With just a week left until the mating ceremony, Aiden, my Alpha and mate, shaved off all my long hair while I was sleeping.

That evening, Zaria, the Gamma from a rival pack, showed up with her alluring curls, offering an apology.

"I’m so sorry, Mazie," she said, her voice dripping with false sincerity. "I was joking with Aiden, telling him I shaved my head to become a nun. I never thought he’d try to comfort me by not only shaving his own head but also yours."

Aiden probably expected a big reaction from me, so he quickly moved to protect her, his Alpha tone commanding the room.

"It was all my idea. Zaria had nothing to do with it, so don’t blame her," he insisted, his voice firm yet dismissive. "Besides, hair grows back. We can just wear wigs for the ceremony, don’t you think?"

What Aiden didn’t know was that I no longer intended to complete the mating bond. My newfound parents, a gentle Omega and a supportive Beta from my new pack in France, had reached out to me, offering a place in their pack. I had just bought a ticket to fly to them.

---

After eight years together, I didn’t want our parting to be filled with unnecessary drama, so I kept my thoughts to myself, simply watching him in silence.

"Mazie, I realize I didn’t think this through..." Aiden’s voice faltered as he reached for my hand, his head bowing under the weight of my silence.

Then, as if on cue, Zaria stepped forward, her lips forming a pout.

"Mazie, don’t be upset with Aiden," she pleaded, her tone sugary sweet. "You’re about to complete the mating bond soon. Why argue over something like this now? And didn’t he shave his head too?"

Looking at her feigned innocence, I found it all quite ironic. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of disapproval echoing in my mind.

My expression seemed to sting Zaria, her face turning pale before she adopted a wounded look.

"Mazie, do you want me to shave my head too? Is that what would make you happy?" she asked, her eyes misty with tears as though I was the one who’d initiated all this.

"Sure," I replied with a faint smile, focusing on her shiny, dark hair. "Since you feel like shaving it, go ahead. You started this whole thing, after all."

Zaria was caught off guard by my words, her breath momentarily stopping. She hesitated for a brief moment before regaining her composure.

She picked up the scissors from the table, tears brimming in her eyes as she looked at Aiden.

"If it makes Mazie happy, I’m willing," she declared, her voice firm but her face displaying exaggerated sorrow.

Just as she was about to go through with it, Aiden’s strong hand grabbed the scissors from her grip and tossed them onto the floor with a loud clatter.

"Enough," he growled, his Alpha tone reverberating through the room. His protective stance over Zaria only solidified my resolve.

I turned away, my wolf’s growl growing louder in my mind. The bond between us, once so strong, now felt like a chain I was desperate to break.

Aiden’s face was a storm of emotions, his Alpha aura crackling in the air like a brewing thunderstorm.

“Mazie,” he said, his voice low but commanding, “can’t you just let it go for Zaria’s sake? She’s still young.”

I stared at him, my heart clenching painfully. “It was my decision to cut her hair. What does it have to do with her?”

His jaw tightened, his broad shoulders tensing as he stepped closer. “It’s just a haircut, for the Moon Goddess’ sake! Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it and insist she cut hers as well?”

His brow furrowed, his dark eyes flashing with frustration. “Zaria has always been proud of her looks since she was a pup. Do you know how much this will hurt her confidence? Can’t you see the impact this will have on her?”

His words were sharp, laced with an Alpha tone that made my chest tighten. I could feel my wolf whimpering in the back of my mind, her pain mirroring my own.

“Can’t you just be reasonable and stop causing a fuss?” he added, his voice softer now but still edged with impatience.

Listening to him, my eyes stung with unshed tears. It felt as though all those years of effort—of trying to prove myself as his mate—amounted to nothing more than a cruel joke.

“Alpha Aiden,” I said, my voice trembling despite my efforts to steady it, “I’m supposed to be your mate, your Luna.”

I clenched my fists, the bond between us burning faintly in my chest. “You need to sort out your priorities...”

I don’t know which of my words struck a nerve, but suddenly Aiden’s emotions flared. His Alpha aura surged, his voice angry, the veins in his neck standing out as he glared at me.

“Mazie,” he snapped, his tone sharp enough to make me flinch, “why the sarcasm? My feelings for Zaria are purely platonic, like a sibling. There’s nothing inappropriate between us!”

His words cut deeper than any rejection, and I could feel my wolf recoiling in pain. “Why do you always have to be so suspicious? It’s such a trivial matter. Why do you keep dwelling on it?”

With those words, Aiden took Zaria by the hand, his protective stance unmistakable. Before he walked away, he shot me a lingering look, his expression unreadable.

“Mazie,” he said, his voice quieter now but still firm, “think about this carefully. It’s bad luck to see each other before the mating ceremony. Let’s just avoid meeting these next few days. This was just a prank; don’t spread it around. It won’t be good for Zaria.”

Throughout it all, Aiden only ever saw things from Zaria’s perspective, never considering mine.

The sound of the closing door echoed through the room, the finality of it sending a shiver down my spine.

And Aiden’s last words lingered hauntingly in my mind: “In seven days, I’ll still come to claim you as my mate.”

I looked up at the ceiling, feeling a rush of bitterness clawing at my chest. The bond between us, once a source of comfort, now felt like a chain tightening around my heart.

Aiden, I thought, my resolve hardening as my wolf growled in agreement. I’m not going to be your mate. Not now, not ever.