The moment the screenshots had leaked, that was the breaking point for Julian.

He found Adrian watching Nyra in her room, ’pretending’ to be the perfect mate. The sight made him so angry, he had almost attacked him there.

Ignoring Elena’s questioning look, he had grabbed Adrian by the collar, pulling him to his feet.

"Get the fuck out of my house!"

"W-what the fuck is your problem?!" Adrian pushed him back, obviously much stronger as future Alpha.

Elena stands instantly, coming between the two of them. "What’s wrong Julian? What happened?!"

Julian growls, "Ask him and his dumb as fuck girlfriend!" Julian pulls his phone out of his bag, refusing to be calm. "Call security. I need someone people thrown out now!"

"Julian!" Elena scolds, "what are your doing?! Nyra needs her mate-"

The words die in her throat, when Julian shoves his phone into her hand. The reads through the first few pictures, and freezes.

Adrian in turn pulls our his phone. The moment he switches it back on, he doesn’t have to scroll far to see the screenshots.

He freezes.

Oh, God. Anna had fucked him up so bad this time--

Does she evert fucking think!?

"Wait! I can explain. I swear I didn’t mean any of these-"

This time Elena is the one that speaks up. "Just leave. Now!"

Adrian doesn’t try to explain anymore. If Nyra was his sister, he would’ve scorched the entire earth for her if he’d read these.

"I’m so sorry.." he mumbles, "Tell Nyra I said I’m sorry."

Julian doesn’t even look at him. "And take your friends and girlfriend with you!"

"I understand.."

"And don’t come back here," he calls out, cutting him off. "You’ve caused enough damage for one lifetime.

Adrian and his friends are unceremoniously escorted out of the Ashford mansion by two security guards.

And even outside, none of them look at him. Even John who’s always supported he and Anna since the first day, shakes his head at him.

Jason just slides into his car and drives away without sparing them another glance.

The screenshots have gone completely viral. Every cruel word he typed to Anna in a desperate attempt to keep her is now public.

The entire school, the entire pack, eben Nyra would see exacty how he’d tore her apart to soothe another girl’s ego.

He barely drives his car past the curb, when his phone starts ringing.

DAD.

God he’s really fucked now.

He picks up, already expecting his father to yell at him, but his voice is completely cold.

"Come home now."

By the time he steps into the Blackwood mansion, the temperature in the living room drops to freezing.

Alpha Darius is glaring at him with pure disgust. His mother doesn’t even look at him.

"Adrian," his father says, voice low and thunderous. "Explain yourself."

Adrian opens his mouth, but his mother shoves a tablet into his hands before he can speak. The screen is filled with headlines and trending posts:

"Alpha Heir’s Disgusting Messages Leak,"

"Mate Bond Scandal Threatens Pack Stability,"

"Future Luna Humiliated by Heir’s Cruelty."

"The Council has been demanding an emergency meeting since this dropped," his father continues. "You’ve embarrassed this family. You’ve embarrassed the entire pack leadership. Badmouthing your goddess-chosen mate in private texts? While still publicly linked to Anna? This isn’t some childish relationship drama anymore. This is a political crisis!"

Adrian’s throat tightens. "I was trying to calm Anna down. You know she’s my girlfriend--’

"Girlfriend!?" His mother’s voice rises for the first time in years. "What girlfriend!? The Goddess herself chose mate for you. She gave herself to you and you called her a virgin who spread her legs too easily!?

Adrian hasn’t seen his mother this angry before. "Those words are everywhere now! Rival packs are already laughing. The Council sees weakness. They’re questioning whether you’re fit to be heir. Fix this, Adrian. Publicly. Or they will force you to step down."

"But I’m the only child--"

"Don’t forget you have a cousin Adrian." His father’s deep voice cuts in. "Don’t force my hand. Don’t force us to bring Dorian back--"

Dorian? That jerk!? He would run Moon-Crest to the ground in two years!

He exhales loudly, the full weight crashing down on him. This isn’t just about Nyra, or Anna, or his own messy feelings.

This threatens everything he has worked for his entire life. He’s been through rigorous trainings, read far too many books to remember. And was personally blessed by the Goodess--how could they just threaten to remove him like this!?

"I’ll... I’ll make a statement," he says hoarsely. "Apologize. Smooth things over."

His father shakes his head. "You shouldn’t have said any of these things in the first place! Even getting the post down won’t help right now, it’s already everywhere."

Adrian looks down. He can’t even blame anyone but himself. Not Anna, and especially not Nyra-- he shouldn’t have said any of these things.

"I’m sorry."

