Chapter 1

Right before our Mating Ceremony, my mate, Damien, said he needed to mark another she-wolf, Omega Seraphina—the one who'd supposedly saved his life.

"I have to give Seraphina a temporary mark. She's dying, Isla. The Moon Sickness is eating her alive."

Damien's gaze was heavy on me.

I stopped mixing the moon petal elixir in my hands.

It was for our Mating Ceremony, said to make the mate bond even stronger.

And now, he wanted me to accept him marking another woman.

My fingertips started to tremble.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"It's the only way to save her." Damien turned away, unable to meet my eyes.

Those deep blue eyes I once loved were now a storm of conflict and chilling resolve.

"I owe her my life."

"I don't care what you owe her!" My voice went sharp. "A mark is sacred, Damien! It's supposed to be for us—"

"One month," he cut me off, his eyes bloodshot, a flicker of confusion in them as if he genuinely couldn't understand my resistance.

"I promise, I'll remove the mark right after the ceremony. She'll live, and you'll still be my only Luna."

I stared at him, my jaw tight. "I don't agree. Unless you want to cut our mate bond."

Damien's eyes finally turned to ice. "This isn't a request, Isla. A life is at stake. Don't make me force this."

He promised, "It's just a temporary mark. It won't affect our bond. In a month, everything will be back to normal."

Then he stormed out, slamming the door.

His Alpha scent, thick with anger, clung to the air long after he was gone.

The next day, I was standing at the entrance to the Pack Headquarters when a long, black sedan pulled up.

My whole body went numb.

Damien got out of the passenger seat and gently helped a delicate, fragile figure out of the car.

Seraphina.

She looked so pale, like a strong gust of wind could knock her over.

Damien's arm was wrapped around her waist, a protective gesture that sent a wave of nausea through me.

"Watch the steps," he said, his voice so gentle it made me want to scream.

It was a tone he had never once used with me.

I watched them walk into the building and get on the elevator.

Headed straight for the top floor.

For the luxury suite reserved only for the future Luna.

My suite.

Three hours later, Damien came back to our apartment.

I was waiting for him on the sofa, a cup of cold tea clutched in my hand.

"Is she settled in?" My voice was so calm it scared me.

Damien took off his jacket. "The pack healer said she needs a quiet environment."

"So you put her on the top floor."

"It has the best facilities," he said, avoiding my eyes. "It's just temporary."

I stood up and slowly walked toward him.

"Damien, where were you last night?"

He froze for a second. "Dealing with a border dispute. I told you."

"All night?"

"It was more complicated than I expected."

I stepped closer, close enough to smell the scent of another she-wolf on him.

The commingled scent was a poisoned needle, stabbing straight through our mate bond.

A sharp, tearing pain ripped through my soul, and I almost buckled.

It wasn't just Seraphina's scent. It was deeper, more intimate.

The kind of deeply blended scent that only comes from a true Mating mark.

He had lied.

He wasn't dealing with a border dispute last night.

He was performing their marking ceremony.

And now, he was still trying to get my permission for something that was already done.

"Do you even still need my permission?" I took a step back, fighting the tears welling in my eyes.

"You have to understand, Isla. A life is at stake." Damien moved toward me, trying to take my hand.

"You're my fated mate," he insisted, as if that explained everything. "You should be on my side."

I yanked my hand away. "I need more time."

"There is no time. She won't last much longer."

Just then, the elevator to the penthouse opened.

Seraphina stepped out, draped in a white silk robe I'd never seen before.

Her cheeks were flushed with a sickly pink, but her eyes were bright.

She walked straight to Damien and leaned against his chest.

"Thank you, Damien," she said, her voice weak but sweet, her eyes fixed directly on me.

"I feel so much better already."

---

Chapter 2

I didn't sleep all night.

After Seraphina retreated to the penthouse, Damien followed her up.

"She needs someone to look after her," was the only explanation he gave.

I sat in our empty apartment, the memory of that mark—its scent—replaying over and over in my mind.

The tear in our bond throbbed, a constant, agonizing reminder.

Then it hit me.

Three weeks ago.

That night.

Damien had said he was going to handle a border dispute and didn't come back until the next morning.

