The Rise of a Betrayed Luna

Leila.

The moon hung heavily in the sky, the silver glow spilling over the dense forest, illuminating the path to the pack house. The faint howl of wolves echoed in the distance, like a song of unity that I had once found peace in. Usually the moon’s radiant light brought me peace, it reminded me of the bond I had with Derek, my Mate, my Alpha, my love.

Tonight it felt different, the air was thick with unease and my wolf paced restlessly within me.

The whispers started slowly as I stepped into the grand entrance of the pack's hall, eyes darted away from me as murmurs filled the air. My heart tightened once more, something felt off, something wasn't right. My wolf whimpered sensing the tension in the air.

Then I saw them.

My mate, Derek stood in the center of the room, his golden eyes crinkling with laughter, but it wasn't me he was smiling at… it was her.

Vivienne.

Her perfectly manicured hand rested lightly on his arm, her body angled towards him in a way that made my stomach churn.

I couldn't breathe, my lungs felts like the air was sucked right away from it.

“Derek,” I called, my voice steady despite the fact that my heart was pounding heavily.

He turned his gaze towards me, surprise flickering through his eye or was it….guilt.

“Leila,” he called, his tone clipped. “What are you doing here?”

Wasn't I supposed to be here.

“I could ask you the same,” I replied, my voice trembling now. “What's going on?”

Vivienne’s lips curled up in a smirk.

“Don't be so dramatic, Leila, can't you see we were just talking.”

“Talking?,” my fists clenched at my sides.

“Is that what you call this?” I gestured at the way she was clinging to him, the way he didn't even seem to mind the fact that she was practically untop of me

“It's not what you think, Leila,besides you weren't supposed to be here, this is an important pack gathering,” he said.

Pack meeting, my foot!

“Why not, am I not allowed to be here, as your mate am I not supposed to be by your side?”

Vivienne snickered and angled her self more closely as if to prove a point.

“Don't be like that, Leila, we were just discussing important matters, right, weren't we, my dear Alpha?” her voice dripping with mockery

My dear Alpha?

“She's right, we were only just discussing important matters, something you wouldn't quite understand.”

That jab was a low blow, most especially when it was coming from him, I couldn't believe my ears

“Derek…”

“Relax, you're always so suffocating with your dos and don'ts, Derek's just trying to find some kind of comfort else where, free from all your regulations and pressure.”

Her words hurt me, but I refused to let her see the pain it caused me. My wolf growled pushing toward the surface and I let a low warning sound. “I don't understand what kind of game you're playing Vivienne, but need I remind you, Derek's mine.”

She let out a sharp cruel sound that made my blood boil.

“Yours? He doesn't think so, as you can see, he's here with me and not with you!”

My wolf snapped. I lunged at her before I could hold myself, wrestling her to the ground. The entire room erupted in chaos as we collided, claws and teeth bared.

I was so ready to end her miserable life right there and then, how dare she try to mock me right in the presence of everyone.

I had overlooked every of her insults but this was the last straw!

“Enough Leila!” Derek's voice thundered through the chaos. His strong hand gripped my arm, yanking me away from her, the contact burned, not in the way it used to.

It was like he meant to hurt me.

I turned to him, my chest heavy with anger and heartbreak.

“Let go of me!” I said, not ready to let go yet, even though my face visibly hurt from all the scratches I've received.

“Behave yourself Leila!” He growled.

My heart stopped.

“You're defending her, why?”

“She's not the one making a scene, you are,” he said coldly, his golden eyes hard and unyielding. “You need to control yourself, Leila, this behavior is beneath you and not worthy of a Luna.”

His words hit me harder than any blow, my wolf whimpered, retreating into the shadows of my mind. I stared at him in disbelief as pain threatened to choke me.

“I didn't start this, she provoked me.” I said my voice trembling.

“And you fell right into it, you have her exactly what she wanted!” He snapped.

I stumbled back, it was as if he'd struck me, his reprimand, his coldness, it was a betrayal I didn't see coming.

The bond between us, the connection, I thought we had, that was unbreakable felt like it was crumbling before my very eyes.

