Chapter 2

That night, I went to the side hall of the council chamber. Some foolish part of me still wanted to ask Dorian what all of this was supposed to mean.

What if it was fake?

What if it was only some cruel April Fool's joke?

Just as I reached the door, I heard Dorian's friends laughing inside.

"Dorian, what made you fall in love with Calista?"

"Aren't you afraid Liora will find out?"

My steps stopped at the doorway.

Through the half-open door, I saw Dorian sitting at the end of the long table, one arm resting on the back of Calista's chair.

Calista wore a pale silver dress and held the pup in her arms.

The pup leaned against her shoulder and held a moonstone pendant in one hand.

I knew the pattern on that pendant too well. It was the same style as the amulet Dorian had once carved for me with his own hands.

Dorian lowered his eyes to the pup and smiled.

"Liora would never dream that I would betray her."

Someone asked again:

"Then what exactly is Calista to you?"

"The pup is already four. You can't keep hiding her in the shadows forever."

Calista lowered her head, her eyes red.

"Stop talking about it."

"If Liora found out, she would be devastated."

Dorian looked at her, and his voice softened.

"That's why I'm planning to hold a private mate ceremony with you on Moon Mountain."

Tears gathered in Calista's eyes, the perfect picture of someone wronged for years.

Dorian took her hand.

"Liora already has the title of Luna. Everyone in the Moonshadow Pack knows she is my Luna."

"But I'll hold a mate ceremony with you on Moon Mountain, and I'll give you a home that is truly ours."

Calista leaned into his arms, her voice soft.

"Dorian, I don't want to hurt my sister."

"Maybe we should just forget it."

Dorian lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair.

"You've waited for me for four years."

"I owe you this."

Someone in the room laughed and tried to smooth things over.

"Alpha, that's quite the arrangement."

"Liora gets to be the Luna everyone knows about, while Calista remains your true mate on Moon Mountain."

Dorian only smiled.

"I will still stay with Liora."

"Her health is poor, and she's emotionally dependent on me."

"There are twelve months in a year. I spend only one month with Calista and the pup."

"The other eleven months belong to Liora."

"She will never find out that Calista gave birth to my pup."

At those words, a laugh escaped me.

I had never doubted his sincerity. Only now did I realize that sincerity could change in an instant.

The Dorian who had once thrown himself in front of nineteen knives meant for me and climbed Moon Mountain on his knees had, at this moment, driven the cruelest blade into my heart with his own hands.

I could not listen anymore. My chest tightened until every breath hurt.

I did not push open that door. I held onto the wall and walked away from the council chamber, one step at a time.

It was fine, I told myself through the sharp ache in my chest.

I was leaving him anyway.

After I got home, I was packing away the things Dorian had given me when the lock suddenly clicked.

Dorian was back. He carried a small gift box in his hand, his expression gentle.

"Liora."

"I passed by the moonstone shop and saw this necklace. I thought you would like it."

He walked toward me and tried to hold me the way he used to. But when he came close, I smelled moonbell flowers on him.

That was Calista's favorite scent.