"You should be telling Nyra that!" Luna Selene snaps from the couch, still refusing to look at him. "I can’t believe you did that!"

"We didn’t raise you like this Adrian." His father looks more disappointed than anything, and somehow that hits him worse. "Today, I looked at those messages... and I didn’t recognize my own son."

"I’ll fix it."

"You better.." his father retorts, "You have thirty days to restore the Council’s confidence in you. Fail... and Dorian might become the acting heir."

---

"I hate him." She grits out, despite the tears. "I don’t want this bond anymore!"

She turns to face Julian, tears soaking her cheeks.

"I can’t keep doing this," she whispers, voice raw. "The bond... I need it gone. Julian, please. Help me break it."

Julian sighs tiredly. "Nyra, breaking a goddess-chosen bond is dangerous. I heard Omegas die from being cut away from their mate."

"I don’t care," she says. "Plus he hasn’t even marked me yet. Isn’t there something we can do?!"

After a long beat of silence, Julian nods. "I...I might know someone. There’s a retired Oracle my dad used to consult just on thethe outskirts."

He takes her hand, "But I’m not sure it’s a good idea with everything that’s just happened last night-"

Nyra shoots him a look. He clearly doesn’t know how stubborn she is when she sets her heart to do something.

Clearly not.

Because barely two hours later, they’re in Julian’s black Benz, driving through the windy forest.

It’s the first time Nyra has ever gone past Moon-Crest’s territory. And for some reason she doesn’t find it terrifying, despite the story of wild wolves staying in the forests.

They arrive at a modest, vine-covered cottage tucked deep in the woods. An elderly woman with long silver hair and piercing violet eyes opens the door before they knock, already expecting them from Julian’s call hours ago.

She offers them a herbal tea that looks purplish-pink, and smells far too strong. She almost rejects the cup, but the moment the liquid touches her tongue, she hums in surprise and drinks every last drop happily .

"So...you seek to sever what the Moon Goddess has joined," the Oracle says calmly, studying Nyra as she drinks. "Are you sure!?"

Nyra nods eagerly. "Very sure. Is there a way?!"

The woman studies her for a long time. "Well...since your Alpha hasn’t marked your yet, maybe." She motions Nyra to the inner room. "Follow me child."

The inner room is circular and dimly lit, filled with the scent of sage, lavender, and ancient incense. Candles form a perfect circle on the stone floor.

The old oracle instructs get to seat cross-legged in the center, while the she moves around, placing crystals and drawing symbols with chalk.

Julian stands guard by the door, watching them quietly.

The elderly woman starts to chant in an ancient language.

At first nothing happens, but after a few minutes, Nyra starts to feel the mate bond stir violently in her chest, stretching and burning her chest.

It hurts so fucking much, but she can’t stop now. She would take a little bit of pain, if it means she can leave Adrian and Moon-Crest forever.

The louder the Oracle chants, the stringer the pain shoots through Nyra, making her gasps and clutches her chest, blood streaking down her nose.

Suddenly, the Oracle stumbles back. The candles extinguish all at once. Silence falls in the room.

"It failed," the Oracle whispers, sounding genuinely disturbed. Her hands tremble as she steadies herself against the wall.

Julian rushes in. "What happened!? Why can’t it be broken!?"

Nyra’s heart sinks. "What do you mean it failed? Try again. Please."

The Oracle stares at her for a long moment, as though listening to voices only she can hear. "This bond cannot be broken."

Nyra shakes her head in denial. "No. There has to be a way--"

"The Moon Goddess herself is holding it together," the Oracle interrupts, looking at Nyra like she’s grown a second head

"Something is... wrong. Deeply wrong."

Julian steps forward. "Explain. What’s happening to her?

The old woman sighs, "Child," she says finally, opening her eyes. "When was the last time you transformed? After the first time, I mean.."

Nyra looks down. It’s true. Her peers after shifting could hear their wolves constantly, could shift, use their claws easily.

She hasn’t told anyone this, because she didn’t want to be mocked for being wolfless again. But the truth is, she hasn’t been able to shift again since the first time.

Not in private.

No matter how hard she tries to summon claws, it just never comes. The only thing she feels is the bond, and the occasional voice of her wolf-- and even that it only comes when it has something to do with Adrian.

Never when she’s alone.

Her head jerks up, eyes shining with unshed tears, "Am-am I wolfless again!?"

"No...no, she’s not gone." She looks at Nyra with something close to awe, "She’s just sleeping."

"W-sleeping? Why?"

"Because if she wakes up now, Moon-Crest will never be the same again."