Brielle’s POV
When I returned to the pack mansion that night, the quiet felt suffocating in a way it never had before. Each step I took echoed through the halls, the sound hollow and mocking, as though the house itself knew what had happened.
Sleep never came.
I lay in bed staring at the empty space beside me—the place where Xavier should have been if everything had unfolded the way it was meant to. The pillows remained untouched, the blankets smooth and cold. Outside, rain fell relentlessly, tapping against the windows like quiet sobs. It felt as though even the Moon Goddess mourned alongside me.
By the time dawn broke, I had already given up on sleep. I sat alone in the garden, wrapped in a thin shawl, watching droplets cling to the roses as the early morning air brushed against my skin. My wolf remained restless, uneasy.
I sensed him before I saw him.
His scent drifted toward me—oakwood and smoke, sharp yet achingly familiar. My chest tightened despite myself, my heart responding in a way I wished it wouldn’t.
Xavier stepped into the garden moments later.
He looked slightly worn, but otherwise unaffected. His clothes were casual, his dark hair tousled as though he hadn’t bothered to fix it. When his eyes met mine, I searched desperately for something—remorse, guilt, anything.
There was nothing.
“Brielle,” he began, his voice calm. “About yesterday…”
A soft laugh escaped me, though there was no humor in it. “You mean about the wedding you didn’t attend?”
He frowned faintly, dragging a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for things to happen that way. But a child’s life was in danger. You have to see my side—weddings can be rescheduled, but when a pup’s life is at risk, there’s no second chance.”
A bitter laugh rose in my throat before I could stop it. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. So, in his mind, saving that child erased everything else—leaving me waiting before the Moon Goddess, humiliating me before the entire pack.
Still, I only nodded faintly. “You’re right.”
His shoulders visibly loosened, as though my response relieved him. “I knew you’d understand.”
Of course he did.
I had always been the understanding one. The calm, patient Luna-to-be who never caused trouble, who swallowed her pain and smiled through it.
His gaze shifted toward the mansion, and before I could question him, a familiar scent reached me.
Honeysuckle and rain.
Victoria Blackwell stepped into view, a small boy holding tightly to her hand. The child glanced around curiously, his wide eyes taking everything in.
Xavier’s expression softened immediately when he saw them. A gentle smile touched his lips—one that once belonged only to me.
“Brielle,” he said lightly, “this is Victoria. You may have heard me mention her before. We grew up together.”
Childhood friend.
The words twisted painfully in my stomach.
Victoria offered me a polite smile. “I apologize for arriving at such an awkward time, Brielle.”
Xavier continued casually, “Victoria and her pup will be staying here in the mansion for the time being. After the rogue attack, it’s safer for them here.”
My eyes drifted to the boy—Liam.
Dark hair. Familiar eyes. The resemblance was undeniable. I didn’t need the Moon Goddess to confirm what my heart already knew.
I forced my lips into a small smile. “Of course, Alpha. Whatever you think is best.”
Inside, something fractured quietly.
The following morning, I woke to unfamiliar noise—soft laughter, footsteps, the sound of furniture scraping across the floor.
“Omega May?” I called sleepily, rubbing my eyes. “What’s happening?”
But when I opened my bedroom door, I froze.
Victoria stood inside my room, surrounded by omega maids carrying boxes, blankets, and fresh linens. She turned toward me with a faint, knowing smile, her fingers trailing across my vanity as though she already owned it.
“Oh, Brielle, you’re awake,” she greeted sweetly. “I hope you don’t mind. I’m just… getting settled.”
“In my room?” I asked, my voice sharpening as the last traces of sleep vanished.
Her smile remained perfectly composed. “Well, technically, this used to be my room years ago. Before I left. It holds sentimental value for me.”
“This is my room now,” I replied, folding my arms. “Whatever it used to be doesn’t matter.”
Victoria sighed softly, her eyes glistening as though tears threatened to fall. “Liam really wants to stay here with me. He said the scent feels comforting, familiar somehow. I didn’t want to cause trouble.”
My jaw tightened. “Then perhaps you should ask Xavier to prepare another room. There are more than enough available.”
Before I could continue, the door swung open abruptly.
Xavier entered, his Alpha aura filling the space instantly—heavy, commanding. His eyes moved from Victoria’s teary expression to me, his features hardening almost immediately.
“What’s happening here?” he demanded.
Victoria sniffed softly. “I was just asking Brielle if Liam and I could stay in this room, but she—”
“She what?” Xavier cut in sharply, turning toward me.
“I told her this room belongs to me,” I answered firmly. “Because it does.”
He exhaled, rubbing his face with clear irritation. “Brielle, can’t you just give it to her? Why are you being so selfish?”
The word struck me like a slap.
“Selfish?” I repeated, disbelief flooding through me. “You didn’t show up to our wedding, and now you expect me to give up the only place that’s mine? What else do you want me to sacrifice, Alpha?”
For a moment, I hoped he might soften. That the man I once loved would show even a hint of regret.
Instead, his expression remained cold. “You’re still hung up on that? I told you, I saved a child. Are you really saying the wedding mattered more than a pup’s life?”
My voice trembled. “It’s not just about the wedding, Xavier. You made promises to me.”
He dismissed my words entirely. “Enough. Move your things out. Stay in one of the guest rooms downstairs.”
Victoria gently placed her hand on his arm, and he allowed it without hesitation. The sight made my stomach churn. He used to dislike being touched in front of others—unless it was me.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she murmured softly, glancing at me over her shoulder with quiet triumph.
Then they walked out together, her hand still resting on his arm.
The door closed behind them, and the silence that followed pressed heavily against my chest.
I remained standing there, staring at the room that was no longer mine. My scent still lingered in the air, clung to the sheets, yet it already felt unfamiliar. The omega maids shifted awkwardly, unsure how to react.
“It’s alright,” I whispered. “Just leave everything. I’ll pack myself.”
Once they left, I sank onto the edge of the bed, tears finally slipping free.
This wasn’t the Xavier I had fallen in love with two years ago. Back then, he had been gentle yet strong. He used to hold my hands and tell me I was the only she-wolf who brought him peace. He promised that once we were married, he would make me the happiest Luna alive.
Now, he felt like a stranger.
The Alpha who once chased away my fears had become the one haunting them.
I packed slowly—clothes, books, small belongings. Then I reached the necklace he had given me during a full-moon ceremony. I paused, holding it in my palm.
“Do you remember this, Xavier?” I whispered quietly. “You told me this stone would keep me safe as long as you were alive.”
The gem no longer sparkled the way it once had.
When I finished, the sky outside had already darkened into evening. I carried my boxes toward the guest room, feeling like an outsider in my own home. As I walked down the corridor, Liam’s laughter echoed faintly from somewhere ahead, followed by Victoria’s soft, affectionate voice.
And Xavier’s voice answered them.
