Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Our tenth mating anniversary. The night of the full moon. The night my mate, Alpha Jayden of the Black Moon Pack, was supposed to mark me with the eternal Moon Soul. Instead, he shattered our vows for another woman. Moonlight spilled over the cliff where we first bonded. I’d been standing here. Alone. For three hours. Tonight was the ten-year anniversary of our mating ceremony. Pack law demanded it. On their tenth anniversary, an Alpha must brand his mate with the Moon Soul. A vow sealed under the full moon. It’s a mark that forges the mate bond into something unbreakable. The most sacred, eternal vow. Without it, the bond decays. The backlash would hit us both. I glance down at the Bonding Charm in my hand. It wasn’t for the ceremony. It was a gift. Just for him. Three months of my magic, poured into this charm. It purifies the soul, binds to the wearer's life force, and can take a fatal blow in their place. I had it all planned. Tonight, after the Moon Soul Mark was complete and our bond was at its peak, I would seal the charm with my heart’s blood. It wasn’t just a gift to protect my Alpha. It was the final step to bind his power to mine, cementing my supreme status as Luna. Too bad. He no longer deserved my protection. Jayden didn’t show up. I remember ten years ago, on this very cliff. Jayden knelt on one knee, his hand trembling as he held mine. "Lacey, if you’ll have me, I will spend every full moon with you. I’ll make you the most revered Luna, and together, we will lead our pack to glory." I always knew my magic was strong enough to protect any pack. Of all the Alphas who wanted me, I chose the one who seemed the most sincere. I just never thought his sincerity would become the knife he’d stab me with. My thoughts are cut short. Jayden’s voice cracks through our mind link. “Lacey, I’m sorry. There’s an emergency at the southern defense post. I have to deal with it now…” Through our bond, I feel his excitement. His joy. It’s not hidden at all. And… the sickeningly sweet scent of another woman. Chloe. “What emergency requires a Beta who can't even cast a basic shield charm?” I cut through his pathetic excuse. A jolt of shock ripples from his side of the bond. He wasn't expecting me to call him on his bullshit. He hesitates, then his voice turns impatient. “Lacey! Chloe is learning how to handle pack affairs. This is to help you! As Luna, you should be more understanding, not paranoid!” Paranoid? My hands clench into fists. Three months ago, he gave control of the wards to Chloe behind my back. A Beta who couldn't even cast basic spells. When I questioned him, he said it was to help me with my duties. He said he hated seeing me so drained. And I was drained, exhausted from pouring my magic into the pack wards. So I let it go. But in those three months, Chloe made mistake after mistake. She even botched the wards during a rival attack, almost getting our entire pack wiped out. Jayden just brushed it off. "Chloe's still learning," he'd said, and that was that. I demanded control of the wards back. Jayden used our anniversary as an excuse. He said I needed to conserve my magic for the Moon Soul Mark, promising to give it back after the ceremony. And now, another excuse. "Jayden," I sneer, my voice cold. "My wards. The system I designed. You think a novice like her can help me? Or maybe you need a Beta to help you with your Alpha duties in the bedroom, too?" I feel his fury spike through the bond. He’s been offended. I can even hear Chloe's pathetic, suppressed giggles bleeding through the link. "Enough! Lacey, your arrogance and suspicion are disappointing! A proper Luna obeys her Alpha without question!" He slams a wall up in my mind, severing the link. Obey? Hilarious. I thought the years he spent courting me meant he loved me. I thought he would never betray me. Now I see it. He never loved me. He only loved the powerful magic that brought him victory. He thinks my wards are invincible. He thinks I’ve spent all my energy on the pack, that I’m no longer a threat. He overestimated himself. And he underestimated me. I clutch the Bonding Charm in my hand and laugh. If he chose that worthless she-wolf, then this gift is no longer his. I slice my fingertip, letting my heart’s blood drip onto the stone altar. But the words I chant are no longer a blessing. “By my name, Lacey, I reclaim the protection meant for you. This charm is now a curse. A shackle. For every wound you inflict on me, the pain will be returned to you tenfold!” If Jayden truly dares to destroy this charm… He’s about to find out just who he betrayed.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

