The night before our marking ceremony, Alpha Wayne slipped a sleeping potion into my drink, allowing his childhood friend, Maya Spencer, to cut my long hair. When I awoke and saw my reflection in the mirror, I was devastated. Maya, her hair styled in playful curls, feigned remorse: "Oops, my hand slipped. You’re not mad at me, are you?"

"It's all my fault for making Evelyn Robinson the ugliest Luna ever!" Alpha Wayne teased, playfully tapping her nose, excusing her behavior: "Just throw on a wig. The ceremonial veil covers everything; no one will outshine you."

The room fell silent as everyone waited for me to react, expecting a tantrum like before. Instead, I calmly removed the protective amulet from around my neck and placed it in Maya’s hand: "Why go through the motions? Just switch mates; the veil hides everything anyway."

My unexpected response took them by surprise. "I only wanted to give you a new hairstyle, Evelyn, but it just slipped... Please don’t be upset," Maya pleaded, leaning into Alpha Wayne, her eyes brimming with crocodile tears. The others avoided eye contact, mumbling attempts to ease the tension: "You’re misunderstanding, Evelyn. We’re all Alpha Wayne’s friends, and you’re his only mate."

Alpha Wayne realized the situation and defended Maya: "She’s just being playful; she meant no harm."

Cutting the mate’s hair on the night before the marking ceremony—how can that be harmless? Such a flimsy excuse. I met Alpha Wayne’s protective gaze and laughed sarcastically: "Who knows when she might feel like playing Luna again? Maybe I should bow out now."

Alpha Wayne’s face darkened, his frustration evident: "Evelyn, enough! Maya’s immature and impulsive. Are you seriously going to blame her?"

Silence enveloped the room. Never mind that I’m younger than Maya. Even if she were truly a pup, no pup would do something as outrageous as cutting the mate’s hair the night before the marking ceremony!

I watched as Alpha Wayne defended Maya, offering her the care and attention I once received. "Evelyn, blame me, not Alpha Wayne. If you’re angry, yell at me or hit me; I won’t resist!" Maya peered from behind Alpha Wayne, pretending to be vulnerable, her eyes mocking me.

Alpha Wayne softened his tone: "How is this your fault? I’m the one who gave her the sleeping potion; blame me. I’ve spoiled her and let her act out."

A weight pressed on my chest. Alpha Wayne had promised to stand by me, letting me be myself without suffering any injustice. Yet, somehow, despite Maya being in the wrong, it felt like I was the one to blame in his eyes.

He comforted Maya with tenderness I’d never known. Watching the scene unfold was ironic. Once, I might have made a scene, fought for fairness. But now, I felt numb. In this bond, I had lost everything. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a quiet echo of my own pain.

Alpha Wayne’s aura, once commanding and reassuring, now felt oppressive, a reminder of the hierarchy that placed him above me, above everyone in this room. I stood there, a Gamma warrior of the Blue Moon Pack, stripped of my dignity, my worth questioned by the very mate who had once vowed to protect me.

As the silence stretched, I turned and walked out, the weight of the unbroken bond heavy on my shoulders. The ceremony was tomorrow, but the bond felt already severed, torn apart by betrayal and indifference. I didn’t look back. There was nothing left for me in that room, in that bond, in Alpha Wayne’s shadow.

I worry that even Alpha Wayne has forgotten.

He was the one who pursued me, confessing his feelings. We met through a mutual friend, discovering a whole range of shared interests in our conversations. Alpha Wayne was captivating, his alpha aura commanding yet warm, and it was impossible not to be drawn to him.

So, naturally, we ended up together. He'd mind-link me good morning and goodnight every day, offer me a comforting cup of hot chocolate during my time of the month, and he'd surprise me with bouquets for every occasion. Back then, I truly believed I was the happiest Gamma in the world.

Then, as we started discussing the marking ceremony, his childhood friend Maya Spencer returned from abroad. Normally composed, Alpha Wayne seemed to become someone else. All the tenderness he once showered on me was now reserved for Maya.

He stopped sharing little stories with me, opting instead to accompany Maya on midnight runs. When I was stuck in bed with a fever, they were out at the full moon gathering. He even forgot the anniversary of our mate bond, busy helping Maya's pup through its first shift, leaving me alone at the packhouse. From that day on, I never received another flower from Alpha Wayne, simply because Maya was allergic to pollen.

"If Maya finds out, she'd be upset. I don't want her to be sad!"

This led to countless arguments between us over the past few months. Alpha Wayne would always assure me, "I just see Maya as a sister. Why are you so jealous?"

"If I'm openly talking about her, it proves there's nothing between us!"

As his intended Luna, I was always the one left behind. I finally saw the truth. The mate bond is hard to ignore, but so is its absence. Alpha Wayne, perhaps, never truly felt it for me. And my dream of a future with him was nothing but a sad joke.

Maya pouted and offered a half-hearted apology. "Evelyn, I didn't mean to upset you. I could cut my hair too, to make up for it..."

She looked at me earnestly, eyes slightly red. I laughed softly, "Go ahead, then."

Maya's expression froze for a moment. "As long as you and Alpha Wayne don't fight because of me, I'll do anything..."

She looked on the verge of tears, but the scissors in her hand never moved. Her pitiful demeanor only made Alpha Wayne more protective of her. He glared at me as if I were the enemy.

"Evelyn, if you have a problem, take it up with me!" he snapped, his alpha tone reverberating through the room. "Maya is like a sister to me. Do you, as her future sister-in-Luna, have to make things difficult for her?"

I paused, feeling a sharp pain in my chest as the mate bond burned with rejection. Of course, Maya was the one he would always protect. I let out a bitter smile and stood to leave. Behind me, I heard Alpha Wayne's angry voice.

"So what if she trimmed a bit of your hair? If you want to leave, then leave. No one's going to indulge your tantrums!"

It seemed he had forgotten. Before our bond, I’d always kept my hair short. It was his offhand remark, "I want to see you with long, flowing hair at our marking ceremony," that made me grow it out, taking special care of it. But now, all of that was ruined.

Laughter from the pack gathering floated through the door. Once, I would have broken down in tears, overwhelmed by his indifference. But at that moment, I felt nothing.

I touched my face, feeling for tears that never came. Finally, I had freed myself from this stifling bond.

I took out my phone to call a cab home and saw a message from Beta Travis, my mentor. Once again, he urged me to join the pack’s elite research division. I had received this offer last year but turned it down because it meant being away for at least three years. I couldn't bear to leave Alpha Wayne.

When Beta Travis learned why I hesitated, he was disappointed. "Men won't appreciate you sacrificing your career for them, Evelyn. You'll only regret it later!"

Back then, I was sure about my choice, trusting in Alpha Wayne's bond and wanting just a simple, happy life with him. But reality proved me wrong, and now I'm ready to make the right choice.

When I informed Beta Travis of my decision to join the research division, he immediately sent over the necessary paperwork and mind-linked me to remind me to expedite the process. "The team leaves in two weeks. Will you be ready in time?"

I responded with a smile, "I won't hold anyone back."

There's just enough time to sever this bond. "I, Evelyn Robinson, Gamma of the Blue Moon Pack, reject you, Wayne Robinson, Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, as my mate."

The words echoed in my mind, and I felt my wolf whimper in the back of my consciousness. But it was time to move on.