Chapter 3

ELIZA’S POV My jaw tightened as I stepped out of the war room, my heels striking the marble like gunshots. Fury vibrated beneath my skin, pounding through my veins in waves. This couldn’t be real. Derek didn’t just want to end our marriage—he wanted to make me his mistress. His mistress. As if I was some cast-off lover who should be grateful for scraps. My wolf was already clawing her way up, lips curled in a silent snarl. She wanted blood. She wanted Maya torn apart for her arrogance, and Derek—my mate, my husband—for his betrayal. But I shoved her back down. Now wasn’t the time for fury. It wouldn’t be justice—they’d twist it into madness. Arrogance. Treason. And they’d kill me for it. I bit my lip hard, felt the sting as skin split and blood pooled. Metallic. Sharp. Grounding. I needed to stay sharp. I stormed down the corridor, eyes locked on the gilded door ahead—Diana’s room. The only one in this house who had ever treated me like family. Or so I’d thought. I raised my hand and knocked, just like I always did. “Come in,” came the faint, worn voice. I stepped inside. The room was just as pristine as ever—white walls trimmed with gold filigree, an ethereal illusion of peace. But no amount of beauty could hide the truth. The beeping of machines filled the air, and Diana lay beneath pale sheets, her skin even paler, skeletal fingers curled weakly around the covers. Tubes snaked into her arms. Her breath came shallow and labored. She used to glow. Bright eyes. Laughter that filled the halls. But that had died with her mate. Cancer had taken the rest. The doctors gave her a year. That was nearly twelve months ago. Not on my watch. Dr. Ardan Holt stood beside her, scanning vitals with the precision of a soldier. The most renowned healer in the Lycan Kingdom. Unreachable—until I made him reachable. Being Luna had opened doors. Ones I’d slammed open to save her life. He glanced up as I approached. So did the nurse. Both nodded respectfully. I returned the gesture, then motioned for them to leave us. They obeyed, retreating silently. The door clicked shut behind them. I exhaled slowly, turning to face Diana. Her eyes met mine instantly, a flicker of warmth crossing her pale features. She smiled. Even now—when I felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside—she smiled. I forced one back. Sat down beside her bed. Her hand reached out, brittle fingers curling around mine without hesitation. Like always. “How are you feeling today?” I asked gently, though the words felt foreign in my mouth. “A little better,” she replied. “Dr. Ardan gave me something new. It’s already working wonders.” “I’m glad to hear that,” I said, the words barely audible over the static building in my head. She let out a breathy laugh, trying to sit up. I helped her adjust. “And I’m sure that’s not the only good news you’ve had today,” she added, voice soft but eager. “Derek’s back.” I nearly rolled my eyes. Of course she didn’t know. “I know,” I muttered. “I saw him.” Her face lit up like a girl hearing a fairytale. Her fingers tightened around mine. “That’s wonderful! Finally, you two can be together again. You’ll have his support. You’ve done so much alone—now you can finally rest.” I opened my mouth to speak. She cut me off. “Since Derek left for war, you’ve been carrying the pack on your own. After your loss, too—it’s been a lonely road, Eliza. You’ve held everything together. Thank the Goddess for the pack. If they hadn’t been there…” Her voice trailed, but the implication remained. My hand slipped out of hers. She blinked at me, startled. She’d never spoken to me like this before. Like I was fragile. Like I couldn’t survive without Derek. “Did you know what Derek said to me today?” My voice was quiet. Lethal. “Did you know he brought another woman home? To make his wife. To make her Luna.” I watched her face carefully. And I saw it. The hesitation. The guilt. The way her eyes dropped. The silence was loud enough to crush me. She had known. I watched the downturn of her lips, the way she looked away—as if her eyes couldn’t bear to meet mine. Confirmation. Cold and devastating. Diana didn’t say a word. The silence between us thickened, stretching out like a blade suspended in the air. When it became clear she wasn’t going to speak, I broke the silence myself, each word heavy and cutting. “So it’s true,” I said. “You already knew. You’ve already accepted Maya as Derek’s wife. As Luna. Is that it? You think she’s better than me?” My voice didn’t waver. I needed to hear it—from her mouth. I needed to know why she let this fester in silence while I stood beside her, loyal through every storm. Diana bowed her head, and finally, she spoke. “It doesn’t matter what I think,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “Derek and Maya have done so much on the battlefield. The king approved it all. My opinion… it doesn’t carry weight anymore.” I let out a sharp breath—a laugh without humor. I turned to leave, but her frail hand reached for mine. “Eliza, please,” she said. “You have to understand. What they did—it saved this pack. It gave us a future. Keeping them apart now would be seen as foolish. The pack is already behind them.” She looked at me with eyes full of pleading. “Stay. Even if things with Derek can’t be fixed, you can stay. I can adopt you. Make you my daughter in name. You can still help lead the pack. Still be Luna. It’s better than being just his mistress, isn’t it?” Her words were a poison wrapped in silk. I stared at her. Slowly, coldly. So she had known. And not only had she said nothing—she was endorsing it. She wanted me to surrender the title. To smile while being stripped of everything I’d bled for. To help them keep control, just not as his wife. A frown settled on my face like steel. I stood slowly, dragging my hand from her grasp. “All this time,” I said, voice tight. “You only kept me around because of what I brought to this pack. The wealth. The alliances. That’s all I ever was to you.” Diana’s face tightened. “That’s not true.” “I’m done pretending,” I snapped. “You never cared. You just needed someone to protect your son’s reputation. Someone to hold the house together while he ran off to war—and returned with another woman on his arm.” “Eliza—” “No,” I interrupted. “Derek didn’t learn betrayal on the battlefield. He learned it here. From you.” I turned my back to her. Behind me, I heard movement. Blankets rustling. Then her voice, sharp and brittle. “Now listen here. I won’t allow you to insult me or my son. I didn’t—” Her words dissolved into coughing—violent, hacking. I turned, watched as her body curled inward, her hands clawing at her throat. Once, I would’ve panicked. Called for help. Held her hand. But not now. She reached out to me, her eyes watery, mouth opening in a silent plea. I stared. Then shrugged. “You’ll be fine,” I said, my voice cold and hard. “Your new family will take care of you. I hope betraying me was worth it.” Her eyes widened in realization. She had lost me. I turned and walked out, leaving her alone with the machines and her regret. I didn’t know what I’d do next. But I knew one thing for sure—I would not stay here and be treated like a nobody. They wanted to take the Luna title from me? Let them. But they’d better be ready to burn for it.