The next message came almost immediately after.
[Unlike Stephanie. She disappointed me with a girl as the firstborn.]
And then the very latest message, one that was just sent seconds ago, [Alpha, please. Remember your promise. Make him your alpha heir.]
For a moment, I couldn’t feel anything. Then slowly, it all came crashing down at once. My hand moved instinctively to my stomach, cradling it protectively.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice breaking.
Tears slid down my temples, soaking into the pillow beneath me.
“I’m so sorry…”
For bringing you into this. For giving you a father like him. For not being strong enough to leave sooner.
“You won’t grow up like this,” I promised softly. “You won’t have a father who doesn’t see your worth.”
My voice trembled, but the words felt real.
More real than anything else I had said in a long time.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Stephanie’s POV
The corridors of the packhouse felt colder than usual. Or maybe it was just me.
My steps were slow but steady as I made my way toward Elder Elisse’s chamber, the hem of my dress brushing softly against the polished floor. Every wolf I passed lowered their gaze, some out of respect, others out of discomfort.
Or pity. I could feel it.
It clung to me like a second skin now. The Luna who was no longer truly a Luna. The mate who had been replaced long before she even realized it.
I stopped in front of the heavy wooden doors and took a quiet breath before knocking.
“Come in,” Elder Elisse’s voice called from inside.
I pushed the door open and stepped in.
Her chamber was just as I remembered it. Elegant, composed, filled with a quiet authority that reflected the woman who lived within it. She sat by the window, a cup of tea resting untouched beside her.
Her gaze lifted the moment she saw me.
“Luna,” she said gently.
I didn’t waste time.
“I’ll proceed with it.”
Her brows furrowed slightly. “With what?”
“The divorce,” I answered, my voice calm despite the storm brewing inside me. “And I want to step down from the Luna position as well.”
The words felt heavier spoken aloud.
Elder Elisse studied me carefully, as if searching for hesitation. She wouldn’t find any.
“Are you certain?” she asked after a moment.
I nodded.
“I’ve thought about it enough.” My fingers curled slightly at my sides. “There’s nothing left for me here.”
A flicker of pain crossed her face. Not for her son. But for me.