No Longer Calling Them

(Jackson's POV)

I stared at the resignation letter in my hands, still warm from Grace Morgan's touch. The crisp paper with its neat signature seemed to carry more weight than it should.

As one of Alpha King Ethan Silver's primary Betas, I was among the few who truly understood the strained dynamic between our Luna and the Alpha King. Everyone in Ethan's inner circle knew his heart wasn't truly bound to Grace.

Since their mating ceremony, he had treated her with cold indifference. He rarely returned to their shared den when she resided here in the Northern Territory.

To bridge this growing distance, Grace had joined the Silvercliff medical technology enterprises, working within our pack's vast medical division. I remember how she had initially hoped for a position closer to Ethan's sphere—perhaps as a senior aide or leading healer directly under his command.

Ethan had refused outright. Even when pack elders subtly nudged him toward including his mate in his inner circle, he remained unyielding.

Grace eventually accepted a role as Head Healer, managing a team within the medical division. It was a position she earned through merit rather than favor—something I had come to respect about her.

When she first joined the division a few years ago, I'd had reservations. I feared her presence as Luna would complicate the team's operations or that she would use her status inappropriately.

Her performance quickly dispelled my concerns. She never took advantage of her position and adhered strictly to pack protocols and medical center policies. Even while pregnant with Emma, she demonstrated exceptional skill and leadership.

Over the years, she became a respected lead therapist. The staff spoke highly of her gentle guidance and healing expertise.

Witnessing Grace's quiet devotion to Ethan during this time, I never imagined she would choose to voluntarily sever all ties. Something significant must have happened between them—perhaps King Alpha himself had authorized her departure from the pack's medical department.

I secured the resignation letter in our confidential personnel files according to procedure. My fingers lingered on the folder for a moment before I closed the cabinet drawer.

With a deep breath, I initiated a video call to Ethan Silver in the Eastern Territory. I needed to confirm the timeline for relieving Grace Morgan of her duties.

As the connection established, I hesitated. Ethan had a standing order that all matters concerning Grace within the company were to be handled strictly by standard pack protocol, without his direct intervention.

Ethan's face appeared on the screen, his expression characteristically indifferent. "What is it, Jackson?" he asked, his tone already edged with impatience.

"Alpha King, I wanted to discuss some personnel matters," I began carefully.

He shuffled papers on his desk, barely glancing at the camera. "Be quick about it. I have meetings all morning."

The cold dismissal in his voice made me reconsider. Whatever had transpired between him and Grace, he clearly had no interest in discussing it.

"Anything else?" the Alpha King demanded brusquely when I remained silent.

"Nothing, Alpha King," I replied, understanding implicitly that Grace's departure was of little consequence to him.

With that, Ethan ended the connection, leaving the final scheduling of Grace's exit to standard Silvercliff internal procedures. I sat back in my chair, troubled by the hollow feeling in my chest.

(Grace's POV)

I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder as I organized files at my workstation. Looking up, I saw Natalie, one of the younger healers on my team.

"Lost in thought, Luna?" she asked with a friendly smile.

"No, just organizing some files," I replied, shaking my head slightly. The title "Luna" felt increasingly foreign on my skin.

Natalie leaned against my desk casually. "Aren't you making your usual call to the Young Miss today?"

"Not today," I answered quietly, turning back to my computer screen.

My pack colleagues in this division were aware I meticulously called Emma twice daily—once at dawn Northern time to catch her before school in the East, and again around noon. Most remained tactfully oblivious to the strained mother-daughter dynamic or the full weight of my isolation.

After finishing my handover tasks for the day, I left headquarters and headed to the bustling Moonlight Market. The familiar scents of fresh herbs and spices filled the air as I wandered through the stalls.

I carefully selected some healing herbs with enhanced properties for werewolf healing. Several vibrant, lunar-responsive plants caught my eye—perfect for bringing life to my city apartment.

Back at the Shadowcrest Residence, I arranged the plants near the windows where they could absorb both sunlight and moonlight. Their subtle lunar-responsive properties would help purify the air in my den.

I settled at my desk and logged onto my computer, browsing updates for the prestigious annual Moontech Conference. Recognizing the organizer's portal, I picked up my phone.

"This is Grace Morgan. Please reserve one pass for me for next month's conference."

A distinctly cool voice responded, "Are you certain this time, Madam Silver?" Alex Reynolds, the conference coordinator, made no attempt to hide their frustration. "The last two years, you reserved premier passes and failed to attend. These passes are highly sought after."

I offered a quiet smile, though they couldn't see it. "Yes, I'm certain."

A loaded silence followed before Alex reluctantly confirmed my reservation. I understood their skepticism—I had indeed reserved passes before, only to cancel when Ethan scheduled last-minute pack obligations that prevented my attendance.

This time would be different. I was no longer bound by the unpredictable demands of being Luna.

In truth, I planned to eventually return to the independent healing practice I had co-founded before my mating. I had stepped back significantly to focus on my duties as Luna and raising Emma.

My absence had caused my former partners strain and led to missed opportunities for our clinic. Initial reconnections with my old colleagues had been understandably tense, marked by a mixture of resentment and cautious curiosity.

I worried that after years away from the front lines of independent practice, I might struggle to reintegrate and match their current pace. For now, I resolved to immerse myself in work and research.

During the day, I would deepen my knowledge of cutting-edge werewolf medical advancements. At night, I would study pack medical journals before formally approaching my old partners.

I deliberately refrained from calling Emma or Ethan, and neither made any attempt to contact me. The silence didn't surprise me; for months, the only connection had been the calls I myself initiated, echoes in a growing void.

My finger hovered over Emma's contact information on my phone. The urge to hear her voice, even if just for a moment, was almost overwhelming.

I put the phone down. No more one-sided efforts. No more pretending.

(Emma's POV)

I clutched my phone tightly, my heart racing as I dialed Aunt Liv's number. She always answered my calls right away, unlike Mother who sometimes seemed too busy with her work.

"Hello, sweetie!" Aunt Liv's warm voice came through the speaker.

"Aunt Liv!" I exclaimed, bouncing on my bed. "Can we go to the park today? Or maybe get ice cream?"

There was a small pause before she answered. "Oh, Emma... I have some news. Aunt Liv is heading back to the Northern Territory soon."

My world stopped spinning. "What? No! You can't go!"

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I have some important races coming up, and I need to prepare."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "But who will take me to the park? Who will help me with my crafts?"

"Your mother is there now, isn't she?" Aunt Liv's voice softened. "And we can video call every day, I promise."

"It's not the same!" I burst into tears, my small world tilting. Mother never played with me the way Aunt Liv did. She was always so serious, always watching me with those sad eyes.

Heartbroken, I immediately ended the call with Aunt Liv and dialed Father. He was probably in his study reviewing pack documents, but this was an emergency!

"Father!" I sobbed into the receiver as soon as he answered. "Aunt Liv is leaving!"

I heard the sound of papers rustling. "I know," he replied, his voice flat.

His calm response made me pause mid-sob. "When did you know?"

"For some time now."

My sadness quickly turned to anger. "You—you knew and you didn't tell me? You're mean!" I cried, clutching my fluffy wolf pup plush tightly against my chest.

"Emma, calm down," Father said, his voice still unnervingly steady.

"If Aunt Liv isn't here, I don't want to stay here anymore! I want to go home to the North!" The words tumbled out between hiccupping sobs.

To my surprise, Father's voice remained placid. "We are already arranging it, Emmy."

I sniffled, confused by his response. "W-What do you mean, Father?"

"We will return to the Northern Territory next week, Emma," Father clarified, his tone leaving no room for argument.