That night, I lay in bed, fighting back waves of searing pain that tore through our bond.

I thought something was wrong with me, or that Damien had been hurt in the conflict.

I only breathed a sigh of relief when he finally returned.

His clothes had the faint scent of laurel leaves on them.

The sacred incense burned only during a Mating Rite.

I'd even asked him, "Did you go to the Sacred Grove?"

He'd said, "Just passing by."

It never even crossed my mind that he would betray me. Betray our fate.

Now I understood.

He had already marked Seraphina that night.

And I, like a fool, had been sitting here worrying about his safety.

At dawn, my phone buzzed.

An encrypted email.

From: The Laurel Healers' Guild.

"Dear Miss Isla, we formally invite you to participate in our research initiative on Ancient Life Energies. This is the highest honor for a healer and the perfect place for your talents. Should you be interested, we hope for a response within the week."

I stared at the screen.

This was the opportunity I had dreamed of my entire life.

It was also my only way out.

Damien walked in just as I was packing my things.

"What are you doing?"

"Packing my herbs," I said without looking up. "Since the penthouse has a new occupant, I don't want to be in the way."

"Isla, listen to me—"

"There's nothing to say." I stood up and looked him dead in the eye. "The Mating Ceremony," I stated, my voice dangerously calm, "is off."

The color drained from Damien's face.

"You can't do that."

"I can," I said, turning back to my packing. "I refuse to mate with an Alpha who has already marked someone else."

"I told you, it's temporary!" he yelled, grabbing my arm. "I'll remove the mark in a month!"

"And then what?" I shook him off. "You think I'll ever trust you again?"

Pain flashed in Damien's eyes. "She's dying, Isla. I can't just stand by and watch her die."

"Why?" I demanded. "Because you owe her? Owe her for what?"

Damien fell silent, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"If you won't tell me, then we have nothing to talk about." I walked toward the door.

"Wait!" Damien scrambled after me, his powerful frame dropping to one knee before me. "I promise you, in one month, I will give you the grandest ceremony this continent has ever seen. Every pack in North America will be there to witness it."

I looked down at him, kneeling.

It wasn't pity I felt, but a bitter sense of absurdity and injustice.

Were our five years together, our fated bond, really going to end over a lie?

Was I really going to give up this easily?

In that moment of hesitation, the elevator doors opened.

Seraphina stepped out.

Seeing Damien on his knees, a fleeting, triumphant smirk touched her lips.

She walked right up to me and deliberately handed me a file folder.

"Isla," she said, her voice soft. "I know you're a healer, too. This is my medical report. Could you take a look? Damien's Alpha energy is so powerful. I've been recovering so well since the marking, but... there's been an unexpected side effect. I'm a little scared."

I took the report, my eyes scanning the data.

As a top-tier healer, I spotted the discrepancy immediately.

Six weeks pregnant.

But Damien had only completed the marking less than three weeks ago.

The dates didn't add up.

I looked up, my gaze cold, and handed the report to Damien.

"Congratulations," I said, my voice dripping with ice. "It seems this 'side effect' began long before the 'temporary mark'."

Then, without a second glance at his shocked and questioning face, I walked back into my room.

I looked at the calendar, at the bright red circle around our Mating Ceremony date.

It was now my departure date.

The countdown: thirteen days.

I opened my laptop and clicked reply.

"I accept your invitation."

---

Chapter 3

That night, Damien didn't come back to our apartment.

I knew where he was.

The next morning, I opened the pack's secure network.

The top post was a new update.

Alpha Damien had ordered a hundred thousand dollars' worth of rare supplements for Seraphina.

Blood Ginseng, Moonlight Fungus, and Starfruit—things only needed during a werewolf pregnancy.

The comments section exploded.

"Is our Alpha going to be a father?"

"But isn't Isla his Luna?"

"I heard that Seraphina girl moved into the penthouse."

"Isn't the Mating Ceremony next week?"

I shut my phone off.

At noon, I met my best friend, Chloe.

"You what?" Chloe's voice was so sharp it nearly shattered her coffee cup. "You're calling off the ceremony?"

"That's right."

"Are you insane? He's your fated mate!"

