The silence that followed Raiden's words was deafening.

His accusation hung in the air like a gathering storm, thick with an Alpha pressure. It pressed on my lungs until it hurt to breathe.

I stared at him and my heart splintered beneath the weight of a blame I didn't deserve. After everything he had done, every humiliation, every betrayal of our bond, he still saw me as the problem.

I swallowed the howl rising in my throat. "You speak truth, Raiden."

My voice, my body, every shard of me quivered with pain and exhaustion.

"I've crossed the line … so far in loving an Alpha who was never worthy of the bond. I'm done. I want to sever our bond."

When I stated those words, his mouth dropped and his eyes widened. His expression briefly changed from shock to rage.

"Sever the bond?" he spat in disbelief. "You're being ridiculous."

I kept my eyes on him. Even though tears were on the verge of spilling, I was strengthening myself. "I've never been more serious."

Raiden's jaw hardened, his fists clenched at his sides. Without another exchange, he spun and stormed out.

Kaia, who had been observing the turmoil with barely concealed triumph, lingered momentarily. She stepped closer. There was that familiar smug smile playing on her lips.

"Sever the bond?" she purred with feigned compassion. "I suppose it was unavoidable. But don't worry, Freya. I will tend to your Alpha. Better than you ever could."

Her remarks were painful, but I declined to give her the satisfaction of a reply.

Instead, I turned away, fixing my attention on the untouched elixir before me. Its heat had long since dissipated.

Minutes after their departure, I finally gathered my belongings and exited the place.

The evening air brushed my face, but it did nothing to steady the whirlwind inside me. My chest ached relentlessly. Now, the world around me felt blurred and distant.

Raiden's voice echoed in my mind as I crossed the cobbled road. I was too consumed by my own thoughts to notice the deafening roars.

Everything seemed to slow down at that moment.

A swirl of dust blinded my eyes. Instantly, panic surged through my veins.

Yet my body froze, unable to move, as the carriage sped toward me.

But out of nowhere, a firm hand grabbed my arm and yanked me back onto the sidewalk.

I stumbled, my ears filled with the frantic drumming of my heart. When I looked up, I saw a face I recognized.

"Freya. Are you harmed?"

It was Rowan, the leader of the Red Moon pack earlier. His brow was furrowed with concern as he steadied me.

"I … I didn't see it," I stammered.

"You were distracted," he replied. Then he guided me to a nearby bench. "You could've been seriously hurt."

I nodded, the shock leaving my legs useless. My legs felt weak, like newborn wolf-cubs' and I was grateful for his presence as I slumped onto the bench.

He crouched before me. "Allow me to escort you to your den. You're in no condition to be walking around alone."

I wavered, embarrassed by my lapse but too distressed to decline the offer. "I … very well. I thank you."

He directed me to the neighboring location where his carriage was, then helped me inside.

The journey was quiet at first. After a few moments, Rowan glanced my way. "Forgive the intrusion into your affairs, but … what's your relationship with Raiden Thatcher?"

The inquiry caught me off guard. I looked down at my hands, my fingers tightly interlaced. "It's … complicated," I almost whispered.

He nodded. "Alright then. I won't press."

Silence fell between us once more.

As we neared my dwelling, I turned to voice my gratitude. "I appreciate the escort, Rowan. And I apologize again for today's disruptions."

He shook his head, dismissing my apology. "No apology needed, Freya. You held your ground well, especially under those circumstances."

His words were unexpected. For an instant, I felt acknowledged, truly seen, in a way I had not been in cycles.

He stepped out and opened the door for me. "And regarding the pact you proposed earlier," he added with a slight smile. "I have chosen to proceed with your firm's proposal. I sense we will form a formidable alliance."

I froze, caught off guard. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely." His gaze held mine firmly. "My beta will finalize the scrolls tomorrow. I have a feeling we'll be working closely together from now on."

I could still catch the sharp scent of herb clinging to my skin even after I'd changed back into my clothes. I ran a hand over my face as I stepped out of the Healer Sanctum. The healer's verdict echoed in the hollows of my mind.

"This is spirit-drawn depletion. You need to rest, eat properly and take care of yourself."

