“No matter how others treat you in the future, I, your unofficial brother, will always protect you. Let this talisman be the proof.”
The young Ronan’s words rang in my ears, echoing in my memory like a haunting melody. Back then, he had handed me the small wolf-shaped talisman, its etched runes a symbol of protection. A boy’s attempt to offer comfort had completely won over my broken heart. From that moment, Ronan became my anchor, my moon in the dark night.
For ten long years, I had loved him. I held onto every promise he made, weaving them into the fabric of my being. But now, the boy who had sworn to protect me was gone, replaced by a calculating Alpha who no longer remembered his words—or me.
Clutching the shattered remains of my music box talisman, I whispered a silent farewell before tossing the pieces into the trash. If Ronan had abandoned those promises, I would abandon him—and the love I had clung to for so long.
The next morning, the packhouse was quiet. Ronan hadn’t returned.
I shipped my belongings back to my childhood home and headed to the pack’s administrative office to finalize my resignation. As Beta Soren handed me the papers, a message from Ronan lit up my phone screen:
[Ayla, I went too far yesterday. I stayed at the office to work late and ended up falling asleep here. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.]
I glanced at the empty Alpha’s office. He wasn’t here. His lies couldn’t even muster the energy to be convincing anymore. Without replying, I left the resignation letter on his desk.
Exiting the chat, I removed him from my pinned conversations, a small act of severance that felt like cutting a final thread. As I was about to turn off my phone, a notification popped up: Violet Frost sent you a friend request.
My finger hovered for a moment before I accepted. Immediately, her message arrived:
[Ronan, don’t forget to grab more moonflower potions when you’re out! Last night was… intense, and we’re all out. You’re insatiable, you wild wolf! 🥰]
Two minutes later, the message was deleted, followed by another:
[Oh no! I sent that to the wrong person. Miss Ayla, you didn’t see anything, did you? ]
I stared at her words, my wolf stirring uneasily within me. Violet’s fake innocence grated against my fraying composure. But instead of replying, my fingers tapped into her social media feed, curiosity overriding better judgment.
Photo after photo unfolded before me, each one like a claw to my chest. Violet had been back in the Shadowclaw territory for an entire month, during which Ronan had spared no effort to indulge her. Seraphis Valley. Mount Kaelen. Celestria Spire. Every destination I had once begged Ronan to visit with me, he had gone to with her instead.
My thoughts raced as I pieced together the timeline. It was during those trips that Ronan claimed he was overwhelmed with Alpha duties, insisting I handle tedious administrative work on his behalf. At the time, I thought it was his way of sharing responsibility with me, a sign that he trusted me as his future Luna. Now, I saw it for what it truly was—an excuse to spend time with Violet.
Each post cut deeper than the last. The photos of them smiling together, her hand resting possessively on his chest, shattered the illusion I had clung to for years. Every time I had tried to take a photo of us together, Ronan refused, brushing me off with excuses:
“If Lizzie finds out I’m dating her best friend, she’ll rip me apart.”
“Pack gossip is brutal, Ayla. I’m just protecting you.”
But the truth was clear now—Ronan had never wanted to protect me. He had wanted to hide me.
Just as I was about to close the app, a new post from Violet appeared at the top of her feed. My heart froze.
It was a live photo. The setting was unmistakably Ronan’s quarters, the massive wolf-engraved bed in the background. Violet lounged on the bed in a silk camisole, her slender fingers trailing over a man’s muscular torso. When I clicked on the photo, it played, and I heard it—his voice.
“Ayla,” he had whispered countless times to me before, his tone always low and seductive.
But as the photo played, I realized something horrifying: the name he murmured wasn’t mine. It was hers.
Violet.
The truth was inescapable. The man I had loved, the Alpha I had devoted my life to, had never truly seen me. I was nothing more than a shadow of the woman he truly desired. My wolf growled low in my chest, the sound vibrating with anger and betrayal.
For ten years, I had allowed myself to be blinded by love. But now, under the cold light of day, I saw everything clearly. It was time to leave the Shadowclaw Pack for good—and never look back.
The next blood moon was rising, and this time, I would carve out a future on my own terms.
