Chapter 1 Chapter 1

In our pack, the Moon Goddess placed great importance on the mate bond. Once two wolves were bound as mates, that connection was unbreakable, unless severed with a witch’s potion. The potion was not only expensive, but it also caused excruciating pain to the werewolf drinking it. Henry poured the potion for me, his face full of guilt as he tried to comfort me. “Don’t worry, my love. It’s just like before. I paid five times the normal price for this batch to make sure the pain is as mild as possible. You won’t hurt much.” Pain, however, no matter how mild, would still leave scars when experienced eight times, right? I stared at the potion in the glass. I then suppressed the urge to ask him why and drank it all in one go. After taking the potion, we still had to visit the Pack Council to update documents. I had been there with Henry so many times that the wolves on the council recognized me on sight. They couldn’t help but find our situation ridiculous, even joking, “Nicole, when’s round nine? You two planning to renew your mate bond again next week?” I looked at Henry’s figure as he rushed off, before shaking my head, expressionless. “There won’t be a ninth time.” I had just stepped out of the Council building when I saw Henry affectionately ruffling Alice’s hair. With how brightly she was smiling, no one would’ve guessed that just this morning, she was holding a silver dagger to her throat, threatening to hurt herself. She had smashed everything she could in Henry and mine’s bedroom. I stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the ruins of what I had carefully decorated. Henry had come running, kicked aside the broken decorations and balloons, and hugged Alice tightly, whispering for her not to hurt herself. He didn’t even notice the lettering on the fallen signboard that read: “Happy 3rd Anniversary.” That’s right. Today was our third mate bond anniversary. However, just like the past three years, the celebration was nothing but a joke. Henry and I had bonded as mates and broken it eight times throughout our three-year relationship. The last time we re-bonded was only a month ago. And today, on our anniversary, we ended it again. The witch had warned me that even the most expensive potion, said to have the least side effects, would still leave scars on the heart and the body. I think, by now, my heart was full of scars. When Alice saw me come out, she arched her brows at me with obvious provocation, her smugness impossible to hide. She pouted and shook Henry’s arm. “Henry, why doesn’t Nicole seem upset? Are you sure you guys drank the potion? “Maybe she refused to go through with breaking the bond and dragged you to the Council to put on a show for me? Did she think she could mess with my head so I’d stop chasing after you?” This time, Henry didn’t defend me like he used to. He just sighed helplessly. “You’re impossible,” he said as he rolled up his shirt sleeve. When I stepped closer, he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled up my sleeve, too. “Here. Now do you believe it?” Alice burst out laughing when she saw the two new scars left behind by the broken mate bond. The pain pierced straight through my chest like a blade. The marks on my body, etched by the potion, all because of Henry, had become nothing more than a prop to entertain Alice. “Let’s go, Henry,” she said cheerfully, linking arms with him. As he turned to leave, Alice glanced back at me with a triumphant smirk, her face full of disdain. I knew she was trying to provoke me, showing me she had won. And honestly? Maybe she had. This morning, she’d accidentally seen the anniversary gift Henry had prepared for me. It was something he’d planned for over a month. Her jealousy took over, and she started to taunt me while standing in our bedroom doorway. “Nicole, what if I ruin this special little day of yours? You think Henry will be mad at me?” Then, without hesitation, she destroyed every decoration I’d put up, smashed everything she could reach, and pulled out a silver dagger, screaming that she was going to hurt herself. Before I could even react, Henry burst in, knocking me aside as he rushed to her. He held her gently and spoke in soft tones while shooting me a slightly reproachful look. “Alice just broke a few things… Don’t be mad.” He met my gaze, hesitated, and then sighed. “Love, Alice saw you getting worked up. Maybe you should step outside for a while.” Right before the door closed, I saw Alice’s smug little smile. It was the same one she’s wearing now.