When the Moon Never Mends

He had once sworn I was his fated Luna, the Omega he cherished above all. However, just a month shy of our bonding, he decided to repay a life-saving grace by fathering a child with his old flame. To add insult to injury, he swiped the herbal research I was on the cusp of unveiling. He claimed he was trapped, obligated to both sides. I, however, was done with him. I cut ties, called off our Bonding Ceremony, and set off for the Northwood tundra to lose myself in my research. Two years on, he pleaded for my return, professing I was his one true love. However, by then, I was renowned far and wide, and he was nothing to me. Chapter 1 "Nancy's got Argentosis, with just a year to live. She got sick saving my life, and I can't let her die holding onto regrets. She just wants to leave behind a pup—her own child—her final wish." Zack Carter had said those lines more times than I could count. I am Maggie Blake, his supposed Luna. Every time, he acted like it was his righteous duty, as if my refusal made me heartless. Still, could having a child really settle a debt? I said no, yet he would not drop the matter. He would hound me day in and day out. What started as sweet-talking had turned into full-blown fights. Our love was hanging by a thread. "We're supposed to bond next month, and you want to have a kid with someone else? What am I supposed to be?" The fights were draining me. I looked at the Alpha I had loved for five years with nothing but disappointment in my eyes. Zack was the hotshot Alpha pharmacist at Central City Medical College, the youngest they had ever seen. We had pored over hundreds of herbs together, and he had even promised to bond with me under the watchful eye of the Moon Goddess. Here he was, backing out and granting another Omega's plea right before our Bonding Ceremony. I could not hide the hurt. Tears streamed down my face, and the wolf within me wailed with grief. The agony was intense, a bitter gift from the man I loved. Zack fell silent, his stern features slowly softening. In a hushed tone, he said, "It's just this once. You're still the one I love the most, the only one meant to be my Luna. "Maggie, I can't turn down her final request. "You love me, so you'll bend, won't you?" Despair washed over me like briny waves, overwhelming and suffocating. Did Zack really think my love meant I had to accept his betrayal? I fought to steady my shaking frame, but it was no use. That was when it hit me. Zack had made up his mind to have a child with Nancy, and my feelings did not count for much. My anguish threw Zack off balance, and he wrapped his arms around me, concern etched on his face. He was about to say more when a shrill ring cut him off. Nancy's call. He shot me a hesitant look, then brushed a quick kiss on my cheek. "Sweetheart, I need to grab this call. Nancy's condition..." He did not finish, rushing off to the balcony. I stared after him, a bitter laugh escaping me. 10 years since college, and that was where we ended up. For a decade, I have been his shadow, loving him from a distance without ever stepping over the line. I believed he would trust me. Alas, Zack's phone was a no-go zone for me. There was a time when Zack was doubled over in bed with a stomach ache, not sleeping off the pain until late into the night. I tried to mute his constantly buzzing phone to keep the noise from waking him, but I ended up getting a harsh kick from a groggy Zack. He glared at me, annoyance written all over his face. "Maggie, dear, who gave you the right to touch my phone?" His voice had never been so sharp with me in all our five years. I spent that night curled up on the hard, cold floor, nursing my hurt. After that, I swore off ever touching his phone again. However, today, I felt compelled to break that rule. I got up, aiming for the balcony, but collided with Zack on his way out. "What are you up to?" Zack's wary look sent a chill down my spine. Luckily, he let it slide and said with a grin. "I'll be out to sort out some details for the Bonding Ceremony. Just hang tight at home." I watched him leave, a knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. It did not take long to figure out why I was so uneasy. Nancy had sent me a text. At first glance, my heart sank, and a wave of pain washed over me. Chapter 2 Nancy was pregnant, no doubt about it. The pregnancy report she sent showed she was eight weeks along. That meant Zack had been with Nancy two months ago, for their so-called Breeding Ceremony. Zack's recent behavior? Probably just guilt eating at him. That explained his earlier excitement. His beloved childhood Omega had finally done it—she had gotten pregnant. I bet he was at the hospital, by her side, toasting to their future. I stood frozen, feeling like my heart had been ripped out. My breath caught, and I nearly blacked out. All the love we shared over the years—gone in an instant. We had just picked our bonding date in front of the elders, and we were supposed to be crowned Alpha and Luna next month. I had dreamed of that day, walking hand in hand with him to the altar. At this point, though, it was all a cruel joke. The Alpha I have loved for so long was then father to another Omega's child. The buzz of my phone snapped me back to the present. I answered the call. It was my senior, Carol. "Maggie, won't