After he finished speaking, Zael led Moira and their pup upstairs without offering me a single glance. My head felt heavy from the freezing rain, so after a hot wash, I went straight to my furs.

I was not sure how long I had slept, but my throat felt as if it had been cut by a silver blade.

"Zael," I called out several times, but my voice was weak. All I could hear was the sound of someone telling a tale in the next room.

"Zael, Aelin has your spirit," Moira said with a joyful hum. "Even when she is troubled, she mimics your strength and tries to soothe me."

"Of course," Zael replied with pride in his voice. "She is of my blood. It is good that she is protective, so she can guard you even when I am away from the pack."

Even through the stone wall, I could imagine the triumphant smile on Moira’s face.

Zael gently stroked Aelin’s hair. "Now, close your eyes. I will tell you and your mother a legend of the ancient stars."

After the sounds of settling, Zael’s soft voice drifted through. "In a land before time, there lived a Great King and a Moon Queen."

Staring at the dark ceiling, I could only manage a bitter smile. Zael and I had been bonded for three years, but he and Moira looked like the true Alpha and Luna, sharing sweet dreams with their three-year old pup.

I tried to sit up to reach my water basin, but I accidentally knocked over a crystal frame on the side table. The glass shattered and the image of Zael and me was torn.

I climbed out of bed to gather the pieces, but the room was too dark and I stepped onto a sharp shard. Fighting the sting, I limped to the wall torch, cleaned the mess and poured my water.

The whole time, the sound of Zael’s gentle storytelling continued from the room next door.

As I bandaged my foot and crawled back into bed, a memory hit me. Long ago, I had been caught in a light spring rain, yet Zael had canceled all pack meetings to stay by my side for a week, terrified I might catch a chill.

Back then, he had whispered, "Aletta, do not fear, I am here with you. Because you are suffering, my own heart hurts more than yours."

But now, after I had walked through a freezing storm to reach my home, he gave the warm tonic to Moira instead. As soon as I closed my eyes, silent tears fell onto my pillow.

The next morning, loud laughter from the great hall woke me. I opened the chamber door and saw Moira chatting happily with Zael’s mother, Elowen.

Before I could speak, Moira spotted me. She gave me a smug look, then spoke sweetly to my mother-in-law. "Great Mother, do not worry. Zael is only letting us stay in the villa for a few sun-cycles because of Aelin’s heart. Once the healing is done, we will depart. I do not want Aletta to be angry."

Elowen held Aelin in her arms and said coldly, "Why should she be angry? She has been bonded for three years and has produced no heirs. Our little Aelin is the pride of the pack. Call me Grandmother."

Aelin looked up and chirped, "Grandmother."

"Ah!" Elowen’s face beamed with delight. She patted Moira’s hand. "Moira, one daughter is not enough for our lineage. Once you give Zael a son, I will see to it that he makes you his official Luna!"

Moira’s face turned red at once. For a moment, I felt a wave of sickness wash over me.

Just as I turned to retreat into my room, I heard Elowen snap, "Stay right there!"

In the next heartbeat, two pack sentinels appeared and gripped my wrists, holding me fast.

"Time has passed and you have grown disrespectful! You do not even come down to serve me tea? You two, drag her down here."

Right after she spoke, the men grabbed my arms and forced me down from the second floor. I struggled against them, but their wolf strength was too much.

Seeing me humbled, my mother-in-law said with a haughty air, "Go and prepare me a cup of tea with water heated to exactly 99 degrees."

I stood perfectly still, acting as if I had not heard her.

Seeing this, Moira spoke up softly, "Great Mother, let me do it. I am used to performing such humble tasks."

Elowen took Moira’s hand and said, "You are the future Luna of the Stormridge Pack. How could you do such servant work? Let her do it."

I watched them play their roles. Moira tried to walk away, but my cold stare made her falter. She looked annoyed.

"What use is she to us? She cannot provide pups and now she refuses to serve. You two, lock her in the cellar. I do not wish to see her face!"

