Chapter 4

It was already late at night by the time we got home.

Pushing open the heavy oak door, I saw the fireplace in the pack house's great hall burning brightly.

Kael sat in the master seat, his Alpha presence oppressive, filling the entire space.

"So, you still remember to come back?"

Lyra stepped in front of me. "We went out for dinner."

"Did I ask you?" He finally shifted his gaze to me, his golden eyes icy. "Elara, you've grown bold, haven't you? Neglecting your duties as a mate, ignoring the pups, and now dressing up all fancy just to run off outside?"

I stood where I was, silent.

Lyra tugged at my hand and whispered, "Mom, go cleanse away the negativity in the Moon River. I'll handle the rest."

I hesitated for a moment, but she nudged me. "Go."

I walked down the corridor leading to the inner courtyard.

As the warm water enveloped my body, I could hear the voices outside.

"Dad, we need to talk," Lyra said calmly.

"What's there to talk about with a pup like you?"

"About you and that dark-haired Beta female warrior. I overheard your mind-link. Would you like me to repeat the details?"

There was a brief silence outside.

Then came Kael's voice, lowered and dangerous. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Third floor of the market, outside the weapons shop, 4:00 pm yesterday," Lyra recited as if delivering a battlefield report. "She was holding your arm. You bought her a wolf-fang amulet for 30 silver coins, paying on the spot.

"The old werewolf vendor is still there. Should I go ask him to confirm it now?"

I put on my clothes and pressed my ear against the door to listen.

"Did your mother tell you to eavesdrop?" Kael asked in a flustered voice.

"I heard it myself," Lyra said. "Dad, I might be only five years old, but my senses aren't dull. You never shield your mind-link from that she-wolf Seraphina Ashwood, so I've known for a while.

"She's a warrior you recently transferred back from the border, right? She's 23 years old, barely an adult. Dad, how could you even bring yourself to do it?"

"Lyra," Kael roared, unleashing his Alpha dominance.

All the vessels in the room began to hum and vibrate.

"Keep your voice down. Mom is bathing," Lyra said, her voice steady. "Dad, I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here to tell you that if you want to have your fun, go ahead. But don't tarnish the pack house.

"If you want to mark another she-wolf, that's fine too. First, dissolve the mate bond with Mom and sort out the pack's assets fairly. After that, you can mark whoever you want."

I heard the sharp strike of flint—Kael had lit another tobacco roll.

"Did your mother put you up to this?"

"Mom doesn't know anything," Lyra replied. "In fact, she's still making excuses for you. She said I saw wrong, that as an Alpha, you're under a lot of pressure, and that you're not that kind of werewolf. But I'm not her, and my senses don't lie."

The smell of tobacco seeped through the door, sharp and suffocating.

"Lyra, you're still young, so you don't understand." Kael's tone softened slightly. "An Alpha's pressure is heavy, so I need to unwind sometimes. But that doesn't mean I don't love your mother or this family."

"Is that so?" Lyra let out a small laugh. "Last Wednesday, on the night of the full moon, you said you were patrolling the border, but you were really with her in the cave behind Moonlight Falls, weren't you?

"While you were lying entwined with her, Mom was at the altar at home, praying for you. She even reheated the dinner she'd prepared for you on the stove three times."

Outside, there was silence.

I pulled the door open and stepped out.

Kael's expression shifted when he saw me. Lyra ran over and took my hand. Her palm was slick with sweat.

"Mom, are you done bathing?"

I nodded, then turned to Kael. "Is what she said true?"

Kael stood up and tried to reach for me. "Elara, let me explain—"

"Just answer the question. Is it true or not?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Looking at him, I suddenly felt an urge to laugh.

For seven years, I'd managed the household for him, borne and raised pups, and cared for the elders on his behalf.

During the hardest struggle for his Alpha position, I even gave up the only Moon Goddess Tearstone left by my mother, Raina Byrd, to secure him a crucial ally's support.

He said Omegas shouldn't show themselves in public, so I gave up my dream of becoming a healer, leaving behind my talent as an apprentice to become a full-time mate.

And yet, in the end, he told me he was under pressure and needed to let loose?

"Kael, let's sever the mate bond," I said.