On the night of the Blood Moon, the bond I thought was unbreakable shattered. My mate, Alpha Xander—the one chosen for me by the Moon Goddess—arranged a sacred pack ceremony. Only it wasn’t for us. It was for Cecilia, my childhood best friend, who was dying from a rare werewolf curse. Her final wish was to bond with Xander, and he agreed… without consulting me.

Xander kept everything secret, even commanding the pack to silence. But Cecilia, perhaps driven by guilt or malice, projected the ceremony through the pack link. I watched as the man destined to be mine shared vows beneath the Sacred Oak. That night, my wolf, Vieve, howled in anguish until I collapsed from grief.

After the ceremony, Xander stayed with Cecilia in the Forbidden Forest, claiming his presence was necessary to stabilize her fading life force. Meanwhile, when a rogue attack left me gravely injured, he was rushing Cecilia to the healers, leaving me to fend for myself.

In the depths of despair, I found solace in the courtship of Kade Hux, the formidable Alpha King of the Shadowfang Pack. Known as the most powerful Alpha in existence, Kade was a legend—a wolf feared, revered, and emotionally untouchable. Yet, against all odds, he had chosen me to be his Luna, the one woman to stand by his side.

“Arden Winterbane,” Kade’s voice resonated through the mind link, low and rich like distant thunder. “Are you truly ready to become my Luna?”

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

Soon after, a messenger hawk arrived bearing a velvet pouch containing several moonstone-embedded rings.

“These were crafted by my ancestors,” Kade’s note read. “But if none please you, we will journey to the Celestial Bazaar together. You deserve perfection.”

After carefully inspecting the moonstone bands, I sent him a mind link. “The crescent-carved silver with the bloodstone core is perfect. Let’s choose that for our mating bond rings.”

The moment I sent word to Kade, Xander stormed into my chambers. His silver eyes glowed with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine, his wolf barely restrained beneath the surface. “Mating bond ring?” he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. “What ring?” The possessiveness lacing his words caught me off guard.

Before I could answer, Cecilia’s frantic voice buzzed through mind-link, “Arden, is Xander with you? The curse is worsening… I need him.”

Xander’s expression darkened as he severed our link and focused solely on hers. “Cecilia, I’m coming!” Without so much as a glance back, he stormed out, his wolf taking over in his haste.

I stood there, my heart strangely calm. The mate bond should have pulled me after him, but instead, it felt like a severed tether. For the first time, I realized I didn’t need him.

Once again, received a telephatic communication but this time, it was Kade, “Arden, I’ll arrive at dusk tomorrow. Be ready.”

Gazing out into the twilight, I replied softly, “Give me a few days to close this chapter. Then I’ll be yours.”

His voice was gentle but firm. “You don’t need to face this alone. If anything happens, call for me.”

After ending the link, I reached out to Elder Winterbane, the pack’s oldest advisor and my father’s confidant. The Winterbane bloodline had served as protectors of the Sacred Vale for generations. When I was a child, my father made a desperate pact with the Hallowspring Pack to save my life from a deadly venom. That pact had led to my union with Xander.

Elder Winterbane’s voice was calm as ever. “My child, are you certain this is the path you wish to walk?”

“Yes, Elder. I need to leave this pack, leave Xander, and start anew.”

That night, Xander didn’t return to the packhouse. Instead, Cecilia sent me a taunting message through the pack link: “Look at us, Arden. Isn’t this what true mates should look like?” Her mental image of them standing hand-in-hand beneath the moonlight cut through me like a blade.

And she followed, “I didn’t mean to link that to you. Xander asked me to share it. You’re not upset, are you?”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I went to my quarters and began packing my belongings.

The following morning, Xander finally returned. He came bearing an ornate necklace, the pendant forged from starsteel—a gift meant to placate me.

“Arden, Cecilia’s condition worsened last night. I had no choice,” he explained. “I had to stay with her so she wouldn’t harm herself.”

I held the necklace, its power thrumming faintly against my skin. He had given Cecilia a similar gift once, but this one felt different—stronger, more intimate.

“It’s beautiful. You should give it to her,” I said flatly, pushing the box back toward him.

Xander’s wolf growled low in his throat. “Don’t be like this, Arden. You’re my mate. We have a lifetime ahead of us. Cecilia is… complicated.”

“Then go,” I replied, my voice devoid of emotion. “She needs you more than I do right now.”

His tone softened. “I’m glad you understand me, Arden. This is for you. For you alone.”

I didn’t care to hear more. With a shrug, I turned to leave, but his hand shot out, gripping my wrist, his touch firm and unyielding.

I looked up with emotionless expressions. “What is it?” I asked.