I’ve just finished the ritual when I hear familiar footsteps behind me. "Lacey." Jayden’s voice drips with a tenderness so fake it makes my skin crawl. I don't turn around. I wipe the blood from the altar first. "Finished with your 'emergency'?" I ask coldly. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. It was trickier than I thought. I couldn't get away." He walks toward me, reaching out. A wall of silver magic flame instantly erupts around me, forcing him back. “Lacey, stop this childish tantrum.” The warmth drains from his face, replaced by a cold mask of authority. “Yes, Chloe was with me. She was learning how to manage the core wards. It’s for the pack.”“Learning?” I finally turn, staring at his deceitful face. “Five years of my life's work. You’re letting a Beta who can’t even cast a proper shield charm ‘learn’ it? Jayden, are you stupid, or just cruel?”“Insolent!” His Alpha command washes over me, trying to crush me. But the pressure hits an invisible barrier of golden magic three feet from me and dissolves into nothing. I didn't even have to lift a finger. “Save it,” I say, my voice dripping with contempt. “After ten years, have you forgotten who helped you secure your Alpha title in the first place?”"Lacey, you disappoint me." He doesn't come closer. Instead, he starts blaming me. "Chloe may not have your power, but she is supportive. She is obedient. And you? You challenge my authority at every turn." Just then, light footsteps approach through the trees. "My Alpha!" Chloe runs out from the woods in a white dress and throws herself into Jayden’s arms. And around her neck is the Luna heirloom—a 300-year-old moonstone necklace. Chloe looks up at me, her eyes innocent but cruel. She deliberately strokes the temporary mark on her neck. “Lacey, you look awful. Is it because your bond with the Alpha is unstable? Is your magic fading? Jayden always says a Luna's strength is a reflection of her Alpha's favor. I guess he’s right.” My eyes lock on the moonstone necklace. It’s a 300-year-old heirloom. Only the Luna is supposed to wear it. "That necklace...""Isn't it beautiful?" Chloe tilted her chin, letting the moonstone glitter. "Jayden said it suits me more. It belongs on the neck of a Luna who supports her Alpha. Not a monster who challenges his every command." Monster? I look at Jayden. He says nothing. He even reaches out and adjusts the necklace for her. A sharp pain rips through my chest. The mate bond is starting to crack. Chloe’s eyes land on the blood-red charm on the altar. "Ooh, what's this? Such a pretty design.""It's a Bonding Charm," I say, my voice hoarse. "Drawn with my magic and my heart’s blood.""A Bonding Charm?" Chloe's eyes light up. "Jayden, you prepared such a special gift to celebrate my one-year anniversary with the pack! You’re so thoughtful!" I pretend to be shocked. "What?" Jayden glances at the charm, then back at me. He frowns, as if my defiance is an annoyance. “Lacey, don’t be so selfish. It’s just a charm. You can always make another. But this possessiveness, this disobedience… I don’t like it. Since Chloe likes it, giving it to her will teach you a lesson in true submission.” He raises his hand, Alpha power gathering in his palm. I reach out, as if to stop him. He raises his hand, and a ball of golden fire incinerates my charm. My gift. It turns to ash, scattering on the night wind. Jayden gestured to the shimmering dust. "Beautiful, like stardust, isn't it?" The ash dusts her face as she giggles. "So romantic, my Alpha." He thought he was burning my hard work. He thought he could humiliate me, tame me. But he didn’t notice a sliver of light from the ashes enter his body. He’ll pay for this. Soon. "Jayden, you got what you wanted." Without another glance, I shift into my silver wolf form and disappear into the darkness of the forest. Back in my rooms, I shift to my human form. My hands are shaking, but my mind is crystal clear. First things first: book a one-way flight to the neutral territories. Before the backlash from our cracking bond destroys me, I have to file for a formal rejection. I have to end this.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I’m about to pack when Jayden’s enraged roar slams into my mind. “Lacey! What did you do to Chloe?!” His fury floods my senses. "I didn't do anything," I reply calmly. “Don’t lie to me! The Luna heirloom—it's rejecting Chloe! The magic is tearing her apart from the inside! Who else but you would curse it?!” I can’t help but laugh coldly. “Curse? Jayden, that necklace can only be worn by a Luna. What did you expect would happen when a Beta tried to use it?”