**Evelyn**
*One month later*
I sighed as I sat alone in the garden, the place where I had once found solace even in the darkest of my days. But right now, as I sat there alone, without the voice of the kids who joined me to play or hear stories from me, I felt more lonely than I had ever felt in my life. Just as I had thought the day Sandra pulled little Mike away from me and left, it was as if the entire pack decided against letting their kids play with me. Even though I saw the kids staring at me wistfully some days, they never came to play with me again after that day. Those innocent souls didn’t seem to know what had I done to deserve this isolation. They could only obey their parents and stay away from me, the fake Luna. Yes, the fake Luna. That was the title I gained ever since the day Freya had arrived.
I closed my eyes, the garden eerily silent ever since I came here. Even the birds seemed to stay silent in my presence, huh? I didn’t feel this empty even during those days in the beginning, when it was Ryan and me against the world. Even though it was still the case, it somehow felt different. When I married Ryan and became the Luna, though I wasn’t received well, I wasn’t hated by anyone. But right now, if there was anyone that didn’t hate me here, I would be surprised.
I let out yet another sigh before standing up. It was time to go back and resume my Luna duties, even if no one wanted me to do anything for them. Even when I tried to help the injured, as I had been doing ever since the war began, everyone just shooed me away. What was I supposed to do now when everyone acted as if I was invisible to them?
With those thoughts running in my mind, I walked absentmindedly, only to stop when I heard the voices of several women talking nearby in serious tones. If it was in the past, I would have just walked in there and joined the discussion right away. But now, I just hovered near the entrance of the door, wondering if I should just enter or leave. I would have to act as if I was unaware of their evident hostility. Would it be better if I stick to my pride and walk away? But that was cowardly, wasn’t it? Running away from a tough situation wouldn’t make me the Luna I was striving to be, would it?
As I stood there pondering my choices, I unintentionally heard the women speaking, only to freeze when I heard the words ‘fated mate’. They were talking about Ryan finding his mate. Again.
“I wish the Alpha had met you sooner, Lady Freya. Then he wouldn’t have married another woman,” a woman said in a wistful tone and I realised they were talking to Freya. I felt a pang of envy in my chest at the realization. It used to be me who the women of the pack spent their time telling their problems and their hopes. And now I was replaced by Freya, or Lady Freya as they called her, since they couldn’t call her by the title of Luna, even if they wanted to. But it was just a title that she lacked. Even though she was not their Luna in title, she was their Luna in heart. I knew it from the day she had come. And it hurt to see the people I cared about all treat me as a nuisance, while they treated an outsider who had done nothing for them with far more respect and love than they ever gave me. Was I really that worthless in their eyes?
“Ever since you had arrived in the pack, the Alpha miraculously started winning more and more battles. You have brought luck to the pack, Lady Freya! If this much good things happened with just your presence here, how much better would it be if you could become our Luna for good?!” Someone wondered cheerfully and my heart felt heavy. It was true that Ryan, who had been losing almost every battle before Freya’s arrival, had been winning more and more of them since then. At first, it was considered a stroke of luck. But when he won three battles in a row for the first time since the war started, whispers rose in n the pack. Soon it was decided that Freya was the one bringing luck to Ryan, and he was stronger with her presence. Since then, somehow I was seen as the harbinger of death while Freya had become the angel who came to save everyone from certain doom.
I tried to shake off the depressing thought, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was really the truth. Was it just a coincidence or was she really bringing luck to the pack?
“If ‘she’ cared for the wellbeing of the pack like she claims to, she would have given up her title th0e moment she realised you were the Alpha’s real mate. But she can’t just give up the power and title even if it means we all have to suffer from this war!” someone added to the discussion. Now they didn’t even bother to mention me as the Luna. I was just ‘she’.
My first instinct on hearing the suggestion that I should give up my title was to march inside and defend myself. To tell them how much Ryan and I loved each other and how I was striving to be the best Luna for the pack, doing everything I could to help run the pack smoothly. And I had done exactly that the first time someone confronted me, demanding me to leave Ryan so that he could accept Freya as his mate. Needless to say, it didn’t end up well when the entire pack declared me a selfish woman who only cared about power. Now, if I try again, it will only end up worse. I could only stand there clenching my fists as I listened to them complain about my very existence.
“I grew up seeing my parents who were fated mates, and I had always wanted what they had. I had always dreamed of the day I would meet my mate and I imagined the fairytale life I would have with him. But I never imagined that he wouldn’t wait for me,” Freya spoke for the first time, her voice full of melancholy that would evoke the pity of anyone who heard it. She sighed before speaking again.
