"Mom, the ten-year agreement is almost over. Can you finally tell me where Gregory is?"

Laura Mitchell, the former Luna of the Mitchell Pack, hesitated on the other end before letting out a sigh. "Maisie, after all these years, you still haven’t let him go? I thought with Cayden in your life, you might have moved on from the past."

Maisie Robertson, the former Luna of the Mitchell Pack, forced a bitter smile. How could she let go of such a profound love? Gregory Scott, a Gamma warrior from the Scott Pack, had been her mate in every way but the bond. His untimely death had left a void that even her arranged marriage to Quinn Mitchell, the Alpha of the Mitchell Pack, couldn’t fill.

"Mom, we agreed on this a long time ago..."

Noticing Maisie’s resolve, Laura decided not to push further. "Gregory’s ashes are buried in the Alps, near the border of the Scott Pack’s territory."

Finally receiving the information she’d longed for, Maisie felt a flood of joy, her excitement evident. "Thank you, Mom."

Laura added, "Have you talked to the Alpha about it?"

Thinking of Quinn’s indifferent attitude, she chuckled softly. "He’ll be alright with it."

After hanging up, Maisie clutched her phone tightly. As she tried to calm herself, the bedroom door swung open, and Quinn stumbled in, reeking of alcohol.

Maisie helped him to bed, tending to him as a dutiful Luna might, even though the mate bond between them had long since faded.

Quinn opened his bleary eyes to see Maisie. He leaned in to kiss her.

But Maisie turned away, saying, "Tonight’s not the night for that."

Her words halted Quinn’s advances. "Sorry, I drank too much and lost control."

Maisie shook her head politely, helped him change into clean clothes, and lay down beside him. Despite ten years of marriage, their bond was only surface-deep.

They each held someone else in their hearts; Quinn was in love with his stepsister, Kairi Weaver, a rogue werewolf, while Maisie loved Gregory. Unfortunately, pack politics and the Moon Goddess’s will had torn them apart.

Gregory’s untimely death had been a cruel blow, and she hadn’t even gotten to see him one last time before her father, Osiris Vasquez, the Alpha of the Vasquez Pack, pushed her into marrying Quinn.

Laura had promised the location of Gregory’s grave if Maisie agreed to a ten-year contract, during which she was supposed to provide an heir for the Mitchell Pack.

With the birth of Cayden, Maisie’s obligation was essentially fulfilled. The couple established clear boundaries, living separate lives but still physically attached.

Now, Maisie was finally released from her duties. In the dark of night, she wept tears of relief. She had waited so long for this day.

Her joy kept her restless all night. Early the next morning, she prepared to meet with a lawyer to discuss the dissolution of their mate bond.

When she came downstairs, she found Quinn and Cayden getting ready to leave.

Quinn looked surprised. "Maisie, are you going somewhere today?"

She nodded. "Yes, the agreement is ending, so I’m meeting with a lawyer."

Maisie hadn’t planned to keep the dissolution a secret from Quinn. After all, he wasn’t thrilled about their strained bond either.

But as soon as she spoke, Cayden impatiently chimed in, "Dad, why are you talking to her? Aunt Kairi is waiting for us outside. Let’s go!"

From start to finish, her son didn’t even glance at her.

She was used to it. Father and son often spent pack gatherings with Kairi.

They seemed more like a family together than she did with them.

Quinn acknowledged Cayden’s comment and walked out, leaving Maisie standing there.

His attitude made it clear he didn’t care either.

Dissolving a mate bond between two prominent packs required careful handling.

The lawyer, initially surprised by Maisie’s decision, quickly resumed professionalism. Yet when he heard Maisie’s terms—that she wanted nothing from the Mitchell Pack and didn’t want custody of Cayden—he couldn’t help but confirm, "Ms. Robertson, are you sure? Young Cayden is still a pup and without a mother..."

To outsiders, Maisie seemed the perfect Luna. People often spoke of how lucky the Mitchell Pack was to have her. Yet here she was, ready to dissolve the bond, even willing to leave her own son.

Maisie’s gaze wavered. "I’m sure. Just proceed."

Once, she had felt some sympathy for Cayden, but his heart was set on Kairi being his true mother.

Maisie no longer wanted him either.

After the arrangements with the lawyer were finalized, night had fallen.

The dissolution papers were finally drafted. "Luna, once the Alpha signs, the process can begin. You’ll have your dissolution certificate in a month."

Maisie held the contract, her emotions in turmoil.

Finally, she could face Gregory with a clear conscience.

Returning home late at night, Maisie opened the door and interrupted the cheerful laughter inside.

Cayden turned to her, annoyed. "Bad mom, where were you? Aunt Kairi came over, and she felt unwelcome without you. She was upset for a long time. You should apologize!"

Seeing Cayden’s face, so similar to Quinn’s, twisted Maisie’s heart with bitterness.

The preference of father and son for Kairi had reached absurd levels.

"She’s been here before. My absence just makes your pack gatherings more convenient, doesn’t it?"

Cayden paused, momentarily thrown, but dismissed Maisie’s comment and coldly instructed, "Aunt Kairi is staying over tonight. I’ve promised her your room. You need to sleep somewhere else."

