Chapter 3

Such a monumental betrayal, yet he spoke of it so lightly.

I packed the last of my clothes into my suitcase. Just then, the old Luna pushed the door open.

She saw the suitcase at my feet and her face showed a flicker of satisfaction.

"While you were gone, I let Liana use your main bedroom. The study next to it has been converted into a nursery. You can sleep on the living room sofa tonight. If you don't like it, you can find a guest cabin outside."

I was truly exhausted. My wolf was weary from the long journey and the crushing emotional blow.

On top of that, being pregnant had weakened me slightly. I had no energy to argue.

I simply nodded, preparing to spend the night on the sofa.

But deep into the night, the pup's loud cries echoed from the master bedroom.

I turned over, about to use my mental energy to block out the noise, when I heard Liana's tearful complaint.

"Kaelen, do something about the baby. He won't stop crying, and I can't sleep."

Then came Kaelen's soft, gentle laughter.

"You're my baby. I just need to take care of you. Let the little one cry. It's good for his lungs."

The casual way he said it made my stomach churn again.

I pulled the blanket over my head, trying desperately to ignore their sweet whispers.

But every time I closed my eyes, I saw him as he was when he first claimed me.

Back then, he was the most brilliant young Alpha in the pack, and his eyes saw only me. Before the Moon Goddess, he had sworn an eternal mate bond.

But that wolf was gone. He no longer belonged to me.

I drifted in and out of a restless sleep on the sofa. At dawn, I grabbed my suitcase and left the house.

I went to the Council of Elders and officially annulled my pack registration, also obtaining the necessary travel documents to leave the continent.

With my Head Healer's letter of recommendation, the process was swift. The elder in charge didn't ask many questions.

As I was leaving, a young she-wolf stopped me. She handed me a small bag of moon-sugar candies.

"May the Moon Goddess guide you, and may all your wishes come true."

I gave her a grateful smile. After leaving the pack center, I found a modest inn on the outskirts to stay in.

After dropping off my luggage, I bought some fresh, protein-rich foods and supplements for the pregnancy.

As I stepped out of the shop, a cloying, sweet perfume hit me.

My stomach revolted, and I leaned against a nearby tree, vomiting violently.

"Oh, Elara. Is that your way of showing us how much you despise us?"

It was Liana's voice. It was their whole family of five.

She was now wearing a bracelet made of rare moonstone, a smug look on her face. She looked nothing like a she-wolf on the verge of death.

Kaelen frowned and took a step back, as if I were carrying some contagious disease.

"Why are you so disgusting? Vomiting in the street, you're a disgrace to the pack."

His eyes fell on the bag of supplements in my hand, and his expression turned to one of utter contempt.

"What useless potions are you taking now? You're obsessed with getting pregnant, aren't you? Willing to try any folk remedy? Let me tell you, what's meant to be will be. With your body, you're just wasting money."

"Elara, I can't believe you're still trying to force my hand about the pup. You disappoint me more and more."

I looked at his familiar face, which now seemed like that of a complete stranger.

I remembered when we first became mates. I had made a mistake in a healing procedure and was nearly demoted by the Council. I'd wanted to give up being a healer entirely.

Kaelen had just held me tightly, calming my agitated wolf with his scent, and whispered.

"Mates are one soul. Whatever you decide, I will support you."

"Giving up your title means nothing. You're my Luna. I will always be with you."

But now, he stood by and let another woman humiliate me, trample my dignity.

He had forgotten his words, forgotten the love that was once carved into our souls.

Even his parents shook their heads in disgust.

"Elara, you're a worthless wolf who can't provide heirs for the pack, and you're never even home. How can you possibly compare to Liana?"

"Given who you are, it's only natural that Kaelen would choose someone else. If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for not being captivating enough."

Their words grew harsher, attracting stares from other pack members passing by.

My hands, hanging at my sides, clenched into tight fists, my nails digging into my palms so hard they nearly drew blood.

I wiped the sourness from my mouth and instinctively hid the bag of supplements behind my back.

"It's none of your business."

"How is it not our business?"

Liana stepped closer with a sly smile, deliberately caressing the heavy golden locket—a symbol of the pack mother—hanging around her neck.

"Kaelen doesn't want me to feel wronged, so he's decided to hold a Grand Naming Ceremony for our son tomorrow. It's a historic event, I know, and as the former mate, you should come and give the heir your blessing, right?"

A Mating Ceremony?

My head snapped up to look at Kaelen.

In our pack, standing at the altar to name the heir was a sacred rite reserved only for the Alpha and his true Luna.

By doing this with her, he wasn't just acknowledging the child; he was publicly declaring to the Moon Goddess that she was his partner in life and legacy.

Then what was our bond?

My stare seemed to make him uneasy. He squared his shoulders defensively.

"What are you looking at? Liana bore my child for you. This is an honor she deserves. As for you, as long as you behave, you can keep the empty title of Luna. But I'm warning you, don't show up at the ceremony with that dead look on your face, and don't even think about faking an illness to get sympathy!"

So, he had already planned my public humiliation.

I touched my belly, hidden beneath my coat. The last shred of feeling I had for him vanished with the wind.

"Don't worry. The surprise I have for you will be delivered right on time."