“But that doesn’t mean that just to get my mate, I am willing to be a home wrecker. Since my mate is already married, I don’t want to destroy his marriage. If he is happy with his wife, I would stay away from him, even if it breaks my heart.”
Hearing her words, there was a chorus of women praising her for being selfless. But still, I couldn’t help but notice how she stayed silent when the women cursed me for all their misfortunes. And she always did, even in the past when such conversations had come up…
Right that moment, Freya looked up, her eyes staring through the crack in the door to right where I was standing. I froze, wondering if she had seen me. Before I could get out of my stupor and notify everyone of my presence, I saw a mischievous glint flash through her eyes. But the next moment, I blinked and her face looked clueless and melancholic, like it always did. Maybe I had imagined the cunning look?
“You all have been nothing but nice to me ever since I came here. Even though I am an outsider, you never made me feel so. I truly see you all as my family now.” Freya said in a sad voice before sighing. “That’s why it hurts to see you guys suffer because of this war. I have lost my entire family in the war. I know the pain you must be feeling after losing your loved ones. So many lives, lost for no reason… If only I could do something to help end this war for good…” I felt the blood drain from my face as she looked at the pack members with a solemn expression. Why did she suddenly remind them of all the deaths in the pack? As if anyone would forget it otherwise?
“It’s all because of that selfish Luna of ours! I lost my brother last month in the battle! But does she care? Of course not!” A woman cursed, and the others joined in.
“Yes, yes! I had even personally met her and begged her to leave the Alpha before Lady Freya arrived here. I pleaded to her to let the Alpha find his fated and become stronger. But she just sighed and left, as if I hadn’t spoken anything,” a woman said before whimpering. “And a week later, my husband died in the battle. I couldn’t even see him before he died. All I got was a cold body…”
“That selfish woman! She says she cares for the pack and us! If she really did, wouldn’t she have left the Alpha already? Would she have regarded her personal life higher than the lives of the pack members if she cared for us? It’s all a lie! She only cares about herself!” A woman cried out, and I felt my breath hitch. This was not just another pack member who I had just seen now and then. The one who just cursed me was Anna, someone I regarded as a friend. But I was just a selfish woman who was pushing people to deaths in her eyes.
As the people continued yelling about my misdeeds, I slowly turned and walked away, my mind in turmoil. Was I really doing the right thing by clinging to Ryan? Was it really selfish of me not to let go, and let him accept his mate? Would it really make everything better if I simply stopped existing?
**Evelyn**I closed my eyes, memories of the time when Ryan and I had first confessed our love for each other flashing through my mind. We were both under eighteen then, and I had hoped that the deep connection we shared probably meant that we were fated mates. But I was sorely disappointed when I turned eighteen, only to discover that I was not his mate. For a while, I had tried to pull away from him, not wanting to keep him away from his mate, who could make him a stronger Alpha. But Ryan was relentless in his pursuit, telling that the bond between us was stronger than any superfluous mate bond. That he didn't care for the strength which his fated could bring when he will be stronger with just my presence beside him. And slowly, I had surrendered to his charms once again, thinking that our love was strong enough to overcome the magic of mate bond. And I still thought that when Freya had come here just over a month ago. I trusted Ryan with all my heart, and I knew he loved me more tha
**Evelyn**I followed elder Zachary out of the packhouse, a small duffel with just a few clothes and essentials in my hand. My heart felt heavier with each step I took and I had the sudden urge to run back to my room. It’s not too late yet! I can just close my door and wait for Ryan. We can talk and solve our issues and everything will go back to how it was. Startled at the selfish thought that flashed in my mind, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I had already made the decision to give up Ryan for the better of the pack. I had to do it even if it killed me…I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, and the pain helped me stay level-headed. As we walked farther into the north wing, away from the servant quarters, I wondered why we hadn't even encountered a single maid till now. This entire thing was going a little too smooth for my liking and my instincts were screaming at me that something was wrong. That it couldn't be this easy. I looked around uneasily, my eyes scann
**Ryan**I let out a growl, throwing away the papers that I was supposed to review and sign. My mind was in utter chaos and there was no use trying to work right now. Closing my eyes, I tried to remember what had happened after I had left the meeting because of a pounding headache that almost left me blind. All I could remember was staggering to our bed and falling on it before everything went blank. The next thing I know, I was waking up to Evie’s heart wrenching cry. Seeing Evie look