The night grew darker, the bonfire crackling bright as fireworks lit up the sky above. Shadows danced among the flames, laughter, drums, and distant howls blending into one wild celebration. It was the kind of warmth that almost made you forget the cold.

I stood on the edge of the crowd, a faint cramp tightening in my stomach. It wasn't much, but enough to remind me—

I had to be careful.

This pup growing inside me… was the one thing I couldn't afford to lose.

That's when Selene appeared at my side, her smile sweet and too-perfect. The firelight turned her golden hair soft and glowing, but her voice carried the faintest edge of cruelty.

"Luna's so quiet tonight," she said lightly, adjusting the sleeve of her draped shawl. "Is it because you're used to not being noticed anymore?"

I didn't answer. I shifted away, keeping distance between us.

But in that small motion, I felt it—fabric rustled at my waist, too light to be coincidence. Her fingers brushed against my side pouch, then retreated, her smile still gentle.

A chill ran through me.

Too late to stop her.

Moments later, a sharp cry broke through the festival's joy.

"My bracelet! It's gone!" Selene cried near the bonfire, her face painted with worry. "The Moonlight Chain—passed down from the North Wind royal line. My mother's gift. It never just disappears!"

The crowd buzzed in confusion. North Wind enforcers rushed to her, fanning out to search the area.

"Selene, there are no outsiders here," Elder Drake said with a frown. "Are you sure it's not in your tent?"

"I'm sure!" Selene shook her head, tears glimmering as she wiped her cheek. "I still had it when I spoke to Luna just now."

Her gaze fell on me, then she hesitated before adding, "Maybe… we should check everyone's belongings. Just to clear things up."

Kieran stood behind her, his face unreadable. He said nothing, but his silence was its own agreement.

I felt anger coil in my chest as I held back the urge to snap. "You're suggesting that I—your pack's Luna—stole from you?"

"Of course not," Selene replied, stepping back like I'd struck her. "It could've just… slipped into your pocket by mistake. We all know where you came from, Luna. Things happen."

Her tone was soft. Her words were poison.

Kieran finally spoke, calm and cold. "Raelyn, would you be willing to prove your innocence? Publicly?"

I looked up at him.

Five years of the mate mark between us… and now, nothing.

He couldn't even meet my eyes.

"You really doubt me?" I asked quietly.

"I just need to calm the others," he replied, still avoiding my gaze.

I laughed, bitter and cold. Then slowly reached into my cloak pocket. A few enforcers moved closer. Selene stayed back, a tragic look on her face.

I opened the pouch with my own hands.

A silver chain slipped into the firelight, its gemstones gleaming like drops of ice.

The crowd gasped. Then silence.

"This… can't be," I whispered. My face turned pale.

"That's it! My bracelet!" Selene cried. "I didn't want to believe it was you, Raelyn. But… my mother always said—the Moonlight Chain never chooses wrong."

I stared at the chain. I remembered the brush of her fingers.

She planted it.

She planned this.

She wanted a reason. A public excuse to shatter me as Luna.

"This is a setup," I said, my voice steady. "You put it in my pocket."

Selene's eyes filled with innocent sorrow. "Why would I ever do that to you, Luna?"

Kieran's face tightened. "Just admit it. Apologize to Selene. You shouldn't be fighting during a night meant for unity."

"Apologize?" My voice cracked. "I'm the one being framed. Why should I apologize?"

"The chain was found on you. What more do you need?" he said flatly, as if my truth meant nothing.

I looked around—at him, at the crowd's cold eyes. Something inside me broke.

"I won't bow for something I didn't do," I said, every word sharp. "Even if you strip me of the Luna title."

The air turned heavy. No one spoke.

Then Selene smiled. She lifted a silver cup from the table, offering it to me.

"If you're truly innocent," she said sweetly, "drink this. Let's put the misunderstanding behind us. For the sake of tonight's alliance."

I stared at the drink.

My nose caught the scent.

Bayleaf wine.

My heart stopped.

Poison to any she-wolf with a pup.

"I didn't steal. Why should I drink?" I stepped back, shielding my stomach. "This is your trap!"

Selene blinked slowly. "Can't you show even this much sincerity?"

I turned to Kieran, pleading silently.

But he only said, "Don't make a scene, Raelyn. Just drink it."

I didn't even get the chance to answer.

Selene grabbed my jaw and forced the cup to my lips.

The bitter wine burned my throat. My belly twisted in agony.

"No… no…" I gasped, collapsing to my knees.

Blood slid down my thighs, soaking the earth beneath me.

And at that very moment, fireworks burst above—

lighting the sky…

and my final shreds of hope.

"Luna, you're awake."

Agnes's voice pulled me out of the haze. As I opened my eyes, all I could feel was a hollow emptiness—deep, soul-crushing, not just physical.

Instinctively, my hand went to my stomach. It was flat. Lifeless.

"My pup..." I choked, though I already knew the answer.

Agnes sighed, her aged face filled with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Luna. We tried everything, but... laurel wine is poison to a pregnant she-wolf. You lost too much blood. The pup didn't make it."

Tears fell silently. I turned my face toward the window, not wanting anyone to see their Luna broken. The sky outside was gray, heavy—just like my heart.

