"Some wolves fade from the mortal plane, leaving their three - year - old cub adrift, while the father vanishes without a trace! And there are those flaunting their new life, plastering their joy across every beacon!"​

Richard nodded, his voice laced with disdain.

"Alpha Lucian Thorne of the Joravia - kin, the wealthiest wolf around. Drowning his mate and cub in luxury. But this poor cub? Her mother bound herself to a worthless coward who's abandoned them both."​

Unbeknownst to them, the Alpha they were slandering was my father.​

I wrenched my arm free from Emily's grasp and stumbled home, my paws bare against the frigid ground. Tears blurred my vision, turning the world into a hazy mess of pain.​

The house loomed ahead, ablaze with light, yet it held no warmth for me.

I activated the moon - linked crystal on my smartwatch and called Dad, praying for an answer.​

The connection rang and rang, each chime a dagger to my heart. Finally, he picked up.​

"Luna Natalie! Rein in your cub! One more disturbance, and I'll sever the Thorne blood - bond with you!"​

Hearing him use Mom's name like that, cold and dismissive, felt like a physical blow, shattering what little hope I had left.

Dad remained oblivious that Mom had ascended to join the constellations of fallen wolves.​

"Uncle, they said Mom crossed the Veil. The shadow - cloaked ones took her away in their midnight chariot..." I choked out, my voice trembling.​

The line crackled with static as Dad froze at the title. "Luna Natalie, what dark sorcery are you conjuring? Using our cub as a pawn in your desperate bid for my return?"​

I could almost feel his disbelief . "You think leaving the seal loose fools me? This is just another ploy to draw me back early."​

His words tumbled out in a rush, the urgency of his vow evident.

"A thousand times over, I've sworn my soul to yours! I'd face the eternal void for you! But every wolf must complete their lunar - bound quest. One cycle of the moons is all I ask!"​

"Once my task is fulfilled, I'll reforge our bond. With only seven waning moons left, can't you hold on a little longer?"​

Before I could utter another word, the connection severed, leaving me in stunned silence. I never got the chance to tell him Vanessa had sealed the fate - woven suitcase shut, or that Mom's spirit had already joined the celestial pack.​

In a desperate plea for escape, I reached out to Uncle Mark. He was deep in negotiations with distant packs.​

Just as I was ending the call, Grandma burst through the door, her eyes wild with a mother's fury. "Chloe, my precious cub, where do you think you're going? That traitor - mate of yours will pay for what he's done!"​

I clung to her sleeve, tears soaking through the fabric. "He has a new pup now, Grandma. He's not my dad anymore. I want to be with Uncle Mark."​

Grandma's knees buckled at my words, and she caught me in a vice - like embrace, her sobs echoing the breaking of her own heart.​

Grandma shrouded the house in moon - bleached silk.

Mom's visage, painstakingly cut from a blood - moon - blessed bond proof, hung in the center, her eyes eerily lifelike as if watching over the silent vigil.

While Dad's countless images with Vanessa, captured under the auspices of forbidden lunar rites, plastered every beacon.​

For six long nights, Dad ignored the calls, his absence a yawning void.

On the seventh, Grandma, driven by a mother's fury and a grandmother's despair, dragged me through the howling wind to the pack gathering place.​

"Where is Alpha Lucian?" she demanded,.​

One of his so - called friends cowered under her gaze.

"He and Vanessa are in Shalandra - pack, performing the Blood - Moon Vows."​

Grandma's knees buckled, her wolf form flickering in and out of sight.

"That traitor! His mate's spirit has joined the celestial , and he desecrates her memory with a false bond!"​

She turned to me, her hands trembling.

"Chloe, my son has broken the sacred bond. I failed to teach him the ways of loyalty. It is my sin."​

I held her close, my own grief mingling with determination. "Mom sacrificed her experiments for the bond. I will take her essence to Uncle Mark. When I come of age, I will complete her work under the watchful eyes of the moon goddesses."​

Grandma's sobs echoed through the empty park. "You are the true heart of the Thornes, Chloe. Your mother would be proud."​

The night before Uncle Mark's arrival, Dad returned, his arm around Vanessa.

