Chapter 3
We stood on opposite sides of the door, speaking in hushed tones – our old way of making
up after fights, when neither of us could risk being seen together.
The bitter scent of wolfsbane cigarettes seeped through the cracks – Liam only smoked
those when he was incredibly stressed.
“Aria, I know I messed up. I hurt you. But please, try to understand…” His voice was hoarse, thick with emotion but still carrying that stubborn Alpha command.
“Sarah and I… we grew up together in the Northern Packs. Our fathers always intended us to mate, to unite our territories. We share a history…”
“Even though we drifted apart, she’s always been special to me. I can’t let her die from the Blood Curse, not when I could save her.”
“She’s been cursed by the Goddess herself. The healers say she won’t survive another full
moon…”
The sound of his fist hitting the wall made me jump. His wolf was close to the surface – I could feel its anguish through the remnants of our bond.
“All she wants is to live, to experience a true mate bond before the curse takes her. How could I deny her that?”
“Aria, you have the kindest heart of any wolf I’ve known. I know you want to help save her
life, right?”
“I know it hurts, but I know you understand. You always have.”
“Once she’s… gone… I’ll make things right. We’ll complete our bond, have pups, I’ll make you my Luna, fulfill all my promises to you.”
It
was
the life we’d dreamed of. Me as his Luna, raising our pups, strengthening the pack bonds while he led our territory to greatness. My only wish had been to be loved by him, to be his true mate despite my Omega status.
Chapter 3
Suddenly, his phone rang. Through the door, I could hear Sarah’s shaky voice.
“Sarah? Why are you crying?” His voice changed completely, Alpha command giving way to tender concern.
“The ceremonial robes? You want to try them on now? Of course, my love. Don’t cry – I’m coming right away. I’ll always be here for you.”
na our
“You’ll be the most beautiful pack has ever seen. No one could compare to you,
u know that, right?”
He grabbed his leather jacket, about to rush out. Then, he paused, turning back to my door.
“Aria? Aria, you have to believe me. You’re my fated mate, my true match. All this, it’s just…
it’s for Sarah, just to keep her alive until the curse takes her, okay?”
“I’m terrified she’ll lose hope, that she’ll give up fighting the curse. Please, Aria. Wait for me, okay? I’ll come back to you, we’ll complete our true bond, I promise.”
Silence fell between us like a wall of mountain ash.
I stared at the closed door, a humorless laugh escaping my lips. He’d just sworn eternal love
to two different mates, breaking every sacred law of our pack.
My lips curled into a bitter smile as my wolf whimpered inside me. The pain in my was almost unbearable – the severed mate bond a raw, bleeding wound.
chest
He claimed to love me most, yet he was willing to break our fated bond to make Sarah
happy.
I heard the front door slam shut, felt him racing across the pack grounds through our fading connection.
As the echo of his footsteps faded, something inside me shattered completely.
A wave of despair so overwhelming crashed through my entire being that my legs gave out.
I collapsed to the floor, my wolf’s anguish tearing through my chest like molten silver. The pain was unlike anything I’d ever felt before – not just emotional, but physically
devastating.
My vision blurred as the agony ripped through my body, the rejection of our severed bond
Chapter 3
feeling like my very soul was being shredded apart.
Seven years of love and trust crumbled into dust, the weight of betrayal crushing my lungs until I couldn’t breathe. A metallic taste filled my mouth as blood spilled past my lips, dripping onto the wooden floor.
One crimson drop landed on my mother’s ring, sliding down the silver band.
Then suddenly, something strange happened,
My mother’s ring blazed to life with an intense blue light that filled the entire room.