"Fated mates don't mark other women right before their ceremony," I said, calmly sipping my coffee. "And they certainly don't get another she-wolf pregnant with their pup."

Chloe gasped. "A pup?"

I showed her the photo of the lab report on my phone.

"That scheming bitch!" Chloe slammed her hand on the table. "She played you!"

"Probably," I shrugged. "But it doesn't matter anymore."

"Isla, you can't just give up. Damien loves you."

"Loves me?" I gave a bitter laugh. "Does someone who loves you mark another woman behind your back?"

Chloe fell silent.

"I've already accepted the invitation from the European Healers' Guild," I said, standing up. "I'm leaving tomorrow."

"So soon?"

"If I stay any longer, I'm afraid I'll do something I regret."

At eleven that night, I got back to the apartment building after an herb exchange.

The gathering was a success.

I'd met several healers from Europe, including a few Alphas I'd never seen before.

When the elevator doors opened, Damien was standing there.

His eyes were cold, his nostrils flaring slightly. "Where were you?"

"An herb exchange."

"With who?" he pressed.

"Some colleagues."

Damien stalked towards me, like a predator closing in on its prey. "Don't lie to me. I smell another male's scent on you. An Alpha's."

"So what if you do?"

A dangerous light flashed in his eyes. "Get away from me, and wash that scent off you."

"You don't get to order me around."

"I'm your fated mate!"

"No, you're not," I said, pushing past him. "You're Seraphina's."

I walked towards our apartment, Damien following close behind.

But instead of arguing, he went straight to the armchair by the fireplace, sat down, and closed his eyes.

I knew what he was doing.

The mind-link.

His expression softened, and I could feel the murmur of his thoughts through our strained bond.

The pup is going to be so strong, so healthy.

The pup.

He was already looking forward to it.

I turned to go to my room.

"Isla."

His voice stopped me.

"There's something about the ceremony I need to talk to you about."

---

Chapter 4

I stopped and turned, my face a cold mask. "What is it now?"

"It's about the Rite of the Moon Spring." He opened his eyes, and those deep blue pools held an undeniable command. "I need to postpone it."

"Why." It wasn't a question.

"Seraphina's pregnancy is unstable. The healer said the pure energy of the Moon Spring would be good for her. So..."

He paused, as if searching for the right words. "I've decided it's better if she has it."

Let her have it.

He said it so casually, as if he were just rescheduling a meeting.

That was the highest honor for a Luna, to receive the pack's blessing.

It was the sacred moment we had dreamed of together.

My heart was numb.

I couldn't even feel the pain anymore.

I answered in the calmest voice I could manage. "Fine."

My calmness seemed to unnerve him. "You... don't have anything else to say?"

"No."

"...Good." A flicker of relief crossed his face, as if he'd expected a bigger fight.

He then continued, his tone all business. "I'm taking Seraphina to a private retreat in the Rockies. Handle the ceremony preparations. Don't bother me with the details unless the world is ending."

He cut the link.

I walked out to the balcony.

It used to be my herb garden, filled with rare plants I'd cultivated for the future of our pack.

I had imagined using these herbs to heal our people, to protect our home.

Damien had never set foot out here.

He said he wasn't interested in "all these flowers and weeds."

Now, they had lost their meaning, too.

I started working, one by one, uprooting the plants I had so carefully nurtured, the sharp snap of roots and the damp scent of earth filling the air.

It was a funeral for a future that was now dead and buried.

Each one represented a betrayed hope.

When the last Stardust Bloom was in its box, I took out my phone and opened the calendar.

On the date I had marked countless times for the "Rite of the Moon Spring," I drew a heavy, red X.

The countdown: twelve days.

---

Chapter 5

Over the next week, my phone was flooded with notifications.

Seraphina's social media was on fire.

A picture of her lying in a bed at a luxury resort in the Rockies, Damien sitting beside her, peeling an apple.

Her in a hot spring, with Damien on the edge, holding a towel ready for her.

Her during a prenatal check-up, Damien holding her hand tightly.

Every photo had the same caption: "Thank you, Damien, for taking such good care of me. I've never felt so safe."

I didn't need to read the comments.

"The Alpha is so good to her."

"Now that's what true love looks like."

