Elowen's POV
I collapse halfway down the stairs.
One moment I'm walking to the healing ward like I do every morning. The next, my knees buckle and the world spins violently. I grab the railing, my heart pounding as black spots dance across my vision.
"Luna! Are you okay?" Sarah, one of the younger pack members, rushes to my side.
"I'm fine," I lie, forcing myself upright. "Just... didn't eat breakfast yet."
That's a lie too. I ate. I just can't seem to keep anything down lately.
Sarah looks worried, but she nods and continues past me. The moment she's gone, I slump against the wall, pressing my hand to my stomach. Everything hurts. My muscles ache like I've been fighting for hours. My head throbs with a dull, constant pain. And my wolf—my wolf feels like she's dying.
This started three days ago. At first, I thought it was just heartbreak. But heartbreak doesn't make you this physically sick.
Something's wrong with me.
I force myself down the rest of the stairs, gripping the railing with each step. When I reach the healing ward, I freeze.
Vesper is inside.
She's surrounded by pack members—the elderly Mrs. Chen, little Tommy with his scraped knee, and pregnant Melissa who was supposed to be MY patient. They're all smiling at her, laughing at something she said.
"Oh, Luna Vesper, you're so gifted!" Mrs. Chen gushes. "My arthritis feels so much better already!"
Luna Vesper. They're calling her Luna now.
Vesper looks up and sees me standing in the doorway. For just a second, something cold flashes in her violet eyes. Then she smiles that sweet smile that makes my skin crawl.
"Elowen! Perfect timing. I was just finishing up here." She says my name without any title. Not Luna. Just Elowen, like I'm nobody. "I hope you don't mind—the pack members needed help, and you weren't here yet."
It's eight in the morning. I'm exactly on time. But she makes it sound like I'm late, like I'm neglecting my duties.
"Of course," I say quietly. "Thank you for helping."
The pack members barely glance at me as they file out, too busy praising Vesper. Tommy, who I've been treating since he was born, doesn't even say hello.
When the room empties, Vesper turns to me. "You look terrible. Are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Hmm." She tilts her head, studying me like I'm an interesting bug. "Well, don't worry about the healing ward anymore. I'll take over from now on. You have so much on your plate, and I'm happy to help."
Take over. She's taking over my healing ward. My purpose. The one thing I built in this pack.
"That's not necessary—"
"Thaddeus already approved it," she interrupts smoothly. "He thinks it's best if I handle the more important Luna duties while you... adjust to the new situation."
Adjust. Like I'm a child throwing a tantrum instead of a woman whose entire life just got destroyed.
Before I can respond, Thaddeus walks in. My traitorous heart still jumps at the sight of him, even though he's barely looked at me in six days.
"Vesper, there you are." He smiles at her—that warm, loving smile that used to be mine. "Ready for the border patrol meeting?"
"Border patrol?" I echo. "That's my meeting. I always attend border patrol meetings."
Thaddeus finally looks at me, and his expression is... annoyed. Like I'm bothering him. "Vesper will handle it from now on. You should rest, Elowen. You don't look well."
"I'm fine!" The words come out sharper than I intend. "Thaddeus, I'm your Luna. These are my responsibilities—"
"You're not the only Luna anymore," he says, and each word is a knife to my chest. "Vesper is my fated mate. She has just as much right to these duties as you do. More, actually, since the bond is blessed by the Moon Goddess."
Vesper slips her hand into his. "I don't want to cause problems between you two. Elowen, if you want to keep your duties—"
"No," Thaddeus interrupts, squeezing her hand. "This is what's best for the pack. Elowen needs time to accept the situation."
They leave together, and I stand alone in my healing ward that's no longer mine.
By day seven, I've lost everything.
Vesper leads the pack meetings. Vesper organizes the community events. Vesper visits the schools and talks to the children who used to hang on my every word.
And Thaddeus? He acts like I don't exist.
I try to talk to him on the fourth day. He's in his office, and I knock softly.
