Chapter 3

I stared at his face. Familiar. Strange.

His eyes flicked away. "You didn't know about Lyra. Let's not fight about it."

He opened his arms and pulled me against his chest, gentle but firm.

"Your wolf is too damaged. You probably can't have pups now. But this pup — you can be its mother too."

That mint scent of his — the one that used to calm me — was on his skin.

Now it just made me sick.

I pushed him off me. Hard. I held his stare.

"Why can't I have pups anymore? Don't you remember why?"

His face cooled. The warmth dropped out of it, petal by petal.

"Don't start with that again."

"Are you going to hold the favor over me forever?"

"You took an arrow for me. So what?"

"Three years ago, I could have dodged it. You're the one who jumped in front."

He smirked, contemptuous. "After you went down, I had to protect you. I couldn't even chase the shooter."

He tapped his temple. "Use your head next time. You won't always wake up from something like that."

I just stared at him.

I couldn't believe the mouth saying these things now was the same mouth that used to kiss me with everything he had.

Julian shrugged and sighed. "You really are your own worst enemy, you little fool."

My own worst enemy. So that was his answer.

Everything we had was just gone — like a summer rainstorm soaking into asphalt.

He sighed again.

"I'm not blaming you. I just don't get it. Why can't you accept your own sister?"

"I already told you — no one will ever take your place as Luna."

"How are you not satisfied with that?"

The tears that I couldn't stop earlier had already dried.

My heart wouldn't beat for Julian anymore.

I could feel the bond between us — like a thread already fraying. One small pull and it would snap.

I looked at the dark stubble on his jaw. The eyes I knew so well.

Hard to believe this was the man who once cradled me in his arms. Who wouldn't even let me pull a weed in the garden myself.

The man I would have died for.

I gave him a small smile. "Fine, Julian. Be with her."

"On one condition. Break the fated bond."

His face went from delighted to cold.

"You're playing games again."

"You're still Luna. Why does this have to be a fight? Can't we just leave it alone?"

Back when I was wounded, he'd run to me, scooped me up, held me so tight I thought he'd crush me into himself.

His tears burned on my chest. The bond between us pulsed in perfect rhythm. It was the warmest I'd ever felt.

The heart was still beating. But the man inside it had turned to ice.

I smiled. I would still be a Luna.

Just not yours.

In a week, Ethan would come for me.