Chapter 2

Maya’s POV

My mate was kissing another woman with such passion that he’d never shown me in the past few months. Their lips moved together desperately, her hands tangled in his dark hair while he held her against him like she was his entire world.

“Damon?” I called out, my voice cracking at the end.

My mate pulled away from Elena and turned his amber eyes toward me. His expression hardened immediately.

“What are you doing here? Are you spying on us now? Following me around like some pathetic omega?”

“Damon, I just—” I started but he cut me off sharply.

“Save it! You’re disgusting and you have the nerve to spy on us? After everything I’ve given you as Luna, you couldn’t even complete one simple task. Now look what you’ve done to her!”

He stepped aside and I could see Elena clearly now. Despite the slight puffiness around her eyes and the red marks on her neck, I recognized her immediately. She was the woman who had joined our pack seven months ago, claiming to be a refugee from a violent pack. The same woman my mate had been “helping” settle in.

The scent of vanilla and roses hit my nostrils like a physical blow. My wolf whimpered in recognition. This was the scent that had been clinging to Damon for months. When I’d asked him about it, he claimed it was new soap from the pack house. But standing here now, surrounded by Elena’s overwhelming fragrance, I knew he had been lying.

Maybe I was jumping to conclusions. Maybe there was an explanation for all this.

“Really? After everything you put her through, you can’t even ask what happened to her?” Damon’s cold voice sliced through my thoughts.

“What happened to her?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“She had an allergic reaction because of you! I told you to get the moonflower antidote but you failed. When she went into the forest herself to find it, she nearly died from the pollen exposure!”

My breathing stopped completely. The moonflower herbs. The dangerous mission that had cost me my pup. It had all been for Elena. She had been the one suffering while I was bleeding out in the Forbidden Forest.

“How could you… why didn’t you answer my calls? I was dying, Damon! Our pup—”

“When you can’t follow simple orders, why should I waste my time on you?” he snarled.

Elena finally spoke up, her voice sickeningly sweet. “Damon, please don’t be so harsh. I’m sure Maya was just… occupied with other things.”

“Occupied?” Damon scoffed, glaring at me. “Apologize to Elena right now!”

“Apologize?” I gasped, unable to believe what I was hearing.

“That’s not necessary, really. Maya, what brought you to the hospital anyway?” Elena asked with fake concern.

For a moment, I felt grateful that someone was finally asking. “I had an accident in the forest. I lost—”

“It hurts, Damon! The reaction is getting worse!” Elena suddenly cried out, clutching her throat dramatically.

Damon immediately turned his full attention back to her, gathering her in his arms while completely ignoring me. He didn’t even glance in my direction as he whispered soothing words to her.

Over his shoulder, I caught the triumphant smirk on Elena’s face as she stared directly at me. In that moment, everything became crystal clear. She had asked about my hospital visit just to show me how little Damon cared about my answer. She had interrupted me on purpose.

I stumbled back to my room, my mind reeling as I replayed the past seven months. All the signs had been there, but I’d been too trusting to see them.

Seven months ago, on our third anniversary, Damon had left our romantic dinner to pick up a “pack refugee” from the border. That refugee had been Elena, and he’d brought her to join our anniversary celebration. At the time, I’d thought he was just being kind to someone in need.

His late nights patrolling. His hushed phone calls. The new scent. The way he’d grown cold and distant. I’d explained it all away, trusting my mate completely.

Elena had arrived claiming to be pregnant and fleeing from an abusive mate. I’d felt sorry for her, even helped her settle into the pack house. But now I wondered if any of that had been true.

Maybe I was overthinking everything. Maybe Damon really was just protective of a vulnerable pack member. I tried to convince myself as I drifted off to sleep, but my wolf wasn’t buying it.

The next morning, I was discharged from the hospital with strict orders to rest and avoid any strenuous activity.

My wolf was still healing from the trauma, and the pack healer warned me that another injury could permanently damage my ability to shift.

