CHAPTER 322: CHAPTER 322 IT ALL FELL APART

Liora felt strange when Caelen refused to mark her, claiming that she was too weak to bear his mark. But Liora brushed them off believing only his love mattered.

Months had gone by and she hadn’t seen her family, she missed them, and she knew they would have been worried that she was missing. But she was with her mate, and they are expecting a baby.

She knew she had made a risky decision. She knew he was a werewolf, and werewolves and Fae don’t get along. She wondered if there would be a place for her child in this world.

As long as Caelen was there for them, she had nothing to fear.

One morning, while cleaning, Liora found a small envelope hidden beneath his folded clothes. The wax seal bore the emblem of the Silver Moon Pack. Her pulse quickened as she opened it, her eyes tracing the elegant handwriting inside.

"To my dearest Luna Evelyn, and our children, Sabastain and Maddie,

It has been a while since I’ve been home. I’m writing to let you know I’m well and fine. The fight between the rogues is getting worse, I can’t come home yet... but I will when my duty is done.

Evelyn, you had written that you felt heartwrenching pain, I’m sorry to hear that, but you mustn’t suspect me of cheating on you. As werewolves, we are loyal to our partner until death. I have no one with me, and I believe the pain is because of my near-death encounter.

Take care of the pack, the pups, and yourself, see you soon.

Your love,

Caelen."

Her fingers went cold. The words blurred through her tears. The warmth that once lived inside her turned to ice, as tears streaked her cheeks. She never knew love could hurt this bad.

When Caelen returned that evening, she stood by the fire, her hair loose, the letter trembling in her hands.

"You have a Luna," she said softly, the hurt in her voice sharper than any blade. "You have children."

He froze at the doorway, his jaw tightening. "Liora, I can explain."

"Explain?" She laughed bitterly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Explain how you made me believe I was the only one? That you loved me? Tell me, Caelen, what part of this was real to you?"

"Liora, please..." His eyes flickered with guilt, but when she stepped forward, her pain spilled out like poison.

"Was I just a distraction? A secret you kept buried in the woods? You told me to stay. You promised me forever, when forever was never yours to give."

Her voice lowered as realisation dawned on her. "This was the reason why you refused to mark me..." she chuckled bitterly. "Werewolves can only mark one partner for life, right? So this why you could not mark?" She sobbed. Everything had been a lie... everything.

He tried to reach her, but she flinched back. Her power rippled beneath her skin, blue light flashing faintly around her fingers.

"Don’t touch me," she whispered.

Something in his gaze hardened. "You... you are a Fae?"

She froze, her breath hitching.

"You’re Fae," he said, his voice cold and distant.

She swallowed hard. "I never lied to you."

"But you hid it." His tone grew sharper. "You hid what you are. You let me fall for a lie!" He roared with pain and repulsion.

"I didn’t lie, unlike you," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Everything between us was real... I thought you knew, since I saved you from the rogues."

He stared at her, torn between anger and disbelief, but when he spoke again, his voice was quiet and final. "Leave, Liora. You were never meant to be here."

She stared at him, heart shattering, her voice trembling. "You are going to abandon me? What about our child? What about our bond? What about the promises you gave?"

He looked away. "These... you lied to me, Liora. You know that Fae and Werewolf can not be together."

"You can’t do this to me! You kept me as your mistress, telling me sweet nothings. Now you are going to abandon me so easily? Because I found your secret? How could you Caelen? How could you?!" Her hands trembled by her side.

She felt her heart shattered, pierced by thousands of needles.

"I, Caelen Salvatore, reject you Liora, as my mate." He said with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Caelen shut his eyes as pain shot through him. He loved Liora with everything he had, but she was someone he couldn’t be with. It was best that they go their separate ways than force an abomination.

Caelen’s words split her chest open. Pain unlike anything she had ever known clawed through her chest. The bond snapped, leaving behind an empty ache that swallowed her whole. Her magic flickered, collapsing back into her.

Burning with pain and humiliation, she muttered. "I Liora, accept your rejection, Caelen Salvatore." After her acceptance, she walked closer to Caelen. "May we never cross paths again."

The forest blurred as tears ran down her face. Every step felt like breaking. Every breath hurt like her chest was chainsawed.

By the time she crossed the barrier back into the Fae realm, her body was frail, her spirit hollow. And inside her, a heartbeat, fragile and innocent, reminded her of what she couldn’t escape.

She was already six months pregnant.

The Fae realm didn’t welcome her back. Whispers followed her everywhere she went. Her sisters looked at her with disdain. Her father turned his face away, ashamed.

"How could you do this?!"

"You are a disgrace!"

"A princess mating with a dog. You smell like filth."

"And what is that in your stomach?! An Abomination!"

"The disgrace of our realm," they called her.

The insults hurled at her were too much for her. She cried night and day, she was once loved by the people and her family, but now she had fallen from grace.

It was only Zeir that would come and check up on her, bringing her food.

She locked herself in her room, afraid to go out. She regretted meeting Caelen, she regretted leaving the fae realm. And now her stomach had grown so large that she could not see her feet. She wailed and wanted to change everything... but she couldn’t.