Where the Moon Goes to Die

At the party celebrating the Luna's pregnancy, Nyla Ironcrest tripped me on purpose and ground her stiletto heels into my ankle with pinpoint accuracy.

I swore I could hear the sickening crack of my bones and couldn't help screaming.

"Ah!"

When Varkon Stormclaw heard the commotion and walked over, I looked up at him, hoping he would scoop me into his arms the way he used to.

Instead, he wrapped a protective arm around Nyla and glared at me with pure fury. "What madness is this now? Nyla is carrying a pup, and if anything happens to her, can you be held accountable for it?

"Did losing your wolf make you lose your basic humanity, too?"

His words cut deeper than any blade.

The witch once warned me that if my wolf didn't awaken within three full moons, I'd die.

The only way to wake it was through Varkon's constant, soothing pull through the mate bond. But no matter how many times I sought him out, he refused to see me.

On the night of the first full moon, he finally showed up, only to force me into the snow mountains, just because Nyla wanted a fire-fox pelt for her birthday.

When I was so cold that I lost all feeling in my limbs, he shot me an impatient look and said, "You're a descendant of the White Wolves, whose bodies are naturally strong. How could you be afraid of the cold?"

Heartbroken, I eventually collapsed in the snow from the freezing cold. Luckily, a passing wolf from the pack found me and saved me.

…

On the night of the second full moon, Nyla accused me of breaking her agate pendant.

She pointed at the shattered pieces on the ground and cried, "I know you hate me for taking Varkon away from you, but if you're upset, you can always take it out on me. This pendant was my mother's only keepsake!"

Varkon was livid. He ordered me to get on my knees and scrub the floor until it shone.

The shards cut into my knees, and blood ran down my legs as pain made me break out in cold sweat.

Varkon watched the entire thing without a hint of concern, while I ended up fainting from the blood loss.

Now, there were only three days left until the next full moon…

I sighed and took his hand. "I don't have much time left. The witch said—"

He shoved me away in revulsion. "Stop faking illness to get my attention. It only makes me want to stay farther away from you."

In a daze, I recalled our mating ceremony, the way he kissed my forehead and swore he'd never let me suffer the slightest again.

Was this really the same wolf?

After the party, I simmered Varkon's favorite venison soup and limped to his door. "You drank a lot tonight. Have some warm soup—it'll warm your stomach."

All he did was glance at me in disdain. "Do you really think a bowl of soup will make me forget the way you hurt me?"

He summoned the wolf guards and had me thrown out. As the heavy doors slammed in my face, my heart sank into a frozen void.

I returned to my shack and curled up on a straw mat, burning with a high fever.

From the castle, distant sounds of Varkon and Nyla's lovemaking drifted over. I covered my ears as memories of the past flooded my mind.

I remembered when the elders had cast me out of the Moon Goddess Church, I'd wandered for days before finding the chance to sneak back into the castle and see Varkon.

He was still lying in bed recovering.

The moment he saw me, he frowned tightly and snapped, "You ran off to meet another he-wolf while I was poisoned and unconscious, and now you have the nerve to come back?"