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.

The project I was handling for the Silver Fang Pack was nearing its end, and communication with the client pack had become increasingly frequent. Within an hour, the proposal might need revisions two or three times. I’d been working overtime for nearly a week, and today marked the peak of my efforts. If I could just push through, the project would be completed.

I stretched my arms, deciding to reward myself with a nice dinner out tonight. Just then, I accidentally bumped into someone, making me jump. When I turned around, I found Alpha Leon standing behind me. When did he get there?

“Burning the midnight oil again?” Alpha Leon asked casually, unfazed by my startled expression.

I tried to collect myself, unsure of his sudden appearance. “Anything you need, Alpha?”

A flicker of irritation crossed his face at my formal tone, but he kept it together. “Why not let Beta Yasmin handle the client and the project you're working on? She needs the experience.”

A chill ran through me. Alpha Leon could be unreasonable, but this was beyond belief. Seeing my silence, he stepped closer, resting his hands on my shoulders. “There's always gossip around the pack. Beta Yasmin’s just starting out; she can't handle that kind of pressure. If she takes charge of this project, the doubters will quiet down. As someone with more experience, you should help the newcomers.”

I couldn’t help but give a dry laugh, rolling my eyes. Alpha Leon knew how many nights I’d devoted to this project, to the point of ending up in the hospital from exhaustion. Yet when I entered the emergency room, one call from Beta Yasmin had him rushing off. My life seemed less important than her coat.

And now, he wanted to hand the project I’d poured myself into over to Beta Yasmin, just like that.

Alpha Leon was considerate of Beta Yasmin, eager to protect her reputation, without thinking about whether this was fair to me. “Fine, have her come tomorrow to take over,” I said. I might as well hand in my resignation too. I’d given this pack more than enough.

Alpha Leon seemed surprised by my calm response. But quickly, he was overjoyed, pulling me into a hug. “I was wrong before. I always thought you were petty and stubborn. It's great to see you’re understanding now. Let's have dinner at that lakeside revolving restaurant. You've wanted to go there for ages, haven't you?”

The lakeside revolving restaurant—the chic Italian spot. Once, I dreamed of spending our anniversary there, but now it felt hollow.

Alpha Leon’s voice softened as he draped an arm around my shoulder. “After all our years together, isn’t there anything we can't overcome? Just adjust your attitude a bit. We’ll withdraw the rejection soon. Then I'll go with you to visit your family. You haven’t been back in years, right? Let’s stay a few more days this time.”

As Alpha Leon painted this rosy picture, I stayed silent. He assumed I was in agreement, chatting enthusiastically until I finished saving my files and joined him in the car.

Sitting in the back seat, I scrolled through social media and stumbled across Beta Yasmin’s post. She was in an elegant evening gown, enjoying a candlelit dinner at a spacious open-air restaurant. The picture was taken an hour earlier.

Noticing the river behind her in the photo, I couldn’t help but scoff at myself. She had already enjoyed the evening, and Alpha Leon, ever so considerate, finished that date only to come running to set up another with me—without even bothering to change the venue.

We never ended up having that dinner.

As we headed downstairs, Leon got a mind link from Yasmin. His aura shifted subtly, the commanding presence of an Alpha faltering for a moment. He glanced at me with unease, but I pretended not to notice, waving my hand dismissively. “I’m really tired, Alpha. Go take care of your pack matters.”

Leon’s relief was palpable. He hailed a cab for me, his Alpha tone slipping into the driver’s ear with instructions about my safety. But as soon as the car pulled away, I caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror, his tall, muscular frame turning sharply as he strode toward the underground parking lot. His scent—pine and earth, laced with the faintest hint of Yasmin’s vanilla—lingered in the air, making my stomach churn.

Sometimes, when words fail, laughter is all that’s left. As I laughed, a chill settled on my face. The wind carried a coldness that seeped into my heart, my wolf whimpering softly in the back of my mind.

Oh well, tomorrow’s the last day. Once tomorrow’s over and the mate bond is formally rejected, Leon and I will be nothing more than strangers.

Back at Julius and Milani’s house, I poured myself a glass of wine, sipping in quiet celebration of my impending freedom. A bit tipsy, I noticed a shooting star streak across the sky. I stood up, leaning on the railing, eager to chase that fleeting brilliance.

Perhaps I moved too quickly, or maybe I seemed too unsteady. All I heard was a frantic “What are you doing?” before I was yanked back forcefully.

Next thing I knew, I was in a familiar embrace, his strong arms wrapping around me. “Do you know how dangerous that was?” Leon’s voice was full of concern, but his scent—still tainted with Yasmin’s vanilla—turned my stomach.

I pointed to the sky outside, muttering, “A shooting star…”

Shooting star! The night we confirmed our mate bond, there was a meteor shower, beautifully romantic. He promised he would watch the meteor showers with me every year, no matter where or when, dropping everything to be there.

But year after year, he broke that promise. It wasn’t the meteor showers I longed for; it was the future he had once vowed to share.

Leon sighed, “It's just a shooting star. I'll take you to see a meteor shower some other time. Don’t joke about your safety like that.”

Just a shooting star?

That wasn’t just a star. It was your promise, brushed away so casually.

“Tomorrow’s the anniversary of our mate bond,” he declared, his Alpha tone leaving no room for argument. “Let’s spend it together. I’ll come pick you up.”

I looked at his bare neck, where my mark had once been, the faintest scar almost faded. Evidence it had been gone for quite some time.

And yet, I never realized he had already shifted his loyalties.

“Alright,” I agreed, thinking it would be the closure to this chapter of our lives, a resolution to our bond.

Perhaps in an attempt to make things right, he chose the restaurant from last time. When I arrived, I noticed the reserved table was the same one Yasmin had sat at. Feeling instantly uneasy, I quickly asked the waiter to change my table.

However, from afternoon till night, from night into the midnight hours, my phone battery nearly died, and Leon still hadn’t shown. Hungry and with a growing stomachache, I had to ask the restaurant for some pulled pork to stave off the pain.

With something in my stomach, the cramps eased a bit. I tried mind-linking Leon, but there was no response. Frustration bubbled up inside me. Leon, still the same, always making promises he didn’t intend to keep. And every time, I fell for it, waiting foolishly again and again!

A ridiculous waste of my time!

I opened the pack’s mind-link group to nudge him, only to see the chatter had exploded. Ten minutes ago, an anonymous message had been sent to everyone in the Silver Fang Pack.

The message contained images of Yasmin and Leon together. Most were cleverly angled to suggest Yasmin was trying to seduce Leon while he looked indifferent. The subject line was explosive: Beta Seduces Alpha for Power—Shameful and Despicable!

Following those suggestive images were photos of Yasmin and me handing over project details. I looked exhausted, while she appeared radiant. Each word seemed to defend me, yet they also directed all the gossip towards me. My wolf growled softly, a mix of anger and pain.

The pack’s whispers were loud enough to reach me through the mind link, their words like poison. “Did you see the pictures? Yasmin and the Alpha…”

“Amber must have known. She’s always been so weak.”

“She’s an Omega, after all. What did you expect?”

The weight of their judgment pressed down on me, my wolf retreating into silence. I closed the mind link, my hands trembling. Leon’s neglect, Yasmin’s manipulation, the pack’s disdain—it all swirled together, a storm I could no longer weather.

Tomorrow, I would end this. I would reject the bond, once and for all.