I held that card in my hand, pushed the car door open, and stepped out.

The heat from his palm still lingering on my skin made me desperate to leave immediately-otherwise I didn't know what irrational thing I might do.

Back in the empty mansion, I felt at peace for the first time.

I sank myself into the bathtub, washing away the mud and humiliation clinging to me.

Marcus didn't come back. This night, this house, finally belonged entirely to me for the first time.

I lay on that king-size bed that had made me feel lonely night after night.

No breath beside me, no heartbeat from that man, no domineering scent mixed with another woman's perfume lingering in the air.

For once, I felt a kind of peace and freedom I had never experienced before.

When I finished washing up and lay in bed, my gaze was once again drawn to that gold-embossed card.

And to the lingering heat on my wrist where he had held me.

I swallowed. I had no idea why Alpha Sebastian would help me.

Victoria, my best friend, had mentioned his reputation when we chatted.

"He's powerful, Seraphina. Stronger than Marcus, but also more dangerous. No she-wolf can get near him."

That was what Victoria had said.

Rumor had it that the Alpha of the Shadow Pack never touched anything that didn't belong to him.

But he had caught me in the most disgraceful state, even offered help willingly.

Could I be his mate?

But I couldn't feel any scent, any excitement.

Maybe the bond between Marcus and me hadn't fully broken.

And I was only human-could I be lucky enough to have a second mate, and one that was a powerful Alpha wolf?

Suddenly, a strange, uncontrollable pull-like a faint current-rushed up from the bottom of my heart.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath.

No.

I am not like Marcus.

Before I sever that rotten mate bond completely, I will not allow myself to get entangled with anyone else.

What I want is complete freedom-not just moving from one cage to another.

I immediately threw the card into the trash.

Then I drifted into sleep.

Sebastian's pov

I was furious. I was already thirty and still hadn't found my mate.

That was why I came to Alpha Marcus's banquet. I never intended to come-I had already given up on the idea of finding a mate.

Being thirty without a mate was extremely rare.

But my mother was just like human mothers-she saw her children's marriage and offspring as her life's mission.

Of course, wolf packs and any powerful family need an heir.

Even though I've proven with my actions that my strength alone could keep our pack stable for a hundred years, my mother still wouldn't stop arranging blind dates for me.

I was sick of smelling nothing but heavy perfume and disappointment.

The scent made me nauseous, and neither I nor my wolf felt even the slightest excitement.

Tonight, I happened to be free, but the moment I stepped into the banquet hall, one of the she-wolves I'd been matched with stared at me.

I headed toward the garden behind the hall, and she clung to me like sticky taffy.

Her perfume was so thick it felt like a toxic fog ready to explode, hanging in the humid air endlessly.

I was already sick of scents like that-so sick that it was almost a physical reaction-but I still had to endure her pretending to sound hurt beside me.

"Sebastian, can't you just-"

I couldn't stand listening anymore. I was just about to cut her off when-

My wolf jolted awake deep in my chest.

I immediately knew what it was.

MATE!

The word almost burst out of my throat.

Thirty years of silence shattered in an instant.

It was like a bolt of lightning splitting open my senses, stripping the garden of all color.

I froze.

My wolf roared-a low, ancient, feral sound-like it had finally found the half it had lost.

And when I followed its direction-

There she was.

Along the white stone path beside the rose garden, a woman was bent over, yanking out moonlight roses one by one.

Every time she pulled one out, she cursed under her breath, gritting her teeth as if she wished she could tear the entire garden out by its roots-

"Sorry, baby, I just can't stand that old hag! She doesn't deserve to look after you-pull them all out! Every single one!"

The post-rain air carried the scent of soil and wet leaves.

She was covered in rose petals and mud, her damp hair stuck to her cheek-yet she had more life in her than any noble she-wolf holding a wine glass in the hall.

She wasn't a polished vase.

She was a fire-alive, burning, wild.

My breath stopped.

It was her.

Seraphina.

Marcus's Luna.

A Luna about to be discarded.

And my mate.

Her neck was locked by the old mark-an iron chain suppressing her instincts, blocking the bond between our souls.

She couldn't feel me, but I was consumed by her in a second.

The first time I saw her, she wasn't in a Luna gown with a silver waistpiece, or smiling politely at a reception.

