Leila POV:
Drake’s words cut through like a blade. "I, Drake... Alpha of the Dark Moon Pack... reject Leila, Luna of the Dark Moon Pack."
For a mont, I couldn’t even breathe. My heart twisted, unable to accept what was happening. Did he just reject ? After everything, after I’d forgiven him for all his mistakes, for how he’d believed Lily’s lies, for the countless tis he’d let down—he chose now to throw away? Rage simred beneath the surface, cooling my shock into a hard resolve. I looked him in the eye, forcing down every ounce of weakness, every instinct that wanted to plead with him.
"I accept," I replied, feeling the icy edge to my voice. If he didn’t want , then I’d let him go. I’d rather endure this pain, this brutal tearing of the mate bond, than stay tied to soone who could abandon so easily.
As soon as the words left my mouth, the mate bond shattered. Pain shot through , ripping apart from the inside. It was as though my heart was being torn from my chest, every nerve in my body set ablaze. I wanted to scream, but I refused to give him that satisfaction. I stood there, stone-faced, even as I felt my wolf recoil from the loss, whimpering before she shut herself off, burying herself in the dark recesses of my mind.
I saw the shock in Drake’s eyes, the slight widening as he realized I wouldn’t beg, wouldn’t fight to keep what was already broken. Maybe he expected to crumble, to plead for another chance. But I was done with him, done with giving my strength to soone who’d only return it with mistrust and betrayal.
The pain still wracked , a dull ache that throbbed with each heartbeat, but I kept myself together, refusing to break in front of him. I had endured torture from the Blood Moon Pack, survived against impossible odds, and I would survive this too. He was no different from the rest of them, the wolves who thought they could wield power over others. Just like my father. I’d trusted Drake because he was my mate, believed in the bond that tied us, but that was over. He’d shown exactly who he was.
As I turned away, I made a silent vow: I would keep my son, fight for him with everything I had, and I would live without Drake. He was nothing to now. Just another wolf who’d let down, who’d believed lies over love.
Without another glance back, I left. I’d make my own life, a life built on my terms, not one tied to a mate who had already proven himself unworthy.
I barely made it back to my room before the tears started, hot and relentless, spilling down my cheeks despite everything I told myself. I locked the door, leaning against it as if it was the only thing holding up, and finally let the sobs co. How could I have been so stupid? So painfully, utterly stupid.
I’d let the mate bond cloud my judgnt, let those damn hormones, those feelings, make believe that maybe, just maybe, I could trust him. That we were different. And now, look where it had led —heartbroken, rejected, abandoned. All because I’d believed in so supposed fated attraction. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I wiped my cheeks, frustrated with myself. What had all of this gotten ? How many tis had I let myself feel small, let myself bend over backward, forgiving and hoping for Drake to co through for ? All that effort, all that pain, for soone who could throw it away with a single sentence. It felt like a joke, like the universe had played so twisted prank on , dangling this "perfect mate" only to have it all unravel.
I sank to the floor, my hands trembling as I hugged my knees close. The emptiness clawed at , a hollow ache where the bond had once been. My wolf whimpered, still curled up and quiet, and I felt that emptiness echo through , cold and unyielding. How many tis had I told myself I was stronger than this, that I didn’t need anyone? And yet, I’d let Drake break down my defenses, only for him to tear apart in the end.
Stupid. Stupid for thinking he was different. Stupid for letting myself feel sothing so raw, so vulnerable. I was done with that. Done with relying on anyone but myself and my son.
I took a deep breath, wiping away the last of the tears as best as I could. If there was one thing this pain taught , it was that I couldn’t be weak—not now, not ever again.
It didn’t matter now. None of it did. Not proving my innocence, not explaining the truth about Lily’s lies, or defending myself against her accusations that I’d tried to harm my own child. All the hurt, the betrayal—it had lost its sting, replaced by a cold clarity. What difference would it make now? The damage was done, and Drake had made his choice. He’d chosen to believe the worst of without even listening, without a second thought.