How could he? How could he defend someone else instead of me his own mate, he is supposed to be taking my side, instead of hers.

I glanced at Vivienne who wore a triumphant, smug expression on her face and back to Derek whose face held no trace of the man I thought I knew.

“Derek…”

“This is the main reason why I didn't want you here, somehow you always managed to humiliate me in front me in front of the whole pack,” Derek said, berating me unrelentlessly and worse still in the presence of everyone, not even minding the fact that my heart was breaking to pieces at his feet.

“Apologize to her right now!” He ordered.

“I will do no such thing!” I growled.

Over my dead body.

“Leila…” he said warningly.

“No I will not, how dare you even suggest that, is this how low you think of me.”

“It doesn't matter Derek, it's no big deal, I'm not all that injured, besides let's not ruin the event because of her, I'm okay” Vivienne said.

“See, look how Vivienne is so well mannered and cultured where as you're the exact opposite, I have no idea how in the world the gods saddled me with someone like you, you are not even worthy enough to be my Luna!” Derek said.

Those words where the final nail to my already broken heart, without another word, I turned and fled, the whispers followed me as I ran out of the pack house, my vision blurred by tears.

They came down in rivulets down my cheeks.

I was always an ugly crier.

The forest was silent except for the sound of my ragged breathing. I collapsed to my knees under the moonlight clutching the pendant Derek had given me when we first discovered our bond. It's silver surface glimmered cruelly in the light, a reminder of promises that were now broken.

Tears streamed down my face as I cried my heart out into the night, “Why Derek, why did you do this to me!”

I felt utterly, devastatingly broken, rejected and humiliated by my very own mate.

Until my wolf stilled within me, her attention sharp and on edge, like she was waiting for something or someone.

I didn't kno what or why….. until I saw him.

Derek.

He moved through the crowd with a commanding presence that only he could muster, his golden eyes scanning the gathering until they fell on me. It felt like the world fell away, leaving just the two of us, my wolf whispered one word.

Mate.

He approached me, his gaze intense but warm. “Hi, I'm Derek,” he said, his voice rich and deep.

“Leila,” I squeaked, my heart pounding.

I couldn't believe my eyes…. My mate was standing in front of me and he was an Alpha too, everyone could see that.

From that day onwards, our bond grew swiftly as if we had always been meant to be together. He was everything I'd ever dreamed of in a mate, strong protective and kind. We spent hours talking under the stars, learning each other secret and fears. He told me about the weight of being on Alpha, the sacrifice he had to make for the pack. I told him about my longing to be more than just an Omega, to find a purpose beyond the limit placed on me.

We were inseparable, the pack was happy about our union. He made me feel, cherished as though I was the only one who mattered to him.

I thought I was too.

But that was before Vivienne came in.

Vivienne, the thorn in my flesh.

The daughter of an influential family in the pack, her beauty and cunningness made her a favorite among many, and she was his beta too.

Right from the time we were children, Vivienne thrived on competition and guess who her favorite target was….. me.

Whether it was a pack training or social events, she was always looking for way to outshine me or make me feel like I didn't belong.

When Derek and I became mates, her bitterness deepened.

She was polite in public, but never missed an opportunity to remind me of my shortcomings.

“I'm surprised the Alpha chose you, Leila,” she'd said, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

“I mean you're lovely in your own way but an Alpha needs someone better ….more formidable by his side, I just can't see it being you, prehaps you may have charmed him or something.”

I ignored her, unwilling to let her venom ruin my happiness, but her resentment didn't fade…. It grew.

Everything started changing, although subtly.

I saw the signs but I refused to believe my eyes. Derek, always the dutiful Alpha, began consulting Vivienne more often, she was sharp and politically savvy, a trait that made her a valuable ally. At first I understood, pack matter required collaboration and Vivienne’s family held significant influence.

Then the lines blurred.

Pack meetings turned into late night strategy sessions, shared laughter and private jokes between them became more frequent.

Slowly I found myself on the outside looking in.

I confronted him once, unable to keep my suspicions bottled up any longer.

“Derek,” I said, standing in the doorway of his meeting grounds, since he wasn't always at home. “Can we talk?”

He looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable. “Of course, what's on your mind, Leila?”

“I feel like..” I hesitated, my chest tightening.

“I feel like you're drifting away from me, you spend more time with Vivienne than you do with me, you own mate,”

His brow furrowed, “That's not fair, Leila, Vivienne is helping me with important pack matters, you know how much responsibility I carry on my shoulders,”

“I know that, and I support you,” I said, my voice trembling, “but it feels like you're shutting me out, do you have any idea how humiliating it is to hear the pack gossiping about you two?”

His jaw tightened, I thought he'd listened to me, that he finally saw how much his actions hurt me.

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I don't have time for this right now, Leila, I need you to trust me.”

Trust.

The word stung, I wanted to trust him, but how could I, when he seemed so blind to what his actions were doing to me, how it was hurting me.

Vivienne, of course didn't miss the chance to exploit the situation, she connered me at every given opportunity, the recent one was a pack event. she sauntered over to my side, her smile as sharp as a blade and fake.

“Leila, you look so tense,” she said, her voice dripping with mock concern, “is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine, infact it could never had been better.” I lied through my teeth.

“I noticed Derek's been distracted lately, I hope it's nothing serious,” she

I clenched my fists, my wolf snarling beside me.

“It's nothing, I'm sure it's because he's been occupied with the pack and meeting its needs.”

She knew fully well what she was doing, wrecking my marriage, that's what.

what a hypocrite.

“Well a little birdie told me, he doesn't seem to spend as much time as he used, to with you, being that you're his mate and everything.” She taunted.

“Well then, your little birdie must have heard it wrong,” I said.

She leaned in, her voice low enough that only I could hear.

“For your sake, I sure hope not, we wouldn't want a situation where our Alpha gets another mate or worse still reject you as his Luna, I heard a rumor about that.” she said sinisterly, like she knew something i didn't.

I walked away from her, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing that her words cut deep, of seeing me break.

My heart was heavy knowing fully that the pack was watching, judging.

The following weeks after the confrontation felt like a blur of pain and humiliation, I could still see the way Derek had stood between me and Vivienne, his words sharper than any blade, it wasn't just the betrayal that broke me, it was the public nature of it.

The once bright connection Derek and I had was now so fragile that sometimes I thought maybe I'd imagined it being there in the first place. The nights were the worst, he would return to our shared quarters, his faced lines with exhaustion, his words cold and distant.

“Long day?” I would ask, hoping to spark even the smallest connection.

“Yes,” he replied curtly. Sometimes not even looking up from the documents he carried.

The scent of her, Vivienne still lingered on his clothes, so unbearable.

“Derek, can we talk?” I asked one evening.

He barely glanced at me, his tone clipped.

“Not now, Leila , I'm busy,”

“You're always busy, when will you make time for us, for me?”

He sighed, his expression one of exasperation.

“Don't start this again, I have responsibilities to the pack.”

“What about your responsibilities to me?” I shot back, my wolf bristling at his dismissive tone.

“I am your mate, Derek or have you forgotten that? I need to understand what's happening between us, why does it feel like I'm losing you?”

“You're not losing me,”he said, but his voice lacked conviction.

“It feels like you've chosen Vivienne over me?” My voice cracked despite my efforts to stay calm and strong.

“She's helping me with the pack, you don't understand the pressure I'm under, she's a valuable asset Leila, that's all,” he replied.

“An asset!” I spat, the word bitter on my tongue.

“Do you even hear yourself? The pack's starting to talk, they see what's happening, even if you refuse to, she's always by your side, laughing with you, supporting you. Where does that leave me?

He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. “You're my mate and that hasn't changed.”

“Then prove it,” I whispered, tears blurring my vision. “Because I'm starting to feel like I don't matter how to you any more.”

He didn't respond, instead he left without another word slamming the door behind him.

That night, I sat alone in our quarters staring at the empty space where Derek use to lie beside me. My wolf whimpered softly, mourning the mate we both loved but no longer recognized.

“I don't know how much more of this I can take,” I whispered into the darkness.

The bond between us felt like a thin thread stretched to its limits. Derek wasn't just breaking my heart, he was breaking my spirit too.

