“Oh Moon Goddess. Poison?”

“Maybe something meant to make her lose the pups.”

“She hates Morana. Everyone knows that.”

“She’s jealous.”

“She’s sick.”

I stared at Morana, unable to speak, because she looked completely believable.

“That’s not true,” I said quietly. “I didn’t touch her drink…”

Before I could finish, Gavran grabbed my arm and shoved me so hard that I crashed onto the floor. My knees slammed painfully against the marble tiles.

“You think this is funny?” he roared. “If anything happens to her or my pups, I swear your life will pay the price.”

I didn’t even try to stand. I just sat there on the cold floor, feeling the last part of my soul crumble.

The whispers around me were like poison.

“That’s her? She’s disgusting.”

“She wants Morana dead because she cannot have pups anymore.”

“Jealous females are dangerous.”

“She’s evil.”

Corinne clutched the pearls around her neck dramatically.

“Gavran, take Mora to the Healing Hall. Now. We don’t know what that woman might have done.”

Gavran didn’t hesitate.

He lifted Morana into his arms and rushed toward the exit while she whimpered weakly and held onto him as if her life depended on it.

The moment they disappeared, the guests turned toward me like a savage pack.

Someone threw a glass. It shattered beside my leg.

“That’s for hurting your pregnant sister.”

Wine splashed across my face.

“That’s for your jealousy.”

A plate of food struck my shoulder.

“You monster.”

Someone even threw a sandal that hit my face and split the skin.

“You don’t deserve to breathe the same air as her!”

I did nothing or even just scream to defend myself. I simply sat there while they threw things at me, cursed me and spat their hatred.

Because for the first time…I finally accepted the truth.

***

Later that night, the celebration ended. The mansion became dark and quiet. But my ears still rang with every insult, every broken plate, every splash of wine.

I locked myself inside the upstairs bathroom and leaned over the sink. The mirror showed a woman I barely recognized.

My hair was tangled. My cheeks were covered with dried tears.

A thin line of blood ran down from where the sandal struck my forehead. I pressed a towel against it, but the bleeding didn’t stop immediately.

“Happy mating anniversary, Gavran,” I whispered to the broken reflection in the mirror. “You destroyed everything… but somehow you also set me free.”

My crystal communicator vibrated on the counter.

I almost ignored it. But when I saw the name on the screen, my heart stopped.

Rhydan.

I answered with a trembling hand.

“Hello?”

“I will arrive tomorrow night,” his deep voice said calmly. “You’re leaving that mansion. Tell me something. Is the bond severance finished?”

My throat tightened.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. At the bruises forming across my face and the emptiness inside my eyes.

“Yes,” I whispered. “It’s done.”

“Good. I want our marriage completed the moment I arrive. I don’t wait, Ravika.”

The call ended.

I looked at myself again. At the bruises, the cut on my forehead, and the hollow expression staring back.

***

The next morning.

Heavy footsteps thundered outside my door. Before I could sit up, the door slammed open.

Gavran walked in with two large pack guards beside him. His face looked colder than winter ice.

“Take her,” he ordered.

“Wait… Gavran, what are you doing?” My voice cracked as panic rose inside me.

He didn’t answer. The guards grabbed me instantly and dragged me off the bed.

I screamed and struggled, begging him to stop. But he simply stood there without emotion.

“Stop. Mora’s just pretending,” I cried desperately.

“Shut up,” he said coldly. “You placed my pups in danger. That’s enough.”

In that moment I understood. Morana and her precious twins were supposedly in danger. And I was the villain. I had not touched her. I had not gone near her drink.

But none of that mattered. In Gavran’s eyes, I was the threat.

The guards forced me into the back of a black vehicle. My body slammed against the cold leather seats as rain streaked down the windows.

“Mora is pretending!” I screamed hoarsely. “She’s lying! She’s fine! You’re being cruel!”

Gavran didn’t even look at me. He sat rigidly in the front seat with his hands tight on the steering wheel.

“Be quiet,” he said. “You’re coming with me.”

