Chapter 3

Lumian closed the door with a sigh, muttering a quiet goodbye to Robert before turning back into the house. I followed him, still calling out, still begging him to listen.

“Please, Lumian,” I said, though I knew he couldn’t hear me. “He’s lying. Why can’t you see it?”

He walked slowly back into the kitchen, running his hands through his hair again before sinking down into a chair. I hovered nearby, watching him, a storm of emotion raging inside me.

Why would Robert lie?

Why would he pretend he hadn’t seen me yesterday after what he said? The memory rushed back in full force.

I had been running around the packhouse all morning, double-checking everything for Lumian’s birthday. I wanted it to be perfect even though he barely noticed me anymore, even though he hadn’t smiled at me in weeks. I still wanted to show him I cared about him.

I had just stepped outside to head into town when I saw Robert walking down the path alone. I hesitated. Something about the way he looked at me felt off cold and calculating.

“Elizabeth,” his voice carried a storm's edge, thunderous within its calm. “We need to talk.”

I should’ve walked away. I should’ve said no. But the urgency in Robert’s tone rooted me to the spot.

“What is it, Robert?” I asked, wary but making sure to keep my voice calm and kind.

His eyes flicked around, scanning for witnesses. Then, with a force that startled me, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the shadowed gap between two buildings. I opened my mouth to protest, but the words stuck because his big palm covered my mouth.

And he stepped closer to me, making me press my body against the hard wall.

I could smell the citrus fragrance on him, which had also been one of my favourite fragrances since my school days. But now it made me feel sick to my stomach.

He finally let go and turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “How long do you plan on continuing this charade, Liz?”

I blinked. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Judy deserves better than the lies you’ve spun,” he said, voice filled with venom. “I’m sorry, but I don't understand what you mean, Robert.”

Robert was my friend, at least I thought so. Before I became Lumian's mate and Luna, we knew each other, and even after Judy left, he supported me in adapting to Luna's title and guided me in becoming familiar with the pack business.

“You’ve always been good at playing the victim,” he sneered. “Pretending to be this kind, sweet Luna, but pushing Judy out of her home, her pack. You forced her to leave, and now she’s hurt because of you.”

“That’s not true,” I whispered, my voice barely rising above the tight knot of emotion in my throat.

“Judy told me everything,” he said, his eyes narrowing with disgust. “How could you? She said you plotted to take Lumian from her. That you took pleasure in her pain.”

The accusations stung like open wounds. I couldn’t breathe.

“She’s lying,” I said, though it sounded weak even to my own ears. “I never asked her to leave.”

“Enough, Liz.” His voice cut like ice. “You don’t deserve to be Luna of this pack.” He turned to leave.

Desperate, I reached out and gently grabbed his arm. “I’m not lying, Robert. I promi—” He yanked his arm away before I could finish.

“You might be able to fool everyone else in this pack with your weak appearance and fake kindness,” he snapped, “but you can’t fool me. If I hear you say one more thing bad about Judy, I promise you'll regret it.”

Then he left me there feeling shaken, small, and drowning in the echo of his words. Now, hearing him lie so effortlessly to Lumian made everything inside me burn. He had threatened me.

He had stood in front of me with hatred in his eyes. And now he pretended he hadn’t seen me at all.

The betrayal cut deep, and the worst part was I could do nothing about it.

I hadn’t just been hated by Robert. I had been wanted. And that only made his betrayal worse.

After Robert left, I watched Lumian closely. There was something in his expression: a flicker of stress and unease. Was he thinking about me? Was there a part of him that finally felt the absence?

He moved through the house in silence, then to his room. I followed at a distance, the pain in my chest growing heavier. He changed into a clean shirt and boots as if nothing had happened. As if he wasn’t missing a mate.

“Lumian, please, you have to feel that something is wrong,” I begged as I followed behind him.

He grabbed his keys and left the house, and I trailed behind him in silence. I didn’t know where we were going and didn’t want to care. I was tired. I just wanted to be alone.

When we reached the hospital, he walked through the doors without hesitation, but I paused at the entrance.

I couldn’t go in. I couldn’t watch him with her again. My heart couldn’t take it. I turned to leave, to walk the other way, but something stopped me.

A sharp pull yanked me back toward him, starting in my chest and radiating through my whole body like invisible chains tightening. I stumbled forward, my ghostly form dragged along no matter how hard I resisted.

“No, no, no,” I begged. But it was useless. I was tethered to him.

Even in death, our mate bond forced me to follow him. The sting of that truth hurt more than anything.

He walked down the hallway like nothing was wrong, like his mate wasn’t missing, dead. And I was forced to watch, to follow.

He entered a familiar room. Judy’s room.

My stomach twisted, and I turned my face away. I didn’t want to look at her. I didn’t want to hear her voice. I didn’t want to see that soft smile she reserved only for him.

“Judy,” Lumian said gently, “how are you feeling today?” “Better now that you’re here,” she replied.

I clenched my fists. My chest felt like it would cave in.

Then, I heard another voice. Male. Calm and Familiar.

I looked up. Carlos.

My brother.