Chapter Three: A Home that didn't Last

Ayla's pov

After the party, my father wasted no time to send me off with Killian but I didn't bother to protest since with Killian, I felt at ease and safe.

I loved him already.

Thankfully Blood moon pack house was nothing like Silver fang.

Where Silver fang was cold stoned and extreme hierarchy, Blood moon was basking with warmth, radiated soft lights and filled calm air.

Wolves bustled around as if the whole pack was dipped in sunlight.

In here it was hard to tell who belonged and who didn't.

And they welcome me, really welcomed me

Killian also took pride with me around him, my arm hooked around his as we walked past his pack and towards the palace house.

“Luna-to-be" someone whispered as I passed

“She's so gorgeous"

“Alpha Killian must be really blessed by the moon goddess"

'They love us.'

My wolf whispered which made me smile even more.

Women hugged me without hesitation, warriors bowed their heads respectfully, even the pups tugged at my dress, wanting to know if I could shift again so they could see my ‘sparkly wolf’

Sparkly.

No one had ever described me with anything kind before.

It was overwhelming.

It was beautiful.

For the first time in my life… I felt like I belonged somewhere.

His mother, Luna Elora, cupped my cheeks gently and said, “Welcome home, sweetheart. It was about time my son brought in a mate and you, you are perfect”

And I believed her.

Killian showed me to everyone, and each time he glanced at me, it seemed as though he couldn't wait to get his hands on me.

He settled me in his room, warm blankets, and soft rugs. A place meant for peace

“Stay here, you can take a bath if you wish" he smirked at me.

And I pouted.

"I'll be back"

He left and closed the door behind him. I looked around the room. The bed was softer than the one I slept on at Silver Fang, it was normal for the last daughter to get what was left of the good stuff but here.

Soft lights, silk drapes, a fireplace at the far end and this sense of belonging.

This was a fresh start and a gift from the moon goddess herself.

I smiled as I glanced at the band around my wrist.

Nothing could ruin this…

A knock.

Sharp. Hard. Urgent.

I straightened. “Killian?”

No answer.

But the door burst open after I called his name.

Killian stood there.

Or so I thought.

His gray eyes bore into mine but it wasn't soothing, there was absolutely nothing soothing about the way he was staring at me, instead it was colder.

His posture rigid and his jaw sharp with displeasure.

“Killian? Are you okay?"

“Killian?" He scoffed at me. .

Really looked at me.

As if he despised what he saw.

“What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice laced with venom.

My heart stuttered “W..what do you mean? You brought me here"

He scoffed, “Maybe I made a mistake."

My world tilted again, this time, upside down.

“Mistake?" I whispered, glancing at the woman beside him and then at him “Killian this isn't funny"

His eyes darkened as he moved closer, towering over me with a glare that felt like he was clawing my insides.

“You don't belong here," he said coldly and dismissively “you barely belong in your own pack. What made you think you deserve to step into mine"

My breath caught.

That… wasn't him. Not the man who danced with me, not the one who held me under the moon like I was irreplaceable.

But Killian didn't blink, he didn't soften either

I tried to reach for his arm but he glared at it and I retreated slowly.

“Killian… What's going on? You said I belonged with you…”

" That was before I realized what you really are..”

My stomach dropped and my heart sank " what… I really am?"

Now he leaned closer, voice lowering to a cruel whisper.

“An orphaned nobody clinging to a mate bond because you have nothing else to live for. Did you even think that I wanted someone like you? You're lucky I even looked at you"

His words hit harder than any slap, tears burned instantly as they sting my eyes but I refused to let them fall.

“That's not fair" I said quietly, live cracking “you're not acting yourself, what changed Killian… did I do something..”

" Nothing changed, I just opened my eyes”

Then he smirked.

The smirk he gave earlier was soft, warm and made me feel safe.

This smirk felt like poison.

But still.

Still a tiny part of me had hoped that he was lying and all this was some kind of test or something had happened and he wasn't telling me.

“Killian" I whispered again, reaching for him “please..

He slapped my hands away and the sound echoed.

“Don't touch me" he hissed “I wish you'd never stepped foot in my pack house. Hell, I wished you'd disappear from this planet altogether"

This time my breath stopped.

Not because of his words but because of how easily he said them, with no hesitation, no remorse.

Like he meant them.

He stepped back, like an act of finality.

“You and I? We will never be anything. Do yourself a favor. Leave”

The man who danced with me under the moon would never say this.

Maybe he had come to his senses, he had realized what everyone else saw in me.

I was wrong, shifting wouldn't change anything because the man in front of me looked exactly like Killian and he sounded exactly like Killian.

He was Killian.

And he had just shattered something I didn't know could break any further.

“Is that really what you want?" My voice trembled

“Yes" he crossed his arm.

Something inside me finally gave out.

I stood, numb and empty, I stepped past him even though my legs felt like stone.

“Fine," tears finally fell. “I'll go."

His expression didn't change, he didn't stop me

I stood, numb, stepping past him even though my legs felt like stone.

“Fine,” I whispered, tears finally falling. “I’ll go.”

His expression didn’t change.

He didn’t stop me.

He didn’t call out.

He just… watched.

And as I reached the doorway, my breath shaking, I glanced over my shoulder at him one last time.

“You’ll never have to see me again.”

And then…

I walked away.

Pretending all this was just a bad dream.

I closed the door behind me leaving behind the only place that had ever felt like home.