When we arrived at the Healing Hall, everything was already prepared. Healers stepped back nervously as Gavran shouted across the room.

“Take her blood. Now. Mora’s twins are in danger. She’s the reason.”

“Alpha Stormridge,” one healer said anxiously. “She’s barely stable.”

“I don’t care. Do it.”

“I cannot. If we take too much blood she could collapse.”

“Do it now!” he roared.

My body shook violently as the healers restrained me. Straps tightened around my wrists and arms. I fought desperately, screaming until my throat burned.

“No. Stop. Mora is pretending. She’s lying. She’s perfectly fine.”

But Gavran ignored every word. He stood with his arms crossed, watching me like I meant nothing. His jaw was tight and his eyes were cold.

“Take her blood,” he repeated to the healers. “She’s the reason my pups might be harmed.”

I screamed again, struggling against the restraints.

“Shut up, monster!”

Corinne’s mocking voice came from behind me.

“Look at you. The woman who killed her own pup. Do you think your jealousy will ever end? My Gavran is wise to keep you restrained. You will never touch my grandpup.”

My body froze as the healer pushed the needle into my arm. Cold metal pierced my skin. Pain spread through me as dark red blood slowly filled the clear bag. It felt like pieces of my life were being taken away.

Every breath. Every tremble. Every drop.

Morana and the twins she carried were safe. But only because I was suffering. And Gavran stood beside her, holding her hand and gently stroking her hair while whispering soft words.

Those words once belonged to me.

“I am sorry, Gavran,” Morana cried weakly.

“It’s not your fault,” Gavran replied coldly. “Vika is only being dramatic as usual.”

My body trembled violently. Through tears and pain, I whispered weakly, “Gavran… please… make it stop…”

He didn’t turn around. He didn’t care.

The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me was Corinne smiling from the corner of the room. She nodded toward Gavran with satisfaction, as if she had planned all of my suffering from the beginning.

And then I let go.

When I woke up, everything around me was painfully bright and spotless. For a moment, I truly believed I had crossed into the Moon Goddess’s afterlife.

Then I saw him.

Gavran sat beside the healing bed, his elbows resting on his knees while his hands rubbed his face like he was the one suffering. Like my pain had somehow exhausted him.

“You’re finally awake,” he said. “You have been unconscious for two days.”

I looked at him quietly. I felt nothing.

He sighed heavily, as if he was the one wronged.

“Things went too far,” he muttered. “I didn’t expect the blood ritual to affect you that much. I panicked. Mora needed help and I could not allow anything to happen to her or the pups.”

My face stayed empty.

“I know I haven’t been a good mate lately,” he continued. “I have been dealing with too many pack matters. Alpha duties, alliances, territory disputes. I guess I forgot about us. I even forgot our anniversary.”

He gave a weak laugh filled with self pity. “But I want to fix it.”

He reached down and placed a paper bag on my lap like it was some great gift.

“There is a dress inside,” he said. “Something elegant. When the healers release you, my driver will take you to dinner. Your favorite restaurant in the capital territory.”

I looked down at the bag. It felt like staring at garbage.

He forced a smile.

“Come on, Vika. Try to look beautiful again. I am giving you another chance to fix things with me.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead like he owned me. Then he walked out.

The moment the door closed, silence returned to the room. My fingers trembled as I picked up my crystal communicator.

A new message appeared on the screen.

Rhydan: [Boarding my jet now. I will arrive tonight. Be ready.]

My heart jumped violently until my hands nearly dropped the communicator.

Before I could lock the screen, the door suddenly opened again. Gavran stepped back inside.

“Who messaged you?” he asked sharply. “Let me see.”

I hid the crystal communicator behind my back. “No.”

His face darkened instantly. That familiar arrogant anger twisted his expression. “Vika. Don’t be foolish with me. Show me the communicator.”

I stayed silent.

Before he could move toward me, his own crystal communicator rang. Morana’s name appeared on the screen.

He froze. Then his entire expression softened immediately.

“Tsk. Stay here,” he muttered while already rushing out the door.

The moment he left, I released a shaky breath I had been holding.

