Alpha's Regret: A Love That Came Too Late

I use a full decade just to be able to stand by Claude Thorne's side as an equal. In the past, I used to be an outsider who was often ignored by others, but slowly, I've transformed into Claude's most trusted Beta as well as the future Luna. But I decide to leave Claude one month before the Luna coronation ceremony is set to begin. It's because Claude has personally placed the Luna crown, which is supposed to be mine, onto Victoria Grimm's head instead. "It's just a crown. Victoria doesn't have anyone left in this world. What's wrong with letting her wear it? You're the future Luna, so you must be more magnanimous." I never bothered crying or throwing a tantrum. Instead, I've secretly dissolved the mate bond between Claude and me. Just like that, I've graciously given away the position as Claude's mate to Victoria magnanimously, like the way Claude wants me to be. But he goes nuts instead. He tracks me all the way to the human society in an attempt to patch things up with me. But what he doesn't expect to see is Silas Wulfric, the legendary Alpha King, getting down on one knee in front of me. "Heather, since that blind fool is incapable of crowning you as his Luna, allow me to make you the Luna Queen." Chapter 1 "Elder Garou, I am voluntarily stepping down from my position as Beta of the pack to apply for permission to go out and gain experience," I said in a voice devoid of any emotion as I placed the signed resignation letter on the wooden table. The elder, Remy Garou, looked stunned. "What? Heather, you're about to become Luna, yet you want to leave now? You've endured so much to earn a place by Claude's side, pushing yourself from an Omega without a wolf to a Beta. "In that last battle with the vampires, you nearly lost your life. Now that things are finally starting to look up for you, you want to leave?" Looking up? But then, why did I still only feel the pain and none of the gain? I held back the tears threatening to fall. "Elder Garou, please approve it. There's someone more suitable for that position than me." For the past ten years, outsiders had only seen Claude's special treatment of me. After all, I was the only one who could freely enter his study and also the only she-wolf who could get close to him. However, I knew full well that he had agreed to crown me as Luna not because of love, but because of the vampire ambush two months ago. To buy him time, I'd ventured alone into the enemy camp and nearly been drained of blood. When I woke up, Claude had caressed my face, his gaze complicated. "You saved me. I can't give you anything else, so I'll make you my Luna." I saw the pity in his eyes, but I accepted it anyway. I'd thought that, given enough time, his heart of stone would eventually warm up. But everything changed the day Victoria Grimm returned. Without waiting for Elder Garou's response, I turned and walked out of the council hall. My phone vibrated. There was a new post in the pack forum, a replay of Victoria's coronation ceremony. The comments section was particularly hurtful. "What a perfect match. Since Ms. Grimm is the former Alpha's daughter, only she deserves to stand by Alpha Claude's side." "I heard Ms. Grimm put in tremendous effort during this vampire extermination. Like father, like daughter indeed." In the video close-up, Victoria wore a red gown, intimately holding Claude's arm and whispering in his ear. Claude tilted his head to listen, the corners of his lips unconsciously lifting. Claude, who on regular days would order me to keep my distance even when I was reporting battle updates, claiming he didn't like the scent of others, now had his brow relaxed. The scene shifted to the coronation ceremony. Claude placed the crown that belonged to me onto Victoria's head with his own hands. "Victoria, only you are worthy of this crown." Though I'd mentally prepared myself, my heart still couldn't help but ache when I witnessed this scene. Echoing in my ears were the words Claude had spoken to me in his study two days ago. "It's just a Luna crown—why are you fighting over it? Victoria's father guided me when I was growing up. Now she has no family to rely on and needs the Luna crown to maintain her dignity. "The Luna position will still be yours in the end, so it's not like it affects your status." Tears slipped down unbidden, and like one punishing oneself, I looked back at the screen. The coronation ceremony ended, and Victoria excitedly rose on her tiptoes to kiss Claude's cheek right in front of everyone. The same Claude, who'd frown and pull away if I so much as accidentally touched him, was momentarily startled but didn't push her away. In that moment, I finally saw reality clearly. It wasn't that he had a cleanliness obsession, but purely his rejection of me. Even though he and I'd already shared an intimate bond as mates, he still hated my touch. I roughly