My Alpha mate took our pup Lyra, his former lover Morgana Thorne and her pup, into the wilderness for the Pack's Full Moon Festival.
On the way, he abandoned our pup. It was to soothe Morgana's pup, whose so-called ‘mana depletion’ was a lie crafted from black magic. He left Lyra alone in a car protected by only a basic ward.
I sensed Lyra’s raw terror—she was surrounded by Hellhounds. I tore through the woods, desperate to reach her.
All that remained was a car ripped to shreds by sharp claws and a shattered ward.
And a blood-stained moonstone talisman.
As I drowned in the agony of losing my daughter, Caleb finally answered my mind-link.
He was celebrating the Full Moon Festival with Morgana. He accused me of overreacting and ruining the Pack's festive mood.
Listening to his heartless accusations, a sneer twisted my lips.
Fine. A happy festival, indeed.
I would make him taste this bloody moonstone and let him feel the festival’s “blessing” for himself.
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1
I burst into the Pack's celebration hall, and my heart stopped. The room was aglow with energy crystals, filled with the boisterous laughter of werewolves. Long tables groaned under the weight of a feast prepared for the Full Moon Festival, the air thick with the aroma of roasted meat and moonlit wine.
A bitter cold flooded my veins, and my stomach dropped to the floor.
My mate, Caleb Blackwood, was cozied up with his former lover, Morgana Thorne, on a fur-covered sofa near the bonfire. They both wore sickeningly content smiles. And right across from them sat my mother-in-law, Jocasta.
Jocasta was holding Morgana’s son, Damian.
She cooed, feeding him an energy-infused fruit puree with a spoon. His chubby little face was smeared with shimmering flecks as he giggled. The sight was a dagger in my heart—a haunting echo of me doing the same for Lyra when she was a toddler.
I stared at the cozy scene, my breath catching in my throat. Lyra. The sound of her name was a crushing weight on my chest. My vision swam, and the floor seemed to tilt beneath my feet.
“Well, if it isn’t Selene. Why the grim face? You’re ruining the mood on this festive day,” Morgana spotted me at the door, her voice dripping with undisguised mockery. She snuggled deeper into Caleb's arms, staking her claim.
Caleb glanced up, and a scowl immediately darkened his handsome features. “Can’t you at least try to feign some cheer for the Full Moon Festival? I’ve told you countless times to mind your appearance. You should take a page from Morgana’s book.”
My disheveled, mud-stained clothes were a stark contrast to the surrounding splendor. But he didn’t care why I was in such a state; his eyes held only contempt and disgust.
I took a deep breath, trying to cage the wolf clawing at the inside of my ribs. I looked at them, my voice cold. “Caleb, where is Lyra?”
When Jocasta heard my question, she protectively patted Damian. “The nerve of you to ask! Your pup is just as wild and thoughtless as you are, running off on the day of the Full Moon Festival! Nothing like our sweet Damian…”
“Say that again,” I snarled, my voice a low, guttural sound I barely recognized. The hall fell silent. They had never seen me like this.
Caleb was the first to react. He shot up from the sofa, pointing an accusatory finger at me. “Selene! Have you lost your mind?”
I ignored him, stalking toward Jocasta, my eyes locked on the child in her arms.
“Don’t you dare talk about Lyra! None of you have the right!” I shouted, my voice cracking with rage.
Rage coiled in my gut, threatening to consume me whole.
My outburst stunned him.
He stared at me, his eyes a mixture of disbelief, disgust, and anger.
He said coldly, “Selene, what do you think you’re doing? Look at yourself. Is this how an Alpha’s mate and a mother should behave?”
My lips trembled. “A mother? Do you have any idea what happened to Lyra—”
But before I could finish, Morgana’s delicate voice cut in. She turned to Caleb, her eyes welling with tears.
“Caleb, don’t be angry. Selene is clearly upset to see me here. Perhaps Damian and I should leave so we don’t spoil her evening…”
“Morgana, you’re not going anywhere. She’s the one who should leave.”
Caleb cut her off without a second thought. He turned his fury on me. “Selene, have you made enough of a scene? Go and reflect on your behavior. I’ll deal with you later!”
“I…” I opened my mouth, but the words caught in my throat.
Despair washed over me. The man who had sworn his life to me was now a stranger, his heart a block of ice.
I turned, my feet like lead, and trudged upstairs to Lyra’s room.
“Caleb, you should have listened to me and never married that woman! Look at her, acting like a lunatic and bringing shame to the Blackwood Pack!”
“Mom, don’t be angry. Let’s just enjoy the celebration with Morgana. Ignore her.”
Their words followed me up the stairs, each one a fresh stab of pain. I staggered into Lyra's room and collapsed onto her bed. Sobs wracked my body, but no tears came. The pain was too deep, a cold hollowness that had settled in my bones.
The room still carried Lyra’s unique, sweet scent of moonlit grass. But my world had turned bitter.
I blamed myself for being so weak.
If I had just insisted on staying with Lyra, if I hadn’t compromised, if I hadn’t been so quick to trust Caleb… Lyra would still…
I covered my face, a dry, ragged gasp escaping my lips. Regret and self-blame were a physical weight, crushing the air from my lungs.
A soft thump startled me. Lyra’s favorite Moon Bear doll had fallen from the bed to the floor. It lay there, its button eyes seeming to accuse fate of its cruelty.
My hands trembling, I picked up the doll and hugged it tightly to my chest, desperate to feel the last trace of Lyra’s warmth.
“What the hell are you freaking out about?” Caleb’s impatient voice sliced through my grief.
