I bore the pack’s punishment for Damian for ten long years, enduring scars that would never fade. When I returned to the Silver Crescent Pack, he had just been elevated to the position of Alpha King, a title that brought him both power and prestige.

To celebrate, he distributed small, ornate pouches to the pack members. Inside each was a single strand of his hair, a token of his newfound authority. I was puzzled but brushed it aside, joining the others in congratulating him on his ascension.

That evening, however, whispers reached my ears—whispers of Damian and Milana’s union. The strand of hair in her pouch was not just a token but a symbol of their newly established mark.

I confronted him, my voice trembling with hurt and anger. Damian, however, offered no explanation, only a cold dismissal.

“You carry the weight of the pack’s punishment,” he said, his tone icy. “The title of Luna is no longer yours to hold. Our mate bond remains intact, but the connection now lies with Milana. Keep this between us.”

With that, he turned away, engaging in discussions about their upcoming mark ceremony as if I didn’t exist.

My heart shattered, but I refused to let it break me completely. I left the Silver Crescent Pack and sought out Aiden, the Alpha heir of the Shadow Fang Pack, whose pack had been nearly destroyed in a conflict with Damian’s.

---

“I know your pack is in need of allies,” I said, meeting Aiden’s piercing gaze. “If you’ll have me, I’ll join you and help rebuild.”

Aiden studied me, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Elaine, former Luna of the Silver Crescent Pack, offering her aid? I’d be a fool to refuse. But what about your mate? Will he allow this?”

I smiled faintly, the image of Damian and Milana’s intertwined bond flashing in my mind. “He no longer has a say in my decisions. I’ll return in three days.”

When I descended from the Silver Crescent Pack’s territory, I found the Shadow Fang Pack adorned with red ribbons and banners, a stark contrast to the somber state I’d left it in. Warriors and pack members bustled about, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

“Alpha Damian has finally made it official with Milana,” one of them said, her voice tinged with admiration. “After all these years, she’s finally his Luna.”

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. My own mate was marking another, and I hadn’t even been informed.

Damian came to me late that night, carrying a box of sweet treats from the human world and a delicate lily hairpin—my favorite flower.

“Elaine,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I’ve been so busy with my new position, I haven’t had time to see you. You’re not upset, are you?”

I stepped back, avoiding his embrace. “Not at all.”

He seemed pleased, misreading my indifference for acceptance. “The Lycan King has been pushing for me to solidify my position, and a mark with Milana is merely a formality. It’s all for the pack’s sake.”

In the past, I might have argued, demanded to know why he refused to acknowledge our bond publicly. But now, I knew better. His excuses were nothing but honeyed lies meant to pacify me.

He claimed it was for my safety, to protect me from the enemies his position might attract. But ten years of suffering had shown me the truth: he no longer cared for me.

As I turned away, he spoke again, his voice casual, as if asking for the simplest of favors. “Elaine, to make this arrangement believable, give Milana your lily necklace.”

My heart clenched. The necklace had been a gift from my grandmother before her passing, the only connection I had left to my family. He knew its significance—he’d once spent weeks searching for a jeweler to repair it when it broke, just to see me smile.

I laughed bitterly, shoving him away. “No.”

His expression darkened, irritation flickering in his eyes. “Elaine, I thought you’d grown wiser. You’re still carrying the burden of the pack’s punishment. Do you really think you can cling to the title of Luna?”

His words cut deep, but I refused to let him see it. He seemed to have forgotten why I’d been punished in the first place—because of his reckless ambition, his unauthorized attack on the Shadow Fang Pack that nearly destroyed them. I’d taken the blame to save his reputation, and this was how he repaid me.

Exhaustion washed over me. “If you want the necklace, you’ll have to give me a rejection.”

I handed him the rejection papers I’d prepared earlier. He stared at them in disbelief before crumpling them in his fist.

“You’re willing to throw away our bond over something so trivial? I won’t allow it!” he snapped, storming out of the room without another word.

Damian didn’t agree to our separation, but I’ve stopped caring.

