Novel Therapy

Celeste helped me decorate the altar where Callum was supposed to mark me. Half an hour later, I learned she’d already had his mouth, his scent, his nights, his promises. I got the Wolf Moon fantasy. She got the Alpha in bed. So at their ceremony, I took the mic and asked: “Does my mate treat you gently there too?” 1 **Aveline’s POV** Eight years into our long-distance mate bond, Alpha Callum Blackthorne and I finally made a vow. This year, beneath the Wolf Moon, we would complete our Mate Ceremony. I flew overnight from Moonveil Pack to Stormhaven Pack, ready to build our marking altar with my own hands. Silver moonvine curled around the arch. The camera was ready. The full moon would rise tomorrow. I had planned to stand before him and say: Callum, I want to be your Luna. I want you to mark me. I want to give you every year I have left. Then my phone vibrated. Callum’s message appeared. [I’ve been with your best friend, Celeste Vayne, for eight years.] My whole body went cold. Another message followed. [Every time you fly here to see me, I spend the night with her first to calm her wolf.] My wolf, Lyra, let out a broken whimper inside me. Celeste stood only a few steps away, wrapping moonvine around the altar. Half an hour ago, she had smiled and wished me joy as Stormhaven Pack’s Luna. My best friend. My phone buzzed again. [Celeste said you want me to mark you under the Wolf Moon.] [I bought a ring. I was going to propose to her tomorrow, under the Blue Moon.] [If you can’t handle it, we can break things off.] [Or we can keep hooking up. Your choice.] I nearly doubled over. Celeste walked toward me, gentle and smiling. “Aveline, when your ceremony is done, I’ll stand beside you. I want to watch you become the happiest Luna.” I ripped my hand from hers. Her face flashed with shock. “Aveline?” Before I could answer, Callum’s voice sounded behind me. “Ave.” I turned. He stood there in a black suit, Celeste’s scent clinging thick to his skin. “I fell irreversibly in love with Celeste first.” He didn’t come to me. He stepped in front of her. Shielded her. “Take your anger out on me if you must,” he said. “But leave Celeste out of it. She has suffered enough.” I stared at him. Eight years. I had crossed half the country again and again for this mate bond. I had waited, believed, loved. He had gone to my best friend’s bed before every visit. And now he said she suffered? I grabbed the camera tripod and hurled it at him. It struck his forehead. The wound sealed fast, but the red trail stayed on his face. I destroyed the altar I had built for us. “How could you?” I screamed. “How could you do this to me?” Our friends rushed in. “Aveline, enough!” “He’s Stormhaven Pack’s Alpha!” “Everyone knew about Callum and Celeste. We hid it because you couldn’t handle the truth.” “They’ve loved each other in secret for eight years. Let them be happy.” My raised hand froze. Everyone knew. Only I was the fool. Thunder cracked overhead. Clouds swallowed the Full Moon. Rain poured down. The crowd ran for shelter. I stayed in the storm. Callum took off his jacket and held it over Celeste’s head. She curled into his arms and glanced back at me. No guilt. Only victory. Then pain tore through my lower body. Rain mixed with the warm stain spreading down my dress. I stared at it numbly. This was supposed to be my second surprise. Half a month ago, I had learned I was carrying Callum’s pup. 2 **Aveline’s POV** I woke inside Stormhaven Pack’s infirmary. Rain beat against the windows. The Blue Moon was hidden behind black clouds. My hand moved to my stomach. A dull ache answered me. Outside the door, Celeste sobbed. “Callum, go back to Aveline. She’s carrying your pup. The healer said this may be her only chance to carry one to full term.” My breath stopped. My only chance. Callum’s voice followed, tight with resentment. “Celeste, you stayed hidden with me for eight years because of her. You suffered without a title. Are you really willing to step back now?” “Her happiness matters,” he said. “But what about yours? Don’t push me back to a woman I don’t love.” The door slammed open. Callum stood there, cold and sharp. “Aveline, I will never mark you in this lifetime.” A bank card flew onto my hospital gown. “There’s fifty grand on it. The PIN is Celeste’s birthday. I saved it to take her on a trip after our ceremony.” He looked straight at me. “Give up all claim to the pup. Take 500k. Consider it a settlement for the years you wasted coming here.” My fingers shook around the card. While I planned our ceremony, he planned her proposal. “Get out,” I shouted. “You can’t buy my pup with her birthday.” Callum only scoffed. “Celeste and I love each other honestly. What’s wrong with that? You were the one clinging to a bond that ended long ago.” His words struck the deepest wound inside me. Eight years ago, after learning I had grown up orphaned, Callum bought me a moonstone necklace with almost all his Alpha allowance. “Ave,” he had whispered then, “I’ll cherish you. Protect you. Give you a real home.” That man was gone. This one only looked at me like I was an obstacle. “I’m giving you twenty-four hours,” he said. “Take the 500k and leave Stormhaven Pack, or I’ll have you removed.” He left. I sat alone, staring at the card in my palm. Celeste’s birthday. That was the passcode to the price of my heartbreak. I booked the earliest flight back to Moonveil Pack. Then another message arrived. [Celeste isn’t just my lover.] [She saved my life during the earthquake eight years ago.] [I can’t betray her.] [So I have to betray you.] I stared at those words until my vision blurred. Because the one who pulled Callum from the rubble eight years ago was me. 3 **Aveline’s POV** I was the one who saved Callum during the earthquake. I dug him out with my bare hands, shifting broken concrete and twisted steel until my palms split open and my fingers went numb. I dragged his unconscious body free, took him to South Harbor Medical Center, then collapsed. When I woke, I never told him. I didn’t want his love to come from debt. I told only Celeste. Back then, she was my closest friend. I never imagined she would steal the truth and use it to steal my mate. The next morning, I went straight to the airport. I had barely taken my boarding pass when Callum grabbed my wrist. “Aveline, Celeste got into a crash.” His eyes burned red. “Are you happy now?” I froze. “She was driving here to stop you. She said she would give me back. This is your fault.” He dragged me from the airport to the Stormhaven infirmary. The moment we entered, he shoved me toward a healer assistant. “You and Celeste both carry Golden Line compatibility. Draw from her. Save Celeste.” I stumbled back. “My body is already fragile. This could risk the pup.” I looked at him, shaking. “Callum. This is your pup too.” The healer hesitated. Callum didn’t. “It’s just an unborn pup. If it’s lost, it’s lost.” He said it like our child meant nothing. “If you want another one someday, I can make you godmother to mine and Celeste’s.” Lyra roared inside me. The healer assistant raised her hands. “Alpha, this violates pack medical code. We cannot draw from an unwilling she-wolf carrying a fragile pup.” Callum’s face hardened. “I’ll take responsibility. Celeste comes first.” My strength drained fast. My sight blurred. Callum stood beside me, voice softening just slightly. “Ave, you’re the only match. Celeste is your best friend. You wouldn’t watch her fade, would you?” Silent tears slid down my face. I had always given Celeste everything. At the Moonveil orphanage, I split my food with her. When a couple wanted to adopt me, I gave her the chance instead. I thought she was my family. Now I was being forced to sacrifice my pup for hers. Pain ripped through me. The healer assistant panicked. “Alpha Callum, we have to stop. She’ll lose the pup if we continue.” I reached for Callum’s suit, begging without words. He looked away. “Keep going,” he said. “Celeste’s life matters more.” Yesterday, I dreamed of becoming his Luna. Now I was losing everything. My mate. My best friend. And my only pup. 4 **Aveline’s POV** After hours of emergency treatment, the healer stepped out with a covered tray in her hands. She couldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m sorry, Miss Wren. Your pup is gone.” The world went silent. I cried until my eyes burned and my throat broke. Not long after, Callum entered, supporting Celeste. She looked pale and delicate, her voice trembling with fake gratitude. “Thank you for saving my life, Aveline.” She held my hand. “I can’t keep running from happiness. I’m going to marry Callum. Please forgive me. Come be my bridesmaid. Stand beside us and bless us, okay?” I stared at her soft face. Her happiness mattered. Mine could be destroyed. I didn’t scream. I only asked, “Celeste, do you remember what you promised me before you climbed into his bed?” Her face drained. “You swore you’d protect Callum for me,” I said. “You said if any she-wolf tried to steal him, you’d defend me first. What about yourself?” “Aveline, enough,” Callum said coldly. Then he stepped in front of her again. “I forced Celeste into everything. I pressured her first. She tried to push me away, but I wouldn’t let her go.” He took every stain onto himself, desperate to keep her pure. Eight years of my love became a joke. I looked at them both. “If you two truly love each other, I’ll attend your Mate Ceremony.” Celeste stared at me. Callum frowned. I smiled. “After all, you were once the two most important people in my life.” Three days later, Stormhaven Pack’s Alpha Hall was filled with silver moonvine and cheering guests. They called Callum and Celeste star-crossed lovers. They said she was the only woman worthy of the Luna crown. I stood in the crowd, listening to my own humiliation dressed up as romance. Celeste pulled me onto the stage and placed a microphone in my hand. “Aveline, you’re my best friend. Say a blessing for us.” She wanted my blessing to wash away her betrayal. I smiled. The hall went silent. I looked straight at her. “My best friend,” I said softly, “does my mate treat you gently in bed?” Chaos exploded. Celeste went pale. Callum shoved me hard. I hit the edge of the platform, palms scraping against stone. “Aveline Wren,” he snarled. “What is wrong with you?” I pushed myself up. Callum grabbed my gown and dragged me toward the entrance. “If I had known Celeste was the one who saved me,” he said, “I never would’ve gotten together with you.” Just before he threw me out, I laughed. “Callum.” He froze. I opened my palm. A thick scar ran from my wrist toward my knuckles, pale and permanent beneath the moonlight. “The woman who saved you wasn’t Celeste.” His pupils widened. I looked straight at him. “During that earthquake eight years ago, I was the one who dug you out with my bare hands.” 5 **Aveline’s POV** All color drained from Callum’s face. He stared at the scar across my palm as if seeing it for the first time. Wolves healed fast, but this mark had never faded. The steel had dragged dirt and rust deep into the wound. Even pack healers couldn’t erase it. “That can’t be right,” Callum whispered. He turned to Celeste. “You told me you pulled me out.” Panic flashed in her eyes, then vanished beneath tears. “Aveline,” she said, wounded and shaking, “I know you’re hurt because Callum left you. But you can’t lie like this.” She clung to Callum. “I was the one who saved him. I swear it. Don’t blame her, Callum. She’s only trying to split us apart because she’s in pain.” Callum’s doubt hardened back into anger. “Aveline. When did you become this cruel?” Alpha pressure rolled from him, forcing guests to lower their heads. “You spent eight years ignoring every sign I had chosen my true mate. Your obsession with this dead long-distance bond only proves you never understood real mate devotion.” The words tore through me. Once, he had been warm. He had promised to be my home. He had called me every day while we lived apart, sending photos from patrol, council meetings, training grounds. I had believed distance could not break love. Before flying here, I had even quit my job at Moonveil Pack, ready to stay in Stormhaven as his Luna. Now I understood. He had betrayed me for eight years, and all our friends had helped hide it. Around me, the whispers began. “She’s lying.” “No wonder Alpha Callum chose Celeste.” “A low-born orphan thought she could steal the Luna crown?” They looked at me like I was the villain in Callum and Celeste’s love story. I took a deep breath and stood straight. “I have proof,” I said. “I can show everyone right now that I was the one who saved him.” 6 Callum froze. Before he could speak, Celeste tugged his sleeve. “Callum, don’t listen to her. I was the one who saved you. I’d never lie about something this important.” The guests joined her. “Don’t let her ruin the ceremony.” “She’s bitter.” “Where are the guards?” Callum’s jaw tightened. “Shut the doors. Take her outside.” The Alpha Hall doors began to close. I shoved my hand into the narrowing gap and forced them back open, ignoring the pain in my fingers. Everyone stared at me like I was throwing a tantrum. But Celeste knew the truth. That was why panic kept flashing across her face. Eight years ago, after the earthquake, I had heard faint cries beneath collapsed concrete. I dropped to my knees and dug through stone and steel with my bare hands until I found a wounded teenage boy. That boy was Callum. Later, when he pursued me, I learned his name. I never told him I had saved him. I didn’t want gratitude. I only told Celeste. Now she clung to him, terrified the truth would come out. “Callum,” I said. I pulled a folded stack of papers from my bag and held them up. “This is my proof.” Every eye in the hall turned to me. Celeste went white. “These are my old medical records from South Harbor Medical Center. They show exactly what happened that day.” I read aloud. “Multiple wounds across both hands. Deep penetrating injury through the palm. Severe soft tissue damage.” I lifted my scarred hand. “This came from pulling you out of the rubble.” The hall fell silent. Callum stared at the documents, then at my palm. His face emptied of color. The truth was finally in front of him. Not as a memory. Not as a rumor. As proof he could no longer ignore. Celeste whispered, “Callum…” But this time, even her tears couldn’t save her.

