My husband Kian’s female graduate student Lila sent me a photo. In the picture, my Alpha lay naked beside her, with a message that screamed defiance: “Luna Elara, Professor Kian was so passionate, he’s tired and asleep. He asked me to tell you he won’t be home tonight.” I stared at the photo for three seconds, then lightly tapped my screen, taking a screenshot of the photo and chat history. I immediately sent it to both the Blackspire Pack’s Council SnapChat group and the entire Chicago University faculty and student SnapChat group. “Congratulations, Lila, on successfully claiming your spot by Alpha Kian’s side.” Sent, powered off, all in one swift motion. When I switched my phone back on two days later, the entire North American werewolf community was already in an uproar. 0In the photo, Kian lay naked, sinking into the hotel’s down pillows, with Lila, equally unclothed, sleeping beside him. I zoomed in on the picture, my gaze falling on the red marks on his neck, and a smile touched my lips. No reply, just a screenshot saved. Then I tapped into the two most active group chats and sent it with one click. “Congratulations, Lila, on successfully claiming your spot by Alpha Kian’s side.” The moment the message popped up, I silenced all notifications and placed my phone screen-down on the table. The world outside abruptly fell silent. Beyond the apartment’s floor-to-ceiling windows, Chicago’s city lights stretched out like a silent, endless sea. I walked to the liquor cabinet, pulled out an unopened bottle of whiskey, and poured myself half a glass. The amber liquid clung to the glass, leaving slow, tear-like trails. Today was Kian’s and my third wedding anniversary. Kian had sent a voice message via FaceTime that afternoon, saying the closing dinner for the academic conference was unavoidable, with several elder researchers attending, so he had to be there. He said he’d try to come home early to “make up” for tonight. So, his “dinner” was this. His “make up” was this kind of make up. I carried my glass to the dining table. The black wolf figurine on the cake stood with its head held high, proud and solitary. I reached out a finger and gently pushed it. The black wolf toppled into the cream, its head snapping off. What a shame. I drained the glass in one gulp, the pungent liquid burning my throat. Good. Years ago, the Blackspire Pack was severely hit by a winter blizzard. Our supply lines completely collapsed, so we proactively sought an alliance marriage with the Frostveil Pack, hoping to use their resources to overcome the crisis. My father had planned to pick just any Omega, but I’d seen Kian once at a Pack summit and was drawn to him. I personally canceled a territory cooperation agreement with the Ironclaw Pack that had been in discussion for six months. For three consecutive months, I flew to the Blackspire Pack’s territory three times, pulling all-nighters to rework their winter supply chain plan, helping them reduce winter losses by thirty percent. I proved to all the Elders that I wasn’t just there to be a figurehead Luna. Kian had held my hands then, swearing before the Elders, “Elara, I’ll protect you for life. We’ll govern the Pack together.” Vows, the more solemnly they’re made, the more cheaply they’re broken. Since he broke our pact first, this marriage, bound by Pack interests and youthful infatuation, should end here. I didn’t cry or make a scene. I pressed the intercom and called Ethan, my guard captain, whom I’d brought from the Frostveil Pack. “Organize and load all my personal belongings and research data,” I instructed, pointing to the study and walk-in closet. “Leave Kian’s personal items untouched. Register all the gifts he gave me and place them in the living room storage. They’ll be returned to the main villa tomorrow.” I walked into the study myself, collecting my authored papers and the original alliance documents into a fireproof safe. The photos from our Rocky Mountains expeditions, our picture from when he became a tenured professor – I simply placed them neatly in a file box. No need to destroy anything, just as there was no need to be hysterical over a relationship that had turned sour. The break needed to be clean, dignified, and absolute. Two hours later, everything was loaded into the SUV convoy. I took one last look at the villa. Our wedding photo still hung on the wall, him holding my hand, his gaze earnest and passionate. I nodded to Ethan: “Let’s go.” The cars drove out of the community, merging into the late-night traffic. I didn’t look back. My new residence was a secluded cabin I’d bought long ago on the edge of the Blackspire Pack territory, always left empty. One always needed a fallback. Now, it seemed, that decision was absolutely correct. By the time we arrived at the cabin, the sky was