Aria's POV

After the call ended, I went out and bought a calendar.

Every day that passed, I tore off another page.

From October 1st to the 10th, Ethan didn't come home once.

But I knew exactly where he'd been, who he'd seen, and what he'd done. Lily made sure to post every move on social media, subtly showcasing herself.

Afternoon tea at fancy restaurants, watching his wolf form at the training grounds, stargazing from his mountaintop villa, soaking together in hot springs.

I ignored her little games.

I was about to sever the bond anyway, so why would I care?

With nothing but time on my hands, I spent the next few days clearing out the house.

The razor I'd carefully selected, the suits I'd ironed and organized daily, the limited edition watch I'd stayed up all night to order...

No matter how expensive or small, if I'd given it to him, I packed it up and threw it away.

I tossed out everything—all the hurt I'd endured in this mate bond, and every bit of genuine feeling I'd ever had for Ethan.

I'd already decided to leave the past behind and start a new life.

Two days later, Ethan finally came home.

He looked around the villa—half-empty now—and his frown deepened. "Aria, did you throw out my stuff?"

I flipped through my magazine without looking up. "Yeah, I did. You weren't using it anyway."

Ethan thought I was throwing a tantrum because I'd skipped that dinner with him last time. He probably figured this was my way of getting his attention.

He sat down next to me and pulled a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket, then dropped it right on top of my open magazine. "Stop being mad. Tomorrow Silver Moon Pack is hosting a charity auction, and as Luna, you need to be there." He paused, and his voice softened. "Bid on whatever you want. Consider it an apology."

*****

The next afternoon at five, Ethan showed up right on time to pick me up.

I was about to get in the passenger seat when I saw Lily already sitting there. She had a massive bag of snacks and drinks in her lap, and her sickly-sweet omega scent flooded the entire car—deliberate and provocative. She looked up at me with fake innocence.

"Luna, I don't really do well in the back seat. Mind sitting back there today?"

I caught the flash of smugness in her eyes and looked down. That's when I spotted a little decorative wolf figurine on the dashboard—custom-made, fluffy silver-gray fur, with "Lily's special seat!" written across it.

When I didn't move or say anything, Ethan realized I was pissed again. He tried to smooth things over in that low voice of his. "Lily's never been to an auction before. I'm bringing her to show her how these things work. She's more delicate than you, Aria. Just let her have this." His alpha eyes fixed on me. "You're my luna. You should be more generous."

Let her have it? Sure, why not? I was done with this alpha anyway, so what was one seat?

I laughed softly and climbed into the back.

The whole drive, Lily kept eating cake after cake and feeding Ethan with the same spoon she'd been using. She was showing off like she owned him, making sure I knew exactly where I stood.

They chatted about random pack gossip the entire time, and he couldn't stop smiling at her stupid comments about omega training classes and her constant whining. His face lit up every time she touched his arm.

I didn't even bother looking at them. I rolled down the window and watched the autumn scenery fly by, letting the cold air clear out their mixed scents.

When we got to the venue, Lily started complaining that her heels hurt after just a few steps. Ethan laughed and called her spoiled, but he took her straight to the nearest mall anyway.

I smiled bitterly to myself and walked into the venue alone with my invitation.

The first item was already up for auction by the time Ethan finally showed up with Lily.

The event combined an auction with a formal dinner, and the tables were laden with elegant appetizers and cuisine. Lily whined that she wanted steak, loud enough that nearby alphas turned to look—omegas usually acted more reserved at events like this.

Ethan just laughed and adjusted her dress before cutting up her steak and feeding her himself.

I watched the whole thing in silence.

Lily kept eating and casually pointed at something on stage. Ethan raised his paddle without even looking.

"Bidder seventeen—three hundred million coins!"

The room went silent. Nobody dared bid higher. That kind of money could support a mid-sized pack for ten years.

During intermission, alphas and their lunas swarmed our table with wine glasses in hand, clearly trying to cozy up to a powerful pack like Shadowmoon. They saw how Ethan doted on Lily and noticed the temporary mark on her neck—shallow tooth marks from an alpha bite. It wasn't a permanent mating mark, but it was enough to show ownership. The guests started kissing up to her, calling her luna and the future pack mother.

Ethan glanced at me, and his alpha instincts seemed to pick up on something wrong. His scent turned sharp with displeasure and warning. He corrected them casually. "You've got the wrong person. That's my luna." His golden eyes shifted to me. "She's my true mate. The one who bears my permanent mark."

