Chapter 1Four years I'd stood at Asher's side as his future Luna. Four years.
And then I found the group chat on his phone.
Happy Howls Without Vera.
I'm Vera. What in the Moon Goddess's name was that supposed to mean?
Eight names sat in that group.
My Alpha mate. His sister, Victoria. His Beta, Silas. His Delta, Caleb. My denmate. My bestie, Elena. And Connor - my little brother.
I froze. My wolf went dead still under my skin. Then the messages kept rolling in.
Victoria: [She's not coming to the moon hunt Saturday, right? Last time she came, the whole pack walked on eggshells.]
Elena: [Relax. I already told her I'm buried in border reports. She won't suspect a thing.]
Connor sent a laughing emoji. A LAUGHING EMOJI.
Asher: [Perfect. Same den. I'll reserve the fire pit.]
My hands shook. My claws pricked my palms. I scrolled up.
Two years and three months.
Over seven hundred messages.
That's when it hit me like a silver blade to the ribs.
The wolves I loved could only be happy when I wasn't there.
...
The zipper of my travel bag screamed through the quiet. I'd left the sleeping den door open.
Asher's voice drifted from the main den. "There's chilled moonmelon in the cold storage. Want some?"
I didn't give him a word.
"Vera?"
"Not hungry."
Dead air. Then he appeared in the doorway, shoulder against the frame like he didn't have a care in the world.
"What are you packing for? Border run tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Sort of last-minute."
He grunted and drifted back to the couch.
I shoved clothes and my pack documents into the bag. Then I pulled out the moonstone necklace he'd given me.
Not keeping it. Not keeping anything from his pack. Not one damn thing.
As I zipped the bag, Elena texted:
[Noooo can't do market day Saturday :( extra patrol shifts. Next weekend? I swear!]
I stared at that message until my eyes burned. Then I typed: [Okay.]
Next morning, I rolled my bag out before dawn. Asher was still asleep, snoring like a lazy wolf after a full hunt.
Downstairs, while I waited for my ride, Connor called.
"Mother wants you at the pack house for evening meal this weekend. You coming?"
"Can't. Border run."
"Again? The council's running you into the ground."
His voice was so easy. So normal.
All I could see was that laughing emoji in the group chat.
"Connor."
"Yeah?"
"...Forget it."
I hung up and got in the car.
The inn wasn't far from the council office. I booked it for a week.
Once I settled in, I opened Asher's MoonWeb page from my backup account.
His last post was three days old - a group photo at a hunt feast. Everyone grinning.
Victoria, Silas, Caleb, Elena, Connor.
NOT me.
I remembered that night. I'd asked what he was doing. He said he was stuck at the Alpha hall, working late.
I dropped my phone face-down on the bed and lay back. My wolf clawed at my ribs, desperate to shift and run.
Exhaustion rolled over me like a wave. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.
After a while, Asher called.
"You there? Which territory?"
"I'm here."
"Be safe. Don't run alone at night."
"Understood."
"All right, I'm swamped today too."
Oh. Swamped doing what? Planning the next howl without me?
"Okay." I hung up.
...
Three days at the inn. Nobody noticed I wasn't actually on a border run.
Fourth day, Elena asked me to moonbrew. Said her patrol shifts were done and she wanted to catch up.
At the café, she stirred her latte and smiled. "Back from your run? You tired?"
"Not really."
"Did Asher call you? That wolf's so clueless. Probably didn't even cook while you were gone."
I looked into her eyes. Searched for one flicker of guilt.
But she played it too naturally. Like nothing had ever happened.
"Elena, what time did you patrol till Saturday?"
She blinked. "Huh? Till like nine... I was dead on my paws."
"That sucks."
"I know, right?" She sighed. "I'll make it up to you. Promise."
I took a sip of my moonbrew. Bitter.
Black. Still easier to swallow than her lies.
On my way back, Asher texted:
[You coming home tomorrow? The den pipe's leaking. Can you call someone?]
