When I found out that Leon, the Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, had left me unconscious in the hospital just to deliver a coat to his Beta, Yasmin, I decided it was time to reject our mate bond.

Leon agreed immediately, his voice dripping with the casual arrogance of an Alpha. "Why worry? She’s just an Omega. She’ll calm down."

"Give her a few days, and she’ll come crawling back, begging for forgiveness. Then I’ll graciously accept her apology, and we’ll see if she dares to cause any fuss again."

That very day, he posted a photo on the pack’s shared mind link, holding hands with Yasmin across a dinner table. The caption read: "Two souls, three meals, four seasons; for the rest of our lives, we’ll be each other’s one and only."

As I stared at the date on the calendar, I dialed my brother Julius, the Gamma of the Blood Moon Pack.

"Hey, can you help me get back home?"

"Really? That’s great! You’re finally giving up on that jerk! Wait there, I’ll come pick you up myself!"

Julius’s voice was filled with excitement, and I could almost feel the protective growl in his tone.

After hanging up, Leon walked in, surrounded by the overpowering scent of his Alpha aura. The red mark on his neck—a clear sign of Yasmin’s influence—was impossible to miss.

"Who was on the phone?" Leon asked casually, his eyes glued to his phone screen, not even glancing at me.

"My brother," I replied, but my voice was drowned out by the loud ringtone of his phone.

Leon quickly answered, and Yasmin’s sickeningly sweet voice came through. "Alpha Leon, thank you for the jacket you sent the other day. I would’ve been in a real fix without you. I wouldn’t know what to do."

Perhaps realizing the situation, Leon turned the volume down and retreated to his study with a guilty look on his face.

I smirked bitterly to myself.

We were supposed to be in a cooling-off period. What was I expecting?

I quietly made myself a bowl of pasta, ate it in silence, and then went to the bedroom to start packing.

Leon finally finished his call with Yasmin an hour later. He sat at the dining table with a magazine, expecting a hot breakfast as usual.

But after waiting without even a cup of warm coffee, he finally spared half a glance at me, annoyed.

"It’s just that I didn’t go with you for the check-up. Insomnia isn’t that serious, anyway."

"Take the medication the healer prescribed, and you’ll be fine. Why the drama?"

"And besides, I’ve already agreed to the rejection. What more do you want? Are you going to keep sulking like this?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked at this man, once my closest confidant, with nothing but indifference.

The day he left, I fainted in the hospital. If not for the healers’ timely intervention, I might have ended up in a crematorium.

After that, neither I nor the healers were able to reach Leon.

When I finally got through to him, all I heard was Yasmin’s sugary laughter and Leon’s impatient scolding: "It’s just some medical fees. Can’t you figure that out yourself?"

I ended up borrowing the last of the fees from a friend.

Upon leaving the hospital yesterday, I learned he was off delivering a coat to Yasmin, who needed it for an event, just because she said she was cold.

I immediately asked to reject our mate bond.

"When we finalize the rejection, you won’t get to see my face anymore."

I thought my detached manner would please Leon, as he’d always wanted me gone.

Who would have guessed it would set him off? He threw the magazine on the table and shouted, "You’d better not regret this!"

And then he slammed the door behind him.

The loud crash didn’t faze me in the slightest.

I was too tired to worry about his actions and moods and went about my business.

After sending out the revised plans the client requested, I poured myself a cup of hot coffee, ready to unwind with a movie and bubble bath. Then a message popped up.

It was Leon.

"Sunrise Club, had too much to drink, come pick me up."

I was about to close the message when a second one came in.

"You’re still my mate in name. That’s your duty."

Gripping my phone, I took several deep breaths to brace myself before stepping out.

It was all for the smooth processing of the rejection, I reminded myself. I had to endure.

When I reached the club and found the private room according to the directions on my phone, Leon’s boisterous laughter mixed with Yasmin’s flirtatious remarks cut through the air like daggers to my heart.

Clenching my teeth to steady my expression, I pushed the door open.

