The Fatal Favor

"Luna Evelyn, the silver in your system is eating your wolf alive. It's bad."

The healer, Kevin Aldrich, fixed me with a blank look and spoke to me through the mind-link, but I couldn't hear anything.

As his expression grew increasingly impatient, I said carefully, "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?"

He frowned, like I'd just handed him a bigger problem. "Right. I forgot. You don't have a mind-link."

Healer Kevin repeated himself, then leveled his gaze at me. "The fact is, if you refuse treatment and keep taking the potion that harms you just to sustain the mind-link, your wolf will only have days at best. You will die.

"Does Alpha Eric know this? Would he agree with your choice?"

I lowered my head, my voice barely audible as I replied, "He'll agree."

I left the infirmary and returned to the empty mansion, a deep ache settling in my chest as I stepped inside. I'd always written off that familiar, sharp pain as an old injury flaring up—until now.

The truth finally hit me. My wolf was withering away. I was going to die.

I sighed and glanced at the photo on the table. In it, 18-year-old Eric Ludlow looked straight at me, his gaze so tender and unwavering that it left me a little dazed.

Eric and I were fated mates. During the Alpha Trials, I took a silver arrow meant for him so that he could claim the Alpha's title.

When he became the Alpha, I stood beside him as his Luna, helping him turn a storm-tossed pack into one of the strongest out there.

Eric gave me everything a Luna could dream of. I loved shiny things, so he bought an entire moonstone mine and had all kinds of jewelry made for me. He never missed an anniversary either.

When the old injury flared and the silver raged through my body, he'd pull me close and whisper, over and over again, "I'm sorry, Evelyn. This is on me. I failed to protect you."

Everyone said I was truly lucky to be loved by an Alpha like him.

But in the seventh year of our bond, he gave his new secretary, Mia Sadler, a mansion. After that, everything changed.

The Eric who once came home no matter how late began staying out all night. I couldn't feel the mind-link, but I could smell another she-wolf on him.

I finally broke down. Choking on the words, I asked, "Eric Ludlow, do you still see me as your mate?"

He drew me in as though it was second nature to him and murmured, "Evelyn, you're my only Luna. Don't be ridiculous."

But his next words left no room for argument, cutting straight into my heart. "But babe, I really need an heir."

My mind went blank. By the time I snapped back to reality, I was already out the door, fleeing that suffocating house.

Eric didn't come after me.

For a week, I holed up in the secret wooden cabin we built for our dates until the silver in me raged so badly I had to go to Healer Kevin for a checkup.

I never thought the next time I went home would be to pack up my life and arrange the last details for my own funeral.

As I bent to rummage through the jewelry box, my medical report slipped out of my pocket. The cold, clinical lines filled my vision.

Wolf disintegration. Irreversible. Limited life expectancy.

It felt like the air got punched out of me. My head wouldn't stop buzzing with questions.

Should I tell Eric?

If he found out that I was dying, would he be sad?

My eyes stung, and then I laughed at myself for being so naive.

At the celebration dinner last night, he'd spoken to everyone through the mind-link and told them how he wished I were already dead.

If I were gone, there would be room for the she-wolf who could give him an heir. He ought to be glad.

I drew a long breath, tucked the report away, and went back to sifting through my jewelry, setting aside pieces to donate.

Just then, the front door opened, and the light at the entryway turned on.

Eric was back. He was still tall and handsome, exuding confidence and vitality. Even his hair had that little flip I loved. And then I saw a lipstick stain blooming on his collar.

I couldn't look away from that slash of red. My hand jerked, and a brooch in the jewelry box pricked my finger. With my wolf fading, my healing abilities barely worked, and the blood gushed at once.

"Why were you so careless?"

Eric's face tightened. Almost without thinking, he rushed over and caught my hand.

"Didn't the healer tell you to stay away from sharp things? How did you forget again? Please, listen to them. Stop making me worry."

I nodded and said quietly, "Okay. I'll listen."

I decided to spend whatever time I had left giving him everything he wanted. I'd smile, do as he asked, and pretend nothing had happened. From now on, I'd live by his wishes and try to be the perfect mate.

Eric let out a sigh of relief, took a first-aid kit from the cabinet, and cleaned my cut with careful hands.

"Don't tough it out if anything happens. Call me right away—"

His phone rang just then, cutting him off. He checked the screen, let go of my hand, and moved away toward the balcony.

Mia's syrupy voice drifted through the line. "Eric, where are you? The pup's throwing a tantrum and kicking in my belly. It hurts so bad. Can you come over, please?"

Eric softened at once, his voice so gentle it was almost cautious. His tenderness had once been reserved just for me, but now he was giving it to someone else.

He ended the call and headed for the door without looking back.

"Eric," I called after him.

He faltered, but he never turned back. He just kept going as he asked, "What is it, babe? Mia's not feeling well. I need to check on her."

The ache in my chest rose to my throat as I watched him. "Do you want to break our mate bond?"

He whipped around, a deep frown drawing his features tight. "Do you hear yourself, Evelyn? The pack needs an heir. I thought you'd understand."

"We've supported each other through so much, but now, you're willing to do something this cruel to me over an outsider?"

"Once she has the pup, I'll pay her enough to leave for good. Then we'll go back to the way we were."

My voice fell to a whisper. "But I can't wait anymore. I'm dying."

"Dying? Don't say stuff like that."

With that, Eric slammed the door shut. The empty mansion fell quiet again.

The silver inside me surged out of control again as if it had sensed my despair. The pain was so sharp that I could barely stay upright.

It hurt so badly. But who was going to save me?

I thought of the potion I'd begged Healer Kevin for—the one that drained my vitality but allowed me to feel the mate bond.

With the last of my strength, I reached for Eric through the mind-link and called for help. But only silence answered me. He'd shut me out at some point.

I stood in our home, feeling utterly alone, even though my room was filled with my things and my name was on the door.

I let out a bleak laugh and glanced at the calendar on the wall.

"Eric, today's the day I decided to leave you."