wiped the tears from my face and returned to my quarters. As I packed my belongings, I realized how pathetically little I had. This place had never been my home. If anything, I was merely a lodger. A buzz rang out from my phone again. It was Claude. "Victoria is throwing a celebration party at the pack tonight. Take care of the arrangements, and make sure to secure the best venue." It was only upon seeing this command that I remembered he had already severed our mind-link in order to sense Victoria's condition the moment anything happened. I shook my head with a self-deprecating smile and typed a word in the dialogue box that I'd never used with him before. "I'm busy." Since I'd decided to leave, I wasn't going to leave any room for turning back. I found the Gamma in charge of training, Sawyer Harte, and dumped the Beta command badge, along with the keys to the warehouse and armory, into his arms. "They're all yours now." "Ms. Ashwood, what's the meaning of this?" Sawyer asked with confusion. "I'm handing everything over to you," I replied curtly and turned to leave. "Don't come to me about these matters anymore." It took me ten years to earn this badge. But it only took a second to rip it off. Chapter 2 That evening, Claude returned in triumph with Victoria. But when he pushed open the doors to the banquet hall, he was dumbfounded. The wine hadn't been decanted, the seating arrangements were chaotic, the newly appointed Gamma was in a fluster, and they'd even forgotten to adjust the lighting over the main table. Claude stood at the entrance, his brows knotted tight. Yet, the atmosphere of the party forced him to maintain appearances. I sat in a corner of the hall, squeezed onto a table with ordinary patrol warriors, watching this farce unfold. The lights converged on the main table. Victoria, wearing a bespoke white gown, stood beside Claude like a proud peacock. The contrast with me, his legitimate mate, was ironically perfect. Victoria had clearly spotted me. She picked up her glass and gracefully stepped onto the stage. "Heather, so that's where you've been hiding," she said, her voice amplified through the microphone. "On the way back yesterday, a few vampire remnants ambushed us, and Alpha Claude exhausted himself to protect me. "I seem to recall that you're responsible for eliminating them, so how come you dropped the ball this time? What if Alpha Claude had been injured?" Every wolf began whispering among themselves, their accusatory gaze boring into me one by one. Claude looked over as well. His gaze was cold, and it carried a hint of displeasure at being slighted. I set down my glass and rose unhurriedly to my feet. "Ms. Grimm, I must correct you. The Luna crown you wear on your head is a symbol of honor and status. Since Alpha Claude bestowed this honor upon you, you should know to be grateful and repay his kindness. "Yet, you focus only on enjoyment. At a critical moment, not only were you unable to protect Alpha Claude, but you actually let him protect you. That is your dereliction of duty. "Or perhaps ask yourself—why is it that, wearing the Luna crown, you still cannot take down a few remnant vampires?" The pack felt I had a point, and the looks they cast toward Victoria held a hint of something different. "That's not it. I was just—" Victoria panicked, her lips trembling as she failed to fabricate a decent excuse. She seemed not to have expected that the me who usually swallowed my pride had changed so much today. The murmuring continued. Some werewolves even began questioning whether the coronation ceremony had been tainted by personal feelings. Unable to find a way to respond, Victoria burst into tears on the spot in her desperation, demanding to know why I'd embarrassed her in public. A celebration party held in her honor had turned into a mockery. "Enough, Heather!" Claude interjected with a darkened face, coming to her rescue. "You are my Beta, so protecting me is your duty. Stop shirking responsibility. Now, apologize to Victoria for ruining the celebration." I laughed in exasperation. Claude had deliberately taken Victoria to the border as a formality, staging the illusion that she'd contributed to the pack, all to legitimize her coronation. It was a pure accident they'd run into those vampire remnants, yet now he was twisting it into my dereliction of duty? I lifted my chin and met Claude's eyes squarely. "I did nothing wrong! I'm not the one who started this dispute—she did. She's the one who should apologize!" This was the first time I had defied Claude's comment, and in front of all our pack members, no less. It made Claude lose face completely. He stared at me intently, anger churning in his eyes. "I'll say it one more time—apologize to her now!" "No!" As we stood locked in confrontation, Claude raised his hand and struck me hard across the face. The entire hall fell into dead silence. Even Claude himself looked stunned. My face quickly swelled red. