Chapter 2: Something Has Shifted

After a few seconds, Lucas finally processed what Elaine had said, but after the shock wore off, anger began to rise within him.

"…Do you really know what you're saying?" Lucas narrowed his eyes dangerously, studying Elaine.

— She seemed... different today.

Elaine stood at the top of the stairs, completely unguarded. Her shoulders used to be squared, her chin used to be lifted. But now she was leaning toward the staircase railing, her posture relaxed and effortless.

Lucas looked at her. She had always been the poised Luna, her demeanor flawless, but now she looked... relaxed and at ease?

"I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that," Lucas said, his voice growing cold.

The idea of an Alpha rejecting his Luna was too ludicrous to even consider, even when they didn’t have feelings for one another.

It was a bond that went beyond words between two wolves. They’d need approval from the council and the pack’s elders.

Not to mention, it made him, as an Alpha, look weak.

"I’m serious, Lucas," Elaine said, "There’s no meaning to us being together. I look like a Luna doll, and you look so reluctant. How about we just let each other go?"

Lucas frowned and scoffed. "If you’re trying to get my attention by acting out, it’s not working. I don’t have time for your games."

"It’s not a game. For years, I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me. I’ve tried to be the Luna you needed. Now, I’m told I’ll be lucky to live another six months."

That made Lucas freeze from head to toe. "What are you talking about?"

"I’m dying," Elaine said calmly, but the words that followed were nothing short of shocking.

"Our mate bond, or lack thereof, really, is killing me. My wolf is already weakened. At this point, it would be better if you rejected me so I could live the rest of my life on my own terms." Elaine pointed to the bandage on her ear, "My wolf has completely lost it. Her screaming is almost deafening."

"Please, do me a favor."

Lucas frowned, confused. "…You’re not joking, are you?"

Elaine let out a short, bitter laugh. This was it. He didn’t even care about her as his legal wife, only questioning her.

...She had given everything for a man like this. What a fool she was.

Lucas stared at her, about to speak, but then—Ayla suddenly coughed violently, drawing everyone's attention.

"Lucas — I'm sorry — "

Lucas rushed to her side, gently rubbing her back until the coughing fit ended. Ayla leaned against his shoulder, as if they were the real couple.

"That’s ridiculous," Ayla said, after taking a few deep breaths, her expression feigning sorrow, "Whoever heard of a deadly mate bond?…Elaine, are you trying to copy me?"

"Sorry... I know I shouldn’t stay in your house. You must be angry about Lucas marking me. But I’m just... so weak. The rejection ritual between Lucas and me hurt me…"

"I know, you must want to grab Lucas’s attention, pretending to be sick... but please, don’t hurt yourself over this. Don’t cut yourself..."

She was insinuating that Elaine was faking her illness and even hurting herself to compete for attention.

Elaine almost laughed. "Why would I bother?"

She didn’t care for the fake sympathy, and directly asked Lucas, "So what's your answer? I think our marriage has no meaning anymore."

Lucas looked at her with suspicion. She was truly different today. Could it be that what she was saying was real?

Ayla noticed Lucas’s attention on Elaine, bit her lip, and started coughing again. "Cough, cough, Elaine, I’m sorry, I—"

"Enough!"

Lucas scooped Ayla up and immediately left the room. "I’m taking you to the hospital."

As he passed by Elaine, he paused.

"I’m very disappointed in you, Elaine," Lucas said, "I hope you're not like Ayla says, faking an illness just to get my attention."

They left.

Elaine stood still, silent for a long while.

So this was what hope had been costing her.

She had walked in here half-expecting — what, exactly. That a death sentence would soften him. That a marking ceremony would bend, mid-bite, when he saw her face.

She almost laughed.

[ …Affection between you might awaken your wolf and delay the decline… ]

The Healer's voice. Polite. Useless.

The servants carefully approached, wanting to comfort her, but Elaine smiled and refused. "I’m going to my room. You all rest now, thank you for your hard work."