"Maybe... it was fate," Agnes said softly, handing me a mug of herbal tea.

"There's an old tale in the Silver Moon Pack. If a Luna hasn't conceived after five years of the mark, it's seen as a bad omen."

I wrapped my hands around the cup, the warmth seeping into my fingers.

"A bad omen?"

"It means the bond might be unstable. Or… the pairing was a mistake."

She said it carefully, like she didn't want to offend me.

A mistake.

Those words echoed in my mind, unearthing memories I'd buried deep.

Five years ago, I had just lost Liam—my first love, the Beta of Shadow Ridge. My savior. He died protecting me. I wasn't even allowed at his funeral. Just a rogue left to wander, heart shattered.

Until I met Kieran.

He was leading a patrol near the Silver Moon border when we crossed paths. And when I saw him—his face, his eyes, his smile—I froze. He looked so much like Liam, I thought the Moon Goddess was playing tricks on me.

Kieran noticed my reaction. He came closer, asked who I was, where I came from. I couldn't speak. I just stared, searching his face for pieces of Liam. He thought my silence meant fear. So he showed me his Alpha side—strong, protective, magnetic.

Days passed. He kept coming back with food and gifts, trying to earn my trust. And I… I soaked in every detail. Every little similarity. I knew it was wrong. I was using him to fill the hole Liam left behind.

Then came the marking proposal.

Kieran needed a Luna to secure his Alpha rank. I was perfect—no pack ties, no politics, just a broken rogue clinging to a ghost.

I said yes, even though my wolf howled in protest.

"He's not Liam," she warned me.

"A mark is forever. It's not a bandage for grief."

But I didn't listen. I needed the illusion.

When Kieran's fangs sank into my neck and the bond sealed, I closed my eyes and pretended it was Liam making the promise.

"Luna?" Agnes's voice pulled me back.

"Are you alright?"

I blinked. The tea had gone cold. I hadn't taken a single sip.

"I'm fine," I lied. "Just... thinking."

She nodded gently. She was one of the few in the pack who was kind to me—not because I was Luna, but because she had a good heart.

"Where's the Alpha?" I finally asked, even though I already knew.

Agnes hesitated.

"He's meeting with the North Wind delegation. Pack alliance matters… you know, important things."

"Does he know I lost the pup?" I interrupted.

She lowered her gaze.

"He came by. When you were unconscious. Looked at you for a second, then said he had urgent business and left."

Of course.

I gave a bitter laugh. Losing his heir was probably just an inconvenience to him. I was nothing more than a pawn.

A sudden burst of fireworks outside broke my thoughts. Red, gold, and silver lit up the night sky, bathing Silver Moon in light.

"What's the celebration?" I asked, though dread already knotted in my stomach.

Agnes hesitated, then gave in to the truth.

"Silver Moon and North Wind just announced their alliance. The Alpha… he lit the first firework with Selene."

Selene.

The woman who poisoned me during the last celebration.

Now lighting up the sky with my mate while I lay in the infirmary, bleeding from the loss of our child.

Was this the life I chose? Was this what Liam's memory was traded for?

But Kieran was never Liam… and never will be.

A new fire sparked inside me. I couldn't keep living like this—trapped in a lie. Kieran wasn't my mate. He was a stand-in for a ghost.

"Agnes," I sat up, pain searing through my abdomen, "Can I borrow your phone? Mine's still at the celebration site."

She looked surprised but handed it to me anyway.

"Of course, Luna. Should I give you some privacy?"

I nodded. Once she left, I dialed a number I hadn't called in years.

The phone rang. And rang. Then—

"Hello?"

A warm, slightly hoarse voice answered, wary.

"Mom," I whispered, my voice shaking.

"It's me. Raelyn."

There was silence. Then a sharp breath.

"Raelyn? Baby, is it really you?"

"It's me, Mom." I choked.

"I need your help."

"What's wrong?" she asked instantly, alert.

"You sound… not okay."

"You were right," I admitted, voice cracking.

"He's not Liam. He never was. I want to come home."

"Oh, sweetheart..." Her voice trembled with tears.

"You finally see it."

"I've lost everything," I confessed, weeping.

"Even your grandchild."

The line was quiet, her breath shaky.

"My girl," she finally said. "Come home. Back to where you belong."

"I don't know how," I whispered. "The mark... it binds me here."

"The Blood Moon is coming," she said firmly.

"Ancient lore says it's the only time a broken bond can be undone. It's dangerous. But if you're sure..."

"I'm sure," I said, eyes fierce.

"No matter the cost."

"I'll prepare everything," she promised.

"But keep it quiet. Especially from the Alpha. The mark links your emotions. Stay calm. Stay smart."

"I will." I wiped my tears. Steady now.

After the call, I walked to the window. The fireworks were still exploding above Silver Moon. Each burst felt like a spark in my soul—burning away the chains that kept me here.

Agnes returned, and I met her with a calm smile.

"Thanks for the phone. I feel better now."

She blinked.

"You really do look better. There's light in your eyes."

Yes. Light.

The Blood Moon was rising.

And I was finally ready to rise with it.