Celeste helped me decorate the altar where Callum was supposed to mark me. Half an hour later, I learned she’d already had his mouth, his scent, his nights, his promises. I got the Wolf Moon fantasy. She got the Alpha in bed. So at their ceremony, I took the mic and asked: “Does my mate treat you gently there too?” 1 **Aveline’s POV** Eight years into our long-distance mate bond, Alpha Callum Blackthorne and I finally made a vow. This year, beneath the Wolf Moon, we would complete our Mate Ceremony. I flew overnight from Moonveil Pack to Stormhaven Pack, ready to build our marking altar with my own hands. Silver moonvine curled around the arch. The camera was ready. The full moon would rise tomorrow. I had planned to stand before him and say: Callum, I want to be your Luna. I want you to mark me. I want to give you every year I have left. Then my phone vibrated. Callum’s message appeared. [I’ve been with your best friend, Celeste Vayne, for eight years.] My whole body went cold. Another message followed. [Every time you fly here to see me, I spend the night with her first to calm her wolf.] My wolf, Lyra, let out a broken whimper inside me. Celeste stood only a few steps away, wrapping moonvine around the altar. Half an hour ago, she had smiled and wished me joy as Stormhaven Pack’s Luna. My best friend. My phone buzzed again. [Celeste said you want me to mark you under the Wolf Moon.] [I bought a ring. I was going to propose to her tomorrow, under the Blue Moon.] [If you can’t handle it, we can break things off.] [Or we can keep hooking up. Your choice.] I nearly doubled over. Celeste walked toward me, gentle and smiling. “Aveline, when your ceremony is done, I’ll stand beside you. I want to watch you become the happiest Luna.” I ripped my hand from hers. Her face flashed with shock. “Aveline?” Before I could answer, Callum’s voice sounded behind me. “Ave.” I turned. He stood there in a black suit, Celeste’s scent clinging thick to his skin. “I fell irreversibly in love with Celeste first.” He didn’t come to me. He stepped in front of her. Shielded her. “Take your anger out on me if you must,” he said. “But leave Celeste out of it. She has suffered enough.” I stared at him. Eight years. I had crossed half the country again and again for this mate bond. I had waited, believed, loved. He had gone to my best friend’s bed before every visit. And now he said she suffered? I grabbed the camera tripod and hurled it at him. It struck his forehead. The wound sealed fast, but the red trail stayed on his face. I destroyed the altar I had built for us. “How could you?” I screamed. “How could you do this to me?” Our friends rushed in. “Aveline, enough!” “He’s Stormhaven Pack’s Alpha!” “Everyone knew about Callum and Celeste. We hid it because you couldn’t handle the truth.” “They’ve loved each other in secret for eight years. Let them be happy.” My raised hand froze. Everyone knew. Only I was the fool. Thunder cracked overhead. Clouds swallowed the Full Moon. Rain poured down. The crowd ran for shelter. I stayed in the storm. Callum took off his jacket and held it over Celeste’s head. She curled into his arms and glanced back at me. No guilt. Only victory. Then pain tore through my lower body. Rain mixed with the warm stain spreading down my dress. I stared at it numbly. This was supposed to be my second surprise. Half a month ago, I had learned I was carrying Callum’s pup. 2 **Aveline’s POV** I woke inside Stormhaven Pack’s infirmary. Rain beat against the windows. The Blue Moon was hidden behind black clouds. My hand moved to my stomach. A dull ache answered me. Outside the door, Celeste sobbed. “Callum, go back to Aveline. She’s carrying your pup. The healer said this may be her only chance to carry one to full term.” My breath stopped. My only chance. Callum’s voice followed, tight with resentment. “Celeste, you stayed hidden with me for eight years because of her. You suffered without a title. Are you really willing to step back now?” “Her happiness matters,” he said. “But what about yours? Don’t push me back to a woman I don’t love.” The door slammed open. Callum stood there, cold and sharp. “Aveline, I will never mark you in this lifetime.” A bank card flew onto my hospital gown. “There’s fifty grand on it. The PIN is Celeste’s birthday. I saved it to take her on a trip after our ceremony.” He looked straight at me. “Give up all claim to the pup. Take 500k. Consider it a settlement for the years you wasted coming here.” My fingers shook around the card. While I planned our ceremony, he planned her proposal. “Get out,” I shouted. “You can’t buy my pup with her birthday.” Callum only scoffed. “Celeste and I love each other honestly. What’s wrong with that? You were the one clinging to a bond that ended long ago.” His words struck the deepest wound inside me. Eight years ago, after learning I had grown up orphaned, Callum bought me a moonstone necklace with almost all his Alpha allowance. “Ave,” he had whispered then, “I’ll cherish you. Protect you. Give you a real home.” That man was gone. This one only looked at me like I was an obstacle. “I’m giving you twenty-four hours,” he said. “Take the 500k and leave Stormhaven Pack, or I’ll have you removed.” He left. I sat alone, staring at the card in my palm. Celeste’s birthday. That was the passcode to the price of my heartbreak. I booked the earliest flight back to Moonveil Pack. Then another message arrived. [Celeste isn’t just my lover.] [She saved my life during the earthquake eight years ago.] [I can’t betray her.] [So I have to betray you.] I stared at those words until my vision blurred. Because the one who pulled Callum from the rubble eight years ago was me. 3 **Aveline’s POV** I was the one who saved Callum during the earthquake. I dug him out with my bare hands, shifting broken concrete and twisted steel until my palms split open and my fingers went numb. I dragged his unconscious body free, took him to South Harbor Medical Center, then collapsed. When I woke, I never told him. I didn’t want his love to come from debt. I told only Celeste. Back then, she was my closest friend. I never imagined she would steal the truth and use it to steal my mate. The next morning, I went straight to the airport. I had barely taken my boarding pass when Callum grabbed my wrist. “Aveline, Celeste got into a crash.” His eyes burned red. “Are you happy now?” I froze. “She was driving here to stop you. She said she would give me back. This is your fault.” He dragged me from the airport to the Stormhaven infirmary. The moment we entered, he shoved me toward a healer assistant. “You and Celeste both carry Golden Line compatibility. Draw from her. Save Celeste.” I stumbled back. “My body is already fragile. This could risk the pup.” I looked at him, shaking. “Callum. This is your pup too.” The healer hesitated. Callum didn’t. “It’s just an unborn pup. If it’s lost, it’s lost.” He said it like our child meant nothing. “If you want another one someday, I can make you godmother to mine and Celeste’s.” Lyra roared inside me. The healer assistant raised her hands. “Alpha, this violates pack medical code. We cannot draw from an unwilling she-wolf carrying a fragile pup.” Callum’s face hardened. “I’ll take responsibility. Celeste comes first.” My strength drained fast. My sight blurred. Callum stood beside me, voice softening just slightly. “Ave, you’re the only match. Celeste is your best friend. You wouldn’t watch her fade, would you?” Silent tears slid down my face. I had always given Celeste everything. At the Moonveil orphanage, I split my food with her. When a couple wanted to adopt me, I gave her the chance instead. I thought she was my family. Now I was being forced to sacrifice my pup for hers. Pain ripped through me. The healer assistant panicked. “Alpha Callum, we have to stop. She’ll lose the pup if we continue.” I reached for Callum’s suit, begging without words. He looked away. “Keep going,” he said. “Celeste’s life matters more.” Yesterday, I dreamed of becoming his Luna. Now I was losing everything. My mate. My best friend. And my only pup. 4 **Aveline’s POV** After hours of emergency treatment, the healer stepped out with a covered tray in her hands. She couldn’t meet my eyes. “I’m sorry, Miss Wren. Your pup is gone.” The world went silent. I cried until my eyes burned and my throat broke. Not long after, Callum entered, supporting Celeste. She looked pale and delicate, her voice trembling with fake gratitude. “Thank you for saving my life, Aveline.” She held my hand. “I can’t keep running from happiness. I’m going to marry Callum. Please forgive me. Come be my bridesmaid. Stand beside us and bless us, okay?” I stared at her soft face. Her happiness mattered. Mine could be destroyed. I didn’t scream. I only asked, “Celeste, do you remember what you promised me before you climbed into his bed?” Her face drained. “You swore you’d protect Callum for me,” I said. “You said if any she-wolf tried to steal him, you’d defend me first. What about yourself?” “Aveline, enough,” Callum said coldly. Then he stepped in front of her again. “I forced Celeste into everything. I pressured her first. She tried to push me away, but I wouldn’t let her go.” He took every stain onto himself, desperate to keep her pure. Eight years of my love became a joke. I looked at them both. “If you two truly love each other, I’ll attend your Mate Ceremony.” Celeste stared at me. Callum frowned. I smiled. “After all, you were once the two most important people in my life.” Three days later, Stormhaven Pack’s Alpha Hall was filled with silver moonvine and cheering guests. They called Callum and Celeste star-crossed lovers. They said she was the only woman worthy of the Luna crown. I stood in the crowd, listening to my own humiliation dressed up as romance. Celeste pulled me onto the stage and placed a microphone in my hand. “Aveline, you’re my best friend. Say a blessing for us.” She wanted my blessing to wash away her betrayal. I smiled. The hall went silent. I looked straight at her. “My best friend,” I said softly, “does my mate treat you gently in bed?” Chaos exploded. Celeste went pale. Callum shoved me hard. I hit the edge of the platform, palms scraping against stone. “Aveline Wren,” he snarled. “What is wrong with you?” I pushed myself up. Callum grabbed my gown and dragged me toward the entrance. “If I had known Celeste was the one who saved me,” he said, “I never would’ve gotten together with you.” Just before he threw me out, I laughed. “Callum.” He froze. I opened my palm. A thick scar ran from my wrist toward my knuckles, pale and permanent beneath the moonlight. “The woman who saved you wasn’t Celeste.” His pupils widened. I looked straight at him. “During that earthquake eight years ago, I was the one who dug you out with my bare hands.” 5 **Aveline’s POV** All color drained from Callum’s face. He stared at the scar across my palm as if seeing it for the first time. Wolves healed fast, but this mark had never faded. The steel had dragged dirt and rust deep into the wound. Even pack healers couldn’t erase it. “That can’t be right,” Callum whispered. He turned to Celeste. “You told me you pulled me out.” Panic flashed in her eyes, then vanished beneath tears. “Aveline,” she said, wounded and shaking, “I know you’re hurt because Callum left you. But you can’t lie like this.” She clung to Callum. “I was the one who saved him. I swear it. Don’t blame her, Callum. She’s only trying to split us apart because she’s in pain.” Callum’s doubt hardened back into anger. “Aveline. When did you become this cruel?” Alpha pressure rolled from him, forcing guests to lower their heads. “You spent eight years ignoring every sign I had chosen my true mate. Your obsession with this dead long-distance bond only proves you never understood real mate devotion.” The words tore through me. Once, he had been warm. He had promised to be my home. He had called me every day while we lived apart, sending photos from patrol, council meetings, training grounds. I had believed distance could not break love. Before flying here, I had even quit my job at Moonveil Pack, ready to stay in Stormhaven as his Luna. Now I understood. He had betrayed me for eight years, and all our friends had helped hide it. Around me, the whispers began. “She’s lying.” “No wonder Alpha Callum chose Celeste.” “A low-born orphan thought she could steal the Luna crown?” They looked at me like I was the villain in Callum and Celeste’s love story. I took a deep breath and stood straight. “I have proof,” I said. “I can show everyone right now that I was the one who saved him.” 6 Callum froze. Before he could speak, Celeste tugged his sleeve. “Callum, don’t listen to her. I was the one who saved you. I’d never lie about something this important.” The guests joined her. “Don’t let her ruin the ceremony.” “She’s bitter.” “Where are the guards?” Callum’s jaw tightened. “Shut the doors. Take her outside.” The Alpha Hall doors began to close. I shoved my hand into the narrowing gap and forced them back open, ignoring the pain in my fingers. Everyone stared at me like I was throwing a tantrum. But Celeste knew the truth. That was why panic kept flashing across her face. Eight years ago, after the earthquake, I had heard faint cries beneath collapsed concrete. I dropped to my knees and dug through stone and steel with my bare hands until I found a wounded teenage boy. That boy was Callum. Later, when he pursued me, I learned his name. I never told him I had saved him. I didn’t want gratitude. I only told Celeste. Now she clung to him, terrified the truth would come out. “Callum,” I said. I pulled a folded stack of papers from my bag and held them up. “This is my proof.” Every eye in the hall turned to me. Celeste went white. “These are my old medical records from South Harbor Medical Center. They show exactly what happened that day.” I read aloud. “Multiple wounds across both hands. Deep penetrating injury through the palm. Severe soft tissue damage.” I lifted my scarred hand. “This came from pulling you out of the rubble.” The hall fell silent. Callum stared at the documents, then at my palm. His face emptied of color. The truth was finally in front of him. Not as a memory. Not as a rumor. As proof he could no longer ignore. Celeste whispered, “Callum…” But this time, even her tears couldn’t save her.

