Reclaiming the Moonlit Grove

In the third year of our bond, my mate, Jasper Blackwell, brought home a she-wolf bearing his temporary mark.

"Aria, you should learn a thing or two from her. Stop being so cold all the time."

I calmly shattered our bonding crystal and handed him the bond-severing ritual scroll I'd prepared long ago. "Let's sever the mate bond, Jasper," I declared. "I'm setting you free."

His friends insisted that without his protection, my fading power would make me easy prey in the wilderness. Jasper thought so too.

"Once she's suffered enough out there, she'll realize how lucky she was to be the Luna of the Blackwell Pack."

But a week passed, then a month—and I never returned.

That's when the severing of our mate bond began to fray his nerves. Panic and a soul-deep emptiness consumed him.

One night, drunk and desperate, he pounded on the door of my new apartment.

"Aria, if you want resources, I'll give you the entire Pack's fortune..."

The door opened, and a strange Alpha appeared—his torso bare, sleep pants hanging loosely on his hips, and a fresh, possessive mating mark I’d given him staining his shoulder.

Silas Sterling raised an eyebrow, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. "Mr. Blackwell," he drawled, "what the hell do you think you're doing at my mate's nest in the middle of the night?"

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1

In a private club on Mooncrest Peak, Jasper Blackwell kept the most luxurious and private penthouse suite reserved for himself year-round.

I took off my coat, draping it over my arm. Steeling myself, I pushed open the double doors carved with a wolf totem and saw him immediately.

His silver-gray shirt was half-unbuttoned, the clasps at his collar long gone. A young she-wolf was nestled on his lap, feeding him berries.

He lazily waved her away, but a smirk played on his lips, revealing his amusement.

"Oh! The Luna is here!"

"Come on in, Aria!" someone called out, getting to their feet as they spotted me.

The young she-wolf, startled, tried to scramble off his lap, but Jasper's hand tightened, holding her firmly in place. "Stay put."

She glanced nervously at me, her face paling as she realized she was trapped.

Jasper chuckled languidly. "Who are you even calling Luna? The real Luna is right here, sitting on my lap."

A stunned silence fell over the room. The other wolves glanced between us, unsure of what to do.

"Jasper," I said softly, but he merely closed his eyes, ignoring me.

As the silence stretched, someone tried to smooth things over. "Uh, come on in and have a seat. Jasper's had too much to drink; he's probably not thinking straight."

"There's no need. I just have a few things to say before I go." I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Jasper finally opened his eyes, his gaze cold and distant. "Here for resources again? What is it this time? Moonpetal Grass? Or Stardust Blossoms? The 'Moondust Potion'?"

The room fell silent.

For a moment, I wanted to turn and flee, but the last shred of my dignity made me stand my ground.

I lowered my gaze, staring at the tips of my toes. My throat felt tight, and my voice came out hoarse. "Morgan's condition is critical. He was just admitted to the ICU and needs a Moondust Potion. It costs three hundred thousand dollars."

Jasper clicked his tongue and shot the others a told-you-so look. His fingers idly toyed with the young she-wolf's hair.

"Aria, how many times have I given you a three-hundred-thousand-dollar handout since we bonded? And what have you ever done to earn it? The resources aren't the problem. But an investment should have a return, don't you think?"

Humiliation burned in my chest. I fought back tears and met his gaze. "What do you want me to do?"

He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You know what to do. What's that pretty scent of yours for, if not for begging? Don't play innocent with me."

A chilling cruelty glinted in his dark eyes. "How are you any different from them? At least they don't put on airs about some noble bloodline."

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I fled the room in a blind panic.

"Jasper, that was harsh."

"Damn, man. She was actually crying. I'm starting to feel bad for her."

"What? You feel bad for her now?" Jasper's tone darkened.

"Seriously, she's not bad. Great scent, quiet, and she runs the house perfectly."

"If you want, I can even cover that Moondust Potion for her."