Chapter 3

“The Moonveil Pack holds one of the strongest bloodlines in all of Silverhowl, yet after a full year of so-called treatment, they still haven’t arranged a proper healing ritual for their Luna? When I went in to change the bandages, I could barely stand the sight—she looks as though a strong wind could carry her away. How can her own pack be so indifferent?”

“Shh, lower your voice! Don’t ask questions that will get you into trouble. The Granville Pack has already given orders—even the Pack Healer knows better than to intervene. It’s obvious they’ve decided to let her waste away instead of giving her a real chance at recovery. They even replaced her wolfsbane antidote with diluted herbal tonics. At this rate, she won’t survive the next few days.”

“The strongest pack in Silverhowl… and yet, they refuse to save their own Luna. How heartless can they be?”

The words clawed through me like jagged fangs sinking into my chest. My vision blurred as I bolted down the hallway, barely aware of the startled whispers left in my wake.

I burst into my mother’s den at the pack clinic, my heart hammering violently against my ribs.

The woman who once commanded warriors with a single glance now lay motionless, her frail form swallowed by the oversized furs draped over her. The vibrant energy that had once made her the heart of the Moonveil Pack was nothing more than a flickering ember, struggling against the dark.

I had been by her side every day. I had watched over her, spoken to her, held her hand through the worst of it. And yet—I had still failed to see how quickly she was slipping away.

The monitors beside her blared warnings in frantic bursts, each alarm tightening the noose around my throat.

Even as the strength faded from her, even as the scent of death loomed ever closer, she reached for my hand.

"Selene…" Her voice was barely a whisper, her fingers cold as they curled around mine. “I won’t be able to see you take your rightful place as Luna… but Stormfang is a strong Alpha. After I’m gone, he will protect you. Call him… I need to speak with him one last time.”

Tears streamed freely down my face, but I forced myself to nod, pressing a trembling kiss to her knuckles before tucking the blankets securely around her. Then, without wasting another second, I ran to find a healer.

The Pack Healer’s face was grim as he examined her, his fingers pressing lightly against her wrist. When he finally spoke, his voice carried the weight of inevitability.

“She’s too weak. Her wolf has receded beyond our reach. At this stage, she wouldn’t survive a full healing ceremony. The best we can do now… is prepare for her farewell ritual.”

The words sent a deep, searing pain straight through my chest, but I swallowed my anguish and drove straight to Stormfang’s territory.

Just as I reached the doors to his war room, I halted, my breath catching as Lyra’s voice drifted toward me, silk-smooth and laced with feigned concern.

“Stormfang, you’ve done so much for me these past few years. But the former Luna still lingers. If you let me oversee the expansion project, my sister will surely take issue with it.”

Stormfang’s voice followed—low, steady, but edged with something I couldn’t quite place.

“She is my Beta’s sister. Helping her is only natural. Sign the papers. You’ll need to get accustomed to handling pack affairs sooner or later. As for the Luna… she won’t be a concern for much longer.”

A flicker of triumph flashed in Lyra’s tone before she masked it with a carefully crafted sorrow.

“The former Luna won’t recover? That’s truly unfortunate… I should visit her today. Even if she never saw me as her daughter, I still want the chance to say goodbye properly.”

My fury ignited in an instant, tearing through my veins like wildfire. I shoved the door open with enough force to send it slamming into the wall.

“Don’t bother with your fake sympathy,” I spat, locking eyes with her. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

Stormfang’s chair scraped against the floor as he rose to his feet, his expression shifting from unreadable to outright alarm. He was already walking toward me, hands slightly raised in placation.

“Selene, why are you here? You’re misunderstanding. Lyra only mentioned it in passing. There’s nothing for you to be upset over.”

Lyra remained seated, an infuriatingly composed smile playing at her lips as she waved a delicate hand.

“Nightbane,” she purred, as though we were old friends, “long time no see.” I didn’t acknowledge her. Didn’t even look at her. Without another word, I turned and made my way toward the stairs.

But Stormfang wasn’t willing to let it go.

“Selene, wait!” He followed after me, his voice filled with urgency. “You’re taking this the wrong way—Lyra has nothing to do with Luna Mother’s condition. Don’t let anger cloud your judgment.” I stopped walking, turning my head just enough to meet his gaze. He looked… desperate .How ironic. This was the same male who had stood before the entire pack three years ago, offering me his hand in my moment of humiliation. The same male who had promised me security, promised me loyalty.

Now, I knew the truth. He hadn’t saved me. He had merely positioned me as a pawn. I forced a smile, one that barely reached my eyes.

“Relax, Stormfang,” I said softly. “I’m not unreasonable. I won’t meddle in the affairs of the Granville Pack. I was just on my way to visit Luna Mother and thought I’d stop by to see you. Since you’re busy, I won’t take up your time.”

The tension in his shoulders visibly loosened, and he exhaled, even offering a small nod. “I appreciate your understanding,” he murmured, personally escorting me to the door. I left without another word. But before I could reach the clinic, my phone rang.

I barely had to glance at the screen before dread coiled in my stomach. It was the Pack Healer. His voice came through, quiet yet devastating.

"Luna Nightbane… I’m sorry. Your mother… she’s gone." I slammed on the brakes, my car skidding to a halt at the side of the road. A wave of anguish and fury crashed over me all at once, a storm so violent it nearly swallowed me whole. For a long time, I sat in silence, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. Then, with painstaking resolve, I turned the car around. Not to the clinic. Not to my mother’s lifeless body. To the Moonveil Pack’s ancestral home. It was time to reclaim what was mine.

I packed my mother’s belongings in silence, my movements careful, reverent. And then—just as I was placing the last item into a wooden chest—a shadow fell over me.

Lyra stood in the doorway, her arms crossed, a slow smirk playing on her lips.