Caleb insisted on another dinner celebration for our anniversary. He’d been busy with work all week, managing his empire that he had built from the ground up. I wasn’t sure if he genuinely wanted to celebrate us or if it was just another way to keep up appearances, but I went along with it anyway. Even disregarding what I saw and heard from Zara earlier.
At the office, Zara intentionally flaunted to her office mates her new diamond ring given to her by rich boyfriend when she saw me stepping out of Caleb’s office. Rich boyfriend, huh?!
Tsk.
I sourly looked at Caleb. How could he calmly cheat on me and continue acting so loving and caring? What an actor!
We were halfway to the restaurant when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and his jaw tightened.
“An urgent issue at the company,” he said, his voice clipped. “I’ll drop you off and join you later.”
I smiled, the kind of smile I had perfected over the years. "Sure, no problem." But something inside me didn’t buy it. Something about the way he said it, the quick glance at the phone—something wasn’t right. It’s Zara. Obviously.
As the car veered toward the company’s building instead of the restaurant, I caught a faint but familiar scent in the air. Zara. Again. Her vanilla and wild jasmine scent lingered in the car, as though she had just been there.
I pushed the thought away. The more I think of Zara, the more she pisses me off.
That night, I waited for Caleb in the sitting room. It was well past midnight when he finally walked in, surprised to see me still awake. His eyes widened when he saw the small box in my hands.
"Recognize this?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest.
He froze, taking in the mementos inside: movie tickets, a dried lavender sprig, and a photo from our first run together under the full moon. Old memories, moments that once felt real. His expression softened as he reached for the box.
"I’ll fix us, Lia," he whispered, almost pleading. "I swear."
I handed him a sealed envelope. "Open this on the next full moon. It’s my gift to you," I said, unsure if I meant it.
He took the envelope, looking confused, but didn’t question me. He gave me a half-smile and left without another word.
The days leading up to the full moon were a blur. I couldn’t focus on anything except the growing tension between Caleb and me. Something had shifted in him, but I couldn’t pinpoint what. The business was clearly becoming more important to him, and I saw it in his face, his distance, and especially in how often he spent time with Zara.
I went to see Astrid, the pack’s doctor, and my closest confidant. She was one of the few people I trusted completely. We met in her small, cozy apartment.
“Are you sure of your plans?” Astrid asked me. She knew my plan to cut my ties with Caleb and the pack. “Zara’s ambitious. She’s dangerous, Lia. She won’t stop until she’s sitting in your seat. You need to stay sharp."
“There was hesitation, yes. A small part of me questioned if I was making the right decision. But the larger part—” I stared at Astrid, “the part that had been watching Caleb and Zara for weeks now, the way they exchanged glances, the way his eyes softened when she spoke… I was done with waiting and playing a good Luna, Astrid. I wasn’t about to let this continue. If this was the path I was going to take, I wasn’t going to lose.”
Later that afternoon, I took matters into my own hands. The marketplace was as busy as ever, and I made sure my words reached the right ears. I wasn’t subtle. I spread rumors about Zara’s growing influence and her plan to replace me. By the time I left, I knew the whispers had already started. I had time, but not much. Soon, everyone would know the truth: Zara was trying to take everything from me. Caleb, however, seemed oblivious—or maybe he didn’t care.
I had no more time to waste.
That evening, I decided to clear my mind with a walk through the estate grounds. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, the rustling leaves matching the swirl of thoughts racing through my mind. I didn’t want to admit, but the weight of everything—Caleb’s betrayal, Zara’s scheming, the entire pack watching my every move—was overwhelming. I had to make a decision, but I needed clarity. Time to stop being reactive and take control.
As I walked into the park, I heard footsteps—quiet, almost too quiet. My wolf, Bella, instantly alerted, my heart rate spiking. I wasn’t alone.
From the shadows, a tall figure emerged, his amber eyes glowing under the moonlight. He wasn’t from the pack, I could tell. His presence was strong and calm, unlike anyone I’d met. He didn’t seem to have an agenda, but there was something magnetic about him, like he was exactly what I needed right now.
"You look like someone about to take down a kingdom," he said, his voice low and oddly familiar.
I raised an eyebrow. "And what if I am?"
A slow, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Then you’re not alone."
“It’s not a kingdom,” I smiled bitterly. “An empire.”
“I think you might want my help…” He grinned.
“For what cost?”
“Just promise you will leave Caleb…”
I frowned. Not that I care anymore for Caleb, but why did he want that?
“Who are you?” I asked.
He grinned again. “Your knight.”
“I don't need a knight.” I turned my back on him. I walked away and went straight to my husband’s tower.
My husband’s tower, indeed, for I will soon leave him and all he possesses before the next full moon.
