Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Elara's P.O.V "Elara, my dear… What happened? Orion finally returned—shouldn't you be happily preparing for the marking ceremony and become his mate? Why would you want to come home instead?" My tears were flowing before I knew it when I heard my father's voice of concern. After all, every member in the Bright Moon Pack and the Red Moon Pack were well aware that I loved Orion very much. Before he left on a top-secret mission, he told me to wait for his return, after which he would mark me. Even though there was no word from him for three years, I was steadfast as I waited for him, and prayed to the Moon Goddess for him to be safe. What I couldn't have known was that the secret mission he went on—which he used as an excuse to stay out of touch—was a big fat lie that deceived everyone. Even though I bit my lip to not cry out loud, my father still noticed my distress and sighed. "It's alright," he assured me mildly. "You're my daughter. I'd never let you get hurt—and you have my support whatever you want to do.""Just sort things out with the Bright Moon Pack, and I'll send my Beta in a couple of days." And with that, he hung up. I had bitten my lip so hard, I could taste blood in my own mouth. However, I seemed not to notice, as the conversation between Orion and his fellow hunters that I overheard earlier was playing on loop in my mind. It felt like countless thorns puncturing my skin and cutting into my heart, leaving my limbs spasming in pain and suffocating. I kept biting my lip anyway, not quite believing that Orion had already cheated on me three years ago. The so-called secret mission he undertook was to witness the birth of the pup he had with another woman, and being there as the pup grew. I felt like a joke, just thinking about how I was worried yet hopeful for over a thousand days, and the countless nights I cried myself to sleep. While I was left confused and helpless, Orion entered our bedroom to find my lip bleeding freely. He hurried to me, concerned as he gathered me in his arms and coaxed me gently, "What's wrong, Elara? Open your mouth!" There was only me in his green gaze, just like the time before we parted. He really loved me—I could tell that much from his eyes. And yet, this werewolf that loved me had betrayed my love. Reality was at once ironic and paradoxical, was it not? I pursed my lips, locking my phone screen as I told him, "I'm alright. Just had a nightmare of you dumping me.""What are you thinking? There's no way that'd happen," he said, lovingly kissing my brow. "You've always wanted pyrogem jewelry, didn't you? I've already had a set made—we will check them out tomorrow.""You should wear it during our marking ceremony—you'd be the most beautiful bride who ever lived." Though Orion put it as if he was looking forward to our marking ceremony, the thought that he had already been with another woman left me disgusted. As I freed myself from his embrace, I said, "I don't want it anymore." Orion did a double take, but soon wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a peck on my cheek. "It's alright, Elara. I love you—I'd give you anything you want. All I want is for you to be my happy bride." Hearing that, I turned and looked him straight in the eyes. "Really? Then I want you to promise to never lie to me." Orion hesitated but soon smiled and nodded. "Of course. I'd never lie to my wife." He really had a stout heart, lying to me even now! Still, just as I was about to question him, there was a sudden knock on the door, and we turned to find a woman standing at the doorway, tearful as she held a two-year old pup in his arms, "I'm sorry, Orion—Emery kept crying for daddy, I couldn't get him to stop…"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Panic showed in Orion's eyes when he saw Dahlia and Emery. He unconsciously turned to look at me to gauge my reaction. He quickly explained, "Please don't misunderstand, Elara—Dahlia is a hunter too, and her mate was killed trying to save my life. That's why I'm taking care of them." That explanation was really forcing it—the boy had Dahlia's eyes, but Orion's face. Just one glance was enough for me to be sure the pup was his. And before I could speak, Dahlia entered, crying with the pup in her arms, "I'm sorry, Elara—I didn't want to impose while you're preparing for your marking ceremony, but Emery keeps crying himself hoarse, asking for daddy every night. There's nothing I can do—""It's a child's nature to look for their father. Are you his father, Orion?" I asked Orion, cutting Dahlia short. "Of course not," he replied, shaking his head and shooting a warning glare at Dahlia. "We aren't even marked—how would we have a pup? I took care of them after Emery's dad saved me. And he likes me, so he calls me daddy." However, I pressed, "Can't you explain it to the boy if it's just a misunderstanding?""Yeah, yeah… I'll do it when he's older," he shrugged noncommittally. My eyes felt sore, my heart was riddled with holes just seeing him working with another woman and lying to me. I rubbed my eyes and fought against my pain, turning to leave without another look at him, "Alright, Orion—I trust you. Let them stay since they are your packmate's family. I'm going to bed." Orion noticed that I was scowling and hurried after me worriedly. "Please just calm down, okay? It's just one night, I promise—they will be gone tomorrow, and it won't affect our lives at all—" Before he could finish, Dahlia was calling out to him, her voice cracking with tears, "Please, Orion! Emery hadn't seen you for ten days and refused to eat or sleep! See? He's still calling out to you. Can't you stay with him tonight?""You know how much Emery matters to me. I don't want him to get hurt." Emery sniffled with perfect timing, and Orion stopped, silent but still staring at me awkwardly and irritably. "Elara…?""Just go," I replied, nodding. "Bad sleep affects growth. Of course you should take care of the pup since his dad died saving you." Orion's face lit up visibly, his tone cheerful as he said, "I knew you'd understand. Don't worry—I will be back once Emery falls asleep." With that, he hurried over and took Emery off Dahlia's hands, rocking him like he had done it over a thousand times. With Emery in one hand and Dahlia's luggage in the other, he entered the living room with a beaming Dahlia, the picture of a blissful family. On the other hand, my heart couldn't have felt colder, losing all senses. Orion never came back to me that night, and I stared at the door as the moon's glow slowly faded. By the time day broke, my love for Orion had faded entirely.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