"What about Luna Isla? We never see her."

"I heard she's busy with her career."

I turned off my phone and went back to packing.

On the third day, I drove to my parents' house.

"Isla?" My mother opened the door, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you both."

In the living room, my father put down his newspaper and looked at me.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to Europe."

"For a vacation?"

"For work. The Laurel Healers' Guild invited me to join a research project." I took a deep breath. "I might be gone for a long time."

My mother's face fell. "What about your ceremony?"

"It's been postponed."

"Postponed?" My father frowned. "Why?"

"Damien has some things to take care of," I said, trying to sound calm. "We thought it would be better to hold it later."

My parents exchanged a look.

"Isla, don't lie to us," my mother said, her voice gentle but firm as she took my hand. "We're your parents. We can see the pain in your eyes. Tell us what he did."

I closed my eyes. "It's nothing, Mom. I just want to learn more while I'm young."

"Does Damien agree with this?"

"He's very supportive of my career."

Another lie.

My father was silent for a long time before finally nodding. "If it's for your career, we support you."

"But you have to stay in touch," my mother said, her eyes glistening with tears. "And take care of yourself."

After leaving my parents' house, I texted Chloe.

"Can you come help me pack?"

An hour later, Chloe was at my apartment door.

"My god, what happened here?" she asked, staring at the empty living room.

"I'm moving."

"Moving where?"

"Switzerland."

Chloe sat on the couch and studied my face. "Okay. Now tell me the truth. What the hell happened?"

I told her everything.

From Damien demanding to mark Seraphina, to the pregnancy report, to the canceled Rite of the Moon Spring.

When I finished, the living room was dead silent.

Chloe's face grew darker and darker.

"That bastard!" she suddenly exploded. "How could he do this to you?"

"He had his reasons."

"What reasons? Life debt?" Chloe stood up and started pacing. "Even if he owed her his life, he has no right to trample all over you like this!"

"Chloe—"

"No, I won't accept this!" She spun to face me, her eyes burning. "Five years ago, on the Blood Moon, you nearly tore your soul in half to save him from a rogue attack! And now he has the audacity to remember only her so-called 'kindness'?"

I looked away, saying nothing.

---

Chapter 6

Five days until the ceremony.

I walked into the Pack Council chamber, dressed in a black power suit.

All the Elders were waiting for me.

"Isla, are you certain about this?" the Head Elder asked, his voice grave.

"I am." I placed the formal request on the table. "I am petitioning to suspend the Mating Ceremony."

The chamber fell silent.

"Why?" the Second Elder asked.

"Personal reasons."

"Personal reasons?" the Third Elder stood up. "This is about an alliance between two powerful families!"

"That's your concern," I said, turning to leave. "My decision is final."

Furious discussion erupted behind me, but I didn't look back.

When I got back to the apartment building, I saw the familiar black sedan.

They were back.

The elevator doors opened, and Damien and Seraphina were standing inside.

Seraphina looked well, a healthy flush on her cheeks.

Damien's arm was still wrapped protectively around her waist.

"Isla?" Damien's eyes widened in surprise when he saw me. "Where have you been?"

"Taking care of some business."

We rode up together in a tense, suffocating silence.

"You cleared out the herb garden?" Damien asked as he pushed open our apartment door and saw the empty balcony.

"Gave it away."

"Why?"

"I don't need it anymore."

Damien frowned but didn't press further.

Seraphina walked onto the balcony, feigning surprise. "Wow, it's so empty. I bet it was beautiful before."

"It was fine."

"Isla, I'm so grateful for your understanding," Seraphina said, turning to me, a strange light in her eyes.

"Why don't we all have dinner together tonight? I'd love to thank you properly."

I just stared at her.

Seeing my coldness, Seraphina's expression immediately changed, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Did... did I say something wrong?" She turned to Damien, her voice trembling. "I just wanted to show my gratitude..."

Damien's face instantly darkened.

"Isla," he growled, his voice laced with the Alpha command. "Control yourself. Seraphina is our guest. You are making her uncomfortable."

I looked at him calmly. "Fine."

At dinner, the nutrient broth arrived.

Damien had ordered it specially for Seraphina.

