It’s Christmas Eve, and my Alpha’s maid is on the phone—thanking me for giving her dying mother the donor heart that was supposed to keep me alive. “Thank you, Luna. You’re so generous. If Marcus hadn’t broken the rules for me tonight, if he hadn’t pulled the newest heart for my mom, I don’t know how I’d get through this.” I freeze. “You’ve got the wrong wolf. Marcus is visiting another pack tonight. He left before Christmas even started. And he’d never break pack law for anyone. He’s not that kind of Alpha.” Cassie’s voice doesn’t waver. “No mistake, Luna. The second Marcus saw my post on the pack feed begging for a heart, he was at the infirmary in five minutes. Straight from the airfield.” The line goes dead. A key turns in the front door. Marcus walks in. My voice shakes. “You said… you were visiting another pack tonight.” He’s silent for two long seconds. “I had a trip planned. But Cassie’s mother was dying. I couldn’t just leave her.” His voice drops lower. “And… that donor heart you were waiting for. I had it sent to Cassie’s mom.” “You’re younger than her mother. You can wait a little longer.” My eyes flood. I have heart failure from a silver wound. He knows. He knows how rare a matching donor is for a Luna whose heart was sliced by a silver blade. And he just—gave it away? When my parents begged him to pull strings months ago, he told them life was equal. No favors. No exceptions. Now he breaks pack law for his maid? It takes me forever to find my voice. “Marcus. I’m rejecting you. And I’m reporting you to the Council of Elders.” I turn to leave. He grabs my wrist. His face is cold. “Ivy. Don’t be ridiculous. I know you’re sick. I know you’re scared. I’m your Alpha, your mate—I’m more scared than you are. But Cassie’s mom is old. She couldn’t wait. Have a little compassion.” I stare at him. Then I howl it out of me. “Her mom couldn’t wait? What about ME? I do a silver purge every week, Marcus. I’m halfway in the grave. Who’s having compassion for ME? You KNOW if I don’t get this surgery I’m DEAD.” He frowns at me like I’m being dramatic. “Stop talking like that. You have me. You’re not going to die. The next heart comes through, it’s yours.” I look at him and something inside me dies quietly. “I’ve been on this list three years, Marcus. Three years. When my parents knelt on this floor and begged you—do you remember what you said?” Tears spill over. I can’t stop them. “You wouldn’t even look at them. You yelled at them. You said life is equal. You said taking shortcuts would dishonor you, that they were trying to drag you down. And I believed you. I told myself you weren’t cold, you were just honorable. I told myself I should be proud to be your Luna.” “So why does Cassie post once on the pack feed and the heart is hers?” My voice is shaking so hard I can barely get the words out. “Where did ‘life is equal’ go, Marcus?” His eyes slide away from mine. “Cassie’s only got her mother. No father. No pack family. If her mom dies, she has no one. I felt for her. I made a quick call.” I can’t breathe. “So because she can’t lose her mother, you trade my life for hers?” My whole body is shaking. “Your quick call cuts off MY life? I’m going to the infirmary right now. She’s giving that heart back.” “ENOUGH.” His hand cracks across my face. My head snaps. The room spins. My cheek burns like fire. I stare at him. Marcus’s face goes white. He reaches for me. I jerk back. I try to swing at him but my legs give out. He catches me, panicking now, dragging me to the bed, fumbling for my meds. His phone rings. He looks at the screen and answers without hesitation. A few low words. Then he looks at me, jaw tight. “Ivy, Cassie’s mom is rejecting the transplant. I have to go. Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid.” He grabs his keys and runs. He never even finishes finding my meds. The room is empty. I crawl off the bed. I drag myself along the wall to the medicine cabinet. I swallow the pills with shaking hands. Tears run down my face. This time, my Inner wolf goes silent. Something between us is dead.
Marcus is gone three days. No call. No mindlink. Nothing. I know exactly where he is, though. Because Cassie won’t stop posting on the pack feed. While I’m collapsed in bed shaking with fever, Marcus is at the infirmary holding Cassie’s hand all night. She posts a photo of their fingers laced together. Caption: Because of you, I have the strength to fight fate. While I’m dragging two slices of moldy bread out of the fridge, Marcus is taking Cassie out for a feast. Nine photos of food. Caption: He heard I’d never been to a real restaurant as a pup. So he said he’d take me to every one in the territory. While I’m rolling on the floor in pain, Cassie posts from a moon shrine. Caption: Someone came with me to pray for my mom. But honestly, I should thank the Moon Goddess for sending me this guardian angel. The pain comes in waves. Then I realize—today is my silver purge day. Marcus forgot. Of course he did. He’s too busy with his maid. When I took that silver blade meant for him and almost died in his arms, Marcus cried into my chest. He swore that if I died, he’d follow me into the next life. He wouldn’t break pack law for me, but he’d remember every dose, every appointment, every wave of pain. When did it change? When Cassie became his maid. He used to roll his eyes when he mentioned her. “Dumb little thing. Can’t do anything right. Cries every time I correct her. Exhausting.” Then it shifted. “Poor pup. Just her and her mom. She’s clawing her way up from nothing. Tough situation.” Then the corner of his mouth would lift when her name came up. “My maid—not the brightest, but she’s got grit. You know what I love about her, Ivy? She’s so full of life. I come home every day to a Luna who can barely sit up. It’s rare to see someone who—” He caught my eyes. “I didn’t mean you, Ivy. Don’t take it like that. Once you’re healthy again, you’ll have all that energy too.” He said that. And then he started coming home later. And later. And later. Too busy. Always too busy. Too busy doing pack rounds. Too busy training Cassie. Too busy to spend Christmas with his mate. But not too busy to pull strings for Cassie’s family. Not too busy to give away the heart I’d waited three years for. I drift in and out of consciousness. At some point I think I hear Marcus’s voice. Ivy, are you feeling any better? A girl peeks out from behind him. I jolt awake. It’s not a dream. Marcus is home. He brought Cassie with him.
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