Chapter 2

By the time I finished the purification and walked out, Kael was gone.

I thought he'd at least wait for me to wake up. But when I got to the door, I saw Lysandra had posted on the pack feed.

She was wearing Kael's jacket, sitting in his car, a bag of roasted fruit from the night market spread in front of her.

[The purification ritual was so boring. Good thing someone took me to the night market to unwind.]

I stared at that photo for a long time. Then I almost laughed.

Kael had a serious thing about cleanliness. Once I'd tracked a single leaf into the car and he wiped the seat down three times.

But Lysandra had roasted fruit crumbs all over the place, and he acted like he couldn't see a thing.

I didn't confront him. I just liked the post, then called the Elder in charge of Moon Vows.

"The date we reserved for Kael and me. Cancel it."

The Elder was clearly taken aback. "Haven't you two been preparing for a long time? What happened..."

I said quietly: "It's not needed anymore. I don't want to go through with it."

I left the healing cottage alone. I didn't wait for Kael to come back.

It was deep into the night when he finally pushed the door open. The cold coming off him filled the whole room.

"Ella, what is this? I looked everywhere for you at the healing cottage. You didn't even leave a word!"

"And you liked Lysandra's post? What are you trying to do?"

I looked at him. Suddenly I just felt tired.

The whole night I'd been in pain, and he never once asked me anything like this.

Lysandra trailed in behind him, speaking up softly on my behalf. "Kael, don't blame Ella. She just finished the purification. She's probably not feeling great."

"Oh, and I still need to register at the Elder Council tomorrow. You said you'd go with me, remember?"

Kael's face eased up right away.

The two of them started quietly planning tomorrow's schedule. They didn't even notice I'd already turned around and gone back to the bedroom.

The next morning, I woke up to a bowl of warm porridge on the table and a few pieces of the honey cake I used to love as a kid.

Kael was standing beside it, making a rare effort at patience. "I lined up before sunrise at the shop in the East District. Try it. It's still your favorite place."

I looked at the food. I didn't reach for it.

There was a time I'd waited an entire winter just to get honey cake from that shop.

Kael always said he was too busy to take me.

But he drove out of his way every single morning to bring some to Lysandra.

When exactly I'd stopped loving the taste, I couldn't even remember.

"About last night. I can explain."

"We just stayed up too late talking in the living room and fell asleep. Nothing happened."

Kael sat down next to me. He seemed to finally sense that something was off. He reached out to touch my shoulder.

I pulled away instinctively.

Underneath his familiar cold scent, there was still a trace of Lysandra's moon orchid perfume.

My stomach flipped. Even breathing felt unbearable.

I turned and ran to the bathroom, scrubbing the spot he'd touched over and over until my skin was raw and burning red.

Kael stiffened, then frowned. "She just borrowed my jacket last night. Is that really worth getting this worked up over?"

"Lysandra is way more normal than you. Sometimes I genuinely think you're unhinged."

"Your mother was the same way after that rogue marked her. Scrubbing herself over and over in the bathtub like she'd lost her mind. You picked that up perfectly."

My hands stopped mid-scrub. The water hammered against the sink basin, loud and sharp.

Back then, after my mother was forcibly marked by a rogue, my father dissolved their mate bond on the spot.

That night, my mother lay in the bathtub and cut her wrists. She grabbed my hand with the last of her strength and told me never to trust a word a man says.

I shook my head back then. I told her Kael was different. That he was good to me.

But hearing those words come out of his mouth now, I suddenly realized that all men are pretty much the same.

He didn't notice anything wrong with me. He just kept going.

"You always overthink things. Lysandra just awakened. She needs someone looking out for her. How is that not normal?"

I suddenly remembered all the times I'd made excuses for him.

I told myself he just had too much responsibility. Told myself Lysandra just needed help. I even told myself that once the Moon Vow was done, everything would change.

But that priority list had already given me the answer.

I looked up at him. Calm. "If she needs you that badly, then stay with her."

The irritation on Kael's face slowly froze.

I took a deep breath and said the words that had been coming for far too long.

"Kael, I'm not doing the Moon Vow."

"We're done."