Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Blake Cartman thought I was head over heels for him. He hurt me over and over, completely forgetting that we were only bonded by a mating contract, and that the contract was about to expire. Right after Blake announced Wendy Lowe's new title, she leaned into him all coy and smug. When I walked up, Wendy flipped her hair, flashing that diamond ring that symbolized the Luna title. Her eyes were full of smug satisfaction, and she was clearly trying to provoke me. But I wasn't angry. I handed her the itinerary for tonight's pack event and walked out of the hall without a second glance. After all, Blake and I were just bonded by a three-year contract. And now that it was ending and he'd found someone else to take my place, I felt nothing but relief. Back at the house we shared, I started packing. Three years had gone by in a blur. I stared at the wall covered in photos from the past 18 pack events I'd planned. I felt a little dazed. I was Blake's fated mate, but he never wanted me. For the sake of the pack's stability, he made a three-year agreement with me. The day we signed the mating contract, he looked at me with a strange expression and said calmly, "I don't understand why you're my fated mate. Your status is clearly beneath me. But this is the Moon Goddess' will, and I can't go against it. "So, Clara, I need us to be together temporarily to stabilize the pack. We'll end it in three years." As an Omega, being able to contribute what I could to the pack made me happy, so I nodded without hesitation. From that day on, Blake taught me many things and personally guided me. "Even if you're just an Omega, as my fated mate, you need to learn how to handle the pack's affairs." Back then, he'd check in on my progress every day. But somewhere along the way, he stopped asking. Because of my status, Blake never wanted to be seen with me at events. However, he still had to go through the motions. Hence, what should've been a joint effort became my sole responsibility. I handled every detail of every event. I didn't want to waste his guidance, and I appreciated the chance to contribute to the pack, so I started prepping three months in advance every time to ensure everything went smoothly. I double-checked everything, from the type and placement of the flowers to the selection and preparation of the food. Then there was the guest list, the venue, and the flow of the event. Blake once told me that for the last event before our contract ended, I could plan it however I liked. So for the 19th pack event, I designed everything based on my own taste. I even made a video of our memories to mark the end of our time together. But when I arrived at the venue, everything had already been changed. My favorite white roses were replaced with bold red ones, and the tablecloths were switched to match. Meanwhile, the video I'd worked so hard on had been replaced with footage of Blake and Wendy being all sweet and loving. I thought I wouldn't care. I was about to leave, after all. But when I thought about that video, I couldn't hold back the tears. It had all our rare moments together over the last three years. There was footage of Blake patiently training me under the moonlight, our first hunting trip when he protected me, and the first time he gave me a birthday gift. When I thought of all that and as I watched what was supposed to be my farewell turn into their celebration, my chest ached. I wondered if Blake even remembered that this was the last event I would ever plan for the pack. While he was getting cozy with Wendy, did it ever cross his mind that we still had three days left before the contract ended and our bond officially broke? Back in my room, I looked at the photos of the 18 events I'd planned. They were proof of my effort and my memories. I took them down one by one. Right after I tore down the last photo, Blake reached out through the mind-link. His tone was sharp and accusatory. "You did this on purpose, didn't you? This itinerary is way too complicated. I can't make any sense of it! Wendy is at a total loss!" I was speechless. Still, I figured I should take responsibility, so I calmly said, "Do you want me to come back and run it?" He went quiet for a while. "Forget it. Just stay where you are." And that was the end of that. Before I could finish packing, Blake stormed into the house. "Not making you the Luna was the best decision I ever made! Walking out halfway through your duties is not a Luna acts!" He yanked at his tie in frustration, and I caught a glimpse of scratch marks on his chest. Right then, Wendy walked in, looking all pitiful. "Blake, your suit got dirty. I brought you a new one. It's my fault that I didn't know the event itinerary well enough…" Blake's expression softened immediately with affection. "It's not your fault. It's Clara's. Why'd she make the itinerary so complicated? "If it weren't for you handling all those guests tonight, I don't know how it would've turned out." Then he turned to me furiously. "Clara, don't you think you owe me an explanation? After you hit a snag, you just ditched us and left Wendy to clean up your mess. Thank God, Wendy managed it. If she hadn't, the whole thing would've been a disaster!" I just shrugged and said calmly, "My bad." He looked stunned, like he hadn't expected that reaction from me. He stammered for a second, but he had nothing else to say.