RHYNA'S POV

I woke up screaming.

Pain ripped through my chest like claws tearing from the inside. My fingers dug into the sheets as I gasped for air, my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst. The room spun, shadows blurring together as heat rushed through my veins.

"No... no..." I whispered, shaking.

The pain wasn't like a wound or sickness. It was deeper and sharper. As if something inside me was being pulled, stretched, punished.

I pressed my hand over my chest, right where the bond burned. It felt hot.

"Stop," I whispered to no one. "Please... stop."

Slowly, the pain eased, leaving me weak and drenched in sweat. My breaths came in short, broken gasps. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, afraid to move.

This was his doing. It had to be.

Ever since I told Conan I would not be his Luna, things had changed. At first, it was only discomfort, restlessness, headaches, and a strange heaviness in my chest. But now... now it felt like my body was turning against me.

He was punishing me.

The door creaked open, and a young maid stepped in, carrying a tray of food. She froze when she saw me.

"You're awake," she said softly. "I....should I call the healer?"

"I'm fine," I lied quickly, pushing myself up. My hands trembled as I wrapped the blanket tighter around my body. "Just leave the food.".

She hesitated, her eyes filled with concern. "You don't look fine."

"I said leave it," I snapped.

She flinched, then nodded and placed the tray on the table before leaving quietly.

The door shut behind her with a soft click, locking me in once more.

Prisoner.

That's what I wanted, wasn't it?

I stared at the food but had no appetite. My stomach twisted, not with hunger, but with something else something heavy and sharp.

Suddenly, a wave of emotion crashed into me. Anger, which was raw and violent.

My breath hitched as my hands curled into fists. The room felt too small, the air too thick. My heart raced, not with fear, but fury, burning, choking rage that didn't feel like mine.

I staggered to my feet, gripping the wall as another sensation followed.

Exhaustion.

Bone-deep weariness settled over me, dragging my body down like chains. My knees buckled, and I slid to the floor, panting.

"What is happening to me?" I whispered.

Then I suddenly realized, this wasn't my anger nor my exhaustion.

It was his, Conan's.

I pressed my forehead against the cold stone wall, breathing hard. I could feel him, his emotions, his state of mind, like echoes inside my chest.

I hated it, I hated that I was tied to him this way. That even locked away, even refusing him, he could still reach me without touching me at all.

"Get out of my head," I whispered angrily. "You don't own me."

The bond pulsed in response, sharp and painful, as if mocking my words.

Hours passed, maybe more. Time blurred inside these walls. Eventually, soft voices drifted in from the hallway outside my door.

I stiffened.

"He's getting worse," one voice whispered.

"He won't rest," another replied. "The Alpha hasn't slept properly in days."

"Healers say it's the bond."

I held my breath.

"She refuses him," the first voice continued. "Rejecting a fated mate... it's dangerous."

Dangerous?

"It harms both sides," the second healer said quietly. "The Luna suffers, but the Alpha suffers more. His wolf is unstable."

My heart clenched painfully.

"He won't force her," the first voice said. "But this can't go on."

Their footsteps faded, leaving me frozen in place.

I felt sick.

So this wasn't punishment. Conan wasn't hurting me out of anger.

The bond was.

And worse... I was hurting him too.

But I hadn't known the cost.

"I didn't ask for this," I whispered, tears burning my eyes. "I didn't choose you."

And yet... neither had he.

And then with no one to pour out my anger on, I turned to the Moon Goddess. At fate. At a bond that didn't care about choice or fear or war.

How dare fate decide my life for me?

How dare it punish us both for refusing?

I wiped my tears roughly and forced myself to stand. My legs shook, but I stayed upright.

"No," I said aloud, my voice trembling but firm. "I won't break."

CONAN'S POV

Anger burned through my veins as I stepped out of my room.

The door slammed shut behind me, the sound echoing down the stone hallway. My fists clenched at my sides, claws itching to come out. I wanted to hit something. To break something. Anything to quiet the storm raging inside my chest.

I growled under my breath and drove my fist into the wall, the stone cracked.

The pain barely registered.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" I muttered.

Rejecting me. Standing in front of me with fire in her eyes, demanding to be treated like a prisoner instead of my Luna. Like I was nothing. Like the bond meant nothing.

I hadn't asked for this., I hadn't wanted this.

And yet... my chest ached like something vital was being torn apart.

I straightened and forced myself to breathe. Alpha first. Always Alpha.

The pack was already restless. I could feel it the moment I stepped into the main hall. The conversations had died down and all eyes followed me. Whispers spread like smoke.

Something was wrong.

"Alpha," one of the guards said carefully, bowing his head. "The council is requesting a private meeting before you address the people."

Of course they were.

I strode into the inner council chamber, my presence heavy, my wolf close to the surface. The elders sat in a half circle, faces tight with concern, and judgment.

Before I could speak, one of them stood.

Elder Kairon.

He was Old, sharp and dangerous in his own way.

"Our pack is unsettled," he said loudly. "Your strength is being questioned."

