Chapter 4

I didn't die, but being alive felt like a fate worse than death.

I didn't receive the treatment that I needed after I lost my pup. On the contrary, my body rapidly weakened after being forced to endure even more suffering.

I was drowning in hopelessness as I was locked away in the dungeon.

Felix refused to let me die. He gave me the best medicine that barely kept me alive. He told me that he was being kind, but I knew that he was only keeping me alive to make Portia happy.

Portia visited me often while dressed in beautiful Luna robes and wearing my Moonstone necklace that sparkled brilliantly.

"Look, Selena. Your Moonstone necklace looks so good on me," she said as she kneeled in front of me and patted my face with her soft and smooth hands. "Felix told me that I'm the most beautiful she-wolf in the entire pack."

"Scram," I spat weakly.

"Don't be so angry," Portia said with a laugh. "I came here today to share some good news with you. Felix and I will be having our mating ritual next week. You have to be there when it happens."

"I won't go."

"That's not up to you," she said as she stood up. "Felix said that if you're absent, he'll destroy your parents' graves."

I whipped my head up upon hearing her words and glared at her. "Don't you dare!"

"What will you do to stop us?" Portia asked, letting out a mocking laugh. "Oh, that's right. I have something else to tell you."

She came close to my ear and lowered her voice so that only I could hear her next words. "I'm the one who bribed that healer. I'm the one who told him to lie. Do you know why I did that?"

Portia admired my furious expression before she delivered a hard slap across my face. "I want you and Felix to suffer. I want the two of you to know what it's like to wallow in pain," she said with a smile.

"I bet Felix will make a really interesting expression if he finds out that he killed his own pup with his own two hands. But before that happens, I want to make sure that the pack that you worked so hard to protect falls to ruin by his hand."

Something snapped within me upon hearing her words. I lunged at her, wanting to tear out her throat with my bare teeth.

However, I had grown too weak.

Portia only had to push me lightly to send me stumbling to the floor. I couldn't get back to my feet no matter how hard I tried.

"What a useless piece of trash."

Portia dusted her hands off with a disdainful expression before she tossed the Moonstone necklace on the floor. "I feel sick just thinking about how this was your token of love. You can have it since you want it so badly."

She left after she was done speaking.

I picked up the Moonstone and cradled it protectively.

Sleep eluded me that night.

…

An alarm wailed through the pack a day before Felix's and Portia's mating ritual.

"It's an ambush! The Blackshadow pack has invaded the pack!"

Columns of fire shot up toward the heavens as the sounds of battle filled the air.

Suddenly, the dungeon door slammed open.

Two warriors rushed in. They flanked me and grabbed my arms before dragging me toward the square.

"The Alpha of the Blackshadow pack wants you, Selena. He said that he'll spare the pack as long as we hand you over to him."

I was stunned, wondering why the Alpha of the Blackshadow pack wanted me. However, I wasn't given time to mull over my thoughts before we arrived at the square.

Felix looked at me. He didn't hesitate at all when he shoved me toward the Alpha of the Blackshadow pack. "Take her, and take your troops with you."

I whipped my head around to look at Felix, but I only saw a chill in his eyes.

"Why?" I asked, not willing to give up just yet.

Felix pulled Portia closer. His expression was completely devoid of affection, and there was nothing but annoyance on his face. "Because I've had enough. No Alpha can accept a Luna that's more powerful than him, Selena."

He turned around and led Portia away after he was done speaking.

My heart finally turned completely hollow at that moment.

Felix didn't know that the Moonstone gained a new power after it was blessed by the Moon Goddess. If one felt that their mate didn't love them anymore, they could shatter the Moonstone to dissolve the mate bond.

I pulled out the Moonstone and hurled it to the ground before shouting at Felix's back, "With the Moon Goddess as my witness, I, Selena Lunaro, dissolve my mate bond with Felix Axeford from this day forth!"