When I looked at Alpha Ronan, there was nothing left in my eyes that resembled love. Whatever warmth had once lived there had long since burned away, leaving behind only a bitter, consuming hatred. He noticed it immediately. His brows drew together, a flicker of unease crossing his face as if my gaze unsettled him.
“Lyra,” he said after a moment, forcing his voice into something that resembled patience, “just listen for once. Do what I’m asking, and I’ll give you whatever you want. We can still hold that birthday celebration for your son—exactly the way you wanted it.”
The words rang empty in my ears, hollow and cruel. A celebration—for what? Tavian was gone. There was nothing left to celebrate. My mate had already made his priorities painfully clear long before that night, choosing Lilith over his own child again and again. Everyone in the pack knew it. At feasts, ceremonies, and public gatherings, Ronan was always at my sister’s side, while I stood alone, humiliated in my role as Luna of Kairo.
Now that Tavian was dead, he dared to dangle the promise of a “celebration” in front of me, as if it could erase everything he had done. It was nothing more than a manipulative ploy—an attempt to pull me back under his control by exploiting my grief. The thought made my stomach twist.
I forced my expression into calm and met his gaze without blinking.
“There’s no need,” I said evenly. “This is over. I’m leaving this place—just like you’ve always wanted. Go live out your perfect fantasy with Lilith.”
It was clear he hadn’t expected that. His lips curled into a sneer, disbelief written plainly across his face.
“What’s this now?” he scoffed. “You’re not going to cling to me anymore? Not going to beg me to spend time with your son?”
The contempt in his voice was unmistakable. Before I could respond, Lilith stepped in, her tone soft and falsely concerned.
“Lyra, don’t lie to the Alpha,” she said gently. “If Tavian were truly dying, why would you be standing here alone?”
Something inside me snapped.
“Enough,” I snapped back. “Keep my son’s name out of your mouth. You don’t get to talk about him.”
Her expression shifted, wounded on the surface, though I could see the satisfaction beneath it.
“Fine,” she said quietly. “I won’t bring him up again. Please don’t be angry with me, Lyra.”
Ronan’s annoyance deepened as he watched my reaction to Lilith. A cold laugh escaped him as he reached for his phone and placed a call. He deliberately put it on speaker, making sure I couldn’t miss a single word.
“Beta Oliver,” he said curtly, “locate my son immediately. Bring him to me.”
He shot me a smug look, clearly convinced that this would somehow reassert his authority and expose my supposed lie.
I let out a slow, bitter smile, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest.
After a brief pause, Beta Oliver’s voice came through the speaker, hesitant and heavy.
“Alpha… Tavian passed away several days ago. It happened the day after you left the territory with Lilith.”
