Chapter 1

I was a fallen angel with broken wings.

A vampire count imprisoned me because my celestial light was the only power that could suppress his childhood sweetheart’s curse.

Then Cassian Vale, the Lycan King, slaughtered his way into the fortress and carried me out.

He crowned me his Luna and cherished me for three years.

I thought he was my salvation, until I overheard him speaking to the vampire count.

“Evelyne’s curse is returning,” the count said. “If Seraphina goes back to Heaven, Evelyne will die.”

“She won’t leave,” Cassian replied. “Why do you think I made her my mate?”

“The chains in your dungeon could only hold her for so long. Love will bind her to me, and keep her from ever returning to Heaven.”

Only then did I understand. They had always loved the same woman.

My salvation had been a lie.

So I sent one final prayer to Heaven.

In three days, I would return to where I belonged.

And he would never see me again, not in this life, nor in any other.

Chapter 1

After confirming the final arrangements for my return to Heaven, I closed the silver mirror.

In two days, the celestial gate would open.

Once I stepped through it, my mate bond with Cassian would be severed. No creature in the mortal realm would ever find me again.

The door opened behind me.

Before I could turn, Cassian wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest.

“Who were you speaking to?”

“No one important.” I forced a smile.

His gaze fell on the silver mirror, but he did not question me. Instead, he lifted my hand and frowned at the coldness of my fingers.

“You didn’t finish your tonic this morning.”

“I forgot.”

“You always forget when I’m not here to remind you.”

Cassian kissed the top of my head and draped his cloak around my shoulders.

“I’ll have the chef prepare something light tonight. The healer says you still need to build your strength.”

Once, his concern would have warmed me.

For three years, the Lycan King had treated me with endless tenderness. He had carried me out of a vampire’s dungeon, summoned the finest healers in the realm, and stayed beside me through every nightmare while my wounded body slowly recovered.

Everyone said he had started a war because he loved me.

If I hadn’t learned the truth, I would have believed it too.

Evelyne had been cursed by a witch at birth for being the child of a forbidden union between a Lycan and a vampire.

She was never supposed to live past eighteen, but my celestial light could suppress the curse.

So that was why Cassian had made me his Luna.

He had used love to bind me to the mortal realm, ensuring that I could never return to Heaven and Evelyne’s curse would never awaken again.

“The Moon Goddess’s Blessing Feast is tomorrow,” Cassian said. “Evelyne will attend in your place as Luna.”

I stared at him. “Why?”

“Some of the wolves still look down on Omegas. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

He paused before adding, “And Evelyne’s curse has grown worse. She needs the Moon Goddess’s blessing more than you do.”

My fingers curled against my dress.

Everyone would beg the Moon Goddess to spare Evelyne.

None of them knew Cassian had already decided who would pay for that miracle.

“You should stay home,” he continued. “I’ll bring a blessing gift to you, then come straight back.”

“Can’t I go with you?”

Cassian’s arms tightened around me. “No.”

The answer came too quickly.

When I looked up at him, his expression softened.

“There will be too many people, and the ceremony may last for hours. You’re still too weak for that.”

For three years, Cassian had never allowed me to appear beside him at royal feasts, pack ceremonies, or gatherings of the noble houses.

To the Lycans, I was merely a wolfless Omega Cassian had rescued from a vampire’s dungeon. I had no family, no rank, and no place beside their king.

I had always believed Cassian kept me away to spare me their contempt.

Whenever I asked, he would hold me close and tell me my health mattered more than their approval.

Now I understood.

He had only been afraid that I would discover the truth.

“I’m much stronger now,” I said quietly.

“And I intend to keep you that way.”

Cassian brushed his thumb across my cheek, his voice impossibly tender.

“You’ve always wanted a pup. After your birthday, we can start trying for an heir, but only if you remain healthy. So stay home and rest. Please.”

For three years, I had dreamed of carrying his child.

Whenever I asked, Cassian told me my body was not yet strong enough.

Now I knew the truth.

