On the day of the mating ceremony, a crazed witch bursts in and points straight at me, shrieking, "Six years later, your Alpha will betray you!"

Troy Hudson, my soon-to-be mate, turns livid. He swats the purple-glowing crystal ball from her hand, shattering it on the floor. "Nonsense! Estelle is my fated mate! I'll only ever love her in this lifetime!"

After that, he becomes even more devoted to me. At the Moon Goddess' altar, he drapes the Luna shawl over my shoulders.

He marks me with his scent so the entire pack knows I belong to him.

Every full moon, he deepens the mark on my neck, whispering that I am his forever.

I believe his love is unbreakable until our sixth anniversary. A box waits at our front door. Inside lies a pair of lace panties and a photograph.

In the photo, Troy is pressed over his foster sister, Rue Youngblood, the wolf tattoo on his body glowing faintly. His hand grips her waist, his eyes burning with the same heat I've dreamed of a million times.

And Rue? She's wearing that same pair of panties.

On the back of the photo, written in ink as red as blood, is a line of pure provocation. "The Alpha's heart may belong to you, but his body belongs to me."

Agony ripped through my chest, yet not a single tear fell. Instead, I rest my hand on my belly and quietly send word to the Witch Association.

"I accept your invitation. Please help me vanish."

On the day of the mating ceremony, a crazed witch bursts in and points straight at me, shrieking, "Six years later, your Alpha will betray you!"

Troy Hudson, my soon-to-be mate, turns livid. He swats the purple-glowing crystal ball from her hand, shattering it on the floor. "Nonsense! Estelle is my fated mate! I'll only ever love her in this lifetime!"

After that, he becomes even more devoted to me. At the Moon Goddess' altar, he drapes the Luna shawl over my shoulders.

He marks me with his scent so the entire pack knows I belong to him.

Every full moon, he deepens the mark on my neck, whispering that I am his forever.

I believe his love is unbreakable until our sixth anniversary. A box waits at our front door. Inside lies a pair of lace panties and a photograph.

In the photo, Troy is pressed over his foster sister, Rue Youngblood, the wolf tattoo on his body glowing faintly. His hand grips her waist, his eyes burning with the same heat I've dreamed of a million times.

And Rue? She's wearing that same pair of panties.

On the back of the photo, written in ink as red as blood, is a line of pure provocation. "The Alpha's heart may belong to you, but his body belongs to me."

Agony ripped through my chest, yet not a single tear fell. Instead, I rest my hand on my belly and quietly send word to the Witch Association.

"I accept your invitation. Please help me vanish."

...

As I watched the silver nightingale swallow my message and disappear into the sky, I hid the box inside the secret compartment in our room.

I was certain no one would return tonight, but the front door suddenly swung open the next second. It was Troy Hudson, my mate. A faint trace of alcohol clung to him, and in his arms sat a bouquet of white roses still wet with dew—my favorite.

"Why didn't you turn on the lights?" he asked with a soft laugh.

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small box. When he opened it, the gentle glow of a moonstone spilled out, illuminating the utter tenderness in his eyes.

"Happy sixth anniversary, my Luna," he murmured. "The main stone is carved from moonstone mined from the Northlight Sacred Mines. There's only one like it in the world. Do you like it?"

I smiled dryly, trying to look touched like I always did, but I couldn't. I lowered my head and let my hair hide my face.

"Thanks… Put it on me?"

Troy leaned over to fasten the necklace around my neck, but I caught a glimpse of a red lipstick mark on the inside of his collar. It stung like a blinding light.

I remembered I had sworn not to bond with anyone, ever. My mother was a witch who hid away and lived with my Beta father. When I was little, they were the perfect couple everyone envied.

However, when Dad grew tired of loyalty and turned to chase another she-wolf's scent, their existing mate bond didn't let them go.

Mom was only over 30 at that time, beautiful and proud, yet the backlash of the betrayal tore her apart. She would curl up, shaking, sobbing, and screaming every night, all because her mate was in the arms of another werewolf.

She collapsed to her knees, digging her nails into her own chest, as if the physical pain could drown out the agony ripping her apart from the inside.

