The Alpha Proposed to My Sister While I Was Dying

I was already dying when the moon rose that night.

Not the kind of dying people noticed. There was no blood, no collapse, no howls of alarm. It was quietcruelly so. A slow erosion of things I could not afford to lose. Strength. Balance. Memory. Even the comfort I once felt when moonlight touched my skin.

The pack still called me Luna Aurelian Moonveil, as if the title itself could keep me whole.

But lately, the moon did not fill me.

It hollowed me out.

I stood before the mirror while silver threads were braided into my hair, my reflection composed and almost convincing. Pale ceremonial dress. Luna mark faint at my throat. Everything in place. Only my eyes betrayed metoo tired, too distant, like they had already seen an ending and learned not to fight it.

A wave of dizziness hit without warning.

I gripped the vanity until the room steadied, breathing carefully. Not tonight, I pleaded silently. Just let me have tonight.

Auri?

The door creaked open, and my daughters voice slipped in before she did.

I turned just as Sable ran toward me, seven years old today, all brightness and motion, her dark curls pinned back with a tiny moonstone clasp. She looked at me the way children look at their motherslike nothing bad could ever touch us.

Youre ready, right? she asked eagerly. You promised.

I smiled, and this one was real. I promised.

She grabbed my hands, warm and solid. Were doing the good things first. The healer den. The sick pups. No boring speeches.

I crouched to her height, ignoring the protest in my knees. No speeches. Just you and me.

Her grin widened, satisfied. She leaned in and whispered, I like it best when its just us.

So did I.

---

The healer den lay at the far edge of the territory, quiet and dim compared to the festival grounds. Inside, the air smelled of herbs and clean earth. Sable carried her basket of gifts like it was sacred, kneeling beside cots and offering each item with careful seriousness.

For you, she told a young wolf with bandaged ribs. Because youre brave.

The boy stared at her like bravery had never been assigned to him before.

I watched from a short distance, my chest aching with something too sharp to name. Seven years old, and already gentler than most of the pack. Kinder than the world rewarded.

A senior healer approached me quietly, eyes sharp and knowing. Luna Moonveil, he said, lowering his head. It honors us.

The honor is mine, I replied.

His gaze lingered, searching my face. You look unwell.

The truth sat heavy on my tongue. Just tired.

He didnt believe me. You should come for a full scan. Soon.

Tonight pressed in around usthe festival, the moon, my daughters birthday. I nodded anyway. Soon.

He studied me for another moment, then stepped back. We both knew what soon meant when spoken by a dying wolf.

---

We spent the afternoon doing things that mattered.

Sable laughed with pups who couldnt join the festival. She told them stories and listened with complete attention. I memorized the sound of her voice, the way she leaned against me when she grew tired, the warmth of her hand in mine.

At one point, she frowned up at me. Youre shaking.

Im excited, I said lightly.

She squinted. Youre bad at lying.

I laughed under my breath. I know.

She nodded, satisfied. Its okay. Im excited enough for both of us.

She leaned into my side, and for a moment, everything else faded. No pack. No Alpha. No sickness. Just us.

But as dusk fell, the ache behind my eyes returned, heavier than before. My wolf stirred weakly, like she was trapped behind glass. Each step felt more deliberate, more fragile.

Hold on, I begged her. Just a little longer.

---

The Moon Festival was already in full bloom when we arrived.

White banners stretched between trees. Fires burned bright. Wolves gathered in ceremonial cloaks, laughter and drumbeats rolling through the clearing. Above us, the full moon watchedsilent, unblinking.

I kept Sable close, her small fingers wrapped around mine.

Then the mate bond pulled.

Not the familiar warmth it once was, but a sharp, sudden strain that stole my breath. Pain bloomed in my chest like something tearing.

My head lifted instinctively.

At the center platform stood Alpha Vaelor Nightborne.

Tall. Immaculate. Commanding. The crowd quieted around him without effort, respect folding inward like a reflex. Once, his presence had grounded me. Once, his gaze had sought me first.

Now, he didnt look in my direction at all.

