Chapter9

Back in my bedroom, I locked the door.

I opened a drawer and took out a small, ornate silver knife—a cruel irony, as Kael had given it to me three years ago as a "talisman" to "ward off dark spirits." The irony was suffocating.

I went to my vanity and began removing every token Kael had ever given me.

The wedding ring. Slice.

The mate necklace. Slice.

The Moon Goddess blessing bracelet. Slice.

With each cut, a faint silver light emanated from the items as the pack magic of the mate bond dissipated.

My wolf, though weak, let out a low hum of relief.

Three years of bondage. It was time for it to end.

At 4 a.m. the next day, during the changing of the guards, I slipped out of the villa.

In a derelict factory district on the edge of the city, a dark witch, exiled from werewolf society, offered "special services."

"Are you sure about this?" The witch, Raven, looked at me, her eyes glowing an eerie green in the dark. "That child has a powerful bloodline."

"I'm sure."

"An Alpha-blooded pup, even before it's fully formed... destroying it will cause significant harm to your body," she warned. "You could hemorrhage, or even..."

"I said, I'm sure."

The ritual was over quickly.

A sharp pain tore through my body, but the sense of psychological relief was far greater.

This pup was just a tool in Kael's plan.

That being the case, I could never let him be born.

But why did my heart still ache so much?

After crying my eyes out, I wiped my tears and headed back to the pack house.

But as I reached the gate, I saw a shocking scene.

A dozen reporters and cameramen from the werewolf media were swarming the entrance, cameras flashing incessantly.

And Selene, my dear "sister," was on her knees, tearfully pleading to the cameras.

"I just don't know what to do anymore..." her voice trembled. "Clara keeps saying I stole her designs, but they're really mine..."

"Alpha Selene, do you believe Luna Clara's accusations are malicious?" a reporter asked.

"I don't want to think that... she's my sister, after all, we grew up together..." Selene wiped her tears. "But her current state really worries me."

"There are rumors that Luna Clara suffers from a mental illness. Is that true?"

"I... I can't comment on that," Selene shook her head, but her expression clearly implied something. "I just hope she gets better and stops... stops hurting innocent people."

The reporters excitedly scribbled down every detail.

I stood a short distance away, watching the meticulously staged performance.

Selene’s acting was superb. She had successfully painted herself as an innocent victim persecuted by her deranged sister.

"Clara!" a reporter suddenly spotted me. "Luna Clara, do you have any response to Alpha Selene's words?"

All the cameras instantly turned to me.

I must have looked awful—pale, unsteady, and weak from the procedure.

"Clara!" Selene rushed over, pretending to support me. "Why are you out here by yourself? Didn't the healer say you need to rest?"

The moment her hand touched me, she smelled the scent of blood and dark magic on me.

A flicker of shock, then elation, crossed her face.

"Oh my god... Clara, where have you been? What is that smell on you..." she said loudly, making sure the reporters could hear.

"What smell?" the reporters swarmed closer.

"It's... it's the smell of dark magic..." Selene backed away, trembling. "And blood... a lot of blood..."

The crowd erupted.

In werewolf society, dark magic was strictly forbidden.

Any contact with a dark witch was considered a sign of corruption.

"Luna Clara, can you explain?"

"Did you have contact with an exiled dark witch?"

"Does this have anything to do with your child?"

Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the chaos.

Kael's car sped toward us, and he jumped out, furious.

"All of you, get lost!" His Alpha command stunned the crowd. "This is private property!"

The reporters were forced back, but their cameras kept rolling.

Kael’s gaze swept over the scene, taking in the "frightened" Selene on the ground and then me, my face ashen.

His wolf instantly made a choice.

He strode to Selene and lifted her into his arms.

"It's alright, I'm here," he soothed her gently. "These reporters won't bother you again."

Then he turned to me, his eyes filled with cold fury.

"Go back to your room." His voice was ice. That was all he said to me.

No concern, no questions, no protection.

In front of the media, in front of everyone, he chose Selene again.

I watched him hold her, saw the triumphant gleam in her eyes.

I understood.

She had planned all of this.

She knew I would be out this morning, so she arranged for the media to be waiting.

She wanted to completely destroy my reputation among the packs.

I walked into the villa and went straight to the dining room.

I placed a small, dark vial on the table. Inside were the remains of the ritual—the proof that our child was gone.

Next to it, I placed my Luna emblem, the golden wolf head that symbolized my status in the Silver Moon pack.

I took one last look at the villa that had been my prison for three years.

Then, I turned and walked away.

My grandfather's people were already waiting for me at the edge of the city.

It was time to go back to my real home.