Right.
Four years as his Luna. When he needed me, I was his denmate. His maid. His fixer.
When he didn't need me, I was the obstacle to their fun.
I texted back: [Call the den warden.]
He replied instantly: [Those people take forever. Just call and push them?]
I stared at the screen. The absurdity of it all.
[Handle it yourself.]
A long silence. Then: [Fine.]
Chapter 2
Fifth day. I went back to Asher's den.
Still had a few things I needed to grab.
When I pushed the door open, Asher was sprawled on the main couch, headset on, eyes glued to some hunting sim. He glanced up.
"You're back? Should've told me. I would've sent a runner for you."
"I had a ride."
"Oh." His gaze slid right back to the screen.
Silas's voice blasted through the headset. "Bro, don't zone out. We're about to rank up."
I dragged my bag into the sleeping den and started packing.
The stuff that was actually mine? Not much.
Halfway through, my phone rang. Victoria. Asher's sister.
I picked up. Her voice was warmer than usual - which already put my wolf on edge.
"Vera! Family moon feast this weekend? Mother keeps asking about you."
"When was this decided?"
"We talked about it yesterday. Forgot to tell you. My bad."
Forgot. Right. More like she checked that group chat first.
"I'll see if I'm free."
"Cool, let me know."
"Oh, and - " She dropped her voice. "Asher's stressed. Stop picking fights with him."
I paused. My claws pricked my palms. "When did I pick a fight with him?"
"He said you've been cold lately. And you didn't even tell him about your border run."
"Vera, you two have been together four years. You gotta put in the work. Alpha wolves need attention."
Oh. Seriously?
"Got it, Victoria."
I hung up. Stood in the middle of the sleeping den. Suddenly I didn't want to leave anymore.
Walking away quiet felt too easy for them.
Seven hundred messages. Two years and three months. Every single one about how to leave me out.
Didn't I deserve at least an explanation?
That night, Asher finally shut off his hunting sim.
He saw me sitting on the bed, staring at nothing. He came over and kissed my forehead.
"What's going on? Wanna grab dinner?"
"Asher. Are you hiding something from me?"
He froze for a second. Then laughed. "What? What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing. Just asking."
"You've been watching too many of those moon-drama reels. Those influencers love teaching she-wolves to interrogate their mates." He ruffled my hair. "Come on. Let's hit that moonlight grill."
At the restaurant, he got a call and stepped outside.
I saw his screen light up for a split second - Silas calling.
He stood by the door, back to me, voice low. Couldn't hear a word. But I saw him smile.
When he came back, he didn't mention it. Just kept eating.
"Who was that?"
"Silas. Asked if I wanna play hunt-ball tomorrow."
"You going?"
"Maybe."
I kept eating.
I knew what his "maybe" meant - depends on what that group chat decides.
Next day was Saturday.
Nine in the morning, Asher left. Said he was playing hunt-ball.
I said okay.
After he left, I opened the tablet he'd left behind.
His messaging app was still logged in.
I found the group - Happy Howls Without Vera.
Latest message was from this morning at 7:30.
Silas: [Confirming - Vera isn't coming to the picnic today, right?]
Elena: [Nope. Told her yesterday I'm drowning in patrol reports.]
Connor: [Told her I'm at a friend's den.]
Victoria: [Perfect. Moon Garden north entrance at 2.]
Asher sent an OK emoji.
Hunt-ball. Right.
I put down the tablet and leaned back.
Something heavy pressed on my chest. A deep, indescribable hurt.
They had a whole system. A coordinated operation with one goal: exclude Vera.
I checked the time. 9:40.
Four more hours till two.
I scrolled through the chat for a long time. Found last year's Thanksgiving moon feast.
That day, I'd waited in the den for Asher to come back so we could eat together.
At nine, he said he was stuck at a council dinner.
The chat showed they were at Victoria's den. Turkey, games, the whole thing. They even video-called Connor.
