After My Mate Chose Mistress, I Vowed Revenge

I collapsed onto the cold marble floor of our quarters, my knees giving way as the door slammed shut behind me. The weight of James's betrayal crushed my chest, making each breath a struggle. My wolf, Aria, howled in agony within me, the sound echoing through my mind with such force I feared I might shatter.

"How could he?" I whispered, wrapping my arms protectively around my slightly rounded belly. "How could he call you an inconvenience?"

Tears streamed down my face, soaking into the ceremonial robes I'd worn for the pack council meeting earlier. The fabric—once a symbol of my pride as Luna—now felt like a mockery. Seven years of devotion, of supporting his every ambition, of enduring the heartbreak of multiple miscarriages... all dismissed with a single cold word.

Aria's rage surged through me, hot and primal. *Destroy him*, she snarled, her presence more forceful than I'd ever felt before. *He betrayed us. Betrayed our pup.*

"Yes," I whispered, my fingers digging into the plush carpet as a cold clarity washed over me. "He will pay."

I rose shakily to my feet, wiping away tears that no longer served me. James Quinn had taken everything from me—my dignity, my trust, my love. But he would not take my strength. Not anymore.

---

The Moon Archives were silent at this late hour, dust motes dancing in the pale moonlight that filtered through high windows. Ancient texts lined shelves that reached toward the vaulted ceiling, each containing centuries of pack knowledge and ritual.

I moved with purpose through the stacks, my fingers trailing along leather-bound spines until I found what I sought—the section on mate bonds. My heart pounded as I pulled a heavy tome from the shelf, its pages yellowed with age.

"There must be a way," I murmured, carefully turning fragile pages.

Hours passed as I searched, my determination growing with each ritual I dismissed. Then, my breath caught as my eyes landed on a passage nearly hidden in the corner of a page:

*The Severance of Souls: A sacred ritual to unbind what the Moon Goddess has joined. To be performed only in cases of gravest necessity, requiring the willing participation of both mates or the officiating of the Alpha and the consent of the Luna.*

My hands trembled as I read further. The ritual required precise timing, specific herbs, and most importantly—it had to be performed by an Alpha. A cold smile curved my lips as a plan began to form in my mind.

James wouldn't just lose me. He would be the instrument of his own destruction.

---

The night air carried the scent of wildflowers as I made my way through the secluded grove behind the pack's healing quarters. Moonlight dappled the forest floor, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance with each step I took.

Healer Maeve was already waiting, her silver-streaked hair gleaming in the darkness. Her eyes—sharp and knowing—took in my appearance with a single glance.

"Luna Ellie," she said, her voice low. "You requested a private meeting?"

I stepped closer, my heart racing. "I need your help, Maeve. And I'm prepared to pay whatever price you name."

Maeve's expression remained neutral, though I caught a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "What service could you possibly need that requires such secrecy?"

I took a deep breath and withdrew a small pouch from my pocket. The gold coins inside clinked softly as I placed it in her palm.

"I want to schedule a mate bond severing ritual," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "Under a false name. And I need to ensure that James—that Alpha James—performs it himself."

Maeve's eyes widened, then narrowed as understanding dawned. "You know about him and Vanessa."

It wasn't a question.

"You knew?" I asked, a fresh wave of betrayal washing over me.

"Many of us suspected," she admitted, her voice tinged with disgust. "The Alpha's hypocrisy is... difficult to ignore."

She studied me for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "I'll help you. Not for your gold, but because no Luna deserves such dishonor."

As we stood beneath the watching moon, finalizing the details of my revenge, I felt Aria stir within me—no longer howling in pain, but growling with anticipation.

James Quinn had no idea what was coming.