Chapter 10: The Price of His Betrayal

The council chamber remained silent after the elder's announcement.

Kane stood motionless, staring at the documents on the table.

Vera was the first to break.

“This is a mistake.”

“My father loved me. He would never leave his daughter without protection.”

The elder's expression didn't change.

“Then you should have no reason to fear the investigation.”

Vera's fingers trembled against her stomach.

Kane immediately moved toward her.

“Vera, sit down.”

I watched him instinctively reach for her, just as he always had.

Even now, with everything falling apart around them, his first concern was still Vera.

The difference was that this time, I felt nothing.

No jealousy.

No anger.

Not even disappointment.

I had finally reached the point where his choices no longer had the power to hurt me.

The elder turned toward me.

“Evelyn, the council will restore your bloodline rights once the investigation is complete.”

“Your position as Luna will also be reconsidered.”

I shook my head.

“I don't want it.”

The chamber fell silent again.

Kane slowly turned toward me.

“What?”

I looked at him.

“I don't want to be Luna anymore.”

“But you were Luna before the bond was dissolved,” he said. “The council can restore everything.”

I gave him a tired smile.

“Everything?”

“Can you restore my mother?”

Kane froze.

“Can you restore my first pup?”

His face tightened.

“Can you restore the child I just lost?”

He lowered his eyes.

I continued, “Can you erase every time you chose Vera over me?”

No one spoke.

The elder finally said, “Ms. Hart, the council understands your decision.”

“You may relinquish the Luna title permanently if that is what you wish.”

I nodded.

“That's what I want.”

Kane took a step toward me.

“Evelyn, don't make a decision while you're angry.”

I looked at him in disbelief.

“I'm not angry.”

“That's what you don't understand.”

“I'm done.”

His cedar scent suddenly filled the space between us.

For years, that scent had been the strongest comfort I knew.

Now it smelled like a place I had survived.

Vera suddenly spoke from behind him.

“Kane, I feel dizzy.”

He turned immediately.

The same old pattern.

Her weakness.

His concern.

My silence.

But this time, I walked away before he could look back at me.

Outside the council chamber, the rain had finally stopped.

The air smelled clean.

I stood beneath the stone archway and took a deep breath.

For the first time, Greenridge no longer felt like my home.

My phone vibrated.

It was a message from the airline.

My flight had been delayed by three hours.

I stared at the screen.

Perhaps fate had given me one final reason to stay.

Not for Kane.

Not for the Luna title.

Not for revenge.

There was something I needed to uncover before I left.

If Vera had forged her bloodline records, someone had helped her.

And whoever had done it had known exactly who I was.

I turned back toward the council chamber.

This time, I wasn't going back as Kane's mate.

I was going back as the daughter of Elder Elias Wren.