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, but remained obstinate. "I won't apologize!" "Very well then." Claude forcibly suppressed his rage, one hand supporting his forehead as he paced back and forth. "Guards, take her down and lock her up. She can come out when she's ready to see reason." The party ended on a sour note. Claude returned very late, still carrying that cloying perfume scent Victoria always wore. Seeing me curled up on the couch, apparently having cried, he looked momentarily guilty. "Does it still hurt?" He crouched down and reached out to touch my face. "I was just— "Don't touch me!" I knocked his hand away. "You should go be with Victoria." My lack of receptiveness angered him once again. "What exactly are you making a scene about?" He stood up, looking down at me. In a tone laced with undisguised annoyance, he continued, "Victoria was just concerned because she felt you've been off lately. Was it necessary to cause such a commotion?" I looked up at this wolf I'd loved for ten years. Even now, he still believed I was the one at fault. "Claude, you call that concern? Concern means throwing mud on me in front of everyone and humiliating me publicly?" Claude's eyes flickered for a moment, then he shifted the subject. "That still doesn't justify you making a scene." He moved closer to the window and lit a cigarette, his emotions gradually calming. "When it comes down to it, isn't this all about that Luna crown? After next month's actual Luna coronation ceremony, the entire pack will be yours. Was it necessary to cause such a fuss?" He was always using the Luna position to guilt me into being the bigger wolf. I said nothing because I felt there was no point in continuing this conversation. He thought I'd come to see my mistake, so he softened his tone. "Alright, I was wrong tonight too. I shouldn't have hit you. Consider that slap your atonement to Victoria. We're even now." I listened to his reasoning in disbelief. I'd been falsely accused first, yet the instigator only had to shed a few tears before I ended up being slapped. And now he was telling me this made us even? What kind of twisted logic was that? I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, trying hard to suppress the urge to lose control. It was time to tell him about dissolving the mate bond. Chapter 3 "Claude Thorne," I called him by his full name for the first time as I casually tossed the "Notice of Dissolution of Mate Bond" toward him. "I am now formally informing you that I no longer wish to be Beta, and I couldn't care less about the Luna position either. Since you care so much about Victoria, you can have her take my place at the coronation ceremony next month." "How many times do I have to say it?" Claude was thoroughly enraged. Without even glancing at the notice, he lunged forward and seized me by the shoulders. "I think of Victoria as a sister. My regard for her is based solely on the debt I owe her father! And you want me to make her Luna? You must've lost your mind!" Rage burned in his eyes. "Do you have any idea what giving up Luna means? You'd actually make a joke out of something like this just to get my attention? Do you think I have nothing better to do?" "Do you truly think of her only as a sister?" I demanded, my voice cracking. Just then, a figure appeared in the doorway. Victoria stumbled in, panic written all over her face. "Claude, something terrible has happened! The border barrier is weakening, and outsiders are attacking!" Claude's expression instantly tightened. He released me and coldly tossed out a final remark. "Stay home and reflect properly. I'll deal with you when I get back." With that, he rushed out of the door. I calmly picked up the notice he'd ignored. Then, I looked around the room that no longer held any of my belongings and murmured to myself, "Home? Do I still have a home?" Claude was right. I did need to reflect—on how I'd been blind to the truth for ten years. Early the next morning, I left the pack's core territory and returned to what had once been my home. It was a small settlement attached to the fringes of the Moonwing pack. The moment I stepped through the door, my father, Raymond Ashwood, rubbed his hands together as he hurried over. His face, puffy from years of heavy drinking, was plastered with a fawning smile. "Heather, how did it go? Did Claude promise you the Luna position? I heard Luna gets extra monthly supplies, plus—" "No," I interrupted flatly, crushing his fantasies. "And there are no supplies. I've dissolved my mate bond with Claude, so I'll probably be moving back here from now on." The air froze for a second. The smile on Dad's face stiffened, then twisted into something hideous and terrifying. A sharp, heavy slap landed across my face. "You useless wretch!" Dad exploded in rage, jabbing his finger at my nose as he cursed me