Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Right before our marking ceremony, I walked in on my mate kissing his first love, calling me a lowly half-blood Omega, one who deserved nothing more than a temporary mark. "Remember to pick me up tonight, Sophie." That's what Lucas said this morning, leaving a kiss on my forehead as he left. He said he had something important to tell me after the full moon party—something about our permanent mating ceremony next week. I got to the pack clubhouse an hour early, wearing the blue dress he loves. It was a cold, rainy night, but my heart was warm. Until I heard voices from the terrace. "Don't leave my pack again, Willow." Lucas's voice was deep and obsessive, thick with the smell of alcohol. I pushed open the glass door and saw something that shattered my heart. Lucas had his nose buried deep in Willow Black's neck, greedily inhaling her scent. His arms were wrapped tight around her slim waist, like she was the most precious thing in the world. "Lucas, you're drunk," Willow chuckled, but she didn't push him away. "No. My wolf has never been more sober." He looked up, his eyes hazy with drink but incredibly focused. "Eight years. I've waited eight years for you." I started to step forward to help him. But his powerful Alpha aura flared, hitting me like an invisible wall. The Omega in me recoiled, refusing to take another step. "Then what about your mate?" Willow asked deliberately, her eyes flicking to where I stood in the shadows. Lucas answered without a second's hesitation. "Sophia? She's just a temporary convenience. A distraction. My wolf will only ever claim a pureblood." His voice was perfectly clear, without a trace of a slur. "A half-blood like her could never understand our ways," he went on, then reverently rubbed his scent gland into the crook of Willow's neck. It was a marking gesture meant only for true mates. I stood in the dark, a chill spreading through my entire body. After what felt like an eternity, Willow gently pushed the swaying Lucas away, finally "noticing" me. "Lucas, is that your mate? She's here to pick you up." Her voice was light, filled with the casual confidence of a winner. Lucas turned to look at me, his gaze unfocused. "What? What mate? That's just my ride!" Using his drunkenness as a shield, he professed his love for Willow without holding anything back. "Only you are worthy of me. I only love you, Willow. You know that. How could I ever be mate to another she-wolf?" Willow rose gracefully and walked over to me. Her beauty seemed to glow in the moonlight. And I was just a half-blood Omega, hidden in the shadows. "Lucas is drunk. You should take him home," she said, handing him to me like a package. Then she leaned in close, her voice a low whisper only I could hear. "Take care of this noble Alpha. And try not to taint him with your inferior scent." Her words were like a snake's fangs, sinking into my heart. I supported Lucas's weight as we walked downstairs, through the dance floor, and out to the parking lot. His body was heavy against my shoulder, but I felt no warmth. The sky opened up, fat drops of rain splattering against us. "Willow… why did you stop talking?" Lucas mumbled against my shoulder, his voice slurred. "I love you so much." I buckled him into the passenger seat and started the car. "You've got the wrong person." I glanced in the rearview mirror. Willow was still standing at the clubhouse entrance, a triumphant smirk on her face. The rain came down harder. It hammered against the windshield, blurring my vision. The mate I was about to bond with for life had just denied our relationship in front of his first love. And I was just his driver. The absurdity of it all was a physical ache in my chest. Fighting back the ache in my chest, I helped Lucas into the house, my jacket soaked through.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Once inside, I rushed to the bathroom, stripped off my wet jacket, and blew my hair dry. When I came back out to the living room, Lucas was sitting on the sofa, holding a cup of coffee. He was in clean clothes, his hair neatly combed. There wasn't a trace of drunkenness left on him. He looked up at me, his expression calm. "I thought you were drunk.""I had a few drinks, but I wasn't drunk." Lucas set down his coffee cup, looking tired. "Sophie, about tonight..." I sat down across from him, waiting for his explanation. "Willow just got back from Europe. She's… emotionally unstable," Lucas said, rubbing his temples. "Her family ran into some trouble over there. She's very fragile right now.""And?""And so I had to comfort her." Lucas's tone was matter-of-fact. "Sophie, you have to understand, pack politics are complicated. Willow's family is important to us. I can't have her feeling neglected.""And the things you said? About the temporary mark, about purebloods…" Lucas sighed. "That was just talk, Sophie. To put her at ease. It's a pureblood matter. You wouldn't understand." His explanation sounded perfectly reasonable, just like it had countless times over the past three years. "I understand," I said with a nod. Lucas let out a breath of relief. "I knew you would. How are the preparations for the marking ceremony next week coming along?""Everything's ready.""Good." He stood up. "I'm going to take a shower. I have a meeting tomorrow." After Lucas left, I was alone in the living room. I sat on the sofa, staring at his coffee cup on the table. The cup was still warm, but my heart felt like ice. I pulled out my phone and found the contact for Robert, the head of my design firm. I remembered him mentioning last month that their Seattle branch needed people and asked if I was interested. I'd turned him down then, because I thought Lucas and I were going to be permanently bonded. Now, it seemed like it was time to reconsider. 