Chapter 2

RORY’S POV

The pain came before the tears.

My fingers were still wrapped around the wooden box, while my heart struggled to accept what I had just discovered. I felt weak, exhausted, and completely broken at that moment. The room around me was silent, but my thoughts refused to quiet down as I stared at the document, wondering how long Lucian had planned to end what we had.

Although I couldn’t blame him could I? Three years ago, because of the council’s insistence, I became the Luna of the pack. I could still remember that day clearly. I had entered the position knowing that Lucian’s heart already belonged to someone else.

At that time, he was engaged to his childhood sweetheart, Trixie. My eyes stung as I lifted the ring from the box and held it carefully between my fingers. Tears prickled at the sides of my eyes as I looked at the diamond, knowing it had once represented the future they wanted together.

Trixie’s wolf got damaged while saving Lucian in an accident. Right after the incident, the council refused to accept a wolfless woman as Luna. And because of the pressure placed on him, Lucian accepted to marry me instead.

Even though he was my fated mate, our bond had never felt like a choice he willingly made. Our marriage carried political reasons from the beginning, and I spent years trying to change that reality.

After we became husband and wife, Lucian stayed distant. He rarely allowed me to get close to him, and I was always the one trying to build something between us. Each and everyday I tried to understand and support him, while reminding myself that maybe one day he would finally see me differently.

I had spent so long hoping that my efforts would matter.

But now, I finally understood.

Lucian’s position as Alpha was stable, and Trixie had returned to the pack. The reason behind his decision was no longer hidden from me. He wanted to dissolve our bond because the person he had always wanted was finally able to return to his side.

My wolf was silent inside me. She had always believed that our mate would choose us someday. She had held onto the bond even when I felt alone, but even she could no longer ignore the truth.

At that very moment, a familiar scent reached me. My entire body froze as I realized that I was not alone.

Lucian was here with me.

My heart began racing as I quickly placed the ring back inside the box, closed the lid, and placed the document back in its place. My fingers shook while I forced myself to move faster, hoping he had not seen what I had been holding.

Slowly, I turned around.

Fear filled me as I stared at Lucian standing at the doorway. I felt exposed and completely broken, unable to hide the pain that had been sitting inside me since I discovered the document.

But then, before I could gather myself, another scent reached me. It was feminine and painfully familiar.

My breathing stopped when I recognized it.

Trixie.

Her scent was on him.

My wolf immediately reacted, her anger rising inside my mind. “I want him to suffer for hurting us,” my wolf said, her voice filled with rage.

I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to calm her. “Not now, Nyra. We cannot lose control.”

She remained upset, but she listened to me.

I watched as Lucian moved closer, and every step reminded me that he had been with her. I wanted to ask him why, but I forced myself to remain silent.

“Did you find the box?” he asked.

His voice carried impatience, and his expression showed that he was bothered by how long I had taken.

“Yes,” I replied softly.

I handed the box to him and quickly released my grip. I refused to let him know that I had already seen the document. I could not give him the satisfaction of knowing that I had discovered the truth this way.

Lucian accepted the box. “My mother’s health has gotten worse recently,” he said. “She wants to see you. Come with me to my family home.”

The moment those words left his lips, a small sadness passed through me. His mother was one of the few people in this pack who had always shown me genuine care.

When I was young, my parents died during a rogue attack. Mary helped me survive and gave me a place in this pack. She protected me when I had no one else, and I had always been grateful for her kindness.

“I will go with you,” I answered.

For a moment, there was silence between us. Then Lucian’s gaze fell on the bruises around my wrists.

He frowned. “The healer said you refused to be examined. As Luna, you need to take better care of yourself.”

I looked away and swallowed my disappointment. Even when he was concerned, his words still made me feel as though I had failed him.

When we arrived at his mother’s house, I immediately prepared her medicine. I carefully selected the herbs, measured each ingredient, and mixed everything together with patience. Taking care of her had always been important to me.

“She should feel better after this,” I whispered to myself.

I carried the medicine toward her room, but I stopped when I heard voices inside. Mary sounded angry. “Lucian, she is your Luna.”

“I know, Mother.”

“Do you? Because your actions have not shown that.”

My fingers tightened around the medicine. “Trixie damaged her wolf’s soul while saving you, and your pack owes her family a debt. But that has nothing to do with Rory.”

My eyes became warm as I listened. “If you hurt Rory because of Trixie, I will not ignore it.”

For the first time that night, someone was defending me. Then her voice softened. “You need to think about the future of this pack. Have a child soon and produce an heir.”

The moment I heard that, my entire body became tense.

A child.

That one word brought back memories I had spent years trying to survive.

Unable to stand outside any longer, I pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

“We won’t have another child.”