at me as if she was giving up on me, on us, I hoped she would still trust in me. Trust that I will never do anything to betray her. But when she said she was going to leave me, I panicked. I lost all reason as fear overtook my senses and I am not proud of what I did in my desperation to keep her with me. I should never have stooped as low as to lock her in the room, but I was so frantic to stop her from leaving that it was the only thing that came to my mind at that moment. Right now, I really regretted
**Evelyn***Three days later…*I woke up startled, sitting up on the bed as my hand flew to my chest. I panted heavily as the remnants of a nightmare still lingered in my mind, a sense of loss and misery washing over me. ‘Dream. It is just a dream,’ I told myself and slowly my breathing turned normal. Once I turned calm, I opened my eyes, only to stiffen as I realised that I was not in my room. Suddenly, I remembered how the assassins tried to attack me after I left the pack and how I had fallen off the cliff while trying to escape. As if on cue, a torrent of aches and pains assaulted me, a pounding headache the worst of all. Trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my arms, I scooted over to the edge of the bed. Warily, I looked over the room, trying to find any clues to where I was. I With bare white walls and minimal furniture, the room lacked any personal touch. It left no clue about the owner. I bit my lips as I pondered the situation, wondering if I was in enemy territory or no
**Ryan**I let out a growl, rage boiling in my veins. Needing to vent, I threw the flower vase on the desk to the floor. Not satisfied, I started throwing the files on the desk and then smashing everything that was in front of my eyes. I stood in the center of the mess, panting heavily, and closed my eyes. It has been two days since Evelyn left and there was no trace of her yet! Two damn days! After finding her gone, I had tried to track her scent myself. But once I stepped out of the packhouse, there was no trace of her scent anymore. It was as if she had just vanished without leaving any trace. How was that even possible? Two days of sending search parties relentlessly and still nothing. Where are you, Evie?‘Are you happy now? You wanted her gone, and she is. I can't find her even after trying my best. This is what you wanted, isn't it?’ I growled at Liam, who had oddly been silent ever since Evelyn disappeared. He was silent for a moment before replying.‘You know that's not true
**Evelyn**“What did you say?!” I asked Lucian, my eyes wide with disbelief. Certainly he didn't say what I think he did?Lucian straightened up, his eyes flashing with determination.“I said Ryan doesn't love you anymore. He wants his fated mate, and he is going to marry her!”“You are lying!” How dare he slander my Ryan like that?!Lucian shook his head before looking me straight in the eyes.“Does it look as if I am lying? Is it even something I could lie about when you can easily find the truth?” He asked before sighing. “Wake up, Rose. He moved on as soon as you left the pack. You meant that little to him.”I stared at him, my mind trying to make sense of his words, which were nothing more than a jumbled mess to me at the moment. Finally, after what felt like ages, a lone tear slipped past my eyes. Lucian was right. Even if I wished he was lying, it simply didn’t make sense for him to lie about such a thing. I could just ask around and know if he was lying. Then why would he bot
**Evelyn**“What?” I blurted out, looking at Lucian with disbelief. I had just ran away from the pack and he is asking me to return just to check if my husband is really marrying Freya? “I said I will take you to the packhouse and you could see the preparations going on for the Alpha’s marriage. Then you will have to believe Ryan really doesn’t care for you anymore. Alright?”“Are you serious? It was a miracle that I was able to escape without Ryan finding out, and you are asking me to go right back there? As if Ryan will let me go a second time. If I go back, then I can’t ever step out of the packhouse. Ryan would make sure of that.”Lucian just stared at me before giving me a confident smile.“If I ask you to come with me, then trust me when I say I have my ways. I promise we could go to the pack and come back safely. I can bring you back without Ryan finding you.” I stared at him in disbelief. “I had escaped the pack because I had help and Ryan wasn’t expecting me to leave. But
**Ryan**I paced back and forth in my office which was back to being neat and organized. It has only been a day since I announced my fake marriage with Freya. But ever since that moment, the entire pack had been buzzing with joy and the preparations were in full swing for a marriage that will never take place. In two days, it was the full moon, and the ceremony was announced to take place then. I had made it clear to the elders and Freya that it was all fake and the marriage will never really take place. But the pack was a different story. To keep the matter from leaking out and reaching Evie, I decided to keep it as real as possible. For that, I never let the pack members know that the marriage would not actually take place. They really believed that I was going to marry Freya just after Evie had left and they were already treating her as their damn Luna. They acted as if Evie leaving the pack was the best thing that ever happened to them.I couldn’t help but remember how nobody sho