On the day of the pack gathering, I arrived late, my body still weak from the healing center where I had undergone another round of treatments for my illness. The scent of antiseptic clung to me, and my face was pale, almost ghostly, as I entered the grand hall where my fellow pack members had already gathered. They were deep into a game of Truth or Dare, their laughter echoing off the stone walls. Vienna, a Delta of the Blue Moon Pack, was participating, her golden hair catching the light as she chose "truth."

"Is there someone in this room you have feelings for?" someone asked, their voice carrying a teasing lilt.

Vienna’s cheeks flushed, and she bit her lower lip, her eyes darting toward Amazon before she nodded slowly. Her intentions were unmistakable, and the room buzzed with murmurs. My stomach twisted, not just from the lingering effects of the treatment but from the way Amazon simply chuckled, his deep voice warm and indulgent.

"Vienna, don’t be silly," he said, his tone gentle, as if he were speaking to a pup rather than a grown she-wolf. His gaze lingered on her, tender and unguarded, and I felt my heart clench. He knew how she felt about him. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt her, yet he seemed perfectly willing to hurt me over and over for her sake.

When it was my turn, I chose "truth," my voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you regret being in love with Beta Amazon?" someone asked, their tone careless, as if they hadn’t noticed the tension in the room.

Amazon’s smile vanished, and he shot a sharp glare at the speaker, his alpha tone cutting through the air. "Watch your words," he growled, his aura flaring with authority.

Someone tried to lighten the mood, "What kind of question is that? She ran away with Beta Amazon, didn’t she? Isn’t it obvious?"

Another added, "Exactly, stop being ridiculous."

I forced a smile, though my hands trembled. "If that’s the question, then I choose dare."

The room fell silent, all eyes on me and Amazon. He watched me intently, his dark eyes searching for something I couldn’t name, but I refused to meet his gaze.

"So what’s the dare? Ten shots of whiskey, right?" I asked, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.

No one answered. I poured the drinks myself, one after another, the sharp scent of alcohol filling my nostrils. By the fifth glass, the whiskey burned my throat, making it hard to breathe.

Amazon’s hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly. "Stop, Luna Mikayla," he said, his voice low and commanding.

I shook off his hand, the bitterness in my mouth nothing compared to the bitterness in my heart. I met his gaze head-on, my voice clear despite the pain. "Beta Amazon, I, Mikayla Morrison, will face the consequences."

Back then, I had gambled on his love and become his mate. Later, I had taken another gamble, running away with him to a foreign territory to start anew. Now, watching him with Vienna, I knew I had lost the bet. Between her and me, he clearly cared more about her.

But that was okay. I would face the consequences.

Tears welled in my eyes, my stomach churning with both physical and emotional agony. Countless nights I had woken up, weeping after dreaming of my parents’ lifeless faces. I had never regretted my choices until now.

But now, I did.

That day, when I had my ninth drink, **Beta** Amazon decided it was enough. He carried me back to our den, just as he used to when I was unwell, his strong arms cradling me effortlessly. He prepared a pot of hangover soup, the scent of rosemary and thyme filling the air, and fed it to me spoonful by spoonful. It was a gesture that felt achingly familiar, yet distant now, as if he were going through the motions of a role he no longer fully inhabited.

As the moon rose high and sleep began to claim me, Amazon’s voice cut through the silence. “Mikayla, why didn’t you answer my question earlier?”

His words jolted me awake. I turned to look at him, but he was facing away, his broad shoulders tense even in the dim light of the den. We lay on the same bed, close enough to touch, yet the space between us felt like an unbridgeable chasm. His aura, once so comforting to me, now felt cold and detached.

Softly, I asked, “Amazon, do you really want to know the answer?”

He was silent for a long time, the quiet stretching between us like a taut thread. “It’s late. You should rest,” he finally said, his voice low but devoid of the warmth it once held.

Tears slipped silently down my cheeks as I turned away. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind, a faint whimper echoing my pain. I thought of the day he first arrived in the Blue Moon Pack territory, his eyes so full of promise, as if I were the center of his world. “Mikayla, I vow to give you a life worthy of a Luna,” he had said then, his voice steady and his gaze unwavering. Back then, his love felt as vast and unshakable as the moon itself.

Nineteen-year-old Mikayla was brimming with love, her heart overflowing with the intensity of a mate bond that felt destined and unbreakable. I was vibrant, full of hope, and ready to stand beside him as his Luna. But now, at twenty-six, I was alone. My parents, **Elder Hunt** and **Healer Hunt**, were gone, their deaths a shadow I couldn’t escape. And now, the rare illness that had claimed my mother’s life was coursing through me, a cruel reminder of the life I was losing piece by piece.

Amazon, is this the life you promised me? I thought bitterly, my chest tightening as I watched his sleeping form. Even in rest, he looked commanding, his strong jaw and muscular frame a testament to his role as Beta. But the man who once looked at me with adoration now seemed a stranger.

You loved me so fiercely once. How can you bear to make me feel so invisible now?

The tears continued to fall as I lay there, the weight of our fractured bond pressing down on me. My wolf whimpered again, a faint echo of the pain we both felt. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the memories of a time when his love felt like the only thing that mattered. But the truth was undeniable—the life we had built together was crumbling, and I was left to pick up the pieces alone.

The next morning, I woke to an empty bed, the scent of Amazon’s fading presence lingering in the air. The aftermath of last night’s pack gathering hit me harder than I expected; my stomach churned violently, as if my wolf was clawing at me from the inside. The pain was relentless, a constant reminder of the illness that was slowly consuming me. I wished, more than anything, for an escape—but there was none.

I slid off the bed and onto the floor, fumbling for the painkillers I kept hidden in the drawer. They were expensive, imported from the Lycan Kingdom, and my supply was dwindling fast. I swallowed two, my hands trembling as I checked my account balance on my phone.

Less than $10,000.

This was all I had left—money I’d saved before I became Luna of the Blue Moon Pack. It was ironic, really. Amazon, as Beta, had access to the pack’s resources, his wealth practically limitless. Yet, as his mate, I couldn’t even afford the medication that might prolong my life.

After calculating the costs of the pack’s private healing center, I decided to switch to the public one. Clutching my appointment slip, I made my way to the examination room, my steps slow and unsteady.

The healer looked up as I entered, his expression shifting from professional to surprised. “Mikayla?”

I forced a smile, though it felt brittle on my lips. “Ashton, it’s been a long time.”

Ashton, the pack’s Gamma, was someone I’d known since I was a pup. He’d always been like an older brother to me, protective and kind. His gaze softened as he glanced over my medical records.

“Where’s Amazon?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern. “Facing this alone—it’s too much. You need your mate by your side.”

I shook my head, the motion making me dizzy. “He’s busy with pack duties. It’s fine. I’ve done this before. I can handle it.”

Ashton’s eyes narrowed, his wolf likely sensing the lie in my words. “You used to cry at the smallest pain. You’re not fine, Mikayla.”

I forced another smile, though it felt more like a grimace. “I had someone to spoil me back then. Now…”

I trailed off, unwilling to let the vulnerability show. Ashton, ever perceptive, changed the subject.

“I need to do a full assessment of your condition. Today’s not the day for treatment—come back tomorrow.”

I nodded, grateful for the reprieve, and got to my feet. As I turned to leave, he called after me.

“Wait. How about we grab something to eat? It’s been too long since we caught up.”

I hesitated, then nodded. A meal with Ashton sounded better than returning to an empty house.