Gracie's POV

"Never come here again! I told you! Didn’t you understand? You’re the daughter of evil! I have no daughter!"

My father's voice thundered through the room, filled with nothing but hatred. No warmth. No love. Just disgust.

Why was I still here?

What was the point?

Tears welled in my eyes. "I'm sorry… I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Take her away! Back to her room!" my father ordered.

Two guards grabbed me roughly, dragging me away like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t the daughter of the Alpha—like I wasn’t even human.

They tossed me inside my room, and I hit the floor hard. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, numb.

Why did I come here?

The pain inside me was unbearable, suffocating.

Why was I still living? To be branded a murderer for something I didn’t do? To be hated by my own family? Betrayed by the man I once loved?

What did I do to deserve this, Moon Goddess?

My wolf whimpered inside me, feeling my anguish. She wanted me to be strong, to fight for the truth.

But what was left to fight for?

I pushed myself up and looked at my hands—bloody, covered in cuts that wouldn’t heal fast. It would take time.

I was done.

I was never the type to hate anyone. Maybe that was my biggest flaw. Maybe I was a fool for still caring about people who despised me.

I laughed—a hollow, bitter sound that echoed through the small room. It felt like I was going insane.

When Lily’s birthday arrived, I went. The entire pack was there, celebrating her memory like she was still alive. I stood at the back, watching as they placed a framed photo of her on the makeshift stage. She was so young, so beautiful.

I was wearing the dress she had chosen for me—a simple blue one.

Anastasia approached with a pitying smile. "Did Mom ask you to come, Gracie? You really shouldn’t be here…" She acted concerned, but I saw right through her.

Marcus was by her side. He didn’t even bother pretending to care. He wouldn’t look at me. He was ashamed.

My mother appeared out of nowhere, gripping my arm tightly and dragging me forward.

Straight to the empty casket.

"Kneel," she commanded, her voice cold. "And tell us where our Lily is."

Like I wasn’t their daughter. Like I was nothing.

My father stormed toward us, his fury crackling in the air. "Are you out of your mind, My Luna?! You brought her here?"

"It’s best that she’s here," my mother replied. "She needs to repent for what she’s done. She needs to tell us where she hid Lily’s body."

I stared at the casket.

If I died, would they care?

No.

They’d celebrate. They’d say justice had been served because a murderer deserved to die.

"My Luna, Alpha Derick… Please don’t do this," Anastasia pleaded softly, clutching Lily’s favorite doll—the one I picked for her, the one my brother Kian had gifted her.

My breath caught.

The memory hit me like a punch to the gut.

Kian was so happy when I chose that doll. Lily had loved it. She carried it everywhere.

And the next day… Kian was dead.

Killed in a rogue attack while handling border disputes. He was supposed to be Alpha. But that future never came.

The entire Redmoon Pack mourned.

I never even had the chance to grieve.

Because right after Kian was gone… Lily disappeared.

My gaze flickered to Marcus. He was looking at me now, and for the first time in a long time, there was pity in his eyes.

"Anastasia’s right, Alpha Derick," he said carefully.

"You still defend the woman who murdered our only son’s daughter?" my father snapped. "I can’t believe you’re this blind, Alpha Marcus!"

Marcus's jaw tightened. "Is love really that easy to throw away, Alpha Derick? She’s your daughter. And I still care about her."

"Care?" My father let out a bitter laugh. "You care for a murderer?!"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd—wolves from allied and neighboring packs, all whispering about me. About the disgrace of the Redmoon Pack.

"She’s not my daughter anymore!" my father declared, voice full of venom. "After what she’s done, she deserves it! She deserves to die for killing Lily!"

I saw it then.

Marcus’s face flushed—not with anger, but with shame.

Not shame for me.

Shame for himself.

For defending me in front of others.

He wasn’t doing this for me. He was doing it to salvage his own reputation.

He never truly loved me.

Because if you love someone, you stand by them. You believe in them.

I thought Marcus knew me better than my own parents. But he didn’t.

No one did.

Slowly, I stepped forward.

I knelt before the empty casket.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Silence fell.

They were waiting.

Waiting for me to confess.

