With trembling fingers, I picked up my phone and dialed Talia’s number. The ringing echoed in my ears as my heart pounded, fury and heartbreak crashing over me like a tidal wave. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless and agitated, sensing the betrayal.
Finally, she answered, her voice sickeningly cheerful. "Hey, Luna!"
The word *Luna* twisted in my chest like a knife. Talia had no right to call me that anymore. My throat tightened as I forced the words out, "You've been sleeping with my mate, Talia."
The silence that followed was deafening, but I wasn’t done. My voice was sharp, filled with the pain I could no longer contain. "You were supposed to be my sister in the pack, my confidante. I’ve stood by you through everything. When you were cast out by your last pack, I brought you into ours. I convinced Eamon to give you a place here. And this—this is how you repay me?"
There was no shame in her voice when she finally spoke, just a casual, almost bored tone. "Well, now that you know, there’s no need to pretend, is there?"
Her words were like a slap to the face, knocking the breath from my lungs. I gripped the phone tighter, trying to keep my voice steady as tears threatened to spill. "So much for loyalty, Talia. So much for being a pack sister."
And then came the blow I hadn’t expected. Her voice dropped, becoming cold, laced with malice. "Eamon is mine now, Vivian. He chose me." There was a cruel chuckle on the other end. "What’s your problem, really? You act like you’re the perfect Luna, but the truth is you’ve been holding him back. Let’s face it, you’re not even half the wolf I am."
I could hear the smirk in her voice as she continued, each word like poison seeping into my veins. "You had the position, the rank, the pack—all of it handed to you because of Eamon. But here’s the thing: you can’t give him the one thing he wants most. You can’t give him an heir. I’m the one giving him that. I’m carrying his pup."
Her words twisted the knife, leaving me gasping for air. "You should be thanking me, really. I’m giving Eamon what you could never give him. I’m fulfilling your duty as Luna. Isn’t that what you want for him?"
She laughed again, the sound sharp and mocking. "But hey, no hard feelings, right? What are pack sisters for?"
I couldn’t take it anymore. Tears blurred my vision as I slammed the phone down, a scream tearing from my throat, raw and full of pain. The betrayal from Eamon was one thing, but Talia? The woman I had trusted with my secrets, my life? It was too much to bear.
I collapsed to the floor, my body shaking uncontrollably as the weight of it all crashed down on me. How could it have come to this? How had I been so blind, so naïve? I had believed in the bond of the pack, in the loyalty that should have kept us together, and now it was all unraveling before my eyes.
I stared down at the symbol of my bond to Eamon—the silver chain that marked me as his Luna. Once, it had been a mark of pride, a symbol of our unbreakable connection. Now, it felt like a chain around my neck, choking me. With a deep breath, I ripped it off, tossing it into the corner of the room.
Without looking back, I left the den and headed straight to the healer. I couldn’t bring this pup into a world filled with lies, betrayal, and a mate who had shattered every ounce of trust. Within the hour, I had returned home, drained but resolute. After a long, scalding shower, I collapsed onto the bed and sent a message to Elder Aidan,the pack's Elder who's in charge of dissolving bonds, officially starting the process to dissolve the bond with Eamon. As soon as my head hit the pillow, sleep claimed me, though it brought little peace.
Sometime in the middle of the night, my phone buzzed, dragging me back into consciousness. Groggily, I reached for it, squinting at the bright screen. It was 1 a.m., and as usual, the other side of the bed was still empty. A WhatsApp message from Talia appeared, my heart sinking as I saw the preview.
**[Eamon is so strong and perfect. Can’t wait to feel his warmth tonight!]**
Attached was a photo of Eamon, fast asleep in Talia’s den, his body sprawled across a bed that was not ours. His face, once a source of comfort, now made me sick to my stomach.
As I stared at the screen in disbelief, the “typing...” indicator flashed, and soon, another message came through.
**[Oops! Sent that to the wrong person! My bad, Vivian. Guess it’s just you and me now! Don’t be too upset. Sleep well, bestie!]**
Her arrogance was infuriating. She expected me to lash out, to scream and fight. But I didn’t feel any of that anymore.
I simply blocked her number and rolled over, exhaustion weighing me down. I was done playing her games. Let them have each other.
The next morning at the packhouse, they both showed up together. Talia, ever the dramatist, pretended to stumble as they entered the main hall. Eamon caught her easily, his arms wrapping around her protectively, while she shot me a smug glance.
"Can you believe her?" one of the pack members whispered beside me. "Talia doesn’t even know how to hunt properly, yet she acts like she runs the pack."
I barely registered the comment, too focused on sending a quick message to Elder Aidan. "Maybe," I muttered absently.
Before I could gather myself, I heard Eamon’s commanding voice behind me. "Vivian, I need to speak with you."
I turned, finding his gaze fixed on me, cold and unreadable. No one in the pack knew we were bonded mates; Eamon had always enforced the rule that pack business stayed separate from personal matters. He kept his distance at all times unless it served his interests.
Reluctantly, I followed him into his private quarters. Talia was already lounging on the couch, her smile sly and triumphant. Eamon whispered something to her, and she slunk off into another room, leaving us alone.
Once the door closed, Eamon approached, his tone soft but accusing. "Still upset, Vivian?"
I pulled my hand from his, keeping my voice cold. "I’m not upset."
His eyes narrowed. "I didn’t return to the den last night, and you didn’t call or come after me. And now you’re pretending like everything’s fine?"
I clenched my jaw. "You were with *Talia*, right? She’s your… concern now."
His face darkened. Without warning, he shoved me back onto the couch, his anger flaring. As I braced myself, my hand brushed something soft—Talia’s red scarf, her scent unmistakable.
Eamon’s expression faltered when he saw what I had found. "That’s not—"
I didn’t wait for his excuses. Tossing the scarf aside, I rose, my voice calm but final. "If that’s all, Alpha, I’ll be going."
I left him standing there, too disgusted to care anymore. Let him deal with his lies.
That evening, I stepped out of the packhouse just as Eamon’s black truck pulled up. Talia sat in the passenger seat, grinning triumphantly.
"Get in," Eamon ordered. "We’ll drop Talia off first, then we’ll talk."
I didn’t even look at them. Instead, I raised my hand and flagged down one of the pack's scouts. "You two go ahead. I’ve got business to take care of."
Eamon’s expression darkened, but I didn’t care. Whatever they had, whatever game they were playing, was over for me. Let them enjoy the ruin they had created.
I was done being part of it.