I'd nodded, but we both knew rest wasn't something I could claim right now. My life was unraveling like a frayed bond-thread and stopping to patch it seemed impossible.

By the time I reached my den, exhaustion was a stone lodged in every muscle. My legs felt heavy, my arms were weak and my head pounded from the lingering dizziness. I gripped the doorknob for a second before turning it, bracing myself for whatever awaited me inside.

What I did not expect was to find my personal nightmare standing in the heart of my kitchen, Kaia.

At that time, she used my handkerchief as a napkin for his dirty hands. She also acted as if she owned the place.

She hummed a cheerful melody as she stirred something in a pan, moving around the room as if she lived there. The scent of honeyed meat instantly filled the air, but instead of being consoling, it was sickening.

Raiden stood beside her. He was leaning against the stone bar while looking as comfortable as ever. My gaze locked on the familiar cloth around his waist.

Our old bonding handkerchief, a foolish thing we'd claimed together during the last moon gathering. Something that once held meaning; something we used to joke about. Now, seeing him using it while standing next to her made my stomach churn.

They hadn't noticed me yet. For a moment, I considered leaving. So, I turned around and pretended I hadn't walked into this mock-den setup they'd created.

Still, something inside me snapped. My satchel hit the floor with a heavy thud and the noise shattered the cozy illusion they had built.

Finally, their heads lifted.

Raiden shook his head after giving me a fleeting glance. "You look awful."

My mouth fell open slightly as raw disbelief surged through me. That was the first thing he had to say? Not, 'Where have you been?' Not, 'Are you unharmed?'

Just another complaint and another cut.

Kaia turned with a practiced look of concern, though the smirk tugging her lips betrayed her. "Freya! You're finally back. We were just talking about you."

I clenched my jaw as I resisted the urge to snap at her. "I can tell."

Raiden sighed and set down his Moonbrew. "You didn't mention going anywhere."

I folded my arms tightly. "I was unaware I required your leave."

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't push. He likely assumed I'd been off brooding somewhere—unaware I'd spent the night under a healer's care, drained and lightheaded because of the near-death experience that I had yesterday.

Kaia wiped her hands on my handkerchief and flashed a bright smile. "We were just making breakfast. Thought I'd do something sweet."

"In my kitchen?" I asked coldly. "Using my handkerchief?"

She glanced down and let out a light laugh. "Oh, this? I just grabbed the first thing I saw. Hope you don't mind."

Mind? I wanted to tear it off her and toss it into the firepit.

Raiden groaned, as though my presence was the problem. "Freya, don't start. She's trying to be nice."

I scoffed, my gaze cutting between them. "You really don't see how this looks, do you?"

Kaia suddenly clapped her hands together. "Oh! That reminds me. Freya, you must come to my moon-birth celebration next week."

I stared at her. "What?"

She nodded. She was all too pleased with herself. "I insist. It'll be a great night. We'll celebrate, have a few drinks and just enjoy ourselves. Right, Raiden?"

He barely looked at me before taking another sip of his moon brew. "It's up to you."

Up to me? As if my decision mattered at all.

I should have refused. Should have told her precisely where she could bury her false invitation.

But something in her smug gaze, the self-satisfied glint in her wolf-bright eyes, gave me pause. She wanted me to refuse. Wanted me to howl my outrage and run, proving once more that I had no place in this picture they were painting.

So I offered a thin, tight smile. "Very well. I will come."

Kaia's expression flickered for the briefest moment before she recovered. "Perfect."

Raiden took a quick look at me. I couldn't figure out what was on his mind, but he said nothing. He had absolutely no idea what he had just agreed to, nor did Kaia.

But I did. Because I was already done playing their game.

The night of Kaia's moon-birth celebration arrived as if it were inevitable. The invitation had been delivered with the politeness of the Silvercrest pack, but I understood its true purpose.

It was a calculated display. An opportunity for Kaia to flaunt her triumph, while I was expected to sit quietly and pretend to admire her.

Too bad, I would not grant her the satisfaction of fleeing.

Dressed in a sleek black moon-silk gown that hugged my figure just enough to radiate confidence, I stepped into the celebration hall. It was a grand, dimly lit chamber filled with floating crystal lanterns and the clinking of silver goblets.