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The arrogance and smugness vanished from Alice’s face the moment Henry turned back around. He glanced at me behind them, then gently pushed Alice’s hand away. With a sigh, he said, “Alright, since you're feeling better now, let’s go home.” Alice happily skipped toward the car. Meanwhile, Henry walked over to me, carefully lifting my wrist with concern. “I’m sorry, love. I made you suffer.” He pulled a small jar of salve from his pocket and pressed it into my hand. “I bought this from the witch. It’s expensive, but it should help lighten the scars.” I lowered my gaze, ignored his lingering eyes, and silently walked toward the car. Without thinking, I reached for the passenger-side door, only to find Alice already there. She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly annoyed. “Nicole, you and Henry ended your mate bond. Why do you still think you can ride in our car?” I clenched the jar of salve in my hand as Henry frowned and snapped, “Alice, no matter our current status, Nicole will always be family to me. Show her some respect.” Alice pouted. “But I didn’t say anything wrong, Henry. You did break your mate bond with her. If other wolves saw her riding in your car, what would they think? “You’re single now, Nicole. Maybe have a little more self-respect? Or are you planning to cling to Henry by sitting in the front seat like you still belong there?” I instinctively looked at Henry. However, he only gave me an awkward look. He opened his mouth, hesitating to say. “Nicole… maybe you could…” He didn’t need to be loud for me to know exactly what he meant. My grip tightened around the salve so hard it nearly cracked the container. This morning, when Alice had her outburst, she pointed a silver dagger at her own throat. With tears streaming down her face, she screamed in front of Henry, “My mom, my dad, and my brother, they’re all gone! No one loves me! What’s the point of living? If you don’t break your mate bond with Nicole today, I’ll end it all!” Henry, who had only been trying to comfort her, panicked. He grabbed my arm in desperation so hard that he nearly left bruises on my wrist and pleaded with me, his voice full of panic. “We have to break the bond today. Nicole can’t take it. She might really hurt herself.” That was when it hit me. Even if Henry and I bonded a hundred times, I would never matter as much to him as Alice. Without another word, I stuffed the crumpled salve jar back into his car. “No thanks. I’ll walk home.” As I turned away, I caught Alice’s satisfied expression from the corner of my eye as she relaxed back into the front seat. Henry chased after me, guilt painted across his face as he gently grabbed my hand. “Love, Alice is just emotionally unstable right now. Don’t let it get to you. “Just be patient, okay? Once she’s calmed down, we’ll renew our mate bond. I swear, this time, we won’t break it again.” I said nothing and simply stared at him. Then I watched as he got back in the car, hurried by Alice’s urging, and drove away. He’d said those exact words to me eight times. Each time, he lied. The first time we broke the bond was because Henry picked some flowers Alice liked and gave them to me instead. The second, he forgot the day he and Alice met. The third time, Alice had a dream where Henry ignored her and only cared about me. She cried and said it made her feel so alone. This time? It was because Henry had gotten me an anniversary gift, and Alice didn’t get anything. Each reason was more absurd than the last. Yet, no matter how ridiculous, Henry caved, choosing Alice’s feelings over mine. Over the past three years, I’ve protested, fought back, and even tried to please Alice, all because I loved Henry that much. No matter what I did, though, the result was always the same. Once the drama passed, Henry would go right back to spoiling Alice, as if nothing had happened. This was now the eighth time, and I was tired. Finally, I decided I was done. After they drove off, I sent a message to my old mentor. I told her I regretted not joining her herbal research project three years ago. Back then, I had chosen to bond with Henry instead. However, if I could go back, I would’ve picked my passion—my love for medicinal herbs—without hesitation. When I returned to Henry’s house, I got a reply. She was thrilled, asking when I could start. From behind the door, I could hear Alice and Henry laughing together. “Henry! You’re really making me homemade pastries? You’re going to spoil me rotten! Hmph, you didn’t do this for Nicole, too, did you?”“Yeah, Nicole liked them too.” I watched through the open door as the two of them prepared the dough, smiling and laughing like they were in their own little world. I quietly texted back, [One day from now, if that’s okay. I’d like to start as soon as possible, Professor Nana.]

