Luna's voice cut through the lingering tension in the air. "Show me around," she said cheerfully, her tone light as she grabbed Alex's hand, pulling him up from the chair. She was clearly trying to sweep away the awkwardness from their earlier argument, but Alex could see through her facade.He let her pull him to his feet, his gaze lingering on her as they stepped out into the corridor. She was pretending again. This overly playful, cheerful version of her—it wasn't real. There had been a time when he wasn't sure which version of Luna was genuine: The one who laughed and teased or the one who was distant, sad, and serious ? . But now, standing beside her, he knew the answer. The playful mask was just that—a mask. A way to hide the hurt, the fear, the vulnerability beneath the surface.But for now, he went along with her act. Let her lead him, let her brush away the tension with her forced smiles. They stood in the middle of the corridor, surrounded by only three rooms. Luna's curiosity piqued, her eyes flickered toward the doors."What are these rooms?" she asked, pointing at them with a childlike wonder in her voice. But Alex noticed the subtle change in her demeanor. She wasn't just curious. She was prying, digging deeper, trying to distract herself from the storm raging inside her. He could feel it—the underlying current of emotion she wasn't willing to face.Alex rubbed his temple, suddenly tense, not sure how to answer. He opened his mouth to speak, to guide her away from the answers she might not want, but before he could form a coherent thought, she grabbed the knob of the door opposite them."Luna, wait—" his voice rushed out, but it was too late. The words hung in the air as the door creaked open, and Luna stepped inside.An odd, familiar wave hit Alex as he watched her disappear into the room, his heart sinking as he realized what she was about to see. The room beyond that door—that room—he hadn't entered it in years.Luna's steps faltered the moment she crossed the threshold. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened in shock. It was a large room—no, a couple's room. Huge and spacious, the bed dominating the center. Everything was in pairs—two nightstands, two chairs, two sets of drawers. But it was clear the room hadn't been touched in years. Dust clung to every surface, and the air felt heavy, stagnant. Yet despite the neglect, there was an intimacy to the space that was unmistakable.Luna's gaze swept across the room until it landed on the back wall. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the paintings—five frames, each dividingly depicting two wolves, one white, one black. She didn't have to ask anymore. The answer was staring her in the face, as plain as the dust on the furniture. This was Alex's room. The room he had shared with his mate—Davina.Luna's chest tightened, the sudden rush of emotion catching her off guard. She felt a tug deep in her heart, a feeling she didn't want to admit. Jealousy. She wasn't supposed to feel it, not for him, not for something that was no longer part of his life. But seeing this room, seeing the remnants of a love that once existed between Alex and Davina, made something inside her ache. The bond they had shared, the life they had built together—it was still here, lingering in the air, haunting every inch of the space. Her eyes found the bedside table where a set of photo frames stood. She didn't need to look closer to know what they held—images of Alex and her. Davina. The woman he once loved.Alex stepped into the room behind her, his eyes shadowed with guilt and regret. He hadn't meant for her to see this. Hadn't wanted her to walk into a room full of ghosts. He rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to say, how to explain the room, or the memories it carried.She could feel him behind her and so swallowed her emotions, forcing the smile back on her lips, though it felt brittle, fragile. She had to pretend. She had to brush it off. That's what she did."Your wolf," she said lightly, her voice a poor imitation of her usual teasing tone. "He's hot."Alex's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he studied her. He could see right through her act, the way she was trying to cover up the hurt. He saw it in the way her shoulders tensed, in the way she refused to meet his eyes.He stepped closer, his voice low but sharp. "What part of this makes you happy, Luna?" His words held an edge of frustration, of challenge.Luna shrugged, motioning lazily toward the room. "The part where you look so hot and charming, of course," she said, her lips curling into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.Alex scoffed, his frustration growing. "Don't do that," he said, his voice tight. "Don't hide behind your jokes. Not here. Not now."Her eyes flickered, but she kept up the facade, refusing to let him in. "I'm not hiding," she replied, still playing along. "Why would I? It's fine, Alex. You can love someone else. I don't mind. There's nothing between us."Her words felt like daggers, not just to him but to herself. The casual tone, the way she tried to brush it all off, it hurt. It hurt her, and it hurt him. Alex's eyes darkened, a storm brewing beneath the surface, his anger barely contained."Liar," he whispered, his voice filled with restrained fury.Luna chuckled lightly, as if his anger didn't faze her. "Lying is bad, Alex. You know that." Her tone was playful, mocking, but it was the final straw for him.His jaw clenched, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts as the rage he had been holding back broke free. His voice was harsh, cutting through the tension like a blade. "Then why don't we start with the truth?" he snapped. "Why did you decide to become human in the first place? Why did you walk into that hall, knowing every soul was against you? Knowing what they would ask you to do?"Luna froze. The question hit her like a shockwave, her heart hammering in her chest. She tried to brush it off, to say something, anything to deflect. "Alex, this isn't—""No, damn it! Why would you choose to become a mere, fragile human, especially when the one standing against you holds enough power to wipe out the entire wolf race?"Luna remained quiet, her chest tightening as Alex's words pierced through her defenses. She wanted to deny it- make up something to brush it off, but what was the point? He had already seen through her, through every flimsy excuse and wall she had built over centuries. The weight of his question crushed her, dragging her back to the very moments she had spent lifetimes trying to forget.Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to find the strength to respond, but the truth was suffocating her. Why did I chose to become human? How could she begin to explain?She stared at Alex, the intensity of his gaze making her feel exposed, vulnerable. There was no escaping it this time. No quick deflection. No excuse to dodge his demands for answers. Because he wasn't wrong. She knew it. She'd known it the moment she stepped into that hall.The exhaustion hit her in waves as if the centuries she had lived were pressing down on her all at once. Luna's past had been a never-ending cycle of pain, betrayal, and duty. Her people's lives had always rested on her shoulders, and she carried their weight without complaint, without hesitation. But it wasn't living. Not really. It was survival. Barely breathing.How could she live after what she had endured?Her divinity was never her choice. She hadn't earned it through trials like the other gods around her had. One day, she was simply there, a title bestowed upon her with responsibilities she neither sought nor desired. Luna had watched other wolf gods rise and fall, enduring countless trials for the right to call themselves deities. And then, as if by some cosmic whim, they all vanished—those gods she had known for her entire life had disappeared like whispers on the wind, leaving her alone in the wolf world.Born as a divine being , Luna had loved humans. She had laughed, cried, and lived among them when she was sent for her trial . But when the title of goddess was thrust upon her, she became an outsider, forced to watch the lives of those she cared for flicker by in the blink of an eternal eye. Immortality became a curse, each death of a mortal a needle to her soul. Centuries of loneliness stretched before her, an unrelenting cycle of loss.And the one time she allowed herself to love, to steal mere moments of happiness with the family she built when cast into the mortal world for a trial, it ended in blood. Her people—the wolves she was born to protect—had annihilated every last person in that village.Her mind went to Eric—the child she had raised as her own though she hadn't birthed him. She loved him, fought for him, protected him as fiercely as any mother would. Yet, he had died because of her selfishness to live as a human for some more while. The memory of his death tore through her, each time a fresh wound on her soul.It wasn't just Eric. Her own people had killed her—the very people she had fought so desperately to protect.And then... Quintus.The thought of him burned her from the inside out. She had once loved him, in a time that felt like a distant dream. But fate had twisted its cruel hand, forcing her to turn her sword on him. She had been the one to end his life, to take everything from him. She could still see the pain in his eyes, the silent plea as her blade cut through him. She had killed him without mercy, one swift, calculated move that had shattered whatever was left of her heart. And then see him suffer in hell all these years. All because of her.It was more than any soul should bear.And if that wasn't enough, fate had decided to punish her once more—putting her back in the same position, forced to stand against that man once again. It was as if the universe couldn't help but mock her. She had killed him once, watched him bleed out before her, and now... she had to hunt him down all over again.Once wasn't enough.Was it ever enough?She had once thought her death would bring an end to it all, but this position as a goddess was cruel - she couldn't even die as her wish giving a curse of immortality. The centuries... the endless weight of it all. The pain. Every choice, every person she lost... It was suffocating. she couldn't carry it any longer. But fate had found a way to drag her back into the chaos , made her meet him. Alex.Luna's voice finally broke through the silence, a raw, aching whisper. "I'm tired."She met Alex's gaze, and in that moment, something deep inside her cracked open. Her eyes shimmered with the vulnerability she rarely allowed herself to feel. She could see the weight of her unspoken truths reflected in his expression, could feel the unrelenting tide of emotions surging within her. But as she stood there, a tempest of feeling swirling in her heart, the words she longed to shout echoed in the recesses of her mind, haunting her.I chose to become human because I thought it would end.I thought I could finally escape it all.But those words remained trapped, coiling around her tongue like a serpent, as if speaking them aloud would somehow shatter the fragile peace she clung to. She could feel the heaviness of her past pressing down on her, each moment a reminder of the burden she carried.And when my own people turned on me, I took the chance. I wanted to end it. To end this life.The thought reverberated in her chest, a silent scream begging for release. Yet, all that escaped her lips was that simple, weary admission. Luna wanted to pour out everything she felt—her anguish, her regrets, the hollow ache of a heart that had been battered and bruised.But in front of Alex, those words slipped away like sand through her fingers. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing the hurt in his eyes, the realization of how deeply she had suffered. So she allowed the unspoken words to swirl within her, a beautiful tapestry of emotions woven from the fabric of her pain and hope, as she stood vulnerable and exposed before him."I'm tired," she whispered again, hoping he could somehow grasp the magnitude of her exhaustion. That he could sense the aching truth behind her voice, the weight of centuries pressing down on her spirit.