The pack noticed everything, wolves who had once respected and admired our bond were now now whispering behind my backs. The pity in their eyes burned more than their words.

There was division among the pack, they’d all witnessed the altercation and there was no surviving my dignity from the ashes. Some wolves mostly the older ones, expressed their shock in hushed tone, lamenting how the bond between mates could crumble so easily. Others particularly the younger wolves were indifferent, more fascinated by the drama than the heartbreak behind it.

“She's lost control of him,” I overheard one day, “An Alpha's mate should be stronger.”

The whispers grew more louder, more brazen.

“Vivienne's always by his side unlike her,” one said.

“It's like Leila doesn't even exist anymore,” said another.

“She should have been stronger.”

“She's the Alpha's mate, if she can't hold his attention, that's on her.”

“She has no place here anymore, Vivienne's practically running the show now.”

They opened praised her dedication and loyalty to Derek.

The irony was sickening.

I stormed away before they could see the tears welling up.

Their words cut deep but the real agony came from the silence of those who had once been my allies.

Annabelle tried to console me, but even she seemed uncertain of how to navigate the storm.

“You need to eat.” She urged one evening, placing a tray of food on the table before me.

“You're wasting away Leila, the pack… they're watching, they need to see that you're still strong.”

I stared at the tray, my appetite long gone. “What's the point, Annabelle? Derek doesn't even see me anymore, it's like I'm invisible.

“I don't know what's going on with Derek, but you need to fight for him Leila, don't let her win.”

“I shouldn't have to fight for my own mate,” I replied bitterly, my voice barely above a whisper.

This wasn't the life I envisioned when Derek and I first found each other. Still yet I clinged to the memories of when things were better, simpler, when Derek gaze held nothing but love and admiration.

There was a time he'd bring me wild flowers, he'd picked up during his patrols, tucking them behind my ear with a grin. We'd spend hour in the forest running together in wolf form, the wind rushing through our fur as we reveled in the pure joy of being one.

“I'll always protect you,” he promised me one night as we lay beneath the stars, his arms wrapped around me.

Only now, it felt like I was the one who needed protection from… him and the hurt he unknowingly inflicted.

The humiliation never stopped.

Every day brought a new wound, a fresh reminder of the betrayal that now defined my existence. Vivienne wasn’t content with just taking Derek from me—she wanted to crush me entirely, to grind what little dignity I had left into the dirt.

I woke one morning to laughter echoing outside our quarters. When I stepped out, I found Vivienne surrounded by a group of younger wolves. She held a delicate, silver pendant in her hands—my pendant. The one Derek had given me on our first anniversary.

“Look at this,” she sneered, holding it up for all to see. “Can you believe he thought this was worth giving someone? So cheap. I’d expect better from an Alpha.”

My breath hitched, fury and despair warring within me. That pendant had once been a symbol of our love, and now she was holding it as if it were trash.

“Give that back,” I demanded, my voice trembling but firm.

She turned to me, her smile icy. “Oh, Leila, I didn’t realize you were still… lurking. Don’t worry. I’m sure Derek will get me something far more beautiful. This? It’s not really my style.”

The wolves around her laughed, their mockery cutting deeper than any blade.

She didn’t just target me in private—she made sure the entire pack saw my misery. She clung to Derek ’s arm at every gathering, her smug smile daring me to say something.

The final straw came during the pack’s annual celebration. It was supposed to be a night of unity, a chance for us to come together as one. Vivienne saw it as another opportunity to humiliate me.

At the pack meeting, she sauntered in late, draped in a crimson gown that screamed authority. She sat beside Derek, leaning close to whisper in his ear. He smiled—an expression I hadn’t seen in weeks. My wolf growled, the bond between us aching like an open wound.

“I thought this was a meeting for Alphas and their mates,” Annabelle whispered beside me, her eyes narrowing.

“So did I,” I muttered, my hands clenched into fists.

But Derek said nothing, his silence louder than any words. The pack watched as Vivienne took my place, her presence a blatant challenge to my position.

