Chapter 3

On the third day, the Silver Moon Pack sent the forms I needed to sign and scan back.

I picked up the family tablet in the living room. As soon as I unlocked it, a group chat notification appeared.

[The Sienna Betting Pool]

They even had a separate group chat just for placing bets on me.

Bella had sent a crying emoji.

“She’s barely talking to me. Winning money isn’t even fun anymore.”

Dad replied, “Give it a rest for a couple of days. Don’t really piss her off.”

Mom added, “She missed her training because of that stunt with Grandma last month. Haven’t you had enough?”

My grip tightened around the tablet.

They’d all known. And every one of them had still placed a bet on the night of the Moonlight festival.

I scrolled back to the day I was supposed to leave for the north.

Bella had asked, “When should I call?”

Declan replied, “Her bus leaves at two. Call at one forty. Any earlier and she might still make it back.”

That day, I’d rushed to Grandma’s house and found her drinking tea on the patio. By the time I returned to the station, the bus was gone. Someone on the waiting list got my place in the program.

I’d cried in the parking lot for two hours. Declan held me the whole time. He said there would be other chances. He even told Bella off in front of me.

And he’d been the one to choose when she should call.

My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. It took a while before I could keep scrolling.

On the day of last year’s qualifying exam, Bella had asked if pretending Dad had been attacked was going too far.

Mom wrote, “Say he’s already at the clinic. We don’t want her getting so scared she crashes the car.”

Dad bet I’d be there within half an hour.

Declan sent the address of a different clinic.

“The one by the exam center’s too close. Use the one on the north side. Otherwise, where’s the fun in betting?”

The words blurred. I wiped my eyes just as a key turned in the lock.

Declan came in carrying coffee.

“Brought you a hazelnut latte.”

A flash of panic crossed his face when he saw the messages on the tablet.

I raised my head.

“You told Bella to call right before my bus left? The day she lied about Grandma?”

He set down the coffee and reached to hug me. I moved away, and he awkwardly lowered his arms.

“Sienna, that group’s just for joking around.”

“And the exam? Was that a joke too?”

Declan frowned.

“This is all in the past. Do we have to go through every single thing?”

I almost laughed.

“You even comforted me afterward.”

He shifted, looking uncomfortable.

“You were a mess. What was I supposed to do, leave you crying? Besides, I told her not to take it too far.”

I pointed to the message about changing clinics.

“That’s you telling her not to take it too far?”

He pulled out a chair and sat down, losing patience.

“Fine. I didn’t think it through. But your parents were joining in. I couldn’t exactly tell Bella off in front of them.”

“I was trying to get along with your family.”

I stared at him for a long moment.

“You didn’t want to upset them. What about me?”

He rubbed his forehead in frustration.

“You’re my mate. Bella’s just immature. Why are you letting her get to you?”

I had nothing left to say.

I’d trusted him to care when someone hurt me. He’d helped them do it, and now he was annoyed that I was upset.

When I fell silent, Declan pushed the coffee toward me and softened his voice.

“Come on. Once we have the bonding ceremony next week, you’ll officially be my mate. Moonfrost’s Luna.”

“We’ll be living together. You won’t have to deal with Bella all day.”

He reached to stroke my hair. I moved out of reach.

That afternoon, I contacted the elder and canceled the bonding ceremony.

Once it was confirmed, I transferred my share of the money out of our joint account.

That evening, Declan texted me.

“We’re going to your dress fitting on Tuesday. I’ll pick you up.”

I didn’t reply.

By Tuesday, I would already be gone.