Chapter 4: Stealing Her Place

Haliyah’s POV.

The door slammed shut behind me with a thud. The sound echoed through the hallway, while I just stood there, staring at the wooden door in front of me. The click of the bolt sliding into place sounded louder like a cage closing.

Raven’s Beta didn’t meet my eyes when he pushed me inside. He only said, “Please rest, Luna,” before stepping out.

I slowly turned around and scanned my room. No— not mine anymore. It suddenly felt unfamiliar. The curtains were half-drawn. Dim light filtered in through the window. The bed was still messy from this morning, the blanket wrinkled like someone had struggled in their sleep. Everything looked the same, but somehow, nothing felt the same.

My chest tightened. So this was Raven’s choice. He chose to lock me up like I was a criminal. He chose to treat me like I was something shameful he needed to hide.

A dry laugh escaped my lips. “Calm down and apologize…” I muttered to myself. “So that’s what you want.”

My legs finally gave out, and I dropped onto the edge of the bed. My body still hurt. My lower abdomen still ached from the miscarriage. But strangely, my heart hurt more. It hurt so much that I couldn’t even cry. Maybe I had no tears left to shed. There was only emptiness inside me.

Hours passed or maybe only minutes. I couldn’t tell. No one came. No one checked on me, not even the servants. It was like I didn’t exist.

I stood up and walked closer to the window. I heard whispers drifting in from outside. Voices carried easily in werewolf territory. Our hearing was too sharp. Even if they whispered, I could still hear everything.

“Did you hear?”

“Of course I heard. The whole pack knows.”

“Luna Haliyah really went crazy…”

They didn’t know anything, yet they judged me so easily.

“Yeah. She asked for a divorce because she miscarried.”

“They said she can’t have children anymore.”

“No wonder she’s panicking. Without an heir, how can she stay as Luna?”

“Honestly, a Luna without a wolf and a pup… what use is she?”

My hand tightened on the window frame. That wasn’t what happened. That wasn’t true. I never told anyone that. So how—

“I heard Cassandra say it herself.”

“Cassandra? Really?”

“She was worried about her best friend, so she explained everything to us. She’s so kind.”

“Cassandra is way gentler than Luna Haliyah. No wonder Alpha Raven always takes care of her. They look so close.”

“Well, Cassandra looks more like a real Luna. Maybe she’ll replace Haliyah soon.”

A sharp ringing filled my ears. Of course. Who else could it be? Only Cassandra would pretend to be kind while stabbing me behind my back.

My back slowly slid down the cold wall until I was sitting on the floor. The stone felt freezing through my clothes, but I didn’t move. I lowered my head and hugged my knees tightly. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking from anger.

It wasn’t enough for her to steal my husband. She wanted my name, my reputation, and my place too. She wanted to erase me completely. She wanted the whole pack to believe I was a jealous, barren woman throwing a tantrum. She wanted them to look down on me. So even if I left, I would leave with nothing. How vicious. It was like she was peeling away everything that belonged to me piece by piece, until I was left with nothing but shame.

I pressed my hand over my chest. I trusted her. I treated her like a sister. But all this time… she was smiling at me while planning how to destroy me. How did I miss all of those little signs? Looking back, they were so obvious. So why didn’t I notice? I must have been blind for years. Blind enough to mistake a snake for a friend.

***

The next morning, the door finally opened. The sound of the lock turning made me look up. A maid walked in with a tray of food. She didn’t greet me. She didn’t even look at me. Her expression was stiff like I was a stranger. She quickly placed the tray on the table, then she rushed out. The door closed again.

I stared at the tightly shut door. Even the servants were avoiding me now. People really changed fast when rumors spread.

By noon, another knock came. This time, it wasn’t a maid. The door opened wider, and my eyes bulged slightly when I saw who stepped in.

“Elder Tomas?”

He walked inside with his cane. His hair was already gray. His back slightly bent. He was from my birth pack. Someone who had watched me grow up. Someone who used to pat my head and call me “little Haliyah.”

He looked at me with complicated eyes. “Haliyah,” he sighed.

I swallowed. “Yes… Elder?”

He closed the door behind him. “I heard what happened.”

I stiffened. So it reached even them. Rumors in this pack spread faster than wildfire. One spark and everything burned.

He shook his head. “You’re too impulsive. You shouldn’t have asked for a divorce,” he said seriously. “Especially at a time like this.”

My mind went blank. “What do you mean?”