Despite the healer’s warnings, I went to check on Elena, wanting to bring her some comfort items and maybe clear the air between us.

The nurses informed me with excited chatter about how she was carried out bridal style by the Alpha after being discharged earlier that morning.

“Oh, you should have seen it!” one young nurse gushed. “Her mate was so gentle with her, like she was made of glass. It was so romantic!”

“They make such a beautiful couple,” another nurse added dreamily.

The words hit me like claws to the chest. Her mate. They thought Damon was Elena’s mate, not mine.

When I arrived at the pack house, I immediately noticed the extra luggage in the entrance hall. Designer suitcases and boxes were stacked near the stairs, clearly belonging to a woman.

I walked further into the house, following the sound of voices coming from the kitchen. Damon’s deep laugh mixed with Elena’s musical giggle.

“Damon, are you certain about this decision? I don’t want Maya to get upset, and I don’t want to impose on your marriage. Maybe you should discuss this with her first.”

“Elena, you’re carrying a pup and you have nowhere else to go. Maya will understand. She’s the Luna; it’s her duty to help pack members in need.”

“But moving in with a mated couple feels wrong. especially one who’s not mated…”

“Maya’s feelings don’t matter. You need a safe place to stay, and I’m providing it. End of discussion.”

“If you’re sure… I just don’t want to cause problems in your marriage.”

“There won’t be any problems. Maya knows her place.”

I stood frozen in the hallway, luggage scattered around the entrance that I’d somehow missed in my shock. Elena was moving in. Into my home. Into my territory.

“Thank you, Damon. You’re so good to me. I promise I’ll only stay temporarily, just until I get back on my feet.”

“Stay as long as you need, Elena. Forever, if necessary.”

Chapter 3 - Maya’s POV

My breath caught in my throat as my feet moved swiftly toward the kitchen. Before I could stop myself, I snapped, “She’ll be what?”

Damon turned around at the sound of my voice and frowned deeply. “Keep your voice down before you upset her.”

“Elena will be staying here temporarily,” he repeated slowly, like I was a child who couldn’t understand simple words. “She needs somewhere safe to recover, and since you failed to help her when she needed it most, this is the least we can do.”

“But Damon, this is our home. Our private space,” I protested, my voice breaking slightly.

“It’s my house, Maya. I’m the Alpha, and I decide who stays here,” he said coldly. “Besides, Elena is carrying a pup. She needs proper care.”

Elena placed a gentle hand on her barely visible bump, looking fragile and vulnerable. “I don’t want to cause any problems between you two. Maybe I should find somewhere else—”

“No,” Damon cut her off firmly. “You’re staying here where I can protect you.”

I felt like I was drowning. “For how long?”

“Until she’s back on her feet,” Damon replied dismissively. “And another thing - she’s always been sensitive to cold weather. Your room faces the east and gets the morning sun. She’ll take that room.”

My world tilted. “My room? But where will I sleep?”

“There’s a guest room in the basement. You can use that,” Damon said without even looking at me.

Even after three years of being mated, we didn’t always sleep in the same bed. Damon had said he didn’t like having someone next to him at night. I understood - it wasn’t just “someone” he didn’t want next to him. It was me.

I also knew he’d always been careful when it came to Elena. He’d probably rehearsed a long explanation for why she needed my room, but when I agreed without a fight, it caught him off guard.

“Alright,” I said quietly. “There’s a lot of my stuff in there anyway. I’ll just move it all out.”

Besides, it made no difference whether I moved out sooner or later. I was already planning my escape.

The moment I said I’d take all my things, Damon almost spoke - an instinctive protest on the tip of his tongue.

But Elena cut in before he could. “Thank you, Maya. You’re so understanding.”

I didn’t answer. I bent over and started hauling a heavy box toward the stairs. There was too much packed into it, and my body was still weak from the hospital stay.

My foot slipped on the polished floor. I went down hard, my knee slamming into the ground. The box scattered its contents everywhere, and something sharp - a broken picture frame - cut into my palm.

