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.

The moment Troy saw Rue, his brows drew tightly together. "What are you doing here?"

She ignored him, instead walking straight up to me with a triumphant smile. "Luna Estelle, did you enjoy yourself at the tavern last night? The firefly surprise Troy prepared was so romantic…"

She paused, glinting with mischief. "Too bad you left early. There was something even better afterward than the fireflies."

Troy's expression darkened immediately. He grabbed Rue's wrist and almost dragged her out by force. "Estelle, she probably needs me for something urgent. We'll step outside—you should rest!"

The door slammed shut, cutting them off from view. I walked to the window and saw them struggling in the yard below. They were far enough that their voices were muffled.

I whistled softly. My silver nightingale flew up to my shoulder, repeating the exact words Rue and Troy were saying.

He yanked his hand away from her, his whole body radiating anger. "Are you insane? Who told you to come here and start such nonsense? If Estelle finds out anything, I'm never going to forgive you!"

Rue wasn't scared at all. She pulled a piece of paper out of her bag and handed it to him. "I know I shouldn't have come, but this is from the pack's healer. I'm carrying your pup, Alpha.

"The healer said the pup's been unstable lately. I'm terrified. Will our pup be okay?"

I froze for a moment. Rue was carrying Troy's pup, too. Without thinking, I rested my hand on my own belly.

The news of our expecting pup was actually my anniversary surprise for him, but now, before I even got the chance to tell him, Rue beat me to it with her very own surprise.

The shock was evident on his face. They had always been careful with protection. How could this have happened?

Then, after reading the diagnosis, a smile broke through his shock. "Don't panic. Just… take care of yourself for now. I'll take you to the sanctum now and have the head healer check on you. No heir of the pack is going to be harmed."

Rue finally laughed through tears. Troy gently stroked her hair and let go.

As he turned to head back inside, I stepped away from the window and sank back onto the couch. Then, he pushed the door open, wearing just the right amount of apologetic expression.

"My dear, there's an emergency at the pack border. They need my help. I have to go immediately."

I smiled and nodded. Seeing no sign of worry on my face, he leaned in to press a quick kiss to my forehead before rushing off. No sooner had he left than I got several messages from Rue.

"Did you get the gift I sent, Estelle? Like it?"

"I'm already carrying the Alpha's pup. He'll be the next Alpha of the pack. Why are you still trying to claim the Luna's place?"

"If you have any bit of self-respect, you'll back off."

I replied calmly, "Congrats. Looks like your wish is about to come true."

Troy was gone for two full days. During that time, he never stopped checking in, sending messages full of concern, but he never came back.

I replied "Okay" to every single message, keeping my cool, as if I wasn't packing up everything in the house that was mine.

On the third morning, the silver nightingale called three times, signalling that the person coming for me had arrived. I grabbed the suitcase I had packed long ago and took one last look around the house.

Then, I sent a message to Troy. "Two days are up. You can finally look at the anniversary gift I gave you."

He replied almost instantly, "I'll be back soon, babe. We'll open it together."

I smiled bitterly, thinking, "Together? No, Troy, there won't be a 'we' in the future. It'll just be you for the rest of your life."

Later, I forwarded all the taunting messages Rue had sent me to him. With my suitcase in hand, I walked out the door without looking back.