The Returned Luna

Kiera's POV:

"Kiera Mitchell, you can go back to Crescent Pack now."

The Alpha of Nocturne Pack threw a letter down in front of me, amusement lacing his mocking tone. "I thought Dominic had already erased you from his mind. Looks like I was wrong."

My hands shook as I picked up the letter. There was only one sentence written inside. "Kiera, come back."

That was all. There was no explanation for why he wanted me back, no words of welcome, and not even a simple "I miss you."

Yet somehow, those few words were enough to fill my heart with hope.

It was my twentieth birthday.

After I was exiled for three long years, my mate was finally asking me to return home.

I put on the only clothes I possessed that weren't covered in patches, tidied my hair, and splashed cold water over my face. I tried to hide just how worn-out I was and make myself look presentable before leaving.

Night had already settled over Crescent Pack by the time I arrived at the packhouse.

The great hall was glowing with light, and a long table had been prepared with an abundance of food. The rich scent of roasted meat mingled with the smell of wine, instantly lifting my spirits.

Could Dominic have arranged all of this to welcome me home?

The thought made my heart warm. After three years, he hadn't forgotten me after all.

Clinging to that small piece of hope, I walked deeper into the hall.

Several pack warriors were gathered in groups around the room. As soon as they noticed me, their expressions changed, and their eyes turned cold.

"Look who's here! She actually dared to show her face here."

"I heard she couldn't survive at Nocturne Pack."

"An omega who can't even shift is a disgrace to our Alpha."

I lowered my gaze and acted as though none of their words had reached me. Three years of exile had taught me that sometimes the best way to survive was to hear cruel words without allowing myself to react.

Instead of responding to them, I scanned the room for Dominic. He must have been waiting for me.

Then my eyes landed on Thalia Mitchell, my younger sister and Crescent Pack's strongest female warrior. She was seated beside the chair at the head of the table.

She had dressed in white, with her hair woven into an intricate braid, and there was a soft smile on her lips. The dress stretched over the curve of her stomach. She was pregnant.

Dominic Evans was sitting next to her. He was carefully cutting the food on her plate into small pieces before setting a glass of juice in front of her.

His movements were so natural and familiar that it was obvious he had done this many times.

Everything about the scene felt intimate. For a moment, the entire hall seemed to vanish. I could hear nothing except the violent pounding of my own heart.

Thalia smiled as she reached for Dominic's hand. He placed his other palm over her swollen belly, and the two of them leaned toward each other with the ease of a couple who had already shared a life together.

I curled my fingers into fists until my nails dug painfully into my palms. I needed that pain to keep me standing.

Dominic had betrayed me.

For three years, I had endured misery at Nocturne Pack while holding on to the belief that my Alpha would call me home.

I had convinced myself that he had finally changed his mind. Some foolish part of me had even believed that he might still regard me as his mate, yet I was totally wrong.

I turned around. I needed to leave before the tears came. I refused to cry in front of them, and I certainly wouldn't give them the satisfaction of watching me break.