I blinked, startled by the unexpected movement. Before I could even process what was happening, someone sprinted forward and slammed into me, forcing me to the ground. At the same time, he caught Janine in his embrace, shielding her.
Just when I thought my heart couldn’t possibly endure more heartbreak, it crumbled further—especially when Jonathan spun toward me, his expression twisted in rage.
“What the hell is the matter with you, Natasha?” he growled, his golden irises shadowed with fury, lips pulled back just enough to reveal the tips of his fangs. “Janine just came here to greet you, and you pounced on her like some deranged rogue?”
I slowly stood up, brushing the dust from my clothes. My eyes never left his. “She insulted my mother,” I said through clenched teeth. “Do you really think I’d stand there and stay silent? And you...” I exhaled, trying to keep control of the storm inside me. “You never told me the full story of what happened to her. All you ever said was that the healers failed. That’s it?”
His face faltered for a heartbeat—his eyes wide, just briefly, before he schooled his expression into something colder, more distant. “We already talked about this, Natasha. Her injuries were too severe. The healers did all they could, but it wasn’t enough to save her.”
He was lying. I could sense it in the subtle shift of his scent, in the faint skip of his heartbeat. But now wasn’t the time to expose him. No, I needed to plan carefully—vengeance wasn’t something to waste in a burst of emotion.
Before I could challenge him further, Janine took the opportunity to insert herself into the moment. She laid a soft, dainty hand on his chest, leaning into him with practiced vulnerability. “It’s alright, Jonathan,” she murmured, voice dripping with false compassion. “I suppose Natasha’s still hurting over the fact that Tim chose me, dissolving their bond. Maybe I had that slap coming. Let’s just consider it settled—I was only trying to make peace.”
She gave me a look that was meant to be sympathetic but came off as smug. Turning away, she took his arm. As they walked down the path together, she sighed dramatically. “If seeing me causes her this much pain, maybe we should just stop meeting altogether. I hate being the reason for tension between us, Jonathan.”
That was it. The last straw. The final crack in an already shattered heart. I was done with Jonathan Marsh.
I said nothing more. Instead, I resumed burning everything that symbolized our relationship—all the memories, the empty promises, the gifts he once gave me. I watched it all go up in flames. A few minutes later, my phone buzzed with a message.
I’m sorry, love. I know it hurt when I asked you to apologize. Janine is leading negotiations for the Crescent Moon alliance, and I didn’t want to risk any conflict. Once this deal is secured, I’ll make it up to you. I even got you a present. Please don’t be mad.
I didn’t bother to respond. I had finally understood the truth—Jonathan didn’t love me. He never did. I had merely been a stand-in, a convenient figure beside him.
I packed a small bag and left the packhouse without looking back. The guest lodge I retreated to was tucked away in a quiet part of the territory, far from prying eyes and lies. I hadn’t even unpacked when my phone rang. It was one of the secretaries from the pack’s administrative office.
“Luna, will you not be joining today’s meeting with the elder council?”
I was about to say no when a voice in the background halted me—Jonathan’s. He was giving instructions with urgency.
“Get the top healers. Spare no cost—I want Janine recovered as soon as possible.”
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Just one minor wound, and he was willing to burn through pack funds to fix her up. Meanwhile, when my own mother bled out in agony, he hadn’t lifted a finger to help.
“I won’t be attending,” I replied flatly, and ended the call.
Soon after, Jonathan’s name lit up my screen. I ignored the first few attempts, but eventually curiosity won out. I picked up but said nothing. On the other end, he was still speaking to someone in his office, unaware I had answered.
“Alpha, revising the Crescent Moon treaty is going to cost a substantial amount. Are you sure you want to proceed?”
“There’s no need to second-guess. Just move forward. This is something Janine wants—and if she wants it, she’ll get it.”
My grip tightened around the phone. A few seconds later, he must’ve noticed I was on the line.
“Natasha? I just heard you missed the elders’ council today. Are you alright?”
“I’m not feeling well.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll cancel the rest of my schedule and head home. Get some rest, alright?”
My wolf howled inside me, furious at the audacity of his words. Home? As if that place was still ours. He could keep it. He’d already made his choice.
I spent the next hour scrolling through social media feeds, trying to distract myself with meaningless content, when a live video from the city center stopped me cold. In the background, I spotted them—Jonathan and Janine. He was holding up a dress against her body, laughing, smiling, gently touching her hands. Their body language made it clear—this wasn’t business. This was intimacy.
It was time.
I contacted my lawyer immediately and had the documents sent straight to Jonathan’s office. After that, I called the agency to finalize the final stage of my escape.
Not long after, chaos erupted at the estate. His secretary burst into the room, breathless and wide-eyed.
“Alpha, we have a situation. The Gamma just confirmed it—Luna Natasha performed the severance ritual. And...” she hesitated, voice shaking, “she knows the truth about what happened to her mother.”
I watched it all unfold through the live security feed from my hidden location. The expression on his face was a blend of disbelief and dread, but before he could form a response, another pack staff member came running in, pale and trembling.
“Alpha! There’s... there’s more. Luna Natasha… she’s gone.”
The room froze.
“She took her own life,” the staff member said, barely able to get the words out. “She couldn’t handle knowing what you did to her mother.”