A low growl rumbled in my chest.

"Choose your words carefully," I warned.

Kairon didn't back down. "You brought an enemy omega into our lands. You allowed her to refuse you. And since then, your control has weakened."

Murmurs filled the room.

"She should be claimed," Elder Gomer said. "Now. The bond will stabilize you."

"She's a risk," another snapped. "An enemy healer tied to the pack that captured Lady Fairi."

The name hit like a blade.

Fairi.

My jaw tightened.

"And let us not forget," Kairon added coldly, "the rumors."

The room fell silent.

"Speak," I commanded.

"They say Fairi was not just captured," he continued. "They say Rhyna's Alpha has already mated her."

The words rang in my ears.

Mated.

My wolf roared, fury exploding inside me. Chairs scraped back as pressure rolled through the room. Several wolves dropped to one knee instinctively.

I slammed my palm against the stone table.

"Enough."

The room shook.

"If you speak Fairi's name again without proof," I growled, "I will tear your tongue from your mouth."

There was silence.

Kairon swallowed but pressed on. "Then what is your plan, Alpha? Our enemies sense weakness. Your bond is unstable. Your Luna refuses her place. And Fairi, your rightful fiancée, may already be mated to another.

Everything snapped.

What the hell did he know about what rightfully belonged to me?

In a blink, I crossed the room and grabbed Kairon by the throat, lifting him off the ground. Gasps erupted around us.

"I am your Alpha," I said quietly, deadly calm. "I decide what weakens this pack."

I tightened my grip until his feet kicked uselessly.

"And you," I continued, eyes glowing, "do not question my rule."

I threw him across the chamber. He hit the wall hard and collapsed, gasping.

Every wolf dropped to their knees.

"I will not be challenged," I declared." And it will not start today."

My wolf surged forward, dominance flooding the room like a tidal wave. Wolves bowed their heads, some trembling, some struggling to breathe under the pressure.

"Rhyna is under my protection," I said. "Anyone who touches her without my command will die."

No one argued.

I turned and walked out, the doors slamming shut behind me. Only when I was alone did the strength drain from my body.

I staggered into my quarters and leaned against the door, breathing hard. Pain tore through my chest, sharp and relentless.

I gritted my teeth. Her rejection hit me like a wound that wouldn't close. Every time she pushed the bond away, my wolf raged. My control slipped. My body burned.

I pressed my fist over my heart.

"Damn it, Rhyna," I muttered. "You don't understand what you're doing."

Or maybe she did. Maybe she just didn't care.

I laughed bitterly.

An omega. An enemy. And fate had chosen her to break me.

I sank into a chair, exhaustion pulling me down. My thoughts drifted, unwanted, to Fairi, beautiful, lovely Fairi.

Captured and possibly claimed. The idea made my stomach twist.

I had gone to war for her, spilled blood, burned villages; All to get her back.

And now fate mocked me with another bond.

But when I thought of Rhyna, her defiance, her strength, the way she refused to bow, my chest tightened in a way Fairi had never made it tighten.

A sharp pulse of pain ripped through me suddenly, stealing my breath. I doubled over, growling as my claws dug into the arm of the chair.

She was hurting. I could feel it.

Her pain echoed through the bond, raw and sharp. Guilt slammed into me hard.

"You're stubborn," I whispered. "Too stubborn."

But so was I.

I forced myself upright, breathing through the ache. I couldn't show weakness. Not to the pack and definitely not to my enemies.

Yet no matter how much I tried to deny it, the truth was clear.

Rhyna was already affecting my control, my rule, and my heart.

And if this continued... the pack wouldn't be the only thing divided.

I would be too.

RHYNA'S POV

I knew something was wrong the moment I heard shouting outside.

Not the angry kind, but the urgent kind.

Boots pounded against the ground.

Wolves barked orders. Someone groaned in pain, the pain was deep, wet, and broken.

The door to the hall opened, and two Shadowbound warriors dragged a body inside.

My breath caught.

Blood soaked through the man's clothes, dark and heavy. It trailed behind him, staining the floor. His head lolled to the side, his breathing uneven and weak.

Then I saw the markings on his arm.

Moonbeam Claw. My own.

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.

"No," I whispered, already standing. "No... please..."

They dropped him near the fire pit like he was nothing more than a sack of meat. He cried out softly, his body jerking once before going still again.

I rushed forward before anyone could stop me.

"Let me help him," I said quickly, dropping to my knees beside him. My hands hovered over his wounds, already assessing, already planning. "He's mine. He's Moonbeam. I can save him."

One of the guards hesitated. Another scoffed.

"He won't last," someone muttered.

I ignored them, I pressed my hands to his chest. Blood soaked into my palms, warm and slippery. The wound was deep, too deep. A blade had torn through his side, missing nothing important and everything important at the same time.

His eyes fluttered open.

For a moment, they were empty, then recognition filled them.

"Rhyna...?" His voice was barely a breath.