out. "Your brother Jax made a huge bet with some other wolves and lost a fortune. "The whole family's counting on you to turn things around, yet you dare dissolve the mate bond? I'm going to beat you to death!" "What a loser." My stepmother, Linda Lupine, folded her arms and fanned the flames. "You can't even hold on to a mate, and now you want to come back here and freeload? The nerve!" Dad grew more agitated with each passing moment. He grabbed a glass ashtray from the table and hurled it at me with all his might. I didn't dodge. The ashtray struck my temple, and blood streamed down from my brow, staining my vision red. But I felt no pain. After all, what was a little physical hurt compared to the wounds already carved into my heart? I casually wiped the blood from my face and looked at my so-called father as if seeing a stranger. "That slap and this blood should just about repay you for raising me. From today onward, I have nothing more to do with this family." With that, I turned and walked away. Behind me came Dad's vicious curses, accompanied by the loud crash of things being smashed. "Stubborn brat! If you walk out that door, don't ever come back! You can die out there for all I care. Throw out everything she left in the attic, lest they bring bad luck!" Dragging my suitcase, I had nowhere to go. In the end, I went to the gray zone between the two packs. Here, there were no laws or jurisdiction. Instead, there was only a mix of Rogues and exiled outcasts. I rented the cheapest apartment available. Ironically, this was exactly where Claude had first placed me ten years ago when he took me away from my family. Back then, he'd said, "You're an outsider. If you live in the core territory, you'll be ostracized. So, this place suits you better." I'd believed him then, and I'd been so grateful. Now that I thought about it, it was just that he didn't consider me worthy of setting foot in his territory. Chapter 4 I'd just reached the apartment building with my suitcase when a familiar SUV slowly pulled up to the curb. The window rolled down, revealing Claude's sharply defined face. In the passenger seat, Victoria leaned forward, looking surprised. "Heather? What are you doing in a place like this? Good heavens, how did you get that injury on your forehead?" They were here to handle the border barrier issues, and the last thing they expected was to run into me. Claude pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. When his gaze swept over the wound on my temple, his brow furrowed—not with concern, but with disgust and impatience. "Heather, you're really something. I told you to stay home and reflect properly. Did that just go in one ear and out the other?" His eyes fell on my suitcase. "You're actually moving out just to avoid apologizing? And you've let yourself go to such a state! You know full well how much I hate being threatened." My grip on the suitcase handle tightened. So, to him, my injuries and my blood were always just tactics to gain his attention? I didn't argue, nor could I be bothered to explain. Let him think whatever he wanted. After all, he and I were no longer connected. I picked up the suitcase and turned to head upstairs. With my old wound still unhealed, my arm trembled slightly against my will. Claude instinctively reached out to help me. "Oh, dear." Behind us, Victoria suddenly let out a coy exclamation. Her heel had broken, and she was now half-leaning against the car. Claude strode over and lifted her into his arms with practiced ease. "I've told you before not to wear high heels when going out, but you never listen," he said in a tone that carried a fondness he himself hadn't even realized. Victoria casually wrapped her arms around Claude's neck, her gaze shifting to me. "Claude, maybe you should put me down. Heather's suitcase looks heavy, and I heard her injury hasn't healed yet. Perhaps you could help her?" I stopped in my tracks, my back still turned to them. At that moment, I felt as if my heart had stopped beating. Perhaps out of unwillingness, I was waiting for the man I'd given ten years to might show even a trace of pity. But there was none. After a few seconds of silence, Claude's indifferent voice drifted over. "Don't bother with her. She's just a little hurt—it's not like she's made of glass." Behind me came the sound of a car door closing, followed by Claude's warning, "Heather, there's a limit to my patience. Move back within tomorrow, or don't bother coming back at all." I stood frozen at the entrance to the stairwell, staring at the scar on my hand—the one I'd gotten saving him—and suddenly felt that these ten years of persistence had been nothing but a complete and utter joke. The next morning, I was jolted awake by the sound of someone pounding on my door. The moment I cracked it open, the nauseating stench of cheap tobacco smoke rushed in. "You little brat! You made me hunt all over