Gracie's POV

"Now that you're finally thinking straight, confess," my mother urged, hope trembling in her voice. "For Lily's sake." Her pain bled into every word, a mix of longing and grief.

Tears blurred my vision as I stared at Lily's framed picture resting atop the casket. I could almost hear her voice—soft, sweet, full of life.

"My pretty Aunt! Come play with your cute niece!"

Her laughter rang in my ears, a memory so vivid it felt real. I saw her bouncing onto my bed, giggling as she kissed my cheeks.

"Wake up, wake up! Let’s play!"

I used to wrap her in my arms, tickling her until she squealed, filling my room with happiness.

But now, all that was left was silence.

A hollow ache spread through my chest. My throat tightened, and before I knew it, I was sobbing.

“Tell us, Gracie,” my mother pleaded.

"Tell us now, Gracie," Anastasia echoed, desperation in her voice.

The pain inside me was unbearable. My fingers clutched at my chest as if I could physically hold myself together. My voice trembled.

"I'm sorry, Lily," I choked out.

I sobbed harder. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you like I promised. I'm sorry I let you die. I failed you. I failed to give you justice."

“What are you saying? Just tell us the truth!” my mother snapped, her patience unraveling.

"I'm sorry..." My voice wavered. "Sorry that you're all blaming the wrong person. Sorry that—"

A sharp yank on my hair cut me off.

Anastasia.

Her fingers twisted in my hair, her rage seething through clenched teeth. "Sorry for what, Gracie? Just tell me where my child's body is! Stop lying!"

"I didn't kill Lily!" I screamed, my voice raw with desperation. "I swear on the Moon Goddess! I swear on my own life!"

Anastasia’s grip loosened. Tears streaked down her face.

Marcus was beside her in an instant, pulling her into his arms. Then he turned to me. His eyes burned with fury.

"Why can't you just admit it, Cie?" His voice was cold, distant. "It’s the only thing your family wants. Just tell us where Lily’s body is."

I stared at him, my heart shattering all over again.

"I told you—I never took Lily. I never hurt her!" My voice broke as I knelt on the cold floor. "Why won’t any of you believe me? Why?"

My father stepped forward, his face unreadable, but my mother’s was twisted with grief and fury.

"How can we believe a liar and a murderer?" my father snarled. "Even the Moonstone showed it was you!" His hand shot out, gripping my throat.

I gasped. My lungs burned, my vision blurred.

"Would the Moonstone lie?!" he bellowed. "Why won't you just tell us the truth?! You're evil—you deserve to die!"

I didn’t fight back. I just stared at him, the man who once called me his daughter.

Then I smiled bitterly.

"Then kill me," I rasped. "Isn’t that what you want? The murderer dead?"

His hands trembled against my skin. Then, suddenly, he released me, and I collapsed onto the marble floor, gasping for air.

"Kill you?" His voice was steel. "No. You deserve to suffer for what you've done. I won’t let a Hansen get away with murder—not even my own blood. As Alpha of Redmoon, I will see that justice is served."

I pushed myself up, my limbs weak but my resolve burning.

"You talk about justice," I said, my voice steady despite the agony inside me. "But you're not fair. If you were, you'd listen to me instead of condemning me without proof. You’d give me a chance to clear my name instead of throwing me in a cell like a criminal."

A sharp slap cracked through the air.

Pain exploded across my cheek. I tasted blood.

"You have no right to disrespect the Alpha!" my mother spat.

Despite everything, despite the unbearable pain they caused me… I still cared.

I still loved them.

"I respected you all my life," I murmured, my voice cold. "But I’ve finally learned… enough is enough."

Another slap—this time from my father.

"Say one more word, and you'll get worse than that," he growled.

I let out a bitter laugh. "I won’t say anything." I lifted my chin, my vision swimming with tears I refused to shed. "Believe whatever you want. I’m done trying to make you see the truth."

Without another glance, I turned and walked away.

My vision blurred, the world tilting as exhaustion and heartbreak weighed me down. But I kept walking, past the pack’s hall, past the main pack house—away from all of them.

I reached for the necklace around my neck—the one holding the ring Marcus once gave me. The symbol of a love that never truly existed.

I yanked it off and threw it as far as I could.

I had no reason to stay.

No reason to live.

This day, I would end everything.