already growing light. Ethan and his team helped me settle my belongings. I sent them back to rest, keeping only one trusted aide for external liaison. I took a hot shower, then sat at the solid wood table and opened my laptop, quickly sorting through the entire situation in my mind. Lila, Kian’s second batch of graduate students, had been enrolled for a year and a half. Young, beautiful, always wearing sweet white peach perfume, impressive academic performance, and always knew how to work a room. That was everyone’s assessment of her in the department. Every time she saw me, she’d say, with just the right amount of reverence, “Luna Elara, your model is truly incredible. Professor Kian often says you’re the most talented ecologist he’s ever met.” Before, I’d simply taken it as a junior’s respect for a senior. Now, looking back, every seemingly casual consultation was a probe into Kian’s and my core research progress. Every act of thoughtfulness in front of Kian subtly made me seem bossy and cold in comparison. 0
My friend Brynn had warned me then that Kian and Lila were getting too close, but at the time, I’d just laughed it off. I thought, “How much trouble could one girl stir up?” Now, I realize I was too naive, too confident, so confident that I ignored all the early warning signs. Like Kian coming home later and later from field research, his jacket occasionally carrying a faint, almost undetectable hint of white peach. Like him subconsciously starting to overturn my territory ecological plans, his tone familiar, as if repeating someone else’s words: “Elara, this migration corridor design is too idealistic. Lila’s model data is more reliable.” “Lila checked it, the prey density in this forest area has discrepancies. We’d better observe it for another quarter.” Lila, Lila, Lila. Her name appeared in his mouth with abnormal frequency. And I, foolishly, kept attributing all this to normal teacher-student communication and academic discussion. Until that photo, like a poisoned dagger, tore through all the fabricated peace. I closed my eyes, and that image reappeared in my mind. Kian’s sleeping face, and Lila’s provocative caption. Why did she dare to do it? She was certain I wouldn’t make a fuss. She calculated that as Luna, I valued the Pack’s reputation above all else and would never air our dirty laundry publicly. She calculated that I cherished my academic reputation and wouldn’t let private matters affect the core cooperative projects between our Packs. She calculated that I would confront her privately, or cry and argue with Kian, and in the end accept a perfunctory explanation of “lost control after drinking, merely being cared for.” Then she would play the innocent victim, gaining Kian’s sympathy and making me appear jealous and overbearing, slowly eroding my position. Too bad. She miscalculated. I, Elara, was never one to grit my teeth and bear it. If she wanted to play dirty, I’d play with my cards face up. Let the entire Pack, and all the faculty and students, bear witness to your “love.” I don’t know when I fell asleep, only that it was an unusually deep sleep. Two days later, I woke naturally. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the wooden floor. A new room, but the air was filled with my usual pine incense, a familiar sense of calm. I sat up and picked up the phone beside my pillow. Two days off, it was time to turn it on and see how far the storm had escalated. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the power button. The phone vibrated, and the screen lit up. The next second, it vibrated wildly, “Buzz—buzz—buzz—” almost flying out of my hand. Hundreds of missed calls, dozens of unread messages. I scanned the call list; Kian was at the top, with 99 missed calls. Below him were Pack Elders, colleagues from the department, my friends, and some unfamiliar numbers. I silenced my phone and tossed it aside. I got up and went to the kitchen, making myself a simple breakfast: fried eggs, toasted whole wheat bread, and a cup of hot cocoa. I ate slowly, methodically, as if the world-shaking storm outside had nothing to do with me. After breakfast and washing the dishes, I picked up the hot phone again. I ignored all of Kian’s messages and first clicked into the Blackspire Pack’s Council SnapChat group. Two days was enough for many things to ferment. The group messages had exploded. My congratulatory message was like a bomb. Below it was several minutes of dead silence, then the first to jump out was an Elder, posting a shocked emoji. Immediately after, various whispers began to flood the screen. “What the hell? What’s going on?” “Has Luna been hacked?” “Is that Alpha Kian in the photo?” “Oh my god, the information is overwhelming.” “Did that student go too far?” 0
