I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “He’s been distant for so long, and after Noah... after we lost him, Damon just left. Not physically, not right away, but he’s not been here for me. It’s like I don’t exist to him anymore. And Leah—she’s always with him. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Luna,” she said, her voice firm but soft, “you don’t have to put up with that. You deserve better. You don’t have to stay there and suffer like this.”
“I know,” I whispered, wiping at my eyes. “I just... I’ve been holding on for so long, hoping he’d come back, that he’d care. But he doesn’t. He’s gone.”
“Luna, listen to me,” her tone full of conviction. “Come to my pack. You don’t have to stay there. I’ve got a place for you, and you’ll be safe here. You don’t have to deal with this alone.”
“Thank you, Lily..."
“Damon's pack isn’t your responsibility anymore... You’ve given enough. You’ve suffered enough. It’s time to think about yourself for once, Luna. You’re stronger than you realize.”
Her words hit me hard, and I closed my eyes, the reality of everything sinking in. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do this.”
“You are,” she said firmly. “You’re stronger than anyone I know. You’re not trapped.”
“I need to confront Damon first. I need him to know that I’m not just leaving the pack—I’m leaving him. My things were pack already."
“I get it. But don’t let him pull you back, Luna. You deserve better than this.”
“I know,” I whispered, more to myself than to her. “I’ll call you when it’s done.”
After I hung up the phone, I sat in silence, feeling the weight of the decision I had just made. Lily is right. There was no going back now. I wasn’t just leaving the pack—I was leaving Damon. The thought was terrifying, but at the same time, there was a small part of me that felt... free.
I reached for the small suitcase I had hidden in the closet. I had been packing for days, little by little, careful not to raise suspicion. Damon was too wrapped up in his missions, too distracted by Leah to even notice my growing distance.
The mate bond between us had felt like a chain around my neck, tightening with every cold look, every time he brushed past me without a word. But not anymore. Tonight, I was breaking free.
I zipped the suitcase closed and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the closed door. I could hear muffled voices downstairs—Damon’s deep voice and Leah’s obnoxious laugh.
Traitor!