Chapter 3

After a month of recovery in the infirmary, it was Ryan who came to escort Vivian home.

Vivian's friends and family crowded the room, their eyes widening with excitement the moment Ryan arrived.

"It's the Alpha of Silver Moon Pack!"

"He must truly care for Vivian to arrive so early."

"When will she become his Luna? I can't wait!"

Vivian blushed while telling them to stop. Then she glanced at Ryan and whispered, "Ryan already has a Luna. Don't say such things, or she'll be upset with me again."

A pack member scoffed. "Vivian, you're too kind. If she hadn't interfered, you would've been our Luna long ago. Ryan loves you most. She's the intruder.

"She's been targeting you since day one. Why hasn't she given up? She's petty and unfit to be Luna!"

Listening to them, I felt nothing but hollow disbelief.

It was Ryan who found me first, recognizing our mate bond immediately. He was the one who requested to mark me, who pleaded with me to be his Luna.

If I made a mistake, it was loving Ryan.

And yet, the person who should have corrected them—Ryan—said nothing. He allowed them to slander me while busying himself with Vivian's belongings, trying to appear attentive.

He had never done such things for me. After our marking ceremony, he claimed to love me, but his actions never matched his words.

I told myself he would protect me when I truly needed him. Now I realized he wouldn't.

He was the danger.

"Alpha Ryan, Vivian has refused every suitor all these years. You know who she's been waiting for, don't you?"

The wolf winked at Ryan, practically begging to witness them mark each other right then and there.

Ryan didn't answer. But I knew he agreed deep down. He just wouldn't admit it publicly.

He took Vivian to his private quarters.

Somehow, he had acquired multiple residences throughout our territory—places I had never been invited to. Every time we argued, he would slam the door and retreat there.

Yet, Vivian walked in with such familiarity, as if she belonged.

He always bent his rules for her. She was his true love, and I should have seen it sooner.

While he prepared the bed, Vivian approached and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She pressed her cheek against his back, clinging to him like a lover reunited after a long absence.

Did they even remember I was his Luna?

He hesitated, shifting forward slightly as if to create distance.

But Vivian tightened her embrace and spoke softly, her voice laced with delicate sorrow, "Ryan, I know you've held it against me that I left back then, but I had no choice. My father was dying. The Northern Alpha threatened to withhold the medicine he needed, and I was forced to comply.

"Even then, I refused his marking. My heart has always been yours. Please forgive me."

With the perfect touch of tragedy, she painted herself as the most unfortunate werewolf alive—kind and brave, yet plagued by suffering.

Was that why he could never let her go?

Ryan chuckled and answered with unexpected frankness, "I thought you left because the Northern Alpha was stronger than me. You never asked for my help—you simply vanished."

Vivian stiffened. But she was clever. She knew if she shifted the topic to me, he wouldn't press further, for his impatience with me was already obvious to everyone.

Her voice trembled as she whispered, "I see. So that's what you think of me. You hate me, so you allow Tiana to torment me.

"Even when she secretly contacted rogue wolves to attack me—even when she hid my medicine while I was ill, hoping I'd die—you did nothing, did you?

"If this is your punishment for me leaving, congratulations! It's working. My heart aches so much I can barely breathe."

Lies. Nothing but lies.

I spent every waking moment fulfilling Luna duties for the pack. I had neither means nor motivation to contact rogue wolves. And I didn't hand over the antidote for one simple reason—I needed it to survive. I wasn't selfless enough to die just to save her.

None of her claims had evidence. A simple investigation would have cleared my name. But Ryan believed every word.

He certainly hadn't ignored her accusations. The moment he heard of my supposed crimes, he called for a public trial. He declared me venomous, wicked, and guilty before the entire pack of Betas and Omegas.

Then he went further, contacting the very rogues she claimed I'd hired. He watched as they dragged me into the dark forest. He watched as they clawed at me and humiliated me. He looked down at my battered wolf form and sneered.

He pointed at my fresh wounds and said, "These are proof of your treachery. If you ever harm Vivian again, I'll ensure everyone knows what you've done."

I lay there on the cold ground, screaming in desperation, insisting I was innocent.

"Alpha Ryan, why are you doing this to me?"

He ignored my pleas as if they were nothing but wind. He didn't believe me and only wanted to see me punished.

He never told Vivian what he had done to me, which was why she could still play the victim.

I couldn't understand his intentions. Was he trying to be some noble protector, standing silently behind Vivian like a guardian shadow?

But what confused me more was, if he never truly loved me, why did he mark me at all?