Public opinion quickly split into several factions. Most people adopted a wait-and-see attitude, waiting for more definitive proof, while a few added fuel to the fire, eager for drama. A few Pack members who were usually close to Lila were the first to jump in and defend her. “Everyone, let’s not spread rumors. I’ve known Lila for almost a year; she’s not that kind of person. There must be some misunderstanding.” Someone immediately echoed: “Exactly. Alpha Kian and Luna Elara’s relationship has always been stable, and with the Pack alliance in place, how could something like this happen?” “Maybe it’s someone maliciously Photoshopping or spreading rumors to intentionally sow discord between the Packs.” Such flimsy defenses didn’t last long, quickly buried by a flood of emerging details. “Rumors? A hotel room photo has leaked, and it’s still rumors?” “The person above hasn’t looked closely, have they? The post even shows her pearl hairpin left on the bedside table. Can that be fake?” “I’ve always thought something was off with her. She’s always holed up in her professor’s office, her mind not on experiment data at all.” “During the last territory expedition, she kept trying to shield Alpha Kian from drinks, getting completely drunk herself. Kian even had to take her home!” Once the tide turned, everyone piled on. Lila’s carefully cultivated “pure academic” image was shattered in that moment. After nearly an hour of the incident fermenting, Lila, as the other party involved, finally appeared. She posted a lengthy message simultaneously in the Pack Council channel and the department-wide email list, full of tearful indignation. “To all my Pack members, teachers, and classmates, I apologize for occupying public resources with my private matters.” “Last night at the academic closing dinner, Professor Kian was plied with a lot of strong liquor by several colleagues from a neighboring university and ended up too drunk to stand.” “As his student, I had a responsibility to ensure his safety, so I took a taxi and brought him to a nearby hotel to rest.” “The professor vomited all over himself, so I helped him change out of his dirty clothes.” “After settling him in, I left. I originally wanted to call Alpha Kian’s Beta to inform them, but the phone was unanswered. In a panic, I messaged Luna Elara to explain the situation.” “My message might have been ambiguously worded, causing everyone to misunderstand. It truly wasn’t what everyone thinks.” “I’m still shaking with fright, not knowing who would want to ruin my reputation like this.” “Professor Kian and I are completely innocent, just a pure teacher-student relationship. Please stop spreading rumors.” “Luna Elara, if you see this message, could you please explain the situation? As a young Omega, if my reputation is ruined, I truly don’t know how I’ll be able to survive in academia and the Pack.” Finally, she specifically @-mentioned me. What a fragile, innocent-looking manipulator. This PR statement was watertight, portraying herself as a dutiful but innocently wronged victim, shifting all the blame onto me, saying I misunderstood, that I made a mountain out of a molehill, ruining a young woman’s reputation. As expected, after her statement, the mood in the channel quietly shifted. Several well-meaning but naive individuals immediately stepped forward to mediate. “So that’s what happened. I knew there must be a misunderstanding.” “I wonder who was so heartless, taking things out of context to ruin a young girl’s reputation.” “Luna Elara did seem a bit impatient this time. She should have at least clarified things before letting the message spread. It’s truly damaging to Lila.” “Exactly, she’s a young Omega. How will she face people now?” “Poor Lila, she’s so innocent.” I looked at these words, and the cold sneer on my lips grew wider. Playing a public opinion war? Lila, you’re still too green. Just then, a call came in. The name flashing on the screen made my eyes turn cold. It wasn’t Kian; it was Kian’s mother, Mara. I let it ring for a long time, picking it up only in the last second before it would automatically hang up. “Hello.” My voice betrayed no emotion. On the other end, Mara’s sharp, furious roar immediately erupted. “Elara! You finally picked up! Are you insane! What exactly are you trying to do!” 0