The air carried the scent of rare night-flowers and murmured conversations from the elite wolves of various territories. I slipped through the crowd while keeping my face straight.

It didn't take long to find Raiden.

He was seated in the Alpha's circle with Kaia curled against his side. Her fingers lazily traced patterns along his thigh.

They seemed far too relaxed, portraying the perfect image of a powerful pair that the packs were meant to admire.

For a heartbeat, I thought to avoided them and left before the night twisted itself into another public humiliation, but then Kaia's gaze found mine.

Her lips curved into a sickly-sweet smile and I knew I had made the right decision by coming.

"Freya! You actually came." Her voice dripped with honey as she unwrapped herself from Raiden and glided toward me. Her dress shimmered with tiny sewn-in moonstones.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it," I responded smoothly, matching her false warmth with a composed smile of my own.

Her gaze swept over me, seemingly searching for a crack in my composure. Finding none, she simply gave a light laugh and linked her arm with mine. "Come, let's get you a drink. It's a celebration, after all."

I let her guide me to the stone bar, where she handed me a glass of sparkling Elderberry wine. She watched as I took a small sip.

The liquor warmed my throat, but my attention drifted to Raiden. He was still staring at me as though my presence unsettled him. He hadn't believed I would dare show up.

Good.

As the night deepened, Kaia basked in the pack's admiration. She played the gracious future-Luna perfectly. She even laughed prettily at the right moments, touched Raiden often enough to remind every wolf watching that he was hers and made sure I witnessed all of it.

However, I had my own role to play.

I moved through the crowd, smiled and exchanged courteous words with elders, warriors and nobles who had once known me as Raiden's chosen mate.

I made sure my presence was noted and that my name was still spoken among them. A reminder that I was not some broken she-wolf, forgotten in the lesser territories.

Then came the sweets.

A towering confection shaped like a moon spire was wheeled in, greeted by applause and enchanted crystal flashes. Kaia, as the star of the night, stepped forward with a coy smile. She raised her glass, waiting for silence.

"I give thanks to the pack for sharing this moon with me," she began with her perfected charm. "It's been an incredible cycle for me. I'm blessed with loyal allies and …" She turned, placing a hand over Raiden's heart before continuing, "a fated bond."

The hall echoed with approving growls and raised cups. I stood silent, watching her savor the moment.

"But before the sweets are shared, I have one more blessing to ask of the moon."

A curious murmur rippled through the pack. Kaia tilted her head and locked her eyes with mine. "This year has gifted me so much. Love, standing and soon, a strong pup to carry our bloodline." She rested a hand low on her belly, a small yet unmistakable gesture. "So, my moon-wish is for Freya to find that kind of happiness, too. For her to finally have a pup of her own."

A ripple of gasps swept through the hall. My stomach churned, but my face stayed calm.

She had done it; she had humiliated me before the entire alliance and twisted my greatest wound into a pretty joke at her moonlit celebration.

The whispers flared instantly.

Everyone knew about my supposed infertility, how Raiden and I had fought for so long to conceive. So when Kaia used that very wound against me, it cut straight through the last of my dignity.

I could feel their eyes on me, their unspoken pity hanging in the air. But what Kaia didn't know, what none of them knew, was that the laugh had never been meant for me.

I set my goblet down on a stone ledge and took one step forward. My lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. "Oh, I will, Kaia."

Her smug look faltered, just for a flicker. "What?"

"I will," I repeated, keeping my voice light, almost mocking, letting the words leave my tongue with a lethal calm that felt immensely satisfying.

Why? Because I knew the truth.

Just hours earlier, after leaving the Healer Sanctum following my physical examination, I had learned what Raiden and I had never considered during all our years of trying.

It was never me. He was the barren one.

The knowledge settled like a heavy stone in my chest, but I held steady. The hall continued to watch me, hungry for more. Still, I offered nothing else.

I simply smiled.

Kaia blinked at me. Her mind was surely racing, but she had no idea what was running through mine.

The moment of tension stretched between us. Then, the silence was shattered as the crowd began to cheer, urging her to finish her moon wish.

Later, the celebration continued.