Chapter : 3.

Elara’s anger flared, disbelief giving way to frustration. “I can’t believe you’re accusing me of this. Marcus is your Beta! I’ve avoided him every time he’s tried to get too close, and you think I’ve been encouraging him?”

“He wouldn’t be so bold if you hadn’t given him a reason to be,” Luka shot back, his voice cold. “I’ve seen the way you look at him when you think I’m not watching.”

“You’re wrong,” Elara said, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and hurt. “I’ve never—never—encouraged Marcus. I’ve tried to keep my distance from him because I know exactly what kind of man he is. But this? You think I’m flirting with him behind your back? How can you even say that?”

“Because it’s the truth,” Luka said, his voice hard and unyielding. “And I don’t like being made a fool of.”

Elara’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of his accusation. How could Luka, her mate, the man she was supposed to be bonded with for life, accuse her of something so ridiculous? After everything she had done to support him, to be there for him despite his coldness, he was blaming her for something that wasn’t even true.

“You’re the one making a fool of yourself, Luka,” she said, her voice icy. “You’ve been so consumed with your pack duties that you’ve neglected everything else, including me. And now, because Marcus is paying attention to me—attention I didn’t ask for—you’re turning this into something it’s not.”

“Maybe if you acted like a proper Luna, I wouldn’t have to worry about it,” Luka snapped, his eyes flashing with anger.

Elara recoiled as if he had struck her. The accusation cut deep, deeper than any wound she had ever felt before. She had done everything in her power to be a good Luna, to support him and the pack, despite the growing distance between them. But now, he was accusing her of being something she wasn’t—of betraying him in a way she would never have even considered.

“How dare you,” Elara whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her fury. “How dare you accuse me of being unfaithful, of being anything less than what you wanted. I’ve stood by your side for a year, Luka. I’ve been patient. I’ve watched you shut me out, I’ve listened to your excuses, and I’ve tried to be understanding. But this? This is too much.”

Luka’s expression didn’t soften, his arms still crossed over his chest as he watched her with cold eyes. “If you’ve been so miserable, why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

Elara laughed bitterly, though there was no humor in the sound. “Would you have listened? Every time I’ve tried to talk to you, you’ve dismissed me, just like you did last night. You don’t care about me, Luka. You care about being Alpha. And if you’re going to accuse me of something I didn’t do, then maybe it’s time we stop pretending this bond is worth saving.”

For a brief moment, Luka’s cold mask cracked, and she saw a flicker of something—hurt, maybe, or regret. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by his usual stoic expression.

“We’re mates, Elara,” Luka said, his voice low. “The bond is sacred. It’s not something you can just walk away from.”

Elara shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “Maybe you’ve forgotten what that bond means. But I haven’t. I’m not the one who’s given up on us, Luka. You are.”

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the study, her heart heavy with disappointment and betrayal. She had come to Luka hoping for a conversation, hoping they could work through their problems. But now, she realized that the distance between them wasn’t just a result of his pack duties or his responsibilities as Alpha.

It was a choice Luka had made, and it had cost them both more than she had ever imagined.

That night, Elara lay in bed alone, staring up at the ceiling as the darkness pressed in around her. Her chest felt tight, her mind racing with the argument she had had with Luka earlier in the day. She had hoped—foolishly, it seemed—that confronting him would lead to some kind of resolution. That maybe, just maybe, they could find a way back to each other.

But instead, all it had done was reveal the cracks that had been widening between them for months. Luka didn’t trust her, didn’t see her as his partner. He had shut her out, accused her of betraying him, and in doing so, had betrayed her in the worst possible way.

She turned over, pulling the covers tightly around herself as she tried to block out the memory of Luka’s cold eyes, his harsh words. She had never felt so alone, so hurt. The bond that was supposed to bind them together felt like a weight around her heart, dragging her down into a darkness she wasn’t sure she could escape from.

She turned onto her side, curling up and clutching the edge of the blanket, trying to calm her racing thoughts. But they were relentless, swirling back to the past, to the time when she had first met Luka. Back then, everything had felt so different.

It had been exactly a year ago, during a gathering of several werewolf packs at her home territory, the Evergreen Pack. Elara remembered that day vividly—the sun was shining brightly, the air warm with the scent of pine and wildflowers. She had been walking through the clearing, surrounded by wolves from different packs who had come to discuss alliances and trade agreements. Her father had been a respected Alpha of the Evergreen Pack, and her role as his daughter had been to welcome their guests and ensure everything ran smoothly.

That was when she saw Luka for the first time.

He had arrived late, his powerful presence causing a ripple of whispers and stolen glances as he entered the clearing. Luka had been impressive, to say the least. His tall, muscular frame commanded attention, and his striking silver eyes gleamed with intelligence and power. Elara had felt an immediate pull toward him, as if the universe itself had shifted when he stepped into view. At that moment, their eyes had locked, and she had known. The mate bond snapped into place, and the world around her had faded away.

Luka had approached her confidently, the undeniable connection between them drawing him in just as much as it had drawn her. His voice had been warm and inviting as they spoke for the first time, and he had taken her hand with a gentle touch that sent shivers down her spine. There had been no need for long speeches or grand gestures—the bond between them was immediate and powerful, as if it had been written in the stars.

“I felt it the moment I saw you,” Luka had said, his silver eyes softening as he gazed at her. “You are meant to be my Luna.”

Elara had been overwhelmed by the intensity of the bond and the sincerity in his voice. She had known in her heart that this was her destiny, that she had been blessed by the goddess with a mate who was strong, capable, and would love her unconditionally. Luka had asked her then, without hesitation, to become his Luna, to join him in leading the Crescent Moon Pack, one of the most powerful packs in the region.

And she had said yes.

The month that followed had been a whirlwind of preparation and excitement. She had moved to Crescent Moon territory, and for a while, everything had felt perfect. Luka had been attentive, loving, and devoted to her. He had taken her on long walks through the forest, showing her the beauty of their land and sharing his plans for the future. They had shared laughter, passion, and an unbreakable bond—or so it had seemed.

But now, lying in bed with the weight of their argument still heavy on her heart, Elara couldn’t help but feel like she had been wrong about everything.

Luka wasn’t the same man anymore.

The gentle, loving mate who had once held her with such tenderness had disappeared, replaced by a cold and distant Alpha who seemed more focused on power and control than on their relationship. The bond that had once felt like a blessing from the goddess now felt like a chain, binding her to a man who didn’t see her, who didn’t understand her.

She sighed deeply, turning onto her back again, staring up at the ceiling as a sense of helplessness settled over her. She had thought about breaking the bond—about walking away from Luka and starting a new life, free from the pain of his indifference and his unfounded accusations. But every time the thought crossed her mind, a deep guilt gnawed at her.

The mate bond was sacred, a gift from the moon goddess herself. To break it would be to dishonor the goddess’s blessing, to reject the fate that had been set for her. And despite everything, despite Luka’s coldness and the distance that had grown between them, Elara couldn’t bring herself to believe that the goddess would give her a mate like this—someone who barely even seemed to care about her anymore.