Xander’s jaw tightened, his wolf’s agitation glowing in his silver eyes. “Arden, we need to talk—” Before he could finish, his gaze clouded over. His mindlink activated, the faint shimmer of a telepathic connection rippling through the air. He closed his eyes briefly and spoke, his voice distant. “I’ve been summoned for a mission in the Shadowed Highlands. I won’t be back for a while.”

“You take care,” I replied casually, already planning to use his absence to say my goodbyes to the elders.

The next morning, I gathered offerings and made my way to the Hallowspring Council’s ancestral grounds. Elder Florence, who had always been like a second mother to me, greeted me with a warm but concerned expression.

“Arden, my dear, why the sudden visit? You seem troubled,” she said, brushing a stray silver strand behind her ear.

Elder Thain, on the other hand, banged his staff on the ground, his wolf growling faintly. “And where is Xander? Why is he not by your side? Has the Alpha mistreated you?”

I hesitated. The truth was too tangled and painful to explain. “No, nothing like that. I’ve just been away from my homeland for too long. It’s time I reconnect with my roots.”

Elder Florence’s warm smile faltered, her voice laced with concern. “Does Xander know you’re planning to leave?”

I nodded to keep the conversation short. “Yes, he knows.”

Satisfied, they offered their blessings, though sadness lingered in their eyes. As I rose to leave, the great oaken gates creaked open. Xander stood there, his figure towering, and beside him was Cecilia, her expression serene and confident—as though she had already claimed her place among the Hallowspring wolves.

“Arden, what a surprise to see you here,” Cecilia said with a soft smile, her tone drenched in false sweetness. She stepped forward, her presence commanding the room as if she were already Luna.

I met her gaze evenly. “I don’t need to explain my reasons for being here to you.” Turning on my heel, I brushed past Xander and made for the exit.

Realizing I was leaving, Xander followed me, his voice tinged with urgency. “Arden, this isn’t what it looks like. Cecilia’s here because the Council is helping find a cure for her curse. She’s your friend too, isn’t she? You’re not angry, are you?”

I paused, memories flooding back. Xander’s promise under the moonlight, his words when we first bonded: “The Moon Goddess destined us, Arden. I’ll stand by you for eternity.”

And now? He was introducing another woman to the Council under the pretense of duty, all while claiming he was on a mission.

I met his expectant gaze with indifference. “Why would I care? I’ve never been the type to hold grudges.”

People who aren’t worth it don’t deserve my concern.

Xander’s wolf, Bach, stirred, his frustration visible. “Arden, do you really feel nothing?”

It was ironic. When I had once voiced my discomfort with Cecilia’s closeness, he called me possessive. Now that I chose to let go, he seemed unsettled.

He leaned in, pressing a fleeting kiss to my forehead. “Be good and wait for me at home,” he murmured softly, before stepping back.

The gesture left me feeling sick. Wiping my forehead as the heavy wooden doors closed behind me, I thought back to the night he had avoided our anniversary with the excuse of “urgent pack business.”

That evening, my mindlink buzzed faintly with an incoming connection. Cecilia’s voice echoed in my head, trembling slightly. “Arden,” she began, her tone laced with mock sincerity, “I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.” Images began to filter through my thoughts, a celebration illuminated by the glow of the Moonlit Bonding Ceremony. And standing beneath the sacred lunar sigil were Xander and Cecilia.

Three moons ago, Cecilia had announced her terminal curse, declaring: “Before the darkness claims me, I want to bond with the one I love most.” I hadn’t thought much of it then, even responding through the mindlink to ask who her mysterious love was. Her reply echoed in my mind now: “You’ll know when the time comes.”

The truth cut deeper than any wound. My breath hitched as tears blurred my vision. I desperately tried to reach Xander through the mindlink, over and over, wanting an explanation. But he blocked me. That night, as he celebrated his bond with her, I wept until exhaustion claimed me.

The following day, Cecilia reached out again. Her voice dripped with false sincerity. “Arden, I’m sorry you had to see that. I didn’t want things to come out this way.”

I let out a bitter laugh but said nothing.

She hesitated, then continued, “The elders were so kind to me. They even said they’d help me find a cure. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

She paused, her voice lowering. “Arden, why couldn’t it have been me as Xander’s mate? Why did the Moon Goddess choose you?”

I clenched my fists, my wolf stirring with suppressed anger. “It could’ve been you if you had the strength to earn it.”

Her silence was telling. “Well, let me wish you two a happy bond in advance,” I said coldly, before severing the mindlink.

After feeling so disappointed with rage boiling inside of me. I have decided to rest at my chamber first and called Elena, my closest ally.

As soon as she reached the chamber, she quickly asked, “You told me about your leaving. What happened?” She asked with concern.