The night before our bonding ceremony, I heard my Alpha’s voice in another woman’s ear. Low. Soft. Almost intimate. He was singing Tessa Blythe a lullaby. The same Alpha who always told me, “Get out.” So I did. I packed my suitcase, left his house, and gave his Omega assistant everything she wanted. My dress. My ceremony. My Alpha. Ever since I was a child, the thing Alpha Silas Calder said to me most often was: “Get out.” We had been together for years. I always thought he was just cold, that he didn’t like talking to anyone. So I never took it seriously. Until the night before our bonding ceremony, when I heard the lullaby he had recorded for his assistant, Tessa Blythe. At the end of the recording, his deep Alpha voice carried a tenderness I had never heard from him. “Sleep, my moonbeam, close your eyes tonight…” I rushed into his study, ready to ask him what this meant. Before I could speak, his cold voice hit me again. “Get out.” This time, I didn’t argue. I turned and walked away. Silas didn’t know that after this “Get out,” I would never come back. I packed my suitcase and left the room. In the hallway, I ran into Silas coming out for water. He saw the suitcase in my hand, but his gaze only swept over me, indifferent. After drinking, he finally asked, “You were looking for me earlier. Something you needed?” My fingers trembled. So he knew I had something to say. And he still told me to leave. “Nothing,” I said. “I just wanted to tell you I made your favorite rosemary venison stew. It’s in the fridge. Don’t forget to—” His phone rang. Tessa’s laughter spilled from the speaker. “Alpha Silas, I got the lullaby. It’s really lovely. Thank you.” A smile crossed Silas’s face. One he didn’t even seem to notice. “As long as you’re happy. Rest early. You have work tomorrow.” I stood there, listening to him soothe another woman with patience he had never given me. That was when I finally understood. Silas Calder was not incapable of tenderness. He simply had none for me. Still, I said, “There’s stew in the kitchen. Remember to eat.” He didn’t answer. He only kept speaking to Tessa. “The bakery on Oak Street won’t open tomorrow. Don’t make a wasted trip.” Words he had never once said to me. Care he had never once offered me. My whole body went cold. “Silas,” I said. He ignored me. “Silas Calder.” He kept talking. “Let’s cancel tomorrow’s bonding ceremony,” I said. “You’re free now. You can be with whoever you want.” He finally looked at me. His eyes were full of irritation. “Liora. Be quiet. You’re too loud.” That sentence stung more than I expected. When we were children, I used to follow him everywhere, calling, “Silas. Alpha Silas.” He would always say, “Liora, you’re annoying. Get out.” But my mother, Marianne, told me that sincere love would eventually be answered. So I waited. When I came of age, Silas said, “Liora, I don’t want to waste time looking for a mate. If you like me, let’s be together.” No flowers. No confession. No warmth. I still said yes. I thought being chosen was enough. But even after we became a couple, every time I shared my day, he STOPS me. “Liora. Get out.” This time, I lowered my eyes. “Okay,” I whispered. “I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t like you anymore either.” Through the phone, Tessa’s cheerful voice rang out again. “Alpha Silas, listen! Someone’s setting off fireworks near my house!” Silas’s voice softened. “I heard. After you watch them, sleep early.” I wiped my tears and picked up my suitcase. When I reached the door, Silas’s voice came from behind me. “Liora. What did you just say?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t turn back. Because this time, I no longer wanted him to hear me. 2 **Liora’s POV** Silas Calder had always been called a genius Alpha heir. Top grades. Top of every training exercise. The pack elders were proud of him. I was different. Average at everything. When I was little, my mother often compared us. She said she wished I had half of Silas’s mind. I would protest, “Maybe I’m not as smart, but at least I hear people when they call me. Not like Silas.” Marianne would laugh. “Little Liora, maybe it’s not that he can’t hear you. Maybe he just doesn’t want to.” Back then, I refused to believe it. If Silas hated me, why did he protect me when other wolves bullied me? “Anyone who bothers Liora answers to me.” If he hated me, why did he defend me when people mocked my grades? “Liora isn’t stupid. She just hasn’t tried yet. I can tutor her.” But now I understood. My mother had been right. Silas could hear. My voice simply didn’t matter. I got into the car I had called. Not long after, Silas sent me a message. A rare thing. But he didn’t ask where I went. He didn’t ask when I would return. He only wrote: [I locked the door.] [Come back tomorrow.] The pain I had held back finally broke loose. The driver handed me a tissue. “Miss, don’t take it too hard. Go home. Sleep. Tomorrow still comes.” He was right. Tomorrow would come. And this time, I would not spend it waiting outside Silas Calder’s door. By the time I reached Silverpine Pack house, it was already ten at night. My parents, Garrett and Marianne, had gone to sleep. I carried my luggage to my room alone. The next morning, when they saw me, they were shocked. “Liora, when did you come back?” “Last night.” My voice was hoarse from crying. Marianne noticed immediately. “Did you and Silas fight? But he’s so cold. How could he even fight with you?” Silas never fought with me. He only went silent, because he knew I would always be the one to bow my head first. But not this time. I looked at my mother. “Mom, I’m not marrying Silas anymore. Return all the bonding gifts from the Blackthorne Pack.” Marianne froze. Garrett frowned. They kept asking why. So I told them. “I don’t want to marry an Alpha who doesn’t have me in his mind.” I was the daughter they had raised with love. The Hart Family had never let me suffer like this. Why should I choose an Alpha who didn’t love me and spend my life walking on eggshells? Marianne tried to persuade me at first. “If Silas didn’t like you, why would he agree to the bond?” Then I told her about the lullaby. Her face went cold instantly. “Call it off. It must be called off. The bonding ceremony is tomorrow, and he’s recording lullabies for his assistant? Who knows what he’ll do next?” Garrett’s face darkened too. He immediately contacted the Blackthorne Pack and returned every gift from the Calder Family. I called the ceremony planner. Before I could cancel, she spoke first. “Miss Hart, Alpha Silas handed all ceremony arrangements to his assistant. If you have ideas, please discuss them with Miss Blythe.” My fingers tightened. She added, “Also, your custom wedding dress arrived from overseas. Alpha Silas said you were unavailable, so he had Miss Blythe try it on first. I’ll send the video.” The video came seconds later. Tessa wore the wedding dress meant for me. And it fit her perfectly. A staff member adjusted the train and praised her. “Mrs. Calder, this dress looks made for you. Alpha Silas will surely love it.” Tessa smiled at the camera. “I do wish I really were Mrs. Calder. It’s just that someone won’t give me the chance.” Then Silas called her. She put him on speaker. “When I become a bride, I hope I can wear a dress this gorgeous.” Silas’s voice came through, carrying faint amusement. “That day will come.” I stared at the screen. Then I dropped the idea of canceling the ceremony. Since Silas liked his Omega assistant so much, I would give them my blessing. 3 **Liora’s POV** I had been home for two days. Silas hadn’t called once. Just when I thought he had forgotten me, he sent one message. [Are you done playing? Come back.] When I said we were done, he acted like he hadn’t heard. When I left with my luggage, he looked right through me. For a second, I wanted to ask what I meant to him. But I already knew the answer. He would only say, “Liora, stop being unreasonable.” If I argued, he would say, “Get out.” So I didn’t reply. Instead, I bought plane tickets for my parents and me to the France Pack, departing in three days. It was where I had planned to spend my honeymoon with Silas. I had spent a month arranging everything. Hotels. Restaurants. Museums. A route along the Seine. The best place to watch fireworks. I had written it all down and placed it on his desk, hoping he would care. He glanced once and threw it away. “Liora, stop bothering me. Get out. Or the honeymoon is canceled.” Back then, I told myself he was only busy. Now I understood. He simply didn’t want to go with me. Fine. Then I would go with people who actually loved me. My parents agreed without hesitation. That night, Tessa called. Her voice was sweet. “Miss Hart, where does Alpha Silas keep his personal clothes? I’ve looked everywhere.” My body went cold. Silas was obsessed with personal space. Even close Blackthorne Pack friends were not allowed into his bedroom. But Tessa was different. She could enter his room. She could receive his lullabies. She could stand inside the home that was supposed to become mine. “Ask him yourself,” I said. “He knows.” Tessa laughed softly. “Alpha Silas is recording today’s lullaby for me right now. I don’t want to disturb him.” Today’s lullaby. So it was not once. It was every day. She continued lightly, “Also, Alpha Silas put me in charge of tomorrow’s ceremony. If you have ideas, contact me. But preferably not at night. I don’t sleep well. And I wouldn’t want to disturb Alpha Silas either.” Her apology sounded like victory. I said, “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Then I hung up. The screen faded back to my wallpaper. It was Silas at eighteen, standing on the training grounds after winning the Alpha trial. That day, I handed him water, and for once, he didn’t refuse. He even said, “Thank you.” I had treasured that moment for years. Now, I deleted it. Every photo. Every chat. Every voice message. Every trace of Silas Calder. Then I changed all my wallpapers to photos of myself. From now on, I would never love Silas Calder again. I would only love myself. 4 **Liora’s POV** At midnight, Silas sent another message. [Be at Moonlit Hall on time tomorrow.] [Don’t be late.] He hated being stood up. Once, we planned to visit the Pack Museum. That morning, I was too sick to get out of bed and texted him to explain. He didn’t reply. After I recovered, I found he had deleted all my contact information. I spent a month coaxing him before he added me back. Back then, he said, “I don’t like people who stand me up. Liora, you’re no exception.” Thinking of the old me, the one who had clung to him with no pride, I laughed at myself. This time, I still didn’t reply. Not long after, a grand fireworks show went viral across Blackthorne Pack social platforms. Silver-blue fireworks lit up the sky. Then seven huge words appeared: [Happy Birthday, Tessa Blythe.] I opened the comments. [Is this some Alpha celebrating his little Luna’s birthday?] [No. I heard it’s tragic. Alpha Silas has a bonding ceremony tomorrow with the childhood friend who’s been chasing him forever.] [So he gives the ceremony to the girl he doesn’t love, and saves all the romance for the one he does.] [Someone show that childhood sweetheart.] [Give the dress back to Tessa and Alpha Silas. They’re the ones truly in love.] My eyes burned. They were right about one thing. Silas had given me an empty ceremony. He had given Tessa tenderness, romance, attention—everything I had begged for and never received. But they were wrong about another thing. This bond had not been forced by our families. Silas was the one who proposed we be together. Silas was the one who proposed the bonding ceremony. And now, I was the one walking away. The next day, Moonlit Hall was packed with guests from both the Blackthorne Pack and the Silverpine Pack. Since morning, Silas kept checking his phone. Every message he sent me sank without response. Unease touched his face. Just as he was about to call, someone clapped his shoulder. “Silas, nervous? Relax. Liora Hart has been chasing you since childhood. She can’t live without you. She’ll come.” Silas’s expression settled. Time passed. The ceremony began. Silas stood on the platform, cold as ever. No joy. No nerves. Then the officiant announced the entrance of the Luna. The great white doors opened. And Tessa Blythe appeared in a wedding dress. My wedding dress. She held moon roses and walked toward Silas step by step. The dress fit her as if it had been made for her. Silas’s expression changed. Calm. Confusion. Shock. He stared at her. For the first time, his voice broke. “Why is it you?” His gaze swept past her toward the doors. “Where is Liora?”

