1#01

Alpha Kade Stone shattered his vow on the night before our tenth mating anniversary, opting to run with his Beta, Lila, in the moonlight instead of spending time with me, his Luna. Upon his return, he presented me with an uncommon celestial necklace—made from moonstone fragments said to inspire faithfulness.

For a brief moment, I thought his gesture was sincere, a representation of our connection. However, when I spotted her the following day, wearing a more lavish pendant made of black diamonds—a symbol of dedication—I realized the truth.

I performed my duties as a Luna should. I welcomed the pack members, wore a pretend smile, and concealed the turmoil within. However, their audacity grew unchecked. They believed I couldn't hear their murmurs, their private moments in the forest, but my keen senses caught everything—their joy, their shared confidences, their disloyalty.

Kade attempted to make amends in his own way, lavishing me with apologetic gifts—silver capes, scarce herbs, and magical objects. Each present served as a reminder of his deceptions, and my once-treasured collection became a monument to dishonesty.

But I wasn't the submissive Luna they thought me to be. I had my own strategies.

On our anniversary evening, I gave him a crystal vial inscribed with powerful runes, claiming it was a charm for strength to be opened during the next full moon. He accepted it with a smirk, unaware that this gift marked the end of my allegiance to him.

The next morning, before dawn broke, I had vanished. The only trace I left was a single note attached to the bare bed. It stated:

"May the moon guide you as it will no longer guide me."

1

Freya’s perspective

The elder at the immigration counter looked up at me, her amber eyes narrowing inquisitively. "Luna Freya Rivers, do you comprehend the seriousness of this choice? Once you cut ties with your pack, there's no return. Your mark will disappear. Your existence will be erased from our species' records."

I nodded, my voice steady. "Erase it all. I want nothing remaining."

The elder paused. "Your ancestry will be nullified. Your scent will vanish from the pack's recollection."

"That's the intention."

She gave a slow nod, stamping the document before her. "As you wish. You have two weeks to conclude your affairs. Afterward, you will cease to exist among us."

Exiting the hollow tree that served as the registry for solitary wolves, I took a deep breath. The crisp, pine-scented air held the promise of liberation. In my bag was a one-way rune stone to a faraway land beyond Kade's influence.

As I walked through the bustling marketplace, my attention was drawn to a large screen mounted on the trading post's wall. The glowing display showed Kade's face, his jaw set in arrogance.

"Breaking news: Alpha Kade Stone of the Stone Fang Pack has obtained the fabled Starfire Moonstone for his mate, Luna Freya. Worth over ten million gold pieces, this artifact is said to represent an unbreakable bond. When asked about the extravagant gesture, Alpha Stone stated, 'Freya has always been my guiding star.'"

Gasps erupted from a group of she-wolves passing by.

"Did you hear that?" one exclaimed. "Luna Freya and Alpha Kade are legendary! Their love is absolute goals!"

"Totally! Remember when he marked her under the Blood Moon? I can't even!"

Their excited chatter was a painful reminder of the lies I once believed.

Kade and I had been destined mates, chosen by the moon goddess herself. I still recalled the moment our bond formed—an intense connection impossible to disregard.

He had pursued me relentlessly. As the heir to the Silver Fang Pack, he had everything—strength, power, and charisma. I, however, was a healer, content with a quiet existence. Yet Kade wouldn't accept rejection.

He courted me for years, his persistence wearing down my defenses. On the night of his ascension ceremony, he found me alone by the lake, vulnerable and tired.

"Freya," he had murmured, kneeling before me, his voice raw with desperation. "Allow me to protect you. Let me be your mate. I swear on the moon, you'll always be the one I treasure above all else."

Against my better judgment, I agreed.

Our mating ceremony was a spectacle. Before the entire pack, Kade declared his eternal devotion. "Freya Rivers," he had proclaimed, "from this day forward, you are not just my Luna—you are my soul, my everything."

For a time, he kept his promises. He treated me with gentleness, showering me with gifts of magic and luxury, demonstrating his love with every grand gesture.

But promises, like moonlight, fade in the shadows of betrayal.