for you!" Dad kicked the door open. Behind him were Linda and several strange wolves dressed in Blackwater pack's attire. From their scent, they were at least Gamma or higher rank. I frowned and cautiously took a step back. The lead wolf looked me up and down. "So, this is your daughter? She's quite a looker. No wonder she's been Moonwing pack's Alpha's bed companion all these years. Too bad she got dumped." "Yes." Dad nodded eagerly with an obsequious smile. "Sure, Claude's gotten tired of her, but she's healthy and good for breeding. You can have her for five carts of supplies, and I won't go any lower than that." Listening to them haggle, I stared in disbelief at this so-called father of mine. "You're selling me to Blackwater pack for five carts of supplies?" The Blackwater pack was notorious for its brutality. Their Alpha, Colbin Bloodworth, was rumored to be a sadist, and he had tortured more than ten she-wolves to death. "What do you mean 'selling?'" Linda cut in shrilly. "Alpha Colbin might be old, but his territory's vast. Being with him means living the good life, and it'll score Jax some bargaining chips." "I won't do it." My chest heaved as I stared coldly at them. "This is my home, and I've already cut ties with you. Now, get out!" "That's not your decision to make." Dad's expression darkened as he signaled to the Gamma wolves. "Take her away! Just make sure she's delivered alive to Alpha Colbin." Several wolves lunged at me immediately. If I were in good health, these brutes wouldn't stand a chance against me. But alas, with my old injuries unhealed and the exhaustion from the past few days, my body was already pushed past its limits. The wolves charged aggressively, reaching out to seize me by the shoulders. I sidestepped one grasping hand and countered with a punch straight to another's nose, only for a third wolf to kick me hard in the stomach. The searing pain made everything go dark. I nearly blacked out, and the wolves seized the chance to pin me down. "Let's see how you escape now, you worthless mutt!" The lead wolf pulled a chain from his waist, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. "This chain's been cursed by a witch and is specially designed to deal with unruly she-wolves like you. Once it's on, even a noble Luna has to behave." Despair and terror washed over me. I closed my eyes. Was this to be my end? Sold off like livestock, dying in some dark corner somewhere? "Stop right there!" Just as the chain was about to touch my neck, a silver streak flashed by. Chapter 5 Only an Alpha could achieve that kind of explosive speed. Then came several dull thuds as the wolves were all sent flying backward. "How dare you lay hands on my she-wolf?" That familiar voice made my heart skip a beat. I looked up to find Claude standing protectively in front of me. The cursed chain was now wrapped around his left arm. Its sharp barbs had torn through his suit jacket, and blood dripped from his fingers onto the concrete floor. It was a shocking sight, to say the least. "A-Alpha Claude, what brings you here?" Dad's and Linda's legs gave way, and they dropped to their knees with a thud, trembling. Claude's oppressive air swept over everyone, terrifying them so much they didn't dare lift their heads. He swept his gaze across the group like a conqueror. "Go back and tell your Alpha that if he dares provoke us again, we won't hesitate to raze Blackwater pack to the ground. And you two!" His eyes locked onto Dad and Linda. "If I ever catch you scheming like this again, you're out of the pack for good." "O-Of course. There won't be a next time." They scrambled away on all fours, fleeing as fast as they could. The room fell silent. Leaning against the wall, I watched the tall figure before me, my heart pounding uncontrollably. Ten years ago, I'd been just as helpless, watching him descend like a savior to shield me from all the cruelty. For a moment, I wondered if maybe there was still a tiny part of him that cared for me. But then I heard him impatiently say, "Heather, learn to handle this kind of trivial nonsense yourself from now on. I'm busy—I don't have time to clean up your messes." When I didn't respond, he straightened his sleeves. "Now, come home with me. Don't make me ask twice." With that, he headed downstairs without so much as a backward glance. "Claude!" A figure emerged from the car. Victoria's eyes reddened the moment she spotted the blood on Claude's sleeve. "How did you get hurt?" She held Claude's arm with concern. After confirming he wasn't seriously hurt, she let go in a huff and turned her head away. "You promised to spend my birthday with me today, but you broke your word for Heather. What does she have that I don't? Why, after everything she's done to challenge your authority, can you still not let her go?" I reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to witness this scene. Claude pulled