you reconsider coming to the Northwood research station? You're the professor's star pupil. "He said he'll give you a half-month off to reunite with your Alpha after two months of experiments." Her words felt distant. I knew about the professor's medicinal plant institute in Northwood ages ago. He had invited me once. However, Northwood was a world away, cut off from contact once I was in the lab, sometimes for months or years. During research, outside communication would often be banned. Back then, I could not stand being away from Zack, not even for 15 minutes. That was why I turned down the offer and chose to work in Zack's lab instead. In the end, Zack claimed all my research as his own. "What's mine is yours. How is that stealing?" he had said. Remembering his smug look still made me curse. However, I was too in love, too blind to see he was using me. I let him take everything I worked for. He rose to stardom on the back of the herbal remedy research that should have had my name on it, becoming an overnight sensation as a pharmaceutical prodigy. He was the Alpha everyone talked about in our pack, not just because of his impressive talents and noble bloodline, but also for his groundbreaking work on werewolves' resistance to the lethal effects of Argentosis. Ever since, he's solidified his spot at the heart of the pack and even got himself on the Central Elder Council's list of top-tier Alphas. Me? I was just the footnote, the name that got brushed aside in the wake of his triumph. I stared at the text on my phone. Zack had become a father to some other Omega's kid. He never gave a thought to our future, never cared to hold onto what we had. Well, if that was how it was, there was no point in forming a bond. I murmured, "Carol, I'm heading out. Business as usual, no time off." She was taken aback at first, but her surprise turned to delight. "Amazing! The professor will be over the moon! "When are you thinking of coming over? A week after the Bonding Ceremony?" I shut my eyes, having decided already. "No, I'm leaving the day we make the bond." 15 days until the ceremony. 15 days to let go of all my hang-ups. 'In fifteen days, Zack, you and I will part ways for good,' I promised myself. Chapter 3 That night, Zack did not come home. I, on the other hand, did not bother asking where he had been. Asking was pointless anyway. Nancy had already flaunted the pictures all over social media. Zack had gone back with Nancy to her pack. Her grandmother was grinning as she held Zack's hand. His other hand rested on Nancy's belly, his eyes brimming with deep affection. I could barely look at the photo. For five years, Zack had given me that same loving gaze time and again. I had reveled in every moment. It was only at this moment that I came to understand the love I thought was mine could just as easily belong to someone else. "Zack, do you ever feel guilty?" My tears blurred the image of Zack's smiling face on my phone screen, and the words just spilled out of me. In all our five years together, Zack had met my family just once. He had claimed he was not comfortable around older folks, that it made him feel stiff. However, he did not smile, not even once, during that visit. I inhaled sharply, frustration boiling over, and chucked my phone onto the bed. The truth hit me hard: It was not about his discomfort with elders at all. He simply did not want anything to do with my family. The following day, I met up with my friends to break the news about the Bonding Ceremony being called off. All the while, the wolf inside me was pacing and growling with restless anxiety. I clutched at my chest, feeling sick, my face ghostly pale. The truth was, Zack had never wanted the Bonding Ceremony. I had to beg him to even consider it. My friends were in shock when I told them. "After all the trouble to get Zack on board with the Bonding Ceremony, why cancel it now?" "You're so in love with him. How can you stand to leave?" I could only offer a wry smile in response. Let him go? Impossible. 'Years of love aren't easily cast aside,' I thought bitterly. However, that relationship... it was never mine to demand. I had tried so hard to be close to him, to be his one and only. Then Nancy came along, and everything shifted. He gave her all the patience and smiles that used to be mine while he grew distant toward me by the day. I lied to myself, saying she was his lifesaver, that he was just repaying a debt. However, when she mentioned wanting a child to remember him by, he did not hesitate. He had always said he would consider my feelings, but behind my back, he had gone ahead with the Breeding Ceremony. In that moment, it was crystal clear: Zack and I were over. Sometimes, the hardest thing was walking away, even when it tore me apart. Still, I had to do it. I kept my reasons to myself. All I told anyone was that I was heading to Northwood to dive into herbal research, and I would not be easy to reach for a few years. After a night out with friends that stretched into the wee hours, I stumbled home to find Zack, fresh from his own late return. He caught a whiff of my night out, his expression darkening as he recoiled. However, then, as if a thought struck him, he composed himself and pulled me into a hug. "My dearest Maggie, hitting the bottle." His eyes shone with affection as he