“Are you trying to ruin Kian?!” Mara’s voice was hoarse and cracked with rage, mixed with the crisp sound of porcelain shattering in the background. I could feel her hysteria even through the phone. I twirled a pen between my fingers, my phone flat on the desk on speakerphone, without even a flicker of an eyebrow. After she finished her tirade, I slowly spoke, my tone as calm as if discussing the weather: “Mom, please speak slowly, I’m listening. I just don’t understand what I’ve done to make you so angry.” “You’re still playing dumb with me!” Mara’s volume shot up another eight octaves, making the speaker vibrate slightly. “Look at the post you sent! Now it’s spread throughout the Pack, even to several neighboring Packs! Where does Kian put his face? Where do we Blackspire Pack put our face?!” I didn’t interrupt, casually flipping open the book on my desk, patiently waiting for her to vent. Her reaction was entirely within my expectations. Valuing reputation over right and wrong, and fiercely protecting her own to the point of irrationality—this was the disposition I’d figured out on my first day of marriage. When she finally stopped, breathing heavily, I slowly began: “Mom, instead of questioning me, why don’t you first ask your precious son if he had me in mind while he was lying next to another woman.” “An Alpha out socializing, getting drunk and being looked after—isn’t that perfectly normal?” Mara’s tone was self-righteous. “Lila, a young girl, kindly took care of his safety. You don’t appreciate it, and you’re letting rumors fly around, ruining her reputation! Where are your manners? Where is your graciousness as Luna?” I gently tapped the desk with my fingertips, a cold sneer in my heart, but my face remained calm: “My manners dictate that my mate does not sleep in another woman’s hotel room on our wedding anniversary.” “And certainly not that the woman has sex with my man and then sends me photos to flaunt it.” There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Mara’s tone shifted from anger to righteous favoritism: “So what! Which Alpha doesn’t have a female confidante outside? Do you have to make such a public spectacle of it? Can’t you just tolerate it for Kian’s future, for the sake of the Pack?” “Tolerate?” I sounded as if I’d heard the biggest joke. “Mom, a Luna of the werewolf Pack never tolerates such things.” “You! What kind of attitude is that!” Mara was clearly choked by my words. “Elara, I’m telling you, we Blackspire Pack will absolutely not tolerate a jealous Luna!” “You immediately go to the Pack Council SnapChat group, and to Kian’s department group, and explain clearly that it was a joke you made! Apologize to Lila, and this matter will be over!” “Apologize?” The curve of my lips grew colder. “Does she even deserve it?” “You ungrateful woman! Don’t think Kian can’t live without you! I’m telling you, there are plenty of women who want to be Luna!” “That’s wonderful,” I replied casually. “Have him replace me immediately; I certainly won’t stand in his way.” “You just wait! I’ll make Kian divorce you right now! Women like you should be cast out with nothing, sent back to your Frostveil Pack!” “Fine,” I said. “I’ll wait for the subpoena.” With that, I hung up the phone and blocked her. All in one swift motion. Muddying the waters, twisting the truth, and always, always defending her precious son. That was my dear mother-in-law. I had experienced it before. My phone vibrated again; this time it was Brynn, my best friend and the Pack’s chief physician. I answered. “Elara! You finally turned your phone on! Are you okay?” Brynn’s anxious voice came through. “I’m fine.” Hearing her voice, my taut nerves relaxed slightly. “Good, you scared me to death! That move of yours was brilliant! Now the entire Northern werewolf community is talking about it.” “Kian’s department probably can’t even get any experiments done today; everyone’s too busy gossiping.” Brynn’s voice held a hint of gleeful excitement. “I’m fine, and I’m doing great.” “The more attention, the better. I want it to be a spectacle.” 0
“Well done!” Brynn didn’t hide her support. “You can’t be soft on a muddle-headed man like that and a scheming homewrecker!” “But what are you going to do next? I heard that Lila is no easy opponent.” Her tone became somber. “She’s telling everyone she was wrongly accused, that you can’t tolerate her as a junior, making many unsuspecting people think you’re a jealous, evil Luna.” “I know, I read her long post.” I picked up the organized file folder from the table. “Don’t rush, let her perform for now.” The biggest mistake in a public opinion war is to let the opponent control the narrative. She wants to play the victim and gain sympathy, so I’ll give her enough stage to perform. The harder she plays the victim now, the more innocent she portrays herself, the harder she’ll fall when the undeniable proof comes out. “I’m never interested in just a war of words with her,” I tapped the file folder. “What I want is for her academic qualifications to be revoked, for her to be completely blacklisted from the North American werewolf research community, with no chance of even touching core projects.” “So, what are your plans for today? Just staying in the cabin?” Brynn asked. I looked at the bright sunshine outside the window and slowly said: “No. I’m