the sulking Victoria into his arms, a flicker of helplessness crossing his face. "Alright, stop overthinking this. She can't compare to you in any way. In fact, you're the most important she-wolf to me. As far as I'm concerned, she's nothing more than a useful hunting dog." My suitcase thudded to the ground. Claude caught sight of me standing in the shadowed corner, and for a brief moment, bewilderment flickered in his eyes. He instinctively let Victoria go and opened his mouth to speak, yet no words came out. I refused to go back with Claude. According to the plan, I'd leave his territory completely the day after tomorrow and head into human society. After seeing Victoria off, Claude returned to my place. "Are you angry?" I turned my head away, avoiding his gaze. "No." "I only said that earlier because Victoria was emotionally unstable at the time," Claude explained unprompted, his tone flat. "You know how she's always been. If she doesn't get her way, she tends to take it hard." I didn't respond, as I was tired of hearing the same excuse again. Seeing me silent, Claude assumed I'd taken it in, and his tone softened. "Besides, I've already made it clear to Victoria that I won't be with her. So, you don't need to be jealous of her. "To me, she's just a child—a little sister. She'll never be a threat to your position." I looked up and met his deep eyes. He was gazing at me with an unusual seriousness I rarely saw. Maybe I had overthought things after all. Just as I was beginning to question whether I'd been too hasty, my phone vibrated. I opened it and saw a message boldly flashing in the pack forum's push notifications. "Congratulations! The "Moonwing Pack Border Defense Spell", proposed and authored by Ms. Grimm, has officially passed the Council of Elders' review. Tomorrow, in collaboration with the pack priest, a demonstration of the defense spell will be held." Attached below was a message, "A belated birthday gift from Claude." In that moment, my mind went completely blank. That defense spell was the fruit of my labor, something I'd spent three whole years completing. I'd visited border defenses across the pack's territory, run thousands of sand table simulations, and even risked ambush by Rogues and vampires. Yet now, it was being credited to Victoria? Chapter 6 I turned to look at Claude. In this moment, I finally understood why his attitude had suddenly shifted. It was all for Victoria. Blood rushed to my head. I bent down to pick up the phone and thrust the screen in front of Claude's face. "So, this is what you meant by she'll never be a threat to my position?" I asked hoarsely. "You're paving a way for Victoria with the work I nearly died for?" Claude's eyes wavered with guilt under my gaze. He looked away and said, "Heather, be reasonable. There's something I haven't told you. I'm planning to send Victoria into a political marriage. "If it goes through, our pack will gain significant advantages. The other party is an Alpha from a major pack, so he has high standards. Victoria may be noble by birth, but her abilities are limited. "Without some talent and achievements to her name, how could she establish herself there?" His logic was flawless. I let out an exasperated laugh and asked, "Then aren't you afraid I won't be able to secure my place in the pack?" Claude hadn't expected this reaction from me. Anger flared in his eyes as he demanded, "Why are you being so petty? You're a powerful Beta, so the whole pack already acknowledges you. "What use do you have for empty titles? But the same can't be said for Victoria. She's going to an unfamiliar pack. Without these accolades to her name, she wouldn't survive at all!" Was that so? But how was it that I remembered, ever since Victoria came back, my glory and the faith of our pack had all become hers? I'd once believed he simply didn't know how to love. But looking at the wolf before me, I realized I was wrong. In his subconscious, I was just a tool that needed no care, whereas Victoria was the one who needed protecting. I was truly exhausted and no longer wanted to argue with him. "Claude, please leave. I need to rest." His expression darkened, and he threatened, "Heather, my patience has limits." "Then stop being patient and just revoke my Luna position." I pointed at the door. "Get out, now." Claude gave me a long, hard look, suppressing his anger. "Given that you've been wronged, I won't hold this against you. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning. "If you've thought it through, the Luna position is still yours. Don't make a decision you'll regret." He turned and left, his back still tall and proud. Silence returned once more to the room. I walked to my desk and pulled a thick stack of documents from a hidden compartment in the drawer. They were the original manuscripts for the defense spell. On them were the restoration incantations that only I knew, something I'd traveled thousands of miles to obtain from the legendary mysterious priest. As a core secret, not even the High Priest of the Moonwing pack, Fenris Kane, knew about them. Originally, I'd planned to leave them for the pack, since the spell was my life's work. But now, I wanted to be selfish for once. I tore the manuscript into tiny pieces and tossed them into the trash. Then, I turned and walked out the door. Without the restoration incantations, the defense barrier would be on the verge of collapse at any moment. Now, I was going back to take one last look at my life's work—not for Claude, but myself. At the pack's ceremonial altar, Victoria stood on the elevated platform, draped in a pristine white robe like a holy maiden. "I shall now activate the pack's territorial defense spell for everyone." She raised the scepter in her hand. Cheers erupted from the crowd. Some even knelt in worship, proclaiming that this was what a true Luna should look like. I stood in the shadows of the crowd, watching yet another moment of glory that should've been mine being claimed by someone else. Despite myself, my heart clenched with pain. Victoria wore a smug smile, her gaze sweeping toward me with open provocation. I ignored her. I just wanted to see the results of three years of my hard work. The spell activated, and a visible sphere of energy slowly expanded from the crystal ball. If all went as planned, the spell would soon take effect. Amid everyone's anticipation, the ceremony reached its critical moment. All hearts were in their throats. But in the next instant, something went terribly wrong. The crystal ball, which had been glowing softly, suddenly swelled and emitted a blinding flash. Then, it shattered into pieces with a bang. Chapter 7 Victoria screamed, clutching her eyes as the energy backlash sent her flying through the air before she crashed heavily to the ground. The crowd erupted in chaos, staring at the shattered crystal ball, utterly bewildered about what could have gone wrong. Claude rushed onto the platform and gathered Victoria into his arms, anxiously checking her injuries. "Quick! Get a healer!" he roared, his eyes burning crimson like those of a raging beast. Victoria sobbed heartbreakingly in Claude's embrace. "Claude, why did the spell fail? Did someone tamper with the crystal ball? My eyes hurt so much—am I going blind?" The healer arrived swiftly, and Victoria gradually calmed down. "What happened?" Claude finished calming Victoria and then roared at the crowd. "Who did this?" His oppressive presence swept through the area, forcing everyone to their knees. As panic spread, Victoria's personal attendant, Saskia Moor, darted out from somewhere and dropped to her knees with a thud. She looked at me with a mix of resentment and a trace of inexplicable guilt. "Alpha Claude, I know who sabotaged the spell!" Her gaze fixed on me, her implication unmistakable. One by one, eyes filled with hatred or contempt followed her line of sight toward me. Everyone knew that Victoria and I were the only ones with a history of bad blood. A feeling of dread washed over me. Just as I opened my mouth to explain, Saskia pointed at me and said, "It was her, Beta Heather! This morning, I saw her enter the council hall. "She said that if they didn't return the authorship to her, she'd destroy Ms. Victoria's life's work." Trembling, she produced a memory crystal and projected its contents into the air. The image showed me tearing up another copy of the manuscript and throwing the pieces into a trash bin. I'd originally thought that if Victoria wanted to steal my achievement, she should be prepared to deal with the consequences. Never did it once cross my mind that this would become irrefutable evidence that I'd deliberately sabotaged the spell. Claude turned to me with a cold gleam in his eyes. "Heather, do you have anything to say for yourself?" All I felt was the ridiculousness of it all as I stood there watching this shoddy frame-up unfold. I looked at Claude and asked calmly, "Have you verified anything? You're going to convict me based solely on an attendant's words and a few images of torn paper?" "Silence! The evidence is right in front of us, and you still dare to quibble?" Claude rose slowly and walked toward me. "Heather, you have truly disappointed me. It seems you won't learn your lesson without punishment." A surge of supreme Alpha authority crashed down upon me. "Kneel," he uttered coldly. "We'll settle the matter of sabotaging the spell later. For now, kneel and apologize to Victoria." "I didn't do it, so why should I kneel?" I retorted with a glare. "Unyielding fool!" My defiance seemed to enrage Claude further, and the weight of his Alpha authority intensified. Before the crowd, I was forcibly crushed to my knees by the sheer force of his power. "Guards, hold her head down. She will apologize to Victoria until she is forgiven!" Ten