“Enough!” His power crashes against our bond. “You were jealous of Chloe, so you tampered with it! Lacey, when did you become so venomous?” Venomous? I designed the wards that keep his pack safe. I bled my magic for him. I poured my soul into a gift meant only for him. And he calls me venomous? "I didn't curse anything," I answer, my voice ice. "If you don't believe me, ask the elders to check it." Chloe's weak voice whispers through the link. "Alpha... don't blame Lacey... It was my fault... I just wanted to help the pack so badly...""No, it's not your fault," Jayden's tone softens instantly. “Did you hear that, Lacey? Chloe is defending you! And you tried to kill such a kind girl!” My heart goes numb. "I'm going to use my life force to heal her," Jayden declares. “Lacey, if anything happens to her, I will never forgive you." The link cuts off. I stand in the empty room, looking around. Ten years of memories are everywhere. I walk to the fireplace and start throwing things in, one by one. Photos, magic crystals, wooden carvings… Finally, I take out our bonding certificate. The parchment, blessed by moonlight, holds our vows to never part. The flames consume it, turning a decade of promises to ash. I pull out the Mate Bond Rejection form I’d prepared. I wrote it three months ago, the first time Jayden defended Chloe in front of me. Now, it's time to use it. The door to the infirmary is unlocked. I push it open, and the sight inside freezes my blood. Jayden is kneeling by the medical bed, his hands on Chloe's chest. Golden life force streams from his body into hers. Chloe lies there weakly, a satisfied smile on her face as she gazes up at him. They look like lovers. "Does healing require you to be that close?" My voice cuts through the silence. Jayden looks up, startled. The golden light vanishes. "Lacey, you..." I hold up the form. "I'm here to reject our bond. Sign it." "What?" His face drains of color. "Lacey, are you insane?" "Perfectly sane." I place the form on the nightstand. "Ten years was enough, Jayden. I'm tired." He lunges to his feet, snatches the form, and rips it to shreds. "I will never agree to this! Never!" The pieces flutter to the floor. "Lacey..." Chloe says weakly. "Don't do this... You and the Alpha are meant to be..." Before she can finish, my anger boils over. I lunge to pick up the torn pieces, and my arm brushes against her. It was a light touch, but Chloe immediately cries out in pain. "Ah! Lacey, how could you attack a patient!" "Stop it!" Jayden's roar, backed by his Alpha command, explodes in the room. But the crushing force of his Alpha command never hits. He just shoves me aside, planting himself in front of the bed like a shield. He glances at the teary-eyed Chloe, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. But then he turns to me, his voice cold and commanding. “Lacey, have you had enough? I don’t care what’s between you and Chloe, but right now, your jealousy has caused her magic to backfire, and she is dying. And I have to use my own life force to save her!” He pauses, his expression complicated. “Now, apologize to Chloe. Then go home and wait for me. I can pretend this never happened. Don't test my limits again.” Apologize? He wants me to apologize? I look at this man, shielding another woman while blaming me. And he thinks "pretending it never happened" is an act of mercy. “Jayden,” I point to the scraps on the floor, my voice terrifyingly calm. “Since you won’t sign it, then let's just wait for the backlash to shatter our bond and kill us both.” With that, I walk out, leaving his shocked and disbelieving face behind the closing door.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Jayden follows me out. "Lacey, what do you mean by that? I already told you I'd give you back control of the wards after we seal our eternal mark next full moon..." I can only laugh. Even now, he’s trying to trap me with promises of the mark and the wards. Before I can speak, he points a finger at me. "Whatever is going on, you had no right to hurt an innocent like Chloe... When did you become so vicious!" I stare into his eyes. The eyes that once held only me are now filled with calculation. What a hypocrite. He can’t bear to part with his mistress, but he still wants to exploit my magic to the very last drop. I move to push him away, but a weak, desperate voice echoes through our mind link. "Alpha..." It's Chloe. Our bond isn't completely severed, so I can still feel faint signals linked to Jayden. "Help me... The Blood Moon pack has me cornered... They know I'm with you. They're going to use me to force you to give up pack territory..." Her voice is thick with tears and terror. "I'm so scared... Alpha... They said if you don't show up tonight, they'll... they'll ruin me... I'd rather die than be a burden... Alpha, just