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The meltdown Blake and Wendy had expected from me never came. I just stood there quietly, emotionless. For the past three years, everyone thought I was hopelessly in love with Blake—that I was fated to love him, endlessly and unconditionally. Indeed, at first I did love him, guided by what felt like destiny. But now, I couldn't feel a thing. The only reason I stayed by Blake's side was for the pack that raised me. My parents had trained me in hunting since I was little. People who saw me in action often called me a natural-born hunter. My parents wanted me to not only protect myself, but also the people I cared about. So when I found out I was Blake's fated mate, I was over the moon. I poured everything I had into him, including my love, my energy, and my time. I'd fight on the frontlines for him, and I'd sit down and study the pack's dull politics and operations, even though I hated it. There were so many times I wanted to quit. But then, I would think about how my decision could bring happiness to the pack, and that gave me strength. And just like I hoped, the pack did grow stronger and more stable. But the stronger the pack got, the less I saw Blake. At first, I chalked it up to work, thinking he was just too busy. Until one day, he rushed home in a hurry, and I caught Wendy's scent all over him. Even though I knew our relationship was built on a contract, it still felt like a knife had stabbed through my heart. That night, I kept asking myself why I wasn't standing beside him. I was his fated mate, so why couldn't he love me? Back then, I did fight back. I lost my temper, and I made a scene. I couldn't understand why, no matter how hard I tried, he just wouldn't look at me. But now I'd realized that love didn't always come just because you worked hard for it. … My reaction was nothing like what Blake had imagined. The old me would've blown up by now. So now, he stared at me, stunned. He stepped in close. "What did you just say?" I met his eyes and repeated it. "I said it was my bad. My bad for thinking that if I just worked hard enough, you'd stay with me. My bad for believing that if I gave it everything I had, you'd finally see me one day." His brows pulled together. "What are you blabbering about?" I opened my mouth to tell him the contract was almost up, but then I stopped. What was the point? There were only three days left before our bond would break on its own. Besides, he never cared about me anyway.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Wendy was watching us, and the pout on her face was instantly replaced by a burst of glee. When I saw the corners of her mouth twitch up, I was honestly concerned she'd burst out laughing the next second. Blake frowned, clearly annoyed as he looked at me. "What's the big deal with me making Wendy the Luna? Why are you getting all worked up?" I smiled at him. "I'm not mad.""Is this your new way of getting my attention?" He let out a cold snort. "Fine. Go stand in the yard all night and think about where you really belong." That had always been his go-to punishment for me. I didn't argue. I just turned and walked out. I stood out there all night in the freezing wind, while laughter from him and Wendy echoed from inside the house. By dawn, the day had finally come. It was the day our contract officially ended, and our bond would break on its own. What I didn't expect was that my father would show up first. "The hunting competition's about to start. Why are you still standing around? You trained so hard to get selected. It's starting soon," he said. The hunting competition? Right, I'd almost forgotten. A month ago, I trained day and night just so I could surprise Blake by joining the competition, hoping I'd do well enough to finally earn a little of his respect. I didn't need his attention anymore, but that didn't mean I was going to let all my effort go to waste. I nodded, then forced my numb legs to carry me toward the hunting grounds. From a distance, I saw Blake right away. He had his arm around Wendy, gently helping her into her training gear as if she were made of glass. When Wendy noticed me, she dragged Blake over to where I was standing. "Clara! What are you doing here? This kind of competition isn't for an average Omega like you! I may be an Omega, but I'm the pack's Luna. You—" Blake cut her off, scolding me the same way he always did. "Enough with the nonsense! This is an inter-pack hunting competition! "Everyone competing is representing their pack! Don't embarrass us like this! You didn't use my name to get into this, did you?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged. "I qualified fair and square." His voice got sharper and angrier. "You've lost your damn mind!" I stayed calm. "I've never needed your name to earn what's mine." He grabbed my arm and started dragging me toward the exit. "Stop using me to get special treatment!" I nodded. "Don't worry. I won't be your fated mate much longer." Wendy jumped in at that moment. "Clara, I get it. You're upset because you think I stole your Luna title. But you shouldn't say stuff like that just to threaten Blake." I snorted. "Threaten? Why don't you ask Blake if it's real?" In the next second, I felt the bond deep in my soul break with a sharp and sudden crack.