In the end, she killed Dad with her curse, and the blacklash took her life, too. Right before she died, she used the last of her magic to seal away my wolf.

"Forgive me, my darling. Everyone says a mate bond is the Moon Goddess' greatest blessing, but no one says that it's also her cruelest curse."

From that day on, I became the sole werewolf in the pack without a wolf. I watched others bond, mark, kiss, and pledge eternity to each other, but there was nothing but cold indifference in my eyes.

I didn't believe in destiny or love… until I met Troy.

It was the night of the pack's Hunt Festival when the moon hung full and bright. Troy was the newly appointed Alpha. He was young, proud, and devastatingly handsome.

The moment his gaze landed on me, a flash of gold detonated in his eyes. The wolf tattoo on his chest began to flow, and he even let out a low, uncontrollable growl.

"My wolf… He's reacting to you," he had said with a mix of shock and burning hunger, like he had just found his fated mate.

I was stunned. I didn't have a wolf, so I wasn't supposed to trigger anyone's wolf. Yet, somehow, his wolf trembled for me.

Since then, Troy began pursuing me with insane determination. He showed up every day. He hunted with me, brought me flowers, and even challenged another Alpha just because he looked at me too long.

Everyone said he had lost his mind, but he didn't care. During a vampire ambush, he threw himself in front of me and took a blow meant to kill me.

"Estelle… You're the only one my wolf wants," he muttered, his body drenched in blood and his lips shaking.

Yet, through it all, he still tried to smile at me. That was when I finally fell for him.

He prepared the grandest mating ceremony our pack had seen in a century. A silver Luna shawl was draped over my shoulders, and oath-fire blazed against the night sky.

However, the ceremony was cut short by a witch's prophecy. "Six years from now, your Alpha will betray you!"

Back then, I laughed it off. I believed love was a matter of choice, not fate. Now, on the very day I discovered I was carrying his pup, I found that box at our doorstop, proving his infidelity.

Troy's worried voice pulled me back from the memories. "What's wrong, babe? You look pale."

I looked into his eyes, so full of warmth and devotion, but the air around me still felt suffocating. I forced a smile.

"I'm fine," I answered. "Just remembered I haven't fed the silver nightingale yet. It must be starving by now."

Before he could answer, I slipped past him and climbed to the rooftop terrace. The night wind brushed against my face.

Just then, the silver nightingale returned. It perched in its golden cage, speaking in a human voice. "Dear Estelle, I thought you were still lost in Alpha Troy's tender care. What made you decide to inherit your mother's witch legacy?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "He betrayed me."

The silver nightingale's eyes dimmed, and it fell silent for a moment before speaking again. "I've sent word back to the Witch Association. In three days, someone will come for you."

It added, "When the time comes, magic will erase every trace of you from this world. Do you consent?"

"Fine by me," I murmured. "It's not like I have anyone or anything left worth holding on to."

Since the death of my parents, Troy became my only family.

As soon as my words rang into the night, a familiar voice echoed from the staircase. "Who did you say betrayed you, my dear?"

I whirled around, meeting Troy's quizzical gaze. I immediately forced down the panic clawing at my chest and lifted my head with a faint smile.

"Oh, I just remembered how a friend told me about an Alpha who betrayed his Luna. I was warning the silver nightingale not to do the same to me."

He studied my face carefully, as if trying to peel away my expression and uncover a lie beneath it. It was only when he found nothing unusual that he finally relaxed. He pulled me into his arms, fingers threading through my hair.

"I'll never understand those playboys," he said, scoffing. "Betraying your Luna is the same as betraying fate itself—the Moon Goddess will ruin them for it. Don't worry, my Luna. I'll forever stay loyal to you."

His oath echoed in my ears, but that photograph surfaced in my mind. That memory crushed me from the inside out, and my heart ached so sharply I could barely breathe.

I raised my chin and whispered, "And if… I'm just asking hypothetically… If you did betray me?"

He shook his head immediately, possessiveness burning in his eyes. "No way. You're the only gift the Moon Goddess has given me. No one can take you from me."

"And if you did?" I pressed.

He held my gaze, deadly serious. "Then, may the Moon Goddess punish me—may I spend eternity searching and never finding you. You're the other half of my soul. Without you, my life has no meaning."