The guests who'd made the mistake looked mortified and quickly corrected themselves.

I stayed quiet and ignored their pitying looks.

They hadn't gotten it wrong.

Soon, I wouldn't be Shadowmoon Pack's luna anymore.

And the way Ethan spoiled Lily, he'd give her a permanent mating mark the second our bond broke. She'd be the new pack luna in no time.

After the break, the second half of the auction featured antiques. I didn't care about any of it, so I bought a few of the most expensive pieces and left early.

I'd just reached the elevator when I heard Lily's sugary voice behind me. "Luna, got a minute to talk?"

I stopped. "I don't have anything to say to—"

Before I could finish, I saw Lily's hand coming up.

Sharp claws raked across my face.

Aria's POV

Lily's claws tore across my cheek with full force, and three bloody scratches opened up on my face.

I grabbed my cheek instinctively. "Lily! What the hell are you doing!"

Rage flooded through me a second later, and I moved to strike back without thinking. But then a powerful alpha grip locked around my wrist, and I could feel the mate bond itself forcing me to submit.

Ethan had my wrist in his hand, and anger simmered in his voice. "Aria, Lily didn't do anything to you. Why are you attacking her?"

I yanked my numb wrist back. "I attacked her? Ethan, ask any of these people who hit first!"

Lily immediately put on this pitiful expression. "Ethan, you said I was too weak and that pack members need to build courage, so I thought I'd try challenging the luna in public to practice. I couldn't find any other opportunity. But luna was so fierce just now, and her wolf almost dominated mine. I got so scared."

After hearing this explanation, Ethan frowned. "I told you to build courage, but how could you use your claws to hurt someone? And she's my luna!"

Lily started crying. "I'm sorry, I'm just too stupid. You said luna has a good temper, so I thought even if I scratched her, she wouldn't get mad. I didn't expect..."

The moment she cried, Ethan forgot all about being angry. "It's fine, no one's blaming you. Stop crying, be good."

I snapped at him. "Ethan, I'm the one who got hurt, and you're forgiving her for me? And Lily, what kind of innocent act are you putting on? Who practices building courage by hurting their luna!"

Lily flinched at my words and cried even harder, almost hyperventilating. She looked like she was about to pass out.

Ethan felt bad for her, and he said dismissively, "How sharp can her claws even be? Do you really have to make such a big deal out of this? She feels so guilty she's about to faint. Aria, that's enough. You're a luna, act like one."

After dropping that line, he picked Lily up and left.

I never thought I'd hear something like that from him. I stood there in disbelief, and coldness seeped into my bones.

When I got home, the maid saw the blood on my face and freaked out. She kept asking what happened and if someone had bullied me, and she wanted to call Ethan to make him come home and get justice for me.

"Don't bother." I stopped her quietly.

All my pain came from his own hands.

I sat by the window with an ice pack for an hour, and the swelling had barely gone down when I got a message from Lily.

"Luna, did you make it home? I'm at the hospital now. Ethan is so worried about me. I just had an emotional breakdown and fainted, but he booked the entire VIP floor and got more than ten healers to check on me."

She continued, "Oh, how's your injury? It's my fault for not controlling my strength. It must hurt a lot, right? Why don't you come to the hospital, and I'll be generous enough to spare you one doctor to check if it'll scar? After all, as luna, it wouldn't look good to have scars on your face."

I looked at it once and forwarded it straight to Ethan.

It wasn't until the early morning that he replied with just a few words. "Lily means well."

I laughed, and tears came with it.

"You're protecting her this much? Why don't you just mark her now? I'll step aside and wish you both eternal happiness. Early mark and happy bond."

This time, Ethan replied instantly, "Aria, why are you saying things you don't mean again? I've told you so many times—you're my only luna, and my mate bond belongs only to you. I'm just playing around with these omegas, so can you please not make such a big deal out of it? Get some rest. I'll come home tomorrow to spend time with you."

I laughed bitterly at myself and started getting ready for bed. I didn't want to play along with this boring charade anymore.

Aria's POV

The next day after lunch, I drove over to Ethan's parents' house. Felicia and Keiran had always been kind to me, but today I wasn't there for a visit. I brought the moonstone necklace Felicia had given me at our wedding—the one she'd called a family heirloom, passed down through generations.

The house was quiet when I arrived, and the staff told me Felicia and Keiran had left for Bali that morning. They wouldn't be back for a month. I handed the necklace to the housekeeper and left without another word.

