The Runaway Luna

For eight years, Ginger lived as Darcy Lemche's devoted simp—willing to endure humiliation, pain, and even imprisonment to be near the future Alpha King. Her loyalty was unwavering, her love seemingly boundless. But when Darcy staged a cruel murder bet that revealed his true contempt, something inside Ginger died. As Darcy grew closer to her hated stepsister Brigitte, Ginger's blind devotion transformed into cold clarity. Now, at Spirit Fall with Darcy's priceless wolf-tooth necklace沉入深不见底的水洞, the crowd chants for Ginger to prove her love one last time. But the she-wolf who once would have died for him is already gone—until an unknown hand pushes her into the abyss.

The Runaway Luna

For eight years, Ginger lived as Darcy Lemche's devoted simp—willing to endure humiliation, pain, and even imprisonment to be near the future Alpha King. Her loyalty was unwavering, her love seemingly boundless. But when Darcy staged a cruel murder bet that revealed his true contempt, something inside Ginger died. As Darcy grew closer to her hated stepsister Brigitte, Ginger's blind devotion transformed into cold clarity. Now, at Spirit Fall with Darcy's priceless wolf-tooth necklace沉入深不见底的水洞, the crowd chants for Ginger to prove her love one last time. But the she-wolf who once would have died for him is already gone—until an unknown hand pushes her into the abyss.

Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"Ginger, it seems like I've killed a she-wolf while driving drunk. " At 2 o'clock before dawn, as my wolf was unsound and extremely weak due to silver dust somewhere I touched during the day, I received a message from Darcy through mind-link. This was my 8th year as Darcy's simp, and he showed me his vulnerability for the first time: "Ginger, I don't know what to do. Can you help me?" My wolf was shocked and at a loss, even though I was rather uncomfortable, I still quickly got up in pain and rushed to the forest where he was. Along the way, I comforted him while driving and almost crashed into big trees several times. Finally, I arrived at the lawn between the trees. There was no moon. His electric torch was dim. On the ground lying a female warrior, blood flowing all over her body. Darcy sat on the lawn, staring blankly at the corpse on the ground. His hoarse growl trembled slightly: "Ginger, what should I do? I don't want to go to jail. Can you help me?" Looking at his face, I had a momentary dreamy state and forgot to reply. He stopped growling, stood up somewhat dissatisfied and grabbed me by the hand. "Ginger, why don't you go to jail for me? I will hire the best werewolf lawyer from the pack to defend you. When you are released from prison, we will held the bonding ceremony." My wolf was taken aback and I looked at him unbelievably, ‘I…I, Darcy." I was completely shocked when I heard his request. Even though I knew I had been nothing more than a fool who loved him unconditionally for the past eight years, I never expected that he would go so far as to ask me to take the fall and go to jail for him. I told myself it didn't matter whether he loved me or not, whether he claimed me or not. But the truth hit harder than I expected— I was just a cruel joke he never bothered to explain. My heart clenched, and I felt it—something inside me was breaking, vanishing like mist in the morning sun. "What? Are you unwilling to? Ginger, didn't you always say that you are the fated mate to me and would do anything for me?" Darcy's words interrupted my mind. He thought I didn't want to, so his wolf became irritated and started to growl. I came to my senses and quickly explained to him, "No, Darcy. I will do it! It's just that you said you and I would hold the bonding ceremony. I was too happy to utter a word." "Are you really willing to go to jail for me and bear the charge of murder?" Darcy repeated it again. His growl sounded a bit complicated. "Yes, I do." I nodded numbly, even as my wolf trembled with fear. However, he fell silent for a few seconds before suddenly howling with laughter. "Come out. I won the bet." Instantly, many more electric torch lights came from the nearby woods. A group of werewolves emerged. I knew they were all friends of Darcy. "Darcy, it is amazing! I've seen many simps, but I've never seen one she-wolf who can be more devoted than Ginger." "Darcy killed a she-wolf, and she will go to jail for Darcy. I'm really impressed by her. Darcy, why don't you show mercy and mark her." Even the female wolf who played the corpse got up from the grassland and looked at me with extreme pity: "Ginger, Darcy has recently fallen in love with a beautiful she-wolf who happens to know you! But she turned off her scent recognition. Tonight, she made a bet with Darcy that if you want to be Darcy's mate so desperate that you are willing to go to jail for him, she will accompany Darcy and turn on her scent recognition. And they will mate. Yeah!" I stood there like