years of battle merits I'd earned, and a body full of scars to show for it. Yet in the end, all they brought me was being forced to kneel before a thief in front of the entire pack, my head pushed down by the very wolf I loved. Before I could react, the guards grabbed my head and slammed it against the ground toward Victoria again and again until blood seeped from my forehead. The ground grew slick with blood. Through a haze of pain, I heard fragments of conversation between Victoria and Claude. "It's alright, Claude. Maybe she didn't mean to do it." "It's precisely because you're too kind-hearted that she dares to scheme against you. Keep going—are you all slacking off?" Those were the last words I heard before I blacked out. Something inside me died, because after that, I could no longer feel the pain. Chapter 8 When I woke up at the infirmary, Claude was sitting by the bed. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept all night. "I might've gone too far last night." He raised a hand to touch my forehead, but I pulled away. "Noble Alpha, you'd better keep your distance. After all, you wouldn't want a vile she-wolf like me to tarnish your reputation, would you?" My voice was ice-cold, and it inexplicably irritated Claude. "That's enough, Heather! Victoria's already agreed to let what happened last night slide, and yet you still have the audacity to make a scene?" I glared at him fiercely, as if he were my enemy. "A scene? In your eyes, I'm always the one making scenes, always the unreasonable one. Get out! Go be with your precious Victoria! It's not like you'd believe anything I say anyway!" With that, I turned my head away, refusing to look at him anymore. This behavior seemed to anger him further. He suddenly leaned in, pinning both my hands above my head with one hand while the other gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "How dare you act so self-righteous?" His breath washed over my face. "You're the one who made Victoria look bad over the authorship issue. We've already found the evidence, so is it really that hard for you to admit fault?" Looking at him from such close proximity, I suddenly realized how unfamiliar this face had become. "I told you, I didn't sabotage the spell. What I tore up was just the original manuscript. It had no effect on the s—" "Shut your mouth!" He cut me off roughly. "Even now you're still lying? Heather, when did you become so vain and vicious? Isn't this all because you're jealous of how I treat Victoria? You want my affection, don't you?" A flicker of obsession passed through his eyes. "Fine, since you want it so badly, I'll give it to you." He lowered his head, ignoring my struggles as he forcibly tore open my collar. His warm lips landed roughly on the side of my neck, carrying the weight of punishment. He wasn't wrong. There was a time when I'd longed for this kind of deep intimacy with him. But I understood what he was doing to me now wasn't love, but humiliation. It was the punishment a master inflicted on a disobedient pet, an attempt to use primal instinct to break my will. His actions only made me feel disgust. Just as his teeth were about to pierce my gland, I somehow managed to summon a burst of strength from somewhere deep within my already weakened body. I wrenched my head to the side and bit down on his forearm with all my might. Blood spread across my lips, its metallic taste filling my mouth. Claude grunted in pain, his movements halting abruptly. He stared at me in disbelief, momentarily dazed as he looked at the deep, bone-baring teeth marks on his arm. Seizing the opportunity, I shoved him away and scrambled off the bed. Then, I wiped my mouth repeatedly, as if it had touched something utterly filthy. At last, the tears broke free—not just from hurt, but also from relief. I looked at him, my gaze utterly hollow. "Claude, you truly disgust me." Claude froze on the spot, as if he hadn't expected me to describe him as disgusting. "This bite is to mourn the ten years I have given to a heartless wolf." With that, I turned and rushed out without sparing him another glance. Claude stood there dumbfounded. He instinctively moved to go after me, then abruptly stopped in his tracks. Behind me came his enraged voice, "Heather, don't bother coming back! If you won't be Luna, there are plenty who will!" I smiled self-deprecatingly. Still, I didn't look back. Half an hour later, I stood at the security checkpoint at the human airport in new attire. I took out my phone and noticed dozens of missed calls, all from the Council of Elders. They probably wanted to inquire about the defense spell. I pried out the SIM card expressionlessly and, with a flick of my wrist, dropped it into the nearby trash bin. Goodbye, Moonwing pack. Goodbye, Claude. From this moment on, Beta Heather ceased to exist. And in her place, there was only Heather Ashwood—a human and a designer.