Riven, his wolf, didn’t want love. He wanted ownership. He wanted me stripped of power, sleeping in his cage, begging for his touch like a good little pet. Lucian called it training. I called it madness. So when he demanded my wolf bone, I smiled. Then I broke the thing he wanted most. 1 I trained under Master Lucian Thorne, the strongest Alpha of Moonfang Pack, for thirteen years. This year, I turned eighteen and was finally ready to graduate. But at the graduation ceremony, Lucian broke the bond inside my wolf spirit in front of everyone. A sharp sting spread from the corner of my eye. A thin crimson line slid down my cheek. Lucian withdrew his hand, his voice cold. “Without your wolf spirit holding you back, you can unlock the full power of the lunar wolf bone bestowed by the Moon Goddess. You will become Moonfang’s mightiest battle wolf.” But all I heard was the sick thought of his wolf, Riven. Without her wolf spirit, she’ll have to cling to us day and night. A pretty bird in our cage. As we descended the Cloud Altar, Lucian’s steps faltered and he fell. Riven’s thoughts turned frantic. Will she pity me? Hurry, come help me. Reach out, and I’ll forgive you. I’ll even let you touch my face. Lucian stood, brushed off his robes, and didn’t look at me. Lyra Voss, his new apprentice, came over with a sweet smile. “Selene, Master only wants what’s best for you. Without your wolf spirit, you’ll awaken the lunar bone better.” I bowed my head. “Master is right. I understand my mistake.” Back at the main peak, Lucian had my belongings hauled from the villa where I had lived for eighteen years. He gave the residence to Lyra. As I stood at the door with nowhere to go, his hand twitched. Riven pleaded inside him. Cry. Beg once, and I’ll give you my life. I packed everything into my storage satchel and went to the stable. Riven seethed. Why won’t you beg? Soon you’ll come back sobbing for my embrace. He had no idea I had already decided to leave Moonfang. In seven days, the dark magic my parents prepared would activate and send me back to my real home. Seven days. Then I would be free of this madman forever. I set a medicine pot on the charcoal stove in the stable. To gather those clotting herbs, I had dragged my injured body through the back mountain for hours. My wolf spirit had been broken, but with careful tending, the wolf within me could still be roused. The stable was damp, cold, and sour with mildew. Still better than Moonfang’s hypocrites. The wooden door suddenly crashed open. Lyra stood there in a snow-white fox fur cloak, smiling. Behind her were teen wolves I had once trained. She stepped forward and pressed her foot onto my medicine pot. Crack. The brew spilled into the hay. Hot dregs splattered across my hand. “Sister Selene,” Lyra said, “this smell is awful. What if it upsets my snow finch?” Then she picked up the last clotting herb and shook it with disgust. “You treasure this worthless weed?” I stared at her cloak. It was Snow’s fur. Snow was the moon-fox I had raised for ten years. Yesterday, Lyra complained of the cold, and Lucian gave Snow to her. “Oh, I nearly forgot,” Lyra said, pulling the fur tighter. “Master said it was Snow’s honor to keep me warm.” I lowered my eyes. Only a few more days. Lyra frowned when I didn’t explode. She crushed the herb into the mud. “You used to fight for what was yours. Why so quiet now?” I picked up a broom. “If you want it, you may have it.” Footsteps came from outside. Lucian stood at the doorway in black robes. He looked at the broken pot, the broom, then me. “It is merely a pet and common herbs,” he said. “If you resent such trivial things, your character is weak.” Riven’s voice rang through my mind. Weep. Beg me. I’ll take the fur from her and wrap it around you again. I kept sweeping. “I understand, Master.” Lucian’s expression froze. Why won’t she cry? Riven hissed. Push her further. Lucian flicked his wrist. The broom shattered in my hand. “You show no respect for your superior,” he said coldly. “Go to Frostfang Peak and kneel in penance.” I bowed. “As you command, Master.” As I turned away, a translucent panel appeared. [Six days remaining before departure from this realm.] Enough. I didn’t need mercy. Only endurance. 2 Frostfang Peak lay in Moonfang’s western wilderness. An icy waterfall crashed against my back again and again as I knelt on the black boulder beneath it. My knees had long gone numb. Cold seeped into every old wound. Three years ago, Lucian’s best apprentice had attacked him with silver weapon. I blocked them with my palm, leaving a wound near my eye. On ordinary days, it barely showed. In this cold, it hurt like fresh punishment. But I made no sound. I knew Lucian was watching. A water mirror hung from the cliff top, reflecting my miserable figure. He was waiting for me to beg. To call him Master and plead for him to take me back. He would wait in vain. The countdown hovered before me. [5 days left.] I knelt until footsteps reached the shore. Lyra came with a white jade bowl. Steam rose from it—broth to ward off the cold. “Sister Selene,” she said, kneeling close. “Master said this is yours if you bow your head.” I closed my eyes. She laughed, then flipped the bowl. The broth spilled into the snow. “Oh no. My hand slipped.” Her smile turned cruel. “Look at you. Once Moonfang’s top she-wolf. Now Master won’t even let you enter the Alpha Hall.” I opened my mouth, voice hoarse. “Are you done?” Her face darkened. An Alpha aura slammed down. Lucian landed from the sky and pulled Lyra behind him, his gaze heavy with anger. “Unrepentant fool.” With one flick of his wrist, I was thrown across the boulder. A metallic taste rose in my mouth. Lucian’s eyes flickered. But Riven screamed inside him. She must be terrified now. Hurry. Rush into my arms. Beg me, and I’ll take you away. I propped myself up and slowly straightened. “Is there anything else, Master?” Lucian stared at me, searching for tears. There were none. His face went dark. “Since you still refuse to learn, go to the Serpent Pit. Lyra needs the Serpent King’s gall for her remedy. You will not leave until you find it.” Lyra gasped. “Master, that place is deadly—” Lucian ignored her. He watched me. He knew I feared snakes. Riven chuckled. Scared now? Grab my robe, Selene. I’ll save you. I looked at Lucian and felt only exhaustion. He would never understand. Snakes weren’t terrifying. Cold wasn’t terrifying. Pain wasn’t terrifying. Hope was. The hope that Lucian might care. I walked step by step toward the Serpent Pit. Lucian’s breath caught. He finally realized I wouldn’t beg. “Selene,” he said, voice dropping. “Come back.” I glanced over my shoulder and smiled faintly. “Thank you, Master, for granting my wish.” Then I stepped over the edge. The wind roared. Lyra screamed. Lucian’s breath tore from his lungs. Riven’s voice ripped through my mind. No—! How dare she actually jump! As I fell, I stared at the crescent moon. Only four days left. I smiled. 3 The Serpent Pit was dark. Snakes slithered around me, their cold bodies brushing over my skin. Venom burned beneath my flesh. The air tasted bitter and metallic. I dragged myself through the mud. Five years ago, Lucian was poisoned in battle and fell into this very pit. I had come down to save him, trapped here half a moon, fighting off a nest before carrying him out. Now there was no one left to save me. For three days and nights, I made no sound. Whenever pain nearly swallowed me, I looked up at the thin moon. When it vanished completely, I would leave this world. Only four days remained. At dawn, I climbed out. My robes were torn. My body was marked by the pit. My steps were unsteady. Lucian and Lyra waited at the cliffside. Lyra screamed and hid behind him. Lucian stiffened. He took a step toward me, then stopped and let his hand fall. He conjured a barrier and stepped farther away. “Do not soil my lands,” he said hoarsely. “Hand over the Serpent King’s gall for Lyra’s remedy, then cleanse yourself.” I opened my palm. The Serpent King’s gall rested there, wrapped in dark mist. Lyra reached for it with a silk handkerchief. Then her foot slipped. Her boot stomped hard on my right hand. Pain go through my arm. I pressed my lips together and pulled my hand back. Lucian stared at my injured hand. His fingers twitched. Then he walked away. Riven spiraled inside him. Why doesn’t she cry? She used to run to me over the smallest scratch. Does she truly not care anymore? I watched his back. It didn’t matter. The panel flickered before my eyes. [2 days left.] That night, the moon was almost gone. I sat in the stable with nothing but dry straw, holding a tarnished golden locket. It was the last keepsake from my parents. When I was five, a bloodline curse fell upon my family. They sent me to Moonfang and hung this locket around my neck, promising to bring me home on my eighteenth birthday. I brushed dust from its surface. Two days left. I thought of home. Warm milk. Flowers on the balcony. My parents’ gentle nagging. The light dimmed. Lucian stood nearby. He snapped his fingers. The locket flew into his palm. “Give it back!” I lunged. He raised his arm high. “Is this why your strength has failed?” His voice turned sharp. “I forged you to be Moonfang’s sharpest fang, not a weak thing clinging to mine.” I grabbed his robe and stood on tiptoe. “Please. Don’t break it.” At that single plea, Lucian’s grip tightened. Riven trembled with excitement. She’s finally begging. Destroy what she loves most, and she’ll submit. Her world should only have us. Lucian stared down at me. Then he crushed the locket into two halves. He threw the pieces at my feet. I froze. After a long moment, I lowered my hand, sat back on the straw, and closed my eyes. A disciple’s shout came from outside. “Master! Lyra was wounded in training. The healers say her condition is critical!” Lucian seized my wrist. “Come with me.” 4 The Alpha Hall blazed with light. Lyra lay on a jade couch, pale and weak. Healers knelt on the floor. “Master,” the lead healer said, forehead pressed to stone, “Lady Lyra has lost too much strength. A direct life-essence transfer is needed.” In Moonfang Pack, only I shared Lucian’s bloodline type. Lucian drew a ceremonial blade from his robe. I recognized it at once. It was the birthday gift I had given him three years ago, engraved with my blessings. Now he held it toward me. “Selene. Save her.” I looked at the blade. “Very well.” I loosened my tunic, revealing old marks across my body—each one earned protecting him over the years. Lucian’s gaze caught on them. His hand stalled. Lyra whimpered. Lucian’s eyes darkened, and the blade moved. The tip touched my skin. Three drops of golden-red life essence appeared. Pain flashed through me. I bit my lip and made no sound. The moment the life essence left my body, my vision blurred. I collapsed onto the floor. In my daze, I felt Lucian bend over me. His hand pressed against my body—not to help, but to pinch a scrap of fabric stained with my life essence. He hid it in his sleeve. Riven’s voice trembled. Still warm. Hers. Hide it. Only I can see it. Madman. The outer hall was filled with disciples. They watched me lying on the cold floor. No one moved. “I knew she resented Sister Lyra.” “Drawing her life essence is too light a punishment.” “Serves her right.” I stared up at the waning moon. The final day. Almost there. When I woke, I was in the holding cell. No light entered. Cold seeped into my bones. My wound had been left untreated. Yet I felt peaceful. The worst was over. Only the final hours remained. The dungeon clock chimed. Three hours left. Outside, Moonfang celebrated like a festival. It was Lyra’s Shapeshifting Ceremony. Even though she survived on my life essence, nothing could dim her glory. Soon, the holding cell opened. Two battle wolves seized me by the arms. I wore a plain white robe. Silver restraints circled my wrists and ankles. They dragged me up the long jade stairs. Chains scraped against stone. The wind bit into my skin. But compared to what was coming, the cold was nothing. 5 I was dragged onto the high platform. Lucian sat on the highest white jade throne. Beside him was Lyra in ceremonial robes, her face glowing with health. Like a king and his queen. Two enforcers forced me to kneel. I refused. Even as pain bit into my knees, I kept my spine straight. Lucian stared down from above. His voice rang across Moonfang Pack. “Selene, you harbor jealousy toward your fellow disciple and possess an evil soul.” “Now that Lyra has completed her Shapeshifting Ceremony, she lacks one final piece to become a perfect wolf.” “This shall be your final atonement.” “The wolf-bone offering.” So this was it. The inborn wolf bone inside me. Moonfang’s most cherished talent. Once Lucian’s greatest pride. Now he wanted to take it from me and implant it into another woman. Below, countless teen wolves chanted. “Let Selene offer her bone to atone!” The roar rose like a tide. I looked at Lucian. His face remained cold and arrogant, as if everything was still in his control. But Riven had gone mad. Beg me! Kneel! Crawl and kiss the hem of my robe! Admit you can’t live without me, and I’ll spare you! If you lose that wolf bone, you’ll have nowhere to go but my side forever. He thought he had woven a net with no escape. He forgot one thing. I never planned to stay. I slowly straightened, throwing off the enforcers’ hands. I didn’t look at Lucian. Instead, I scanned the home I had protected for eighteen years. Every tree. Every stone. Every inch of Moonfang. It all looked filthy now. “No need for you to lift a finger,” I said. My voice was soft, but the wind carried it to every ear. I raised my right hand. Using the last of my life-forged spiritual power, I summoned the wolf bone from inside me. The square fell silent. Pain tore through my body like a storm, but I didn’t stop. Bit by bit, the wolf bone—the bearer of my wolf spirit—emerged in my hand, wrapped in pale moonlight and crimson mist. I swayed, clutching it tight. “Here is the wolf bone you wanted.” Lucian’s face went ashen. For the first time, Riven’s voice held no greed. Only terror. No! Stop! Selene, stop! I don’t want it anymore! I laughed. Laughed until tears streamed down my face. “Lucian, all the kindness you have shown me over the years—I return it now.” Then I squeezed my palm. Crack. The wolf bone shattered into moonlit dust. Fragments fell like tragic rain across Moonfang Pack. I owed him nothing. “May you two live a long life of bliss,” I said. “And never cross paths with me again.” Before my words faded, the golden locket around my neck—whole again—blazed with dark purple light. A magical barrier covered in black-purple runes surrounded me. My body became weightless. In the deathly silence, I began to dissolve into tiny purple sparks. Lucian screamed. “No!” He rushed down like a madman, reaching for me. His hands closed on nothing but scattered light. I vanished into the wind. Not even a trace of my soul remained. On the platform, Lucian froze with one hand suspended in empty air. Then the proud Master Alpha crashed to his knees. “Selene,” he whispered, voice shaking. Riven’s despair flooded the silence. She lied to us. How dare she truly leave? Come back. Selene, come back to me. Lucian clawed at the stone floor, trying to gather the dust I had left behind. But there was nothing. Lyra trembled on the throne. “Master…” Lucian snapped his head up. His eyes turned scarlet. “Get out!” He struck her with his palm, throwing her from the throne. “Spit out what you took from her!” he roared. “Who gave you the right to take her wolf bone?” That day, Moonfang Pack fell into chaos. And I would never see it again.