I recognized the scent immediately: Heart-leaf, an herb whose properties only activate for a she-wolf bonded to the Alpha who serves it.

He served a bowl and handed it to me. "You should have some too. It's good for you."

I took the bowl and sipped.

A foreign, repulsive energy instantly warred with my own.

My body recoiled, the rejection a physical, agonizing proof of his betrayal.

Damien froze.

He had forgotten.

That herb no longer worked for me.

My phone rang.

Ignoring Damien, I stepped out onto the balcony, sliding the glass door shut behind me before answering in a hushed voice.

"Miss Isla? This is the secretary from the Laurel Guild. Your flight has been confirmed."

"Good," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "The ceremony is off. I'm ready to leave."

Just as I hung up, a deep, commanding voice came from behind me.

"Who's leaving?"

---

Chapter 7

I spun around. Damien was standing just outside the balcony door, his eyes like chips of ice.

The lingering pain from the energy clash had made me forget—an Alpha's hearing could cut straight through walls.

Thank the Goddess, he hadn't heard everything.

"A healer friend of mine," I answered calmly, stepping past him and back into the dining room. "She's going to South America to study new herbs."

Damien walked over and sat back down. "Which friend?"

"You don't know her."

"Her name."

"Why should I tell you?"

Seraphina coughed softly from the side. "Damien, don't be so hard on Isla. A girl's secrets are important."

Her words seemed to calm him down.

"Sorry," he said to me, though his eyes were still full of suspicion.

But he didn't press further, seeming reluctant to sour the mood any more.

His gaze softened as he turned to Seraphina, pulling a beautiful box from his jacket.

"What's that?" Seraphina asked curiously.

"It's for you."

Inside was an obsidian pendant, carved with intricate runes.

I could read them clearly: Damien & Seraphina, Forever Bonded.

"It's gorgeous!" Seraphina exclaimed, putting it on. "Is this a mate's token?"

"Mmmhmm." Damien fastened the chain for her. "I've infused it with my Alpha energy. It will protect you and the pup."

He took out his phone and snapped a picture of her in the mirror.

"Smile."

She beamed like a child, her eyes shining with pure happiness.

Damien immediately sent her the photo with the caption: My precious one.

"It suits you," I commented.

Damien looked at me, a flicker of distance in his eyes.

The next afternoon, I went to the werewolf-exclusive apothecary to buy some last-minute travel supplies.

As I reached the door, I heard a familiar voice inside.

"Check the heartbeat again."

It was Damien.

Through the glass, I could see Seraphina lying on a treatment bed, with Damien standing nervously beside her.

"Everything's normal," the pack healer said. "The pup is very healthy."

"Thank you," Damien said, taking Seraphina's hand. "The healer says the pup will be very strong."

I turned to leave, but the chime of the door gave me away.

"Isla?" Seraphina called out from inside. "Are you here for herbs too?"

"Just passing by."

"Wait, we can leave together," she called back to Damien. "I'll be right out."

Ten minutes later, they came out together.

"How are the ceremony preparations going?" Seraphina asked innocently. "I hear it's going to be huge."

"The ceremony will proceed as planned," Damien answered for me. "It's just been delayed a bit."

I looked at them and said nothing.

"Isla, I know you must be feeling hurt," Seraphina said, stepping closer to me. "But I hope you don't give up on Damien. You're the one he truly loves."

Her voice was sincere, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I don't deserve such a good man. You're his fated mate."

Onlookers on the street started to whisper.

"That girl is so kind."

"She's willing to suffer for someone else's happiness."

"Why does that Isla woman look so cold?"

I turned and walked away.

"Isla!" Seraphina called after me. "Please don't misunderstand, I really don't want to take him from you!"

She ran up, trying to grab my arm.

"I know you're angry, but please, just give us a chance to explain—"

"Let go of me," I said, shaking her off.

The moment my hand made contact, she didn't just stumble.

She threw herself sideways with a theatrical gasp, aiming directly for the ancient laurel tree.

Laurel trees have a repulsive energy to weaker werewolves; she should have known that.

"Ah!" she screamed, slamming hard against the trunk before collapsing to the ground in a heap.

