Chapter Three

At dawn, I could barely maintain human form.

My bones shifted and realigned beneath my skin, each breath bringing the taste of blood.

"Twenty-four hours left," I told myself.

Tonight was the mating ceremony. Sebastian and Layla's.

I swallowed the last vial of Dark Moon Grass extract, the liquid scorching my throat in exchange for brief clarity. When I came downstairs, the entire house had transformed into something I no longer recognized.

"Stella."

I turned. My parents stood at the entrance.

Mother wore her most formal wolf-hide robes, the "Moonrise Circlet" adorning her forehead—a three-generation family heirloom—while she held Father's arm, beaming with joy.

"Good, you came." Mother hurried over, lowering her voice. "Don't cause a scene tonight. Sebastian finally made the right choice."

Father nodded, his wrinkles creased with approval. "Layla is kind-hearted. These past years, you've been... too wild."

I stared at the gem on Mother's forehead. "That circlet was meant to be mine."

"Not anymore." Mother touched the stone. "The Council of Elders reassessed bloodline purity. Layla's lineage traces back to the Moon Goddess era." She paused. "Anyway, after tonight's ceremony, the circlet will officially pass to Layla."

"You knew all along," I said.

"Knew what?"

"That I needed the Blood Moon Ritual." I looked at them both. "That Sebastian gave the opportunity to Layla."

The air froze for several seconds.

Father looked away first. "The pack needs a stable Luna. You've been sick for so many years, your fighting ability declined, you even neglected caring for your pup."

"Sick for 'so many years'." I laughed aloud. "And DO you know the reason?"

"I don't know!" Mother's voice sharpened. "But you started avoiding battles last year, didn't even attend Lewis's full moon transformation!"

I stepped backward.

"Forget it." Father waved dismissively. "Don't spoil tonight's mood. Having a pure-blood Luna in the family is an honor."

They walked toward the sacred altar, merging with the crowd fawning over Layla.

I stood in the shadows of the colonnade, ignored by everyone.

When night fell, all pack members had gathered. Layla wore silver-white ceremonial robes.

Sebastian led her to the center of the sacred altar.

Candlelight danced in his eyes—I had once seen love there, desire, the trust of fighting side by side. Now there was only smooth coldness.

"Thank you all for witnessing this moment." Sebastian's voice carried across the courtyard. "Tonight, under the blood moon's witness, I will pledge myself to Layla Pierce."

Applause erupted.

I picked up a glass of moonlight wine and stepped out from the shadows.

The crowd automatically parted for me. Those gazes held pity, mockery, schadenfreude.

As I passed, I heard hushed voices:

"She actually came..."

"If it were me, I'd be too ashamed to show my face."

"I heard she voluntarily gave up all her inheritance rights."

I walked to the front of the altar and raised my glass. "Congratulations."

Sebastian's pupils contracted for an instant. He probably hadn't expected me to publicly offer a toast.

Layla immediately responded, tears flowing on cue. "Stella, thank you... thank you for being willing to bless us. I know how difficult this must be—"

"Not difficult." I interrupted, sipping my wine. "After I die, this would have happened anyway. Now it's just a few months early."

The crowd fell silent.

Sebastian's expression darkened. "Stella, mind the occasion."

"I am being mindful." I set down my glass, turning to the crowd. "As the former Luna, I hereby formally announce my support for the mating bond between Sebastian Wolfe and Layla Pierce. May the Moon Goddess bless them."

I had said exactly what they wanted to hear.

Applause erupted again. Look—that stubborn, strong-willed Stella had finally bowed her head, finally learned her place, finally behaved like a proper failure.

The ceremony continued. The priest recited ancient vows, Sebastian and Layla exchanged blood chalices. When their wrists were bound together with silver chains, my mother cried, my father clapped vigorously, as if they were the ones giving away a daughter.

Then Sebastian looked at me.

"Tonight, I want to especially thank someone." His voice softened. "Thank you, Stella, for your tolerance and understanding. Without your compassion, Layla and I couldn't have reached this day."

All eyes focused on me again.

I raised my empty glass in a distant toast.

"Now," Layla wiped away her tears, revealing that practiced, pure, innocent smile, "I want to thank my sister, Stella. She gave me everything—pack, family, love, and now... even the chance at true love."

She approached to hug me.

I stepped back.

Her hand froze mid-air, tears welling up again. "Stella, are you still angry with me? I can give up the ceremony, I really can."

"Stop acting," I said quietly.

Her expression cracked for an instant, then she cried harder. "I'm sorry... it's all my fault..."

Sebastian pulled her back into his arms, looking at me like I was an inconvenient obstacle.

Just then, a small figure pushed through the crowd.

Lewis.

He wore a silver ceremonial outfit, running up to me and looking up.

"Mom Layla told me to tell you," he said clearly, "you should stand farther away so your sickness doesn't contaminate the ceremony."

