Chapter 2

Zara's POV

When I woke up, the world around me was disturbingly quiet, punctuated only by the hum of fluorescent lights. The antiseptic smell infiltrated my senses, and my body felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand bricks. My chest ached—not just from physical pain, but from the void left behind by my wolf, compounded by the heavy guilt pressing down on me.

As I blinked until my surroundings came into focus, I noticed the cramped room clearly wasn’t designed for a long stay. As my surroundings came into focus, I took in the cramped room around me. The walls were stark white, bare except for a small, outdated clock ticking quietly above the door. A single narrow window let in a sliver of pale light, partially obscured by blinds that hadn’t been adjusted in years. The bed I lay on was stiff, the thin mattress offering little comfort, and the faint scent of antiseptic in the air.

Most wolves healed quickly; places like this weren't built for a slow recovery.

“Zara,” a familiar voice called gently. I turned my head, wincing as a sharp pain shot through my neck. Ryker’s mother, Luna Diana, sat beside me, offering a glass of water with careful movements, as if I might break apart at any moment.

“Drink,” she urged softly. I took the glass, the cool water soothing my throat, but it couldn’t quell the storm raging inside me. “Mia… how is she?” I demanded.

Her expression faltered. “She’s alive,” she said, but continued, “The injuries were severe. Mia isn’t healing as she should. She may need to be transferred to a human hospital.” The wave of guilt crashed over me—my panic had done this. “It’s my fault,” I admitted, tears pooling in my eyes.

“Zara,” Luna Diana said, her grip on my hand firm, “what matters is that both of you survived. You're still here, and so is Mia.”

Her words were meant to comfort, but they only intensified the ache in my chest. I couldn’t shake Ryker’s cold glare from my mind. “He hates me,” I said, my voice betraying me.

“Ryker doesn’t hate you,” she countered, her tone assertive. “He’s angry, yes. He's hurt and confused. But that anger stems from fear—fear of losing Mia, the pack, and you.”

I shook my head. “He rejected me. He severed our bond without a second thought.”

Luna Diana sighed, her expression mournful but resolute. “He doesn’t see the bigger picture right away.”

Growing up as the daughters of an omega, my sister and I lived in the shadows, overlooked and underestimated. But everything changed when the elders discovered our healing abilities. Suddenly, we were valuable assets, taken into the pack house to be raised alongside Ryker.

The elders conspired about a future where, if Ryker couldn’t find his mate, one of us would step in as his Luna, combining our strengths to elevate the pack to invincibility. While Mia flourished, effortlessly capturing attention at Ryker’s side, I stayed fierce in my silence, determined not to be overlooked.

When I first learned Ryker was my mate, hope bloomed in my chest. Maybe, just maybe, he’d look at me the way I’d always looked at him. But that hope faded quickly.

He never saw me—not really. His eyes were always on Mia.

“She’s the bright one,”

No matter what I did, I couldn’t escape her shadow. Even as his mate, I was never his first choice. I had dreamed of a bond that would make us inseparable, but reality was far crueler.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the Moon Goddess had made a mistake. Why tie me to someone who would never choose me?

Luna Diana sighed, her expression heavy with regret as she sat beside me. “Zara,” she began softly, “when the elders brought you and Mia into the pack house, I thought it would be for the best, giving you both opportunities beyond the life of an omega’s daughters.”

She paused, gazing into the distance. “But I never expected their decision to create conflict between you two. The constant comparisons and pressure to become Luna drove a wedge between you. I should have seen it.”

Her words resonated within me. “You deserved more than to feel like you were competing for what should have been yours,” she added, and though her admission came late, it felt like a balm on my wounded heart.

I shifted uncomfortably under Luna Diana’s gaze, her words about the elders’ decision stirring unease in me. Did she suspect me? I pushed the thought away; Luna had always been kind. “I didn’t expect both my sister and I to fall for him,” I admitted quietly.

Diana’s expression shifted as she unfolded a piece of paper—the report revealing my pregnancy. My heart raced. “Zara,” she said carefully, “is this why you’ve been competing with Mia? Were you trying to secure your place with Ryker?”

Her question struck deep, and I felt tears burn my eyes. I shook my head but hesitated. “It’s not like that,” I whispered. “I didn’t even intend to tell Ryker. I overheard him say, ‘If she’s pregnant with my child, I’ll make sure she has an abortion.’”

Luna’s face paled, shock evident in her eyes. The weight of my confession hung heavy in the air, and I looked down, overwhelmed with shame and pain.

“I didn’t mean to hurt my sister,” I said, my voice trembling. I looked up at Luna Diana, hoping for understanding.

She said, “They won’t believe you, Zara. Everyone thinks you and Mia have been fighting for the Luna position.”

Her words struck hard. Even Luna Diana didn’t believe me. My chest ached, the emptiness left by my wolf making it hard to breathe.

Suddenly, Ryker walked in, his expression cold. “It’s not a rumor; it’s the truth. Zara has always wanted to get rid of Mia.”

“No,” I whispered. “That’s not true.”

“Enough,” he snapped.

An omega entered with my belongings. My stomach churned. Luna Diana stood, eyes narrowed at Ryker. “What is going on?” she demanded.

“I want her out,” he declared. “Zara Walka is to become a lone wolf.”

I gasped softly. Lone wolves were hunted and vulnerable; he was sentencing me to exile.

“Ryker!” Luna Diana exclaimed, but I interrupted. “I accept your decision. I’ll leave this pack and go far away.”

With tears spilling down my cheeks, I shook my head at Luna Diana, pleading silently: "Don’t tell him.”