When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a soft furs in the healing chamber. Remembering the agony before the darkness took me, I bolted upright.
A pack healer entered the room. Seeing my panicked face, she offered a small smile. "Be at peace. The pup survived. However, you must be more careful with your womb in the future."
I let out a long breath and placed a shaking hand over my belly. Because of Zael, I had already lost one pup to the Great Moon. This time, I would guard this life with my own.
After leaving the healers, I shifted into my wolf form and ran straight to the Great Hall of Records. Since I had chosen to leave his territory, I needed to finalize the severing of our bond immediately.
I handed my scrolls to the elder in charge. He looked at the symbols for a moment, then looked up at me with confusion. "Luna, you already submitted the decree to sever this union a moon ago."
I felt my blood run cold. "That is impossible. I have not been to this hall in many seasons. How could the bond be broken?"
The elder checked the ancient ledgers again. "The records show the separation was filed a moon ago. An Alpha named Zael Stormridge brought the documents. He used his authority to sign for you."
The old wolf hesitated. "The records already show his fated Luna is another woman named Moira. Do you know of her?"
My mind went numb. The stone walls seemed to spin and a loud ringing filled my ears.
One moon ago, it was the night of my birth-moon celebration. Zael had given me a chest of gold to spend as I pleased and promised to hunt with me after his duties were done. But while I was walking through the forest, a group of rogue wolves ambushed me and dragged me into the thicket.
I tried to reach Zael through our mind-link over and over, but he blocked my voice every time. If a wandering sentinel had not found me, I would have been torn apart.
Later, Zael calmed my fears. He told me he was in a deep council meeting and had closed his mind to all distractions. I believed his lies.
Now the truth was clear. He had discarded me on the night of my birth-moon and given Moira his protection and his name.
That was exactly what I wanted now. After leaving the Great Hall, I walked through the pack lands to clear my thoughts. Suddenly, a violent storm broke. Thunder shook the earth and heavy rain lashed down.
The wind was so fierce that I could not catch a scent trail. My cloak was shredded by the gale and I walked alone through the freezing rain. My tears were lost in the storm as they hit the muddy ground.
By the time I reached the Alpha’s villa, I was shivering and soaked to the bone. I pushed open the heavy wooden doors. The warmth of the hearth wrapped around me and I heard Zael’s gentle voice from the den.
"It is a bitter night. Drink this warm tonic so your spirit stays strong against the cold."
For a heartbeat, my soul stirred. But then I saw Moira and her pup, Aelin. Zael was not speaking to me. He was caring for them.
When he saw me standing broken at the entrance, a flicker of guilt crossed his face. "Aelin has a weak heart. If her life fades, I must be near to use my Alpha strength. Moira is living here now to tend to the pup."
I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Strength? Do you believe your power is greater than the Moon’s healing? If the pup is dying, she should be with the healers. Are you mad to keep her here?"
Zael’s face twisted into a snarl. "Mind your tongue. This is my den. If you challenge my word, I have many ways to strip your name from these lands."
When we were first bonded, he told me he wanted me to feel safe, so he bound my name to the title of his manor. But now, for the sake of Moira, he had cast those promises into the fire.
Since that was the path he chose, I would burn every memory of our time together.
