Chapter 9
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Celeste’s POV
I lost count on how many times Leo stood by my room as he tried to make me listen. His eyes had softened since the attack, but I wasn’t moved. My estranged husbad had made his choices and I had made mine. There was nothing left to discuss.
“Celeste, please. “I know I’ve hurt you, but you have to understand–I’m ready to make things right. To be the mate you deserve,” he said with his voice full of desperation.
I turned my gaze away, trying to look past him at the wall. The door between us felt more like a fortress I wanted to keep up. But I was determined to distance myself from someone like him.
“It’s too late for that, Leo. I already told you over and over. I don’t trust you anymore. You‘ ve made your choices, and
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I have nothing left to give you,” I replied weakly yet firmly.
“I’m begging you, Celeste. Just give me one more chance. You were my mate first before… before Violet,” the Alpha said.
“Yet, you let Violet won over me again and again. She took away everything I cared about, Leo. And you even let her attack me. ,” I retorted.
My estranged husband went quiet for a while before he spoke, “I was wrong, I know that now. I’ll put her on trial, right here, before the pack if that’s what you want. I’ll do anything to make this right.”
I looked at him, a small idea forming. If Leo truly wanted to earn back his honor, he would be forced to face his actions. If he wouldn’t listen to me, maybe the pack would.
“I want to talk to the pack, Leo. If they are to understand what has happened, they
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deserve the truth. I want them to hear it from me,” I said, my voice steady.
Leo’s eyes narrowe when he heard me. After a moment, he nodded in agreement. I noticed that he was still being suspicious, but I didn’t really care at this point.
“Fine. I’ll gather them. But I hope you understand that this doesn’t mean they’ll turn against me.”
“We’ll see,” I replied coolly, stepping back from the bars.
‘It’s time for revenge,‘ I thought to
myself.
The next day, Leo gathered the Dark Night Pack in the main hall. I took a steadying breath, preparing to speak. I glanced around at the familiar faces. Many had welcomed me with open arms when I’d first arrived as Luna. Soon, they would hear why I had felt so betrayed.
When the room fell silent, I spoke, “Pack members of the Dark Night Pack, thank
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you for gathering here. I asked for this meeting because you all deserve to know the truth.”
I looked directly at the Alpha defiantly and then at the pack as I continued, “I once trusted Leo as my mate, as my Alpha, but he chose another.”
Whispers spread through the crowd. Everyone was glancing between Leo and me with confusion and concern. I knew
that the Alpha I pressed on, refusing to
back down.
“Leo’s affair with Lady Violet was no secret,” I continued, keeping my voice steady.
Without stopping for a beat, I said, “She was pregnant with his child, but she even dared to harm me. She attacked me and
Leo… stood by her side.”
Leo stepped forward, raising his hands. defensively, as he argued “Celeste, you‘ re twisting thi-”
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“No! “I’m telling them what happened. You were there and you did nothing!” I cut him off sharply.
Several pack members murmured. Their faces showing disappointment and shock. As for the Alpha, he gritted his teeth in anger because he knew that he couldn’t do anything before his own pack members.
“Our Alpha, betraying our Luna?”
someone muttered, disbelief thick in their voice.
One of the elders, an older woman named Greta, frowned as she asked, “Is this true, Alpha? Did you forsake our Luna and bring harm upon her?”
Leo looked around, a muscle in his jaw ticking.
“Things got… complicated,” he said, clearly struggling for words.
The man then continued, “Violet made mistakes, yes. But I had no intention of causing harm to Celeste.”
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Greta crossed her arms as she firmly said, “Intentions don’t matter. Actions do.”
After that, the old woman turned to me as she asked, “Luna, what would you have us
do?”
I paused, feeling the weight of her
question. This was my chance to finally have a say in what happened. So, I decided to go all in for it.
“Violet has wronged not just me, but all of you. She brought chaos and division to this pack. I believe she should face a trial, judged by the pack, for what she’s done,” I coldly responded.
The room erupted in agreement. Pack members nodded and muttered in
approval with some even glaring at Leo. I caught his eyes and saw a flicker of frustration. This wasn’t the reaction he had expected.
The elder looked back at Leo as she said, “Then, it’s decided. Lady Violet will
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stand trial for her actions.”
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As soon as it was over, Leo approached me angrily as he asked, “Are you happy now? You’ve turned the entire pack against me!”
I met his gaze evenly as I told him, “You did that to yourself, Leo. I only told the truth.”