Connor had told me he was "out with classmates."
Every lie had backup. Airtight.
I closed the app and put the tablet back where it was.
Chapter 3
Monday morning, I took a half-day from the council hall and went straight to the pack treasury.
Four years as Asher's chosen mate. Two years sharing his den. We never once split expenses the proper way.
The den was under his name, but I paid half the renovation costs.
I bought two-thirds of the furnishings and the appliances.
Every moon-cycle, he'd send me three thousand silver marks for provisions and bills. Everything else? I covered it.
I pulled the ledger scrolls, tagged every expense, and saved it all to my phone.
Back at the council hall that afternoon, Elena messaged me: [Called you for midday meal but you didn't answer?]
"Was in a meeting."
[Tonight then? After duties?]
"Got plans."
[With who?]
I didn't reply.
Half a minute later: [So mysterious lol. New friend? JK.]
I stared at that "lol." My wolf growled low in my chest.
When I first met Elena four years ago, she was ten times warmer.
She invited me to market days, pulled me into her circle, introduced me to every wolf worth knowing.
I'd just moved to Moonvale territory. Didn't know a single soul. Meeting her felt like the Moon Goddess's own luck.
Now I realize - she got close because I was Asher's mate.
And she excluded me for the exact same reason.
After duties, I didn't go back to the den.
Went to the market hall. Ordered ramen at a food stall.
Halfway through, Asher texted: [Coming home for evening meal? Made stew.]
"No. Working late."
[This busy? You've been working late a lot.]
I didn't reply.
After eating, I passed a den broker's office. Walked in.
"One-room den, close to the underground tram, under three thousand silver a month. Anything available?"
The broker handed me a stack of listings. "Living alone?"
"Yeah."
"Then I'd recommend these. All furnished..."
I picked two near the council hall and scheduled viewings for Wednesday.
When I left, it was almost nine.
Asher called. His voice was edged with an Alpha's irritation.
"Vera, when are you even coming home? The stew's cold."
"Don't wait up. Eat first."
"What's been going on with you? You barely talk to me, you come home later and later."
"What's going on with me?"
"You tell me." He sighed. "Something's off with you lately."
"I've always been like this."
"Fine. Whatever."
He hung up.
I wanted to ask: Do you know why something's off?
Did you spend even one second thinking it might be your problem?
Wednesday, after viewing dens, I signed the claim on the spot.
One month deposit, three months silver. The den keeper wanted me in by the end of the moon-cycle. Perfect timing.
I had two weeks to prepare.
Two weeks to completely disappear from Asher's life.
Thursday afternoon, I was organizing handover scrolls at my desk - also preparing to transfer to another pack division.
My phone buzzed. Voice message from Connor: "My birthday's next week. You coming?"
"Where?"
"Asher's den. He's cooking a whole spread."
I bit my lip. My fangs ached.
"Who's coming?"
"The usual crew. Silas and them. Elena too."
The usual crew.
The eight wolves from that group chat.
My brother's birthday. At my mate's den.
With the wolves who'd been systematically excluding me.
And he was inviting me only because that den was technically my home too.
"Might not make it. Got something."
"What? Come on, it's my birthday. Once a year."
"Connor, when did you and Asher get so close?"
He paused. Then laughed. "We've always been cool. He's basically my pack-brother."
Pack-brother.
We hadn't even completed the mating ceremony.
I hung up. Buried my face in my arms for a moment. A howl pressed against my ribs, but I swallowed it down.
Nineteen-year-old Connor, laughing along in that group chat while everyone lied to me.
He was the brother I'd raised.
When our parents severed their mating bond, he was twelve. Lived with me for three years.
I worked two den jobs to put him through pack academy. Took him to Moonfang Park in the summer. Bought him a new fur-lined winter cloak every year.
When did he start thinking I was someone who needed to be excluded?
Did Asher plant that idea? Or did they infect each other?
Or maybe it had always been this way. And I just never knew.
