Ava’s POV
I left the tribe.
My chest felt unbearably heavy, as if the weight of my emotions had settled deep inside me, making it hard to breathe. With every step, my arms ached from carrying Mia’s belongings.
Her blankets, her favorite toy, her tiny clothes, everything she held dear. But the real burden wasn't what I carried in my hands; it was the pain in my heart.
As I walked away from the Moon Dagger Pack, memories of the past clawed at me, refusing to let go. I thought about everything Lucas and I had been through, the bond we shared, the moments that once felt unbreakable. And yet, for him, it had been so easy. So easy to push me aside. So easy to throw everything away.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm as the memory resurfaced.
His hands shoving me in front of the entire pack.
The sheer force had sent me sprawling to the ground, humiliation burning through me like wildfire. The pack had witnessed it. They knew I was their Luna. And still, no one had dared to stop him.
The moment Charlotte arrived, with her child at her side, Lucas didn’t even hesitate. He tossed me away like I was nothing, as if I had never mattered.
Pain twisted inside me, but I refused to break. Not here. Not now.
No, I wouldn't let it end like this.
I had a plan.
If Lucas could throw me away so easily, then I would make sure he regretted it for the rest of his life. He would grieve. He would suffer. Because as far as he, and the rest of the world, would know, I would be dead.
I made my way toward the one place no one dared to step foot in.
The witches’ territory.
It was forbidden, a land known for its dangers, but I wasn’t afraid. I had something they wanted.
Money.
And that was all that mattered to witches.
By the time I arrived, the air was thick with an unnatural stillness, as if the land itself was alive and watching me. The door to the small, eerie-looking cottage creaked open before I could even knock. A voice, smooth yet laced with caution, echoed from within.
"Who is it?"
I took a step forward. “It’s Ava. The Luna of the Moon Dagger Pack.”
A woman emerged from the shadows, her piercing gaze scanning me from head to toe. She was older, her face lined with wisdom and secrets. Her dark eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"And what do you need from me?" she asked, arching a brow.
Before she could say another word, I tossed a heavy bag onto the wooden floor. It landed with a dull thud, and the moment the bag spilled open, gold coins shimmered under the dim light.
Her eyes widened. A slow, knowing smile crept onto her lips.
"Interesting," she murmured, crouching down to run her fingers through the coins. "I'm listening."
I straightened my posture, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me. “I need you to create a body. One that looks exactly like me.”
The witch tilted her head, intrigued. "Go on."
"Then, I want you to set a fire in the forest. The body should burn there, but it must still be recognizable. It needs to be found… by Lucas.”
A flicker of amusement crossed her face. "I see," she mused, her fingers tapping against her chin. Then, slowly, her lips curled into a smirk. "Something happened, didn’t it?"
I didn’t respond. My silence was enough.
She let out a soft chuckle. "But it’s not my place to ask. You paid me well, and that’s all that matters."
Turning away, she began gathering her tools, her movements smooth and effortless. "It will be done," she assured me.
I exhaled, a sense of relief washing over me. This was it. The first step.
My plan was simple.
I would fake my own death. And if I was going to disappear, I had to make sure it looked convincing.
Lucas thought he had gotten rid of me.
But soon, he would learn what true regret felt like.
I lowered my gaze to Mia’s belongings in my arms. Her tiny clothes, her favorite toy, the little things that once brought her joy, they felt unbearably heavy now.
I knew what I was doing was desperate. A last resort. But I refused to be seen as weak. I refused to let them think I was a defeated woman.
That’s why I was here.
That’s why I sought out the witch.
A woman who had the power to make the impossible happen.
After some time, we made our way deep into the forest, the damp earth soft beneath our feet. This wasn’t just any forest, it was dangerously close to the village, to the Moon Dagger Pack’s territory.
From where I stood, I could see the glow of torches and lanterns in the distance, hear the faint sound of laughter and music drifting through the trees. They were celebrating.
My hands curled into fists at the sight.
They were rejoicing while I was out here, forced into exile. Lucas had cast me aside, thrown me away like I was nothing. And now, they partied as if my existence had never mattered.
I swallowed down my rage as the witch turned to me, presenting the lifeless figure she had conjured.
It was an exact replica of me.
Every feature, every detail…perfectly crafted. A doppelgänger.
"Are you ready?" the witch asked, her voice calm, almost bored.
I smirked, but before answering, I reached for my phone. "Wait a minute."
I needed to do one last thing.
I dialed Lucas’ number. But the moment the call connected, my stomach twisted.
The voice on the other end wasn’t his.
It was her.
Charlotte.
Her voice slithered through the receiver, sickeningly sweet and dripping with mockery.
"Well, well, well. If it isn’t the desperate little whore."
My grip on the phone tightened.
"Where’s Lucas?" I demanded.
Charlotte let out a cruel, delighted laugh. "Oh, sweetheart, he’s not available. But I have to say, this is pathetic. You’re still calling him? Even after everything?"
Rage boiled in my chest, but I refused to let her hear it in my voice. "Give the phone to Lucas."
Another laugh. This one sharper. Meaner. "Why? So he can humiliate you again? So he can remind you how worthless you are?"
My jaw clenched. "You’ll never win against me, Charlotte."
Her laughter stopped. But when she spoke again, there was nothing but satisfaction in her tone.
"Oh, but I already have."
My breath caught in my throat.
Then she said something that shattered me.
"You really are stupid, Ava. Funny, isn't it? That your daughter died for nothing?"
The world tilted.
"What?" My voice came out as a whisper, barely audible.
"Poor little Mia. You thought she died because of Sophia, didn’t you? But the truth is…" Charlotte let out a wicked chuckle. "Sophia was never sick. It was all a lie. And Lucas? He fell for it so easily."
My entire body went numb.
Mia.
My hands trembled. My breath came in shallow gasps. The phone nearly slipped from my grip as Charlotte’s laughter rang through the line, sharp and cruel, before the call went dead.
For a long moment, I just stood there, my whole body shaking with rage. My vision blurred, but I refused to let the tears fall.
The witch, who had been silent until now, chuckled under her breath. "Ah, so now I understand."
I shot her a glare, my nails digging into my palms. "Start the fire."
Her grin widened. "No turning back now, huh?"
"There never was," I muttered.
Without hesitation, she lifted her hands, murmuring ancient words under her breath. Flames roared to life, devouring the doppelgänger as the fire spread through the dry leaves and branches. The heat licked at my skin as I took one last glance at the village in the distance.
Let them think I was dead. Let them believe they had won.
Because I wasn’t just running away.
I was disappearing.
I turned away from the burning body, my resolve hardening like steel.
It was time to become someone new.
Time to change everything.
The Ava they knew was gone.
But inside?
I was still me. Still the woman they had betrayed.
The woman who had lost everything.
And this time, I would make them pay.