a fool, alone in the center of the lawn, laughter echoing all around me. And in the midst of it, I looked at Darcy—the face I once loved with all my heart. A bitter smile broke through the numbness, because I knew this would be the last time I gave him even that much. In the past few years, I witnessed how fast he changed she-wolves. Normally, one every month. And I, considered to be a hanger-on, had to act as a ass-kisser in order to stay by his side. In order to prove my sincerity to him, I was on standby almost all day, not only by mind-link, but also trying to please him in various ways. For example, if he mated with a sexy she-wolf, I would pay for it. If he wanted to drink herbal tea, I would find and bring it to him in the middle of the night. If his wolf was unhappy, I would take all the hit and scold at his will. In contrast, tonight's gambling game was nothing. Not to mention, as soon as I saw the lawn, I sensed something wrong. As a heir to the Alpha King, every wolf in the pack knew him and dared not to provoke him. If he killed someone by accident, there were plenty of ways, other than getting his claws dirty. Therefore, I finally understood—I was nothing but a fool, laughed at not only by him but by the entire pack. Today's drama was never about love. It was a show, carefully staged… just to humiliate me. As their mocking laughter and applause echoed around me, something inside my chest froze over. I lowered my head, just wanting to disappear. To leave quietly. But then, a she-wolf slowly stepped out from the crowd and stood in front of me, blocking my way. She sneered and looked at me, "Ginger, so you have been a simp all these years? Like an egg sucking dog? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it." This time, the she-wolf that Darcy wanted to sleep with, turned out to be Brigitte. My stepsister. "Brigitte, I won the bet. When will you fulfill the promise?" Darcy approached Brigitte, put his claw around her waist and kissed her. "How about tonight?" Brigitte's claw circled around his chest, while her eyes were still on me: "Ginger, I've known you for all my life. You've always been vain. Are you approaching Darcy just because he is the future Alpha King? You're pretending to be devoted under the guise of sincerity." Listening to her disdain, Darcy also glared at me with a look of extreme disgust. I know that Alphas like him never believed in sincerity and firmly believed that my intentions are impure. In fact, he guessed half right. I did have impure intentions, but not for his position in the pack, but for… that face. I stared at his face, glowing under the torchlight, unable to look away. Even now, it still made my heart race. How foolish—I had clung to a face for eight years, and in the end, it brought me nothing but pain. "Ginger, why are you staring at me?" Darcy scolded me. "That's disrespectful." Disrespectful? What the fuck? I endured excruciating pain from the silver dust and drove all the way here after midnight—only to be mocked by him. And now I'm the one being called disrespectful? Really? On a second thought, how could I present such a terrible version of myself in front of this face. "I'm sorry," I murmured, an unconscious smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "What are you laughing at?" Darcy's face twisted, as if that betting on me didn't hurt my feeling made him somewhat unhappy. I didn't restrain my bitter smile and sighed, "I'm just glad you didn't kill any werewolf. It's great that you're safe and sound." It was obvious that my answer exceeded his expectations and left him momentarily stunned. With his friends heckling around him, I continued to laugh, showing anticipation. "Darcy, where's my reward?"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

In the third year of simping for Darcy, he finally made a promise. That was... every time I flattered him and satisfied his ego, I could touch his face. Once. As soon as he heard my question, he grew impatient and grabbed my claw, placing it directly on his face. "Hush, touch it. You're really good at pretending." I didn't argue. I just stroked his face softly. "Darcy, be careful not to hurt your face." My affectionate tone and gentle touch stunned him again. Suddenly, he lowered his head, thin lips approaching me. "Why not reward you with a kiss for behaving so well?" When he leaned in, I quickly turned my head, and he kissed the air. I was a bit suprised by his reaction since he never kissed me once in those eight years, and I kept holding onto the hope that one day he would. But now, that hope is gone. My heart is numb. I don't want it anymore. Naturally, he was displeased. "Ginger, you are really shameless!" Brigitte, unwilling to be ignored, came over and pushed me aside. "Darcy, you can only choose one of us—me or Ginger!" I stumbled and nearly lost my balance, but then I heard him chuckle softly. "What's wrong? Jealous? She's nothing compared to