With an apologetic tone, Cassian reached out through our mind link. "Selene, it's difficult for Sienna to raise a child on her own. She doesn’t know anyone else here—she only has me."

His words hit me like a slap. It was as if he had forgotten that I, too, only had him. But of course, that never mattered to him.

"I already understand, okay? She must have been through a lot," I replied, forcing myself to sound calm.

However, the sarcasm in my voice didn’t go unnoticed. Cassian's reaction was immediate and defensive. "Selene, what’s that supposed to mean? What’s with your attitude?"

"I said I understand," I repeated, now with an unmistakable edge in my tone. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Do you have to talk to me like that?" he snapped, frustration creeping into his voice.

I let out a tired sigh. "What do you want me to say?" I countered, feeling my patience wear thin.

A heavy silence settled between us. After a moment, Cassian muttered a curt, "Fine! Do as you wish," before abruptly severing the mind link.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. If I questioned his visits to Sienna, I was the annoying one. If I asked when he planned to return, I was still the problem. Now, even trying to be understanding is met with irritation.

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to push away the frustration. There were far more important things to focus on—like rediscovering my own path, even if it meant losing the version of myself I once knew. Could I do that, now that I had sacrificed my wolf?

The night stretched on as I lingered in the inn, drowning in regrets and unanswered questions. The thought of returning to the pack house was unbearable, yet when I finally did, Cassian was already gone. I took a shower, hoping to wash away the exhaustion, and crawled into bed, seeking refuge in sleep.

Just as I began to drift off, Cassian’s urgent mind link jolted me awake.

"Selene… my stomach… it hurts."

I mumbled a barely coherent response, too exhausted to care. In my sleep, I vaguely registered him calling my name again, but it felt distant, unimportant.

Sometime later, the sound of the door opening startled me awake. Cassian stood by the bed, his face twisted in pain.

"Selene, why don’t you care anymore? You used to worry when I was sick!"

His words stirred up memories I had tried to bury. Once, when he had a stomachache, I had rushed to his office with medicine despite the pouring rain. I arrived drenched, disheveled—a sight that drew laughter from his wolf subordinates. Cassian did nothing to stop them. He simply told me not to show up at his office again because, in his words, I was an embarrassment.

If it hadn’t been for Beta Adrian and his quiet kindness—handing me my favorite chocolate tea to warm me up—I might have shivered all the way back to the pack house. Adrian had always been my silent protector. Every time Cassian belittled me or treated me like a servant, Adrian was there, offering a small act of comfort.

I suddenly realized that Adrian had transferred to the Celestial Night Pack around the same time I did. We had known each other since childhood, growing up in the same town. We spent countless hours playing together, running through the woods like normal children. We had even attended the exclusive school for wolves together. That was where I had first seen Alpha Cassian—and foolishly, I had fallen for him long before discovering he was my mate.

Lost in these thoughts, I was pulled back to the present by Cassian’s expectant gaze.

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. "We might be out of medicine. Maybe you can get some yourself."

Cassian stared at me, his frustration evident. Without warning, he grabbed my arm, his grip tight. "Selene, how long are you going to keep fighting with me about Sienna? I’ve told you, there’s nothing between us!"

His words hung in the air, but I met them with a calmness that surprised even me. "Oh, okay," I said evenly, my lack of emotion standing in stark contrast to his anger.

His frustration boiled over, and he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The silence that followed was liberating.

And as I sat there in the quiet, my thoughts drifted back to Adrian—the only person who had ever truly been there for me.

The days blended into a dull, unchanging cycle. After Cassian stormed out, he stayed away for several days, and I made no effort to ask where he had gone. On the third day, he finally reached out through our mind link.

"I'm heading to another pack for a meeting," he informed me.

"Okay, stay safe," I responded, a dry chuckle escaping my lips as the link faded.

Absentmindedly, I opened my social media. A post from Sienna on Twitter immediately caught my attention:

[First holiday in what seems like forever. I never thought I'd miss the sand on my feet! Someone insisted on bringing me to the beach!]