Kairi Weaver stepped forward, her lips curling into a sly smirk as she addressed Maisie Robertson. "Maisie, are you upset because I’ve moved into the Mitchell Pack house?"

Before Maisie could respond, Cayden Mitchell, her son and the heir to the pack, stepped in. His voice carried the authority of a future Alpha, though it was laced with youthful defiance. "Aunt Kairi, don’t worry. I’ll protect you. She’s just an outsider here. This is the Mitchell Pack territory, and Dad and I are the ones in charge."

Maisie remained silent, her expression unreadable. Cayden, misinterpreting her silence as defiance, shoved her roughly to the floor. The impact was sharp, her back hitting the edge of a table. "Aunt Kairi, relax. I’ll take you upstairs to rest," Cayden said, his tone dismissive as he escorted Kairi away.

As Maisie lay on the floor, she watched her son’s retreating figure with a faint, resigned smile. Kairi glanced back over her shoulder, her smug grin widening when she saw Maisie’s subdued reaction. But Maisie wasn’t fazed. She had endured Kairi’s antics for years, and now, with her departure from the pack imminent, it all seemed trivial.

After a moment, Maisie pushed herself up and retreated to a bedroom to rest. Her back throbbed where it had struck the table, and she reached for a jar of ointment. But as she struggled to reach the spot on her lower back, a large, warm hand took the jar from her.

Quinn Mitchell, the Alpha of the Mitchell Pack, stood behind her, his presence as commanding as ever. His voice was soft, though it carried the weight of his authority. "I’m sorry about today with Kairi and Cayden. I’ll talk to them."

Maisie shook her head slowly, her voice calm but distant. "It’s fine. Cayden wasn’t wrong. I’m just an outsider here, while you’re all family. I’m not upset."

Quinn’s brow furrowed slightly. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to Maisie’s indifference, but something about her tone today felt different, though he couldn’t quite place it.

Before he could say more, Kairi burst into the room, her movements quick and possessive. She clung to Quinn’s arm, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Quinn, why are you here? Cayden and I were waiting for you."

Quinn’s expression softened involuntarily, his Alpha aura dimming in Kairi’s presence. "I’ll be there soon. Just let me—"

Kairi interrupted with a pout, her tone whiny and insistent. "I want you to come with me now. I don’t want you spending time with her!"

At her insistence, Quinn nodded quickly, his Alpha demeanor slipping further. He glanced at Maisie awkwardly. "I’ll go with Kairi now. Your birthday’s in a few days; I’ll make it up to you."

Maisie nodded casually, her expression unreadable. Kairi’s face briefly flashed with jealousy before she eagerly dragged Quinn away.

In the empty room, Maisie reflected that this was likely the last time she would appear as Luna of the Mitchell Pack in front of everyone.

Three days later, on Maisie’s thirty-second birthday, she walked into the grand hall with Quinn, surrounded by the polite greetings of the pack’s allies and business partners. Her smile was perfectly composed, her posture regal despite the tension simmering beneath the surface.

Quinn presented her with a velvet box containing a delicate necklace, his voice gentle but carrying the weight of his Alpha tone. "Kairi was out of line before. I’m sorry for the trouble she caused. Happy birthday, Maisie."

Maisie merely glanced at the necklace before returning her gaze to Quinn, offering polite thanks. Quinn lifted the necklace, carefully raising her hair to secure it around her neck. The surrounding guests showered them with praises and congratulatory remarks, commending their harmonious relationship and touching love story.

Maisie found it all bitterly ironic.

As she prepared to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, Quinn’s phone rang at the worst possible moment. He answered it, and his smile froze. Maisie sensed something was wrong and followed his gaze to his phone screen, where a message from Kairi displayed a photo of Quinn placing the same necklace on her.

Moments later, a call came through, Kairi’s voice filled with tears. "Quinn, if you’ve chosen Maisie, then I won’t bother you anymore. This is goodbye."

Quinn clutched the phone, panic-stricken. "Kairi, where are you? Don’t do anything rash. I’m coming for you."

But the call ended abruptly.

Maisie watched him uneasily, about to speak when Quinn shoved her aside. Champagne splashed onto her dress, and without a backward glance, he bolted out of the hall.

Others began to notice, casting curious glances in her direction. Maisie composed herself, forcing a smile. "I’m sorry, my mate has an urgent matter at the office. I’ll go change and be back to apologize for the disruption."

Back in the bedroom, Maisie frowned, tired of Kairi’s repeated disturbances during such events. Afterward, she was the one left to smooth things over with the pack’s allies and reporters, exhausted by it all. But thankfully, those days were nearly over.

She had barely started to change when Quinn returned abruptly. Grabbing her arm, he pleaded, his Alpha tone laced with desperation. "Kairi’s devastated over our situation and is threatening to harm herself. She doesn’t believe me; you need to come with me to explain."

Maisie yanked her arm free, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "Are you out of your mind? Everyone’s watching; how would it look if we both left? Besides, we agreed on terms ages ago. I’m not obligated to explain our relationship to your stepsister!"

Quinn’s face darkened, his Alpha aura flaring with intensity. "Maisie Robertson, this is serious. If Kairi does something because of you, I’ll never forgive you!"