I didn’t hold back. “Cecilia happened. She’s stolen everything—my position, my mate. She does not think about our friendship.”

Elena growled, her anger crackling. “That snake! And Xander just . . . let it happen? Unbelievable. So, that’s why you’re leaving? He fooled you?”

I hesitated for a moment before finally admitting it. “It’s not just about them. My union ceremony is about to happen, so why should I care about their celebration?”

Elena’s expression shifted, surprise flickering across her face, but before she could respond, I felt it—a familiar presence behind me. I turned to see Xander standing in the doorway, his shoulders tense and his wolf barely contained. His silver eyes burned with something between anger and confusion.

“Union ceremony?” he growled, his voice low and sharp. “What union ceremony?”

I gave Elena a nod, assuring her I’d handle the matter myself. After a brief hesitation, she turned and quietly left the room, leaving me alone with Xander.

“I heard something troubling,” I began, my voice steady yet laced with a growl. “A wolf betrayed his mate—bonded another under the moon without telling her. My friend called him a coward, a traitor. His mate thought she was the only one he’d ever truly care for.”

His golden eyes flashing with the wild intensity of his wolf. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped, his voice bristling. “Do they even understand? What if the bond was a way to protect her? What if it was a promise to a dying wolf he couldn’t break?”

His defense, raw and fervent, felt like claws raking against my chest. Ten years of loyalty—shredded in an instant. My heart ached, but the void of numbness was creeping in, threatening to claim me entirely.

Xander stepped closer, his strong arms wrapping around me protectively. “Arden, babe,” he murmured, “what’s happening? You’ve been distant… withdrawn. I can feel the differences inside you.”

The pull of the moon surged in my blood, the beast beneath my skin snarling to break free, but the full moon was still days away. Not yet. Not yet.

Xander tightened his embrace, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “Arden, we’ve been through so much. Don’t you know how much I love you? Let me help Cecilia first, then we can formalize our bond. Just you and me.”

He reached for the hem of my tunic, but I caught his hand and pressed it firmly down. My voice was hollow as I said, “I’m sorry. I just… I feel nothing.”

Xander’s eyes searched mine, desperate to find something—anything—but there was only emptiness. He sighed as he released me and stepped back, his face hardening with disappointment. “I’ll sleep in the den,” he muttered before leaving.

Not long after, I heard him leave the house. I didn’t care to check where he went. I turned over, closed my eyes, and let sleep take me.

The next morning, I was surprised to find Xander waiting in the pack’s common room. His golden fur shimmered under the sunlight, but his eyes were shadowed with anger.

“You’re up early,” I remarked, keeping my tone neutral.

He growled, his voice sharp and accusing. “Is it true? That you’re spreading rumors about Cecilia? She told me what you said to Elena!”

My smile faltered, “And tell me, Xander, were those ‘rumors’ or the truth? Or are you saying the things I shared with my packmate weren’t accurate?”

His growl deepened. “Arden, what’s happened to you? Where’s the kind-hearted wolf I fell in love with?”

He hesitated, “You have everything—strength, status, a place in the pack—and now you’re trying to take away what little happiness she has left? She’s cursed, Arden. Cecilia’s dying. All she wanted was one moment of pride before it’s over. Is that so much to ask?” His voice cracked, but he clenched his jaw, forcing his pain into anger. “She’s your best friend too.”

A wildfire of rage burned through me, my claws itching to extend. My voice came out sharp, laced with venom. “And what of my sacrifices, Xander? I’ve fought for this pack, spilled blood to prove my worth, only to watch her slowly take my place!” I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to control my trembling voice. “If she wants my position, she must earn it—like I did. With blood. There are no exceptions.”

Xander’s gaze hardened, but instead of meeting my anger, he turned away with a bitter snarl. “You’ve changed,” he muttered.

“I’m the one who changed?” I sobbed, tears spilling from my eyes. “You’re the one who keeps leaving me out, Xander, and I feel like you actually want me gone in your life!”

“You’re speaking without thinking right now, Arden.”

“Then do you want me gone?”

“I don’t think you can resist that.” He coldly said as he walked away, causing my wolf to feel the overwhelming pain and I started to break down, trying to call his name but he disappeared in my eyes.

And then he leaves….

My wolf howled within me, torn apart by the rejection. I stumbled through the pack grounds, my vision blurred by tears.

I stopped beneath an ancient oak, its gnarled branches reaching toward the heavens like a guardian of the woods. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the cold earth. Hot tears spilled freely, and I clawed at the ground, my wolf clawing back in desperation.

A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over me, and before I could fight it, darkness claimed me.

My eyes fluttered open, and the sight before me stole my breath.

Towering above me was Alpha Kade of the Shadowfang Pack. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, his expression unreadable.