The night before our bonding ceremony, I heard my Alpha’s voice in another woman’s ear. Low. Soft. Almost intimate. He was singing Tessa Blythe a lullaby. The same Alpha who always told me, “Get out.” So I did. I packed my suitcase, left his house, and gave his Omega assistant everything she wanted. My dress. My ceremony. My Alpha. Ever since I was a child, the thing Alpha Silas Calder said to me most often was: “Get out.” We had been together for years. I always thought he was just cold, that he didn’t like talking to anyone. So I never took it seriously. Until the night before our bonding ceremony, when I heard the lullaby he had recorded for his assistant, Tessa Blythe. At the end of the recording, his deep Alpha voice carried a tenderness I had never heard from him. “Sleep, my moonbeam, close your eyes tonight…” I rushed into his study, ready to ask him what this meant. Before I could speak, his cold voice hit me again. “Get out.” This time, I didn’t argue. I turned and walked away. Silas didn’t know that after this “Get out,” I would never come back. I packed my suitcase and left the room. In the hallway, I ran into Silas coming out for water. He saw the suitcase in my hand, but his gaze only swept over me, indifferent. After drinking, he finally asked, “You were looking for me earlier. Something you needed?” My fingers trembled. So he knew I had something to say. And he still told me to leave. “Nothing,” I said. “I just wanted to tell you I made your favorite rosemary venison stew. It’s in the fridge. Don’t forget to—” His phone rang. Tessa’s laughter spilled from the speaker. “Alpha Silas, I got the lullaby. It’s really lovely. Thank you.” A smile crossed Silas’s face. One he didn’t even seem to notice. “As long as you’re happy. Rest early. You have work tomorrow.” I stood there, listening to him soothe another woman with patience he had never given me. That was when I finally understood. Silas Calder was not incapable of tenderness. He simply had none for me. Still, I said, “There’s stew in the kitchen. Remember to eat.” He didn’t answer. He only kept speaking to Tessa. “The bakery on Oak Street won’t open tomorrow. Don’t make a wasted trip.” Words he had never once said to me. Care he had never once offered me. My whole body went cold. “Silas,” I said. He ignored me. “Silas Calder.” He kept talking. “Let’s cancel tomorrow’s bonding ceremony,” I said. “You’re free now. You can be with whoever you want.” He finally looked at me. His eyes were full of irritation. “Liora. Be quiet. You’re too loud.” That sentence stung more than I expected. When we were children, I used to follow him everywhere, calling, “Silas. Alpha Silas.” He would always say, “Liora, you’re annoying. Get out.” But my mother, Marianne, told me that sincere love would eventually be answered. So I waited. When I came of age, Silas said, “Liora, I don’t want to waste time looking for a mate. If you like me, let’s be together.” No flowers. No confession. No warmth. I still said yes. I thought being chosen was enough. But even after we became a couple, every time I shared my day, he STOPS me. “Liora. Get out.” This time, I lowered my eyes. “Okay,” I whispered. “I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t like you anymore either.” Through the phone, Tessa’s cheerful voice rang out again. “Alpha Silas, listen! Someone’s setting off fireworks near my house!” Silas’s voice softened. “I heard. After you watch them, sleep early.” I wiped my tears and picked up my suitcase. When I reached the door, Silas’s voice came from behind me. “Liora. What did you just say?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t turn back. Because this time, I no longer wanted him to hear me. 2 **Liora’s POV** Silas Calder had always been called a genius Alpha heir. Top grades. Top of every training exercise. The pack elders were proud of him. I was different. Average at everything. When I was little, my mother often compared us. She said she wished I had half of Silas’s mind. I would protest, “Maybe I’m not as smart, but at least I hear people when they call me. Not like Silas.” Marianne would laugh. “Little Liora, maybe it’s not that he can’t hear you. Maybe he just doesn’t want to.” Back then, I refused to believe it. If Silas hated me, why did he protect me when other wolves bullied me? “Anyone who bothers Liora answers to me.” If he hated me, why did he defend me when people mocked my grades? “Liora isn’t stupid. She just hasn’t tried yet. I can tutor her.” But now I understood. My mother had been right. Silas could hear. My voice simply didn’t matter. I got into the car I had called. Not long after, Silas sent me a message. A rare thing. But he didn’t ask where I went. He didn’t ask when I would return. He only wrote: [I locked the door.] [Come back tomorrow.] The pain I had held back finally broke loose. The driver handed me a tissue. “Miss, don’t take it too hard. Go home. Sleep. Tomorrow still comes.” He was right. Tomorrow would come. And this time, I would not spend it waiting outside Silas Calder’s door. By the time I reached Silverpine Pack house, it was already ten at night. My parents, Garrett and Marianne, had gone to sleep. I carried my luggage to my room alone. The next morning, when they saw me, they were shocked. “Liora, when did you come back?” “Last night.” My voice was hoarse from crying. Marianne noticed immediately. “Did you and Silas fight? But he’s so cold. How could he even fight with you?” Silas never fought with me. He only went silent, because he knew I would always be the one to bow my head first. But not this time. I looked at my mother. “Mom, I’m not marrying Silas anymore. Return all the bonding gifts from the Blackthorne Pack.” Marianne froze. Garrett frowned. They kept asking why. So I told them. “I don’t want to marry an Alpha who doesn’t have me in his mind.” I was the daughter they had raised with love. The Hart Family had never let me suffer like this. Why should I choose an Alpha who didn’t love me and spend my life walking on eggshells? Marianne tried to persuade me at first. “If Silas didn’t like you, why would he agree to the bond?” Then I told her about the lullaby. Her face went cold instantly. “Call it off. It must be called off. The bonding ceremony is tomorrow, and he’s recording lullabies for his assistant? Who knows what he’ll do next?” Garrett’s face darkened too. He immediately contacted the Blackthorne Pack and returned every gift from the Calder Family. I called the ceremony planner. Before I could cancel, she spoke first. “Miss Hart, Alpha Silas handed all ceremony arrangements to his assistant. If you have ideas, please discuss them with Miss Blythe.” My fingers tightened. She added, “Also, your custom wedding dress arrived from overseas. Alpha Silas said you were unavailable, so he had Miss Blythe try it on first. I’ll send the video.” The video came seconds later. Tessa wore the wedding dress meant for me. And it fit her perfectly. A staff member adjusted the train and praised her. “Mrs. Calder, this dress looks made for you. Alpha Silas will surely love it.” Tessa smiled at the camera. “I do wish I really were Mrs. Calder. It’s just that someone won’t give me the chance.” Then Silas called her. She put him on speaker. “When I become a bride, I hope I can wear a dress this gorgeous.” Silas’s voice came through, carrying faint amusement. “That day will come.” I stared at the screen. Then I dropped the idea of canceling the ceremony. Since Silas liked his Omega assistant so much, I would give them my blessing. 3 **Liora’s POV** I had been home for two days. Silas hadn’t called once. Just when I thought he had forgotten me, he sent one message. [Are you done playing? Come back.] When I said we were done, he acted like he hadn’t heard. When I left with my luggage, he looked right through me. For a second, I wanted to ask what I meant to him. But I already knew the answer. He would only say, “Liora, stop being unreasonable.” If I argued, he would say, “Get out.” So I didn’t reply. Instead, I bought plane tickets for my parents and me to the France Pack, departing in three days. It was where I had planned to spend my honeymoon with Silas. I had spent a month arranging everything. Hotels. Restaurants. Museums. A route along the Seine. The best place to watch fireworks. I had written it all down and placed it on his desk, hoping he would care. He glanced once and threw it away. “Liora, stop bothering me. Get out. Or the honeymoon is canceled.” Back then, I told myself he was only busy. Now I understood. He simply didn’t want to go with me. Fine. Then I would go with people who actually loved me. My parents agreed without hesitation. That night, Tessa called. Her voice was sweet. “Miss Hart, where does Alpha Silas keep his personal clothes? I’ve looked everywhere.” My body went cold. Silas was obsessed with personal space. Even close Blackthorne Pack friends were not allowed into his bedroom. But Tessa was different. She could enter his room. She could receive his lullabies. She could stand inside the home that was supposed to become mine. “Ask him yourself,” I said. “He knows.” Tessa laughed softly. “Alpha Silas is recording today’s lullaby for me right now. I don’t want to disturb him.” Today’s lullaby. So it was not once. It was every day. She continued lightly, “Also, Alpha Silas put me in charge of tomorrow’s ceremony. If you have ideas, contact me. But preferably not at night. I don’t sleep well. And I wouldn’t want to disturb Alpha Silas either.” Her apology sounded like victory. I said, “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Then I hung up. The screen faded back to my wallpaper. It was Silas at eighteen, standing on the training grounds after winning the Alpha trial. That day, I handed him water, and for once, he didn’t refuse. He even said, “Thank you.” I had treasured that moment for years. Now, I deleted it. Every photo. Every chat. Every voice message. Every trace of Silas Calder. Then I changed all my wallpapers to photos of myself. From now on, I would never love Silas Calder again. I would only love myself. 4 **Liora’s POV** At midnight, Silas sent another message. [Be at Moonlit Hall on time tomorrow.] [Don’t be late.] He hated being stood up. Once, we planned to visit the Pack Museum. That morning, I was too sick to get out of bed and texted him to explain. He didn’t reply. After I recovered, I found he had deleted all my contact information. I spent a month coaxing him before he added me back. Back then, he said, “I don’t like people who stand me up. Liora, you’re no exception.” Thinking of the old me, the one who had clung to him with no pride, I laughed at myself. This time, I still didn’t reply. Not long after, a grand fireworks show went viral across Blackthorne Pack social platforms. Silver-blue fireworks lit up the sky. Then seven huge words appeared: [Happy Birthday, Tessa Blythe.] I opened the comments. [Is this some Alpha celebrating his little Luna’s birthday?] [No. I heard it’s tragic. Alpha Silas has a bonding ceremony tomorrow with the childhood friend who’s been chasing him forever.] [So he gives the ceremony to the girl he doesn’t love, and saves all the romance for the one he does.] [Someone show that childhood sweetheart.] [Give the dress back to Tessa and Alpha Silas. They’re the ones truly in love.] My eyes burned. They were right about one thing. Silas had given me an empty ceremony. He had given Tessa tenderness, romance, attention—everything I had begged for and never received. But they were wrong about another thing. This bond had not been forced by our families. Silas was the one who proposed we be together. Silas was the one who proposed the bonding ceremony. And now, I was the one walking away. The next day, Moonlit Hall was packed with guests from both the Blackthorne Pack and the Silverpine Pack. Since morning, Silas kept checking his phone. Every message he sent me sank without response. Unease touched his face. Just as he was about to call, someone clapped his shoulder. “Silas, nervous? Relax. Liora Hart has been chasing you since childhood. She can’t live without you. She’ll come.” Silas’s expression settled. Time passed. The ceremony began. Silas stood on the platform, cold as ever. No joy. No nerves. Then the officiant announced the entrance of the Luna. The great white doors opened. And Tessa Blythe appeared in a wedding dress. My wedding dress. She held moon roses and walked toward Silas step by step. The dress fit her as if it had been made for her. Silas’s expression changed. Calm. Confusion. Shock. He stared at her. For the first time, his voice broke. “Why is it you?” His gaze swept past her toward the doors. “Where is Liora?”

