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.

The freezing water of the pool rushed into my nose and lungs, choking me instantly. I flailed my arms against the surface and shouted toward the balcony above.

"Zael! Help me!"

I saw Zael rush down the stone stairs in a panic, but he stopped at the very edge of the water. Instead of reaching for me, he pulled Moira into his arms.

"You have suffered enough because of Aletta. Now it is her turn to be taught a lesson by the spirits."

He looked down at me as I struggled. My eyes were full of despair, but he did not move a muscle. I stared at him in shock as my heart sank deeper than my body. Soon, everything went dark as I grew weaker from the lack of air.

Right before I lost consciousness, Zael finally shed his heavy coat, jumped in and pulled me onto the stone. His eyes were like ice. "Aletta, this is just a small warning. If you ever strike Moira again, I do not know what my wolf will do to you."

When I woke up, the sound of loud arguing from the great hall pulled me back to the world. I opened the chamber door and saw Zael and Moira in a heated clash. Moira held a travel bag in one hand and gripped Aelin’s arm with the other, pretending to be on the verge of tears.

"Zael, let go of me. Instead of waiting for Aletta to exile us from the pack, I would rather take our pup and leave this territory now."

With those words, she shook off Zael’s hand and turned toward the door. Zael’s eyes were full of pity and agony. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Moira’s waist.

"No, as long as I am the Alpha here, no one will dare chase you away. You and Aelin can stay in this den forever. What happened yesterday was Aletta’s failure. I have already punished her. She will not touch you again."

I slowly walked down the stairs, glaring at Moira with a cold smile.

"If you truly wanted to leave these lands, you would not have waited until today. You should have fled last night while Zael was deep in sleep."

Seeing Zael hesitate at my words, Moira bit her lip and suddenly dropped to her knees on the cold floor.

"Aletta, all of this is my fault. I should not have come between you and your mate. If you two can find peace, I will go."

She stood up and opened the heavy villa door. She was about to walk out when Zael grabbed her arm and roared, "Enough!"

He turned to me, his eyes burning with rage. "Aletta, do you not think this pack is chaotic enough? Moira has never done anything to harm your soul, so why do you keep hunting her?"

His voice was thick with disappointment. "Aletta, we have been bonded for three years. When did you become such a jealous creature? I barely recognize the wolf you have become."

I lowered my head and sneered, stepping closer to him. "You do not recognize me because your heart was never mine to hold. All you care about is Moira."

"Since you have chosen to let her stay in my home, I will go."

Everything in the villa was covered in Zael’s scent. I did not want any of it anymore, so I left every possession behind. As I stepped out into the air, Zael’s angry voice followed me.

"Aletta, there is a limit to my patience. If you walk out of these gates today, do not bother returning to this pack!"

I did not turn around. I simply whispered to myself that I would never come back. After leaving the villa, I took out my crystal communicator and sent a message to the Shadow Alpha.

[When will the heart source be found?]

The reply came quickly. [We have news. Just wait two more days.]

In two days, I would be able to leave this territory for good.