grinned and caressed my forehead. "Not exactly the behavior of a good Omega, leaving your Alpha to drink the night away." Zack's attempt at humor fell flat, and I just stood there, mute. Once, that look in his eyes would have had me spellbound. Now, it just made my stomach turn. "Maggie, make me a promise, will you? Once we're bonded, no more booze." Zack laid it on thick, playing the part of the concerned fiance. "Omegas are delicate, you know? Too much drink is rough on your inner wolf." He deserved an Oscar for that act. If I had not known better, I might have fallen for it. I let out an icy laugh and shoved him away. "Why don't you hit the showers? You reek of some other Omega." Chapter 4 Zack stood there, dumbstruck. He opened his mouth to protest, but I was already heading into the bathroom. When I emerged, he was all smiles, texting away on his phone, the earlier confusion wiped clean, replaced by sheer bliss. 'Probably sweet-talking Nancy,' I figured. A sharp pang hit the wolf inside me. I was not Zack's Luna yet, but three days ago, he had marked me as his own, if only for a moment. Even if he strayed, the sting of betrayal would still cut deep. I kept silent, turning to head into the room. Then Zack's voice broke the silence. "Maggie, we need to talk." I stopped dead in my tracks. He seldom used that grave tone with me. The last time he did, a month ago, he had talked about having kids with Nancy. Then she got pregnant. What more could he possibly have to say? Tears threatened, but I fought them back, striving for composure. "What's up?" Zack seemed to struggle with himself, then finally blurted, "Can we skip the photo session tomorrow?" His uneasy look reminded me that tomorrow was the day for our ritual photo, a symbol of our bond. I had not intended to renew our bond, and there was no point in holding onto memories. "Sure, I'll call and cancel first thing in the morning." I nodded. Zack stared at me, surprised and then wounded. "Maggie, why don't you even ask why? "Don't you love me anymore?" He closed the distance between us, his hands gripping my shoulders with a force that made me wince. "Are you hurting too, Zack? Inside?" I met his gaze. A flush of embarrassment washed over his face. "Maggie, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you..." I shrugged off his hands, tired of his excuses. "You know, Zack… I felt a sharp pain today. It was random. "Is it because of Nancy? Did you cheat?" My voice was steady. His reaction, however, was a complete mess. He froze, his words tumbling out in a jumble. "... How could you think that?" He stammered, "Maggie, you know you're the one I love. How could I ever betray what we have?" I could not help but let out a bitter laugh, turning to grab my phone, ready to cancel the photo shoot. However, before I could even speak, Zack swiped the phone from my hand. "No need to cancel, sweetheart!" he said, his grin awkward as he ended the call. "You're aware of Nancy's condition. She'll never get to make a bond in her lifetime. She just wants one photo with me, something to hold onto." Zack watched me cautiously as he spoke, "Don't worry! Once we're bonded, I'll make it up to you!" My obvious disappointment must have pierced through Zack's heart. He came to me in a flurry, pulling me into a tight hug. "I just can't bear the thought of my lifesaver passing away with regrets. "Maggie, trust me, you're the one I love the most. "Don't ever leave me. I'd be lost without you." I did not say a word. I just gave a small nod. That seemed to lift his spirits instantly, and he twirled me in a joyous embrace. I watched his elated face and snorted inwardly. 'The future? We won't be having one. You'll regret what you've done, Zack,' I thought bitterly. Chapter 5 Zack looked like he had more to say, but his phone buzzed to life again. He stroked my head, then with phone in hand, he turned and walked away. I stayed put, silently watching his retreat. That tender smile I knew so well spread across Zack's face. Nancy's name flowed from his lips like a mantra. My heart felt empty. The pain from the wolf within me surged, but it was less sharp this time. The temporary mark was fading, Zack's hold on me weakening. He seemed to sense my gaze. Turning, he waved at me, his smile still soft with thoughts of Nancy. "Zack, do you truly love me?" If not, why seek to bond with me at all? "Why do you claim to love me, yet you father a child with another Omega, letting her steal my whole world?" My voice was barely above a whisper, lost to the wind. Zack stared at me, his gestures a silent plea for understanding. "What's that, Maggie?" I just turned and walked back into the room. Having his answer would not change anything, anyway. His love, or lack thereof, did not matter anymore—he had betrayed me. His actions spoke louder than any words, showing me I did not matter to him then. 