「Hi Robert. About that position in the Seattle office, I was hoping to learn more about it.」 I typed slowly, weighing each word. Sent. A few minutes later, Robert replied: 「Sophia? You changed your mind? That's great! Seattle is desperate for experienced designers. The pay is even better than here. When can you start?」 I stared at the screen, my finger hovering over the keyboard. Upstairs, I could hear the shower running. Everything seemed so normal, so peaceful. But I knew everything had changed. I got up, went to the bedroom, and started to think back on the last three years. The exquisite choker he gave me for my birthday. He'd told me it was just a decoration, but I later found out its true purpose: to muffle my Omega scent. The clothes he picked out for me—conservative suits and long, concealing dresses. He said he liked me in professional attire, but now I saw the truth—it was all to hide the curve of my hips, the swell of my chest, every sign of the Omega he was ashamed of. The custom perfume he said he had made for me. Its custom blend contained ingredients I now recognized as scent-masking agents. It wasn't designed to complement me; it was designed to erase me. And all those pack gatherings where he always had me leave early, saying he didn't want me to get tired. The conversations with other Alphas, where he always told me to stay quiet, saying it was to protect me. The talks about our future, where he was always vague, saying the time wasn't right. The truth was simple and undeniable: He was ashamed that his mate was a half-blood Omega. I was his dirty little secret, a temporary replacement for when Willow wasn't around. For three years, I had been lying to myself. I thought he truly loved me, that he would challenge tradition for my sake. But in reality, he just needed a docile Omega to satisfy his physical needs while he waited for his pureblood first love to return. Now, Willow was back. And it was time for me to make my exit. I picked up my phone again and replied to Robert. 「If possible, I'd like to transfer as soon as possible. Could it be arranged this week?」 After sending the message, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. The shower upstairs stopped. Lucas would be down soon. I pretended nothing had happened and went back to watching TV on the sofa. 「Sophia, that's fantastic! I'll get the paperwork started right away. The transfer could be official as early as tomorrow.」 Robert's reply came quickly. I looked at the words on the screen, feeling a sense of calm I hadn't felt in years. 「Okay, thank you.」 Lucas came downstairs, his hair still damp. "Still up?" He sat down next to me. "What are you watching?""Nothing special." I turned off my phone. "Lucas, I'm a little tired. I'm going to head up to bed.""Alright. I'll stay up for a bit." As I walked past him to go upstairs, I caught the lingering scent of Willow on him. A faint jasmine mixed with his own cedarwood scent. It was harmonious. A perfect match. A much better match than my lily-of-the-valley scent. Back in the bedroom, I closed the door and slowly slid to the floor, my back against the wood. The tears wouldn't come. I felt nothing but a cold, hollow ache where my heart used to be. My heart was a stone. You can’t bleed from a stone.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

At seven in the morning, Lucas's side of the bed was already empty. I was making breakfast in the kitchen when I heard the front door click shut. He left without even saying goodbye. Today we were supposed to finalize the design for our mating marks. The permanent mating ceremony required a custom tattoo to seal our bond. Our appointment was at two in the afternoon. At eleven-thirty, Lucas called. "Sophie, are you there yet?" he asked, his voice impatient. "Not yet. The appointment is for two.""Can you go early? I have something to take care of." I checked the time. "What is it?""Just some pack business. You go on ahead, I'll be there soon." He hung up. I sat on the sofa and idly opened Instagram. Lucas rarely posted, but his account had an update today. Strangely, I couldn't see the new post. I switched to my backup account—the one he didn't know about. A photo appeared on the screen. Lucas and Willow were in a tight embrace, his face pressed against her neck, their scent glands almost touching. The photo was beautiful, with a golden light bathing them both. The caption read: "My wolf has found his true mate." Posted at 6 AM this morning. So he had left in the middle of the night. My hands started to tremble, but I kept scrolling. There were tons of likes and even more comments. All from friends in the pack, congratulating them on "finally getting together." No one mentioned me. It was like I never existed. At one-fifty, I arrived at the tattoo studio. Lucas was already there, discussing a design with the artist. "Sophie's here," he said, not even bothering to look up from the sketch. "We can start." Carlos was the most famous tattoo artist in the pack, specializing in bonding marks. He looked a little confused. "Lucas, this design..." Carlos held up the sketch. "Are you sure?""I'm sure," Lucas said, handing the drawing to me. "Sophie, see if you like it." I took the sketch and froze. This wasn't the design we had agreed on. Our original design was supposed to have my Omega symbol and his Alpha mark intertwined, symbolizing our bond. But now, my symbol had been replaced with an elegant family crest. The Black family crest. Willow's family crest. "What is this?" my voice was quiet. Lucas avoided my gaze. "I thought this would be more meaningful. The Black family is very important to my pack." Carlos cleared his throat awkwardly. "Sorry, Lucas. But this design… it looks like you're bonding with an heir of the Black family, not with Miss Sophia.""It's fine," Lucas said coldly. "Sophia doesn't mind. Right, Sophie?" I held the drawing, studying the intricate