going to the university. There are some things I need to retrieve personally. And, it’s time to meet the two main characters.” “Alright!” Brynn’s voice was excited. “Do you need me to come with you? To back you up! I’m free today and can come anytime.” “No need,” I declined her kind offer. “This is my battle, and I’ll fight it myself.” Hanging up the phone, I walked into the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. I chose a charcoal-gray suit skirt, sharp in its cut and full of presence, paired with black ankle boots. Then I sat at the vanity and applied sophisticated, sharp makeup. Looking at the radiant woman with cold eyes in the mirror, I smiled with satisfaction. Elara, welcome back. This show has just begun. I grabbed my car keys and left, my destination the Chicago University administration building. I wanted to see just how far they’d taken this act without me, the “vicious shrew,” present. My car was a black Land Rover, a gift from the Blackspire Pack Elders to us the year Kian became Alpha. Thinking about it now, it was ironic. The car drove steadily towards the campus, where I had shared a research lab with him, and where a veritable trap awaited me. The Land Rover pulled into the exclusive faculty parking spot. I turned off the engine but didn’t immediately get out. I looked at myself in the rearview mirror: lips red as blood, eyes cold as ice. Good, this was the battle attire I needed. I pushed the door open and stepped out, my boots clicking crisply on the polished floor, the sound amplified in the empty garage like war drums. Entering the elevator, I pressed the top floor directly; the department head’s and Kian’s offices were both on this level. The elevator doors opened to a familiar hallway, familiar lab signs. But today’s atmosphere was entirely different. The usually quiet and orderly office area was now filled with an eerie silence. Everyone sat at their workstations, pretending to read literature or conduct experiments, but their wandering eyes, perked ears, and occasional furtive taps on their keyboards betrayed them. The air was thick with gossip and speculation, mingled with a faint, almost imperceptible trace of white peach perfume. When I appeared in their field of vision in a striking black suit skirt, the entire office area seemed to be paused. All eyes simultaneously fixated on me. Shock, curiosity, sympathy, schadenfreude… a complex web of emotions converged, enveloping me. I walked straight ahead, chin slightly raised, my pace unwavering, heading directly towards the end of the hallway. There was no need to care about the onlookers’ gazes. My objective was clear, and had been all along: to retrieve what was rightfully mine. 0
The sound of my boots was the only noise in the oppressive silence, each step landing like a strike on everyone’s raw nerves. They watched me as if I were the leading lady making a grand entrance in an annual drama. I walked past them expressionlessly. The closer I got to the office, the clearer the whispers became. “Oh my god, Luna Elara is really here!” “Dressed like that… is she here to declare war?” “This is going to be good. Quick, open a SnapChat group and start a live stream!” “Lila’s still in Professor Kian’s office. I saw her go in crying this morning, and she hasn’t come out since.” I heard these voices, and a cold sneer flickered across my lips. Excellent, the audience was all in place. I reached the tightly closed wooden door. The door’s soundproofing was good, but I could still faintly hear suppressed, intermittent sobbing from inside. It was Lila’s voice. I didn’t knock. Under everyone’s gaze, I simply turned the doorknob and pushed the door open forcefully. The moment the door swung open, the scene inside clearly reflected in my eyes, and in the countless peeking eyes in the hallway. Inside the office, Kian stood by the sofa. And Lila sat on the guest sofa, crying piteously, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Kian held a tissue in his hand, leaning slightly forward, about to offer it to her. His face was filled with annoyance and reluctance. Hearing the door open, both of them simultaneously looked towards the entrance. Lila saw me, and her crying ceased abruptly, like a cat whose throat had been squeezed. A fleeting look of panic flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by deeper grievance and tears. The moment Kian recognized me, his whole body froze. His outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air, the tissue hovering, creating an almost comical awkwardness. I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, observing the “deeply moving” scene before me. I smiled, breaking the silence. “Professor Kian, busy, are we? I hope I’m not interrupting.”
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