The laughter ceased abruptly.

Leon Rivera's face registered surprise when he saw me, his brows knitted in a tight line. His Alpha aura, usually so commanding, seemed to falter for a moment as he stood there, his broad shoulders tense under the weight of the unexpected encounter.

"Are you following me?" he blurted out, his voice carrying the sharp edge of his Alpha tone, drawing curious looks from the nearby pack members. I showed him the messages on my phone: "This is the address you sent."

Yasmin Gilbert, his Beta, quickly clutched Leon's arm, her voice sweet and comforting, "Alpha, I was just worried about you getting home alone, so I asked your mate to pick you up. I hope I didn’t make an honest mistake." Her use of his title, "Alpha," was deliberate, a reminder of his status—and hers.

Leon’s expression softened at her explanation. Watching Yasmin’s concerned expression, he smiled warmly at her, the kind of smile that used to be reserved for me. She shot me a challenging glance from behind his shoulder, and Leon's silent approval seemed to imply I should feel something. Yet, I remained unfazed, merely nodding coolly, my demeanor detached and distant. My Omega status might have made me lower in the pack hierarchy, but my pride was intact.

Perhaps my calm attitude, so different from past reactions, unsettled Leon. He gently freed his arm from Yasmin’s grip and explained, "Amber, we were just having a pack gathering; everyone here is either a pack member or an ally."

I handed him the bottle of sparkling water I’d brought along: "I know."

Perhaps my presence had disrupted the atmosphere, as people began to drift away in pairs and small groups. Leon fussed over Yasmin, making sure she got a cab, then joined me in the car, taking the passenger seat. His imposing frame seemed to fill the space, his Alpha aura pressing against me like a physical weight.

We drove in silence, with him nodding off as I navigated the roads. When we reached the underground parking, I exited first, heading towards the elevator. As I turned a corner, Leon suddenly grabbed my arm, pulling me into his embrace as a car sped past, missing us by inches. My heart raced.

"You need to be more cautious. Imagine if you got hurt," he said urgently, holding my hand tightly and leading me forward. His grip was firm, his Alpha strength undeniable, but it no longer felt comforting—just possessive.

The moment reminded me of our early days together, when he used to shield me just as he was now. But over time, those gestures faded, and I’d forgotten what it felt like to be cared for. Back then, I’d believed his strength was for me, but now I knew it was just part of his nature as an Alpha.

Thankfully, the elevator was close. As soon as we stepped inside, I discreetly withdrew my hand while he selected the floor. Leon glanced at me, as if he wanted to speak, but ultimately remained silent. The tension between us was palpable, the mate bond that once connected us now a frayed thread, barely holding on.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, he offered to drive me to work.

"I’ll give you a ride," he said as I yawned and nodded in agreement. I hadn’t slept well, tossed around by restless dreams the night before, and the idea of a quick nap was inviting.

However, upon opening the car door, I was greeted by a sight of glittery decorations, cute stickers, and pink hanging ornaments. Even the passenger seat had a custom pillow with a photo of Leon and Yasmin making a heart shape with their hands. It was a clear display of ownership, a not-so-subtle reminder of where his loyalty now lay.

"Who would have guessed that the mighty Alpha's car would look like a teenage girl's dream room?" My sarcasm wasn’t lost on Leon, and I saw embarrassment flicker across his face.

"Yasmin's just a young woman, cut her some slack," he replied awkwardly, his Alpha tone softening, as if trying to excuse her behavior.

I gestured to the pillow, "You mean the young woman who takes couple photos with you?"

But what I really wanted to ask about was the post he made on social media the day I filed for divorce—the picture of a candlelit dinner, hands intertwined. The caption still lingered in my mind: "Just the two of us, through meals and seasons. For the rest of our lives, you and I are each other's only." It was a declaration meant for Yasmin, not me, and it cut deeper than any physical wound.

As we drove, the mate bond between us felt like a ghost, haunting every silent moment. My wolf stirred within me, a quiet whimper of pain, but I shut her out. I had to stay strong, even if it meant burying the part of me that still longed for him.

