The word Mate echoed through the crowd of warriors, passing from one person to the next until everyone knew the truth. Carlo, their future Alpha, had found his mate-he had found their Luna. His father tensed for a moment, though joy flickered in his eyes.
I couldn’t blame anyone for feeling this way. Few knew about my relationship with Carlo. Only Vito, Chiara, Sofia, Enrico, and Carlo himself knew. Even Carlo’s parents, the Alpha and Luna, had been left out. It was my preference-anything to avoid seeing the same pity in the eyes of the entire pack that I now saw in those of my friends.
A small, cowardly part of me wanted to flee, to leave everything behind for the second time.
But I silenced that part, crushing it before it could even take hold. I wiped my face clean of any emotion, forcing the pain to stay hidden deep inside. No one needed to see the fresh cracks forming in my heart. I had known this day would come, but I hadn’t expected it so soon. I hadn’t had enough time to prepare.
Carlo didn’t seem to notice the shock around him. His gaze shifted between the frail girl and me. His sea-colored eyes, so often reflecting his emotions, were now dark, full of turmoil and pain.
I could see his hesitation, the way he instinctively recoiled from the girl fate had chosen for him. For a fleeting second, I wanted to encourage it-to make him turn away, to stay by my side. But I couldn’t allow it. I couldn’t bear to see the agony I felt mirrored in that girl’s eyes. As much as I wanted to be, I couldn’t be selfish with Carlo. If he rejected her for me, he would never be whole. He would never know true happiness.
“Don’t you dare”, I willed him with my eyes, shaking my head slightly. “Don’t do this to her.”
I could see it hurt him, and I knew he would carry the weight of my pain along with his own. But Carlo turned back to his mate, his expression softening just a fraction. I could feel the bond settling between them, intangible but undeniable. The girl remained kneeling on the ground, her dirty blonde hair hiding her face. Her body quivered, small and afraid.
“Are you going to kill me, mate?” she asked, her voice fragile but gentle, like she couldn’t believe the word was meant for her.
“No.” Carlo’s voice was firm, but his gaze was tender. “Are you with the rogues? Why did they come here?”
“They took me a year ago,” she whispered, her words barely audible. “They tried to force me into their army, but when they saw I couldn’t fight, they made me a servant.”
“Why now? Why did they come here?” Carlo’s voice was steady, but the weight of his Alpha authority was unmistakable.
“They needed every body they could get. Fighters, servants, anyone expendable.” Her face twisted in pain. “They were searching for something. That’s why they attacked.”
“Do you know what it was?” Carlo pressed.
She hesitated, then shook her head. “Something to do with the Fae. A Fae man visited a few months ago. He made our leader an offer he couldn’t refuse. But I don’t know anything more.”
The shock was palpable among the warriors, spreading like wildfire. The Fae were an entirely different species, residing in a realm of their own, rarely crossing into ours. When they did, it was never for good. Whatever they sought, they were willing to tear the world apart to get it.
Carlo turned to Beta Tommaso, gesturing to two warriors standing nearby. “Take her to the packhouse. Give her food and a room. Stay posted at her door until I finish here.”
As he turned toward me, my stomach clenched. The pity in his eyes was worse than any heartache. I could take his sorrow, his regret-but not his pity.
“Ella, I-” Carlo began, but I cut him off, holding up my hand.
“Don’t,” I said, my voice firm. “Don’t look at me like that. I can’t take it. We both knew this would happen. I’m not mad at you, Carlo. Just stop looking at me like I’m broken.”
Carlo flinched, but I needed him to understand. This pain was mine alone, not his to carry. He had nothing to apologize for. I’d chosen this path when I let myself fall for him, and I would face the consequences alone.
“Go to her,” I urged, my tone softening. “She needs you. The rest of us can handle this.”
Carlo hesitated, then nodded, a look of gratitude replacing the pity. He turned back to his mate, his figure strong and commanding in the dimming light. I didn’t watch them reunite. Instead, I caught Enrico’s gaze, steeling myself.
I could handle this. Carlo had never been mine, not really. We’d been friends first, and we would find a way to be friends again.
“It will never be the same”, Blue whispered, her voice tinged with sadness.
“I know”, I replied. “But we’ll make it work.”
The rest of us cleaned the battlefield, gathering discarded clothing and debris. The blood-soaked earth remained a silent testament to the day’s brutality. I helped drag rogue bodies into the woods, leaving our fallen pack members to others. I couldn’t bear to look at their faces.
By the time we finished, the sun was setting, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange. The stench of burning flesh filled the air as the last of the rogues were reduced to ash. I stood numbly, watching the smoke rise. I had passed the point of sorrow, settling into a state of blissful numbness. The pain was gone, at least for now.
But as the realization struck that I had to return to the packhouse-the same house where Carlo and his mate now lived-my numbness began to fray. I couldn’t run. Not again. What would that say about me?
Sofia and Chiara found me as the last of the flames died down, their faces weary from the day’s work. “All of this,” Chiara muttered, her voice bitter. “For some stupid Fae object.”
“We were caught off guard,” I said quietly. “But that won’t happen again.”
Sofia sighed, glancing at me. “You did good out there. Both of you did.”
“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Ella,” Chiara said, her expression soft. “I’d be another body on the ground.”
“Don’t talk like that,” I whispered, my mind flashing to memories I tried to bury.
“You know what helps after a long day like this?” Sofia interrupted, trying to brighten the mood. “A drink.”
I hesitated, but as Chiara nodded, I found myself smiling despite everything. “Why not,” I said with a sigh, letting the weight of the day fall away. I wasn’t ready to face the packhouse yet.