Chapter 24
“All I ever wanted was your love.”
Cyrene’s voice shook with suppressed grief. “You say you loved me early on. Perhaps. But your love was too calculated. You kept your heart at ninety–nine percent, always dangling that last piece to ‘control me.”
Her composure cracked as tears threatened to fall. “I’m not some unfeeling creature. I bleed, I tire. What made you think I would give endlessly without breaking?”
Valdrin dropped to his knees, his proud Alpha stance crumbling. “You don’t understand. I was afraid. Terrified that the Moon Goddess’s Trial was all that kept you with me. That once you reached one hundred percent, you’d vanish.”
“I couldn’t lose you. I just couldn’t.”
The flood of painful memories threatened to drown her. Wiping her tears, Cyrene stepped back from his reaching hands. “It’s too late. You’ve already shattered me, Valdrin. Please, stop tormenting
us both.”
She just wanted to begin anew.
Seeing her raw pain, Valdrin crumpled, all his Alpha strength deserting him.
“Today is my mate–bond ceremony,” Cyrene whispered through tears. “If you hold any remorse for what you’ve done, don’t destroy this small chance at happiness. Please.”
Valdrin fell silent, finally understanding the irreparable damage he’d caused.
Cyrene vanished back into the ceremony hall.
Young Ash watched everything crumble, finally understanding that his mother was truly lost to them. His grief erupted as he turned on Valdrin with tiny fists. “This is your fault! You drove Mother away! I’ll never have her again!”
His howls of anguish echoed through the chamber.
Valdrin wrapped his arms around his pup, his own tears falling silently. “We both bear the guilt.”
They were both marked by sin, both responsible for breaking Ravenna’s spirit. Their crimes beyond counting. Ravenna was right they had no right to seek forgiveness.
On stage, Cyrene had transformed back into the graceful, captivating figure the territory knew, gliding toward the flower–strewn ceremonial platform amidst admirers.
Valdrin watched through tears, unable to look away.
That night, he lost himself in moon–wine again.
In his drunken haze, he found himself at the healing den, lying on the same ritual stone where he’d
taken Ravenna’s heart. The stone’s chill penetrated his bones.
The memory remained crystal clear. Ravenna pinned here, the sleeping herbs forcing her under.
How cold she must have been.
Tears streaking his face, Valdrin curled into himself, his chest aching where his heart should be.
He woke to Winter’s voice drifting through the walls.
“Everyone’s gone mad! All this fuss over Ravenna – what did I do wrong?”
“Valdrin took her heart, yet I’m the one they blame? I thought he loved me, considered being with
him. Now he turns on me too.”
“Even my parents have lost their minds. They used to hate that worthless wolf, now I’m the villain because she’s dead.”
She’d come for a healing check, venting her bitterness in what she thought was an empty corridor.
Every word pierced Valdrin’s heart like silver.
Chapter 25