Sable tugged my hand. Auri Alpha Father is here.

Of course he was.

He hadnt been home that morning. Hadnt sent a gift himself. An assistant had delivered a box instead, wrapped neatly, impersonal.

Vaelor raised his hand, and silence spread across the clearing.

Tonight, he said, voice smooth and steady, we honor the moon, the pack, and the future we will build.

Applause followed.

Sable squeezed my fingers. He sounds happy.

The word landed wrong.

He spoke of strength. Of legacy. Of choosing what was necessary for the packs survival. Each sentence felt carefully measured, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Then he smiled.

A real smile.

One I hadnt seen in years.

My stomach dropped.

His hand slipped into his pocket.

A velvet box appeared.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Sable bounced slightly. Is that for me?

I couldnt answer.

A woman stepped onto the platform beside him, dressed in pale ceremonial white. The moonlight caught her dark hair, her expression soft and composed.

I knew her.

Not a stranger.

Not an outsider.

Virelya Sablethorneraised in my home, fed at my table, the one who once called me sister.

Vaelor turned toward her, his gaze warm.

Understanding crashed into me all at once.

This wasnt a celebration.

It was an ending.

Sable whispered, confused, Auri why is Aunt Virelya there?

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Because beneath the full moon, under the banner that read FOR THE PACK. FOR THE FUTURE, my Alpha mate began to lower himself to one knee.

And my bond screamed as it started to break.

The world did not stop when my Alpha went down on one knee.

It should have.

That was the first thought that surfaced as the crowd gasped and then erupted into excited murmurs. The drums faltered for half a beat before picking up again, louder this time, as if the sound itself wanted to drown out whatever truth was trying to claw its way free.

Alpha Vaelor Nightborne knelt beneath the full moon.

Not before his Luna.

Before another woman.

The velvet box opened in his hand, revealing a ring forged of moon-silver, etched with the Nightborne sigil. A Luna ring. The kind that bound not just mates, but packs. Futures. Bloodlines.

My vision tunneled.

I heard my own heartbeat thudding too loud in my ears, felt the mate bond in my chest stretch and scream like something alive being torn apart.

Will you stand as my Luna, Vaelor said, his voice carrying clearly across the grounds, and help me lead the Nightborne Pack into its next era?

Virelya Sablethorne lifted her hands to her mouth, eyes shining, tears spilling perfectly down her cheeks. She looked exactly like what the pack wanted to seesoft, beautiful, chosen.

Yes, she breathed. I will.

The clearing exploded.

Howls rose into the night. Warriors struck their fists to their chests. Elders stood in approval. Wolves crowded closer, hungry for spectacle, for a new story to tell.

I stood frozen, my fingers locked around my daughters hand.

Sable stared at the platform, wide-eyed. Auri Alpha Father is proposing.

Her voice held no understanding. Just innocent awe.

I couldnt breathe.

Vaelor slid the ring onto Virelyas finger, his touch reverent. When he stood, he pulled her close, pressing his forehead briefly to hersa gesture reserved for mates beneath the moon.

For a heartbeat, I expected him to look for me.

He didnt.

Applause rolled over us in waves. I felt it in my bones, felt the way the packs energy shiftedaligning, accepting, already moving on.

Something inside me cracked.

I stepped forward before I could stop myself.

My boots crunched softly against the frost-coated ground, the sound small compared to the roar around us, but close enough that a few heads turned. Whispers followed like ripples.

Vaelor noticed then.

His eyes met mine across the clearing.

There was no shock in them. No guilt. Only irritationlike I had chosen the worst possible moment to exist.

Aurelian, he said evenly, not using my title. This isnt the place.

The words hit harder than the betrayal itself.

Not the place? My voice came out steadier than I felt. You propose to another woman under the full moon, before the pack, and Im the one out of place?

Murmurs spread faster now.

Virelya glanced at me, her expression tightening for just a second before softening again into practiced concern. Auri, she said gently, stepping half a pace behind Vaelor. Please dont misunderstand

Dont, I cut in, my hands trembling. Dont pretend this is anything but what it is.