The night before our bonding ceremony, I heard my Alpha’s voice in another woman’s ear. Low. Soft. Almost intimate. He was singing Tessa Blythe a lullaby. The same Alpha who always told me, “Get out.” So I did. I packed my suitcase, left his house, and gave his Omega assistant everything she wanted. My dress. My ceremony. My Alpha. Ever since I was a child, the thing Alpha Silas Calder said to me most often was: “Get out.” We had been together for years. I always thought he was just cold, that he didn’t like talking to anyone. So I never took it seriously. Until the night before our bonding ceremony, when I heard the lullaby he had recorded for his assistant, Tessa Blythe. At the end of the recording, his deep Alpha voice carried a tenderness I had never heard from him. “Sleep, my moonbeam, close your eyes tonight…” I rushed into his study, ready to ask him what this meant. Before I could speak, his cold voice hit me again. “Get out.” This time, I didn’t argue. I turned and walked away. Silas didn’t know that after this “Get out,” I would never come back. I packed my suitcase and left the room. In the hallway, I ran into Silas coming out for water. He saw the suitcase in my hand, but his gaze only swept over me, indifferent. After drinking, he finally asked, “You were looking for me earlier. Something you needed?” My fingers trembled. So he knew I had something to say. And he still told me to leave. “Nothing,” I said. “I just wanted to tell you I made your favorite rosemary venison stew. It’s in the fridge. Don’t forget to—” His phone rang. Tessa’s laughter spilled from the speaker. “Alpha Silas, I got the lullaby. It’s really lovely. Thank you.” A smile crossed Silas’s face. One he didn’t even seem to notice. “As long as you’re happy. Rest early. You have work tomorrow.” I stood there, listening to him soothe another woman with patience he had never given me. That was when I finally understood. Silas Calder was not incapable of tenderness. He simply had none for me. Still, I said, “There’s stew in the kitchen. Remember to eat.” He didn’t answer. He only kept speaking to Tessa. “The bakery on Oak Street won’t open tomorrow. Don’t make a wasted trip.” Words he had never once said to me. Care he had never once offered me. My whole body went cold. “Silas,” I said. He ignored me. “Silas Calder.” He kept talking. “Let’s cancel tomorrow’s bonding ceremony,” I said. “You’re free now. You can be with whoever you want.” He finally looked at me. His eyes were full of irritation. “Liora. Be quiet. You’re too loud.” That sentence stung more than I expected. When we were children, I used to follow him everywhere, calling, “Silas. Alpha Silas.” He would always say, “Liora, you’re annoying. Get out.” But my mother, Marianne, told me that sincere love would eventually be answered. So I waited. When I came of age, Silas said, “Liora, I don’t want to waste time looking for a mate. If you like me, let’s be together.” No flowers. No confession. No warmth. I still said yes. I thought being chosen was enough. But even after we became a couple, every time I shared my day, he STOPS me. “Liora. Get out.” This time, I lowered my eyes. “Okay,” I whispered. “I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t like you anymore either.” Through the phone, Tessa’s cheerful voice rang out again. “Alpha Silas, listen! Someone’s setting off fireworks near my house!” Silas’s voice softened. “I heard. After you watch them, sleep early.” I wiped my tears and picked up my suitcase. When I reached the door, Silas’s voice came from behind me. “Liora. What did you just say?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t turn back. Because this time, I no longer wanted him to hear me. 2 **Liora’s POV** Silas Calder had always been called a genius Alpha heir. Top grades. Top of every training exercise. The pack elders were proud of him. I was different. Average at everything. When I was little, my mother often compared us. She said she wished I had half of Silas’s mind. I would protest, “Maybe I’m not as smart, but at least I hear people when they call me. Not like Silas.” Marianne would laugh. “Little Liora, maybe it’s not that he can’t hear you. Maybe he just doesn’t want to.” Back then, I refused to believe it. If Silas hated me, why did he protect me when other wolves bullied me? “Anyone who bothers Liora answers to me.” If he hated me, why did he defend me when people mocked my grades? “Liora isn’t stupid. She just hasn’t tried yet. I can tutor her.” But now I understood. My mother had been right. Silas could hear. My voice simply didn’t matter. I got into the car I had called. Not long after, Silas sent me a message. A rare thing. But he didn’t ask where I went. He didn’t ask when I would return. He only wrote: [I locked the door.] [Come back tomorrow.] The pain I had held back finally broke loose. The driver handed me a tissue. “Miss, don’t take it too hard. Go home. Sleep. Tomorrow still comes.” He was right. Tomorrow would come. And this time, I would not spend it waiting outside Silas Calder’s door. By the time I reached Silverpine Pack house, it was already ten at night. My parents, Garrett and Marianne, had gone to sleep. I carried my luggage to my room alone. The next morning, when they saw me, they were shocked. “Liora, when did you come back?” “Last night.” My voice was hoarse from crying. Marianne noticed immediately. “Did you and Silas fight? But he’s so cold. How could he even fight with you?” Silas never fought with me. He only went silent, because he knew I would always be the one to bow my head first. But not this time. I looked at my mother. “Mom, I’m not marrying Silas anymore. Return all the bonding gifts from the Blackthorne Pack.” Marianne froze. Garrett frowned. They kept asking why. So I told them. “I don’t want to marry an Alpha who doesn’t have me in his mind.” I was the daughter they had raised with love. The Hart Family had never let me suffer like this. Why should I choose an Alpha who didn’t love me and spend my life walking on eggshells? Marianne tried to persuade me at first. “If Silas didn’t like you, why would he agree to the bond?” Then I told her about the lullaby. Her face went cold instantly. “Call it off. It must be called off. The bonding ceremony is tomorrow, and he’s recording lullabies for his assistant? Who knows what he’ll do next?” Garrett’s face darkened too. He immediately contacted the Blackthorne Pack and returned every gift from the Calder Family. I called the ceremony planner. Before I could cancel, she spoke first. “Miss Hart, Alpha Silas handed all ceremony arrangements to his assistant. If you have ideas, please discuss them with Miss Blythe.” My fingers tightened. She added, “Also, your custom wedding dress arrived from overseas. Alpha Silas said you were unavailable, so he had Miss Blythe try it on first. I’ll send the video.” The video came seconds later. Tessa wore the wedding dress meant for me. And it fit her perfectly. A staff member adjusted the train and praised her. “Mrs. Calder, this dress looks made for you. Alpha Silas will surely love it.” Tessa smiled at the camera. “I do wish I really were Mrs. Calder. It’s just that someone won’t give me the chance.” Then Silas called her. She put him on speaker. “When I become a bride, I hope I can wear a dress this gorgeous.” Silas’s voice came through, carrying faint amusement. “That day will come.” I stared at the screen. Then I dropped the idea of canceling the ceremony. Since Silas liked his Omega assistant so much, I would give them my blessing. 3 **Liora’s POV** I had been home for two days. Silas hadn’t called once. Just when I thought he had forgotten me, he sent one message. [Are you done playing? Come back.] When I said we were done, he acted like he hadn’t heard. When I left with my luggage, he looked right through me. For a second, I wanted to ask what I meant to him. But I already knew the answer. He would only say, “Liora, stop being unreasonable.” If I argued, he would say, “Get out.” So I didn’t reply. Instead, I bought plane tickets for my parents and me to the France Pack, departing in three days. It was where I had planned to spend my honeymoon with Silas. I had spent a month arranging everything. Hotels. Restaurants. Museums. A route along the Seine. The best place to watch fireworks. I had written it all down and placed it on his desk, hoping he would care. He glanced once and threw it away. “Liora, stop bothering me. Get out. Or the honeymoon is canceled.” Back then, I told myself he was only busy. Now I understood. He simply didn’t want to go with me. Fine. Then I would go with people who actually loved me. My parents agreed without hesitation. That night, Tessa called. Her voice was sweet. “Miss Hart, where does Alpha Silas keep his personal clothes? I’ve looked everywhere.” My body went cold. Silas was obsessed with personal space. Even close Blackthorne Pack friends were not allowed into his bedroom. But Tessa was different. She could enter his room. She could receive his lullabies. She could stand inside the home that was supposed to become mine. “Ask him yourself,” I said. “He knows.” Tessa laughed softly. “Alpha Silas is recording today’s lullaby for me right now. I don’t want to disturb him.” Today’s lullaby. So it was not once. It was every day. She continued lightly, “Also, Alpha Silas put me in charge of tomorrow’s ceremony. If you have ideas, contact me. But preferably not at night. I don’t sleep well. And I wouldn’t want to disturb Alpha Silas either.” Her apology sounded like victory. I said, “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Then I hung up. The screen faded back to my wallpaper. It was Silas at eighteen, standing on the training grounds after winning the Alpha trial. That day, I handed him water, and for once, he didn’t refuse. He even said, “Thank you.” I had treasured that moment for years. Now, I deleted it. Every photo. Every chat. Every voice message. Every trace of Silas Calder. Then I changed all my wallpapers to photos of myself. From now on, I would never love Silas Calder again. I would only love myself. 4 **Liora’s POV** At midnight, Silas sent another message. [Be at Moonlit Hall on time tomorrow.] [Don’t be late.] He hated being stood up. Once, we planned to visit the Pack Museum. That morning, I was too sick to get out of bed and texted him to explain. He didn’t reply. After I recovered, I found he had deleted all my contact information. I spent a month coaxing him before he added me back. Back then, he said, “I don’t like people who stand me up. Liora, you’re no exception.” Thinking of the old me, the one who had clung to him with no pride, I laughed at myself. This time, I still didn’t reply. Not long after, a grand fireworks show went viral across Blackthorne Pack social platforms. Silver-blue fireworks lit up the sky. Then seven huge words appeared: [Happy Birthday, Tessa Blythe.] I opened the comments. [Is this some Alpha celebrating his little Luna’s birthday?] [No. I heard it’s tragic. Alpha Silas has a bonding ceremony tomorrow with the childhood friend who’s been chasing him forever.] [So he gives the ceremony to the girl he doesn’t love, and saves all the romance for the one he does.] [Someone show that childhood sweetheart.] [Give the dress back to Tessa and Alpha Silas. They’re the ones truly in love.] My eyes burned. They were right about one thing. Silas had given me an empty ceremony. He had given Tessa tenderness, romance, attention—everything I had begged for and never received. But they were wrong about another thing. This bond had not been forced by our families. Silas was the one who proposed we be together. Silas was the one who proposed the bonding ceremony. And now, I was the one walking away. The next day, Moonlit Hall was packed with guests from both the Blackthorne Pack and the Silverpine Pack. Since morning, Silas kept checking his phone. Every message he sent me sank without response. Unease touched his face. Just as he was about to call, someone clapped his shoulder. “Silas, nervous? Relax. Liora Hart has been chasing you since childhood. She can’t live without you. She’ll come.” Silas’s expression settled. Time passed. The ceremony began. Silas stood on the platform, cold as ever. No joy. No nerves. Then the officiant announced the entrance of the Luna. The great white doors opened. And Tessa Blythe appeared in a wedding dress. My wedding dress. She held moon roses and walked toward Silas step by step. The dress fit her as if it had been made for her. Silas’s expression changed. Calm. Confusion. Shock. He stared at her. For the first time, his voice broke. “Why is it you?” His gaze swept past her toward the doors. “Where is Liora?”

