Forsaken Luna Finds Freedom

The dining hall fell silent as I pushed open the heavy oak doors. Conversations halted mid-sentence, forks paused halfway to mouths, and all eyes turned to me. I hesitated in the doorway, my wolf whimpering inside me.

"It's okay," I whispered to Charlie, my companion wolf who'd barely recovered from the poisoning. "We just need to eat quickly."

I took a step forward, then another, feeling the weight of dozens of stares pressing against my skin. Three tables away sat Cayden, his powerful frame commanding attention even in casual surroundings. Beside him, Carolina picked at her food, her posture perfect, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders.

The moment I reached for an empty plate, Carolina's fork clattered against her dish.

"Oh God," she gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "Her scent—it's triggering me!"

All heads turned toward her as she began to tremble violently, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"I see her!" Carolina screamed, pointing a shaking finger at me. "She's coming for me again!"

Cayden was on his feet instantly, his Alpha aura flooding the room with suffocating pressure. "Carolina, breathe," he commanded, but his eyes were fixed on me with cold accusation.

"I can't—I can't be near her," Carolina sobbed, collapsing against Cayden's chest. "Please make her leave!"

The pack members around us shifted uncomfortably, some looking away in embarrassment, others staring openly at my humiliation.

"Cayden," I started, my voice barely audible over Carolina's theatrical sobs. "I didn't—"

"Vera," Cayden cut me off, his Alpha tone vibrating through the air. "From now on, you will eat your meals separately. And you will avoid common areas when Carolina is present."

My wolf cowered under the weight of his command. "But I—"

"That's an order," he said, his golden eyes flashing dangerously.

I backed away, plate still empty, as whispers erupted around me.

"Poor thing," someone muttered. "Can't even eat with the rest of us."

"Carolina's so brave to even be in the same territory," another added.

---

Three months passed in lonely meals and isolated walks. I'd taken to eating in my quarters, but today I'd been called to a pack meeting—the first I'd attended since Carolina's return.

I slipped in quietly, standing at the back of the gathering space. Cayden stood at the front with Beta Derek and several visiting wolves from neighboring packs.

"Before we discuss territory matters," Cayden announced, "Carolina has something to share with the pack."

She stepped forward, and I gasped. Fresh silver claw marks ran down her arms and across her face, the wounds still weeping blood.

"I didn't want to say anything," she whispered, her voice breaking perfectly. "But last night, while I was walking alone..."

She pointed directly at me. "Vera attacked me. She said she was tired of waiting for me to leave."

Murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd. My heart hammered against my ribs.

"That's impossible," I protested, stepping forward. "I was helping Delta Liam with his injured pups all night. He can confirm I never left the healing den."

Cayden's eyes narrowed. "Liam?"

The injured warrior nodded slowly. "It's true, Alpha. Vera was with me until dawn."

For a moment, hope flickered in my chest.

Then Cayden's expression hardened. "Regardless of where you were physically," he said coldly, "your jealousy has created an unsafe environment for Carolina."

He stepped toward me, his Alpha aura pressing down until my knees nearly buckled. "Apologize to her. Now."

"I didn't do anything," I whispered, fighting against the command.

"Apologize!" His Alpha tone slammed into me like a physical blow.

My wolf howled in protest as I was forced to my knees. "I'm sorry," I choked out, the words burning my throat.

Carolina smiled—just for an instant, so quickly I might have imagined it—before melting into Cayden's protective embrace.

---

The cabin at the edge of our territory was small but private. I'd moved my remaining possessions there a week ago, hoping distance might ease the tension.

I was arranging my healing herbs when a familiar scent drifted through the open window. Cayden.

He appeared in the doorway, his tall frame blocking the afternoon light. "This is unnecessary, Vera."

I turned away, continuing to sort my dried wolfsbane. "It seemed best for everyone."

"What's best," he said, stepping inside uninvited, "is for you to support Carolina's healing process."

I set down my herbs carefully, fighting to keep my voice steady. "And what about our healing process, Cayden? Our mating ceremony?"

"This isn't about us right now." He ran his hands through his hair—that gesture I'd grown to hate. "Carolina needs our full attention until she's well."

"And when will that be?" I asked quietly.

His eyes flashed gold. "When she's ready."

I stared at him, this man who'd once promised me forever, now lecturing me about supporting the woman who'd stolen everything from me.

"Is there anything else?" I asked, turning back to my herbs.

Cayden hesitated in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "You need to be more supportive of her recovery, Vera."

As he left, I touched the mate mark on my neck—still warm, still connected to a man who no longer seemed to want me.