The two sentinels gripped my shoulders, moving to take me away. Just then, Zael stepped out of the study, his brow furrowed in a frown.

"Mother, that is enough!"

Zael glared at his mother with fire in his eyes. "Enough! Aletta is my bonded mate. How can you speak of locking her away like a common rogue?"

His mother stared at him with wide eyes. "Zael, are you truly defending this outsider over your own blood? Am I wrong? You and Aletta have been mated for three seasons and she has given the pack no heirs. Even a common bird can hatch an egg, yet she is more useless than a hen!"

Zael shouted back, "That is because..."

He stopped himself, but I knew the rest. I knew it was because he and Moira had sacrificed my pup.

"No matter the reason, you will not treat her this way."

He walked toward me and tried to take my hand. I pulled back from his touch. "Since you desire a female who can produce a litter so easily, you should have marked one from the beginning!"

I turned my back on Elowen and headed back up to the chambers. Zael hesitated, then moved to follow me. Just as his foot hit the first step, Aelin let out a sharp cry of agony.

Moira quickly pulled the pup into her embrace, her face pale with terror. "Aelin, what is wrong? Is your heart failing again?"

"Zael, I think Aletta’s anger has frightened her. Please, come and check her pulse!"

Zael turned instantly and ran to them, his eyes filled with fear as he looked at the pup. He reached for his communication stone to summon the pack healer.

Moira looked up with fake concern. "But if you do not follow Aletta, will she not be furious?"

Zael growled softly. "She spoke to my mother with such disrespect. What right does she have to be angry? Ignore her."

I had seen it with my own eyes from the shadows of the stairs. When Zael turned to chase me, Moira had secretly pinched the pup’s arm. The cry was not from a failing heart. But even if I screamed the truth, he would never believe my words over her tears.

Standing on the landing, I saw the deep love in Zael’s eyes as he looked at Aelin. Back in our bedroom, I closed the door and began to throw away every gift and token related to him. He had already destroyed every memory of our three years together. I no longer wanted a male like him.

Just as I finished clearing the shelves, Zael pushed open the door. Seeing the empty room, he looked confused. "Aletta, what happened to your belongings?"

I shook my head, my voice flat. "Nothing. Just things that no longer have value."

Zael did not seem to care about my pain. He simply nodded. "Go down to the hall and apologize to my mother. I have prepared the tea myself. You only need to present it to her."

Without waiting for an answer, he led me downstairs and pushed me toward the table. I looked at the steaming cup and, despite the burning heat, I picked it up.

As I reached toward my mother in-law, Moira stepped in my way.

"Aletta, please, let me handle this task for you."

Moira looked at me with a triumphant grin, though she acted as if she were being helpful. I felt a surge of rage. "Get away from me!"

As her hand reached for the cup, I swung my arm to push her back. But she gripped the ceramic tight and fought me for it. The cup shattered on the floor and Moira let out a piercing scream.

"Zael, my arm is burned!"

Her eyes filled with tears instantly as she showed him her trembling arm. Even though there was not a single red mark on her skin, Zael’s eyes burned with fury and protectiveness.

"Aletta, you have crossed the line! Moira was only trying to assist you and you attacked her!"

His voice shook the room and then he raised his hand and struck me across the face.

Seeing my fall, Elowen laughed with joy. "Zael, I warned you this woman should be caged. Otherwise, she would bring shame and harm to this house. Now look at the truth!"

She pointed to the same two sentinels. "You two, lock her away! Do not let her harm my daughter in law again."

The men grabbed my arms and began to drag me toward the dark storage cellar beneath the house. This time, Zael said nothing to protect me.

Looking at him with a heart full of disbelief, I whispered, "Zael, you know I fear the darkness. Are you truly letting her imprison me there?"

He hesitated for a heartbeat, then looked at me with cold eyes. "You should not have struck Moira. You know how much she means to my soul. Aletta, this is a small lesson to keep you from doing something worse."

The heavy wooden door slammed shut and the cellar went pitch black. I pounded on the wood in a panic and screamed, "Zael, let me out!"