The night before our bonding ceremony, I heard my Alpha’s voice in another woman’s ear. Low. Soft. Almost intimate. He was singing Tessa Blythe a lullaby. The same Alpha who always told me, “Get out.” So I did. I packed my suitcase, left his house, and gave his Omega assistant everything she wanted. My dress. My ceremony. My Alpha. Ever since I was a child, the thing Alpha Silas Calder said to me most often was: “Get out.” We had been together for years. I always thought he was just cold, that he didn’t like talking to anyone. So I never took it seriously. Until the night before our bonding ceremony, when I heard the lullaby he had recorded for his assistant, Tessa Blythe. At the end of the recording, his deep Alpha voice carried a tenderness I had never heard from him. “Sleep, my moonbeam, close your eyes tonight…” I rushed into his study, ready to ask him what this meant. Before I could speak, his cold voice hit me again. “Get out.” This time, I didn’t argue. I turned and walked away. Silas didn’t know that after this “Get out,” I would never come back. I packed my suitcase and left the room. In the hallway, I ran into Silas coming out for water. He saw the suitcase in my hand, but his gaze only swept over me, indifferent. After drinking, he finally asked, “You were looking for me earlier. Something you needed?” My fingers trembled. So he knew I had something to say. And he still told me to leave. “Nothing,” I said. “I just wanted to tell you I made your favorite rosemary venison stew. It’s in the fridge. Don’t forget to—” His phone rang. Tessa’s laughter spilled from the speaker. “Alpha Silas, I got the lullaby. It’s really lovely. Thank you.” A smile crossed Silas’s face. One he didn’t even seem to notice. “As long as you’re happy. Rest early. You have work tomorrow.” I stood there, listening to him soothe another woman with patience he had never given me. That was when I finally understood. Silas Calder was not incapable of tenderness. He simply had none for me. Still, I said, “There’s stew in the kitchen. Remember to eat.” He didn’t answer. He only kept speaking to Tessa. “The bakery on Oak Street won’t open tomorrow. Don’t make a wasted trip.” Words he had never once said to me. Care he had never once offered me. My whole body went cold. “Silas,” I said. He ignored me. “Silas Calder.” He kept talking. “Let’s cancel tomorrow’s bonding ceremony,” I said. “You’re free now. You can be with whoever you want.” He finally looked at me. His eyes were full of irritation. “Liora. Be quiet. You’re too loud.” That sentence stung more than I expected. When we were children, I used to follow him everywhere, calling, “Silas. Alpha Silas.” He would always say, “Liora, you’re annoying. Get out.” But my mother, Marianne, told me that sincere love would eventually be answered. So I waited. When I came of age, Silas said, “Liora, I don’t want to waste time looking for a mate. If you like me, let’s be together.” No flowers. No confession. No warmth. I still said yes. I thought being chosen was enough. But even after we became a couple, every time I shared my day, he STOPS me. “Liora. Get out.” This time, I lowered my eyes. “Okay,” I whispered. “I won’t bother you anymore. I won’t like you anymore either.” Through the phone, Tessa’s cheerful voice rang out again. “Alpha Silas, listen! Someone’s setting off fireworks near my house!” Silas’s voice softened. “I heard. After you watch them, sleep early.” I wiped my tears and picked up my suitcase. When I reached the door, Silas’s voice came from behind me. “Liora. What did you just say?” I didn’t answer. I didn’t turn back. Because this time, I no longer wanted him to hear me. 2 **Liora’s POV** Silas Calder had always been called a genius Alpha heir. Top grades. Top of every training exercise. The pack elders were proud of him. I was different. Average at everything. When I was little, my mother often compared us. She said she wished I had half of Silas’s mind. I would protest, “Maybe I’m not as smart, but at least I hear people when they call me. Not like Silas.” Marianne would laugh. “Little Liora, maybe it’s not that he can’t hear you. Maybe he just doesn’t want to.” Back then, I refused to believe it. If Silas hated me, why did he protect me when other wolves bullied me? “Anyone who bothers Liora answers to me.” If he hated me, why did he defend me when people mocked my grades? “Liora isn’t stupid. She just hasn’t tried yet. I can tutor her.” But now I understood. My mother had been right. Silas could hear. My voice simply didn’t matter. I got into the car I had called. Not long after, Silas sent me a message. A rare thing. But he didn’t ask where I went. He didn’t ask when I would return. He only wrote: [I locked the door.] [Come back tomorrow.] The pain I had held back finally broke loose. The driver handed me a tissue. “Miss, don’t take it too hard. Go home. Sleep. Tomorrow still comes.” He was right. Tomorrow would come. And this time, I would not spend it waiting outside Silas Calder’s door. By the time I reached Silverpine Pack house, it was already ten at night. My parents, Garrett and Marianne, had gone to sleep. I carried my luggage to my room alone. The next morning, when they saw me, they were shocked. “Liora, when did you come back?” “Last night.” My voice was hoarse from crying. Marianne noticed immediately. “Did you and Silas fight? But he’s so cold. How could he even fight with you?” Silas never fought with me. He only went silent, because he knew I would always be the one to bow my head first. But not this time. I looked at my mother. “Mom, I’m not marrying Silas anymore. Return all the bonding gifts from the Blackthorne Pack.” Marianne froze. Garrett frowned. They kept asking why. So I told them. “I don’t want to marry an Alpha who doesn’t have me in his mind.” I was the daughter they had raised with love. The Hart Family had never let me suffer like this. Why should I choose an Alpha who didn’t love me and spend my life walking on eggshells? Marianne tried to persuade me at first. “If Silas didn’t like you, why would he agree to the bond?” Then I told her about the lullaby. Her face went cold instantly. “Call it off. It must be called off. The bonding ceremony is tomorrow, and he’s recording lullabies for his assistant? Who knows what he’ll do next?” Garrett’s face darkened too. He immediately contacted the Blackthorne Pack and returned every gift from the Calder Family. I called the ceremony planner. Before I could cancel, she spoke first. “Miss Hart, Alpha Silas handed all ceremony arrangements to his assistant. If you have ideas, please discuss them with Miss Blythe.” My fingers tightened. She added, “Also, your custom wedding dress arrived from overseas. Alpha Silas said you were unavailable, so he had Miss Blythe try it on first. I’ll send the video.” The video came seconds later. Tessa wore the wedding dress meant for me. And it fit her perfectly. A staff member adjusted the train and praised her. “Mrs. Calder, this dress looks made for you. Alpha Silas will surely love it.” Tessa smiled at the camera. “I do wish I really were Mrs. Calder. It’s just that someone won’t give me the chance.” Then Silas called her. She put him on speaker. “When I become a bride, I hope I can wear a dress this gorgeous.” Silas’s voice came through, carrying faint amusement. “That day will come.” I stared at the screen. Then I dropped the idea of canceling the ceremony. Since Silas liked his Omega assistant so much, I would give them my blessing. 3 **Liora’s POV** I had been home for two days. Silas hadn’t called once. Just when I thought he had forgotten me, he sent one message. [Are you done playing? Come back.] When I said we were done, he acted like he hadn’t heard. When I left with my luggage, he looked right through me. For a second, I wanted to ask what I meant to him. But I already knew the answer. He would only say, “Liora, stop being unreasonable.” If I argued, he would say, “Get out.” So I didn’t reply. Instead, I bought plane tickets for my parents and me to the France Pack, departing in three days. It was where I had planned to spend my honeymoon with Silas. I had spent a month arranging everything. Hotels. Restaurants. Museums. A route along the Seine. The best place to watch fireworks. I had written it all down and placed it on his desk, hoping he would care. He glanced once and threw it away. “Liora, stop bothering me. Get out. Or the honeymoon is canceled.” Back then, I told myself he was only busy. Now I understood. He simply didn’t want to go with me. Fine. Then I would go with people who actually loved me. My parents agreed without hesitation. That night, Tessa called. Her voice was sweet. “Miss Hart, where does Alpha Silas keep his personal clothes? I’ve looked everywhere.” My body went cold. Silas was obsessed with personal space. Even close Blackthorne Pack friends were not allowed into his bedroom. But Tessa was different. She could enter his room. She could receive his lullabies. She could stand inside the home that was supposed to become mine. “Ask him yourself,” I said. “He knows.” Tessa laughed softly. “Alpha Silas is recording today’s lullaby for me right now. I don’t want to disturb him.” Today’s lullaby. So it was not once. It was every day. She continued lightly, “Also, Alpha Silas put me in charge of tomorrow’s ceremony. If you have ideas, contact me. But preferably not at night. I don’t sleep well. And I wouldn’t want to disturb Alpha Silas either.” Her apology sounded like victory. I said, “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Then I hung up. The screen faded back to my wallpaper. It was Silas at eighteen, standing on the training grounds after winning the Alpha trial. That day, I handed him water, and for once, he didn’t refuse. He even said, “Thank you.” I had treasured that moment for years. Now, I deleted it. Every photo. Every chat. Every voice message. Every trace of Silas Calder. Then I changed all my wallpapers to photos of myself. From now on, I would never love Silas Calder again. I would only love myself. 4 **Liora’s POV** At midnight, Silas sent another message. [Be at Moonlit Hall on time tomorrow.] [Don’t be late.] He hated being stood up. Once, we planned to visit the Pack Museum. That morning, I was too sick to get out of bed and texted him to explain. He didn’t reply. After I recovered, I found he had deleted all my contact information. I spent a month coaxing him before he added me back. Back then, he said, “I don’t like people who stand me up. Liora, you’re no exception.” Thinking of the old me, the one who had clung to him with no pride, I laughed at myself. This time, I still didn’t reply. Not long after, a grand fireworks show went viral across Blackthorne Pack social platforms. Silver-blue fireworks lit up the sky. Then seven huge words appeared: [Happy Birthday, Tessa Blythe.] I opened the comments. [Is this some Alpha celebrating his little Luna’s birthday?] [No. I heard it’s tragic. Alpha Silas has a bonding ceremony tomorrow with the childhood friend who’s been chasing him forever.] [So he gives the ceremony to the girl he doesn’t love, and saves all the romance for the one he does.] [Someone show that childhood sweetheart.] [Give the dress back to Tessa and Alpha Silas. They’re the ones truly in love.] My eyes burned. They were right about one thing. Silas had given me an empty ceremony. He had given Tessa tenderness, romance, attention—everything I had begged for and never received. But they were wrong about another thing. This bond had not been forced by our families. Silas was the one who proposed we be together. Silas was the one who proposed the bonding ceremony. And now, I was the one walking away. The next day, Moonlit Hall was packed with guests from both the Blackthorne Pack and the Silverpine Pack. Since morning, Silas kept checking his phone. Every message he sent me sank without response. Unease touched his face. Just as he was about to call, someone clapped his shoulder. “Silas, nervous? Relax. Liora Hart has been chasing you since childhood. She can’t live without you. She’ll come.” Silas’s expression settled. Time passed. The ceremony began. Silas stood on the platform, cold as ever. No joy. No nerves. Then the officiant announced the entrance of the Luna. The great white doors opened. And Tessa Blythe appeared in a wedding dress. My wedding dress. She held moon roses and walked toward Silas step by step. The dress fit her as if it had been made for her. Silas’s expression changed. Calm. Confusion. Shock. He stared at her. For the first time, his voice broke. “Why is it you?” His gaze swept past her toward the doors. “Where is Liora?”

Every time Nathaniel Hawthorne brings a new girl home, he brings me a college guy as my "consolation prize." "I need freshness, you need company," he says. "No hard feelings." This time, he sits me down with Julian—valedictorian, golden boy, too good for this circus. "Cassidy's pr3gn^nt. She won't keep the b@by unless I commit. Let's get a temporary divorce. Before we remarry, you can have him. I won't stand in your way." His friends think it's hilarious. "Nate, you knelt in that chapel for hours for her. You're really okay with this?" Nathaniel takes a slow drag. "She's got walls. She won't touch him." They all wait for me to write a check and throw Julian out. That's what I always did. Instead, I look up and smile. "Okay." Dead silence. I signed the papers that night. Moved out the next morning. He called me nine times. I didn't pick up. When he finally got through, he said, "It's just paperwork. You're mine." I laughed. "In one week, the court order is final. And I'm not coming back." He thought my boundaries were a cage I built for myself. He thought I'd never leave. Now he's begging my lawyer for a meeting. But I'm done being his safety net. Every time Nathaniel Hawthorne brought a girl home, he would also bring some college guy my consolation prize. "I need freshness, you need company, we each get what we want, no hard feelings." The last time, he took it too far. He brought another male student to me, speaking in a gentle, coaxing tone. "We didn't plan for this, but it happened anyway. She won't keep the b@by unless I give her a real commitment. Let's get a temporary divorce." "Before we remarry, you can spend time with him. I won't stand in your way." Privately, his friends asked him, "Nate, you knelt in that chapel for hours to win her over. You're really okay with this?" "And you haven't even told the guy to stay away from her?" Nathaniel just took a slow drag of his c!g@rette. "I don't have a cuckold fetish." "You know Isabella has emotional boundaries. She won't touch them." "Smart move, Nate. You bring them home, and if she doesn't use them, that's on her, not you. Genius. Absolutely genius." Everyone expected me to do what I always did. I'd write a check and send the guy away. Instead, I looked up and smiled. "Okay. If that's what you want." --- Nathaniel froze, c!g@rette hanging from his lips. The living room went dead quiet for a second. Clara was the first to speak. "Sorry, what did you say?" I put my phone down. My gaze swept past Nathaniel and landed on the male student. "I said okay." I looked him over. "He is pretty cute." Someone su//cked in a breath. "She actually agreed?" "No way. She's not kicking him out this time?" "Nate, did you hear that?" Nathaniel's expression didn't change much. That faint, mocking smile stayed on his face. Cassidy Morgan tightened her grip on his arm. "Nate, if she's finally okay with it, you should be happy." Nathaniel didn't answer. He crushed out his c!g@rette in the ashtray, walked over to Julian Ashford, and clapped him on the shoulder. "Take good care of Isabella." Then he wrapped an arm around Cassidy and headed upstairs. I looked away and turned to the y0ung man still standing there, the tips of his ears turning bright red. "Do you live on campus or here?" He swallowed hard. "Either here or on campus, doesn't matter to me." "Then stay here." With that, I turned and walked down the