Jesse and I came together purely out of affection. We were trainees in the Moonstone Pack, learning the ways of our kind under the watchful eyes of our mentors. I first met him during a pack run, his towering frame and commanding presence impossible to ignore. Despite being the future Alpha, he was kind and humble, a rarity among those of his rank. We quickly became friends, sharing laughs and secrets during training. Over time, our bond deepened, and we became inseparable.

My family was of lower rank, while Jesse came from one of the most powerful Alpha lineages in the region. Determined to prove myself worthy of him, I worked tirelessly to rise through the pack ranks. Every time I returned late from patrols or training, he would show such concern. He used to say, “Vera, I promise I will always take care of you.” And he truly kept that promise—escorting me back to my quarters and taking me on moonlit runs during our breaks. We became the envy of the pack.

Three years later, Jesse pleaded with his family to let us mate. But Naomi, his mother and the Luna of the Silverclaw Pack, didn’t think I was suitable. She believed I lacked the right lineage and was nothing more than a distraction. Jesse knelt outside the pack hall for three days and nights, enduring the pouring rain until he collapsed from exhaustion and illness. He nearly died in the pack infirmary, leaving him with lasting health issues. Only then did Naomi relent, and we finally completed the mate bond, though she refused to allow a marking ceremony. It didn’t matter to me; being with him was enough.

As we stood before the pack elders to formalize our bond, Jesse’s eyes filled with tears. He spoke the sacred vow, his voice steady but laced with emotion: “I, Jesse Silverclaw, future Alpha of the Silverclaw Pack, accept you, Vera Moonstone, as my mate, bound by the Moon Goddess’s will.” Tears streamed down my face as I responded in kind, my heart swelling with love. *Forever.* Yet a decade has passed since then. The Jesse who swore eternal love for me now lies to protect another she-wolf.

Brought back to the present, I realized Jesse was staring intently at me. His left cheek bore a large, angry red mark from the slap I had just given him. At that moment, his phone buzzed, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught the flashing caller ID. In an instant, I knew it was Elodie. Jesse hadn’t replied to her message yet.

Jesse answered the call, his voice instantly softening. “Okay, wait for me at home; I’ll be right there.”

“Alpha,” her voice trembled through the speaker, “it’s thundering outside. I’m scared. Please be careful.”

He acted as if I were invisible, soothing her while pulling on his jacket, preparing to leave. I said coldly, “Alpha, if you walk out that door, don’t ever come back.”

“Elodie, is Vera there? Then don’t come. Stay with her; she is mature and steady, unlike me. I’m scared of thunder, boohoo...” Her charming, tearful voice echoed through the phone. Jesse’s heart ached for her. He turned to glare at me fiercely, his alpha aura pressing down on me like a weight. “Stop this madness. I’ll be back soon.”

Before I could respond, he slammed the door and left.

We weren’t arguing about Elodie Bishop for the first time.

Elodie was the new Beta in the Moonstone Pack, appointed by Alpha Jesse himself. She came from a low-ranking pack, and the first time I saw her, her demeanor was timid, her posture submissive, as if she were trying to shrink into the background. Back then, Jesse was the kind of Alpha who respected boundaries. He wouldn’t engage with other females, aside from his mate—me. He preferred male Betas, finding them generally more reliable.

Elodie was late on her first day at the packhouse. She received a stern reprimand, and Jesse demanded to know why. Through tears, she explained that she had to take care of her ailing grandmother in their territory. Jesse was aware of her situation and didn’t press further. But when he returned to our den that evening, he vented to me, “She thinks the pack is a charity. If she needs to look after someone, she should wake up earlier. We’re giving her a rank, and she’s creating chaos.”

I nuzzled him gently, my wolf seeking comfort in his scent. “Come on, she’s young and new to this. Cut her some slack.”

“Honestly, she can’t hold a candle to my Luna.”

I didn’t think much of it at the time. But as days went by, Jesse mentioned Elodie more frequently. It wasn’t just the “she’s clumsy” or “she’s naïve,” but it turned into “sometimes her clumsiness is rather endearing.”

I asked outright, “Do you like her too?”

Jesse chuckled and pulled me close, his Alpha aura wrapping around me like a warm blanket. “Of course not. She just reminds me of you. You, from back in the day.”

When we first met, I was shy and insecure, a low-ranking wolf from a small pack. But over the years, I’ve worked hard to prove myself, rising to become the Luna of the Moonstone Pack. I’m no longer the old Vera. Didn’t Jesse fall for the introverted me all those years ago?