One breath passed. Then another. Then a third. Everything remained silent.

I stumbled back and curled into a corner, feeling completely alone. With my head buried in my knees, I remembered the night Zael found out I feared the dark and how he promised he would never leave me alone in the shadows again.

But this time, he knew my fear. And still, for the sake of Moira, he locked me away. As the tears fell, the bond in my heart finally snapped.

When I opened my eyes, I was back on the soft furs of my own bed. Turning my head, I saw Zael resting beside me.

Noticing I was awake, he opened his eyes and pulled me into his embrace. His voice was thick with guilt. "Aletta, you have returned to us. Do you wish to rest for a few more hours?"

Feeling the warmth of his chest, a sharp pain pierced my heart and I pushed him away.

"Zael, why do you continue this play?"

He went still for a moment, then whispered, "I am sorry. I believed Mother was only trying to frighten you. I did not think those two sentinels would truly lock you in the stone cellar."

"Mother went too far this time, but you must remember that you were the one who harmed Moira."

Even now, he was weaving excuses. I looked down and let out a cold, hollow laugh. "If you had not given the command, would they have ever dared to imprison your Luna?"

I paused, then added, "Since your mother already treats Moira like the true Luna of this pack, why do I not simply leave? Then you and Moira can be together and your mother will not have to suffer the sight of me."

With those words, I stood up to walk away.

Zael quickly lunged forward and pulled me into a tight hug, his voice trembling. "Aletta, after three years of being bonded, I will never let you go."

"Are you still pained because of Moira? I will tell her to leave the territory. I will not look upon her face again."

Such words might have fooled a young wolf, but I would not fall for his lies again.

I shoved him off me. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Moira suddenly threw open the chamber door.

She froze, her eyes wide with shock. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she looked at Zael.

"There is no need to exile me. I will take Aelin and leave these lands right now."

With that, she turned and fled. Zael looked panicked and leaped from the bed to chase after her, not even sparing me a second glance.

Watching him run down the stone hallway, I could not help but follow.

Moira stood on the high balcony of the second floor, looking down at the deep water of the stone pool below. Her eyes were red with false grief as she gazed at Zael.

"Zael, if even you do not want me anymore, I shall simply return my soul to the Moon. I know you and Aletta are the true mates, but I cannot stop the jealousy in my heart."

"Please protect Aelin after I am gone. And do not try to stop my fall."

She moved toward the edge of the railing.

Zael rushed forward and pulled Moira into a fierce embrace, his eyes full of agony.

"I am sorry. It was my failing. I should never have said those things. The one I truly love is you. We still have our pup. If you jump, what will become of her? What will become of me?"

He looked at Moira with deep devotion. Watching their little drama unfold, I stepped out from the shadows and slowly clapped my hands.

The moment Zael saw me, his face turned to stone.

He opened his mouth, then finally said with great effort, "Aletta, I will explain everything tonight, do you understand?"

I shook my head and looked at him with a calm heart. "No need, Zael. I will depart on my own soon. I will no longer stand in the way of your great love."

I turned to walk away, but Zael reached out to seize me.

Before he could touch me, Moira stepped between us.

"Aletta, please do not leave Zael because of my presence. This is all my fault. I should not have brought the pup here and I should not have grown so close to your mate. I am the one who must go."

Seeing Moira’s fake sorrow made me feel physically ill.

I said coldly, "Are you finished? if you are, then move out of my path."

But instead of stepping aside, Moira grabbed my arm. "Aletta, you and Zael must remain well. That way, my heart will be at peace even if I leave the pack..."

I gave her a mocking smile and pulled my arm free from her grasp.

But in the next heartbeat, Moira screamed, threw up her arm and fell backward toward the edge.

Zael, looking terrified, pushed me aside with all his strength and rushed to catch her.

He held her tightly by the waist, his voice full of relief. "Thank the Moon you are safe. I would have never forgiven myself if something happened to you."

But he did not see that his push had sent me over the edge. I fell from the second floor balcony and crashed into the cold water of the pool below.