"Seraphina!" Damien roared, rushing to her side.

He saw her on the ground, then looked at my outstretched hand, and his eyes blazed with a fury I had never seen directed at me.

"What the hell did you do?!" he roared, dropping to his knees beside her. "How could you attack a pregnant she-wolf?!"

"I didn't—"

"Enough!" Damien cut me off. "In front of all these people, you will apologize to Seraphina! Now!"

---

Chapter 8

"I'm not apologizing."

My voice cut through the murmuring crowd.

Damien froze. "What did you say?"

"I said, I am not apologizing." I pointed to a nearby building. "There's a security memory crystal on that building. It records everything. Shall we review the footage?"

The color drained from Seraphina's face.

"No... don't bother," she said weakly. "It was probably just an accident..."

But her words were cut off by a pained groan.

"The energy backlash!" She clutched her chest, her face turning even paler. "The laurel tree's repelling energy is too strong!"

Damien immediately scooped her into his arms. "Hang on. I'm taking you to the healers."

He sprinted across the street to the healing center without a single glance back at me.

The crowd began to disperse, but the whispers continued.

"That Isla is so cold-blooded."

"The poor girl is pregnant and hurt, and she won't even say sorry."

"No wonder the Alpha prefers the gentle one."

I stood there, staring in the direction of the healing center.

Then I turned and walked away.

The next day was the final day before the ceremony.

In the morning, I shipped all my luggage.

All that was left was a small backpack with my essentials and my plane ticket.

A three o'clock flight.

At ten that night, Damien finally returned.

"How is Seraphina?" I asked.

"Stable," he said, his voice frigid. "The pack healer said if she hadn't gotten there in time, she could have lost the pup."

"That's good."

Damien stalked over to me, the anger still simmering in his eyes.

"At the ceremony tomorrow," he commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument, "you will make a public apology to her."

"What ceremony?"

"Our Mating Ceremony." He frowned. "Did you forget?"

I looked at him and suddenly wanted to laugh.

"You really think there's going to be a ceremony?"

"Of course there is. I've already informed all the Elders." Damien's tone grew impatient. "For the sake of the pack's honor, you need to be the bigger person."

His phone suddenly rang.

"Damien, I'm not feeling well," Seraphina's voice came through the speaker. "Can you come be with me?"

Damien shot to his feet. "I'm on my way."

He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"Nine a.m. tomorrow. Don't be late," he commanded without looking back. "The ceremony will proceed on time."

The moment the door clicked shut, I let the silence settle.

Then, I spoke the words into the empty room, each one a final, liberating vow.

"I, Isla, reject you, Damien."

He was already gone.

I waited until morning.

Sitting at the dining table, I took out the calendar marked with the ceremony date.

With a red pen, on today's date, I wrote:

The Bond is Rejected.

Then I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the place I had once called home.

On the way to the airport, I sent a single text to the Head Elder.

Initiate the Severing Ritual. The Mating Ceremony is canceled.

By 9:30 a.m., my plane was in the air.

Below me, the city—the pack, my past, him—shrank until it was swallowed by the clouds.

I pictured Damien in that moment.

He would have arrived at the sacred altar by now.

Dressed in his finest robes, waiting for his bride.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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The pen digs into the calendar, carving a vicious X over the date that was supposed to be our Mating Ceremony. Red ink bleeds through the page like a wound. My fingers tremble, but my mind is ice. On my laptop, the email glows: "We await your arrival, Miss Isla. The Ancient Life Energies await." One click. "I accept." Behind me, the penthouse suite—my suite—holds the scent of another woman, another life. And him. The Alpha who knelt, swore loyalty, then marked her in secret. My phone buzzes. A photo: Damien and Seraphina at a mountain retreat, her hand on her belly, his arm around her. Caption: "My precious one." No mention of me. No remorse. Just replacement. I close the laptop. Thirteen days until the ceremony. Twelve hours until my first move. Do I confront him and risk being silenced? Do I vanish without a word and let the world think I broke? Or do I make sure he knows—exactly who walks away, and why he’ll regret it?

The front door clicks open. Heavy footsteps. His scent floods the room—pine, power, and now, foreign warmth. He’s back. And he’s coming for me.