Pain shot through me so fiercely that my back stiffened and sweat beaded along my spine. I bit down on my lip, trying not to cry out.

But Damon didn’t see it. Elena had already tugged him toward the living room, chattering about baby names.

I stayed on the floor, my body trembling as the pain sank deeper. One drop, then another - my tears pattered softly on the tiles.

In the pack house, Damon would never let Elena carry so much as a water bottle.

“Elena is delicate,” he’d say, warm and protective. “She needs to be treated with care.”

Unlike Elena, when I had been an orphan brought into the pack, I’d done all the dirty and heavy work. No one cared if I got hurt.

Now I was the Luna. Now I was Damon’s mate.

Yet still, nothing had changed.

Everyone still stood on Elena’s side - without question, without pause.

I had learned to live with it.

It took me the whole afternoon to sort through my belongings. By sunset, I’d loaded everything I truly cared about into storage boxes in the basement room.

“You didn’t have to pack so much away,” Damon said, frowning as he watched me from the doorway. “Elena’s only staying temporarily. Once she leaves, you’ll move back up. What’s the point?”

To him, something about me felt different these past couple of days - I was too calm.

“They’re old things,” I explained, my voice steady. “I figured it was time to let them go.”

“You’re not usually the type to throw things away.”

No, I wasn’t. I’d never lived a life of luxury. The things I owned, I made last.

But I only smiled. “They’ve been with me a long time. Sometimes you need space for new things. Out with the old, right?”

‘Just like people,’ I added mentally.

My reasoning sounded fair. If Damon pushed again, he’d just look petty, so he let it drop.

“There’s a pack alliance meeting tonight,” he said, changing the subject. “The Northern Pack Alpha invited me. You’ll come. With Elena.”

I was about to refuse, but he cut me off.

“You’re my Luna. I can’t show up at something like that without my mate present.”

I looked at him. A dozen things I wanted to say crowded my throat. Like: ‘And bringing Elena is appropriate?’ But I said none of them.

I just nodded. One last obligation before I left for good.

Night fell. Inside the Northern Pack’s great hall, bright lights turned the space warm and welcoming.

Everyone who mattered was there - Alphas, Betas, important pack members.

The Moonstone Pack had been growing stronger these past two years, and Alpha Marcus, the host, came out quickly to greet us.

“Alpha Damon. Your seats are ready. Right this way.”

Marcus gestured to a pair of chairs at the high table. “I heard congratulations are in order for your mating? The second seat is for your Luna.”

All three of us froze for a split second.

Damon’s mating to me had always been kept low-key. Most other packs didn’t know the details.

I turned toward him, waiting.

Two women. One seat of honor.

His decision wasn’t surprising.

“My Luna couldn’t make it tonight,” he said smoothly. “She’s… indisposed.”

Marcus blinked, puzzled, looking between Elena and me. “And these two?”

Damon stepped forward and took Elena’s hand first.

“This is Elena Morrison, daughter of the Eastern Pack’s former Beta.”

“Ah, Elena Morrison.” Marcus nodded politely. “Welcome.”

Then, as if reluctant, Damon added, “And this is Maya, my pack’s former Luna.”

Former Luna. The words hit me like a physical blow.

I didn’t flinch outwardly. I already knew what Damon’s introduction would be. But knowing the brutal answer didn’t stop the sharp pain that spread through my chest.

Still, I stood straight, swallowing the hurt and keeping my dignity intact.

Damon and Elena took their seats at the high table while I was directed to a lower table with the other pack members.

Maybe it was just the cold air in the hall. Maybe it was everything. But pain stabbed at my lower abdomen, sharp and insistent.

I pressed a hand to my belly and slipped away to the restroom

Maya’s POV

My wolf hadn’t been in heat—so why did it hurt so much all of a sudden in my lower abdomen?

I stood up to leave the corridor, but just as I reached for the door handle to return to the Council chambers, it wouldn’t budge. It was locked from the outside.