I knelt down to his eye level. "Lewis, I—"

"I don't want to listen!" he shrieked, his little face scrunched up. "You always make Mom Layla sad! I hate you!"

Complete silence fell.

Even the priest forgot his words.

After speaking, Lewis ran back to Layla and threw himself into her arms. "Mom Layla, I said it. Can we cut the cake now?"

Layla lifted him up and kissed his forehead. "Good boy."

Then she looked at me, the corner of her mouth lifting in the slightest smile—an angle only I could see.

Mother approached, reproach in her voice. "See? Even Lewis chooses Layla. You should seriously reflect on yourself, Stella."

Father joined her. "Pups don't lie. Whoever he chooses is the better mother."

I said nothing.

What was there left to say?

The ceremony ended amid false blessings. Sebastian and Layla were surrounded in the center, receiving everyone's congratulations. Lewis rode on Sebastian's shoulders, laughing like they were a real family.

I turned and left.

No one noticed me. No one called out. No one asked, "Stella, where are you going?"

I walked to the far room, closed the door, and slid down against the wooden panel to sit on the floor.

Outside the window, fireworks rose into the sky, exploding into silver wolf head shapes, celebrating the birth of the new Luna.

How ironic.

On the last night of my life, I was alone, watching the wedding fireworks of my husband and another woman.

When Dianna pushed open the door, I was wiping blood from the corner of my mouth while facing the mirror.

"It's time," she said.

I retrieved the memory crystal from the hidden compartment—all the evidence was stored inside.

"Give this to Sebastian at sunrise tomorrow." I placed the crystal in Dianna's palm.

Dianna's eyes reddened.

Cheers echoed from outside the window.

I took out three letters from the drawer.

The first was for my parents.

The second was for Lewis, sealed in moon language, only to be opened when he turned eighteen. I drew a small wolf in the corner of the envelope—how he looked during his first transformation.

The third was for the Council of Elders.

"And this." I slipped off the ring from my left ring finger. The moonheart stone gleamed with milky white light in the dim room.

"Give this to Lewis. When he comes of age, let him decide whether to wear it."

Dianna's tears finally fell. "He'll regret it. They all will—"

"That's exactly what I want." I interrupted, my voice terrifyingly calm. "I want them to be burned by moonlight every night for the rest of their lives. I want them to think of me every time they look at Lewis, remembering that when I died, he was calling someone else mom."

The final stage of Lunar Blight had begun—my organs were melting, collapsing from within like wax.

"Lie down," Dianna helped me toward the bed.

I shook my head and walked back to the window, pushing it open again. Cold air rushed in, dispelling the scent of death in the room.

The ceremony continued. I knew Sebastian had spent three whole months preparing for this wedding. Our mating ceremony years ago had only simple bonfires and vows.

He had said: "Those things aren't important, Stella. We have plenty of time."

Turns out all that time was saved for someone else.

"Dianna."

"I'm here."

"After I die, take my body to that tree on the border of Shadowfang territory. My parents will object, but do as I say."

"Why there?"

"Because twenty years ago, I saved Layla under that tree." I smiled, the taste of blood rising in my throat. "Where it began, it will end. Very complete, don't you think?"

Dianna sobbed uncontrollably.

I lay back on the bed, letting the agony wash over me like a tide.

I closed my eyes and whispered, "Good night."

My breathing became lighter. Like a feather falling from great heights—slow, irreversible.

I saw Sebastian from seven years ago, reaching out his hand to me in the moonlight, his eyes bright as a lake filled with stars.

He said, "Marry me, Stella. I'll be good to you for life."

I said, "Yes."

Turns out a lifetime was so short.

Six in the morning, at moonfall.

I exhaled my last breath, my body temperature fading away with the moonlight.

Dianna stood by the bed, her trembling hands closing my eyes.

Then she took out the communication stone and infused it with magic.

After the crystal glowed for three seconds, Sebastian's impatient voice emerged: "Dianna? I'm very busy right now."

"Stella is dead."

Dead silence from the other end.

A full ten seconds passed before he managed a few words, "...What?"

"This morning at six o'clock," Dianna's voice was like a frozen lake, "she transformed into her silver wolf form and passed peacefully."

"That's impossible." Sebastian's breathing suddenly intensified. "She was at the ceremony last night! She had wine, she even..."

"She blessed your happiness." Dianna finished his sentence. "Yes. Then she returned to her room and died alone."

The sound of something shattering came through the communication stone.

"Where are you?" Sebastian's voice was hoarse and distorted. "I'm coming right now! Call the healers! No, call the high priest! There might be a way—"

"There is no way, Alpha." Dianna said softly. "She couldn't wait for the Blood Moon Ritual. You gave that chance to someone else, remember?"

Silence spread like a swamp.

Then Sebastian said, "I'll be there in ten minutes."

Dianna wiped away her tears and put away the memory crystal and three letters. "Stella, I'll get justice for you."