Chapter 2

Noira

My head felt unbearably heavy when I woke up, even though I had gone to bed earlier than usual.

The sunlight falling across my face made me stare out the window with an empty feeling inside. In the silence of my room, I steeled myself to face the days I had left.

I soon found myself in the dining room, eating breakfast with a dry throat. Having breakfast alone, without my husband, was something I had grown accustomed to.

The servants and guards watching me made me feel uncomfortable, but as always, I ignored them.

Then, just as I was about to finish my breakfast, the dining room door opened. I was surprised to see him arrive, and even more surprised to find Eve standing beside him.

I fell silent.

They didn't need my permission to have breakfast here.

Kael pulled out a chair for her, wiped her lips, and treated her with such tenderness. I finally understood just how deeply he loved her.

No matter how hard I fought for him, it could never compare to a single glance from her.

I had already told myself that our relationship was over and that I no longer loved him. But it turned out that my heart still ached terribly at the sight of Kael treating her that way.

I could no longer stand being a fool in this place. I rose to my feet, and Kael stopped eating.

At last, he looked at me, but there was no tenderness in his eyes.

“Starting today, Eve will be living here.”

Kael’s voice nearly made my body tremble. I looked at Eve, the woman who was smiling gently as she held Kael’s hand.

She no longer bothered to hide her desire to have Kael for herself. My husband and my mate.

“I’m sorry, Noira. But I tried to refuse Kael’s request... I’m sure you probably don’t like me.”

Her voice trembled as she began touching the corners of her eyes.

“That’s her duty, Eve. You’re not causing any trouble at all.” Kael leaned closer to her, gazing tenderly into her eyes. “She will take care of you. She has to, because she owes you a debt of gratitude.”

I opened my mouth to tell him that I had no intention of doing any of that. But then I remembered that I would be leaving this place soon.

Arguing with him would only hurt my heart even more. He would never listen to me anyway.

“I’ll do it.”

Neither of them seemed to expect such a calm answer from me. Their eyes remained fixed on me, unblinking.

“Are you really going to do it? If you’re lying or planning something, you’ll regret it, Noira.”

He answered coldly, but then turned his gaze away. His brows were slightly furrowed.

Logically, my answer should have satisfied his wishes. He should have been happy.

“I’m not lying.”

I was about to leave when the sound of shattering glass suddenly rang out.

“Ouch!”

Eve cried out in pain, clutching her leg. Blood trickled from the wound caused by the broken glass.

“Eve!”

Kael immediately bent down, but Eve quickly nestled herself against his chest, her face pale as she winced in pain.

“Kael... it hurts so much...”

“I’ll treat your wound, Eve.” Kael spoke patiently, his gaze fixed on her injury.

Eve shook her head, remaining in Kael’s embrace. “I need you. Just let Noira treat it instead.”

Perhaps, to Kael, Eve looked so weak and fragile at that moment, as though she couldn't do anything for herself and could only act like a child.

But I knew exactly what Eve wanted.

Kael’s cold gaze turned toward me. “You heard her, Noira. Now you must fulfill your duties as the Luna of this pack.”

“Treat her.”

My throat felt unbearably dry. Anger surged through me as I realized that Kael had placed me beneath Eve in front of everyone here.

But I remained silent and immediately did as he asked, crouching down to treat Eve’s injured leg.

Every time I heard Kael’s gentle voice soothing Eve, I felt as though I were being torn apart from within. My wolf howled in agony.

Still, I finished the task exactly as he wanted before leaving the dining room.

Even after I returned to my bedroom, my fingers remained tightly clenched, my nails digging deep into my palms. The physical pain meant nothing compared to the devastation in my heart.

Several hours passed. At Eve’s request, I personally brought her a cake and placed it on the table in the garden.

She looked at me. “There’s no point in hoping you’ll remain the Luna of this pack.” Eve spoke arrogantly. “I’m the only woman he loves.”

She didn’t need to emphasize that. I already knew.

“I know.”

My cold response seemed to ignite something in her eyes.

She set down her glass and looked at me without hesitation. “He always takes care of me. He will always take my side and whisper words of love to me.”

She scoffed. “He keeps begging me to come back to him.”

I stood frozen in place, feeling my heart pound so violently that it seemed ready to burst.

There was no one who didn't know how deeply Kael loved this woman. But hearing it from her own lips, spoken with such pride, made the pain feel a thousand times worse.

Forcing myself to remain calm, I nodded.

“That’s true. Congratulations. I’m self-aware enough to know that I won’t remain the Luna here forever.”

Eve suddenly stood up, her expression darkening. She smashed her glass and then grabbed a shard.

Confused by her reaction, I felt a sudden pang of pain as she cut her own hand.

“I hate you so much. You ruined everything, and I’ll make sure you suffer for it.”

A sharp scream rang out from her.

“No... no, Noira... please forgive me. I didn't mean to...”

“No!”

She seemed to have completely lost her sanity. But there was nothing I could do when Kael finally arrived and roughly shoved me aside, sending my body crashing into a chair and leaving me gasping for breath.

“What did you do to her?!”

Kael was furious. He glared at me while holding Eve's injured hand.

“I-I didn't do anything...”

“Don't be angry with her, Kael... Noira is just jealous of me...”

Eve burst into tears, her sobs drowning out my voice and leaving me unable to explain what had really happened.

“Noira, you liar! You just wanted to hurt her!”

His words made my entire body flinch.

The situation grew even worse when Eve suddenly lost her balance.

Kael caught her and frantically cupped her face in his hands.

“Eve, Eve, can you hear me? What's happening?”

Eve weakly raised her hand.

“Did you... did you poison me...?”

A sudden, violent coughing fit overtook her before she lost consciousness, prompting Kael to scoop her into his arms in a panic.

Before leaving the room, I heard him shout an order to the guards.

“Capture her and lock her up!”