Chapter 5

After that night in the Luna's Chamber, Damon barely left Sophia's side.

And me? I stopped expecting anything from him the moment I accepted the truth.

Three nights later, I couldn't sleep. The twins were restless, keeping me awake with their constant movement. I decided to go to the pack library to research birthing traditions when I heard Sophia's voice drifting from the Alpha's private study.

"Damon," she said softly, "I've been thinking about the Luna's Ring. The one that connects the Alpha and Luna's life forces? With everything that's been happening with my pregnancy... I'd feel so much safer wearing it."

My heart stopped.

The Luna's Ring wasn't just a symbol—it was ancient . Passed down through ten generations of Alphas, it bound the Alpha's strength directly to his Luna's life force. Whoever wore it became the Alpha's true mate in the eyes of the pack and the Goddess. Damon had slipped it onto my finger during our mating ceremony, his voice trembling as he promised it would never leave my hand—because there would never be another Luna while I lived.

Damon's response shattered those memories.

Through the crack in the door, I watched him take her hands in his, his touch achingly gentle. "Of course, love. I'll get it from Aria tonight. You should wear it—you need all the protection you can get right now."

The words hit me like claws to the heart.

I couldn't remember his exact words from our ceremony anymore, but it didn't matter. He clearly couldn't either.

I stepped back, but the ancient floorboard creaked beneath my weight. Damon's Alpha senses immediately detected the sound. He found me standing there, caught. Shock flickered across his features, followed by something that almost looked like remorse. He stepped out, closing the door behind him, and led me down the corridor.

"Aria..." His voice was carefully controlled. "You heard that."

I stayed silent.

He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit I once found endearing. "Sophia's been having complications. The pack doctor thinks the ring's protective magic could help stabilize her pregnancy. Would you... could you let her borrow it? Just until the birth?"

I nodded slowly, but as I did, the mate bond between us writhed in agony, sending sharp pain through my chest. I swallowed the gasp.

"I'll give it to her. But I need you to do something for me first."

Relief washed over his face like I'd just solved every problem in his world. He moved to pull me into his arms, but I stepped away before he could touch me.

Sophia's scent clung to him, It made my wolf recoil.

"Thank you for being reasonable about this," he said, his smile the first genuine one I'd seen in weeks. "Once the pup is born, you'll have it back. Your place as Luna isn't going anywhere, Aria."

So he did understand what the ring meant.

"I don't care if she keeps it forever," I said quietly. "Just sign this."

I walked to our bedroom and returned with the rejection papers, already turned to the signature page.

"There's no need to be upset," he said gently, completely misunderstanding. "Sophia won't keep it permanently. Like I said, after the birth, everything returns to normal."

He signed without reading a single word.

The moment his signature dried on the paper, the chaos in my mind went quiet. I hadn't expected it to be this easy.

Damon smiled at me with that same patronizing expression. "I know these past few months have been stressful. Why don't you visit the coastal packs for a while? Get some rest. I'll handle all the expenses."

That's why he'd signed so quickly. He thought this was just another pregnant Luna having an emotional breakdown.

I twisted the Luna's Bond Ring off my finger. The moment it left my skin, I felt the magical connection between us snap—a sensation like losing half my soul. I held it out to him without expression.

His hand hesitated before taking it, his fingers brushing mine. For just a heartbeat, uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

"Don't worry," he said, more to convince himself than me. "After Sophia gives birth, everything goes back to how it was."

But I was already beyond caring.

"She can wear it for as long as she wants," I said flatly.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Damon pulled me into a fierce hug. I immediately pushed him away, but he didn't seem bothered. He was already turning back toward his study, the ring clutched in his palm.

Seconds later, I heard Sophia's delighted laughter echoing through the packhouse.

I stood there, staring out at the territory where moonlight cast long shadows across the empty grounds.

Tomorrow, I would leave this place forever. And this time, nothing would stop me.