hall. Behind me, whispers broke out. "No way, she's serious?" "Before this, she'd tear into all of us when this happened." "Come on, trust Nate. She always acts like handing out checks makes her better than everyone, like touching one of them would make her skin crawl." "Last time, she didn't even give the guy m0ney. Just had security throw him out." "She's probably just putting on a show to get back at Nate since that girl is pr3gn^nt." I kept walking. Their words pricked my back like need13s. Not painful, but everywhere. They weren't wrong. I used to be insufferable. Too proud, too stuck up, too convinced that saying "I have boundaries" would protect me. Every time Nathaniel brought someone home, I'd hand over a check with a cold stare and have them thrown out. I thought that meant I was winning. That at least I was cleaner than him. And look where that got me. Cassidy's belly was growing. What did my precious boundaries actually protect? A signed divorce paper. An empty bed. A room full of people watching my marriage fall apart and laughing. At the second-floor bedroom door, I pushed it open. "Here we are." Then I leaned against the doorframe, watching this y0ung man standing in the hallway. He was six-one, valedictorian, a state champion in mock trial, guaranteed admission to grad school, dean's list every year. Nathaniel really went all out this time. Not like the random athletes he'd pick up at bars. "Selling yourself for m0ney?" I asked. He nodded. No hesitation, no excuse. The old me would have laughed, thrown out a "How much? Take it and get out," and had him escorted off the property with a look of pure disdain. Back then, I really thought I was something. Perched on my high horse, using my boundaries like a weapon. Like touching any of them would dirty me. Like the men Nathaniel brought home were garbage. And what did it get me? The garbage left, and Nathaniel never came back either. Truth was, none of those guys were any worse than he was. "Tell the housekeeper if you need anything." I said without looking back, then walked inside. He followed. "My name is Julian Ashford, by the way." "I know." I didn't look back. "Nathaniel told me." I headed for the balcony. He didn't follow me out there, which I appreciated. Downstairs, the guests were leaving. I watched their figures recede from the window. I'd lost count of how many times they'd watched me make a fool of myself. Back in the bedroom, my eyes landed on the divorce papers on the nightstand. For three years, I'd turned a blind eye to his affairs. All because of something that happened back then, something that drove a wedge between us. He had his reasons. I had mine. D3bts always come due. At first, I told him he could do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't bring anyone home. Then I said as long as he didn't get anyone pr3gn^nt. I kept giving ground. He kept pushing. Since we were both tired of this marriage, there was no point in hesitating. I picked up the pen and signed. Julian came out of the bathroom just then, hair still damp. The second he saw me, his ears turned crimson. "I just finished." I stood up. Nathaniel really knew how to pick them this time. This one blushed so easily. The other guys I'd sent away, there was always resentment in their eyes. One of them even yelled at me once, "You two are insane. One of you pushes me in, the other shoves me out. What are we to you?" I just looked at him coldly. "Take the m0ney and shut up." Looking back, he was right. We were the crazy ones. One with a cuckolding fetish. One with emotional walls so high no one could touch her. My phone buzzed. A message from Nathaniel: [Get some sleep.] I stared at the three words and almost laughed. He never used to send me things like this. But today he did. Because I kept Julian around? Because he finally realized that Isabella Reed, the woman who wouldn't touch anyone, might actually touch someone? I didn't reply. Outside, the lights went out. The whole house went quiet. Cassidy moved in. Julian moved in. This house finally looked like what it was. A dump. Filled with all kinds of tr@sh. Myself included. I turned off the light, smiling a smile I couldn't quite explain. He still thought I was the same Isabella. Thought I wouldn't dare. Thought I couldn't. Thought I'd always keep my walls up. He was wrong. … The next morning, my lower back was still sore. When I came downstairs, Julian was in the kitchen helping the housekeeper. The second he saw me, he almost dropped the spatula. I smiled. This man, where was that nerve from last night? I'd just sat down at the table when Nathaniel came down. "You're up early." He sat across from me, that unreadable smile on his face. "How was last night?" Before I could answer, the front door burst open. Derek Whitmore charged in first. "Nate, Nate, who won?" "I b3t on her kicking him out before noon. Twenty grand." "I b3t she was done with him last night. Odds were three to one, and you were the house, Nate." The chatter died instantly. They saw me. Their excitement turned to awkwardness. "Hey... Isabella. Morning." Nathaniel picked up his coffee and took a sip. His expression was relaxed. Like his friends weren't gambling on his marriage. Like it was something to be proud of. "Sit down," I said. "Breakfast's ready." Then I stood and walked toward the kitchen. "You should get to class." Julian froze for a second, untied his apron, and left. The front door clicked shut. The living room was quiet for two beats. Derek lowered his voice. "See? She got rid of him." Gary Dawson laughed. "What did you expect? Nate knows exactly how she thinks." "Gotta hand it to Nate," Derek said, admiration in his voice. "This is the kind of wife you want. One who knows how to guard the house and keep her legs closed." Nathaniel sat at the table, his eggs already finished. Listening to all of this, the corner of his mouth curled up. He looked pleased. I let out a breath and walked back into the dining room. Nathaniel and I spoke at the exact same time. "Come with me to the family estate tonight." "Two o'clock at the courthouse." The living room went quiet. I placed the signed divorce papers on the table. "Let's get this done first." Nathaniel froze, his eyes landing on my signature. I knew what he was thinking. The old me would have ripped the papers up with tears in my eyes. Would have cried, "Nathaniel, who said you could just walk out on me?" It was never easy, there was always a fight. He looked up at me. Still nonchalant, still casual. "What's the rush? I said we'd do it after Cassidy's pr3gn^ncy is stable." "I can't wait," I said. "Two o'clock. Are you coming or not?" A muscl3 in his jaw twitched. "Isabella." He pushed the papers back to the middle of the table. "Are you out of your mind?" "Or maybe you're worried I'll wake up," I said, "change my mind, and tear them up again?" The tension stretched for a few seconds. Then Cassidy came downstairs. "Isabella, please don't rush him. I just don't want my b@by to be called a b@st@rd." "Divorce can wait until my pr3gn^ncy is stable." Her eyes reddened as she spoke. She looked more torn up about this broken marriage than I did. Nathaniel glanced at her. That pitiful act, combined with her "don't rush," c/ut right into his fragile pride. Nathaniel Hawthorne wasn't the kind of man who got pushed into divorce. "Isabella, you think I'm afraid to sign?" He laughed suddenly and grabbed the pen. Derek panicked. "Nate." "Shut up." Nathaniel didn't even look up. He signed, then slammed the pen down. That tr@demark smile came back. "I said I'd do it, and I did. Everyone here is a witness." "Once Cassidy has the b@by, we'll get remarried." He stood and leaned close to my ear. His voice was certain, intimate. "You're the woman I clawed back from death's door. None of those other people out there even come close to you." "This b@by will be yours to raise. You're the only one worthy of that. Got it?" I laughed quietly. So this was how he "spoiled" me. I didn't say anything. I just picked up the suitcase I'd packed earlier and walked out the door. Cassidy's soft voice drifted out after me. "Nate... what if she doesn't come back?" Nathaniel had a c!g@rette in his mouth. Unlit. He didn't answer. The original plan was to stay legally separated but live together. I still had the right to live in this house. Leaving wasn't part of his plan. But it wouldn't change the outcome. He looked down at Cassidy. "You little snake. Now that she's gone, you must be pretty happy." "Of course not." Cassidy pouted. "Always teasing me. I was raised better than to break up a marriage." She looked down and touched her belly. "I'm doing all of this for my b@by." She looked so wronged, like a delicate flower getting battered by the wind. Nathaniel softened immediately. "Don't cry. I'm just messing with you." Cassidy was smarter than the others. She never sent passive aggressive essays. Never called me to stake her claim with a "He's with me right now." She just acted sweet and innocent, like she was trying to join the family, not tear it apart. If I ever said anything harsh, Nathaniel would see it as her being bullied. I'd seen other girls. y0unger, prettier, more interesting. But they were always in too much of a hurry. Too eager for him to choose. Too eager for me to leave. Only Cassidy never rushed. Never fought. Never grabbed. She just moved in with her pr3gn^nt belly, called me "Isabella" like we were sisters, and did what none of the others could. … At one fifty in the afternoon, I sat on a bench at the courthouse. I called Nathaniel for the ninth time. This time, he answered. "Where are you?" I asked. His voice was casual. "Taking Cassidy to her prenatal appointment. I'm busy. Just wait. I'll come when I'm done." "I said two o'clock." "The divorce isn't going anywhere." He sounded like he was calming down a difficult child. "Let me finish with Cassidy first. Gotta go." Wait. Always wait. I watched the people coming and going. Couples here to split up. Some with red eyes. Some with blank faces. I used to cry like that too. Used to fall apart. And every time he softened, I got a "reward." He wouldn't leave. But today, the reward I wanted wasn't the same. The clerk called the next number. I pulled out my phone and texted my lawyer. [Patricia, file for divorce through the court. I'll send you the documents this afternoon.] That night, Nathaniel's father insisted, so I went back to the family estate. On the way, I tried to figure out what to say. How to explain that his son got another woman pr3gn^nt? That he forced me into a divorce? That I was already preparing to go to court? Relationships were sometimes harder to get out of than lawsuits. When I arrived, no one else was there yet. Eugene Hawthorne paused. "Where's Nathaniel?" "He's busy," I said. "Busy?" He put his fork down. "What's more important than his own wife?" I didn't answer. His father and mine had been through war together. They trusted each other with their lives. He'd always wanted our families to unite, but Nathaniel's mother refused. She thought my family wasn't good enough. Thought I was unlucky because of an illness I'd had. Nathaniel was the one who wouldn't let go. He went to St. Clare's Chapel alone and knelt on the cold stone floor for hours, praying. His knees were torn to shreds by the time he finished. He said, "I don't have to be with Isabella. Just let her be okay." When I found out, I cried for hours. It was always him charging ahead while I hung back, full of insecurity. After that, I took his hand and said, "I'm done hiding. If you want to marry me, I'll say yes." And somehow, I got better. I went home with him willingly. Eugene was so happy he transferred a third of his stock options to me as a wedding gift. He said it was to show the family I had protection. Back then, I thought his mother was the biggest obstacle. But looking back, outsiders were never the real problem. Just as I was trying to figure out how to bring up the divorce, the door opened. Nathaniel walked in with Cassidy on his arm. When he saw me, he stopped. Eugene's face went dark. "You bring tr@sh into this house now?" Nathaniel sat down with Cassidy, completely at ease. "D@d, it's just dinner. Relax." Then he looked at me. "Isabella, you should go." As if he needed to explain, he leaned in and lowered his voice. "I didn't think you'd actually show up, so I brought her. Tonight's her night, okay?" I laughed. So it's her night. He was so busy building up his mistress that he brought her to meet his parents before the divorce was even final. I used to think Cassidy was just another fling. Someone to amuse him until he got bored. Maybe I was wrong. His mother came downstairs. Her eyes went from me to Cassidy. "So this is the pr3gn^nt one. Our house attracts such low-class women." One sentence insulted both of us. Nathaniel used to step in front of me and say, "Isabella is my choice." But tonight, he just frowned and pulled Cassidy closer. "M0m, don't talk about my girl like that." His voice was harder than when he used to defend me. Cassidy pressed into his ch3st, her eyes red. She always looked like the whole world was picking on her. Not like me. When someone insulted me, I just looked like I could handle it alone. I stood up, bored. "I'm leaving." Eugene couldn't convince me to stay. Nathaniel didn't have time to look at me. Walking out of the Hawthorne estate, I thought about that night at the chapel. He knelt on the cold floor and said, "I don't have to be with Isabella. Just let her be okay." Well. He got what he asked for. … The divorce went smoother than I expected. Nathaniel probably thought we'd remarry after Cassidy had the b@by and everything would go back to normal. The day we signed the mediation agreement, he showed up forty minutes late. But when he got there, he picked up the pen and signed without a fight. Then he leaned close to me, almost gentle. "Didn't you always want a real wedding ceremony?" "Once we remarry, I'll plan it myself. That island you like. The white dress you wanted. Everything you ever dreamed of. It's yours." I looked up at him. "Nathaniel. Don't bother." He paused for a second, then laughed. "I know you think we're too old for something showy, but I owe you a wedding. I'm going to make it up to you." I shook my head. "In one week, you'll..." Before I could finish, his phone blew up. He answered, then sh0t to his feet. "What do you mean her stomach hurts? I'll be right there." He took two steps, then stopped and turned back. "I know in one week the court order will be final and we won't be married anymore. But that's just paperwork. The court can send all the papers it wants. You're mine. Two different things." He patted my shoulder and ran. I stood at the door of the mediation room and finished my sentence to no one. "In one week, you'll get more than just a court order." …. The day the mediation papers arrived at the Hawthorne estate, Eugene called Nathaniel home and tore into him. "I don't care what you have to do. Get Isabella back here right now. I need to talk to her." "After that, if you still want a divorce, I won't stop you." Nathaniel frowned. He didn't know what his father wanted to say, but he knew how ridiculous this divorce was. His phone had been quiet all week. No messages from her. No calls. He said he didn't care, but he felt empty. He'd never gone a full week without contacting Isabella. He needed an excuse. A reason to call her. His father just handed him one. "Fine, fine." He pulled out his phone and scrolled to her name. "So annoying. I'll call her." Annoyed on the outside, but his fingers moved faster than they ever had. He hit call. Cleared his throat. Tried to figure out what to say first. "Hey, Isabella, my D@d wants you to come back to the estate." Or maybe, "What are you doing? It's not like we're really divorced. Why haven't you come home in a week?" Then the call connected. A voice on the other end said, "Hello, the bride is getting her touch up done. Are you a guest of the bride or the groom?"