leave me..." Jayden's face turns grim. He looks at me, and the cold calculation in his eyes makes my blood run cold. "Since you won't apologize for what you did to Chloe, you can reflect on your actions in the silver cells," he said, his voice flat. "I'll let you out when you finally learn what submission means." I stare at him in shock. "You're going to lock me up?""You harmed a pack member and challenged your Alpha's authority," his tone leaves no room for argument. "This is your punishment." He gestures, and several Beta guards surround me. "Take her to the silver cells.""Yes, Alpha." I try to fight back, but my magic is too drained. The guards don't dare touch me directly, but they manage to lock silver shackles on my wrists. The silver instantly burns my skin, the agony almost bringing me to my knees. "Jayden!" I glare at him. "You wouldn't dare!""I am the Alpha. This is my pack." He turns and walks away without a backward glance. "Reflect on your mistakes." The silver cells. Deep in the dungeons of the pack house. I designed them myself. A prison forged from pure silver, its bars carved with magic-suppressing runes. The moment they throw me in, I feel my magic being choked to nothing. "The Alpha wants you to have a nice, long think, Luna," one of the Beta guards sneers. "If anyone wants to... visit you while you're here, we won't stop them." Visit? I know what he means. Jayden is letting others humiliate me. Torture me. The cell door slams shut. The footsteps fade away. I curl up on the cold silver floor, my wrists raw and bleeding from the shackles. The runes drain my magic, and every breath feels like it's tearing my soul apart. An hour later, the first "visitors" arrive. A few Omegas who have always hated me. "Look at our high and mighty Luna now," one of them mocks. "Locked up like a dog.""I heard the Alpha punished her for hurting Chloe.""Serves her right! Chloe is so sweet. I can't believe she'd lay a hand on her." They spit at the cell, their words like venom. I close my eyes, swallowing my rage and shame. The next group is a few Beta males. Their eyes roam over my body, filled with malice. "Need some company, Luna?" one smirks. "The Alpha said we can do anything we want, as long as we don't kill you." They start prodding me with long silver rods. Each touch is agony. I bite my lip, enduring it. The fire in my heart burns hotter. By the third hour, I feel something awaken inside me. The Bonding Charm. The magic I poured into it is returning to me, twisted. The backlash I built into the spell is activating. For every time Jayden hurts me, he suffers in return. And now, every ounce of pain I feel is being sent back to him, tenfold. By the fourth hour, my magic is fully restored. Anger, humiliation, betrayal—it all fuels a pure, raw power. I open my eyes, golden magic burning in my pupils. "Enough." My voice is a soft, terrifying whisper. My magic roars back to life, and the silver shackles on my wrists melt into puddles on the floor. The runes on the cell crack and shatter. The entire structure begins to tremble. "What... what's happening?" a guard outside stammers in panic. I stand up, placing my hand on the bars of the cell. "I designed this prison," I say with a small, cold smile. "Of course I know how to break it." Golden fire erupts from my palm, consuming the cell. The silver bars melt. The runes are obliterated. BOOM! The cell explodes, the shockwave shaking the entire lower level. I walk out of the flames, radiating an aura of terrifying power. The Beta guards are on the floor, paralyzed with fear. "Lu... Luna...""Scared now?" I look down at them. "You were so brave a moment ago." I don't kill them. There's no point in killing minions. I have more important things to do. I walk to the pack's core protective ward, placing my hands on the cold crystal focus. This was my masterpiece, five years of my life's work. The very foundation of the Black Moon Pack's survival. "If you won't cherish it, then I'll destroy it.""Identity confirmed: Lacey, Creator." My voice is cold steel. "Execute command: Reclaim all magic." A piercing alarm blares through the entire territory. "WARNING! WARNING! CORE WARD COMPROMISED!""WARD COLLAPSE IMMINENT!""ESTIMATED TIME REMAINING: TEN MINUTES!" I pull my hands away, watching the chaos unfold with cold satisfaction. In the distance, I hear Jayden’s scream of agony. The Bonding Charm is torturing him. I shift into my wolf form and bolt from the territory. Ten minutes later, as I sit on a flight to the neutral territories, I hear Jayden’s desperate plea in my mind. “Lacey! What did you do?! Come back! I’m begging you, come back!” I sever the connection with a smirk. "Enjoy the hell of your own making."