Leo’s hands clenched into fists.
“Fine,” he said, voice strained.
The Alpha continued, “If this is what you want, I’ll sentence her to death by silver dagger. It’s what you want, isn’t it?”
I felt a flash of satisfaction at his defeat, but it was hollow. None of this would change what had happened. What I wanted was to sever my mating bond from someone undeserving of my love like him.
“I don’t care anymore, Leo. You can do whatever you want with Violet. It’s too late to undo what’s been done,” I told
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him.
Leo’s face twisted with something close to desperation as he said, “Celeste, please….. if I do this, will you consider coming back to me?”
I laughed bitterly as I retorted, “Do you think executing her will change anything? You should’ve thought of that before you threw away everything we had.”
Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. Then, I smelled a very strange yet familiar scent. I already knew what scent was this. This was a fated mate‘ s scent. But this wasn’t from Leo.
Immediately, I realized who had just came. It was Albert, my fated second mate. The future Alpha of the Ivory Fang Pack was standing at the gate of the Dark Night Pack with ten of the Ivory Fang Pack‘ s warriors by his side.
His presence filled me with a sense of calm as it became a reminder that there were
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people who still cared about me.
“Albert,” I called his name.
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It seemed that he realized that I was calling him. Albert’s fierce gaze then met mine. His gaze immediately softened when he
saw me.
Leo’s expression darkened as he looked between Albert and me, jealousy flaring in his eyes.
“What is that man doing here?” he asked me angrily.
But Albert then approached my husband, meeting the latter‘ s gaze without fear, as the former answered, “I came for Celeste. It’s clear she doesn’t belong here anymore.”
“Celeste is my mate. She belongs to the Dark Night Pack,” Leo said coldly.
“Then why did you treat her like this? A true mate protects, respects, and cares for his Luna,” Albert retorted.
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Chapter 9
The Dark Night Pack‘ s Alpha angrily asked Albert, “So do you think you can just walk in here and take my fated mate?”
The tension in the room was thick. I knew where this was going. Leo‘ s jealousy had reached its breaking point. He would rather die than let me leave with Albert.
“Enough.I don’t want a fight,” I said, stepping between them.
But Leo had already shifted into his wolf form, Tobias. His wolf‘ s dark fur bristling with anger. His warriors stepped forward, ready to defend him.
Meanwhile, Albert exchanged a look with his warriors before he himself shifted into his own powerful wolf form, named Elias. Soon enough, the castle became a battlefield. The two packs clashing, their growls and snarls echoing off the walls.
I watched as they fought, panic rising in my chest. I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t let Albert suffer because of
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Leo’s jealousy.
“Stop!” I shouted, my voice cracking with desperation.
The fighting continued, neither side willing to back down. I ran toward Albert,
standing in front of him to protect him from Leo’s next attack. As Leo was about to attack, he was shocked to see me shielding Albert.
“You would protect him?” Leo asked with his voice full of bitterness, shifting back to his human form.
I looked at him coldly as I answered, “You destroyed everything we had, Leo. There’s nothing left to save.”
His face twisted with fury, and for a moment, I thought he would attack again. But then, he stepped back, a hard glint in his eyes.
“Fine! If killing Violet is what it takes to make you see reason, then I’ll have her executed at the next full moon,” he said
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angrily.
My stomach turned with disgust as I retorted, “Do you think that will make me forgive you? I won’t be manipulated anymore, Leo. I’m disgusted with you.”
Leo looked away, shame flickering in his expression before it was replaced by a steely determination.
“You’ll change your mind,” he
muttered, almost to himself.
Albert stepped forward, putting a
protective arm around me.
“Celeste is coming with me. She’s done with you, Leo,” he said firmly.
But Leo shook his head, his face pale.
“The bond between us isn’t so easily broken, Celeste. You and I… we’re still mates,” he said quietly, his voice almost pleading.
His words sent a chill down my spine. He was right, though. The mating bond still
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held, like a chain that bound me to him no
matter how hard I tried to break free. But looking at Albert, feeling the warmth of his presence beside me, I knew where my heart truly lay.
“I’ll sever our mating bond, no matter how hard it is,” I said, my voice steady.
Leo’s eyes widened with shock as he asked, “You … you still would do that?”
“Yes. “You made your choice, and I’ve made mine. I can’t be your Luna anymore,” I replied firmly.
For the first time, I saw true despair in Leo’s eyes. He looked away, his shoulders slumping in defeat. But I knew that I would get what I wanted soon.