Then came Elena’s smug voice from behind the door.

“Pathetic bitch, how’s that leftover bond treating you?”

“Damon’s always loved me, from the very beginning. Now that I’m here permanently, you should get out of our way.”

“You really had the audacity to show up tonight, of all times, trying to steal my moment?”

Doubling over in pain, I clutched my belly, cold sweat dripping down my brow. The loss of my pup was still affecting my body in ways I didn’t understand.

My voice was weak but defiant when I replied, “Elena, if you want him, take him. I’m done fighting for him.”

Elena let out a cold laugh, not buying a word. “Funny. You think I’d believe that bullshit?”

“You stole my position back then—now you want to keep stealing what’s mine? Who do you think you are?”

“You’re staying in here tonight. No one’s coming to save you.”

With a twisted smile, Elena dragged a “Restricted Area. Authorized Personnel Only” sign over and set it by the door.

Because some of the Council discussions tonight were classified, everyone had been required to surrender their phones before entering the chambers.

No one but Elena would think to come down this isolated corridor.

Wracked with pain, I could only slide to the floor, slumping against the cold stone wall, my strength fading fast. With what little energy I had left, I pounded on the door and cried out in desperation.

“Help… someone, please… Help me…”

But anyone passing by would see the sign and turn away without a second glance. No one came to save me.

I didn’t know how long I had been shouting before the pain finally overwhelmed me, and I passed out on the freezing floor.

When the Council meeting ended and I still hadn’t returned, Damon’s brow furrowed with mild concern.

Elena blinked up at him with feigned innocence. “Damon, do you think maybe she got upset because you gave me her Luna seat?”

“If I’d known she’d take it so personally, I never would’ve accepted it from her.”

Hearing Elena blame herself, Damon frowned. “You’re the rightful daughter of a former Alpha. You think it’s appropriate for a healer assistant to sit in your place?”

“Forget it. Let her sulk. She’s been getting a bit too presumptuous lately. Maybe it’s good to let her cool off. Let’s head home.”

Out of sight, Elena smiled triumphantly, thinking, ‘Maya, I told you—you can’t win against me. Not with my family, not with my mate.’

That night, I didn’t come home, but Damon never once asked about his wife. He was too busy making sure Elena was comfortable in our bedroom.

The next morning, at the Council building’s restricted corridor, a maintenance worker unlocked the door during his rounds.

There, huddled in a corner, was my unconscious form. My dress was soaked through with cold sweat. Even half-conscious, my body trembled from the freezing temperature.

The worker rushed over, worried. “Luna, how did you get locked in here? You don’t look well—should I call the pack doctor?”

My damp lashes fluttered open. I pressed my arms against the floor, forcing myself up with tremendous effort.

“Thank you, but… no need.”

The pain in my belly had eased, but the corridor had been unbearably cold all night. My wolf was weak from the recent trauma.

I really thought Damon would at least come looking for me when I didn’t return.

Clearly, I’d overestimated my importance to him again.

I remembered how, when Elena once went missing for just ten minutes during a pack run, Damon had nearly sent out search parties in a panic.

But now—after a whole night without contact—he hadn’t even tried to find his wife.

So this is how different, I realized, love is from indifference.

Steadying myself against the wall, I walked out one step at a time and caught a ride back to the pack house with a patrol guard.

In the car, I finally got my phone back—and sure enough, not a single call or text from Damon.

Instead, there was one unread message from hours ago that I’d missed. It was from a travel agency I’d contacted weeks ago in a moment of desperation.

[Ms. Maya, I can’t hold the reservation much longer. One week. I need confirmation for your departure in one week.]

I stared at the message, my heart pounding. I’d almost forgotten about the inquiry I’d made about leaving the pack territory entirely.

Now, after everything that had happened, it seemed like a sign from the Moon Goddess herself.

I typed back slowly: [Confirmed. I’ll be ready to leave in one week.