The Alpha’s Obsession, the Luna’s Rebellion

At dawn the next day, I got up early and headed to the pack law hall to settle the terms of ending my bond.

"Ayleth, the hardest part in breaking a mating bond is the sharing of wealth. Have you brought it up with Alpha Grimvale yet?"

I let out a faint smile. "I don't need any of his wealth. Just tell me when it can be completed?"

"I will prepare the mate bond severance within three days and send it to you by spirit mail. If everything is in order, it can be completed in seven days."

I nodded and left the law hall, breathing out in relief. It was over at last.

Theros, the one who stayed by my side as I grew up, the one I had loved in silence for over a decade, was never destined to be mine.

In these three cycles as his mate, I lost pieces of myself. Since he favored Luneth's soft nature, I hid my sharpness and forced myself to be someone softer to him.

Still, in the end, I was the one Theros loathed the most.

Just then, I received a call from my pack. They said the Rustpire Clan had delivered a rare medicinal herb to our den.

They had even sent a line of carriage and ten skilled warriors to deliver the herb.

It was a Blood Ganoderma, a rare herb that bloomed only once every thirty cycles on top of Aetheria Mountain. Only one would appear each cycle, making it incredibly rare.

It was said that it could even bring back someone lying in a coma.

Ever since Luneth fell into that deep, lifeless state, Ronan had hunted far and wide for such a herb, yet he got nothing. And now, the Rustpire Clan had delivered it to our door.

I hurriedly sent Evander a message. [Was this your doing?]

His reply came almost instantly. [Yes. It's part of the mating gift. Your pack has accepted it already, so don't break your promise in two weeks.]

The Blood Ganoderma proved to be a true miracle. Just a day after taking it, Luneth woke from her deep sleep. And the third day, Luneth regained the strength to walk.

Ronan was filled with joy. He gathered the leading packs in the entire Grimmarow Wastes for a grand feast of his illegitimate daughter recovery.

For the grand feast, I dressed in a long black velvet gown with thin straps and the slit open as I walked, showing my long, fair legs.

From the day I got mated, I had avoided dressing in a bold or too revealing thing, as Theros favored modest she-wolves.

However, tonight, I confidently greeted each guest and even openly asked several young wolves to dance with me.

Halfway through, my best friend, Kharyn Evergrove, grabbed my arm. "Ayleth, have you lost your mind? You have been getting far too close to every male here. What if Theros sees this?"

I pulled Kharyn along and glanced around, no sign of Theros here.

Kharyn did not loosen her grip, determined to stop me. "No. This is Luneth’s recovery feast. If your pack sees you like this, it will only lead to trouble."

She then forcefully pulled me off the dance floor.

A feast where I could neither dance nor drink felt lifeless, so I soon lost the will to stay and chose to leave.

Just as I walked along the long corridor outside the feast hall, I heard voices I recognized coming from the end. Luneth and Theros.

I stepped closer in silence, pressing myself against the wall as I peeked around the corner. Luneth was there, her eyes red and filled with tears.

"Why have you been avoiding me since I woke up, Theros? Did I make a mistake?"

Theros lowered his eyes, his face showed pain and his voice trembled. "Luneth, you didn't make any mistakes, it's just that ...." He could not finish his words.

Even so, Luneth had learned the truth. Her emotion surged. "It’s because you bonded with my sister, isn’t it? I’ve heard it all. Theros, you were forced into that bond, weren’t you?"

The Alpha's voice came out low and rough. "Luneth, I am already bonded to her. We have no point to bring it up now."

Luneth shook her head and rushed into his arms. "No. Theros, if you break the bond with Ayleth, we can go back to how we were before, right?"

"I ...."

Luneth raised her head from his embrace, her eyes glistening with tears. "You will break your bond with Ayleth and come back to me, right?"

Theros did not answer, hesitation showing in his expression.

She, then, asked with a hint of unease in her voice. "Theros, you have not fallen for her, have you?"

Before he could answer, a cruel glint appeared on her face. "Even if you have, it does not matter. Once she is gone, you will be mine again."

With those words, she pushed him and rushed out.

The moment she spotted me, shock filled her face and then, she rushed to me like a storm, showing no sign of weakness despite just waking from her long sleep.

I had no time to avoid her. She grabbed me and we both fell with a heavy splash into the nearby pools.