The attached photo showed my mate’s hand, his mateship ring still on his finger. The location tagged in her tweet was the same place Cassian had just mentioned.

Suddenly, the ring on my own finger felt unbearably heavy, as if it burned against my skin. Without hesitation, I yanked it off and tossed it into a drawer. From that moment on, I threw myself into my duties as Luna, using an endless list of tasks to drown out the turmoil inside me. I no longer cared when—or if—Cassian would return. I simply worked and worked until exhaustion claimed me, leaving no room for anything else.

One day, Cassian unexpectedly arrived at the pack house to pick me up. I was caught off guard by the sight of his familiar car parked outside. Fatigue from the day’s work clung to me as I approached him.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly.

"Did you forget today is our mateship anniversary?" he replied, opening the car door for me.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Sorry. I’ve been really busy, and it slipped my mind."

"You used to care about this the most. How could you forget?" Cassian’s voice held both disbelief and disappointment.

In the past, I had never missed a single occasion—our mateship anniversary, his birthday, any milestone. I used to plan elaborate dinners, carefully choosing every detail, all to make him feel cherished. But what once brought him joy eventually became an inconvenience.

I vividly remembered the time I threw him a surprise party at a restaurant. Instead of being touched, Cassian had pulled me aside, his expression one of embarrassment. "Selene, you’re making such a big deal out of this. Everyone’s looking at us. It’s very uncomfortable, you know?" he had said, dragging me away in front of the pack warriors and his Beta.

Now, standing before him, I realized there was nothing left to celebrate. The love and devotion that once defined our bond had faded into nothingness.

"Come on, let’s go have dinner and celebrate," he urged, gesturing toward the car.

As he drove, silence settled between us like an unspoken barrier. He kept glancing at me, searching my face for any flicker of the enthusiasm I once had.

"What’s wrong? Are you upset?" he finally asked, breaking the tension.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

"No?" he echoed, frustration creeping into his voice. "Then what’s with the attitude? Here I am, making an effort, picking you up for dinner. Can’t you at least pretend to appreciate it?"

His words hung between us, but I found myself unable to respond. The Cassian who had once meant everything to me now felt like a stranger, and I couldn't force myself to care. His so-called "effort" felt hollow, meaningless. The bond that had once tethered us together had unraveled, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

"I'm not angry, Alpha."

"Fine!" he huffed. Then, as if throwing me a lifeline, he added, "I promise—no more contact with Sienna, okay?"

I stared at him, my emotions tangled. Did he truly believe that a simple promise could erase months of lies and betrayal?

"Are you happy now?" he pressed, his gaze locked onto mine, searching for a reaction.

I said nothing.

The rest of the drive was steeped in silence. At the restaurant, Cassian had gone all out—our table was adorned with flowers, and beside my plate sat a wrapped gift. It was a picture-perfect setting, designed to mimic romance. Around us, other diners cast admiring glances, but I felt nothing, as if I were watching someone else’s life unfold before me.

Before I could even open my gift, Cassian’s phone rang. I watched as his expression darkened with concern.

"Fever? Do you have any medicine? I can’t take you to the pack’s infirmary today, I have something to do. What? That high? Okay, wait for me. I'll be right over."

As he hung up, he turned to me, his face taut with awkwardness. "Selene, it's Sienna. Her child has a fever. I need to—"

A lump formed in my throat, but I forced it down. "It's fine," I said, my voice eerily monotone. "You should go. The child's more important."

He hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching mine for some hint of resistance.

"Wait for me to come back and pick you up. I'll be back soon," he promised before grabbing his coat and rushing out.

I sat there alone, staring at the half-eaten cake in front of me. Outside, rain drummed against the window, mirroring the storm within me. But I refused to cry. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to finish the cake, savoring its sweetness despite the bitterness curling in my heart. Then, without a second glance at the abandoned gift, I stood up and left the restaurant.

As I stepped into the drizzle, a car passed by and came to a stop. The window rolled down, revealing Beta Adrian. Without a word, he stepped out and opened the door for me.