'If Nancy wanted me gone, he'd probably let her have her way,' I mused bitterly. Zack stood there, stunned, not even snapping out of it when Nancy called his name. At that moment, his inner wolf let out an uncontrollable, mournful howl. "Why does it hurt so much when Maggie hasn't betrayed me?" He clutched at his chest, lost, as he watched me walk away. However, no one had the answer for him. Even Nancy ended the call on him. I was oblivious to Zack's turmoil as I drifted off to sleep. Waking up the next day, I found Zack, all suited up, standing by me, looking uncomfortable. "I'm off to make the pledge, and then I'll be with Nancy at the edge of the Northwood tundra, by Moonshadow Lake. "She says it's her last wish." I could not help but snicker at Nancy's audacity. She sure had a lot of last wishes—and so ridiculously specific, too. "Go, then." Zack lingered, his gaze filled with uncertainty. "Could we keep your Luna crowning a bit more low-key this time?" I stopped for a beat. "Why?" 'Of course, we could. No grand pledges, no Elders to impress, no crowd to please. We could even do without the bride,' I thought sarcastically. "I'm worried it might... upset Nancy." Zack's smile broke into a warm embrace. "Sweetheart, Maggie, Nancy's got just one month left. Can you cut her some slack, please?" I could not help but chuckle at his expectant face. "She's been 'one month away' for the past year. How is she still kicking after all this time?" Crack! Zack's hand landed a stinging slap across my cheek. "How dare you say that!" He looked at me, his face a mix of shock and disbelief, as if I had crossed a line. The pain was sharp and immediate, my cheek puffing up with each throbbing heartbeat. Zack was shaken too, standing there with tears brimming, on the verge of breaking. "Maggie, I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" He reached out to touch my swelling cheek, but I pulled away. "You've fallen for Nancy, haven't you?" "No, I haven't!" Zack stumbled over his words, desperate to convince me. "I swear, I haven't fallen for her! "Maggie, you know you're the only one in my heart, my one and only Luna!" He got to his feet, looking as though confused. "But you can't speak ill of Nancy. She contracted Argentosis while saving my life. "Without her, I'd be dead. We wouldn't be here together." I gave no response, and after a moment of hesitation, Zack's voice softened. "Once Nancy's gone, we could go to Southwood. Remember? You wanted to stargaze there." I just stared back, silent. Our bond was broken. There was no point in dreaming of journeys then. Zack did not press on. He glanced at the clock and stood up quickly. "I need to go for the oath photo. Let's talk when I get back, okay?" I reached for the calendar on the nightstand and struck a big X over the date I once eagerly awaited. Just 12 days remained. After finishing my meal, I started to pack up my belongings. Five years had woven a tapestry of memories into the fabric of that home. Photo albums bursting with smiles, the stone plaque Zack had chiseled with his own hands—those were the relics of our love. I used to believe I was Zack's number one. However, the truth hit hard: Zack's heart belonged to himself first, and Nancy, a close second. Why else would he swipe my research, the work of my soul? Staring at my manuscript, locked away in Zack's safe, I could not help but laugh—a bitter, hollow sound. "He doesn't love you," I whispered to the empty room. To Zack, the Alpha, I was just an Omega to be dominated, my talents mere extensions of his will. What was left there for me to hold onto? One by one, I fed the flames with our photographs, watching as the fire consumed what used to be 'us.' Chapter 6 Zack had not set foot in the house for a week, yet his escapades with Nancy played out before my eyes daily. Their adventures to Golden Palm Springs, their ascent of snow-capped peaks, their shared moments under the Northwood auroras—all broadcasted for the world to see. I watched, a silent spectator, then scrolled on. Those moments, once mine alone, were then shared with another Omega. However, I had not wasted my days wallowing. The house was cluttered with the past, and it took days to sort and box up my life. Once done, I sought refuge with my parents' pack, announcing my departure. They were shocked, to say the least. "You're leaving? But you two are set to bond! And you're heading to the Northwood herbal research station? That's years of seclusion, years apart from him," my mother said, her hands gripping mine, eyes brimming with concern. "Maggie, please reconsider. You've chased after him for years, and you've finally got him to commit to tying the knot... What if he backs out? What then? How will you handle the wedding?" I got where they were coming from. They had all witnessed my love for Zack. They had tried to talk me out of it before I convinced him to get engaged. They said as long as Zack was in my life, I would never find my true self. I would be living in Zack's shadow. They were upset that Zack had taken credit for my research. Back then, I was so sure, promising that with time, I would win him over and let my own talents shine. Now, I just said it quietly. "This time, I'm the one calling off the wedding." Silence fell over the room. I did not bring up Nancy or the report confirming her pregnancy. I simply said I wanted to head to Northwood to dive back into my herbal research and do something meaningful for our pack. My parents exchanged a long look before Dad let out a sigh and gave my shoulder a reassuring pat. "Just make sure it's what you want, no regrets." Back at my place, I called my best friend Irene over to help pack up the mountains of boxes into the car my family had sent over. After a few trips, the house was finally