I smiled and didn't answer him.

Just then, Troy's communication stone flared to life. From the other end came several drunken Alpha voices, laughing loudly.

"Get over here, Troy! We're already at the tavern, just waiting on you!"

Without hesitation, Troy turned him down. "I'm spending my anniversary with Estelle, so nope, I'm not going."

"Come on! You haven't come out in months! If we didn't know better, we'd think your Luna had locked you up!"

"Seriously! Just bring Estelle with you and celebrate at the tavern! It'll be fun!"

Troy frowned and lowered his voice. "She doesn't like noisy places. I'm not going. Nothing is more important than being with her."

He sounded resolute, but the Alphas on the other side refused to give up. They took turns coaxing and teasing, their voices getting louder and more excited.

The back-and-forth dragged on until I finally conceded. "You should go. Don't let me get in the way of your friendships."

He looked genuinely reluctant, burying his face into the crook of my neck and nuzzling softly. "You're coming with me, then. Otherwise, I'm not going."

His friends erupted in laughter on the other end of the communication stone.

"Come on, Luna Estelle! Don't be too harsh on your Alpha! If he keeps staying home, we're going to assume he's turning into a domesticated wolf!"

In the end, I nodded. Only then did Troy finally agree to leave the house.

…

The moment the private room door swung open, the air, thick with smoke, alcohol, and raw pheromones, hit me.

A few Alphas were surrounded by she-wolves, their necks marked with barely hidden bite marks.

I stepped back, and Troy's brows snapped down. The sheer presence of a top-tier Alpha pressed on the room, freezing the air.

The Alphas scrambled, pushing their companions off them, trying to smile it off. "Wow, Luna Estelle is here! Alright, everyone, straighten up now!"

"Everyone, scram! Off you go!"

Once the she-wolves were gone, one of the Alphas clapped Troy on the shoulder with admiration. "Can't deny it—you're a real mate-before-anyone-else man. You don't even glance at another she-wolf. Respect, man."

Troy shrugged off the hand, disdain evident in his voice and face. "I'm a bonded Alpha, and my Luna deserves to feel secure. What do you know, unbonded wolf?"

Laughter and cheers erupted from the crowd, some clapping in approval. He ignored them completely, taking my hand and leading me to the window before covering my eyes.

A touch of frustration crept into his tone. "I wanted to show you this surprise at home, but… Couldn't avoid being dragged out by them. Still, it doesn't matter. Now works just as well."

At his wolf's howl, countless silver fireflies surged from the forest, gathering into a river of light that swirled above us. They danced across the night sky before forming a single line of shimmering words.

"For my one and only, Estelle."

The crowd gasped in awe. "Troy, only you could pull off something this epic! No wonder you got your Luna!"

He wrapped his arm around my waist from behind, his words drifting out with sentiment. "It's been six years, Estelle."

I stared at the glowing words, my mind spinning. It had been six years, indeed.

Six years ago, I was turned from a staunch anti-bonding werewolf into a Luna everyone envied. At the same time, those same years turned the Alpha who once saved my life into a liar who didn't even flinch when he deceived me.

I couldn't keep playing along anymore. "It's late. I should head home first."

Troy wanted to come with me, but a few Alphas grabbed him. "Luna Estelle is too pretty to stay up late, but we haven't hung out together in forever, Troy! Come on, you can't leave yet!"

I pulled my hand from his grasp and said slowly, "The guards will escort me home. You stay."

Before he could argue, I turned and left. Not long after stepping outside, I felt something in my coat pocket—Troy's wallet.

I paused, hesitation pinching my chest, and turned back. As I rounded the corner, I saw his foster sister, Rue Youngblood, entering the tavern.

Rue fixed her hair and tugged her collar lower. I clutched the wallet and followed her. Unsurprisingly, she stopped right outside Troy's private room.

As soon as the door opened, she threw herself into Troy's arms. I stood in a hidden corner, staring at their intertwined figures through the narrow gap in the door.

If he so much as pushed her away, I would turn around and go home, burn the photo, and pretend none of this ever happened.