I tried to hold my head high, but the weight of their judgment was suffocating. When the meeting ended, she approached me, a glass of wine in hand with a saccharine smile pasted on her face. “Oh, Leila, you should try and wear something more flattering next time. It’s important to keep up appearances, don’t you think?” Her gaze flicked over my simple dress, the disdain in her eyes unmistakable.

“Vivienne,” I replied, forcing a tight smile.

She leaned closer, her voice low enough that only I could hear. “Or better still, you can just step aside. Derek doesn’t want you anymore. Everyone can see it. You’re only just embarrassing yourself.”

My wolf snarled, I bit back my retort, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

Derek was no better. He didn’t just ignore my pain—he added to it.

I caught him and Vivienne in the courtyard, laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world. She rested her hand on his chest, her eyes sparkling with a confidence that burned me to my core.

“Derek,” I called, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

He turned, his smile fading into indifference. “What is it, Leila?”

“We need to talk,” I said, forcing myself to meet his gaze.

Vivienne stepped closer to him, her smirk widening. “Oh, Derek, don’t keep her waiting. It must be important.”

He sighed, as if the mere act of acknowledging me was a chore. “Later, Leila, I’m busy.”

“Busy with her,” I snapped, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

For a moment, his eyes flickered with something—guilt, maybe—but it was gone just as quickly. “Don’t do this,” he said, his tone cold.

And then he turned back to her, their conversation resuming as if I didn’t exist.

That night, I stood alone at the edge of the celebration, watching as Derek and Vivienne danced. They moved together effortlessly, their smiles bright, their laughter carefree.

I felt like an intruder in my own life, a shadow of the woman I once was. The pain was overwhelming, but beneath it all, a fire burned.

They thought they had broken me, but I wasn’t done yet. Somewhere inside, my wolf howled, a fierce reminder that I was stronger than this.

They would regret underestimating me.

One day, I would make them pay.

Or so I thought, no knowing that fate has another miserable event planned for me.

The night it happened, I was returning from a meeting with the pack's elders. The forest was quiet save for the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. My thoughts was laden with Derek and Vivienne's betrayal, of my own dwindling place in the pack I once called home, Of the fact that I should leave, the pain, the humiliation was just too much to bear.

I should have just trusted my instincts that night, stayed at home or instead walking back together with other members of the pack. But I didn't want their pity suffocating me.

That was when I heard it.

The snap of a twig.

The low guttural growl of an unfamiliar wolf.

It lunged at me before I had the time to react, its amber eyes gleaming with primal rage, sinking it's teeth into my shoulder.

I screamed, the sound echoing through the empty woods. My wolf surged to the surface fighting back with claws and teeth.

It was no use, I was outmatched.

Every swipe of it's claws tore into me, every bite sent pain searing through my body.

The blood…. The gore…. Oh.

I managed to knock it off balance with a desperate kick, but it was relentless, circling me like I was a prey.

My vision blurred and the world titled on its axis.

I wasn't going to survive this.

The wolf pounced again, it's claws raking down my side, more blood poured from the wound, warm and sticky against the chill of the night. The last thing I saw was the wolf snarling above me and then everything went black.

The last thought I had in my head was… Finally.. I wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore, I was finally leaving…but what a nasty way to leave everything behind…

When I came to, I was being carried, my body, a dead weight, my senses dulled but I could hear a voice low and urgent.

Elder Marcus

“She's barely breathing,” he muttered, his steps quick and steady.

“Stay with me, Luna Leila, you hear me, you can't give up now.”

I wanted to respond, to tell him that I wasn't giving up, but my throat was too dry, my body too weak. Darkness tugged at me time and time again, but his voice kept pulling me back.

When we got to the pack's infirmary, the medics rushed to my side, their hands working quickly to stabilize me, I drifted in and out of consciousness, catching snippets of frantic voices and the metallic smell of blood.

“Call the Alpha,” someone said. “He's need to be here for her.

Derek never came.

Hours passed before I woke fully. My body aches with every breath, the bandages around my torso pulling tight against my wounds.

Elder Marcus sat beside me, his brow furrowed with concern.

“How are you feeling?” He asked gently.

“Like I was run over by a truck,” I said, my voice hoarse. “ Did… did anyone call Derek?”