Leon Rivera’s face tightened at my words, his Alpha aura flickering with unease. I felt my energy drain away, my wolf whimpering faintly in the back of my mind. Whether it was out of pride, spite, or something deeper, Leon’s heart had strayed, and there was no going back.

I stopped questioning him and silently slid into the back seat of his car, closing my eyes to avoid the sight of the girly decorations that now filled the space. The air was thick with awkward tension, and Leon handed me a sandwich, his voice strained. “Eat something,” he said, his Alpha tone softening just enough to sound like a suggestion rather than a command.

My gaze drifted to where he stored the sandwich—a spot filled with cookies, candies, and even spicy snacks with a pungent smell. “Wow,” I remarked, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “It’s rare to see you loosen up your cleanliness standards, Alpha.”

For years, I’d been too busy to eat properly, always carrying bread or snacks with me. There was a time when I was so hungry my stomach cramped, leaving me trembling. I had barely managed to take out my only piece of bread when Leon snatched it and tossed it out the window. That day, he’d strictly warned me not to eat anything in his car, not even drink water. His Alpha tone had left no room for argument.

Now, it seemed, another woman was granted privileges I’d never been allowed. Those who are cherished are given endless freedom.

My cutting words darkened Leon’s expression, but I didn’t care. I turned my head away, closing my eyes and pretending to sleep.

As soon as we arrived at the pack office, I couldn’t wait to get out of the car. While Leon parked, I hurried ahead to the elevator, my Omega status making me invisible to the bustling crowd of Deltas and Gammas. I reached my desk first, greeted by a deluge of emails. I was so busy I barely had the chance to lift my head.

It’s not that I wanted to stay at the Silver Fang Pack. It’s just that I believe in finishing what I’ve started. I still had tasks to complete, and even if I planned to leave, it would have to wait until I wrapped up the work at hand.

Engrossed in my work, I didn’t realize it was already four in the afternoon. I hadn’t even ordered lunch, and it wasn’t until my stomach started to ache that I realized I hadn’t eaten all day. I quickly grabbed a cup of hot coffee and returned to my desk, eating a piece of bread while continuing my work.

Just then, the pack security guard came in, carrying two large bags of snacks, coffee, and cupcakes. “Alpha Leon ordered afternoon tea for everyone. Come and help yourselves,” he announced.

The room erupted into cheers, and a swarm of pack members surged forward. “Alpha Leon’s the best! Caramel macchiato’s my favorite!” someone exclaimed. “Oh, and no mango…”

“Well, you’re lucky to have anything. Beta Yasmin’s allergic to mangoes, don’t you know?” someone else added.

Everyone around me smirked knowingly, and some curious eyes turned my way. The new Omega intern, Stella, blurted out, “I heard Alpha Leon rejected his mate. Is he going to mark Beta Yasmin now? He’s spoiling her way too much!”

Someone quickly pulled her aside, whispering, “Keep it down, Amber’s right there.”

Stella’s face turned red with embarrassment.

Darwin, a seasoned Delta, placed a coffee and a piece of cake in front of me with a sheepish grin. “Young pups are just messing around. Don’t mind it.”

I pushed the spiced honey cake away. “Sorry, I’m allergic to honey. You have it.”

His face turned awkward.

Everyone knew about my honey allergy, especially since Leon had used the same tactic on me before. Back then, to show his affection, he would bring in my favorite vanilla cake for the pack and ban anything honey-related because of my allergy. He would even order lunch for everyone, making sure I ate while he watched over me.

Now, it’s just a different wolf enjoying that privilege. Because Yasmin is allergic to mango, the entire pack office is now mango-free.

The grand gestures he once made for me, he’s now making for someone else. The pack isn’t short on gossip; as many wolves who used to admire our mate bond are now invested in Leon and Yasmin’s story.

I don’t feel uncomfortable about it; my work is too demanding for me to waste energy on trivial matters.