you." With that, he wrapped an arm around Brigitte and walked away. My heart, already numb with pain, stirred again at the sight. I could feel my wolf quietly weeping inside me, and tears blurred my vision. "Darcy… You don't have to love me. But why her?" I caught up before they got into the car. "Darcy, you can have any she-wolf you want. But not Brigitte." I hated the Folan clan more than anything, and Brigitte Folan was one of them. The thought of him mating with Brigitte made me sick. "Ginger, don't be selfish. You failed to win Darcy's favor, and now you want to stop him from getting on my good side?" Brigitte looked sad as she leaned against his shoulder. He looked down at me from above. "Ginger, are you even worthy of meddling in my affairs?" Then he pushed me aside and got into the car. After struggling for so long, I was exhausted and fell to the ground in humiliation. Even so, I raised my claw and grabbed the corner of his trousers, still pleading. "Darcy, I've never asked anything of you. I'm begging you." He yanked his leg away, got into the car, and shut the door. "Ginger, stop reading so many romance. I'm not the male lead, and I won't be moved by blind devotion." The car drove off. I lay on the lawn, writhing in pain. Before I passed out, I pulled out my phone, dialed 999, and opened a photo. "Darcy, I'm done pretending I'm okay. You're not loyal—you never were. How could you treat your mate, someone who's loved you with everything she had, like this? And then… you brought Brigitte into our den. Do you have no shame? I won't forgive you. Not this time." I touched his face on the screen, tears clouding my vision. Maybe this was it—the last time I’d cry for him. After this, no more pain. But before I walked away for good, I had one thing left to do: Take Darcy back from Brigitte. Not because I still wanted him—but because she didn’t deserve him either. I wouldn't let her wear the title that never belonged to her. So, after a moment, I softened again. "Forget what I said, Darcy. I forgive you. Just remember this—I loved you a little more than you ever loved me." With those final words, my body gave out, and everything faded into darkness. When I woke up, I was in the infirmary, natural herbs applied to my wounds. What woke me was a phone call from Darcy. The moment I answered, his growl blasted through the receiver. "Ginger, why did it take so long for you to answer?""I was unconscious. I've been lying in the infirmary. I'm sorry." He paused for a few seconds, then sneered. "What? Are you playing the victim now?" He didn't care. Instead, he gave an order. "Send me a set of she-wolf clothes immediately. You're her sister. You should know her size." Brigitte's voice chimed in, full of fake sweetness. "Ginger, include my underwear too. Darcy got a little too passionate last night and tore everything." I ended the call and sat there in silence for a moment. My heart remained still, even as my body trembled unconsciously. I swallowed my tears and forced a cold smile. I could hear my wolf whispering softly inside me: "It’s all over." Then, I ripped off the herbs and dragged myself out of the infirmary. "What are you doing? Where are you going?" the healer shouted behind me. But I didn't look back.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I walked unsteadily and finally arrived at Darcy's den. I knocked on the door, and it was Brigitte who opened it. She was wearing a loose bathrobe, exposing her neck and chest, where bruises bloomed like trophies—as if she was proudly showing off her victory. When she saw me, she lowered her voice and boasted, "Ginger, I must say you have a good taste in choosing a mate. He is handsome, strong, and even good at mating. It is really a pity that you are a loser in the competition." I ignored her and just handed her the clothes. The next moment, Brigitte approached me unexpectedly with a tricky look in her eyes. "Ginger, I know your secret. I know the reason why you love Darcy Lemche so much. Do you want me to tell her?" I turned around and stared at her intently, seeing her smile growing bigger into a smug grin. My claws squeezed into a ball, and cold sweat rolled down my face. "It’s not his status as Alpha that I love—it’s the scent of his wolf and the face I could never forget." I stared at her, my voice quiet but sharp as I finished speaking.. "Seriously, Ginger? Take a look in the mirror. You think you’re his mate? You’re just the punchline to everyone’s joke. He’ll never love you, let alone claim you." Before Brigitte could finish speaking, she suddenly let out a scream and raised her claws to protect her cheek. Meantime, my right claw was still shaking from scratching her face. "What's going on?" Darcy appeared, also wearing a bathrobe. In an instant, Brigitte turned to run towards him, tear rolling down her face. "Darcy, I kindly advised my Ginger not to waste her time on you. She scratched me." I was not sure if it was