Legacy Luna

Breaking Bonds

Devon

Devon paced the length of his bedroom, his footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. He raked a hand through his curls for what felt like the hundredth time, his mind racing.

He had sent the text an hour ago:

“Yeah, we need to talk. Come over.”

Now, he was questioning everything. But with only an hour left until his birthday party, he knew it was now or never.

The decision to end things with Jackie wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. He had always known she wasn’t his true mate, but for years, he had convinced himself it didn’t matter. Jackie was beautiful, confident, and shared his ambitions. She fit perfectly into the image of his life as the future Alpha.

But that all changed the moment he caught Chanel’s scent.

Devon stopped pacing and stared out the window, the moonlight casting a faint glow over the pack estate. Chanel’s face flashed in his mind—her wide, startled eyes, the way her scent had enveloped him like a warm embrace.

There was no going back now.

A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

“Come in,” he called, his voice steady despite the knot in his stomach.

Jackie stepped inside, her heels clicking softly against the floor. She was dressed impeccably, as always, in a fitted sweater and jeans that hugged her curves. Her hair was styled, her makeup flawless, but there was a tightness around her eyes that betrayed her unease.

“You wanted to talk?” she asked, crossing her arms.

Devon nodded, gesturing for her to sit on the edge of the bed. She hesitated before perching on the edge, her posture stiff.

He took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. “Jackie, we’ve been together for a long time. Four years is... a lot of history.”

She arched a brow. “Why do I feel like there’s a ‘but’ coming?”

“Because there is.” Devon sat down across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “This isn’t easy for me to say, but... I can’t ignore what happened today.”

Jackie’s jaw tightened. “You mean Chanel.”

Devon flinched at the venom in her tone but nodded. “Yeah. Chanel. She’s my mate, Jackie. The bond—it’s real. And I can’t deny it.”

Jackie’s lips parted in disbelief, and for a moment, she just stared at him. Then, she laughed—a sharp, bitter sound that made his stomach churn.

“You can’t deny it?” she echoed, her voice rising. “Devon, we’ve been together for four years. You’ve known this whole time that I wasn’t your mate, and it didn’t matter then. Why does it matter now?”

Devon winced, guilt twisting in his chest. “I thought I could reject my mate when the time came. I thought... I thought I could choose you. But Jackie, when I saw her—”

Jackie shot to her feet, her eyes blazing. “Don’t you dare!” she snapped. “Don’t you dare tell me how special she is or how you felt some magical connection. I don’t want to hear it!”

“Jackie, please—”

“No!” She took a step back, her hands clenched into fists. “You don’t get to do this to me, Devon. Not after everything.”

Devon stood, his expression pained. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you—”

“Hurt me?” Jackie laughed again, this time with tears in her eyes. “You didn’t just hurt me, Devon. You destroyed me. Do you have any idea what I’ve done for you? How much I’ve sacrificed? I built this relationship. I made you the perfect Luna!”

Devon’s brows furrowed. “Jackie, what are you talking about?”

Her lips trembled, and for a moment, it seemed like she might spill every secret she’d kept. But then she shook her head, her expression hardening.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said coldly. “None of it matters anymore, does it? You’ve already made your choice.”

Devon stepped toward her, but she held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t,” she said, her voice breaking. “Just... don’t. If you’re going to throw away four years like they meant nothing, then at least have the decency to let me leave with some dignity.”

He hesitated, his heart aching as he watched her turn and walk toward the door.

“Jackie—”

She stopped in the doorway, her back to him. “You’ll regret this,” she said softly, her voice laced with anger and pain. “I promise you, Devon. You’ll regret it.”

And with that, she was gone.

Devon sank back onto the bed, the weight of the conversation crashing down on him. He had known the breakup would be hard, but he hadn’t expected it to feel like this.

But even through the guilt and sadness, there was a sense of clarity. He had made his choice, and now he had to live with it.

Chanel’s face appeared in his mind again, and despite everything, his chest warmed. He didn’t know how he would earn her trust or how they would navigate this new bond, but he was determined to try.

For the first time in years, his path forward felt uncertain. But it also felt right.

Jackie

Jackie stormed out of Devon’s house, her heels clicking angrily against the pavement. Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t let them fall.

Not yet.

Her mind raced as she replayed his words, the way he had looked at her with pity instead of love. The way he had chosen Chanel over her.

No. This isn’t over.

Jackie’s jaw tightened as a plan began to form in her mind. If Devon thought he could just walk away from her, he was sorely mistaken.

She had worked too hard, sacrificed too much to let someone like Chanel Debrev take everything from her.

Jackie wiped her eyes and straightened her shoulders. If Devon wanted a fight, then she would give him one.

And she wouldn’t lose.

In the stillness of her car, Jackie pulled out her phone and dialed a number she hadn’t called in years.

The line rang once before a deep, gravelly voice answered.

“Jackie Allister. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Jackie’s lips curved into a cold smile. “I need your help,” she said. “And I’m willing to pay whatever it takes.”