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

As soon as Henry saw me come back, he instantly stepped away from Alice. “Alice wanted pie, but I messed it all up. Thank God you’re back, Nicole.” With a sigh of relief, he pulled off his apron and headed straight for the shower. I showed no expression. The moment he disappeared, Alice sneered and ordered, “Didn’t you hear Henry? Go make that pie. Put on the apron and get in the kitchen!” She dusted the flour off her clothes and flopped onto the couch, flipping through a magazine like she owned the place. “Oh, and make me a salad, too. I have to watch my figure.” I scoffed and headed to the bedroom to pack my things. However, she blocked my way before I could. “If you want to eat it, make it yourself,” I said, brushing her arm aside. Her eyes flicked toward the direction of the shower, and then she suddenly screamed. “Nicole! Do you really hate me that much? I just wanted some food, and now you’re trying to starve me? Fine! I’ll just go!” Like a woman possessed, she shook off my hands and dashed toward the front door. Henry burst out of the bathroom. In his scramble, he shoved me aside without thinking. I slammed hard into the glass dining table. Pain shot through my waist, so sharp that I lost feeling in my lower body. Tears spilled from my eyes uncontrollably. Henry threw his arms around a sobbing Alice and then shouted at me, furious. “Nicole, what did you say to her this time?! Do you know how hard I worked to calm her down?! “She just wanted a meal! Was that really so much to ask? Are you seriously going to sit there and watch her spiral again just to make a point?” I lay on the floor, in so much pain that I couldn’t even speak. However, Henry took my silence as defiance. Alice sobbed harder, burying her face in his chest. “She just wants me gone, Henry! She hates me so much that she wants me to fall apart and die, so I won’t cling to you anymore! “That’s why she won’t help me, not even a little! “If you really want to mate with someone like her, I’ll get kicked out, end up as a rogue with nowhere to go, and die alone!” Henry’s face darkened even more. He yanked me off the floor, dragged me into the kitchen, and slammed the door shut behind me. “You’re not leaving this kitchen until that pie is done. Otherwise, you can spend the night locked in here!” There, my wolf growled. But it was weak no matter how angry I was, especially after eight doses of potions. Outside, Henry’s voice was soothing as he gently comforted Alice. I couldn’t hold it in any longer, and one by one, tears slipped down my face. When Alice finally giggled again, Henry walked back in. He frowned when he saw me, unmoving. “Nicole, why are you throwing a tantrum now? “You’re my mate. Alice is my sister, which makes her your sister, too. What’s so wrong with helping her out and making a few things she likes?” I stood slowly, wiping my tears and gripping the counter for support. “She’s not my sister. And between you and me, our mate bond is over.” He froze. Then he pulled me into a soft embrace, brushing his thumb along my swollen eyes. “You’re crying? I’m sorry, love. I lost my temper earlier. “I told you, once Alice is happy again, we’ll renew the bond. I only snapped because I was worried she’d have another episode…” As he comforted me, he pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. It was a menu crammed with dishes. “Don’t let something so small upset you. This is what Alice wants for dinner tonight. Just make them, alright? Once she’s happy, we can rebuild everything.” He set the menu down and walked out. I stood there, hollow. No matter how many times we repeated this cycle, my scars, my sorrow, and my humiliation meant nothing. Please Alice? I’d rather sleep in the kitchen. I crumpled the menu, tossed it in the trash, and curled up on the freezing tile floor. Just as I was drifting off, a splash of cold water hit me square in the face. Alice stood over me with a cup in her hand and a wicked grin on her face. “You lazy skank. How dare you sleep now? You thought you could get between me and Henry with a mate bond, didn’t you? Well, keep dreaming!” She hurled the empty cup at me, and it struck my cheek with a thud. That was my final straw. I picked it up and stood, ready to throw it back at her, when Henry stormed in and caught my wrist mid-swing. “Nicole, stop!” He glared at me with eyes blazed with rage, like I’d committed some unthinkable crime. “You were going to hurt Alice in front of me?!”“She did it! She drenched me in cold water—” Instantly, Alice sniffled and pouted dramatically. “I’m sorry. I just came in to get a drink and slipped. I didn’t mean to spill it on Nicole! Who would’ve known she’d get so angry? I told you she doesn’t like me, but you didn’t believe me!”“She’s lying! She—”“Enough!” Henry cut me off, jaw clenched. At Alice’s tearful expression, his grip around my wrist tightened until I thought it might break. “You can’t stand her, can you?! You won’t make a meal, that’s fine, but you hold grudges over every little thing! And now you want to attack her? Are you trying to push her to the edge again?! “I’ve been trying so hard to mend things between you two! But all you do is sabotage it! Do you want me to kick you out?!”

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

There was no more anger left in me. I was heartbroken. So I stopped resisting. My face was pale, and my voice was calm as I spoke. “Fine. Go ahead. Kick me out.” Henry froze. His grip on my wrist loosened slightly. He looked at me, drenched, and his expression softened. His hand trembled as he reached out, trying to touch the swollen spot on my cheek where the cup had hit. I turned my face away without emotion. Still, he swept me off my feet and carried me back into our bedroom. He laid me gently on the bed, then rested his forehead against mine. It was as if he were trying to hold himself together, his voice tired and laced with disappointment. “How could I bear to throw you out? This is all just a misunderstanding. Even if you’re angry, you can’t hurt Alice like that. She’s our sister, Nicole. If she upset you, you should be the bigger person and talk it out with her. “And besides, all we asked was for a few dishes, and you didn’t manage to make anything all evening. Can you really blame Alice for thinking you hate her? That you’re doing this on purpose?” Finally able to justify his failings, Henry frowned and blamed me. “I think you’re the one in the wrong here. “We’re a family. Even if you don’t like Alice, you shouldn’t make it so obvious. You should at least pretend to get along. “If you keep creating conflict like this, none of us will be happy. How will Alice ever agree to let us rebuild our mate bond?” I stared at him in silence as he reprimanded me. Feelings of sadness and absurdity washed over me. Why would we need Alice’s permission to form a mate bond? It seemed Alice was everything to him. And maybe he was right—I was the one at fault for loving myself too little. I let them do this to me again and again, eight times, to be exact. My face was blank as I whispered, “You’re right. I was wrong.” Henry lit up with joy at my apology. His smile returned as he wrapped a towel tightly around me. “Good. I’m glad you understand now. It’s late. Dry off and get some sleep. “Tomorrow morning, just cook everything on Alice’s list. Once she’s calmed down, go apologize to her.”“You want me to apologize to her?” At my disbelief, Henry frowned once more. “Of course. This is your fault. “You have no idea how upset she is. She was yelling at me to throw you out. I had to beg her to calm down. And I still have to go back and cheer her up! “You’re my mate. If you don’t apologize, what choice do I have but to kick you out?” He sounded reluctant. However, I couldn’t help the bitter smile curling on my lips. That’s right. This house belonged to Henry, and he and Alice were the real family here. Me? I was nothing but a former mate, a leftover presence they tolerated out of convenience. Before they could throw me out again with one careless command, I had to leave. It was time to let him and me go. After Henry left the room to soothe Alice again, I packed my suitcase. Then I picked up the phone. “Professor, I’m leaving tonight.” Outside, Henry was reading Alice a bedtime story. The bedroom door wasn’t closed properly, and through the gap, I could hear her giggling with delight. I picked up my bag, stepped out of the room, and never looked back.