A mother’s celestial light would turn inward to protect her unborn child. If I became pregnant, my power would no longer suppress Evelyne’s curse.

Cassian had never intended to give me a child.

“All right,” I whispered.

Cassian smiled and kissed my forehead.

“Your birthday is in two days,” he said with a smile. “I’m going to hold a formal Marking Ceremony and present you to the entire Lycan realm as my Luna.”

Once, those words would have brought me to tears.

Cassian had marked me and made me his Luna three years ago, but there had never been a public ceremony.

To the Lycan court, I was nothing more than a wolfless Omega unworthy of standing beside their king.

Now, at last, he was offering me the recognition I had once longed for.

But the ceremony was never meant to honor me. Once the sacred vow was sealed before the Moon Goddess, my celestial light would be bound to the mortal realm forever.

I forced myself to smile.

“I’ve planned something too. Promise you’ll stay with me.”

“Of course.” His eyes softened. “Anything you desire, my love.”

He had no idea that my surprise would be a final farewell.

That night, I lay awake in Cassian’s arms.

Carefully, I lifted his arm from my waist and slipped out of bed.

As I moved, something beneath his pillow caught the moonlight.

It was a small moonstone pendant.

Cassian had once told me that Lycans carved their most sacred prayer into moonstone, asking the Moon Goddess to protect the person dearest to their heart.

I had always believed that person was me.

Yet Cassian had never shown me this pendant.

I picked it up and turned it over. A name had been carved into the back.

Evelyne.

Beneath her name was a single prayer.

May you live beneath every moon.

My hands began to tremble.

Cassian had whispered those same words to me on every birthday and mating anniversary.

I had treasured them as a promise that he wanted to spend eternity with me.

Only now did I understand.

Even when he held me in his arms, every prayer in his heart had belonged to Evelyne.

I returned the moonstone and looked at the man I had once believed was my salvation.

Whatever hope I had left died beneath the moonlight.

Chapter 2

The next morning, I found Cassian fastening his cloak.

“I want to attend the Moon Blessing with you.”

His hand paused on the silver clasp. “You agreed to stay home.”

“Perhaps my presence will help ease Evelyne’s suffering.”

As far as Cassian knew, I had never made the connection between Evelyne and the vampire count who had imprisoned me. Offering to help her would not make him suspicious.

Cassian stared at me for a moment, then sighed softly.

“All right. But stay close to me, and ignore whatever the nobles say.”

His concern sounded almost convincing. I knew he was only afraid I might discover the truth.

“I will.” I said.

Cassian appeared satisfied.

By the time we arrived at the Moon Temple, the great hall was filled with nobles. Silver candles burned beneath the statue of the Moon Goddess while priests carried bowls of blessed water toward the altar.

Evelyne stood at the center of the crowd.

Her white gown made her look fragile and pure. She smiled graciously as the guests prayed for the Moon Goddess to keep her curse at bay.

Then I saw what had been placed upon the altar. A lantern carved from dawnstone.

My lantern.

I had spent nearly a year shaping it in secret. When lit, the crystal captured the first rays of sunrise and scattered them into hundreds of tiny stars.

I had intended to give it to Cassian on our third mating anniversary.

How had it ended up here?

“The High Priestess says Lady Evelyne’s offering may be chosen for the Moon Goddess’s altar,” someone said.

“Such delicate craftsmanship. No one else could have created something so beautiful.”

“And look at the blessing carved into the base. The mysterious rune master Nightwolf added it himself.”

My gaze fell to the inscription.

May you live beneath every moon.

I knew those strokes. Cassian had carved the same runes onto his moonstone pendant .

Evelyne noticed me then. Surprise flashed across her face before her familiar sweet smile returned.

“Seraphina. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Her gaze swept over my plain dress.

“Cassian told me you were too weak to attend public ceremonies.”

I looked at the lantern. “Where did you get that?”

Evelyne moved closer. “Do you like it?”

“Of course.” I said. “Because I made it.”

Her smile did not falter.

“Careful,” Evelyne whispered. “People might think you’re jealous.”