I slid inside, grateful for his presence. The ride back to the pack house was quiet, but it was a peaceful silence—so unlike the suffocating void that existed between Cassian and me.

When we arrived, I realized I had no umbrella. The rain continued to fall, icy droplets stinging my skin. Bracing myself for the dash to the entrance, I moved to step out.

"Wait, Luna."

Adrian’s voice cut through the rain. I turned to see him holding out an umbrella.

"Use this," he said, his voice deep and steady.

"Thank you," I murmured, taking it from him.

Once inside, I took a long, hot shower, hoping to wash away the lingering chill. Wrapped in a towel, I sat on the edge of my bed and mindlessly scrolled through social media.

Then, Sienna’s latest tweet appeared on my feed.

The image attached to her post showed Cassian sitting beside her and her child, the warm glow of their room casting them in a perfect light. A stark contrast to the cold rain outside. A painful reminder of the life he had chosen—one that didn’t include me.

The next morning dragged on as I waited for my mate to return home. When he finally did, he immediately launched into an explanation, his voice heavy with exhaustion and concern.

"Tricia had a high fever all night. It wouldn’t go down."

"Is she okay now?" I asked, making an effort to sound interested. The name 'Tricia' felt foreign and unwelcome on my tongue. Yet, I knew she was Sienna’s daughter.

Funny how my mate showed more care for another woman’s child than for his own mate.

He paused mid-motion, irritation flashing briefly across his face. "Are you being sarcastic again?" His sigh was long and weary—whether genuine or just for show, I couldn't tell. "Look, I didn’t sleep all night. I'm exhausted."

"Then you should rest. I have duties to attend to," I said, reaching for my bag. The responsibilities of a Luna awaited me.

"Selene..." He reached out, his grip gentle yet hesitant. "What is it?"

"We'll make up for the mateship anniversary celebration next time, okay?" His attempt at reconciliation was met with a faint, empty smile from me.

"I’m not mad," I murmured.

He pulled me into a hug, but the embrace felt hollow, his promises even more so. "There’s a Wolf gathering this weekend," he said, his voice quiet against my hair. "Many packs will attend. Let’s go together."

The Celestial Night Pack held a prestigious position, not just in Moonvale Town but in the surrounding territories as well. Gatherings like these were prime opportunities for Alphas to network, all vying for Cassian’s favor. Once, being mated to him had felt like a blessing, but as his Luna, I felt nothing but numbness. Despite my efforts, the pack’s elders and warriors still looked at me with disdain, treating me as though I were nothing more than a glorified servant.

In the past, I would bring Cassian meals or medicine, even in inconvenient situations, like his office. Yet, in front of others—especially the elders or the Omegas—he never acknowledged my presence with respect.

Reality snapped back into focus as Cassian clenched his jaw, frustration evident. "Well, suit yourself," he muttered.

I didn't attend the gathering. But what I hadn’t expected was that he would take Sienna instead.

As I worked in the office, Luna responsibilities keeping me occupied, my phone buzzed incessantly. Annoyed, I checked social media, only to be bombarded with pictures from the gathering. Sienna was in nearly every photo, effortlessly mingling with Cassian and the other Alphas, as if she had always belonged there.

Oddly enough, Beta Adrian was nowhere to be seen in any of the images. Perhaps he had refused to assist the Alpha this time. I often found myself scolding him for his apparent indifference toward serving Cassian, yet that very stubbornness never failed to impress me.

As I stared at the tweets, a bitter thought crossed my mind: Why didn’t you just become his Luna instead of me, Sienna?

One image stood out—Alpha Cassian carrying Sienna like a princess across the lawn, her cheek resting against his chest. The onlookers cheered and showered them with compliments, calling them the perfect match.

Unable to ignore what I had just witnessed, I joined the chorus of voices, leaving a single comment on one of the photos:

"Perfect match."

A lone clapping emoji punctuated my indifferent acknowledgment.

Then, without another thought, I closed the app, silenced my phone, and shut off my mindlink. I just wanted peace.

Night had already fallen by the time I finished my tasks. When I finally checked my phone again, I found dozens of missed calls and messages from Cassian.