an illusion, but when Brigitte cried like this, Darcy's eyes turned cold as he looked at her, showing a hint of impatience. I didn't take it to heart because I was immersed in surging emotions. Moreover, when he looked at me again, he already had a displeased expression on his face and said, "Ginger, apologize to Brigitte." I looked at Brigitte, too numb to move. I used to apologize the moment he asked, even when I wasn't wrong. But this time, it was Brigitte. And I just... couldn't bring myself to do it. However, Darcy broke the silence and ordered me in an impatient tone. "Ginger, didn't you hear what I was saying? Apologize to Brigitte!" He brought Brigitte over and forced me to apologize to her again. I had never disobeyed him. This was the first time. I remained silent, which eventually angered him. "Okay. If you don't want to do this the easy way, let's do it the hard way!" As soon as he finished speaking, he took Brigitte's right claw, raised it, then slapped me across my face. The slap so was hard and painful that I was unable to stand steadily. My body swayed, and hit the cold wall. It seemed that he moved his figure, as if trying to help me. I steadied myself and noticed his claw gently caressing Brigitte's face. "I heard a loud crash echo from my chest—it was the sound of heartbreak. My heart had shattered into pieces, but I no longer wanted it.""Ginger, are you tired of pretending now? I'm talking to you, why pretend to be mute?" Darcy growled. I was momentarily distracted and couldn't hear him clearly. He got angry and lifted my chin fiercely, forcing me to look at him. Then I steadied myself and clenched my fists, holding back the storm inside. "Darcy, don't be angry. I accidentally touched some silver dust somewhere yesterday and my wolf is in great pain. I didn't intentionally ignore your words." I apologized softly, and with my pale face, he probably believed me. He let go of my chin and frowned, unable to understand: "I always thought you were stronger. How can you be like this when your wolf hasn’t given up?" His words should have shattered me. Cold sweat drenched my skin, yet my heart remained still—quiet, numb. I knew then: this would be the last day I ever gave to him. After that, I’d walk away for good. Staring at his face, I breathed deeply in and out several times. Brigitte couldn't bear to see Darcy's attention on me, so she took his arm and said, "Darcy, Ginger has been spoiled since childhood so don’t let her get to you." I almost laughed when I heard what she said. I, Ginger Folan, was spoiled? How dare she?! "Ginger, there will a Hunting Competition at the Spirit Fall tonight. Darcy will take me there. Are you going?" The Spirit Fall in the Dusk Forest was always popular among the heirs to the Alphas. Normally, wherever he went, I would follow him. But this time the pain caused by the silver dust was severe, so I refused politely: "Darcy, I won't go. Enjoy yourselves there!" I thought it was just a small chore, but clearly, I ended up annoying him. He jumped up and growled. "Ginger, are you trying to embarrass me? If you don't go there tonight, you'll never be allowed to follow me anywhere."

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Late at night, the torches were lit, making the area around Spirit Fall as bright as day. Somehow, I still came—following behind Darcy. But it didn’t matter anymore. When I realized I was truly leaving him for good, a strange sense of relief surged through my heart. The moment he arrived, he became the center of the entire Hunting Competition. He-wolves flattered him, and she-wolves flirted shamelessly. Brigitte, his new lover, naturally tried to keep her competitors at bay. Unfortunately for her, it was impossible to fend off so many beautiful she-wolves throwing themselves at Darcy. To his credit, Darcy had one virtue—though he changed new mates frequently, he was loyal during each fleeting bond. Strangely, that night he didn't turn down a single she-wolf's advances, making Brigitte look utterly humiliated. It seemed he had already grown tired of her—breaking his own record. The shortest bond he'd had until now was half a month. I looked down at the water hole—deep, dark, and unsettling. A sense of unease twisted in my stomach. "Darcy, I really like you." While every werewolf reveled in the competition, Brigitte chose that moment to confess publicly, her cheeks flushed red. Clearly, Darcy had given her the illusion that he returned her feelings. This scene had played out too many times before, just with different she-wolves. Brigitte thought herself unique—but she was just another page in his well-worn script. I didn’t expect Darcy to give her up so soon, thinking I could leave him without any regrets—but I still couldn’t walk away. The scene wasn’t over yet. I took a sip of red wine and, like the others, waited for what would come next. "You like me?" Darcy chuckled, adding a seductive charm to that