Marcus's expression darkened. “He's preoccupied.”

I didn't need to ask what that means, my chest tightened, the pain shaper ths. The injuries I'd sustained.

Minutes later, voices echoed from the hallway.

Vivienne's laughter cut through the quiet, grating and annoying.

“Derek, my hand still hurts,”she whined.

“What if it gets infected?”

“You'll be fine,” he said, his tone soft, indulgent, “let me take a look at it again.”

My fist clenched breathe blankets.

Her hand?

She had a scratch on her hand while I had nearly died and he was tending to her?

The door opened slightly and Vivienne peeked in, her eyes narrowing when she saw me awake.

“Oh, you're alive,” she said with mock surprise. “For a moment, I thought we'd have to mourn you.”

Derek appeared behind her, his gaze sweeping over me briefly, before returning to her.

“Let's go, Vivienne, you need to rest,”

That was it, no concern, no questions about my condition, nothing. He didn't even step inside the room.

I felt something inside me break as I watched the door closed behind them.

Derek's betrayal wasn't just an affair, it was a complete disregard for my existence, my worth, my life.

Elder Marcus placed a hand on my shoulders, his touch grounding me. “You deserve better than this,” he said quietly.

I nodded. Yet the despair was overwhelming, I had given everything to Derek, now I was nothing more than a shadow in his life.

The days in the infirmary dragged on, each one blending into the next. My body healed slowly, the pain a constant reminder of how close I’d come to death. I spent most of my time staring at the ceiling, thinking of the life I once had and the one I now needed to escape.

It was during one of these long, silent afternoons that Vivienne arrived.

The sound of her heels clicking against the tiled floor was like the ticking of a bomb. I turned my head as she stepped into the room, her lips curling into a saccharine smile that made my skin crawl.

“Well, well,” she said, her voice dripping with mock concern. “Look at you, Leila . Still clinging to life, I see. Honestly, I’m surprised. Most people would’ve had the decency to just die after such a fatal incident, but not you, I have to give you credit, you are quite strong, even though you don't look like it.”

“What do you want, Vivienne ?” I asked, my voice low and steady despite the tremor in my chest.

She laughed, the sound cold and hollow. “I just came to check on you, of course. It’s only polite, isn’t it?”

She sauntered closer, her presence suffocating. “You know,” she began, her tone casual, “you’re not exactly popular around here. No one in the pack really wants you. You’re like a ghost haunting the place, tormenting everyone with your sad, pathetic existence.”

Her words struck like a whip, each one leaving a stinging mark. “Derek —” I started, but she cut me off with a sharp laugh.

“Derek?” she sneered. “Oh, Leila. You still think he cares about you? He’s mine now, heart and soul. Soon, the rest of the pack will see that too. You? You’re nothing but a fading memory.”

She leaned in closer, her eyes glinting with malice. “You should’ve died out there in the woods. It would’ve saved everyone so much trouble. Including me.”

Something in her voice sent a chill down my spine. I studied her face, searching for answers, and caught a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes—a flicker that made my blood run cold.

“What are you saying?” I whispered.

Vivienne smiled sweetly, a predator toying with her prey. “I’m saying that if you want what’s best for you, you’ll leave. Pack up your little broken heart and disappear. Because next time…” She trailed off, her claws extending slightly, glinting like polished daggers in the dim light.

“Next time,” she said softly, “you might not be so lucky.”

Before I could react, she pressed her claws into my side, directly where the rogue had torn me open. Pain shot through me like lightning, I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out.

“You should be thanking me for the advice,” she murmured, her voice dripping with faux kindness. “It’s the least I can do for a dying breed like you.”

The door creaked open, and a pack doctor entered, her presence like a beam of light cutting through the darkness. “Leila I’m here to check—” She stopped short, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene.

“Vivienne,” the doctor said sharply. “What are you doing here?”

Vivienne straightened, her claws retracting as she plastered on an innocent smile. “Oh, nothing. Just a friendly visit,” she said breezily. “Leila and I were having a little chat.”

The doctor’s gaze didn’t waver, suspicion etched into her features. “I think it’s time you left. Leila needs rest.”

