Chapter 2

I lay awake all night, the silver luminescence that coursed through my veins growing faint, its brilliance all but extinguished.

The next day at noon, Lucian returned.

He didn't come back alone, however. A young she-wolf was by his side, their intimacy palpable.

Lucian made no mention of the previous day’s events. The first words out of his mouth when he saw me were:

"This is Seraphina. She's under my protection now."

"She saved my life during an attack by rogue wolves, so I promised to bring her back and let her stay in the Alpha's cabin."

"Ilana, I know you want to end this cooling-off period, so I've returned, just as you wanted. But you also need to show some of the Moon Goddess's grace and not cause me any trouble."

My silver lashes quivered as I looked towards the she-wolf.

She met my gaze unflinchingly, a clear challenge glinting in her eyes.

After a moment, I unfurled a withered moonpetal flower from my palm and offered it to Lucian, my voice raspy.

"I wasn't lying to you yesterday. I am truly sick."

"Kyle said only the power of our mate bond can save me. Elder Maeve refuses to help me, and you are, after all, my destined Alpha…"

Before I could even finish my sentence, Lucian had viciously torn the moonpetal flower to shreds.

Impatience dripped from his voice as he snapped,

"Anyone can conjure something like this with a spell! Do you take me for a newborn pup?""I'm already back. Is there any point in you still putting on this charade?"

His words were like a cascade of ice water pouring over me. I stared at the crushed flower petals scattered on the floor, an icy chill seeping into my very core.

Seraphina’s gaze shifted between Lucien and me, and then a smile suddenly blossomed on her face.

"Alpha, please don't be upset. Luna was just missing you terribly, you know."

"I'm a she-wolf too, so I understand. She didn't want to swallow her pride, so she probably just fabricated that reason to get you to come back."

"Anyway, we're all back in Stone Creek now, so there's no need for you two to be so distant anymore."

Her stream of considerate words immediately smoothed the harsh lines from Lucien’s face, his eyes curving into a gentle smile.

He tenderly stroked the crown of Seraphina’s head, a look of gratification on his face as he said,

"You’re still the most sensible one. The considerable resources I paid to the Silverpine Pack for your treatment were certainly not wasted."

"Last year, you were injured by a rogue wolf protecting me. This year, you still require that special ritual to fully restore your strength. I've already arranged everything; it will happen soon."

Seraphina nodded meekly, but then, the corner of her eye caught a glimpse of a stone sculpture tucked away in a corner of the Alpha's cabin, and her brow furrowed.

"Alpha," she began, "the Northern Shaman mentioned that because I have Southern blood in my veins, I shouldn't be exposed to moonstone. It could obstruct my recovery."

Lucien shot a careless glance at the moonstone carving, then turned to me and ordered,

"Then get it out of here. And throw it far, far away."My fists clenched, the magical power within me churning violently.

Lucian, in the past, had never been one to believe such superstitious tales.

I looked at him, incredulous, as silvery tears welled up and spilled, unchecked, down my cheeks:

"That's a sacred token from the Moon Goddess, passed down by my mother! It's the symbol of her bloodline!"

"A symbol of her bloodline? So what?" His voice was chillingly dismissive. "It's the living members of the pack who matter."

"If Seraphina's recovery is compromised because of this moonstone, can you bear the consequences?"

He shot me an icy glare, his voice brooking no dissent:

"I said get rid of it. So do it. Don't dare test the limits of my patience."

I remained rooted to the spot, silver tears tracing paths down my face, which I hastily wiped away.

As our gazes locked, a dangerous darkness clouded Lucian's features.

After a tense pause, he covered the distance in a few long strides, snatched the moonstone, and turned to leave.

"Lucian!"

Unable to restrain myself any longer, I surged forward to intercept him, only for Seraphina to suddenly shoot out a paw.

With a sickening thud, I was tripped, crashing hard onto the ground.

A distinct, sharp snap resounded from my waist, and an instant later, an avalanche of agonizing pain washed over me.

Beads of cold, silver sweat pricked my forehead. Ignoring the searing agony, I sobbed as I dragged myself forward, desperate to clutch at the hem of Lucian's clothes.

But Seraphina pinned me down, her grip like iron.

Her voice dripped with false solicitude, "Oh, Moon Goddess, how did you take such a tumble? You must get up at once!"But in truth, his fingers, like talons, dug into my arm, twisting cruelly, pinning me down.

A sharp cry of pain tore from my lips, my entire body instantly drenched in a cold sweat. I could only watch, paralyzed, as Lucian hurled the moonstone onto the unforgiving stone path outside the Alpha cabin.

As the moonstone splintered into a thousand glittering shards, my heart fractured right along with it, a final, devastating break.

That was the sacred legacy my mother had bequeathed to me, every intricate vein in its luminous surface etched by her own blood magic.

For all these years, I had guarded it with meticulous care, never daring a moment's neglect, terrified that if the moonstone shattered, the final, precious thread tethering me to my mother’s lineage would be irrevocably severed.

I never, ever imagined it would be destroyed... and by Lucian’s own hand.

The magical energy within me erupted into a chaotic storm, a maelstrom of power, as if a thousand razor-sharp icicles were simultaneously piercing every inch of my being from the inside out.

Then, with chilling certainty, I finally understood. Lucian had changed.

Three months of cold distance, of growing estrangement, had eroded everything. He no longer trusted me, no longer treasured me. Instead, he’d chosen to believe baseless whispers, to offer his protection, his allegiance, to Seraphina.

Hopelessness crushed me, and I crumpled to the unforgiving earth, squeezing my eyes shut against the unbearable reality.

From somewhere above, Lucian’s voice, cold and detached, sliced through my despair:

"Look at the pathetic state you’re in. It was just a rock, a mere moonstone. Was it really worth this?"

Seraphina’s voice, laced with a saccharine, feigned distress, chimed in:

"Alpha," she whimpered, "the Shaman also said… no silver tears must fall before I’m fully recovered."

"Her being like this… it’s such a terrible omen! Especially now!"

Lucian nudged my side disdainfully with the toe of his boot.

"Did you hear her?""One more tear, and you're out of Alpha Cabin!"

I blinked my eyes open. My hand shot to my aching lower back as I pushed myself upright, then limped heavily toward the splintered moonstone.

Gathering the pieces of the ruined stone carving, I pivoted, my gaze locking onto Lucian with cold intensity.

"I was going to leave regardless," I declared, my tone sharp. "You won't have the pleasure of expelling me."