Chapter 3

When I woke up, I was lying in bed at the estate, my shoulder bandaged and throbbing faintly.

Leo sat at the bedside, eyes bloodshot, face heavy with guilt.

"I'm sorry. Selena's always been fragile. It happened so fast — I was afraid she wouldn't make it, so I went to her first."

He reached out to touch my face. I turned away.

"Please don't be mad at me. Hit me, yell at me — anything. Just don't shut me out."

I stared at the ceiling and said nothing.

What was there to say?

Every last feeling I had died the moment he threw himself at Selena.

The hollow place in my chest didn't ache anymore. It was just... empty. Like someone had scooped something out, and wind was pouring through the gap.

When I still didn't speak, Leo panicked. He leaned in close. "Our three-year anniversary is in three days. I'll take you somewhere — anywhere you want. Just name the place."

I was quiet for a moment. Then: "The Southern Territories."

"The Southern Territories?" He blinked. "That's really far."

"Yeah."

Leo didn't ask why. He just nodded. "Okay. Wherever you want. I'll arrange it."

Then he added: "Things have been busy with the pack lately. Once I've dealt with it, I'll be there on our anniversary. I promise."

"Okay."

My voice was barely there.

He didn't know that the Southern Territories were Blood Shadow Pack land.

This trip was one-way only.

The morning I was supposed to leave, I woke early.

The sky was still dark when I sat down by the window to wait.

The sun rose. Leo's side of the bed was still empty.

He'd broken his promise. Again.

My phone buzzed. A message from Selena.

An image — a prenatal exam report.

Under "Father," Leo's name was printed clear as day.

I pressed the screen dark and sat there for a long time.

Then I stood up and began doing what had to be done.

Five hours before I left.

I slid the ring off my finger.

It was the crest ring of Leo's bloodline — the signet of the Dark Moon Pack's Alpha line. The day he put it on me, he said it was the same as marking me in front of the whole pack.

But he never actually marked me in front of anyone.

I placed the ring on the living room table, positioned perfectly.

From now on, his little childhood sweetheart would be the Dark Moon Pack's Luna.

This ring belonged with its rightful owner.

Three hours before I left.

I carried everything I'd collected over three years to the fireplace.

The promise ring. The portrait. The tarot cards. Every note he'd written, every photo, every little gift.

One by one, all of it went into the fire.

Two hours before I left, my phone buzzed again.

A video from Selena.

I pressed play.

The footage showed the Dark Moon Pack's altar square. Torches lined up in two rows. Pack members circled around.

Leo stood at the center. Selena tilted her head back, baring her neck.

Leo lowered his head. His fangs pierced her gland.

The marking ceremony.

He'd marked her in front of the entire pack. Cheers and applause erupted around them.

At the end of the video, Selena smiled at the camera and sent a text.

[See that? I'm the one the entire Dark Moon Pack recognizes as Luna. A rogue like you would be lucky to marry a lowly Omega.]

I stared at the message for ten seconds, then closed the chat.

No reply.

I opened my phone's notes app and bundled every message Selena had sent me — the taunts, the gloating, the Christmas tree photo, the prenatal report, the marking ceremony video — all of it. I set a timed delivery. Recipient: Leo.

Scheduled for midnight.

By then, I'd be long gone.

One hour before I left, I sent Leo my final text.

[Leo, I'm leaving. I wish you well. Don't look for me.]

After I hit send, I deactivated the number.

I walked to the lake behind the estate and hurled the phone as far as it would go.

I stepped through the estate gates.

On the driveway, ten jet-black armored Rolls-Royce Phantoms were lined up in a row.

The door of the extended Phantom in the center swung open from inside.

Beta Marcus stood before me, bowing slightly, his tone respectful.

"Your Highness, the Alpha King sent me to bring you home."