details of Willow's family crest. It was a beautiful design. Every detail was perfect. "Did Willow design this?" I asked. Lucas nodded. "She's very talented.""When did she design it?""Last night," he paused. "This morning." I put down the drawing, pulled out my phone, and opened my backup Instagram account. "You were with her last night, you posted a picture together this morning, and now you want to tattoo her family crest on me." I held the phone out to him. "Lucas, did you really think I wouldn't see it?" Lucas's face went pale when he saw the photo on the screen. Carlos took the hint and discreetly walked away. "Sophie, it's not what you think...""What is it not?" I pulled my phone back. "That you weren't pressing your scent glands together? That you didn't say you found your true mate?" Lucas opened his mouth but said nothing. "Or is it not that you want to tattoo her family crest on my body?""The design... Willow was just trying to help...""Help?" I scoffed. "Help erase every trace of me from this relationship?" Suddenly, Lucas froze, his eyes going distant. A mind-link. He took the call, his voice so gentle it made me want to throw up. "What's wrong?... What? Your heat came early?... Okay, okay, I'm on my way." He ended the call and turned to me. "Sophie, we'll have to do the tattoo another day. Willow needs me.""Needs you for what?""Her heat started early. She needs an Alpha's scent to stabilize her." Lucas was already gathering his things. "A pureblood's heat is dangerous. I can't let her go through it alone.""And what about me?""You?" Lucas stopped and looked at me. "What's wrong with you?""I'm your mate. Our permanent marking ceremony is tomorrow.""The ceremony can be postponed," Lucas said impatiently. "Sophie, you need to be more understanding. Willow's situation is more urgent than yours.""Why? Because she's a pureblood?""Because she needs me!" Lucas suddenly snapped, his Alpha aura flooding the room. "This is a pureblood’s heat!" Lucas snarled… "It’s nothing like your mild ones. You have no idea what she’s enduring!" He unleashed his Alpha command, a crushing wave of power and stormed out, not even finishing his sentence. I stood there, the weight of his presence pressing down on me, long after he was gone. Then, on legs that felt like they might give out, I pulled out my phone and called a cab.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

When I got home, I went straight to the bedroom and started packing. I only took what was mine. The choker that muted my Omega scent—I left it. The conservative suits that hid my figure—I left them. The bottle of scent-masking perfume—I left that too. I wanted a fresh start, with nothing to hide. The suitcase filled up quickly. It was less than I expected. Three years together, and this was all I had to show for it. I took out the deed to the suburban house we'd bought together. Lucas had called it our love nest. Now it just seemed like a place to stash his temporary mate. I snapped a few photos and posted them on a real estate website. "FOR IMMEDIATE SALE: Fully furnished suburban home, fully furnished, price negotiable." Less than ten minutes after posting, three different agents called. I chose the one with the highest offer. "We can sign the papers tomorrow and close the day after.""So soon?" the agent asked, surprised. "The sooner, the better." At ten that night, Lucas called. "Sophie, about the marking ceremony tomorrow...""Let's just cancel it," I cut him off. "Not cancel. Postpone." Lucas sounded exhausted. "Willow's situation is a bit complicated. She just got back from Europe, and the change has messed up her heat cycle. I have to stay with her tonight.""Doing what?""Using my Alpha scent to help stabilize her hormones," Lucas said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "A pureblood's heat is agonizing, Sophia. It’s not the simple inconvenience you half-bloods experience." There it was again. "Lucas, tomorrow was supposed to be our permanent marking day.""I know. But Willow needs me more," he said, his tone laced with impatience. "Sophie, can't you be a little more considerate? She's very vulnerable right now.""And what about me?""You? What could possibly be wrong with you?" he shot back, his voice filled with genuine confusion, as if he truly couldn't understand why I was upset. I hung up the phone. Five minutes later, he sent a text: 「Sophie, don't be childish. We'll have the ceremony as soon as Willow is stable.」 I didn't reply. At six the next morning, my phone started buzzing nonstop. It wasn't a call from Lucas. It was a flood of Instagram notifications. He had posted again. I checked on my backup account. Story after story. The first: Lucas and Willow standing under the moonlight, their figures entwined against the night sky. Caption: "Found the other half of my soul." The second: Their hands clasped together, their shadows merging into one in the moonlight. Caption: "My wolf is finally whole." The third: Willow lying in Lucas's arms, a satisfied flush on her cheeks. Caption: "Protecting my Omega." Each post should have felt like a knife twisting in my heart. But the sharp sting of betrayal had faded, replaced by a strange, cold calm. The pain had been so intense for so long that it had finally burned itself out, leaving only numbness in its wake. The Omega inside me, the one who yearned for a permanent bond, was finally dead. The airport announcer's voice came over the speakers: "Flight to Seattle is now boarding. Please have your boarding pass and ID ready." I dragged my suitcase toward the gate. No one was chasing after me. No pleading, no apologies, not even a single goodbye. Then, just as the flight attendant reached to close the cabin door, a voice slammed into my mind through our bond. It wasn't a plea. It wasn't an apology. It was an Alpha command, so raw and powerful it made my knees buckle. Stop.