After two years of severed mate bonds with Daniel Washington, the former Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, we crossed paths at a pack gathering held in a grand Victorian-style hall. By now, he had a new mate, Catalina Parker, and whispers of her pregnancy were already circulating among the pack.

As the wine flowed and inhibitions lowered, the atmosphere turned playful, and we found ourselves caught in a game of truth or dare. Daniel, clearly having indulged too much, looked at me with a slight redness in his eyes, his once-commanding aura now tinged with recklessness.

"Two years ago," he confessed, his voice just above a whisper but carrying the weight of an alpha tone, "I tampered with our mate bond rituals to ensure we could never produce offspring."

The room erupted in gasps and murmurs, the pack members’ eyes darting between us. I lifted my glass of Pinot Noir, my hand steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

"In fact," I replied, my voice calm and measured, "I’ve since examined your fertility. It’s practically non-existent. In layman's terms, you're hardly capable of siring a pup."

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sharp intake of breath from Catalina. Her expression transformed right before my eyes, disbelief and anxiety twisting her features.

*Crash!*

The sound of a glass shattering echoed through the hall. Daniel leapt to his feet, his towering frame dominating the space as he pushed past several pack members to stand directly in front of me. His hands gripped my shoulders, his scent—a mix of pine and dominance—enveloping me in a way I hadn’t experienced in years.

"Addilyn Reed," he demanded, his voice low but carrying the unmistakable edge of an alpha, "what do you mean by that?"

I looked up at him, my gaze unwavering. His temper hadn’t changed in two years. Any slight deviation from his expectations, and he’d lash out like a rogue.

I shrugged off his hands in disgust, my voice ice-cold. "Exactly what I said. Your fertility is practically nonexistent. You can’t sire pups."

Turning my gaze from his face, I looked at Catalina, who sat stiffly on the sofa, her fingers clenching the fabric of her dress. Her knuckles were white, her tension palpable.

Raising an eyebrow, I felt a flicker of curiosity. "Didn’t you both undergo a full fertility check before your marking ceremony? I thought..."

Before I could finish, Catalina marched over in her high heels and slapped me hard across the face.

"Shut up!" she hissed, her voice trembling with rage. "Say one more word, and I’ll rip your mouth apart!"

My cheek burned from the sting, like a flame licking my skin. The onlookers, our packmates, whispered among themselves but didn’t dare intervene. Discussing personal matters about someone else’s mate bond, especially as the former mate, was considered taboo. Yet, Daniel had initiated this confrontation. Was it wrong to return the favor?

Hitting me? Not a chance!

Just as I was about to retaliate, Daniel raised his hand and gently pushed Catalina away. His voice was devoid of warmth, whether directed at me or his mate.

"Who permitted you to strike her?" he growled, his alpha tone sharp and commanding. "In this pack, no one but me can lay a hand on her!"

His words were familiar and grating. I glanced at him, shooting back, "Is striking me an act of kindness, Alpha? I’m no longer your mate, and you have no right to touch me."

Catalina wobbled backward, barely maintaining her balance after someone caught her at the last moment. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she stared at Daniel, her pupils shaking.

"Alpha," she stammered, her voice trembling, "I’m your mate! Are you really pushing me away for her? Have you forgotten I’m carrying your pup?"

My eyes fell to her flat abdomen. For three years, Daniel had tampered with our bond rituals yet couldn’t produce an heir. This mate of his seemed quite resourceful.

I smiled, my gaze shifting between the two of them. "It’s just a game of truth. Why get so worked up? If you can’t handle it, just pretend I was joking."

With everyone watching in stunned silence, I grabbed my bag and left. As I stepped out of the grand hall, the sound of the commotion inside echoed behind me.

While waiting for a cab outside the pack estate, a sleek Maybach pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down slowly, revealing Daniel’s infuriating face.

"Dr. Reed," he said, his voice low and tinged with a challenge, "since you claim my fertility is an issue, shouldn’t you examine it yourself again?"

His eyes were dark, enigmatic under the glow of the car’s interior lights.

"After all, Dr. Reed," he added, a smirk playing on his lips, "no one knows my body better than you do."

The insinuations made my stomach twist with anger. I stepped aside, positioning myself beside the towering hotel entrance pillar. Daniel Washington’s black SUV loomed nearer, the Alpha’s commanding presence impossible to ignore even now, when he was no longer the Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack. His aura, though diminished, still carried the weight of his former status, and it grated on my nerves.

"Dr. Reed, diagnosing without an exam? Aren’t you worried I might report you to the pack elders for malpractice?" His voice was laced with that Alpha tone he hadn’t quite shaken, even as an Omega. I shot him an icy look and glanced at my ride-sharing app. Why on earth is there such a delay?

Daniel, unfazed, kept honking insistently. "Addilyn, are you ignoring me? Speak up!" I replied coolly, my eyes still on my screen, "If you want an appointment, book one. The pack clinic slots open online a week in advance, so landing one is your challenge."

His lips pressed into a thin line, and he slammed the car door shut, stalking over to me with the same predatory stride he’d always had. He snatched my phone and threw it to the ground, shattering it instantly. Fighting to keep my simmering fury in check, I calmly retrieved my backup phone from my bag, activated the payment app, and held it out to him.

"The replacement cost me eight hundred dollars. Pay up or else." Daniel’s fists clenched in frustration, his usually handsome face now contorted with irritation. Even in his diminished state, he was still imposing—his broad shoulders and muscular frame a reminder of the Alpha he once was.

"Addilyn, you're still the same. Money is all you care about. Did your family go broke or fall into debt, making you obsessed with cash?" His words felt like daggers, but I held back from responding. After all, wasn’t it his manipulations that led to my parents’ deaths and our family’s ruin?

I held the phone steady, refusing to budge, as the tension between us mounted. Seconds dragged on until Daniel finally backed down, pulled out his phone, and transferred two thousand dollars. "Now that you’ve been paid, will you at least listen to me?"

Just then, his mate, Catalina Parker, appeared, hurriedly joining us. Her scent—rosemary and something sharp—hit me like a wave, a reminder of her status as the lady of the Washington estate. "Daniel, did you come down here just for her, leaving me hanging?" Her disdain for me was evident. She shoved me aside and sidled up to Daniel with practiced intimacy, her hand resting possessively on his arm.

"Daniel, you don’t actually believe your ex-mate’s nonsense, do you? You’re perfectly healthy. Zero sperm vitality, really? That’s absurd." Her fingers playfully adjusted his tie, her tone dripping with false sweetness. "Remember, you always hit the mark flawlessly."

Her words were meant to cut, and they did, but I refused to let it show. I straightened my shoulders, meeting her gaze with the same cold detachment I used in the clinic. "If you’re so confident, then there’s no need for you to worry. But I’d suggest you both focus on your own issues instead of harassing me."

Catalina’s lips curled into a sneer, but before she could retort, Daniel stepped in, his voice sharp. "Enough, Catalina. This doesn’t concern you."

She shot him a venomous look but didn’t argue, her loyalty to her mate—or perhaps her fear of his temper—keeping her in line. I turned away, my heart pounding as I walked toward the arriving car. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration echoing in my mind.

*He’s not worth it,* my wolf whispered, her voice a rare intrusion into my thoughts. *Let him rot in his own misery.*

I didn’t respond, but I agreed. Daniel Washington was a ghost from my past, and I was done letting him haunt me.