Let him think whatever he wanted. Let him have his rage, his resentnt. I was beyond the point of caring if he saw the truth. Lily could keep her twisted version of events, and Drake could keep his blind faith in her lies. They deserved each other.
For so long, I’d wanted nothing more than to prove myself—to show Drake, to show the entire pack, that I was worthy. I’d wanted to make them see , really see , past the rumors and misunderstandings. But I was done fighting battles that no one cared to understand. I’d tried, I’d loved, and I’d lost. That was all there was to it.
All I needed now was my son. Ash was the only part of this bond I would cling to. I would fight for him, protect him, do whatever it took to keep him safe. I didn’t need anyone else’s validation, and I didn’t need to prove my worth to anyone but myself. This life, my strength, my resilience—it was for him now, and no one else.
With a steadiness that surprised even , I wiped away the last remnants of tears. I’d mourned what was lost, and I’d let myself feel every ounce of betrayal, every last sting of abandonnt. Now, it was ti to let it all go.
Ash was all that mattered now. He had just two more weeks before he’d complete his ninth month and be strong enough to leave the hospital safely. Every instinct in scread to protect him, to get us both away from this place where trust was shattered, where I was seen as an enemy in my own ho. I couldn’t stay here, not after everything that had happened—and I certainly couldn’t leave him behind.
Drake would never willingly let go with Ash. He’d see it as so twisted betrayal, or maybe he’d think I was taking revenge, trying to use Ash as leverage. But this wasn’t about him or his pride. It was about giving my son the life he deserved—one far from the poisonous lies and deception that had nearly destroyed us. I had to get us out, and I had to do it without Drake suspecting a thing.
Leaving ant ticulous planning, quiet observation, and finding every vulnerability in the pack’s routine. I knew the hospital’s layout and shift rotations. The neonatal staff were more relaxed during the midnight hours, when Ash’s nurses changed shifts. That would be my window. I just had to stay patient and blend in, make everyone believe that, broken and grieving as I was, I would simply stay, accept, and move on.
Every evening, I’d go to the nursery and sit beside Ash’s incubator, humming softly to him, morizing his every feature, every sound. Soon, he’d be ready, and I would be too. When the mont ca, I’d take Ash, and we’d disappear from this place that had never felt like ho. We’d find sowhere far from here where I could finally raise him without the weight of distrust, without the looming shadow of the pack that had turned its back on .
Two weeks. That was all I needed. Then, Ash and I would be gone, and I’d finally be free to live as we deserved.
Taking a steadying breath, I stood up from the floor where I’d collapsed, clutching myself against the raw sting of Drake’s rejection. I felt hollow, emptied of everything, as if his words had stripped bare. But I refused to stay crumpled in that pain any longer. Slowly, I made my way to the bathroom, ignoring the weakness in my legs and the numbness that still wrapped around my heart.
In the harsh bathroom light, I barely recognized myself in the mirror. My face was puffy and stained with tears, and the dark circles under my eyes told the story of weeks spent under the weight of deceit and survival. I splashed cold water on my face, scrubbing away the traces of my grief. Enough. I couldn’t let myself sink any further.
I went back to the bed, sitting down carefully, willing myself to feel stronger. I had too much to do to let this rejection keep down. I needed my health back, and that ant caring for myself, even if it felt impossible right now. For weeks, I’d been taking risks with my body, pushing myself to maintain a ruse I could no longer afford.
Now, I had to regain my strength, not just for myself but for Ash. He was still small and fragile, depending on entirely. My escape depended on my ability to care for him, to protect him, and to rebuild everything this broken bond had torn from . It would take ti, but I was determined to get there. Drake may have rejected , but he couldn’t strip of my purpose or my will.
I lay back on the bed, exhaling slowly, feeling the last traces of the pain seep out as resolve took its place. I would heal, I would regain my strength, and when Ash was ready, so would I be.
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