“You miscarried. Your body is weak. And the pack is already unstable. Starting drama now will only harm you.”

“I didn’t—”

He interrupted gently, like he was comforting a child. “We understand. Losing a child is painful. And knowing you may not bear children again must be frightening.”

I stared at him. “What did you say?”

He looked confused by my reaction. “Isn’t that why you asked for divorce? Because you thought Alpha would abandon you?”

That’s what they thought? That I was scared of being abandoned? That I was desperately clinging to my position? They thought I was making a scene? This was the story everyone believed. Not that I was betrayed by my husband and my best friend. In their eyes, I was just a weak, pitiful Luna who couldn’t give birth.

I forced my lips to move. “I never said that.”

He paused. “But the whole pack is saying it. Cassandra told everyone you broke down and said you couldn’t give Alpha an heir.”

Cassandra again.

“She was worried about you,” he continued. “She asked everyone to be more understanding.”

I nearly let out a bitter laugh. What a beautiful lie. She destroyed me with one hand while pretending to protect me with the other. She stole my husband, my dignity— and then wore a saint’s mask.

Elder Tomas sighed heavily. “Haliyah, listen to me. A woman must learn to endure. Alpha Raven is powerful. You should cherish your marriage. Don’t push him away.”

Everyone wanted me to bow my head. Even my own people. Just because I was a woman. Just because I had no wolf. If I endured, wasn’t that the same as admitting I was wrong? Wasn’t that the same as saying Raven did nothing wrong? I was the one betrayed. I was the one who lost my child. So why was I the one who had to accept it and swallow my pain?

“So, you came here to tell me to stay?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said firmly. “Go apologize to Alpha Raven. Don’t ruin your future. Without him, where can you go?”

Where can I go? The question echoed in my mind. I lowered my head. I stayed silent for a long while. Then, a painful laugh slipped out of my throat. They all thought I couldn’t survive without him. They all thought I was useless. Maybe before, they were right. Five years ago, I loved Raven so much that I gave him everything. My whole world revolved around him, but not anymore.

I raised my head and looked directly at him. For the first time, my voice didn’t shake.

“Elder, what if I don’t want that future anymore?” I asked calmly.

His brows furrowed. I could see confusion in his eyes, like he couldn’t understand what I was saying. I didn’t look away.

“What if I’d rather lose everything than live like this?” I continued.

Images flashed in my mind one after another. I remembered waking up before sunrise every day, checking supplies, arranging patrols, settling disputes between pack members.

When food was scarce, I negotiated trades with other packs. When fights broke out, I stayed up all night calming both sides. When Raven was busy expanding his territory, who managed the pack? When the elders argued, who smoothed things over? When members got sick, who visited every house with medicine? It was always me. I ran this pack like it was my own home. Like they were my family. I gave them everything I had. And what did I get in return? Whispers behind my back.

“She still hasn’t awakened her wolf.”

“A wolfless Luna is useless.”

“No heir after five years? Maybe Alpha should replace her.”

But I endured. I swallowed every insult. Every look of disdain. Because I loved Raven. Because I thought if I worked harder… if I sacrificed enough… He would love me too. How naive.

I remembered all the herbs, tonics, and fertility medicines. I tried everything to quickly conceive an heir. Those countless nights I prayed under the moon, begging the Moon Goddess to give me a child. Just one proof that I belonged here.

And when I finally got pregnant… I was so stupidly happy. I even planned how to tell him. I wanted it to be a surprise. What a joke. In the end, I was the one who got surprised. I caught him with Cassandra, committing the worst betrayal. Worse still, I found out her son was his biological child. They already had a family.

I met Elder Tomas’s gaze without flinching. “You want me to apologize?” I asked hoarsely.

He nodded. “Yes. It’s for your own good.”

I laughed bitterly. “For my own good? Should I thank him too?” My fingers clenched tightly at my sides. “After everything… what exactly am I staying for?”

“Haliyah, don’t exaggerate—”

“I handled this pack for five years!” My voice suddenly rose. “Five years! Did Raven ever care about anything? He left everything to me!” I pointed at myself. “I worked until I fainted. I swallowed every insult they threw at me! And in the end, what did I get? Slander. Betrayal.”

I drew in a sharp breath. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“I gave him everything,” I said hoarsely. “And he gave me nothing…”

My words came out in a whisper.

“So, no… I won’t apologize.”

I turned my head and looked out the window. The sky was far away.

“I would rather walk away with nothing than stay here and rot beside him.”