She was crouched in the rose garden alone, cursing, muddy, fierce to her bones.

I had never seen such beautiful chaos.

Of course I recognized her.

And in that moment, my wolf and I fell at the same time-

An ancient, lethal possessiveness surged up from my bones.

She is mine.

Forever.

The she-wolf behind me saw me stop and thought I was listening to her.

Her emotions suddenly burst and she screamed:

"You bastard! You don't care about me at all!"

I didn't even lift an eyelid.

"Leave."

She froze, thinking she misheard.

"What did you-"

I gave her one glance. In that instant, the color drained from her face.

"Follow me again," I said, calm as if stating the weather, "and I'll swallow your father's pack whole."

Her knees buckled; she stumbled back two steps.

"You're insane-you can't-"

"I can," I said softly. "And I will."

She trembled, grabbed at the last straw, and shouted:

"Fine! Then I curse you! I curse you in the name of the Moon Goddess-may you never find your mate! May you be alone, rotting, abandoned by every god for eternity!"

Her voice split the night.

I didn't even turn my head.

Because right in front of me, Seraphina had just yanked out the largest moonlight rose and was cursing in a way that put the she-wolf to shame.

I exhaled lightly.

"Your curse came too late."

The she-wolf's fear collapsed into despair. She screamed and fled the garden, vanishing into the dark.

I didn't look after her.

I looked only toward the rose garden.

Sera finally stopped, straightened her back, dusted off the dirt on her palms as though completing a sacred offering.

She would never know that in that moment I made a decision.

When she turned and walked toward the front gate, I followed immediately.

I didn't even think about my next step.

Instinct had already chosen for me.

I had to follow her.

She walked alone into the rain, so thin, so vulnerable-I wanted the driver to offer her a ride.

Then I smelled it.

Not her scent-

But the filthy stench of rogues hiding in the forest along the road, reeking of rotten flesh and unwashed fur.

The moment the air shifted, my wolf ignited, its fury slamming against my nerves.

It wanted to tear them apart.

By the time I rushed over, they had already surrounded her.

She fell into the mud, her skirt flipping up, soaked and helpless.

She tried to push herself up, only to collapse again.

They stared at her, licking their teeth, laughing with greedy malice.

My rage devoured me.

I drove straight into the storm, tires carving a white line through the rain, nearly defying gravity.

The car spun and stopped perfectly between her and those worthless bastards.

The rogues froze.

They saw the emblem.

They saw the Maybach.

Then they saw me.

The cockiest one collapsed straight into the mud.

They recognized me.

Their luck wasn't intelligence-it was their speed.

Had I gotten out one second earlier, four mangled corpses would be lying on the ground.

They fled into the trees without looking back.

I stood there, staring coldly at Sera kneeling in the rain, breathing raggedly, eyes empty-unable to even recognize me.

I walked up to her and crouched down, offering my hand.

She flinched backward, slipped, almost fell.

I said nothing, waiting patiently.

After a few seconds, she gritted her teeth and grabbed my hand.

I pulled her up and guided her into the car.

She smelled of rain, mud, blood, despair. and a scent I had never encountered.

She leaned against the seat, gasping, shoulders trembling.

I looked at her soaked body.

Her clothes clung to every curve like a second skin-the outline of her nipples, the triangle beneath her skirt-clear enough to be indecent.

My dick twitched instantly, dragged out by her scent.

I bit my tongue hard, forcing the desire down.

She wasn't mine-

Not yet.

I took off my coat and threw it over her.

Not out of gentleness-

but to stop myself from staring at her naked shape.

She looked down at herself, finally realizing that the wet fabric hid nothing.

Her face flushed scarlet, her hands gripping the coat tightly.

I remained expressionless, but inside, I grew even more excited.

The more she tried to hide,

the more she looked like a gift I wanted to unwrap.

A vision flashed across my mind-

Her lying on my bed, wearing nothing but that coat.

Her stubborn eyes on me.

My hand pinning her legs.

My tongue sliding along her collarbone.

Her moans brushing against my ear.

My palms burned, my knuckles trembled.

Just as I was about to lose control, the car braked.

We had arrived.

She hurried to get out.

I pulled out a card from my pocket and handed it to her, my voice cold as if nothing had happened:

"You will need this."

