Chapter 3

The air seemed to freeze in an instant.

Ethan stiffened, clearly flustered, and after a brief hesitation, his eyes flicked nervously to Elsa, who was still standing far too close behind him.

He forced an awkward smile.

"That's impossible, Mia. We've been mated for ten years—I’ve never once been drawn to another she-wolf. The promise I made—to have only you in my heart—has never been broken. Our bond is just you and me. Always.”

I fixed my gaze on his eyes, searching for even a sliver of sincerity.

Then I smiled faintly, curling my lips in mock amusement.

"Why so tense?" I said lightly. "I was only joking."

At that, a visible wave of relief washed over Ethan’s face, his shoulders finally loosening.

But I saw it all.

The guilt in his glance, the panic in his voice, and the lie hidden behind his smile.

When I turned away, the smile on my face collapsed completely—like a fragile mask that finally cracked.

Elsa stood nearby, lips curled into an unnatural smile—so strained it made the truth even louder.

“It’s well known that Alpha Ethan loves you,” she said lightly, her voice coated in sugar. “Everyone in the pack says so. That must be true.”

Hearing that, Ethan shot her a sharp, unhappy glare, clearly irritated. He opened his mouth to scold her—but Elsa cut in before he could even finish the breath to speak, her tone smooth but clearly rehearsed.

“Alpha,” she said, voice suddenly turning serious, “I came for a reason. The werewolf councilors are waiting. There’s an urgent meeting about the territory. We must go—immediately.”

Ethan’s eyes lingered on her for a beat too long, his throat moving in a nervous swallow as he stared at her silhouette through the fading light.

The anger that had flared briefly in his wolf quickly died down.

He sighed awkwardly and turned to me, his voice low.

“Mia... I don’t want to go. But...”

Seeing how hard he was trying to act sincere, I couldn't bear to watch the show any longer. So I finished his sentence for him.

"Just go handle your business. I’ll take care of the pup," I said flatly.

Ethan's joy lit up his face instantly. His kisses landed on my cheek like scattered raindrops. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away—toward her.

The moment he left, I wiped his kisses off my skin with disgust.

My wolf whimpered deep inside me, a sharp gust of pain tearing through her.

Watching their silhouettes disappear into the distance, I lowered my gaze and turned back toward the den, holding the pup close.

Elsa was known as a loyal subordinate in the pack, but in private, she made no effort to hide her affair with Ethan.

She even had the audacity to send me messages:

[Luna Mia, thank you for taking care of my pup. I know you won’t let Ethan’s efforts go to waste—especially since you’re not able to bear one yourself.]

[Also, please help me beg Alpha not to disturb me too often. I’ve just given birth, and my wolf is still weak... she needs time to recover.]

Then came the final blow—a video clip.

When I tapped to play it, the screen lit up with a scene from the parking lot outside my den.

Ethan was gripping Elsa’s neck, his eyes filled with fury.

“How many times have I told you not to appear in front of Mia?”

“Do you want her to find out about us? You almost got us exposed just now—do you even realize that?”

“If she starts to suspect anything… you know what the consequences will be.”

However, Elsa didn’t seem to mind anymore. It was as if she had grown used to Ethan’s cold, biting words.

She fluttered her lashes and bit her lips, locking eyes with him—deliberately arousing his wolf’s desire. Then, slowly, she rubbed her knee against his chest, sliding down to his blouse like a practiced seductress.

Ethan’s anger vanished in an instant.

His wolf let out a low growl, unable to resist the fire surging within.

He grabbed Elsa by the waist, crushed his lips against hers, and shoved her against the wall with forceful urgency.

“Didn’t you say your wolf hasn’t recovered?”

“Yet you’re already so eager…”

He sneered in a hoarse whisper, breath hot and ragged.

“This time, I’m warning you in advance—don’t beg me to stop.”

...

I gripped my cellphone so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

My entire body trembled violently as the scene played out before me—those whispers, so filthy and breathless, still echoed in my ears.

I couldn’t believe it.

The mate I had bonded with for ten whole years… was now craving another she-wolf like an animal in heat.

What made it all more absurd—more cruel—was that their pup was still peacefully sleeping in my den.

I wiped away my tears with a numb, trembling hand and began silently packing my clothes.

Ten years.

Such a long time that even the air around my belongings was soaked in Ethan’s scent.

Every outfit had been hand-picked by him. Every piece of jewelry—custom-made by werewolf artisans from other packs—had been chosen to match my eyes, my hair, my wolf.

The moonstones we collected together. The hunter trophies we shared. The love letters, the crystals, the promises…

Now, all of it meant nothing.

All of it needed to be thrown away.

But I wasn’t stupid.

I only packed a few plain clothes—ones he wouldn’t notice missing.

Then, just as I zipped the bag shut, his voice entered my head through the mindlink.

“I’ve bought a new moon ring for you. Wait for me to come back.”

A new ring?

To replace the one that drowned with your guilt—or to silence me again?

Almost at the same time, another notification popped up. It was a message from my mentor:

[Everything’s ready for you. Welcome to the Werewolf Research Academy.]