Chapter 3

Aria's POV

“Caleb.” I didn’t touch the soup. I just stared at him. “What do you want to say?”

His fingers tightened on the bowl.

He looked away, setting the soup down on the table.

“I guess I can’t hide anything from you. The Full Moon Festival is in two days. Chloe needs to go up the mountain to the Moon Goddess Shrine to pray. It’s her coming-of-age.”

I watched him, my face a cold mask.

“The shrine’s rules say no males are allowed to accompany her. I’m worried you’re too weak to make it, so I had Rowan prepare a special strengthening tonic. I need you to go with her the day after tomorrow. I’ll only feel safe if you’re there.”

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

I was a healing herbalist. I knew better than anyone that after a wolfsbane-induced termination, a body’s veins are fragile. A potent tonic like this was poison.

Drinking it would only make the residual toxins in my body rage. The pain would be unbearable.

But Caleb didn’t care.

He didn’t care if I was in agony. He didn’t care that I’d just lost his child.

He only cared if I could get back on my feet and play bodyguard for his precious sister.

I closed my eyes, forcing down the bitter taste rising in my throat.

“Fine.” I opened my eyes. “I’ll go with her.”

If I was leaving, I didn’t want any more trouble.

I just had to survive a few more days. Then I would be free.

…

Two days later. Early morning.

The wind on the path to the Moon Goddess Shrine was biting cold.

By the SUV, Caleb was carefully zipping up Chloe’s expensive windbreaker.

He turned, saw me, and immediately walked over to pull my collar tight. “It’s cold on the mountain. If you get tired, have the guards help you. Don’t push yourself.” His voice was full of concern, but he was still sending me—a woman who’d just had a forced termination—up a mountain in the freezing wind with his sister.

I stood there in a thin, old coat, a dull, stabbing pain still radiating from my lower abdomen.

I pulled open the car door and got in the back without a word.

Chloe followed right after me.

The second the door closed, the sweet act vanished. She shot me a look of pure contempt and let out a soft, sharp scoff.

Seeing her undisguised hatred, it all clicked.

She didn’t hate me because I was a low-ranking herbalist.

She hated me because of Rowan.

Because two years ago, Rowan was supposed to be my mate.

And she was jealous that I had once held his heart.

…

The SUV bounced along the rough mountain road all day.

Every jolt pulled at my unhealed insides.

By the time we reached the shrine at sunset, my legs were heavy as lead.

Every bone in my body ached.

I couldn’t take another step.

“I’ll go in and pray by myself. Don’t follow me and ruin the mood.” Chloe shot me a disgusted look, gathered her skirt, and followed the priestess into the inner sanctum.

I leaned against a stone pillar outside, completely drained, gasping for air.

In the center of the courtyard stood a giant, sacred moon tree.

Its branches were covered in prayer tablets, left by generations of werewolves seeking blessings.

A gust of wind rustled the tablets, making them clink together.

My eyes drifted upward, landing on the highest, most prominent branch of the tree.

A brand-new prayer tablet hung there.

The last rays of sunset hit the wood, illuminating the deep, powerful carving.

I knew that handwriting.

For two years, I’d seen it on documents he signed for me. On love letters he wrote to me.

Caleb had carved it himself.

“May the Moon Goddess’s light protect Chloe’s mate bond, night after night.”

I stared at the words.

Hundreds of tablets, holding countless prayers.

As Alpha of the Silverpaw pack, he hadn’t prayed for our prosperity.

He hadn’t even mentioned the child he’d just ordered killed.

He climbed the highest branch of the sacred tree just to carve his sister’s name.

My heart, in that moment, became a dead, empty desert.

I closed my eyes, letting the cold mountain wind blow straight through me.

“BOOM!”

Suddenly, a deafening explosion ripped through the shrine.

Screams of terror followed.

“Fire! The sacred torch fell!”

“Run!”

My eyes snapped open.

Thick black smoke poured from the heavy wooden doors of the shrine.

Blinding red flames devoured everything in sight.

Fanned by the wind, the fire spread with terrifying speed.

A few priests stumbled out of the doors, covered in ash, coughing violently.

“Put it out! Get the guards from down the mountain!”

I instinctively turned to run down the steps for help.

The moment I took the first step.

“Help! Somebody, help me!”

A piercing scream came from deep within the inferno.

I stopped dead and turned back.

Through the collapsing main gate, I could see the inner sanctum’s roof had burned through.

A massive, flaming beam crashed down.

Chloe fell in the sea of fire, her legs pinned beneath a burning pillar.

Flames were already licking at her jacket.

Her face was black with soot, her perfect makeup a muddy mess of tears.

She stared at me, her eyes wide with terror, and reached a desperate hand toward me. Her scream was raw and absolute.

“Aria! Save me!”