Yet, he didn't. Instead, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her neatly onto his lap. "You got here fast."

She tilted her head up, smiling sweetly. "I missed you."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, the look in his eyes darkening with desire. "Here, your reward."

Groans and laughter rolled through the room.

"Oh, enough with the PDA!"

"Easy life for you, Troy. Estelle doesn't have a wolf. Therefore, she'll never sense you sneaking around."

Their tone was the same joking, careless teasing they used with me just minutes ago. Only then, it hit me—they all knew about him and Rue, except me.

I never imagined that my sealed wolf would become Troy's biggest loophole in cheating on me. I stood frozen, tears spilling uncontrollably down my face.

A live betrayal hurt far worse than any photograph. My wolf wailed inside me, raw and broken. I turned on my heels, legs nearly giving out beneath me.

The guards noticed my pale face and moved to rush inside to report to Troy, but I stopped them. "Don't tell him I came back."

He had no idea that the secret he wanted most to hide from me was already out in the open, nor did he realize that the Luna he swore he couldn't lose was already planning her escape.

The rain started pouring on my way home. Suddenly, I remembered another rainy night when Rue decided to confess to Troy.

She held out a single rose with trembling fingers, cheeks burning scarlet. "I like you, Troy."

He tore that rose apart in front of everyone, ripping it petal by petal. "I'll only ever have one Luna in this life. Don't have any thoughts you shouldn't have. It disgusts me."

That scene was so deeply etched in my mind that I never again believed the witch's prophecy. Now, those same hands that shredded a rose for me were wrapped around her waist on our sixth anniversary.

I went to the pack infirmary alone, planning to abort the pup. However, the healer handed me an image, showing a tiny outline of my pup.

"Congratulations, Luna! Your pup is developing beautifully," the healer exclaimed. "Look… Here's its hand, and its little foot…"

My hands trembled around the ultrasound photo, and in the end, I couldn't express my desire to abort the pup.

The healer beamed at me. "Luna Estelle, this is wonderful news! Should we inform Alpha Troy?"

"No," I murmured, shaking my head as tears gathered in my eyes. "I want to surprise him."

A surprise, indeed, because I planned to take the pup and leave him.

I stayed the night in the pack infirmary, only returning home around noon the next day. The moment I pushed the door open, the butler nearly collapsed with relief.

"Luna, you're finally back! Alpha Troy has been looking for you like a madman!"

I removed my dew-damp shawl calmly. "What's he looking for me for?"

The butler was caught off guard by my question, stammering, "H-He thought you… left him."

I let out an emotionless laugh. If he loved me with his entire heart, why would he fear my leaving? Only a guilty person would panic like that.

The moment I stepped into the foyer, a thick, overwhelming scent slammed into me. It was the kind of pheromone an Alpha only released when he was spiraling in anxiety.

Shattered glass littered the floor. Deep claw marks raked across the armrest of the couch, as if a storm had torn through the room. Troy was pacing back and forth, restless.

The instant he saw me, he lunged forward and crushed me into his chest so forcefully, like he was trying to fuse me into his bones.

"Where have you been all night, Estelle?" he roared, both relieved and scared. "I looked for you the entire night! I thought… I thought you were never coming back!"

I gently patted his back. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

He buried his face against my mark, his body trembling despite his effort to hold steady. "Promise me that you'll never disappear like that again. You're my life, Estelle. Losing you will be no different than dying."

I lowered my eyes, staying silent. In two more days, he would never find me again, no matter how frantic he became.

I looked at his bloodshot eyes, then turned away to pick up a wrapped box I had prepared earlier. "Don't worry. Here, my anniversary gift for you."

He was taken aback, the panic draining from his face, replaced by a rush of delight. "Estelle, you…"

"A surprise, for you," I said, lifting my eyes to meet his with a smile I struggled to steady.

I added, "But you must promise that you'll only open it in two days."

It was both a gift for Troy and the final offering I would ever give to this six-year-long joke of a bond.

"Alright, I promise you," he answered excitedly, taking the box almost too reverently.

As soon as the words left him, the doorbell started ringing urgently. He set the box down and went to open the door. Standing outside was Rue, her face beaming with a radiant smile.