Chapter 3

Ella's POV

"Ella Whitmore, Alpha Ryan has already agreed to take our daughter as his mate. She's going to be this pack's Luna, yet you're still hanging onto him. Do you really want to be the she-wolf who comes between a mated couple?"

I stood there, my trembling fingers digging into my palms.

I wanted to tell her that this was my home, that I'd been with Ryan for seven years, and that he'd nearly given his life to save mine. I wasn't some shameless she-wolf trying to destroy another couple's relationship.

But before I could get a word out, Vera's mother, Stella Baker, raised her hand and swung at me.

Just before her palm could strike my face, Ryan stepped in front of me and caught her wrist in a crushing grip. His expression darkened as he stared her down.

"Stella, are you really going to hit her right in front of me? Fighting among pack members is strictly forbidden in the Blackthorn pack. Are you trying to get yourself banished?"

Stella opened her mouth, clearly unwilling to back down, but after a tense moment, she reluctantly lowered her hand.

I took half a step back and forced myself to stay calm.

"Don't worry. I won't be the she-wolf who comes between them. I'll leave Ryan."

Ryan went rigid. He stared at me, pain flashing across his face as if my words had struck him harder than any blow.

Before he could say anything, Stella's eyes fell on the ring hanging around my neck. Her expression changed instantly, and her voice rose in accusation.

"Why is Vera's moonstone around your neck? Did you steal it from her?"

She pointed at me, her voice echoing through the room. "The Blackthorn pack has no place for a thief. Get out!"

I lowered my gaze to the moonstone hanging around my neck.

Seven years ago, Ryan had given it to me as a symbol of our bond, with the Moon Goddess as our witness.

But a few months ago, Vera had lost control of her emotions, and Ryan had handed the moonstone over to her without a second thought.

He returned it to me a few days later, but by then, the whole thing had already left a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Give Vera her moonstone back!" Stella snapped as she reached for it.

Ryan finally spoke. He took two steps toward me and held out his hand, his voice trembling slightly. "Ella…"

I knew exactly what he was about to do. Just like every time before, whenever it came down to Vera and me, he would choose to protect her.

This time, I didn't wait for him to take it from me. I reached up, unclasped the moonstone myself, and tossed it toward Stella. The ring traced a graceful arc through the air before landing at her feet with a sharp metallic clink.

"I've never stooped to stealing something that doesn't belong to me."

I looked straight at Ryan, forcing myself to keep my voice steady with every word. "Keep the ring. As of today, it has nothing to do with me."

Vera's father had watched the entire confrontation with cold, unreadable eyes. At last, he turned to Ryan.

"Alpha Ryan, your former mate has been clinging to you for years. Now she's showing up at your home and stealing from us. You need to make your position clear to her right now, in front of everyone."

Ryan remained silent for a long moment before finally walking toward me. When he stopped in front of me, his voice was low and heavy.

"Ella, I'm going to take Vera as my mate. She will be my mate and the Luna of this pack. If you continue stealing from Vera or hurting her, then as the Alpha, I'll have no choice but to banish you from the pack."

The mate bond couldn't lie. Even as he spoke those words, I could feel everything he was trying to hide—the pain, the guilt, the heartbreak. I knew this wasn't easy for him.

But none of that changed the truth. When it came down to me and another she-wolf, Ryan had chosen to hurt me.

I looked at him and suddenly smiled.

Vera's father chose that moment to speak. "Ella, have some dignity. You don't want to be banished from the pack, do you?"

I nodded. "Fine."

Without another word, I turned and walked away, keeping my back straight and my head held high. From the outside, I probably looked utterly defeated, but strangely enough, my heart had never felt calmer.

Ryan seemed to panic. He hurried after me and grabbed my wrist before I could leave. He shut the door behind us and pulled me outside.

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then his hand slowly moved toward my stomach.

I instinctively stepped back.

His hand stopped in midair. After a few seconds, he lowered his voice. "You know, Ella… I promised Alfie that I'd take care of Vera. I didn't mean any of the things I said back there…"

I interrupted him, my voice hoarse as I finished the explanation for him. "I know. You just wanted to reassure them."

Ryan seemed to let out a quiet breath of relief.

I forced a faint smile, trying to hide the exhaustion that had settled deep in my bones, and looked at him. "But Ryan, we should end this. Just like you said, you need to take care of Vera, and I don't want to be treated like some she-wolf who came between another couple's bond."

Ryan froze.

After a long silence, he pulled me into his arms, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Ella, I know you're angry, but I have to do this. I promise you, once I've repaid the debt I owe Alfie, I'll ask Vera to break the bond. You've waited seven years for me. Why can't you wait a little longer?"

He tightened his arms around me before adding softly, "Besides, you're carrying my pup. Do you really want our pup to be born without a father?"

I cried silently against his chest.

Seven years of love and the pup growing inside me had become the very things Ryan was certain would keep me from leaving. To him, they were reasons I'd stay and wait for him, no matter how much it hurt.

He would never know that I was already planning to leave for the Northstar pack.