The Severed Bond

The heavy leather straps of the duffel bag bit into Kaelia’s shoulders as she hoisted it up. She adjusted the weight, staring at the polished wooden floor of her childhood home. Her chest felt incredibly tight, the air thick with an unspoken tension that threatened to choke her.

"I’ll be gone for about four days," Kaelia said, bowing her head slightly out of respect to her parents, Rowena and Silas.

Silas stepped forward, a warm smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Nadia mentioned you’re heading to the Shattered Moon Pack. Do you even know the way?"

"No," Kaelia admitted, adjusting the strap again. "But the warriors going with me do. They’ll lead the way."

"Good," Silas nodded, his voice thick with genuine care. "Come back in one piece. Spend some time with us when you return. Bring Cassian, too."

A hollow chuckle escaped Kaelia’s lips. She swallowed the massive lump forming in her throat, forcing a smile to hide the devastating sadness anchoring her soul. "I will, Dad. I will."

Her gaze drifted toward her younger sister. Nadia stood near the hallway arch, bouncing on her heels. Kaelia reached out with trembling fingers, brushing a stray strand of red hair behind Nadia’s ear. Betrayal gnawed at Kaelia’s insides, a vicious monster she had to keep caged. She couldn't let them see the cracks in her armor.

"Behave while I’m gone, Nadia," Kaelia murmured, her voice breaking right at the end.

Nadia twisted her fingers together in front of her, beaming from ear to ear. The innocence in her wide eyes felt like a twisted joke. "I’m always on my best behavior. Come back soon. Bring me some fresh meat from the hunt."

"I will, if I get the time," Kaelia replied softly. "For Mom, too."

Rowena didn't even blink. Her mother leaned against the doorframe, her eyes devoid of any warmth. Cold and distant, just as they had been ever since Kaelia took the Luna title instead of becoming the elite Beta warrior her mother had trained her to be. "There’s still meat in the fridge from your last trip. Save your time. Use it to do something else."

"Mother, I—"

Silas stepped between them, laughing off the freezing tension. He threw a heavy, comforting arm around Kaelia’s shoulders and guided her toward the front door, away from the others. "Don't mind her, sweetie. Just go and be safe. I’d be delighted to receive some deer meat."

Kaelia managed a small, fragile smile for the only man who still looked at her with pride. "Alright. I'll go now. Take care of them while I’m away."

Silas nodded. Kaelia turned her back on her family and walked out the door. She headed toward the pack borders where the escort team waited. The morning mist still clung to the trees. Cassian’s Gamma, Gideon, stood near the edge of the woods, checking the supplies. Next to him, Tobias had already shifted. The massive gray wolf stood silently, carrying a heavy wooden box secured to his back with thick ropes.

Kaelia exhaled a shaky breath. "Ready?"

Gideon looked up. "Yeah. Everything is set. The weapons are packed. Tobias will carry them for now, and we can switch the weight from person to person on the way."

"Alright," Kaelia nodded. "Let's go. Lead the way, Gideon."

She looked over her shoulder, casting one last reluctant glance at the pack lands. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She crouched down, letting the familiar snap and reform of bone take over. Fur sprouted from her skin. Within seconds, her silver-colored wolf stood in the dirt.

But her wolf whimpered. A deep, mournful sound rattled in her chest. The beast feared leaving. It paced, scratching the soil. Goddess knows what would happen between Cassian and Nadia while she was gone, but she was assigned a mission. As Luna, she had to fulfill it.

By nightfall, the air turned frigid. They set up a small camp deep in the neutral woods. A fire crackled in the center, spitting orange sparks into the dark.

Kaelia sat by the flames in her human form, but she couldn't stop shivering. Her skin crawled with an intense, unbearable itch. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and she didn't even know why she was crying. She rubbed her chest, gasping for air.

Then, the pain hit.

It wasn't just a dull ache. It was a searing, white-hot fire erupting from the mating mark on her neck. Her wolf slammed against the mental walls of her mind, howling in pure agony. The bond tying her soul to Cassian was burning incessantly. It felt like she was dying. It had to be related to Cassian. It just had to be.

Kaelia fell to her knees, clutching her throat. The fire in front of her blurred. "Hey, Gideon," Kaelia gasped out, her voice barely a harsh whisper. She turned her tear-streaked face toward the Gamma sitting beside her. "I… I think I need to… I think—"

Gideon stood up, his brows pulling together. "Hey, Kaelia. Are you alright?"

"I feel sick," she choked out, staggering to her feet. The ground tilted beneath her. "I must go back. I have to go back right now."

She took a step toward the treeline, but Gideon closed the distance and grabbed her hand.

"I’m sorry, Kaelia," Gideon said, his grip like iron. "I was told not to let you go back until after this mission is completed."

Kaelia stared at him, horror dawning in her widened eyes. "Let go. I must go."

"It’s an order from the Alpha."

"And I am his f*cking Luna!" Kaelia snarled, baring her teeth. "Let go of me, Gideon! Complete this mission without me!"

Gideon’s jaw tightened. Indecision flashed in his dark eyes. He stared at her trembling face before reluctantly letting go of her hand. "It would have been better if you didn't go. You are strong. But anyone can falter, and I am certain that you will."

Kaelia hissed at him. She spun around and broke into a dead sprint. Mid-stride, she let the shift take her. Her silver wolf hit the forest floor, paws tearing up the dirt as she launched herself toward home. The pain lessened slightly during the run, but it never left. It tore away at her chest, pushing her to her limits until she crashed through the pack borders.

It was the dead of night.

As she crossed the boundary line, an excruciating force slammed into her. The pain spiked, paralyzing her body. Kaelia’s wolf whimpered, collapsing hard onto her belly.

The mate bond was forcibly breaking.

It felt like invisible blades were slicing her internal organs to ribbons. She felt like she was bleeding out from the inside, yet there was no blood. Her wolf threw its head back and unleashed a bloodcurdling howl of agony, claws tearing deep into the dirt beneath her. The physical severance was too much to bear. Her bones snapped, reversing the shift involuntarily.

Kaelia collapsed onto the forest floor, naked and weak. The cold night air bit at her bare skin. The bond was already withering away, but now it was tearing. What was happening?

She crawled forward, her fingernails caked in mud, barely managing to stand on her shaking legs. Stumbling into the pack lands, she followed a loud, echoing noise. It drew her straight to the central meeting grounds.

Every single member of the pack was gathered there. They stood in the dark, watching the elevated stone podium in the center.

Kaelia staggered closer, her naked body shaking in the chill. She peered through the bodies.

Standing on the podium was Cassian. Next to him stood Nadia. An elder wolf stood between them.

Kaelia’s breath hitched. A mating ceremony.

Tears flooded her vision, gliding down her dirty cheeks. The crushing weight of the betrayal brought her to her knees. She clutched her bare chest, trying to hold her shattered heart together as another wave of pain scourged her.

How could they do this to her?

Her mother. Her sister. Her own mate.

Where was her father? Was he a part of this brutal scheme too? How could they? Why would they do this?

A broken, wretched sob climbed through her lips. She couldn't hide. She pushed her way through the dense crowd. Bodies parted, murmurs rippling through the pack as their naked, dirt-streaked Luna moved past them like a ghost. With shaking legs, she climbed the stone steps of the podium, ignoring the crowd as the noise grew louder.

Hearing the sudden commotion, Cassian turned away from Nadia.

His eyes locked with Kaelia’s. The color drained from his face. His jaw dropped, sheer shock blowing his pupils wide.

"Kaelia?!" he breathed out. "What are you doing here?"