Vaelor exhaled slowly, clearly annoyed. Youre overreacting.

The mate bond lurched violently, pain tearing through my chest.

Overreacting? I laughed, the sound brittle. Youre rejecting your Luna in front of the entire pack.

I am choosing what is best for the Nightborne Pack, he replied calmly. You should understand that better than anyone.

Best.

Necessary.

Those words had become his shield.

An elder stepped forwardone of the oldest, his silver hair braided with authority. Luna Moonveil, he said, voice heavy with false sympathy, the Alpha has made a difficult but wise decision.

I looked at him slowly. Wise to whom?

To the future, another elder added. The pack needs a Luna who can stand strong beside its Alpha.

The implication hung thick in the air.

Weak.

I was weak.

My vision blurred as another spike of pain flared behind my eyes. I tasted metal. Blood. I swallowed it down.

Sable squeezed my hand harder. Auri are you sick?

I knelt in front of her, forcing myself to focus. No, little moon. Im just tired.

She frowned. Then why is everyone yelling?

Before I could answer, Virelya spoke again, her hand drifting to her stomach.

Im with child, she announced softly.

The world tilted.

A stunned silence followed, sharp and sudden, before it shattered into noise.

An heir.

The pack erupted anewhowls louder than before, excitement and approval pouring freely now. Warriors grinned. Elders nodded, satisfied.

Vaelor rested his hand over Virelyas. My heir, he said simply.

My chest burned.

My mate.

My Alpha.

My replacement.

Sables voice cut through it all, small and uncertain. Auri what does that mean?

I couldnt answer.

Virelya turned toward us then, smiling gently. It means the pack will be very happy, she said. Isnt that good?

Sable hesitated, then nodded slowly. Alpha Father looks happy.

Those words destroyed what little strength I had left.

Yes, Vaelor said, finally looking down at his daughter. This is whats best for everyone.

Everyone.

Not me.

Not the Luna who stood beside him while he rose.

Not the wolf whose bond was bleeding out under the moon.

I stood, my body shaking now. You knew, I said quietly. All of you knew.

No one denied it.

Vaelors gaze hardened. Aurelian, enough. Dont embarrass yourself.

Embarrass.

Not betray.

Not abandon.

Embarrass.

Something inside me went frighteningly calm.

I stepped back, pulling Sable close. Were leaving.

Vaelor frowned. Its not appropriate for you to

Shes my daughter, I said sharply. Im taking her.

Virelyas smile faltered. Auri, please. Dont upset her. She should stay. This is her pack too.

My blood ran cold.

Sable looked up at me, confusion and hope tangled in her eyes. Auri if Alpha Father has a new Luna does that mean shell be my Luna too?

The words struck like a killing blow.

I knelt again, gripping her shoulders gently. No, I said, my voice breaking despite my effort. You already have a Luna.

She hesitated. But everyone says shes stronger. And Alpha Father chose her.

I stood slowly.

The pack watched in silence now, curiosity replacing celebration.

Vaelor looked away.

I turned, my grip firm on my daughters hand, and walked out of the clearing without another word.

Behind me, the moon shone bright.

And the Nightborne Pack howled in approval as their Luna was left behind.

I did not remember leaving the festival grounds.

Only the weight of Sables hand locked in mine. Only the sound of the packs howls fading behind us, sharp and triumphant, like they were celebrating a victory instead of a betrayal. The night air felt too cold against my skin, biting through my dress, but I didnt slow down.

If I stopped, I would break.

And I could not afford to break in front of them.

Sable struggled to keep up, her shorter steps uneven as she glanced back again and again. Auri where are we going?

Home, I said automatically, though the word felt wrong in my mouth.

The pack house loomed ahead, its windows glowing softly, warm and familiarand suddenly unbearably . I ushered her inside, bolted the door behind us, and leaned against it, chest heaving.

Only then did my legs give out.

I slid down the wood, dragging Sable with me, my vision swimming as pain exploded behind my eyes. It felt like claws scraping the inside of my skull, like my wolf was thrashing against an invisible cage.