Her fingers brushed possessively over the dawnstone.

“Cassian gave it to me himself. He knew how much I admired it.”

I met her gaze. “You knew it belonged to me?”

“Does that matter?” Evelyne smiled. “I suppose some women have to work very hard for a man’s affection.”

Her smile deepened. “I never have to ask.”

Her gaze shifted past my shoulder and the sweetness returned to her face.

Before I could turn, she seized my wrist and cried out.

“No—please!”

Then she released me and threw herself backward.

Her body struck the edge of the altar before she collapsed to the floor.

The temple erupted into chaos.

“Lady Evelyne!”

“Keep that Omega away from her!”

I had not touched her. But Cassian was already moving.“Evelyne!”

I had never heard such fear in his voice.

He caught her before she struck the floor and pulled her against him. For one unguarded moment, the tenderness in his eyes was impossible to hide.

It was a tenderness I had once believed belonged only to me.

Then Cassian looked up and realized I was watching. His expression immediately switched to calm authority.

“Seraphina,” he said, still cradling Evelyne in his arms, “You should not have upset Evelyne?in her condition.”

“I didn’t touch her.” I explained, but he wouldn’t listen.

“You should have shown more restraint.” His voice remained gentle, making the accusation hurt even more.

Before I could respond, a temple priest hurried toward the altar.

“Lady Evelyne’s dawnstone offering has been accepted!” he announced. “It will be placed before the Moon Goddess as the heart of the pack’s blessing ritual.”

Applause filled the hall. Cassian’s face lit with a joy I had never seen in all our three years together.

I looked from him to the stolen lantern.

“Why is my work being presented under Evelyne’s name?”

Cassian went still. Then he said, “Perhaps the designs are similar.”

“You must be mistaken.” His tone remained soothing. “You’ve been under a great deal of strain lately.”

A bitter laugh escaped me.

The lantern had been made for him. Cassian had taken my gift, carved his prayer for Evelyne into it, and allowed her to claim it before the entire realm.

My gift. My power. Even my place in this world.

Cassian had always believed they were his to give away.

Cassian handed Evelyne to the healer and came toward me.

“Let’s leave,” he said softly. “We can go somewhere quiet. It might help you relax.”

I studied the face I had loved.

“Take me sailing on Moonmere Lake tonight.”

Cassian seemed surprised. “Tonight?”

“Do you remember the first time we went there?”

His expression softened. Of course he remembered.

Three years ago, beneath a silver moon, Cassian had marked me as his mate on the shore of Moonmere Lake.

He had held my face between his hands and promised, Wherever you go, I will always find you.

I had believed him then.

Now I wanted to return to the place where that lie had begun.

“I want to watch the sunrise from the water,” I said. “Just the two of us, like before.”

Cassian took my hand and pressed a kiss. “Anything you desire, my love.”

He thought I wanted to relive our happiest memory before my birthday.

He did not know that when the first light of dawn touched Moonmere Lake, its waters would become a mirror to Heaven.

And the celestial gate would open.

Three years ago, that lake had witnessed the beginning of our mate bond.

Tomorrow, it would witness its end.

Chapter 3

On the drive back from the temple, Cassian started talking about my birthday and the Marking Ceremony.

“Everything is ready,” he said. “Once we seal our vows before the Moon Goddess, we can finally start planning our future.”

He took my hand.

“Then we can start trying for a pup. You’ve always wanted one.”

I looked out the window without answering.

By this time tomorrow, the ceremony would have bound my celestial light to the mortal realm forever.

That was what Cassian truly wanted.

The car had barely left the temple when his phone rang.

Cassian glanced at the screen and frowned before answering.

A woman’s panicked voice filled the car.

“Your Majesty, Lady Evelyne collapsed again. She’s coughing up blood, and the healer can’t stop it.”

Cassian’s hand tightened around the phone.

He looked at me. “Seraphina, I—”

“You should go.”

“I promised to take you sailing.”

“I’ll go ahead and wait for you at the marina.”