She accepted it blankly, then left.

She stepped out quickly, without saying another word.

As if desperate to cut any tie with me.

I sat in the car, not moving.

Just slowly closed my eyes.

Twenty-five days.

Twenty-five days left of the Council's cooling period.

When it ends,

I will personally rip Marcus out of her world-

root and all.

Seraphina's POV

The next morning, I wasn't woken by sunlight, but by the sharp buzz of my phone dragging me straight out of sleep.

I forced myself to sit up.

This mansion-Marcus's mansion-felt more like a tomb: huge, cold, empty. And I was the ghost stuck inside.

Victoria's name flashed across the screen-my best friend in the pack and also a divorce attorney dealing with more broken bonds than she'd care to count.

She once warned me to never let my guard down around Marcus. I laughed it off back then, chalking it up to her seeing too many ugly endings in her line of work. She once vowed she'd never bond with anyone.

"Seraphina! You still breathing over there? I swear, Marcus probably wanted to bite your head off last night," Victoria's worried voice came at me through the phone.

I let out a dry chuckle, massaging my aching temples. "Sadly, yes. I'm still here. He didn't even bother coming home."

"What a freaking jerk," she huffed. Her tone leveled, turning serious fast. "Sera, you've got to leave him. He's parading around publicly with Maria like it's no big deal. He wants you humiliated. Just look at this."

The call ended, and a screenshot popped up right after.

Maria's social media feed. Newest post? Just thirty minutes old.

The pic showed the inside of Marcus's private jet, morning light spilling in through the window like some perfect dream.

She'd kept herself out of frame-only their intertwined fingers were in it.

Caption read: [New journey, new beginning.]

My stomach rolled. So this "urgent business trip" of his was really just a midnight getaway with his mistress.

The bond between us-our soul link-wrenched again. Pain radiated from the mark on the back of my neck, spreading down every nerve like a slow burn.

Another message from Victoria popped up: [Moonshade Bar. Now. Put on your sluttiest heels and your fuck-you dress. We're hunting for a man with a dick worth remembering-and you're getting blackout drunk.]

As I was changing clothes, I once again saw Sebastian's business card.

I immediately fished it back out of the trash.

Maybe. I might need it?

--

Moonshade Bar-Crescent Pack's most upscale, glitter-and-gold kind of place.

When I arrived, Victoria had already cracked open a bottle of whiskey. The amber liquid danced in crystal glasses under the lights.

She looked smoking hot in a backless red mini dress, like living fire. I stood out in the worst way, still stuck in a gloomy black number.

"Look at you, babe," she said, pushing a glass toward me with an exaggerated frown. "You look like you just walked out of your own funeral."

"Maybe I did," I muttered, taking a sip. The burn in my throat matched the ache in my chest. "I'm burying my stupid past one shot at a time."

"I seriously still can't wrap my head around it," Victoria said, swirling her drink, eyes sharp.

"Back in college, I remember Marcus doing everything to win you over. An Alpha-future heir to the pack, camping outside your dorm for three hours just to hand you some random wildflowers you liked. And those weren't even expensive! In our world, that kind of stuff doesn't happen. We all thought you were Moon Goddess-kissed or something."

"Yeah," I gave a bitter smile, "so when he betrayed me, it felt like a total joke. Maybe that's just how things work-Alphas are wired to possess and dominate. Once he completely had me, I was nothing more than some random pebble on the road to him."

"Bullshit!" Victoria slammed her glass on the table with a dull thud, drawing a few curious glances around us. "The Moon Goddess gave us the mate bond to keep werewolves strong. I'd bet anything that Marcus's pack is gonna fall apart after this-he's gonna pay for turning his back on her."

She leaned closer, voice low, eyes gleaming dangerously. "But hey, that mark on your neck? Nearly gone. I bet after a couple more nights with Maria, your bond with Marcus is done for. You should sleep with Sebastian. I swear, the second that news gets out, Marcus will jump off whatever woman he's with and come running back like a madman. Let him feel what it's like to have your soul ripped apart when a mate bond gets ruined."

My heart clenched. That offer-it was like poison-wrapped candy. Irresistibly tempting. I pictured those ridiculously broad shoulders of Sebastian, imagined him grabbing me and pinning me beneath him-

And then I shook it off.

