Chapter 3

Lirik’s smile froze instantly.

The comm-link in his pocket vibrated relentlessly, its indicator light flashing nonstop.

When he answered, Silas’s voice was deep and urgent, “Alpha, Anara collapsed on her way to the Healing Sanctum. Her silver poisoning has flared up severely, we need bloodstone to activate the healing crystals.”

Lirik grabbed his Alpha Token and prepared to leave.

“Have you lost your mind, Lirik?” I blocked his path in anger. “That’s our pack’s public bloodstone stockpile, meant to protect the offspring! You’re just going to take it to save her? By the rules, this requires our joint approval!”

His eyes darkened with frustration, and he rushed out, ignoring my attempts to stop him.

“That’s enough, Saga! Someone’s life is hanging in the balance, and all you care about are your damn rules and power! As Luna, where is your compassion?”

I beat his shoulders frantically, but he was far too strong, he dragged me out of the room.

“Compassion? She’s your childhood friend, not mine! Why should I use the entire pack’s resources to coddle someone who keeps hurting their Luna?”

Lirik seemed enraged by my words and pushed me to the ground.

The shards of the broken bowl on the floor hadn’t been cleaned up yet, and my exhausted body fell right onto them. When I lifted my hand to check, I found my back and arms covered in wounds, and the pain surged through my body in an instant.

Lirik had already left, not even sparing me a glance.

Staring at my bloodstained hands, I used my last bit of strength to call for the pack’s healer before losing consciousness.

When I woke up, it was already midnight.

I was alone in the dark ward. A healer witch entered, handed me a glass of water, and helped me sit up.

She looked at my bandaged arm and the faded, distorted mark on the back of my neck, then let out an involuntary sigh.

“Luna, your mark... and the lunar power within you are fluctuating. Please take care of yourself, you need rest and... the Alpha’s consolation.” She spoke the last part cautiously.

I closed my eyes, letting the bitterness and pain wash over me.

I turned on my phone. The first thing I saw was a post Silas had made on the pack’s internal network.

“It’s true, only our Alpha truly cares for and protects his friends.”

The photo showed Lirik sitting on a hospital bed. Meanwhile, Anara had her head resting on his lap, and her slender fingers were casually toying with the Alpha Token hanging at Lirik’s waist, the symbol of the pack’s supreme authority, a sacred artifact even I couldn’t touch lightly.

A scoundrel and a shameless woman, no wonder people say they’re made for each other.

The pain in my chest turned to numbness.

I logged into the pack’s internal management system.

The authority I once held as Luna to approve the use of public resources had been temporarily frozen.

Undoubtedly, Lirik had done this to allow himself to allocate resources to Anara without any obstacles.

But there was one thing he couldn’t freeze.

I calmly took out the Luna Token passed down to me by the previous Alpha. It resonated with the mark on the back of my neck, an unquestionable symbol of my identity.

Now, holding it, I felt the power that was uniquely mine emanating from it.

My marriage to Lirik was over, he had personally defiled our bond and stripped me of my authority.

I called the Alliance Council. After a moment, a councillor’s gentle voice came over the line, “Saga, I thought you were still recovering from your injuries.”

My tone was calm and restrained, “Councillor, I need to confirm — Is the appointment from the Alliance Council still valid? I wish to go to the Council Headquarters to fulfill my duties.”

There was silence on the other end. After a long pause, she sighed softly, her tone filled with concern, “The appointment is still valid. But your current condition...Without the Alpha’s protection, your recovery will be slower. Saga, are you sure you want to do this?”

I raised my hand to touch the mark on the back of my neck. The long-faded mark gave no response beneath my fingertips.

“Protection no longer belongs to me, and I no longer need it. As long as the Alliance Council still accepts my allegiance, I am willing to return to my duties.”

The other end of the line fell silent again. Finally, the councillor’s voice turned gentle yet formal, “Very well. I will reinstate your appointment. After two weeks of rest, report to the Council Headquarters.”

I took a deep breath, steadying my breathing and heartbeat.

“Thank you for your trust, Councillor.”