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?