Chapter 3

Iris Bennett's POV

"Sure. Let's set a date to see the King, then." I stayed on my side, my voice so flat it could've been a stranger speaking.

"My territory will need to be handled properly."

The truth was, I knew it didn't matter what I said. Nothing would change Adrian's mind.

We fell into an eerie silence. After a few minutes, Adrian finally cleared his throat.

"That's it?"

"What?" I was genuinely confused. What else did he expect? Wasn't this exactly what he wanted?

After all, our bond had only ever been a contract. The Moon Goddess hadn't truly bound us together. Now that he didn't need me anymore, it only made sense for him to send me away.

"Nothing. I just thought you'd be... less calm about dissolving the bond." He gave an awkward laugh. Then his attention shifted to the strip of gauze peeking out from under my sleeve.

"How's your wound?"

"Already taken care of. Don't worry about it." My tone didn't waver.

Every inch of me was screaming in pain, but I was too exhausted to play the guessing game I used to—trying to figure out what he wanted from me. In the past, I'd been the perfect Luna at his side. But from now on, I needed to think about my own way out.

The mattress behind me dipped. Adrian had laid down beside me. I didn't know when it had started—us sharing a bed like a real married couple. I'd even thought it meant something. That maybe we were finally developing feelings for each other.

But now I saw it for what it was. Just another one of my delusions.

"Adrian." I finally sighed.

His breathing hitched. He wasn't asleep.

"What is it you actually want to say to me? You've been acting strange ever since I got back."

I opened my eyes and turned to face him. In the moonlight, his eyes gleamed like rare gemstones. If I could, I'd burn this image into my memory forever.

"Thank you. For these two years." I meant it.

There probably wouldn't be another chance to say it.

"I only did what I was supposed to do." His voice was muffled.

Right. Why was I even beating myself up over this? We'd only ever had a transaction. There was no reason to care.

That thought made my chest ache even worse. I closed my eyes. Sleep didn't come.

The sharp crash of shattering ceramic jolted me awake. I opened my eyes. The bed beside me was cold—like no one had ever slept there at all.

What was going on?

I'd personally designed the hallway outside the master bedroom. There were almost no fragile decorations out there. Except for one—

No. My heart dropped. I scrambled out of bed.

Moon Goddess, please. Not that one.

"Keep it down! Do you want to wake the Luna?"

"She won't be Luna much longer—who cares? Ugh! This thing looks cheap anyway. Even if she asks us to pay for it, so what?"

I shoved the door open.

Silver-white ceramic shards lay scattered across the floor. Two maids stood frozen, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

"No!" I clutched my head and screamed.

They'd never really listened to me. But considering I wasn't the true Alpha of this pack, I'd rarely pushed back. I'd let it slide.

But this? This was different.

I stared at them, furious, my mouth open—but no sound came out. My mind had gone completely blank. Tears welled up in my eyes, and before I could stop them, they spilled down my cheeks.

"Oh, Luna! We're so sorry—we broke your ceramic piece!" One of them said in an exaggerated, sing-song voice that made my skin crawl.

"But don't worry, we'll clean it up right away. No one will get hurt."

That piece—my father and I had made it together when I was little. It was the only thing I had left of him. How could they treat it like this?

"Get out!" I lost it. I couldn't hear anything else anymore.

"Don't touch my things!"

"We're sorry! We're sorry!" The two maids' expressions suddenly shifted. They clung to each other and burst into tears.

What? Why were they crying?

"Is this how you treat members of the pack, as Luna?" Adrian's voice came from behind me. He stepped forward and gripped my shoulder hard.

"No wonder they don't listen to you."

"But this was—" My stomach twisted into a painful knot. This was the only thing my father and I had ever made together. How could they—

"I think you need to reflect on yourself. Being Luna isn't just about standing around and soaking up respect." Adrian's voice was a low growl.

I didn't have the strength to argue. It didn't matter anyway. I'd be leaving this pack soon. What did any of this matter?

"I know. I'll go to the study and read." I turned and left, my face blank.

The moment I rounded the corner, I couldn't hold it together anymore. I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the floor. My chest heaved as I fought to keep breathing.

My limbs had gone completely numb. I slumped against the wall, unable to move.

I should take painkillers. But I couldn't—not with the baby.

"Is any of this really worth it, Iris Bennett?" my wolf's voice echoed in my mind.

"Adrian helped me so much. I owe him this. But... that's all it is now." I whispered back.

Adrian would dissolve our bond soon. I still remembered the day we'd been blessed by the King himself. I never thought I'd be going back to the royal palace so soon—to see him again under these circumstances.

Familiar footsteps approached. I forced myself to sit up straighter, pulling that same cold, indifferent mask back over my face.

Adrian stared at me for a few seconds, then walked past with that same irritated expression and sat down at the computer. The only sound in the study was the clatter of keys.

He hadn't noticed a thing.

I placed a hand over my stomach.

I almost laughed. What had I expected? He'd never loved me. To him, I was just a competent business partner. Nothing more.

Now that the woman he actually loved had returned—and I'd embarrassed him—there was no reason left for me to stay.

The sound of typing grew distant. I closed my eyes, exhausted. Someone seemed to be speaking, but I couldn't hear them anymore.