Chapter 4

Kieran knocked on my door as soon as he hung up.

"Tomorrow night, you need to come to my parents' place with Maisie. Tell them you agreed to let me give her the experience of having a mate. I don't want them getting the wrong idea."

I set my damaged phone on the table.

"I never agreed to that."

He blinked. "You nodded at the healing center, didn't you?"

"Mom went three days without eating, and every one of you kept pushing until I gave in. I couldn't stand watching her starve herself anymore. That doesn't mean I'm going to lie to your parents for you."

Kieran's expression hardened.

"Maisie only has one wish left. Once she's met my parents, this will all be over. Why do you have to make things so hard for her now?"

Maisie stood in the doorway, staring at the floor and twisting the sleeve of her pajamas.

"It's fine. I don't want to put Brielle in a difficult position."

Jake stepped out behind her. "If you don't go, what will Kieran's parents think? You want them to believe Maisie stole another woman's mate?"

Mom arrived too, looking even angrier than before.

"If you humiliate Maisie like this, I won't eat another bite today."

Lucas gave a short laugh from the doorway.

"Here we go again. Last time she went three days without food, you ended up on your knees outside the healing center.”

“You've already let Maisie have Kieran. Why make a fuss over one dinner? What's it going to cost you?"

Kieran stopped arguing and simply watched me, waiting for me to give in the way I always had.

I opened my bedside drawer, took out my moonstone engagement ring, and set it in front of him.

"I'm not going. And don't tell them I agreed to any of this."

The ring made a small click against the table.

Kieran's eyes flicked to it. His brow twitched.

"Put that away. You can't scare me with a ring. I'll bring you that moonstone hairpiece you like tonight."

I really had loved that design once. When we first got together, he'd taken me to several jewelers just to look for one.

But I said nothing. I walked past them, picked up my bag, and left.

That morning, I went to the bank and reported my pay card lost. The clerk issued a replacement, helped me change where my salary was deposited, and printed out my account statements from the past few years.

I was going to find out exactly what Jake had done with my money.

From the bank, I went straight to the Pack Registry.

"I'd like to apply to leave Moonshadow Pack permanently."

The clerk looked up. When she saw my name, she froze.

"Brielle? Aren't you supposed to be our future Luna?"

"I was." I managed a faint smile.

She checked my records, then hesitated. "You and Kieran haven't had your bonding ceremony yet, but everyone in the Pack knows you'll be our Luna. Are you sure about this? Once your request is approved, your citizenship will be canceled for good."

"I'm sure."

"But... who's going to be our Luna?"

I smiled.

"I'm sure someone else will be a better fit."

I filled out the forms and handed over the documents I'd brought. After checking everything, the clerk said she'd send my application for approval and notify me as soon as there was a decision.

The snow had stopped by the time I left the Registry.

That afternoon, I packed everything Kieran had ever given me into boxes and sent them to his house.

Jake posted in the family group chat.

[Brielle's gone too far this time. She even went to the bank and changed her pay card. What, does she think she's running away from home?]

Mom replied: [She's just upset. Give her a couple of days and she'll calm down.]

Lucas sent a laughing emoji. [Can't wait to watch her come crawling back tonight.]

Then Kieran wrote: [She loves me too much to leave.]

That evening, boarding began for the bus to Silverfrost Pack.

Kieran called. I watched his name light up my screen and let it ring.

He was probably sitting at the dinner table with Maisie, expecting me to show up and explain everything to his parents.

My phone buzzed again. This time, it was an official notice from the Pack Registry.

[Your application for permanent withdrawal has been approved.]

I silenced my phone and boarded the bus.

At that very moment, Kieran really was having dinner with Maisie at his parents' house.

Maisie smiled and pushed a piece of dessert toward him.

Suddenly, the dining room doors flew open.

Lucas rushed in.

"Kieran! How can you sit here eating right now?"

Kieran frowned.

"What's going on?"

"You don't know? Brielle just filed to leave Moonshadow Pack permanently!"

The wineglass slipped from Kieran's hand.

"What did you just say?"