Suddenly, panic set in. I realized Elodie might not be as innocent as she seemed.

I spent a whole day tracking down Elodie’s social media account. It was filled to the brim with posts, every single day. Starting from ten years ago, when Jesse and I first became mates, she’d been updating it non-stop. All were about her secret crush on Jesse.

“Today, Alpha Jesse smiled at me. His mate is such a nuisance.”

“I really like him. When will I be by his side?”

“I’m planning to join the Moonstone Pack; soon I’ll run into him!”

That’s when I remembered during our early days, there was often a young wolf who would come to ask Jesse questions about pack hierarchy. It was her!

After reading her posts, I felt nothing but disgust and deep fear. So, when Jesse returned from patrol that evening, I confronted him.

Jesse barely reacted and even criticized me, “That’s her private matter. By doing this, you’re stomping all over her feelings. Vera, when did you become as petty as other Lunas?”

I stared at him in disbelief. How could he scold me while defending Elodie?

“She likes you. Isn’t that something I should confront?”

“That’s her business. Elodie’s been through a lot, sacrificing just to join the Moonstone Pack.”

His eyes even held a hint of sympathy. I was seething with anger. Many wolves work hard to join the Moonstone Pack. She’s just another hopeful among many. As his Luna, how can I tolerate someone with ulterior motives for my mate staying close to him?

I demanded Jesse demote her. To my shock, Jesse turned on me, “Vera, just because you’re Luna now doesn’t mean you can boss people around. Remember? You used to be like that, and you weren’t even as capable as she is!”

That was the cruelest thing he’d ever said to me. My self-respect, my dignity—he crushed them completely, leaving me humiliated. He knew what I had endured during that time. Now Elodie gets his sympathy, while I fought to be where I am today, drowning my sorrows, spending time in the healer’s den, nearly losing my life.

Looking at the man before me, he seemed like a stranger. I should have demanded a rejection. A mate bond where betrayal begins and a third party intrudes will never survive.

But I was pregnant. Carrying his pup.

Only then did Jesse start to back off. He promised to keep his distance from Elodie. She was shifted to a lower-ranking position. But it lasted only a few months. Until today, when this happened.

I checked Elodie’s social media page. 10:40.

“With you around, I feel so at peace.”

I rushed to the bathroom and vomited until I was empty. He hadn’t severed ties with Elodie at all.

It was just one night, yet I managed to quickly regain my composure. I wasted no time in calling someone to change the locks on the door. After that, I gathered my belongings and moved into the hospital.

The healer told me Jax’s condition wasn’t great. There were still remnants of sleeping herbs in his system. This moon cycle, my pup would need to undergo a stomach cleansing. Sleeping herbs... Every wolf knows that consuming too much can lead to severe complications. I couldn’t believe Elodie had dared to harm him like that!

A ten-meter-long tube was inserted into his stomach; Jax squirmed in agony. I covered my mouth, unable to bear the sight. He’s only eighteen moons old. How could he endure such a harsh ordeal? The procedure lasted over ten minutes. When the healer finally brought him out, his little face was flushed purple, looking alarming. I held him close, soothing him until he drifted into a deep sleep.

As I gently stroked his tiny face, memories of the past overwhelmed me. During my pregnancy with Jax, Alpha Jesse treated me incredibly well. He wouldn’t let me work, accompanying me everywhere. He even learned to cook from the pack’s chef. The night I gave birth, I nearly lost my life. When the healing chamber doors swung open, he didn’t even glance at Jax but rushed to my side, his eyes red, gripping my wrist tightly. “You’ve been through so much. What do you want to eat or buy? I’ll get it right now.”

Watching him flustered, those nearby envied me, whispering, “The Luna truly found the perfect mate.” My heart was full of happiness.

When Jax was a year old and crying loudly, Alpha Jesse stayed by the bed late into the night. To let me sleep peacefully, he bought me earplugs and held Jax all night, sleeping on the couch. Time and again, seeing his devoted fatherly demeanor, I would marvel at my good fortune in meeting such a wonderful Alpha.

After Jax turned one, Alpha Jesse assured me, “Feel free to be yourself; I’ve got everything else covered.” It was this reassurance that made it easy to ignore Elodie’s presence when she eventually appeared. I had to admit that with him around, I felt safe. I could fully trust him to support me.

Looking back now, those promises he made in moments of genuine passion were only true in those fleeting moments. Now, they mean nothing. The bond we once shared, the vows we whispered under the Moon Goddess’s gaze, felt like ashes scattered in the wind. And yet, the pain of it still lingered, a constant reminder of what once was—and what could never be again.