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(Scarlett’s POV)
“I’m sorry, Luna Scarlett…” Dr. Kane’s voice was hoarse with emotion. “You only have three months left. The heart failure is irreversible.”
With his words, the last glimmer of hope in my heart died. Five years ago, to save my mate Lucian, my heart had been stabbed with a dagger. Now the old wound was acting up, causing my heart to fail.
Over the past year, I’d visited every renowned healer and witch I could find. None of them had a solution.
After leaving the clinic, I took out my phone and looked at the photo of Lucian and me on the background. My fingers traced his smile before I turned off the screen.
I returned to the packhouse and immersed myself in preparing for our 5th anniversary dinner in the kitchen.
Each dish was a memory – herb-crusted venison from our first hunt together, moon-blessed mushrooms from the night he proposed, blood wine sauce that took me weeks to perfect because it was his favorite.
My hands trembled as I set the table, imagining how he would react when he saw everything. He would hold me tight, I was sure. But should I tell him about my condition?
My phone buzzed just as I finished setting the table. Lily’s name flashed across the screen like a curse.
“Missing your precious mate? Don’t bother waiting up. He’s with me now – his TRUE love. It’s almost pathetic how quickly he came running when I called. Tell me, substitute Luna, how does it feel knowing he’d rather spend your anniversary with me than his duty-bound mate?”
Lily came back. She was the Shadow Pack Alpha’s daughter and Lucian’s first love.
Five years ago, when Lucian was imprisoned by the Shadow Pack, he had fallen for her. I still remembered begging Lily to help save Lucian. Her response had been ice-cold:
“A prisoner?” She’d sneered. “I don’t associate with weak wolves. Tell Lucian it’s over – I’m mating with James tomorrow.”
In the end, I had used every ounce of strength to rescue Lucian from the Shadow Pack. He went on to become our pack’s most powerful Alpha, and I became his Luna. He promised he would love only me for the rest of his life.
I tightly clenched my fist until my palms bled, fresh droplets staining the pristine tablecloth. I couldn’t believe he would abandon our fifth anniversary for Lily.
I dialed Lucian’s number with trembling fingers.
One ring. Two. Three. Four-
“My love?” His voice was breathless, distracted. In the background, I heard female laughter.
“Will you…” My voice caught. “Will you be home soon? Dinner’s ready, and I thought since it’s our anniversary-”
“Gods, I’m sorry, but there’s an urgent pack matter. I’ll be late.”
“Lucian, please-”
“I know, I know. I’ll make it up to you. I have to go.”
The line went dead, leaving me alone with our cooling dinner and shattered dreams.
The TV played in the background – footage from that night five years ago. Lucian knelt before the entire pack, holding the legendary “Heart of the Storm” ring. A billion-dollar moonstone that took him months to have crafted.
“Scarlett,” his voice rang with such conviction then, “you’re my salvation, my heart, my everything. Be my Luna. Let me spend eternity proving that every breath I take is for you alone.”
I touched the “Heart of the Storm” ring on my finger, feeling its familiar warmth as it pulsed with healing magic.
For five years, this ring had kept me alive after the injury I sustained saving Lucian. He’d sought out the most powerful witch to enchant it, ensuring it would continuously heal my body.
I touched the ring on my finger and felt the healing magic that it was continuously delivering.
But now even its powerful magic couldn’t stop my heart from pain.
The TV switched to an interview with Sarah, my closest friend in the pack:
“Their love story is legendary! Luna Scarlett has loved Alpha Lucian since childhood. When he was captured by the Shadow Pack, she infiltrated enemy territory alone – an omega with no wolf, risking everything to save him. She nearly died! And then she helped him become the most powerful Alpha we’ve ever had. They’re perfect together!”
Perfect. Right.
The memories of that fateful rescue flooded back. I was eighteen, devastated by my failure to awaken a wolf, when news came that Lucian had been captured. Despite being an omega without a wolf, I couldn’t just let him die.
After Lily coldly refused to help, I infiltrated the Shadow Pack alone. Without a wolf’s enhanced senses or strength, it was almost impossible. But my love for Lucian gave me courage.
I found him in their dungeons, broken and bleeding. The Shadow Alpha stood over him, silver dagger raised to strike Lucian’s heart.
Without thinking, I threw myself between them, blocked the dagger that was meant for him..
Because I had no wolf, I couldn’t heal naturally. The curse from that dagger nearly killed me then. And now, it was finally claiming its price – I only had three months left to live.
Bitterness and hatred filled my heart.
I had given him everything – my love, my life, my future. And now he was abandoning me on our anniversary for the Shadow Alpha’s daughter, the same woman who had once betrayed him.
Would they live happily ever after once I was gone?
My fingers clenched into fists, fresh blood dripping onto the pristine tablecloth.
No. I wouldn’t tell him about my failing heart. I’m going to let him catch up with me when he finds out.
Why should I give my life for him and he get to spend the rest of his life happily with another woman, it’s not fair.
Since he betrayed our vows, I’m going to get back at him, at him and this bitch, so that he’ll never be able to have any joy or happiness for the rest of his life, so that he’ll live in pain forever.