My chest tightened. "Yes. It's me. Stay awake. Please. I'm here."

I tried to stop the bleeding, tried to slow it, tried to do something, anything, but the damage was too severe. I could feel it. His life was already slipping away.

He smiled weakly.

"You always... said we'd survive," he whispered.

Tears burned my eyes. "We will. Just hold on. Please."

He coughed. Blood stained his lips.

"They're winning," he said softly.

My hands froze.

"What?" I whispered.

"The Shadowbound... they're winning," he repeated. "We don't have healers anymore."

My breath shook.

"What do you mean?" I asked desperately. "Where are the others?"

His gaze drifted, unfocused now.

"Dead... scattered," he murmured. "The wounded... they're dying, Rhyna. No one is there to help them."

The world tilted.

My chest felt hollow, like something had been ripped out of me.

"I tried to keep them alive," he continued weakly. "But without you... without the healers... we can't..."

His voice broke.

"Everyone's dying."

A sharp pain tore through my heart.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

His fingers twitched, brushing mine.

"Not your fault," he breathed. "You were taken."

His eyes slowly dimmed.

"Live," he said. "Please... live."

Then his hand went still.

No one spoke.

I sat there, hands covered in his blood, staring at a body I could not save.

I was a healer who failed, a packmate who died because I wasn't there.

Guilt crushed down on me like a mountain.

My people were losing. They were bleeding out in the dirt, just like he had.

And I was here, among enemies.

My hands curled into fists.

This war wasn't just about what belonged to another anymore.

It was about blood owed...

******

I didn't move.

The body was taken away, but the blood stayed on my hands. I stared at it like it belonged to someone else. Like if I looked long enough, this would stop being real.

"Rhyna."

I flinched at the sound of my name. Alpha Conan stood a few steps away, his face hard, his eyes dark. The camp had gone quiet, but the tension was thick. Everyone was watching us.

I wiped my hands slowly on my dress and stood.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice flat.

"There's a wounded wolf," he said. "Badly injured. You will heal him."

I laughed. The sound was sharp and bitter.

"No."

The word echoed louder than I expected. Murmurs rippled through the pack.

Conan's jaw tightened. "That wasn't a request."

I turned to face him fully. My chest burned, my heart aching with fresh grief.

"My people are dying," I said. "Did you hear that man? Did you hear what he said before he died in my arms?"

"You want me to heal your wolves," I continued, my voice shaking now, "while mine bleed out without help? While my pack loses everything?"

His eyes narrowed. "This war isn't your concern."

I laughed again, louder this time. "Not my concern? That was my packmate. My blood, my family."

"You are in my territory," Conan said coldly. "You will fucking obey my orders."

I stepped closer, anger finally overpowering fear.

"Who do you think you are?" I demanded. "Dragging me from the battlefield, keeping me here, and now ordering me to save the same wolves killing my people?"

His presence flared, heavy and sharp.

"And who do you think you are," he shot back, his voice low and dangerous, "to question me?"

The air between us felt like it might snap.

"You are abandoned here," he continued. "Your Alpha has done nothing, he didn't give a fuck when he learnt that his prized healer is here. There were no negotiations or even an attempt to stop this war or get you back."

The words hit harder than any blow.

I swallowed, my throat burning.

"You think you matter so much," he said, stepping closer, "but where is your pack now? Where is your Alpha?"

My hands curled into fists.

"I am important," I snapped. "Maybe not to you, but I matter to my people."

He scoffed. "If you did, this war would already be over." " You're just a mistake that I brought upon myself."

Something inside me cracked.

"Yes," I whispered bitterly. "I know."

My voice trembled, but I didn't stop.

"I'm just a lowlife omega, I remember correctly?" I said. "I'm replaceable, disposable and easy to lose."

His eyes flickered.

"My Alpha didn't come for me," I continued, the words spilling out now. "Not because I don't matter, but because omegas don't start wars."

The silence was suffocating.

"I was taken," I said quietly. "And they let it happen."

I lifted my chin, forcing myself not to cry.

"So don't stand there and tell me I'm nothing," I finished. "Because I already know."

For a moment, Conan said nothing.

His face was unreadable.

Then he turned sharply. "Bring the injured one."

Two wolves dragged another body forward.

This one was Shadowbound.

He was young, barely older than me. His breathing was shallow, blood soaking through his side. His eyes rolled back in pain.

I looked at him, and felt nothing but rage.

"No," I said again. "I won't help him."

Conan turned slowly.

"If he dies," he said, calm and cruel, "it will be on you."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You'd use guilt?" I whispered.

"I'm using reality," he replied. "This is what healers do."

"That's what healers do for their own," I snapped.

His voice dropped. "You are not Moonbeam anymore."

That hurt more than anything else.

The wounded wolf groaned softly.

I closed my eyes.

Moon Goddess... why?

Why give me hands meant to save when my heart was breaking?

Slowly, I knelt and began attending to the wounded wolf.

Not because of Conan, not because of his order, but because I could not let another person die in front of me.