“Of course,” Vivienne replied, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “Take care, Leila.” She winked at me before turning and sauntering out, her heels clicking against the floor.

Once she was gone, the doctor turned to me, concern softening her expression. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

I shook my head, though my body screamed in protest. “I’m fine,” I said weakly, unwilling to explain.

But inside, I wasn’t fine. I was unraveling, Vivienne’s words echoing in my mind like a cruel mantra. I was unwanted, unloved, a burden to the pack. And worse, her veiled threat left no doubt—my life was in danger, and Derek wouldn’t lift a finger to save me.

As tears slid silently down my cheeks, I made my decision.

I had to leave. Not just for my dignity, but for my survival. If staying meant enduring more of Vivienne ’s cruelty and Derek ’s indifference, then it wasn’t worth it.

And when I did leave, I would make sure they both realized what they had lost.

The day I was finally allowed to get out of bed felt like a bittersweet victory. My wounds had healed enough for me to stand and move, but the scars left behind—both physical and emotional—were impossible to ignore. Every step reminded me of the betrayal, every breath weighed heavy with the memories of what I’d lost.

I stood by the window of my small infirmary room, watching the pack go about their lives. From here, I could see Derek ’s house, the same house I had once shared with him. Now it felt like a monument to my misery, especially knowing who spent her nights there.

My thoughts spiraled as I contemplated leaving. Could I really do it? Leave everything behind? A part of me still clung to the hope that Derek would realize his mistake, but that part was dwindling by the second.

A knock at the door startled me from my thoughts. I turned, expecting the doctor or maybe even an elder, but it was Derek.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. He stood in the doorway, his face unreadable, though his posture was stiff. My heart clenched at the sight of him, a mixture of anger, sadness, and longing swirling within me.

“Leila,” he said finally, his voice low.

I folded my arms, refusing to let him see the pain his presence caused me. “What do you want?”

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, but he didn’t come any closer. “The elders and the doctors... they insisted I come see you.”

I couldn’t hold back a bitter laugh. “Oh, so this isn’t out of concern for me? You’re just here to appease them?”

His jaw tightened, and he looked away, guilt flashing across his face. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Isn’t it?” I snapped, my voice rising. “You haven’t cared about me for months, Derek. I almost died, and where were you? With her.”

His shoulders tensed, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. But instead, he let out a sigh, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

The words felt hollow, insincere. They didn’t carry the weight of remorse I so desperately wanted to hear.

“You’re sorry?” I repeated, my voice trembling. “That’s all you have to say? Derek , you were supposed to be my mate, my partner. You promised to protect me, and you failed. Not just once, but over and over again.”

He flinched at my words, but instead of apologizing further, he said nothing. The silence stretched between us, suffocating and unbearable.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Why are you even here, Derek? Why bother pretending to care?”

“I do care,” he said, his voice defensive.

“No, you don’t!” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. “You care about her. You’ve made that perfectly clear. So go back to Vivienne. She’s all you’ve ever wanted anyway.”

His head snapped up at that, his expression hardening. “If only you could be more like Vivienne,” he muttered, the words cutting through me like a blade.

I froze, disbelief washing over me. “What did you just say?”

His eyes widened slightly, as if realizing too late the weight of his words. But he didn’t take them back. Instead, he turned away, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yes, you did,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “And you know what? You’re right. I’ll never be like her. And thank the Moon Goddess for that.”

I took a step back, my body trembling with anger and heartbreak. “Get out, Derek . I don’t want to see you anymore. Just leave me alone.”

“Leila —”

“No!” I interrupted, my voice firm despite the tears still falling. “You made your choice, Derek. You chose her. So go. Be with Vivienne. But don’t you dare come back here pretending to care about me.”

He hesitated, his guilt evident, but ultimately, he said nothing. He turned and left, the door closing behind him with a finality that echoed in my chest.

As soon as he was gone, I collapsed onto the bed, sobs wracking my body. His words replayed in my mind, each one a dagger to my heart.

In amidst the pain, a new resolve took root. This was it. The last straw. Derek had proven once and for all that I meant nothing to him.

