Chapter 1

Moonlight flowed like water, bathing the sacred grounds of the wolf packs in silver light.

Inside the grand hall of the Full Moon Festival, dazzling lights illuminated the hal, and crystal chandeliers cast dreamlike shadows and light. Tonight, the elite from all the southern wolf packs had gathered here to celebrate the most sacred night of the year.

I stepped gracefully into the hall, my moon-white silk gown flowing like a waterfall, the sapphire belt at my waist sparkling under the lights. My hand rested gently on the arm of the man beside me, my lips curved in an elegant smile.

"Luna Elara, you look absolutely radiant tonight, like the Moon Goddess herself had descended to earth!"

"Alpha Kael is so fortunate to have such a perfect mate."

"Look at them—they're truly a match made in heaven!"

Compliments filled the air around us, and I felt my cheeks warm with a gentle blush. I turned to gaze at the man beside me—Kael, my mate, my Alpha, the man I had given my entire life to love.

Sensing my gaze, Kael turned to look at me with deep affection, his profound eyes seeming to hold the entire starry sky.

"My Luna is the embodiment of the Moon Goddess herself," his voice was deep and magnetic, and he made no effort to hide his adoration for me in front of everyone. "To have her is the greatest fortune of my life."

My heart skipped a beat. Even after eighteen months of marriage, he could still make me swoon with such words.

"Being your mate is my honor," I replied softly, my eyes brimming with love.

The women around us cast envious glances our way, whispering among themselves: "They're so in love, just like a fairy tale."

"Yes, look at how Alpha Kael gazes at Luna Elara—it's enough to melt anyone's heart."

The celebration continued, with Kael occasionally adjusting my gown or whispering softly in my ear to ask if I needed anything. His every gesture demonstrated his thoughtful care for his mate, causing the other Lunas present to sigh secretly about not having such a devoted husband.

I basked in this sweetness, thinking I must be the happiest woman in the world.

"Darling, I'm going to chat with Marcus and the others about wolf pack alliance matters. Why don't you spend some time with the other Lunas?" Kael gently stroked the back of my hand as he spoke tenderly.

"Of course, go ahead," I nodded obediently, watching his figure disappear into the crowd.

I was soon surrounded by the other Lunas, and the conversation naturally turned to married life.

"Luna, when will you and Alpha Kael give us a little heir?" an older Luna teased with a smile.

My smile faltered for an instant—this was the most sensitive topic in my heart. Eighteen months had passed, and my belly remained as flat as ever. Each monthly disappointment left me crying in secret.

"These things happen when they're meant to; we can't rush them," I tried to remain calm.

"True, you're both still young. There's plenty of time."

Just then, a strange sensation suddenly washed over me. My temples began to tingle slightly, as if some power was awakening. This was my bloodline gift—telepathy. It rarely activated on its own, but occasionally triggered involuntarily.

Suddenly, two clear male voices echoed in my mind, as if someone were speaking directly in my ear.

"Kael, your noble Luna has been still as slim as a teenager for eighteen months now. Could there really be a problem?"

That was Alpha Marcus's voice, Kael's ally. I frowned—this feeling of eavesdropping on others' mental links was uncomfortable. I was about to block out the sensation when I heard a response that instantly froze my blood.

"A mate who can't bear children is defective."

That was Kael's voice. My Kael. But this voice was cold as ice, completely devoid of the warmth he had shown me moments before.

I felt the entire world spinning.

"But fortunately, that Omega is promising—already three months along."

The sky came crashing down. The champagne flute in my hand nearly slipped from my grasp. What was he talking about? Which Omega? Three months?

"That personal maid? Sienna?" Marcus's voice carried a teasing tone. "Aren't you worried about being discovered? After all, it's right under your Luna's nose."

Sienna? My maid Sienna?

"So what if she finds out? Where else can she go without me?" Kael's tone was full of disdain, each word stabbing into my heart like a knife. "Once Sienna gives birth to an heir, if Elara is smart, I might let her keep the empty title of Luna. But if she's not..."

He didn't finish, but that pause was more chilling than any threat.

I felt like I was suffocating. For eighteen months, what I thought was love had been nothing but an elaborate deception.

"Luna? Luna, why do you look so pale?"

The concerned voices around me pulled me back to reality. I realized I was trembling, my nails digging deep into my palms.

"I'm... I'm fine. Just a bit tired, perhaps." I forced a smile, though inside I was screaming.

"But speaking of which, why did you marry her in the first place? What use is a woman who can't bear children?"

"The mate bond—what choice did I have?" Kael's voice was full of helplessness and irritation. "She saved me back then, and the bond formed. All that love at first sight nonsense seems ridiculous now. A Luna who can't even fulfill her basic duties—what kind of joke is fate playing?"

Each word cut into my heart like a sharp blade. So I had never been a beloved wife in his eyes, just a useful tool.

I remembered the amazement in his eyes when we first met, his passionate proposal, the countless nights of tender whispers in my ear...

All lies. Every single bit of it.

"Luna, are you sure you're all right? Should I call Alpha Kael over?"

"No!" My voice was sharp. I immediately adjusted my tone. "I mean, don't trouble him. He's discussing important matters."

Just then, Kael emerged from the crowd, his face once again wearing that gentle smile, as if those cold, cruel words had never left his lips.

Watching him approach, I suddenly wanted to laugh. This man's acting skills were terrifyingly masterful.

"Darling, you look a bit pale. Are you tired?" He reached my side and extended his hand to touch my forehead.

I instinctively wanted to step back but forced myself to remain still. I looked at this familiar face, this man who had once made my heart race, and now he seemed to be a complete stranger.

"I'm fine, just caught up in the excitement of the celebration." I maintained my smile while my mind frantically reexamined every detail of the past eighteen months.

His hurried departures, the mysterious messages on his phone, his occasional glances at Sienna... I had seen all the signs, but love had blinded me to them.

I was such a complete fool.

"Then let's head home early and rest," Kael said considerately. "The moon is particularly beautiful tonight. We could watch it from the balcony for a while."

"That sounds lovely." I replied softly, though inside I was laughing bitterly: So eighteen months of marital bliss was just your masterful performance, and I was the ridiculous fool.

As Kael turned to bid farewell to the other Alphas, my gaze swept across the crowd and finally settled on Sienna, who stood with her head bowed in the distance.

The girl who had always respectfully called me "Luna" was gently stroking her still-flat belly, her lips curved in a subtle, triumphant smile.

Everything was clear now.

I took a deep breath. When I looked at Kael again, the love in my eyes had vanished completely, replaced by icy composure.

I suddenly understood what it meant for love to run deep and pain to cut deeper.

But more importantly, I understood what it meant to... never forgive.

The moonlight remained bright, but in my heart, tonight was destined to be the beginning of an ending.