It was noon the next day when I saw Orion again. He had a guilty look on his face as he took my hand and kissed it, while my heart skipped a beat with a foreboding sensation. To no surprise, he said quietly, "Sorry, Emery's so clingy he kept crying when I tried to send them away. This place is huge anyway—can't we just let them stay with us?" I closed my eyes in disappointment, and worked hard to fight back the bitterness swelling in my heart. He had just promised yesterday to send them away this morning so that they wouldn't affect our lives, but now he was letting them stay? If he was family with Dahlia and Emery, what did that make me? And what were the three years I had spent waiting for him for? Even as pain, indignation and rage churned inside me, I had to bite my tongue and fight back my tears. When I opened my eyes again and was about to speak, Dahlia and Emery barged in, with Dahlia happily relishing my pale face while bragging endlessly to provoke me. "Oh, Elara—please don't blame Orion. He just cares too much and didn't want Emery to get sick from crying. He was there for his birth and basically raised him, so it makes sense that they are close.""Don't worry. Once Emery is older, I will make it clear to him that Orion isn't his father. Obviously, if you mind, we can leave right now…" However, I was staring at the bone ring attached to the necklace Emery wore around his neck, my breathing turning ragged as my fingers dug into my sheets, unable to stop my tears anymore. "What is that?" I asked, my voice creepily raspy as I looked up at Orion. - I was eighteen when I first took part in the month-long Blood Moon Hunt in the Blood Mist Forest. My father was worried, so he spent a fortune to hire Orion as my escort. He was strong, and I learned much from him… but he was attacked by an old rival just as the hunt was about to conclude. After a long fight, they each fired a silver bullet at each other. My body moved quicker than my mind, and I leapt in front of Orion, taking the bullet for him. It was barely an inch from my heart. Orion was on his knees beside my bed when I woke up, his eyes puffy with tears. "My life is yours starting this moment," he said, offering me the rings that were fashioned from my broken ribs. "I swear upon the Moon Goddess that I will protect you for the rest of my life and will be forever loyal, till death do us part." Perhaps that night's moon was too bright, or because his passionate gaze overwhelmed me—we started dating after that. Yet Orion's ring was on his son's neck, when the rings were supposed to signify an oath. Orion avoided my gaze right then, his mouth open but no words coming out. "Oh, the bone ring?" Dahlia smiled with subtle smugness. "It's Orion's present to Emery when he was born. He hopes Emery will grow up strong just like him—""Shut up!" Orion bellowed, cutting her short. "And get out!"

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Orion took Dahlia by the arm and dragged her outside, while Emery was bawling in fear. However, I couldn't spare the effort to care—the ring was all I cared about. Unable to hold back, I buried myself beneath the blanket and sobbed, crying myself to sleep after relieving all the tension. That was, until I was woken up by the knock on the door. I opened the door, but there was no one to be seen… only to notice everyone else sitting in the living room. Orion was on the couch, having his back to me while he carried Emery in one hand and read a storybook to him. Dahlia was lying on the couch beside Orion, listening to him reading with her eyes closed. They were the picture of a happy family, while I was just a stranger staying in the same house. As I started back to my room, I suddenly noticed that Dahlia was leveling a provoking glare at me. I understood everything then—she meant for me to see them as a family, to notice what was really going on between them. I simply hung my head and fought against my grief as I left. - Soon, it was daybreak again, and the Beta that my father had sent arrived. I was just packing when Emery suddenly entered my room, asking, "Elara, what are you doing? I can help!" Before I could say a word, he suddenly climbed up to the window and jumped out. I was left dumbstruck, but soon I ran outside, not wanting to see Emery hurt because of the maternal instincts of a she-wolf ingrained in my very bones. But that was when Dahlia's screams resounded across the house as she scrambled to pick up Emery, staring pointedly at Emery's bleeding leg. Then, wheeling on me, she hollered "Elara! Why did you hurt Emery?! "I know you're upset that Emery and I are here, but that's fine—we can leave! How could you hurt a pup?! He's just two, are you trying to kill him?!" I was still shocked to see Emery hurt and tried to explain, "No, I didn't. He jumped on his own—" "Orion!" Dahlia shouted before I could argue. "Please, you have to get us out of here! Or Emery might die!" "Let's get Emery to the infirmary," Orion said as he hurried over, taking Emery off Dahlia's hands and hurried outside. He never looked at me, but I knew from that irritation on his face enough that he already blamed me. As he brushed past me, I caught his wrist and said slowly and clearly, "It wasn't me." "Let go," he shook me off, catching me off guard and knocking me to the floor. I hit my hip on the rock, and couldn't help gasping in pain as I felt it all over my body. Even so, while he used to get anxious just because I frowned, Orion never seemed to notice as all his attention was on the pup in his arms. "See? You're the one who should be gone." Dahlia smiled smugly before following Orion and hugging his arm. I watched as they left, wiping off my tears and fighting against the pain to leave the house and get in the Beta's car. Then, I sent Orion one last text: [We're done.]