"What?" he snaps without looking up from his paperwork.
"I need to talk to you. About us. About... everything."
"I'm busy, Elowen."
"Please. Just five minutes—"
"I said I'm busy!" He slams his hand on the desk, and I flinch. He's never raised his voice at me before. Never. "Every time I turn around, you're there, looking at me with those sad eyes. It's exhausting. The fated bond is sacred. Accept it and move on."
"I can't just accept—"
"Then that's your problem, not mine." His amber eyes are cold, stranger's eyes. "Stop being so jealous. It's unbecoming of a Luna."
Jealous. He thinks I'm just jealous, like my pain doesn't matter.
I leave before he can see me cry.
The worst part? My best friend Sable is gone too.
We've been friends for five years. She was the first person who welcomed me to this pack. We did everything together—trained together, laughed together, shared secrets under the stars.
But now she won't even look at me.
I find her in the garden on day six, and when I approach, she actually takes a step back.
"Sable, please. Can we talk?"
"I don't think that's a good idea, Elowen."
"Why? What did I do?"
She glances around nervously. "Vesper says you've been... difficult. That you're trying to sabotage her relationship with Alpha Thaddeus. She's his fated mate. You should be happy for them."
"Happy?" I almost laugh, but it comes out like a sob. "Sable, he was my mate for seven years—"
"A chosen mate," she interrupts. "Not a fated mate. There's a difference. Vesper is blessed by the Moon Goddess. You're just... you were just temporary."
The words hit me like a physical blow. Just temporary. After everything I sacrificed, everything I built, I was just temporary.
Sable walks away, and I'm alone again.
On day seven, I'm so dizzy I can barely stand. My wolf hasn't responded in two days. When I look in the mirror, I see a stranger—pale skin, dark circles under my eyes, and a hollow look that scares me.
I need answers.
That evening, I'm walking past the library when I hear voices inside. Vesper's honey-sweet tone and Sable's nervous laugh.
I shouldn't eavesdrop. But something makes me stop and press my ear to the door.
"—working perfectly," Vesper is saying. "She's so weak now, she can barely function. Another week and her wolf will be completely suppressed."
"Are you sure the wolfsbane won't kill her?" That's Sable, sounding worried.
My blood turns to ice. Wolfsbane?
"Of course not. I'm very careful with the doses." Vesper sounds amused. "Just enough in her food and tea to weaken her slowly. The pack already thinks she's pathetic and jealous. Soon they'll beg Thaddeus to remove her as Luna completely. And he will, because he can't stand looking at her anymore."
I stagger backward, my hand over my mouth to stop the scream.
Poison. She's been poisoning me. That's why I'm so sick. That's why my wolf is dying.
"What if she figures it out?" Sable asks.
"She won't. She's too busy crying over her lost mate to notice." Vesper laughs, cold and cruel. "Besides, even if she does, who would believe her? Everyone loves me now. They'd think she's making it up out of jealousy."
I turn and run, my footsteps silent on the carpet. I need to tell someone. I need help.
But who would believe me? Thaddeus thinks I'm jealous and pathetic. The pack loves Vesper. Sable—my best friend—is helping poison me.
I'm alone.
I make it back to my guest room and lock the door with shaking hands. From now on, I'll make my own food. I'll avoid anything Vesper touches. I'll survive this.
I have to survive this.
But when I try to reach for my wolf, to draw strength from her, there's nothing. Just a vast, empty silence where she used to be.
I sink to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest.
Then I notice something that makes my heart stop.
On my nightstand, there's a cup of tea. Steam still rises from it—someone brought it while I was gone. A small note sits beside it in Vesper's elegant handwriting:
"You looked tired. This special blend will help you sleep. -V"
I stare at the tea, at the tiny bits of herb floating in the amber liquid.
How long has she been coming into my room? How many cups of poisoned tea have I already drunk, thinking someone was being kind?
My hands won't stop shaking as I carry the cup to the window. I'm about to pour it out when my door handle turns.
Someone's trying to get in.