empty. Leaning against the doorway, Irene was out of breath, her eyes distant. "Remember how you cried tears of joy in my arms the night Zack said 'yes' to your proposal? You were ecstatic, thinking you'd finally be his Luna." I just nodded, a quiet hum. "And now? You're just going to throw away the engagement you worked so hard for? "You've loved him for years. What in the world happened?" Staring at the bare room, I suddenly felt the urge to spill everything. I told her all about the past month. Including Zack's decision to honor Nancy's request and father her child as a way to repay a favor. Irene's reaction was immediate and fierce. "Has Zack lost his mind? After everything you've done for him, he goes off to father a child with another Omega and expects you to be okay with it?!" I shook my head, unable to hold back the tears. "He claims Nancy saved his life, and he owes it to her to grant her dying wish." Irene's eyes blazed with fury. "However, you saved him too, in the silver mine! Remember how you risked your life to get that blood-stopping herb for him? Your hands were full of puncture wounds from those toxic thorns. How can he just forget that?" I stayed silent. Perhaps... he simply did not love me as much. No big deal, though. I was leaving this place, after all. Chapter 7 Five days before my departure, I walked out of Zack's lab for the last time and handed in my resignation at the Central City hospital. I had stayed at the hospital to be close to Zack, to be his assistant. My colleagues were shocked to hear I was leaving. "Maggie, why the sudden move?" "You were handing out candy just the other day, and we were all excited about attending your Luna ceremony. Are you going back to being a full-time homemaker?" Someone quipped. Clutching my box of research notes on medicinal herbs, I managed a smile. "That's over. The engagement's off." Their eyes widened in stunned silence. Without another word, I turned and headed home. Pushing open the door, I was greeted by the sight of Nancy perched on Zack's lap, a coy smile on her face. Zack pushed her off instinctively, then his brow furrowed as he saw me with my belongings. "Why are you bringing all this stuff home?" I replied with a steady voice, "Just some research notes on herbs. They're of no use to me now." Zack nodded. Then, as if an afterthought, he spoke up again. "Maggie, I've only been gone a few days, but why does the house feel so empty?" He looked at me, confused. I chucked the tied-up clutter into the corner. "Just got rid of stuff we don't need." He opened his mouth to question further, but Nancy cut in with a gentle voice. "Thanks for letting us take that promise picture, Maggie. You made my dream come true. "However, I might still need your help in the future. I hope you won't get sick of me. "Let me take you out for dinner today, okay?" Her eyes were wide and innocent, but inside, I was seething. I kept my cool, though. Only the fierce part of me, my inner wolf, knew the extent of my rage. My eyes briefly met her slightly swollen belly before I shut them, forcing calm. No point in getting mad. In five days, I would be out of there, with no strings attached to them. Nancy's eyes brimmed with tears when I stayed silent. "Zack, is Maggie upset? I guess it makes sense, she's your true Luna..." Her words trailed off as blood started to drip from her lips. Zack panicked, then shot me a disapproving look. "Maggie, Nancy is really thankful. What's with the attitude? "She's ill, what if you make her worse? "Join us for dinner!" He insisted, just as he had when he told me not to touch his phone. I ended up at the restaurant, more out of coercion than choice. As we sat down, the waiter approached to take our order. I barely glanced at the menu before Zack started dictating. "Nothing too spicy, no heavy oils, and hold the onions." He tenderly prepared Nancy's meal, then slid a plate of fresh fish my way. "Nancy can't have this right now, she ordered it just for you." I stared at the fish, an icy feeling settling in my stomach. "I'm allergic to fish." The irony was not lost on me. He kept saying he loved me, but somehow, he always forgot about my fish allergy. He insisted he was not into Nancy, yet he never forgot she hated onions. Zack stopped dead in his tracks, a guilty look washing over his face as if he had just remembered something important. "Maggie, you know I never meant to forget..." When I did not react, he tried to make it up to me by ordering more dishes. However, I did not touch a thing, just watched in silence as Zack doted on Nancy with every little detail. On the way home, my phone rang. "Maggie, you're set on doing this by the book, right? "The first gig at Northwood is top secret. Once you're in, you might be off the grid for a year, maybe even more." I watched the couple ahead. Zack was gently holding Nancy, his expression soft. I gripped my phone, my voice calm and even. "Yeah, let's do it by the book." The person on the other end let out a relieved breath. "Great, your advisor was worried you'd have a hard time leaving your Alpha." I took one last look at them, then turned down a different path. "No more Bonding Ceremony, no more Alpha. "The Bonding Ceremony's off. "I'm ready to move on." My words had barely faded when Zack's confused voice floated from behind. "Who's leaving?"