After all, tomorrow he’ll be celebrating his marking ceremony with Milana at the High Moon Palace. Once they’re officially mated, he’ll likely have no reason to keep any ties with me.

I packed my belongings, preparing to leave the Silver Crescent Pack territory and head to the Shadow Fang Pack to find Aiden.

Milana strode into my room, wearing the ceremonial robes of a future Luna, her scent carrying the faint, sweet fragrance of vanilla. She flashed a smug smile. “I just got this necklace,” she said, holding up the emerald pendant around her neck. “My mate-to-be picked it out for me. What do you think? Does it suit me?”

My heart sank as I recognized the emerald necklace—my grandmother’s heirloom, the one thing I had left of her. Damian had taken it without my permission and given it to Milana to win her favor.

Cold rage surged through me, and I reached out to snatch the necklace from her. “That’s mine,” I said, my voice icy. “Damian had no right to give it to you.”

To my surprise, Milana didn’t resist. She let me take the necklace, but as soon as it was in my hand, she burst into tears.

“Elaine,” she sobbed, her voice trembling with fake distress, “I only came to ask why you called Damian to your room last night. You know he and I are about to be mated. How could you meet with him in private like that?”

Before I could respond, a group of pack members stormed into the room, their auras prickling with judgment and anger.

“Elaine,” one of them snapped, “we all know about your little rendezvous with Damian last night! How could you stoop so low?”

“We were going to confront you this morning,” another added, “but the Alpha stopped us, saying you must’ve had good reason. And this is how you repay his trust?”

Milana’s tearful gaze met mine, and I realized this had been her plan all along. She’d set me up.

I clutched the necklace tightly, my voice trembling as I tried to explain. “It’s not what you think. Damian came to me last night—”

But no one listened.

The insults came fast and furious—words like “shameless,” “desperate,” and “disgrace” were hurled at me like knives.

When Damian finally arrived, I looked at him with tear-filled eyes, hoping he’d set the record straight.

“Damian,” I pleaded, “everyone’s misunderstanding what happened last night. Please, tell them the truth.”

But his gaze was cold and unyielding.

He stepped past me and gently helped Milana to her feet, his voice soft and soothing. “Milana, you shouldn’t have come here yourself. I’ll handle this. You don’t need to trouble yourself over something so trivial.”

Milana leaned into him, her scent mingling with his, her voice trembling with false vulnerability. “I just wanted to hear Elaine’s side of the story. I thought she might have a good reason, but then she attacked me over this necklace.”

Damian’s eyes darkened as he turned to me, his voice sharp and accusatory. “Elaine! It’s just a necklace. Was it really necessary to lay your hands on Milana?”

The pack members chimed in, their voices filled with disdain.

“Milana is too kind-hearted. She’s always giving Elaine the benefit of the doubt.”

“I always thought Elaine looked at Damian with inappropriate intentions. After ten years of punishment, she still hasn’t learned her place. Does she really think she’s worthy of being his Luna?”

I clenched my jaw, my gaze locking with Milana’s triumphant smile. There was no point in trying to explain. They’d already made up their minds.

I bowed my head, my voice heavy with resignation. “I apologize. It was my fault. Please, Luna, forgive me.”

Someone shoved me from behind, demanding that I kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Damian stood silently, his expression cold and unreadable.

Milana watched me with a glint of satisfaction in her eyes as I was forced to my knees. She stepped forward, pretending to help me up, her scent overpowering.

“Elaine, I don’t blame you,” she said, her tone sickeningly sweet. “But everyone is upset about what happened last night. To put their minds at ease, why don’t you come to our marking ceremony tomorrow and congratulate us?”

I forced a bitter smile. So that was her game—she wanted me to watch Damian officially take her as his mate, to crush any lingering hope I might have.

“Fine,” I said, my voice hollow. “I’ll be there.”

When I looked up, Damian’s gaze met mine, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes—something like regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

Whatever that look meant, I didn’t want to waste another moment trying to decipher it.

All I knew was that after tomorrow, I’d finally be free.