Unravelled Luna

Episode II

“I already had a potion prepared by the witches so our mate bond is dormant. It will make it easier to break it. We don’t need to suffer. We can keep on being friends.”

Aesira went completely silent. That was the reason why I felt nothing? He unanimously decided that I would accept his decision and follow through? Goddess! Was I a joke to him? Were we a joke to them? Surely Espen had agreed to it, he wouldn’t have made this decision without his wolf, would he?

“I will accept your rejection.” I said, his eyes lightened up. He really thought I would ask for nothing in return? “On one condition, though. You’ll authorize me to leave the pack whenever I want.”

“What?” He asked. His face looked worried. I smiled, getting ready to lie. I had to be convincing if I wanted to trick him. He wouldn’t let me go if he thought I would leave permanently. He couldn’t do that to my brother.

“Oh, but he could make us aside and break the bond. He didn’t care then, did he?”

“Aesira, please be reasonable. We have to convince them all if we want to get away”

“You heard me. I want to be able to travel from time to time. Let me travel, I’ll live with my brother when I’m not on the road” Truth was, I would leave as soon as the permit was due. I would rather live amongst humans or rogues before seeing them being all lovey dovey and have the pack make fun of me. Maybe I wasn’t feeling the bond things or whatever, but I would surely continue comparing myself to the redhead, and that wasn’t the life I wanted. Endless comparison to another woman must be very tiring. His face was hesitant, he didn't believe me at all. He knew me too well. I started again, thinking about the truth to back up my lie.

“You know I’ve always wanted to travel. I couldn’t because of my career but we are on vacation the next month and I will come back after you both have established a new, strong lead for the pack. Think about it, it will be hard for everyone to just accept this gorgeous redhead after they thought we would end up together, right?” Please Goddess let this work. “No offense to you,” I turned to the woman. “You really are what anyone would like in a Luna. You’ll gain their trust and then we will all live happily, right?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” The she-wolf finally spoke. Her voice was sweet, very soft and delicate. She sounded like a fairy, or an enchantress. Sucker “Surely that will make accepting us more bearable. We wouldn’t like you to suffer. After all, you are very important for Asher and for this pack.” I couldn’t even bring myself to hate her, it felt wrong. But I really wanted to. I wanted to notice the malice in her voice, deceive. But there was nothing, and that made it even worse.

Goddess helped me carry on with my plan. I needed to leave.

It had been a week since.

Now there were just 2 hours left. My bags were ready, lying on the back of my car. I made sure to pack only the necessary things: clothes, ID, food, my family’s album and money. I surely could buy anything else I needed once I was out of here. I still needed to go say goodbye to my brother and his mate, my friend: Leyla, she was the only one who remained in this pack, the others had long married and moved to their mates’. I hadn’t yet told anyone about my plans cause I knew they would be against it. They’d try to stop me, I knew it: even though I had fighting skills and was a capable wolf, they’d worry I was going alone. Wolves needed a pack, or so we had been taught all our lives. Maybe I could go to another pack, see if they would accept me, then go to the council and deal with all the red tape. Or maybe I could live among humans. I didn’t care as long as I could be out of here. Because once Asher and Iliana got married, there wouldn’t be a place for me here. It would be incredibly uncomfortable to live with my brother’s family after not having done so from the very start.

I drove to the healers to pick up the bond tranquilizers. It was well known that breaking a bond caused terrible pain, and could even incapacitate both people involved. I put on my jacket and kept my keys in my jeans’ pocket, entering the building with a tingly pressure dancing inside my chest. It wasn’t anxiety because I knew that well so, what could it be? I dismissed it and asked the reception guy to call Dr. Evans.

“Aysel! Good seeing you here” He hugged me and then guided me through the clinic “Asher told me you were very understanding, I was impressed because you both always seemed to love each other. I guess it was just friendship all along and we all misunderstood.”

“Yeah, I guess so. We all were living a lie” If that was the case, I too had been misled by what we had. But I wouldn’t accept someone who didn’t love me, I was too proud for that. Goddess, just get me out of here already so I can start my new life far away from here. I smiled awkwardly “So… Asher told me you had a special potion to put the bond to sleep while it breaks?”

“Here it is,” He gave me a mini portable fridge full of blue vials. “Make sure to drink one every 8 hours for the next week, ok?”

“Sure, Doc. Thanks a lot”

“Anything for you, sweetie.” He said, checking his pager. “I gotta go. Hope to see you at the coronation.”

He left, surely to attend a case. I drove to my brother's house, the coronation would be taking place tonight, at 8 pm, when the moon was fully visible, that meant I had to be quick. No one would notice I had gone as they’d be in the Integration ritual. Running around the forest in order to get acquainted with the new Luna. Funny that was supposed to be my soon to be title a few weeks ago.

I parked near the lilies that my mother had planted when we were kids. I hadn’t realized how much I missed seeing those. I would definitely have a garden in my new home. Wherever that was. I rang the bell and waited, it wasn’t long before I heard the lock twist and the door opened.

“Ays!” My sister in law hugged me firmly, pressing me against her bumpy belly, she really was strong for a pregnant wolf. “It’s been soooo long since you last visited us. Are you ready to come live with us? It will be so fun, we will bake and go on rounds through the forest. I can’t wait!”

Honestly, the fact that she was so eager to have me in their house made me feel kind of weird. I knew it was with good intentions and that she wanted the best but, so far no one had asked me what I wanted. They’d just assumed because I accepted breaking the bond I was fine with it all. They were calling me the most understanding and gentle soul they had ever met. I wasn’t. I was hurt, very much so. But I wouldn’t stay in a place where it was so obvious I was an extra. I wouldn’t stay in the pack of my soon to be ex-mate just to see him live his dream -once ours- with another woman.

“Is Luc home?” I asked, holding her hands as she guided me to the kitchen stool.

“I need to talk to him.”.