Chapter 3

The next morning, I began quietly packing the belongings that truly belonged to me.

I folded each piece carefully, placing only the items I had bought with my own money into the leather trunk at the foot of my bed. The few dresses the Alpha had gifted me over the years, I left hanging in the closet.

Reaching into the drawer beneath the mirror, my fingers brushed against the dried herbs and the worn recipe book I had brought from my mother's kitchen before I came to this pack.

These were the only things that truly belonged to me.

The door suddenly pushed open.

The Alpha stood in the doorway, his eyes sweeping across the half-empty wardrobe and the trunk on the bed.

"Why are you getting rid of your things?"

I folded the last scarf and placed it inside the trunk. "I am donating the old clothes to the eastern quarter. I want to change my wardrobe."

The Alpha studied my face for a long moment. Finding no trace of defiance, his expression relaxed slightly.

"Good. A Shadow Luna should always present herself cleanly."

He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. "Serena's birthday is in five days. I want it grand. She is carrying my heir, and the entire pack needs to see that she is cherished."

He looked at me.

"You will plan the celebration. That is your importance as Shadow Luna."

In my previous life, I would have been devastated that he was asking me to plan a celebration for the woman who had taken my place. But now, I only nodded.

Since I was leaving in soon anyway, I might as well complete one final duty as the Shadow Luna.

"Alright."

Seeing my obedience, his expression softened slightly. "This is how you should be. Nothing will ever go wrong if you just listen to me."

He reached for the door handle, then paused. "Nothing must ruin this ceremony. Serena is carrying my heir. Do not let your jealousy interfere."

With that, he walked out, leaving the door ajar behind him.

Over the next five days, I planned the celebration with care.

I ordered the finest cuts of meat from the southern hunters, selected the deepest red wine from the cellars, and arranged for fresh moonflowers to be draped across the ceremonial hall.

I coordinated the musicians, designed the seating chart, and personally oversaw the preparation of the feast.

Every detail was perfect.

On the morning of the celebration, I dressed in a simple gray dress and followed the Alpha and Serena into the hall.

The moment I stepped through the doors, the whispers began.

"Why is the Shadow Luna even allowed here?"

"She probably wants to steal her sister's position again."

"Pathetic. She cannot even accept that Serena has won."

Hearing their words, I kept my eyes forward and my expression calm.

I reminded myself that I was only here to complete the final duty I had accepted before leaving the pack.

For the first time, the title of Shadow Luna felt temporary. It was no longer something I needed to protect or fight for.

Walking through the hall, I checked that the flowers were arranged properly, the tables were set correctly, and the musicians were in position. Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.

Looking up, I watched the pack gather around Serena, their voices filled with joy and celebration. The Alpha stood beside her, one hand resting possessively on her stomach.

Surprisingly, the sight no longer hurt.

I turned to check the wine station near the back wall.

Just then, Serena moved toward the center of the hall, where a decorated table had been set up with her birthday cake and an arrangement of crystal toasting glasses.

The moment she stepped onto the small raised platform, the stand beside her shifted unexpectedly.

The heavy table wobbled, sending the cake and several crystal glasses crashing toward her.

Serena screamed, her hands flying to shield her stomach as the shattered glass scattered across the floor.

The entire hall fell silent.

"Elara, why did you do that?"

Serena's voice cut through the quiet, her finger pointing directly at me. I stared at her in disbelief. Before I could process what was happening, the Alpha was already moving.

He rushed to Serena without hesitation, pulling her into his arms and running his hands frantically over her body and stomach.

"Are you hurt? Is the pup alright?"

Serena buried her face in his chest, her body trembling.

"I told you nothing was allowed to go wrong today. Serena is carrying my heir, and you still dared to pull something like this?"

He turned to me, his eyes blazing.

"You are an adult, Elara. When will you stop acting like a spoiled child who cannot accept that someone else has taken your place?"

I opened my mouth to explain that I had been nowhere near the table.

"If anything happens to Serena or the pup growing inside her, I swear you will pay for it."

His threat left me stunned. I realized that he did not even need proof before choosing Serena over me.

I tried once more to explain, but the Alpha had already turned his attention completely toward Serena.

Only after everyone focused on Serena did I look down.

A sharp, burning pain was radiating from my left hand.

A piece of shattered crystal had cut deeply into my palm, and blood was already soaking through the sleeve of my dress where I had instinctively pressed it against my leg.

The edges of my vision were beginning to blur.

I reached toward the wound, my fingers slippery with my own blood, but the noise around me was fading into a distant hum.

No one was looking at me anymore. The Alpha lifted Serena into his arms.

"Clear the way! Get Serena to the healing center now!"

Several pack members immediately rushed after him, their voices overlapping as they called for the physician.

I watched the man who once claimed I was under his protection disappear through the doors without a single glance in my direction.

A few pack members finally noticed me sitting among the broken glass and moved toward me.

"Miss Elara, we should take you to the healing center too."

One of them hesitated, exchanging an uneasy glance with the others.

"There is a problem. The Alpha ordered every carriage to the healing center for Miss Serena. There is not one left."

Hearing this, I slowly looked toward the doorway where the Alpha had disappeared.

For years, I had believed that no matter how badly he treated me, I would always have a place in this pack.

Now, I understood just how completely I had been abandoned.

I tried to stand on my own, but the pain and dizziness made my body sway. My knees buckled, sending me back against the cold floor.

The noise around me faded into the distance.

Darkness slowly closed over my eyes.