He hesitated. “I won’t be long.”

He kissed my forehead, then asked the driver to stop.

I watched him disappear into the night.

Only one person could make the Lycan King forget every promise he had made to me.

By the time I boarded the yacht, the moon hung high above Moonmere Lake.

“His Majesty will join us later,” I told the captain.

While the crew prepared to depart, I opened my phone and saw that Evelyne had posted a new photo.

She was lying in bed with a bowl of soup beside her. A man’s hand appeared at the edge of the frame, holding a spoon to her lips.

Her caption read:

When the darkness comes, the one who truly loves you will always stay.

The comments were filled with admiration.

This is what real devotion looks like.

Whoever he is, never let him go.

Some bonds are stronger than any mate mark.

My gaze settled on the black onyx ring on the man’s hand.

The royal signet of the Lycan King.

Cassian had worn it every day for five years.

I called him.

The phone rang several times before someone answered.

But it was Evelyne’s voice that came through.

“Seraphina?” She sounded amused. “Were you looking for Cassian?”

“Where is he?”

“Right beside me.”

She lowered her voice.

“You can stop waiting. He won’t be joining you tonight.”

I looked across the silent lake.

Five years ago, Cassian had marked me on its shore and promised that wherever I went, he would always find me.

Tonight, he could not even keep his promise to watch one last sunrise with me.

“You knew he promised to come,” I said.

“Of course.” Evelyne laughed softly. “But whenever I need him, he always chooses me.”

Then her voice turned cruel.

“You may be his Luna, Seraphina, but whenever I call, he still comes to me.”

I ended the call.

The captain approached me. “Should we wait for His Majesty?”

“No.”

I locked my phone.

“Take us out.”

The yacht moved across the dark water, leaving the lights along the shore behind.

Cassian never came.

I remained on the deck all night, remembering the man who had carried me out of the vampire’s dungeon. The man who had held me through every nightmare, prepared my tonics himself, and whispered that I was his greatest blessing.

His tenderness had been real.

Shortly before dawn, I called him one last time.

His phone was off.

I opened the folder I had prepared and scheduled two files to be uploaded at sunrise.

By the time the Lycan realm woke, everyone would know the truth.

Evelyne would lose the honor she had stolen.

And Cassian would no longer be able to hide what he had planned.

I placed my phone beside Cassian’s cloak on the deck.

A pale line of light appeared along the horizon. The lake began to glow beneath it.

“Turn the yacht around,” I told the captain. “Go back without me.”

He stared at me. “Lady Seraphina?”

I stepped onto the railing.

As the first ray of dawn touched Moonmere Lake, the water turned silver, becoming a mirror to Heaven.

The celestial gate had opened. I took one last look at the mortal realm.

Then I stepped forward.

Behind me, the captain shouted my name.

To him, it must have looked as though I had thrown myself into the lake.

But the cold water never touched me.

Silver light closed around my body. The mate mark above my heart burned once, then shattered.

I was no longer the Lycan King’s mate.

As the first light entered Evelyne’s room, Cassian rose from the chair beside her bed.

“I have to go. Seraphina’s birthday is today. I promised to watch the sunrise with her.”

Evelyne caught his hand. “Stay a little longer. I still feel weak.”

“Not this morning.”

Cassian pulled free and reached for his coat.

A sudden agony tore through his chest.

He staggered, one hand gripping the edge of the bed as his wolf released a broken howl inside him.

Then the mate mark above his heart began to burn.

“Cassian?” Evelyne reached for him. “What’s wrong?”

He could not answer.

For five years, Seraphina’s presence had lived quietly inside him—a warmth he had never noticed because he had never imagined losing it.

Now it was gone. The mate bond had been severed.

The bedroom door burst open.

A royal guard rushed inside, his face pale. He dropped to one knee before Cassian.

“Your Majesty.”

Cassian’s blood turned cold. “What happened?”

“The yacht captain saw Lady Seraphina step over the railing.”

The guard lowered his head.

“She jumped into the lake.”