When I got home, Ethan was sprawled on the couch with gift boxes piled on the coffee table. He glanced up from his phone as I walked in.

"The housekeeper called. You returned the heirloom?"

"Yeah."

He sighed and walked over to me. "Still mad? Come on, I got you all these gifts. Can't you forgive me just this once? I'm sorry, my luna."

Even after I'd returned his family's heirloom, his first thought was that I was still angry. It didn't occur to him that I wanted to cut him entirely out of my life.

He was so sure of himself, so certain that I loved him and would never leave. That's why he could be so reckless, why he thought we could have an open relationship, and why he kept parading other omegas around, breaking my heart over and over.

I didn't answer. I just looked at the familiar logo on the boxes, and something cold twisted in my chest. "The things I want have to be mine alone."

Lily had texted me earlier, showing off the jewelry Ethan had bought her—from the same brand.

Ethan didn't even look embarrassed. "Aria, you've got it wrong. I really wanted to apologize, so I asked Lily to help me pick something out. She liked what we found, so I bought two sets. Don't make a big deal out of nothing, okay? We're mates, bonded for life."

I swept my arm across the table and sent the boxes crashing to the floor. "You can buy endless gifts and split your love into a thousand pieces, can't you? Ethan, I only regret—"

I regret ever believing you.

I didn't finish, but Ethan understood. His expression shifted, and he grabbed my hand. "Aria, you have to know—you're the only one I really care about. I wouldn't have marked you in front of the Moon Goddess and made you my mate if that wasn't true. Just give me a few more years. Once I've had my fun, I'll come back to you. I'll be yours alone."

The same empty promises, over and over.

I didn't want to hear any more of it.

I pulled my hand away, my voice flat. "Fine. I'll wait."

My calm tone reassured him. His face relaxed, and I could tell he thought I'd given in again, that I was willing to sit around while he played with other women.

He had no idea I was just counting down the days until our mate bond broke.

Since my birthday was coming up soon, and even though Felicia and Keiran were traveling abroad, they still remembered. They had someone deliver an expensive crown as my birthday gift.

When I got the message, I wanted to tell them I'd taken the severing potion and was planning to break the mate bond. But I didn't want to ruin their vacation, so I kept quiet.

I came home and pushed open the door, and there was Lily with the gift already unwrapped. She had that dazzling crown sitting on her head.

The moment she saw me, panic flashed across her face, and she put on this timid, frightened look. "Luna, what are you doing here?"

I wasn't interested in watching her little performance. I walked over and reached up to take the crown off her head. "That's mine."

Something jealous and bitter flickered in Lily's eyes, and she grabbed onto the Luna's crown with both hands. She wouldn't let go.

I was about to release it when I saw her deliberately press her finger down onto the sharp silverstone at the top.

Bright red blood welled up from her fingertip, and she immediately went limp and collapsed onto the couch. She started crying softly.

"Luna, I just thought the crown was beautiful and wanted to look at it a little longer. Why would you do this to me?"

I hadn't even figured out what game she was playing when someone shoved me hard. My back slammed into the edge of the table, and my forehead hit the surface. Something warm instantly trickled down from my brow bone.

The metallic scent of blood spread through the air.

I sucked in a sharp breath and looked up to see Ethan hovering over Lily, asking her in a low voice if she was okay.

He didn't even glance at me. His entire focus was on Lily.

That's when I finally understood what performance Lily had just put on.

I got up from the floor, trembling, and bent down to pick up the blood-stained crown. I held it out to Lily.

Ethan thought I was showing off and asserting my position as Luna. His pheromones started going wild, and the scent of pine and ice carried a clear warning.

But I didn't give him a chance to explode. "If you like it so much, you can have it. Take it."

Lily froze.

Ethan frowned too, his voice dropping low. "Mom and Dad gave that to you."

To me? No. They gave it to Ethan's Luna.

And I wouldn't be that much longer.

I set the crown on the table, my voice eerily calm. "I'm particular about cleanliness. Blood-stained things are bad luck. It's hers now."

I turned and walked out without looking back.

Behind me, I could hear Ethan speaking softly to Lily. I caught him saying, "Why is she acting so strange today?"

I stopped in the hallway and touched the wound on my forehead.

Before, whenever I got hurt, Ethan would notice immediately. He'd gently lick my wounds with his tongue to help them heal.

Now, he didn't even notice I was bleeding.

I let out a bitter laugh and stepped into the elevator.