I Left Before He Learned My Worth novel Chapter 29

**I Left Before He Learned My Worth**
**Chapter 29**

**ARIA**

The whispers rippled through the pack like a swift current, carrying the weight of news that no one could ignore. In our tightly-knit wolf community, information traveled in hushed tones, each retelling amplifying the urgency until it became a deafening roar.

I was nestled in the pack library, poring over ceremonial protocols with one of the esteemed elders, when Nina burst through the door, her face a storm cloud that sent a chill down my spine.

“Aria, we need to talk. Privately.”

The elder, sensing the palpable tension in the air, excused herself with a knowing glance. Once the door clicked shut behind her, Nina leaned against it, her expression grave.

“I just received alarming news from one of our contacts in Blackwood pack,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “It’s about Alpha Cross.”

My heart raced, my fingers tightening around the book I had been studying. “What about him?” I asked, my pulse quickening.

“He’s imprisoned Luna Margaret. He locked her in the cells for ‘orchestrating the alliance’ and for sending you away without his consent.” Nina paused, her eyes searching mine for a reaction. “And he’s also confined Sera to her quarters. Apparently, when he informed her of his plans to challenge Kael and claim you as a second mate, she threatened self-harm.”

The book slipped from my grip, thudding against the wooden floor, the sound echoing like a death knell in my ears.

“He what?”

“He’s spiraling, Aria. Badly. Our contact reported that he destroyed half of the main hall in a fit of rage. He’s fixated on finding a way to contest the bonding ceremony, convinced that if he can defeat Kael in a challenge, you’ll return to him.”

I sank heavily into the nearest chair, my mind swirling with disbelief. Damon, the man I had loved for so long, had imprisoned his own Luna—his bonded mate—because I had finally chosen my own path over his.

“Sera threatened self-harm?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, clinging to that detail as it was easier than confronting the chaos of emotions swirling within me.

“Yes,” Nina replied, moving closer, her expression somber. “She held a knife to her throat, according to the report, and told Damon she would remove herself from the equation if that’s what it took to make him happy.” Her voice dropped to a near whisper. “He’s not thinking rationally anymore, Aria. He’s dangerous.”

Dangerous. The word hung in the air like a heavy fog. Damon, the man I had cherished for years, the one I had believed was inherently good despite his flaws, had transformed into something I scarcely recognized.

“Margaret doesn’t deserve that,” I said softly, feeling a pang of sorrow for the woman who had only sought to help me, to offer me a chance at a brighter future. “And Sera—Moon Goddess, Sera may be manipulative, but she doesn’t deserve to be treated like a prisoner.”

“No, they don’t,” Nina agreed, her voice thick with empathy. “But that’s their reality now. Alpha Cross has convinced himself that you belong to him, and anyone standing in his way must be eliminated.”

But that was the old Aria, the one who shouldered the burdens of others’ decisions, who sacrificed her own happiness to maintain peace.

The new Aria—the one who had confronted Damon at the border, who had stood her ground with children surrounding her, asking if she would stay—knew better.

“I am not responsible for his choices,” I asserted, speaking aloud as much to convince myself as to reassure Nina. “He is the Alpha of Blackwood pack. He chose to imprison Margaret and Sera. He chose to become obsessed with claiming me. Those are his decisions, his consequences to bear.”

“Exactly,” Nina said, squeezing my shoulder in solidarity. “You are not responsible for fixing him, Aria. Your duty lies with yourself, your commitments, and this pack. Right now, we need you to stay focused on the upcoming ceremony.”

Right. The ceremony. In less than two days, my life would change irrevocably. I had been so consumed by emotional turmoil that I had scarcely considered the practicalities of bonding with Kael.

“I should return to studying the protocols,” I said, bending down to retrieve the book I had dropped. “If Damon attempts something, I need to be well-versed in the rules. I must know how to navigate any challenges he might present.”

Nina nodded approvingly. “That’s the right mindset. Knowledge is power, especially in situations like this.”

We spent the following hours meticulously dissecting every facet of the blood moon ceremonies—the traditional words, the intricate exchange of marks, the moment when the bond would snap into place and become unbreakable. Nina explained that once the ceremony was complete, once Kael’s mark adorned my throat and the bond was sealed, no one could contest it—not even another Alpha claiming prior rights.

“So he has to challenge before the marking,” I said, a sense of clarity dawning upon me. “That’s his window. The time between when the ceremony commences and when Kael actually marks me.”