I would leave. And this time, nothing—not his guilt, not the pack, and certainly not Vivienne —would stop me.

The decision to leave was an l easy one, I had change my mind several times, but it was necessary.

I had to leave.

The mate bond between Derek and I had been the one thing holding me back, its pull like a chain around my heart. Every time I thought about leaving, the bond whispered to me, reminding me of what we once had, tricking me into thinking there was still hope.

There wasn’t—not anymore.

In order to be free truly from everything and start a new…., I had to break the bond

With that decision made, I made my way to the pack’s sacred grove, under the cover of darkness, It was a secluded part of the forest, hidden from prying eyes and protected by ancient wards. Few wolves visited it anymore, save for the elders and the rare few seeking solace or answers.

I had done my research, poring over old texts and consulting an elder I trusted implicitly—Elder Marcus. He was one of the few who had shown me kindness in the wake of Derek’s betrayal. When I approached him with my request, his expression had been grave, but he had agreed to help me.

“The severing of a mate bond is not to be taken lightly,” Elder Marcus warned as he prepared the ritual. “It will hurt—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Are you sure this is what you want?”

I nodded, my resolve unshaken. “I have no choice. I can’t stay here while he continues to carry on with Vivienne, why he continues to ignore me, the bond is what is keeping me tethered to him. It keeps on decieving me, giving me hope that it will be alright, but I know the truth, things can never be the same again between me and Derek, I need to be free from this bond, I need to start thinking about myself once again.”

Elder Marcus nodded in agreement.

And so, on this moonless night, I stood in the center of the grove, the air thick with the scent of ancient magic as Elder Marcus began the preparations by drawing a circle around me with a mixture of salt and crushed moonstone, both known for their ability to disrupt and sever magical ties. He chanted softly in the old tongue, his voice a low hum that seemed to resonate with the very earth beneath us.

“Place your hands over your heart,” he instructed. “Think of the bond—feel it. Call it forward.”

I did as he said, closing my eyes and focusing on the bond. It wasn’t hard to find; it was always there, a constant ache in my chest, a thread that tied me to Derek . It pulsed with memories of our love, of the promises we made, and even the pain of his betrayal.

Elder Marcus's chanting grew louder, the air around me crackling with energy. “Repeat after me: ‘By the power of the Moon Goddess, I sever this bond. I release my heart and soul from its chains.’”

My voice trembled as I spoke the words, but I forced myself to say them, each one tearing at the thread that bound me to Derek .

“By the power of the Moon Goddess,” I began, tears streaming down my face, “I sever this bond. I release my heart and soul from its chains.”

A sharp, searing pain erupted in my chest, stealing my breath. It felt as though the bond was fighting back, resisting the severing with everything it had.

“Again!” Elder Marcus urged.

“By the power of the Moon Goddess,” I cried, my voice breaking, “I sever this bond. I release my heart and soul from its chains.”

The pain intensified, but so did the chanting, the magic swirling around me like a storm. Finally, with one last cry, I felt the bond snap, the thread that had tied me to Derek breaking apart and dissolving into nothingness.

I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air. The absence of the bond was like a gaping wound, raw, hollow, painful, but it was also a relief.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I was free.

Marcus helped me to my feet, “You're strong Leila, stronger than you give yourself credit for,”he said.

“I do hope you find everything that you're looking for.”

I nodded, my legs trembling, “Thank you,” I said. “For everything.”

After the ritual, I returned to my small room in the pack house. My hands trembled as I packed my belongings, shoving clothes and a few personal items into a bag. Every corner of this room held memories, but I didn’t linger on them. I couldn’t.

I avoided places where I might run into Derek or Vivienne , slipping through the shadows like a ghost. I left behind anything that might tie me to this place—a token of the old Leila who had loved too deeply and paid the price.

By the time the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, I was ready. Standing at the edge of the pack’s territory, I looked back one last time.

This was the place where I had once loved, lost, and been betrayed. But it wasn’t my home anymore.

“I deserve better,” I whispered. The mate bond gone and with it the last thread tying me to the life I was leaving behind.

With a deep breath, I turned and walked away, stepping across the boundary, each step carrying me closer to a future that was mine and mine alone.