"No, Victoria." My voice was raspy. "I can't."

"Why not?!"

"Because of my parents," I muttered, eyes closing as their gentle, aging faces popped into my mind.

"They always told me the mate bond is a blessing from the Moon Goddess. No matter what happens, you don't taint that. I don't even know what really happens when a mate breaks the bond... maybe nothing, but I can't- I just can't bear the thought of that look in their eyes. The disappointment. The hurt."

That would break me more than anything else.

Victoria went quiet, then pulled me into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Seraphina. I was being reckless."

"It's alright." I patted her back gently.

"So... what are you gonna do?" she asked as she let go, worry etched in her face. "Once you're unbound, where will you go? Come stay with my pack."

Her offer warmed me, but I shook my head. "I can't drag you guys into this, Victoria. Marcus won't let anyone who helps me off easily."

The only person who could stand toe-to-toe with him, maybe even scare him a little... Sebastian's sharp, cold face flashed through my head.

I shoved that thought away immediately. No. That man's on a whole different level of danger.

"I just need to hold on for twenty-four more days," I stared into my drink, almost like saying it made it more real. "Twenty-four days, and I'll be free. I'll take my parents and leave... go somewhere nobody knows who we are."

"You got it! To freedom!" Victoria grinned, lifting her glass again, eyes shining bright.

"To freedom," I echoed, clinking my glass against hers.

That's when the disgusting, testosterone-filled laughter from a nearby booth cut through the moment like a knife.

"Yo, did you see Seraphina last night? Fuck me, she looked like she was begging to get railed right there on the dance floor."

A sleazy voice chuckled. "No wonder Sebastian took her for a spin. If I were him, I wouldn't stop at dancing-I'd bend her over and make her scream my name."

Another guy snorted. "Forget that. You see that ass? Round as fuck, bouncing with every step. I'd pay good money just to grab it-bet it feels like sin in your hands."

Clang!

Victoria shot to her feet, fingers clenched around her glass so tightly it creaked. "Freaking scumbags."

I held her back quickly.

"Don't," I said, shaking my head slightly. Then I smiled-cold and sharp, with zero warmth. "Let me."

I smoothed my dress, grabbed my drink, and started walking toward their booth one step at a time.

They noticed me immediately. Laughter stopped, dead silence.

All of them hung around Marcus, and the one who'd just made that comment? David, heir to the Alpha of a nearby pack. His face went pale the second he saw me.

Can't blame him-publicly drooling over an Alpha's mate, especially Marcus's? Might as well dig his own grave.

I didn't even glance at the others. My eyes locked straight on David as I stepped right up to him.

"I heard you've got a thing for my ass?" I asked, my voice quiet but sharp, every word slicing through the booth like a blade.

David's face flushed deep red. "Seraphina-no, Luna-I swear, it was just a joke..."

"A joke?" I tilted my head, smiling wider. "Well, I took it seriously. Since you're such a fan of my ass, how about buying me a drink?"

He looked dazed, caught completely off guard. One of his buddies nudged him, and he snapped out of it. "O-of course! What would you like?"

I scanned the menu briefly, then pointed to the top-tier item with the insane price tag. "This one."

The server brought over a bottle of rare, ridiculously expensive whiskey in a sleek box.

David reluctantly swiped his card to pay, then made a show of pouring a glass for me.

I didn't take it.

Instead, I picked up the whole bottle, weighed it in my hand-then, right in front of everyone, I smiled and smashed it down on his head.

Crack-!

The heavy glass collided with bone, and the thud rang out across the whole bar.

Gold liquid and blood poured down David's stunned face like some twisted art piece.

For a split second, the bar went dead silent.

Then David cried out in pain, the sound raw and animalistic. His wolf instincts kicked in fast.

His eyes turned red, claws lengthening in a blink, sharp and glinting like knives.

"You psycho bitch!" he roared, swiping for my face with his claws.

But I was already moving-sidestepping just as his strike came down, spinning on my heel without missing a beat.

And then-I landed straight into a solid, warm chest.

Wall of muscle, unmoving, unshaken.

That scent-cedar and cold leather-flooded my senses, wiping out the stink of whiskey and blood in an instant.

I didn't need to look.

I knew who it was.