No Mark, No Bond, No More Chapter 02
Dorian’s inner circle had never liked me.
In their eyes, Selene and Dorian were destined soulmates—childhood sweethearts, the pack’s cherished little moon.
I was nothing more than a random mate chosen by the mate bond, an unwanted outsider wedged between their perfect pair.
Whenever they visited the Alpha house, they treated me like live-in household staff, and Dorian never lifted a word in my defense—not even while I carried his child, not even after I’d donated blood to save Selene’s life. No thank-yous, no acknowledgment of my sacrifice, only the same dismissive refrain: It’s a Luna’s duty.
I’d endured endless unfair treatment before, but this time, I accepted it without argument.
“Understood. I’ll head home on foot.”
I shut the truck door and turned away. No cabs patrolled the clinic’s remote stretch of woods, and the midday summer sun blazed relentlessly overhead. Still recovering from my miscarriage, I hiked for an entire hour back to the house, each step sending a dull throb through my lower abdomen, a constant reminder of the baby I’d lost.
I’d barely crossed the front threshold when harsh accusations rained down.
“What took you so long, Luna?” Gavin huffed. “We’ve been home for ages and haven’t had a bite to eat. Fix us something for dinner, okay?”
My gaze drifted to Dorian and Selene. Despite the sweltering heat, the entire house’s air conditioning sat shut off to avoid triggering Selene’s delicate constitution. Dorian sat inches from her, manually fanning her with a handheld palm fan, sweat beading his own forehead that he ignored entirely. The feared Alpha of Blackwood Pack knelt willingly beside another’s moon.
Gavin called out to Dorian when I stayed silent. “Alpha, the whole crew’s starving—tell the Luna to get cooking.”
Dorian finally lifted his eyes, skimming my deathly pale skin without lingering a beat before issuing his command. “Be reasonable, Aria. Fix us a simple spread and brew extra nourishing soup for Selene; she needs her strength post-op.”
A sharp, stabbing pain twisted through my heart, stealing my breath. I ducked my head and retreated into the kitchen, sealing their loud laughter behind closed doors. In their home, I was always the misplaced stranger, never part of their tight-knit pack family.
I’d spent countless screaming and fighting for dignity in years past, convinced I could win a scrap of respect. I’d since learned my outbursts only made Selene’s gentle, understanding demeanor shine brighter by comparison. Fighting for these people, for this mate, wasn’t worth a single ounce of my remaining energy—not anymore.