Auri! Sable cried, dropping to her knees beside me. You said you werent sick!

I pressed my forehead to the floor, fighting nausea, fighting darkness. Im okay, I lied, again. Just just dizzy.

She hovered, frightened now, small hands clutching my sleeves. Did Alpha Father make you sick?

The question pierced deeper than the pain.

I forced myself upright, pulling her into my arms. No, I said hoarsely. This isnt your fault. And it isnt his fault either.

The lie burned.

I held her tighter, breathing her in like oxygen, because the thought that crept into my mind terrified me more than the sickness ever could.

If I disappear, who will protect her?

---

I woke sometime later to silence.

The house was too quiet. The kind of quiet that didnt mean peaceit meant something was missing.

My head throbbed. My limbs felt heavy, sluggish, as if my body had decided without me that it was done fighting.

Sable? I called, already sitting up.

No answer.

Cold dread slid into my chest.

I pushed myself out of bed and stumbled down the corridor, panic sharpening my senses despite the haze in my mind. Her room was empty. Her blankets neatly folded. Her moonstone comb gone from the vanity.

Sable? My voice cracked.

I hurried into the main hall, heart hammering, only to stop short when I saw the figures waiting near the hearth.

My parents.

And Alpha Vaelor.

My mother rose first, her expression tight, carefully composed. Youre awake.

Where is my daughter? I demanded, the words coming out sharper than I intended.

Vaelor didnt look at me. His gaze was fixed on the fire. Shes with the pack elders.

My blood went cold. You took her without my consent?

You were unwell, my father said, his tone clipped, disapproving. We didnt want to disturb you in that state.

That state? I laughed weakly. You mean unconscious?

My mother sighed as if I were being difficult. Aurelian, please. Dont make this harder than it already is.

Harder.

Everything was always harder when it involved me.

I stepped forward, anger cutting through the fog. She is my child. My responsibility. You had no right.

Vaelor finally turned toward me. His expression was calm. Too calm. Shes safer this way.

Safer from what? I snapped. From me?

Silence stretched.

My mother looked away.

That was answer enough.

You humiliated the pack last night, my father said flatly. Your behavior was inappropriate.

Inappropriate? My laugh came out broken. You watched your Alpha reject his Luna under the full moon, and I embarrassed the pack?

The Alpha made a necessary decision, my mother said gently. You should try to understand.

I stared at her, something hollow opening in my chest. Understand what?

That the pack needs stability, she continued. An heir. A Luna who can stand strong.

I tasted blood again.

So this is about strength, I said quietly. About appearances.

Vaelors jaw tightened. This isnt personal.

I looked at him fully then. You rejected me in front of our daughter.

She needs to see unity, he replied coolly. Not weakness.

The word hit like a slap.

Weakness.

I stepped back, suddenly dizzy again, my vision dimming around the edges. My wolf whimpered faintly inside me, exhausted.

I want to see her, I said. Now.

My father shook his head. Not yet.

Something inside me snapped.

You dont get to decide that, I hissed. None of you do.

My mother moved closer, lowering her voice like she was calming a child. Aurelian, listen to me. Virelya is with child. The pack is celebrating. This transition needs to be smooth.

Transition, I echoed. You mean replacement.

She didnt deny it.

Until things settle, she said, its better for Sable to stay with her father. With the future Luna.

The room tilted.

Youre taking her from me, I whispered.

Vaelors gaze finally flickeredjust briefly. Shes still your daughter.

But the bond between usmate, pack, familyfelt like it was unraveling thread by thread.

Leave, my father said suddenly. You need rest. This conversation is over.

Over.

Just like that.

I stood there shaking, fury and grief tangling until I couldnt tell them apart. If anything happens to her

Vaelor cut in. Enough.

I laughed, a thin, hysterical sound. You really think Im the problem.

He didnt answer.

They left shortly after, their footsteps echoing down the hall like a verdict.

