March 1, 2023. I set the breakfast I’d prepared on the dining table, the scent of freshly baked bread mingling with the crisp morning air. Evander, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, had just woken up, his broad shoulders filling the doorway as he entered the room. His presence was commanding, as it always was, but today it felt colder, more distant.

I offered him a smile, but he didn’t even glance my way as he took his seat at the head of the table. I let it slide; ever since Zayla, a Delta from the Crimson Fang Pack, had started whispering about ending her bond with her mate, Evander had been withdrawing from me, his Luna, as if I were nothing more than a shadow in his pack.

I didn’t believe for a moment that his amnesia was genuine. Over the past few days, I’d tested him, subtly probing his memory, and I was certain he was pretending. His cold demeanor, his so-called memory loss—it was all a ploy to force me to be the one to initiate the separation. The mate bond between us, once strong and unbreakable, now felt like a frayed thread, and he was tugging at it, waiting for it to snap.

His question from yesterday still rang in my ears, mocking me. “Was it love that brought us together?” he’d asked, his tone dripping with condescension. As if the Moon Goddess’s decree could be so easily dismissed.

We ate in silence, the clink of silverware against plates the only sound in the room. As I peeled an apple, the knife moving steadily in my hands, Evander’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, and his expression shifted instantly, a smile lighting up his face, warm and genuine in a way it hadn’t been with me in weeks.

“Zayla, hey,” he said, his voice softening. “I’m up. My head’s still a bit fuzzy, but nothing major. Make sure to dress warmly. Yeah, I’m at the den; drop by whenever.”

I froze mid-peel, my fingers tightening around the knife. Should I really step back and let them flaunt their rekindled bond in front of me? As Luna, I had my pride, and the thought of enduring their shameless display again made my stomach churn.

After breakfast, I cleared the table and told Evander I was heading out. “Alright,” he said, his attention already drifting. “Zayla’s coming over to take care of me later, so no need to worry.”

I nodded, forcing a smile onto my face. “That’s good. I’m not worried then. I’ll be back tonight; I have something to discuss with you after dinner.”

His eyes met mine, searching for something—perhaps guilt, perhaps hesitation. But he wouldn’t find it. My gaze was steady, my resolve unshaken.

“Okay,” he said, his tone neutral, but I could feel the undercurrent of tension between us, the weight of what was to come hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.

I headed straight to the den of my childhood friend, Zhuri, the pack’s legal advisor.

“So, you’re separating from the Alpha?” Zhuri looked at me in disbelief. “You two seemed like the perfect mate pair. How did it come to this?”

I took a sip of my coffee, the bitterness grounding me. “He betrayed the bond. His ‘first love,’ Zayla, severed her mate tie, and now he wants to be with her.”

“Are his parents okay with it?” Zhuri asked, her tone cautious.

I rolled my eyes. “Mara, the former Luna, and her mate have been comparing me to Zayla for years. Zayla comes from a once-privileged family, supposedly made her fortune abroad, and is just so ‘sweet-natured.’ They’ve always thought she was better than me. This time, they must be over the moon.”

Zhuri grabbed the coffee out of my hand. “Aren’t you carrying his pup? Should you be drinking that?”

I tilted my head, my expression cold. “Who said I’m keeping this pup? Ever since he took off on that romantic getaway with Zayla, I’ve decided not to go through with it. Evander’s tainted, and I don’t want anything connected to him, not even a pup with his blood.”

I snatched the coffee back and took another sip. “I just don’t have time now. Help me draft a separation agreement, as soon as possible. I want to get the best deal while I can, ideally leaving him with nothing.”

“If you’re really sure, I won’t try to change your mind. No point in trying to fix a mate who’s already broken the bond.” Zhuri sighed. “I’ll start drafting it now. Come with me.”

I spent the entire day in Zhuri’s den, working with her and two other advisors to finalize the separation agreement.

By nine o’clock in the evening, I walked into my home with the papers in hand.

As I opened the door, I was greeted by a table full of leftover food.

Evander and Zayla looked up at me.

“Why didn’t you mind-link to say you’d be late for dinner?” Evander asked, his tone casual, as if nothing was wrong.

Well, I was too busy to remember.

I scrolled through my messages. “You didn’t mind-link to ask me either.”

Zayla chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Oh, come on. Mates can work things out with a chat. Why don’t you two talk? I’ll be off then. Alpha, the dinner you made was delicious. Goodbye!”

“You cook now?” I raised an eyebrow, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

I approached the dining table and looked at the mess. Four dishes and a soup, quite impressive for someone who’d always claimed he couldn’t cook.

Evander nodded. “I’ve always known how to cook. Did I never cook for you? That doesn’t sound right. I really enjoy it. I used to make meals for Zayla all the time.”

I laughed, the sound hollow. So, all these years as his Luna, his inability to cook was just an act?

“Alright, I get it. You don’t love me anymore; you love your Zayla.”

I moved to the sofa, sat down, and pushed the separation agreement in front of him.

“Take a look. If you have no objections, just sign it. I’ll make your love story come true. All these years I’ve been a stay-at-home Luna with no job, so not much savings. How about you leave with nothing? I’m sure Zayla’s family, being so wealthy, wouldn’t care about this little bit of property, right?”

Evander didn’t hesitate much. After reading through, he signed the papers.

“I’m truly sorry, but since I can’t remember you, there’s no way we can continue the bond. So, I’ll agree to your terms.”

I smiled as I collected the signed agreement. “We’ll go to the pack’s scribe tomorrow. This den is in your parents’ names anyway. I won’t stay here tonight. I have plans tomorrow afternoon, so let’s meet at the scribe’s den in the morning.”

Waving my hand, I left the den I’d lived in for years.

“I won’t take anything with me. There’s nothing important. Throw it away if you want.”

It wasn’t until I got into a taxi that I finally let out a laugh.

This was almost too easy.

Over the past few years, I’ve actually had a side business and investments going. I planned to surprise Evander by buying that large, open-plan den he liked. But, as it turns out, I didn’t save enough before the bond ended.

I wonder, when Evander finds out that Zayla’s family has long since gone bankrupt, will he still be as unconcerned as he is now? And what will happen when his parents discover that Zayla never even had a job abroad, nor did she earn her rank, relying instead on her foreign ex-mate? Will they crumble then?

After all, in their eyes, Zayla was such an extraordinary wolf.

But in reality, she’s just worthless.

I completely understand Zayla’s desperate scrambles. She needed someone wealthy back here, and Evander was the perfect catch. That’s why she was in such a hurry for us to sever the bond.

Trash belongs in the dumpster, and Zayla picked up the garbage that is Evander perfectly.