— She was going to get a divorce.

Her life had only six months left. She wanted… she wanted to be herself, just once.

As long as she could divorce, she would be free. She needed a lawyer, needed to secure her assets. The countdown to freedom was calling to her.

Luckily, Elaine’s best friend was a lawyer. She might even have some advice on how to move forward with a divorce, as well as donating all her money to those in need when she passed.

…This was her last optimism.

Elaine went upstairs to her bedroom. There, she found a plain calf-length dress laid out on the bed for her. It was one the maids often picked out for her, in muted blues or grays, safe cuts that matched her image as the dutiful Luna.

Elaine picked it up and held it over herself. She stared at it for a long time before tossing it into the trash and choosing a different, yellow, fitted dress.

— She was saying goodbye to her past self.

(On the other side)

Lucas was left to ponder the woman who had walked in the door that afternoon.

Elaine had always been reserved and obedient. Today, she was defiant and confident. She said she was sick, but part of him even wondered if what she said was true. She looked very... calm, but alive.

It had to be a lie to draw his attention.

He never cared for Elaine.

The marriage had not been his idea. His father had wanted the Beta family bound to the Alpha line, and he had wanted a daughter-in-law who would carry messages and listen at doors and report. Lucas had filed Elaine, accurately he thought, as his father's eyes.

When they married, they shared a chosen mate bond. It meant that Lucas had to reject his fated mate, Ayla. It wasn’t long after that Ayla fell ill. Lucas began taking care of Ayla even after he rejected her, feeling a sense of responsibility.

He couldn’t tell whether it was love or just a sense of duty.

When Lucas returned from the hospital, Ayla in tow, she took his hand.

He hadn’t fully marked Ayla this afternoon. Instead, he had used a method taught by a witch to send his pheromones to Ayla to make her feel better.

Though he hated Elaine, he still couldn’t bring himself to cheat on her.

"Maybe it would be better if you divorced Elaine," Ayla said, her voice low with sadness.

Lucas turned. "What do you mean?"

"If she’s acting like this, it won’t stop here. She’ll only hurt your reputation and damage your chances at being Alpha President," Ayla said. Lucas sighed and shook his head.

"I’m not worried."

"I am. What if things get worse?"

"Whatever happens, Ayla, I’ll handle it. I won’t divorce Elaine, but you’ll always come first in my life."

Ayla pouted. "I never feel like it."

"I’m sorry, Ayla. You know how busy I am. What if you come with me to the banquet?"

Her eyes lit up. "Would you really?"

"Of course."

"Even though it’s Luna only?"

"Yes. You are more than welcome, too."

"Thank you!" Ayla grinned from ear to ear.

Lucas didn’t love Elaine, but he didn’t want to divorce her either. He might not have any feelings for her, but she had been the perfect Luna so far. He definitely didn’t want to marry Ayla. He loved her some time ago, but those feelings were long gone now.

Most of the time, Lucas just felt numb.

He mindlinked with his Beta, Kyle, and asked him to check up on Elaine’s medical records. That was the first step to figuring out what was really going on.

"Kyle," he said through the mind link, "see what you can dig up on Elaine. I want you to see if she has recently been to the doctor, and if she was, find out what happened at the appointment."

Lucas could feel Kyle’s shock through the link. "Why? You’ve never looked into Elaine’s health before."

"Something is weird, and I want to get to the bottom of it. That’s all."

"Very well. I’ll find out as soon as I can." Lucas cut the mind link there and moved further into the house.

But as he walked into the house, his footsteps froze.

Elaine had dressed herself in a way she had never tried before. She walked down the stairs with a light, confident stride.

The dress she wore was striking. It was a vibrant yellow, as bright and beautiful as the summer sun outside. It was sleeveless, and cinched at the waist just enough to hint at her curves.

— Was this his once conservative, dull wife…?!