When the door closed, I sank to the floor, my strength finally giving out. My chest burned. My head pounded. My wolf was silent nownot even whimpering.

Just quiet.

I curled in on myself, arms wrapped around empty air, and cried until there were no tears left.

---

Later, when the pain dulled enough for me to think, I reached for my phone.

No messages.

No calls.

Not from my parents. Not from Vaelor. Not from the pack.

I opened the pack network instead.

The first post froze my blood.

A photo of Vaelor and Virelya standing together beneath the moon. Her hand cradling her stomach. His arm around her shoulders.

For the future of the Nightborne Pack.

The comments poured in.

She looks perfect beside him.

Finally, a Luna worthy of the Alpha.

The pack will be stronger now.

Then I saw the second image.

Sable.

Sitting between them. Smiling uncertainly, but smiling nonetheless. Virelyas hand resting lightly on her back, possessive.

My vision blurred.

The pain in my head surged violently, sharper than before. I gasped, clutching my temple as warmth slid down my nose.

Blood.

I wiped it away with shaking fingers.

My breath came shallow and fast. The room spun. My phone slipped from my hand as darkness crept in from the edges of my vision.

The last thought I had before everything went black was devastatingly simple.

Theyve already started teaching her how to live without me.

I woke to the sound of my own breathingragged, shallow, unfamiliar.

For a moment, I didnt know where I was. The ceiling above me swam in and out of focus, white and cracked like old bone. My head felt split open from the inside, pain radiating behind my eyes in slow, merciless pulses. Every breath tasted wrong, metallic and dry.

I turned my head slightly and winced.

The healers room.

I recognized it by the faint scent of crushed herbs and antiseptic, by the soft glow of warding runes etched into the walls. Someone had laid me on a narrow cot and covered me with a thin blanket. My dress had been changed. My hair loosened.

I had collapsed.

Again.

The thought came with no shame left in itonly exhaustion.

A shadow moved near the doorway. My mother stood there, arms crossed, her expression tight with impatience rather than concern.

You finally woke up, she said.

I swallowed, my throat raw. Where is my daughter?

She sighed, as if Id asked something unreasonable. Still with the Alpha.

My heart clenched painfully. Bring her to me.

No, she replied without hesitation.

I stared at her. What did you say?

You heard me, she said coolly. Youre in no state to see her. The healers confirmed ityou collapsed from weakness and stress. Do you know how that looks?

I pushed myself upright despite the way the room tilted. I dont care how it looks. Shes my child.

And shes the Alphas heir, my mother shot back. Which means the pack comes first.

The words landed like a blow.

So thats it, I whispered. I stop being her mother the moment I stop being useful.

My mothers jaw tightened. Dont dramatize this.

Dont lie to me, I said hoarsely. You were there last night. You saw what he did. What they all did.

She didnt deny it.

Instead, she looked away. Virelya is pregnant. The pack needs stability. You should be thinking about whats best for Sable.

I laughed weakly. And you think whats best is taking her away from me?

I think, she said slowly, that Sable deserves a Luna who can stand beside the Alpha without collapsing.

The healer at the far end of the room shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

I felt something inside me finally givenot shatter, not explode. Just go quiet.

Leave, I said.

My mother frowned. Aurelian

Leave, I repeated, firmer this time. Or I swear Ill make a scene that even you wont be able to smooth over.

She studied me for a long moment, then turned and walked out without another word.

The door closed softly behind her.

I lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling as tears slid silently into my hair. My wolf didnt stir. Didnt protest. Didnt rage.

She was too tired.

---

They released me near dusk.

No apology. No concern. Just a reminder to rest and avoid emotional stressas if my life hadnt already been reduced to a series of things I was no longer allowed to feel.

I walked back to the pack house alone.

The halls felt colder than they had that morning. Empty. Stripped. My steps echoed too loudly, as if the house itself was announcing that I no longer belonged.

I found her in the common room.

Sable sat on the floor, surrounded by new toysexpensive ones. Hand-carved figures. Enchanted stones that glowed faintly when touched. Gifts meant to impress, not comfort.