After some time, a healer walked into the room. He avoided looking directly at me.

“You’re being discharged today,” he said quietly. “Alpha Stormridge has already taken care of the arrangements.”

Of course he had. Money was the only thing he used to prove he was a good man.

Two healers entered carrying a small box and a bouquet of white roses.

“Alpha Stormridge asked us to deliver these to you,” one of them said gently.

I looked at the roses. White, pure, and innocent. Everything I was no longer.

I didn’t touch them. Instead, I changed into the dress inside the bag.

Red satin.

It fit perfectly, like Gavran still remembered my body measurements but had forgotten my entire existence.

Soon the driver arrived at the door.

“Madam, Alpha Stormridge instructed me to bring you directly to the restaurant.”

I nodded silently.

***

When I arrived at the table, my body froze. Gavran was already there. He smiled as if nothing had happened.

And sitting beside him was Morana. She looked flawless.

Of course she did.

An ivory dress covered her body. Her skin glowed under the soft lights. Both hands rested on her stomach like she was posing for a royal portrait of a future Luna.

Gavran looked slightly nervous but still gave me that fake gentle smile.

“Vika,” he said while standing. “Mora didn’t want to dine alone tonight. She has been stressed lately. I could not leave her by herself.”

“Yes,” I replied as I sat down. “You never leave her.”

He flinched but pretended not to hear the meaning behind my words.

“Let’s just enjoy a peaceful evening.”

Then he took two items from a small bag. The first bracelet he pushed toward me.

It was cheap. Handmade. Uneven beads with childish colors.

“Mora made this,” he said proudly. “She wanted to thank you. And also apologize.”

Morana gave me a shy smile that wasn’t shy at all.

“I made it myself,” she said sweetly. “I know you don’t have many beautiful things, so I thought something heartfelt might make you happy.”

The insult was so obvious it almost made me laugh.

Then Gavran turned toward her. He carefully fastened a diamond bracelet around her wrist.

The stones sparkled brightly under the lights. It looked so expensive and luxurious. The kind of gift only Morana ever received.

“It looks perfect on you,” he murmured softly.

Morana lifted her wrist, admiring how the diamonds reflected the light.

“It’s beautiful, Gavran. You always know exactly what I like.”

I pushed the cheap bracelet back onto the table.

“I don’t want this.”

Gavran’s smile twitched slightly. “Vika…”

“I said I don’t want it.”

He sighed with annoyance but tried to pretend everything was normal. Then he asked about my health and if the mansion was comfortable.

Empty questions. I answered with one word replies.

Meanwhile, Morana continued talking. She spoke about their childhood inside the pack territory. How Gavran used to sneak into her family mansion. How they practiced piano together during moon festivals. How close they had always been.

Every story felt like another knife pushed slowly into my chest. And she knew it.

I stayed silent.

Sometimes Gavran looked at me, waiting for a reaction. Waiting for me to look hurt so he could feel powerful.

I gave him nothing.

Then suddenly I smelled something.

Gas.

Before I could say anything…

Boom!!

The entire restaurant exploded. Glass shattered everywhere. The ground trembled violently. Flames climbed the walls like hungry beasts.

The force threw me across the room. My body hit the floor hard and everything spun.

“Gavran,” I screamed. “Please help me.”

Through the thick smoke, he stood frozen for a moment. Then Morana grabbed his arm and screamed dramatically.

“Gavran. I cannot move. The pups. Please save me.”

She wasn’t injured. Not even a small scratch. Her acting was flawless. It made me feel sick.

I reached toward him while coughing, struggling to breathe.

“Gavran… please…”

He looked at both of us. At me trapped beneath broken debris. At Morana crying weakly beside him.

Then his face turned cold.

“I will come back for you,” he shouted.

But he didn’t run toward me. He ran toward the exit while carrying Morana in his arms.

The fire roared louder. Heat surrounded me like a burning prison. My legs were trapped. I could not move. My lungs burned as I fought to breathe.

So this is it.

This is how he abandons me.

This is how he finally kills me without ever laying a hand on me.