POV Xander
The look of betrayal in Theo's eyes as he walked out burned in my memory like a brand.
I'd seen that expression before—three years ago when he discovered Tessa and me together. The devastation, the sense of being abandoned by the person he trusted most. I'd sworn I'd never put that look on his face again, yet here we were.
"Ruth," I said quietly, "could I have a moment alone with Cassidy?"
The ancient woman studied my face with those knowing eyes. "The training is complete for today. But be warned, child—" she turned to Cassidy, "—your transformation will begin soon."
After Ruth left, silence stretched between us like a chasm. Cassidy sat curled in the chair, tears still drying on her cheeks.
I took her hands in mine, feeling the tremor that ran through her fingers.
"I love you," I said simply.
Her breath caught. "Xander—"
"Let me finish." I squeezed her hands gently. "I love you more than I thought I could love anyone. But I need you to choose Theo."
"What?"
"He's the better choice, Cassidy. For you, for the pack, for everyone." The words tasted like ash, but they were true. "Theo has never betrayed this pack, never abandoned his responsibilities. He remained loyal and constant while I ran away from everything that mattered."
"That doesn't mean—"
"He's open where I'm closed off. Kind where I'm harsh. Understanding where I'm judgment." I forced myself to meet her eyes. "He'll be a better Alpha because he leads with his heart, not his fears."
"You're not giving yourself enough credit."
"I'm being realistic. You and I—we're too similar. Both stubborn, both carrying too much pride, both too willing to burn bridges when we're hurt." I brushed a tear from her cheek. "You'll balance Theo's emotion with rationality. You'll make him stronger, not clash with him."
She reached for me, but I stood and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Choose him, Cassidy. Choose the future that will make you truly happy."
Before she could respond, I walked out into the evening air.
I knew exactly where to find Theo.
The cliff overlooking Moon Hollow had been our secret place as children—where we'd escaped chores and expectations to just be brothers.
As I climbed the familiar trail, memories flooded back. Theo teaching me to skip stones. Me showing him the best hiding spots during thunderstorms. Two boys who'd once been inseparable.
I found him sitting on the rocky outcrop, staring at the valley below with shoulders that carried too much weight.
"I'm sorry," I said without preamble.
He didn't turn around. "For which part?"
"All of it. Everything I've done to hurt you over the years." I sat beside him, leaving space but not distance. "I've been carrying guilt for three years, Theo. Not just about Tessa, but about abandoning you when you needed me most."
"You chose her."
"I thought I did." I rubbed my face wearily. "But I need you to know—I didn't know about you two when she first came to me. She never mentioned being with you."
Theo's hands clenched into fists. "She told me you seduced her away."
"She lied. Tessa came to me, said all the right things, made herself seem perfect." The admission tasted bitter. "She love-bombed me until I couldn't think straight. I thought I'd found my mate."
"And you never questioned it?"
"I should have. But honestly?" I stared across the valley. "I envied you so much that when someone finally chose me instead, I grabbed onto it without looking deeper."
That got his attention. "Envied me?"
"Your openness. How easily you connect with people, how naturally they're drawn to you." The words came easier now. "I always thought I was too closed off, too distant to ever find a real mate. When Tessa appeared, it felt like my only chance."
Silence stretched between us, broken only by wind through the trees.
"I never knew you felt that way," Theo said quietly.
"I was too proud to admit it. Too ashamed of my mistakes to come home and face what I'd destroyed." I turned to look at him fully. "But seeing you with Cassidy—the way you are together—I know now what real love looks like. And I know you deserve that happiness."
Theo studied my face in the fading light. "Do you mean that?"
"Every word. You'll always be my little brother, and I'll always look up to the man you've become."
Something broke open in his expression. He pulled me into a fierce hug that felt like coming home after years in exile.
"I forgive you," he whispered. "I know Tessa came to you on her own. And you'll always be my older brother, no matter what."
We held each other as the sun set behind the mountains, healing wounds that had festered for too long.
"Go to her," I said finally. "Go to Cassidy."
POV Theo
Relief flooded through me as I walked down the mountain trail.
After years of hostility and resentment toward Xander, we'd finally moved past the unspoken grievances that had poisoned our relationship. The weight I'd been carrying—the anger, the betrayal, the sense of abandonment— disappeared. My brother was home. Really home this time.
Standing on Cassidy's threshold, I raised my hand to knock when voices from inside stopped me.
"—will never become a strong Luna," Tessa's voice carried clearly through the thin walls. "It is I who am destined for that role. It was foretold, and I intend to claim what's mine."
My blood turned to ice.
"Even if I have to shield Theo from everyone around him," she continued, "especially from you. You are a pathetic teacher and have no idea what real leadership requires."
Rage built in my chest as understanding dawned. Cassidy and Xander had been right all along. Tessa hadn't changed—she'd just gotten better at hiding her true nature.
I quietly opened the door and stepped into the living room where Tessa stood over Cassidy's.
"I'm disappointed," I said quietly.
Tessa spun around, her face cycling through shock, fear, and calculation in seconds.
"Theo! I was just—"
"I heard every word." My voice was cold. "I thought you'd changed. I defended you to people I care about, believed you deserved a second chance. But you never changed at all."
"I—"
"I want you out of this house. Out of our lives." Authority I'd never felt before settled around my shoulders. "You're not welcome here anymore."
Tessa's mask finally slipped completely.
"You're all weak," she snarled. "This pathetic pack deserves the leadership it gets. I don't want to belong here anyway."
She stormed past me and slammed the door.
Silence filled the cottage as I turned to face Cassidy, who sat staring at me with wide eyes.
"I'm sorry," I said, moving to kneel before her chair. "I'm so sorry I didn't believe you about her. I was blind, stupid, too willing to see the best in someone who didn't deserve it."
I took her hands in mine, feeling them tremble.
"I'm so sorry I made you think that you weren't my priority. You are! From the first moment I saw you and always. I love you!"
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she leaned forward to frame my face with her hands.
"I love you too, Theo. I choose you. I've always chosen you."
When our lips met, the fractured pieces of my world finally clicked into place.