He Thought I Became His Perfect Luna, I Had Only Stopped Loving Him Chapter 03

He Thought I Became His Perfect Luna, I Had Only Stopped Loving Him Chapter 03

The snow had stopped.

But the cold had sunk down into my bones.

My lips were cracked and dark. My old injury flared, and I was carried back inside to the small room.

When I came around, Stellan was sitting at the edge of the bed.

His hands were wrapped around mine.

They were warm.

“You’re awake.” He let go. His voice hovered somewhere between relief and reproach. “You pass out after a little cold air and you still want to be Luna.”

I pulled my hand back slowly.

He looked at his own empty palm for a moment. Then, voice sharpening: “There’s a pack meeting tonight. Get ready.”

I didn’t want to agree. But the Luna bond still held me.

I nodded.

That strange look crossed his face again.

Before, I would’ve argued. Would’ve asked, eyes already filling, whether Rhoslyn was going to be there. Now there was nothing. Not even a flicker. What was he supposed to do with that?

His eyes dropped to my bare neck.

“Where’s the moonstone necklace I gave you?”

I turned to the mirror. My expression came out blank.

“…Moonstone necklace?”

Stellan’s jaw tightened.

That necklace wasn’t worth much. But it was the first thing he’d ever given me. The kind of thing I don’t forget.

I had once told him happily that I would wear it every single day for the rest of my life. There was even the time our building caught fire — I ran back through the smoke and heat just to retrieve that necklace.

And now I had no idea what he was talking about.

“Aelwen.” His voice dropped low. “Don’t push this.”

I genuinely didn’t understand what he meant.

The door opened.

Rhoslyn stepped in, eyes glistening.

“Stellan…” She bit her lip. “I accidentally spilled soup on my dress. I heard Aelwen has a spare blue dress, the one her mom left her. Could I maybe borrow it?”

“No.” My answer came out clean and immediate. I hadn’t forgotten this, at least. “That’s the only thing left of my mother. You can have anything else. Not that.”

Stellan smiled.

He crossed the room. Leaned down. Spoke just low enough for only me to hear.

“Your mother. The figure modeling she did to cover your medical bills. I still have some of those drawings. Very detailed.” He straightened. His voice returned to its usual, unbothered tone. “The dress. Or your mother’s reputation after she’s gone. Your choice.”

The room went absolutely silent.

I stood there for a long moment.

Then I closed my eyes.

When I opened them, the light was gone.

“…I’ll get it for you.”

I lifted the carefully folded blue dress from my drawer and held it out to Rhoslyn.

“Please take care of it,” I said.

Rhoslyn took it with both hands and smiled, warm and sweet and almost kind.

“Of course, Aelwen. I’ll take very good care of it.”

Late that night, after the pack meeting ended, I spotted that familiar indigo blue in the trash can at the end of the hallway. The fabric had been maliciously cut into shreds, the hem stained with grease, buttons scattered everywhere. Rhoslyn stood beside the bin, holding her little white dog, her smile innocent and cruel.

“Oops, I accidentally tore it. Not like Aelwen would ever wear it again anyway, right?”

“Besides, your mother used to pose naked for those sketches. Wearing something like that just brings bad luck.”

Slap! The sharp sound of the slap echoed through the silent hallway.

Rhoslyn clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief, then burst into tears.

Almost at the same moment, Stellan’s angry voice rang out: “Aelwen! What the hell is wrong with you!”

He strode over, pulling Rhoslyn behind him, his gaze sharp as a blade: “Apologize!”

I looked at the torn dress on the ground, then back at him, and suddenly everything felt absurd.

“She destroyed my mother’s last keepsake.”

“So what?” Stellan said coldly. “It’s just a dress. Is that worth hitting someone? Aelwen, you’re becoming completely unreasonable.”

I said nothing. Silence was my strongest defiance now.

Stellan grew visibly irritated. After a moment, his voice softened unexpectedly: “The Winter Solstice Celebration is in two days. You’re coming with me. Stop looking like this — you’re embarrassing me.”

The Winter Solstice Celebration was held in the clearing at the edge of the forest.

Someone started the old game, Truth Under the Laurel.

A branch was tossed, and it landed on Stellan.

“Alpha!” The crowd erupted. “Somebody ask the Alpha something! Whatever you’ve always been too scared to ask!”

Laughter spread through the crowd. Stellan’s expression eased into something rare: a real smile.

Then Rhoslyn spoke.

“Stellan.” Her voice rang out clear and deliberate. “When was the last time you made love to your mate?”

The clearing went still.

Stellan’s eyes slid briefly to mine.

“Five years ago,” he said.