Her belly, swollen with the fruit of a forbidden union. Without a care for the sacred space, he pinned her to the couch.​

"Easy, Alpha," Vanessa cooed, her voice a sickening mockery of the love Mom and Dad once shared. "Our pup is precious."​

I flipped on the lights, the sudden brightness illuminating the room's solemn decor. Vanessa's eyes widened in horror at the sight of Mom's image. She let out a blood - curdling scream and hid behind Dad.​

Dad's face contorted with rage.

He snatched the crystal - framed image from my hands and shattered it on the floor, stomping on the pieces. "Natalie! Show yourself! This display of jealousy is beneath you! Using our cub in your petty games? You forget I am bound by lunar oaths!"

"I can't believe you're still acting! You dragged my mom into this, made a scene at the park, and now you've turned the house into a circus! What, you want a funeral that bad? Why don't you just drop dead for real?"

His rage scared me, and I started to sob.

"Uncle, Mom's already gone. She's not upstairs."

His eyes turned cold, and he slapped me hard across the face. It burned like fire.

"Luna Natalie! Get out here and see the great pup you raised! Instead of teaching her right, you've got her playing your sneaky little games!"

"If you don't show yourself, I'll have to teach her a lesson for you!"

Silence answered him.

That she-wolf watched, smirking, as Dad's pride took a hit. He grabbed a broom and snapped it in half.

The stick was as thick as my arm.

I begged, "Uncle, I'm scared..."

Dad's face darkened, seeing me tremble. "Don't play innocent! You and your mom lied to trick me. You're so manipulative at your age-if I don't straighten you out, I'm not your father!"

The stick came down with a thud, splitting my skin.

I screamed as it swelled red.

Dad's voice echoed through the house, venomous.

"Luna Natalie! Get out here now!"

I crawled up, gasping, "Mom... she's already gone... that awful she-wolf did it..."

Dad froze for a second, then hit me even harder, cursing. "Still lying? Still lying? This is what Luna Natalie taught you, huh? Ignoring everything I say!"

"We're one day away from me coming back to the family, and you can't even wait that long? All Vanessa wanted was to have my pup, and you're framing her for murder? You're heartless!"

I collapsed, beaten to the floor. Dad frowned and tossed the stick aside.

"Worthless! Kneel right there! You don't get up until your vicious mom admits she's wrong!"

I shook my head, pointing to the shrine on the table. "But Mom's already gone, Uncle! Why won't you believe me?"

"That little wooden box on the table-it's got Mom inside!"

Before I could finish, that awful she-wolf clutched her belly and stumbled, falling to the floor. Her hand landed on some broken glass, cutting a small gash.

She winced, looking pitiful.

"Alpha Lucian... my stomach hurts so bad... our baby... save our baby!"

Dad scooped her up, stepping over me, and frantically called the family healer.

Not long after, he stormed back, grabbed me by the arm, and dragged me to a chair in the room.

I overheard him talking to the healer.

"My daughter's got that rare panda blood type-HR something. Take her blood. Vanessa's baby can't die!"

The healer hesitated.

"But Chloe's got a heart condition, and she's only five! Drawing her blood could kill her!"

Dad's voice was ice-cold. "Shut up. Just make sure Vanessa's baby is safe."

A needle as thick as my arm stabbed into me. The pain made my eyes water.

Dad's grip was so strong. I stopped fighting.

Mom lied to me. Dad doesn't love me at all.

She used to tell me how, when she was pregnant with me, they got in a car accident. Dad got hurt saving her. When the healers said she might not make it, Dad swore he'd do anything as long as I was born safe.

But now, he's hurting me himself.

"Chloe, shh, it's okay. It doesn't hurt..." Dad's voice was soft for once, trying to calm me.

I pressed my lips together, too weak to speak. After they took one vial of blood, I felt dizzy, sweating buckets.

Then that she-wolf screamed and passed out.

Dad grabbed another syringe and barked at the healer, "Hurry-take another vial!"

The healer's hands shook, looking at my purple lips. "If you keep this up, Chloe could die! And Natalie-she adored this pup. If she knew..."

Dad cut him off, hesitating only for a second. "If anything happens, I'll deal with Luna Natalie. Just do it! That's Chloe's little brother in there-she's gotta save him!"

After two vials, I was done for. I tried to stand but collapsed with a thud.

Dad's face flickered with panic.

He started to help me up, but then that she-wolf woke up and whimpered.

His eyes snapped away from me.

Everything went black. I thought I was dying.

If I die, will I see Mom again?