noble, unrestrained face. Suddenly, memories stirred inside me. Even though I had only drunk a little, I felt tipsy—drunk on the past. Under everyone's watchful gaze, Darcy slowly stood, took off his wolf-tooth necklace, and casually tossed it into the deep water hole. I froze, stunned. That necklace was worth a thousand gold coins. I'd heard his mother had given it to him, and he had worn it for years. And now he just threw it away? "Brigitte, that necklace is one of my most treasured possessions. If you jump into the water and retrieve it, I'll make you my Luna. What do you say?" Brigitte's smile stiffened. She didn't speak for a long time. It was late. The cliff was high. Jumping into that water hole could easily be fatal. Watching it all unfold, I felt oddly relieved. I should have realized sooner. A future Alpha King like Darcy would never truly claim any she-wolf. No one was an exception—not even Brigitte, and certainly not me. But fortunately, my heart would never be shattered by him again. "Whoever does it, I'll make her my Luna!" The she-wolves who had been fawning over him earlier exchanged nervous glances. None of them had expected this madness. Becoming Darcy's Luna—joining the prestigious Lemche clan—was a dream. But you had to survive first. Only I knew the truth. He wasn't mad. He was spoiled—used to getting everything he wanted. And now, he was simply playing with lives. Tonight, he was in a foul mood, which led to this cruel spectacle. When no one stepped forward, I assumed the farce would end. Just as I stood there compliantly, grateful to the Moon Goddess for blessing me to stay out of it, I suddenly heard someone call my name. "Ginger. She'll do it." A wicked voice sliced through the silence, calling my name and stirring unrest among the crowd. More voices joined in. "Where's Ginger? She loves Darcy more than anyone. She'd definitely jump in for him.""Exactly! I can't believe I didn't think of her. She won't miss this chance." I wanted to scream at them all, but what was the point? They didn’t know my love for him had already died. I had gotten used to flattering Darcy over the years and usually let things slide. But right now? It wasn’t death I feared—I just couldn’t bring myself to die for someone who never deserved my love. Someone pointed me out in the crowd. All eyes turned to me. Darcy saw me and slowly approached. The night wind was cold, and he wore that familiar, gentle smile. He howled, "Ginger, will you seize your chance to become my Luna?"

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

The moment I heard his voice, I knew I was done this time. I wasn’t that foolish she-wolf who would die for him anymore—but before I could even think of how to refuse him, his voice echoed again. Darcy squinted, as if trying to read my mind. "Jump down! If you survive, I'll make you my Luna.""Darcy, I... you know I can't swim." I was surprised by how quickly I responded. Darcy definitely knew the truth—that I couldn’t swim. It was a perfectly reasonable excuse: I had simply forgotten I couldn’t. "I know," he said, smirking. "So I'll raise the bet. If you become my Luna, you'll never be replaced. No matter how many she-wolves I mate with, you can always stay by my side." There was a time when I would’ve died for the chance to stay by his side. But that version of me is gone—I don’t love him anymore. Jumping into that pool meant death—and I wouldn’t risk my life again just to be fooled by him. "Ginger, from the moment I met you, I knew you were a hanger-on." Seeing my hesitation, Darcy's voice turned cruel. "For a social climber like you, becoming my Luna was always just your wishful thinking." He reached out and touched my face mockingly. "Remember when I gave you money and you refused, saying you wanted to prove your sincerity? How much is that fake sincerity worth now?""Do you regret it, Ginger? If you'd just played along like the other she-wolves, you'd at least have made some money. I've always been generous.""Darcy, I don't want your money," I said firmly. "Of course you don't. Because you want more." He patted my face again and howled in disdain. "Game over. You'll get nothing. Leave my pack." He turned and walked away. I fixed my gaze on his shadow, resolute—I wouldn’t jump for him, whatever he said. This was my chance to reject him, as I knew I eventually would. Yet when I opened my mouth, the words simply wouldn’t come. "Ginger, you were willing to go to jail for him—so why not jump into the water?""Yeah, this is your last chance. Don't blow it." His friends began jeering. I closed my eyes for a long moment. Then I opened them, forcing a smile. "Darcy, I decided..." He didn’t even look back. "Don’t waste my time. If you don’t want to jump, then just get out of this pack." Before he could finish his next insult, a collective gasp erupted from the crowd. And then silence. Because—I don’t know who had pushed me so hard from behind. So I jumped.