And beside her sat Virelya.

She looked up when I entered, surprise flashing across her face before smoothing into something gentle and composed.

Auri, she said softly. Youre awake.

Sable turned.

Her eyes lit up for half a second. Auri!

I barely had time to breathe before she continued, her voice bright with innocent excitement.

Luna Virelya got me all these! she said, gesturing wildly. She played with me all afternoon and told me stories about the moon!

The word hit me late.

Luna.

Not Aunt.

Not Virelya.

Luna.

I felt it like a blade sliding between my ribs.

I forced myself to kneel in front of her, my movements slow and careful. Baby, I said gently, you dont have to call her that.

Sable frowned, confused. But Alpha Father said shes going to be our Luna now.

I looked up.

Virelyas gaze met minecalm, almost apologetic. I didnt tell her to, she said quietly. She heard it from the elders.

Of course she had.

I swallowed hard. Sable, look at me.

She did, obedient as always.

Im your Luna, I said softly. I always have been.

She hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then she glanced back at Virelya, who smiled encouragingly and opened her arms slightly.

Sable shifted closer to her without realizing it.

My chest caved in.

But Luna Virelya makes Alpha Father happy, she said slowly, like she was working through a problem. And everyone says shes strong. They said the pack needs her.

I couldnt breathe.

So I should call her Luna too, Sable finished. Right?

I felt my wolf finally stirnot in anger, not in jealousy, but in pain so deep it was almost reverent.

No, I whispered. You should call people what feels right to you.

She studied my face, searching for something I could no longer give her.

Then she said, quietly, Luna Virelya feels safer.

That was the moment something in me truly died.

Vaelor entered the room then, his presence filling the space like a storm cloud. He glanced between us, assessing, calculating.

This isnt helping, he said.

I stood slowly, my knees shaking. You did this.

I did what was necessary, he replied flatly.

Shes seven, I said. And youre already teaching her how to replace me.

She needs stability, he said again, like it was a spell that excused everything.

Virelya rose gracefully, resting a hand on her stomach. Auri, she said gently, please dont make this harder. Sable needs peace.

I laugheda raw, broken sound. Peace? You took her from my arms while I was unconscious.

Vaelors eyes darkened. Watch your tone.

Im her mother, I said, my voice shaking now. And youre acting like Im already dead.

Silence fell.

Sable looked between us, fear creeping into her expression. Did I do something wrong?

No, I said immediately, turning back to her. Never.

I reached out, brushing her hair back one last time, memorizing the feel of it. I love you, I whispered.

She nodded, uncertain. I love you too Auri.

Not Luna.

Not Mother.

Just Auri.

I straightened and stepped back.

Vaelor didnt stop me.

Virelya didnt follow.

And Sable didnt call after me.

As I walked out of the room, my legs trembling, one thought echoed endlessly in my mind:

They wont need to kill me.

Theyre already teaching my daughter how to live as if Im gone.

I didnt go to my room.

If I had, I would have broken something I could never put back together.

Instead, I walked until the corridors thinned and the pack house fell silent behind me. The night air sliced into my lungs as I stepped outside, cold and sharp, but it was easier to breathe here than inside walls that no longer wanted me.

The moon hung highfull, radiant, merciless.

Once, it had answered me.

Now it only watched.

I reached the edge of the sacred grounds without remembering the path there. My feet knew it by instinct, even if my heart wished it didnt. This was where mates came to swear vows. Where bonds were strengthened under moonlight. Where I had once knelt beside Vaelor, blood on our palms, believing forever was a promise instead of a convenience.

The ground was empty.

Good.

I sank to my knees anyway, the frost biting through the thin fabric of my dress. My breath came uneven, each inhale scraping like glass. The pain behind my eyes had dulled into something heavier, more dangerouspressure that pulsed in time with my heart.

My wolf stirred faintly.

Not strong enough to rise.

Not strong enough to howl.

Im sorry, I whispered to her, my voice breaking. I tried to protect you.

She didnt answer.

