil run. No one will notice if we cut corners on the nursery."

"Some barren she-wolf complained to the council again about her mate spending too much time away," James said, his tone mocking. "As if she understands what it takes to lead a pack."

My blood ran cold. They were talking about me—about us. The nursery they were planning to strip bare was meant for our pup. Little Moon's sanctuary.

"Poor thing," Vanessa purred, not sounding sympathetic at all. "Maybe if she could satisfy her mate properly, he wouldn't need to look elsewhere."

Their laughter mingled as they moved away, leaving me frozen in place, my nails digging crescents into my palms. Aria howled in rage, the sound echoing through my mind with such force that I doubled over.

*Kill them both*, she demanded, her fury a tangible force within me.

"No," I whispered, straightening slowly. "Death is too quick. Too merciful."

---

By the following morning, my body had begun to betray me. The stress of carrying both a pup and the weight of betrayal had taken its toll. I woke to sharp pains shooting through my abdomen, my skin clammy with sweat.

"Luna Ellie!" My attendant gasped when she found me curled on the bathroom floor. "I'll fetch Alpha James immediately."

"No!" I grabbed her wrist, my grip desperate. "Get Healer Maeve. Only her."

Within the hour, I was in the healing quarters, Maeve's cool hands pressing gently against my belly as she murmured ancient words of healing.

"Your wolf is in distress," she said grimly. "The bond between you is straining under your emotional turmoil. This is dangerous for both you and the pup."

"James?" I asked weakly.

Maeve's expression hardened. "I sent word to the Alpha. He's... unavailable. Meeting with delegates from the Lycan King's court."

Of course. His precious promotion. Even now, with his mate and pup in danger, James's ambition came first.

"Rest," Maeve instructed, pressing a cup of bitter tea into my hands. "The ritual is in two days. You need your strength."

As I drifted into an herb-induced sleep, Aria's presence curled protectively around Little Moon within me. James had made his choice. Soon, I would make mine.

And he would never see it coming.