I leaned over the sink, retching until my stomach was empty, my body trembling from the effort. I felt so weak, my pale reflection barely recognizable. I gripped the counter for support and called out hoarsely, “Where’s Kael?”
Mia, my maid, hesitated before answering. “He’s with your sister, Eira. They said they’ll be back soon.”
The door opened moments later, and Kael walked in with Eira right behind him. He rushed to my side, worry etched on his face. “Sable, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Eira stepped forward, her voice calm and certain. “It’s her pregnancy,” she said, her tone almost clinical. “It’s taking a toll on her body.” Without asking, she placed her hands on my shoulders. A warm glow radiated from her palms, and I felt the color returning to my cheeks, the nausea receding as strength seeped back into my limbs.
“Feel better?” She asked with a kind smile.
I nodded, but something about her touch unsettled me. A strange unease lingered, but I pushed it aside.
The days blurred together after that. I only grew weaker, even though Eira kept healing me. Walking became harder, my once-bright energy dimmed, and I could barely summon a smile. The pack avoided me, their gazes filled with pity or discomfort.
Eira, meanwhile, flourished. She and Kael were inseparable. I often saw them sparring in the training grounds—her movements graceful, his laughter ringing out as they trained. I stayed on the sidelines, too weak to join, jealousy simmering beneath my awe.
One afternoon, a maid I didn’t recognize approached me, her tone neutral. “Luna, Eira asked to meet you in the moonlit hall.”
Curiosity and dread warred within me as I made my way there. The hall was empty except for Eira, standing in the center. Her usual warmth was gone. In its place there was something cold and sharp. Her white hair shimmered like frost, and her eyes locked onto mine with icy disdain.
“You,” she spat, her voice dripping with venom. “You had everything I ever wanted. A loving family, a devoted pack, and Kael.” Her lips curled into a sneer. “While you basked in love, I rotted in isolation. Do you know how much I hate you, Sable?”
My heart raced. “Eira, what are you saying?”
“I’m taking it all back,” she hissed, her voice low and filled with malice. “Everything you have, I’ll take it all from you—starting now.”
Before I could react, Eira slapped herself hard across the face. The sound echoed in the empty hall, and a red welt bloomed on her cheek. Then she grabbed a silver blade from a nearby table, pressing it against her arm with a deliberate slowness that made my stomach churn. Her screams shattered the air as blood dripped onto the floor.
“Stop!” I cried, rushing forward. I grabbed the blade from her hands, my mind reeling with confusion. “What are you doing?”
The hall doors burst open, and Kael stormed in with several pack members. The maid who had summoned me pointed an accusing finger. “She’s gone mad! She attacked the Lunar Healer!”
Kael’s eyes darted to the blade in my trembling hand, then to Eira, who was sobbing and clutching her arm. His expression hardened.
“No!” I said, my voice was breaking. “She’s lying! She—”
“Tend to her wounds,” Kael ordered, his tone cold and distant. He didn’t look at me as he followed the others out, leaving me alone in the empty hall.
After that, everything fell apart. Kael drifted further from me, spending more time with Eira. The pack no longer saw me as their Luna. I was isolated, helpless, and fading.
And no one seemed to care.