I pressed my hand to my chest where the mate bond burnedno, rotteda tether that had once glowed warm and steady. Now it felt frayed, infected, like something that should have been cut away long ago.

I didnt want him back.

That truth settled quietly.

What I wanted was for the pain to stop.

Footsteps crunched behind me.

I didnt need to turn to know who it was.

Get up, Vaelor said. Youll freeze.

I laughed softly, staring at the moon. You came to check if I was still alive?

His silence was answer enough.

I stood slowly, the world tilting, and faced him. Up close, he looked exactly as he always hadstrong, controlled, untouched by the chaos he left behind. His gaze flicked briefly to the frost dusting my knees, then back to my face.

You shouldnt be here, he said.

And yet, I replied, you proposed to another woman under the same moon that bound us.

This again, he muttered.

No, I said sharply. This ends tonight.

Something in my tone made him look at me properly for the first time since the festival.

My voice was steady. Too steady.

Aurelian, he said, lowering his voice, dont do something foolish.

Foolish? I smiled thinly. You took my place. My title. My child. What more is there left to lose?

His jaw tightened. Youre still my Luna in name.

Then why does the bond feel like its killing me? I shot back.

He didnt answer.

I stepped closer, close enough to feel the cold radiating from him instead of warmth. Tell me the truth, Vaelor. When did you decide I was no longer enough?

He hesitated.

That was all the answer I needed.

Im sick, I said quietly.

His brow furrowed. Youre always sick.

The words were casual.

Careless.

They cut deeper than any rejection.

Im dying, I corrected, watching his face closely. And you still chose her.

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes. Not guilt. Not regret.

Annoyance.

Dont dramatize, he said. If you were truly unwell, the healers wouldve told me.

I laughed thensoft at first, then harder, until it shook my shoulders and blurred my vision. They tried.

His gaze sharpened. What are you saying?

Im saying you didnt want to hear it, I replied. You stopped looking at me long before my body began to fail.

The mate bond flared suddenlyhot, violent, unbearable. I gasped, dropping to one knee as pain ripped through my chest, radiating down my spine like fire.

Vaelor swore and grabbed my arm. Enough! Stop this

Dont touch me! I screamed, wrenching free.

The bond screamed too, stretched to its limit, pulling at both of us like a living thing refusing to die quietly.

My wolf finally found her voice.

A broken howl tore from my throat, echoing across the groundsraw, fractured, nothing like the proud call of a Luna.

Vaelor staggered back as if struck.

What are you doing? he demanded.

Ending it, I said through clenched teeth. Before it finishes killing me.

I raised my shaking hand and pressed it to the Luna mark at my throat. Silver light flickered weakly beneath my skin.

In the presence of the moon, I said, voice hoarse, I renounce the bond that no longer protects me.

The air shifted.

Vaelors eyes widened. You cant

I can, I interrupted. You already chose.

Pain explodedwhite-hot, blindingas the bond fought back. I screamed, collapsing fully now, claws scraping at frozen earth as my wolf writhed inside me.

Vaelor shouted somethingmy name, maybebut it sounded far away.

I release you, I gasped. And I release myself.

The bond snapped.

Not cleanly.

Nothing about this was merciful.

The force of it threw me forward, my body convulsing as the last threads tore free. I felt itfelt himripped out of my chest like a rotting organ.

Silence followed.

Not the peaceful kind.

The dead kind.

I lay there shaking, the cold seeping into my bones, my wolf curled deep inside mefaint, but no longer screaming.

Vaelor stood frozen, his face pale.

For the first time since I had known him, he looked unmoored.

What have you done? he whispered.

I dragged myself upright, every movement agony, but my voice was calm when I answered.

What you should have done the moment you stopped loving me.

I turned away before he could speak again.

Each step away from him felt lighter, even as my body weakened. The bond was gone. The ache remainedbut it was mine now.

Behind me, the moon shone on a pack that no longer claimed me.

And for the first time, I understood something terrifying and freeing all at once.

I was no longer a Luna.

I was a wolf without a pack.

And that was far more dangerous than they realized.