The scent of white lilies clung to my fingers as I arranged them in a small vase on my dresser. Three years. Three years since I'd held my daughter's hand, since I'd heard her laugh, since I'd watched her chest rise and fall with each precious breath.

"It's her anniversary today," I whispered to myself, my voice catching in my throat. "She would have been six."

I touched the small silver locket around my neck—the one containing a tiny portion of Lily's ashes. The weight of it against my skin was both comfort and torment.

"The memorial service starts at sunset," I reminded myself, smoothing down the simple black dress I'd chosen for the occasion. "Axel promised we would do this together."

My fingers traced the fading mark on my neck—once a vibrant symbol of our eternal bond, now barely visible except to my touch. The mate bond between us had weakened over the years, but surely today—on this day of all days—he would remember what mattered.

I made my way through the Pack House corridors, my footsteps echoing against the marble floors. Wolves nodded respectfully as I passed, their eyes carefully avoiding mine. They all knew what today meant. They all knew about the fire that had taken my little girl while her parents argued downstairs.

Axel's office door stood slightly ajar. Strange—he usually kept it locked when in meetings. I raised my hand to knock, then hesitated when I heard laughter from inside.

Female laughter.

My stomach twisted as I pushed the door open wider.

Brinley Wagner sat on my mate's lap behind his massive oak desk, her legs crossed provocatively, her arms draped around his neck. The diamond necklace glinting at her throat caught my eye—a family heirloom that had belonged to Axel's grandmother, meant to be passed down to his firstborn daughter.

Meant for Lily.

"Admiring your new toy?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady despite the earthquake happening inside me.

Axel's eyes widened briefly before narrowing with irritation. "Noelle. I'm busy."

Brinley turned, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Luna Noelle. What a surprise."

I stepped forward, my gaze fixed on the necklace. "That doesn't belong to you."

"Alpha Axel gave it to me," she replied, her fingers caressing the diamonds. "He said I'm the only one who truly understands him now."

Something snapped inside me. The grief I'd been carrying for three years crystallized into rage.

"Get out," I said, my voice trembling not with fear but with fury. "Get out now."

"Enough, Noelle," Axel stood abruptly, dumping Brinley onto the floor. She landed with a surprised cry, but neither of us spared her a glance.

"This is our daughter's anniversary," I continued, tears streaming down my face. "Today of all days, you choose to flaunt this—this betrayal?"

Axel's eyes flashed dangerously. "Stop it."

"Remove her from our pack," I demanded, gesturing to Brinley who was now watching with calculated interest. "And that necklace belongs to Lily's memory."

"ENOUGH!"

The Alpha command hit me like a physical blow. My knees buckled as the weight of his power crushed down on me. My body bowed involuntarily, head forced toward the floor in submission.

"You will not speak to me like that," Axel continued, his voice vibrating with Alpha energy. "You will not suffocate me with your constant reminders of the past."

I fought against the command, trembling with the effort to remain upright. "Our daughter is not a reminder, Axel. She was a life."

"She's gone, Noelle!" he shouted, stepping closer. "And you need to accept that our bond has grown stale. Brinley understands what I need—what an Alpha needs—better than you ever could."

I felt something break inside me then—the last fragile thread of hope that the man I loved still existed somewhere in this cold, power-hungry stranger.

When the pressure of his command finally eased, I straightened slowly, wiping away my tears. The humiliation burned through me, but beneath it was a strange calm.

"You're right," I said quietly.

Surprise flickered across his face.

"I do need to accept something," I continued, my voice ice-cold. "I need to accept that you are not the mate I thought you were."

I drew myself up to my full height, dignity returning like armor to my bones.

"I want a formal Rejection Ceremony," I stated. "At the Council Hall. Today."

Axel's jaw dropped slightly. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected—no tears, no begging, no desperate attempt to salvage what we had.

"You can't be serious," he said, but uncertainty had crept into his voice.

"I've never been more serious." I met his gaze steadily. "Either you reject me properly, or I'll petition the Council myself."

His ego couldn't handle my detachment. I could see it in the flash of anger that crossed his features.

"Fine," he snapped, reaching for his phone. "If that's what you want, I'll give it to you. Marcus will bring the car around immediately."

As he spoke, I caught Brinley's smirk from where she'd been watching our exchange. She thought she'd won.

She had no idea what was coming next.

The silence in the luxury SUV was suffocating. I stared out the window, watching the forest blur past as we headed toward the Council Hall. Beside me, Axel's presence was like a physical weight, his expensive cologne mingling with the faint scent of Brinley that still clung to him.

"You're really doing this," he said finally, his voice cutting through the silence. "This dramatic display of demanding a rejection ceremony."

I didn't look at him. "It's not a display, Axel. It's a necessity."

He laughed, the sound hollow and cruel. "You think I don't know what you're doing? This is just another manipulation tactic. You've always been good at playing the victim."

I clenched my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how deeply his words cut. Three years ago, on this very day, we buried our daughter. Now he sat here, not even acknowledging what today meant.

"I wonder what the Council will think when they hear how their precious Luna abandoned her duties for this... tantrum." He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a small silver flask. The kind he used to carry before we had Lily.

"Is that what you told Brinley? That I was having a tantrum?" I finally turned to look at him, searching for any trace of the man I once loved.

His eyes met mine, cold and unfamiliar. "Brinley understands what it takes to lead a pack. She doesn't burden me with—"

A sudden jolt cut him off as the car swerved violently. The driver cursed, slamming on the brakes.

"Alpha, we've got company," Marcus's voice came through the speaker, tense and professional.

Headlights flashed in the rearview mirror—three vehicles closing in fast.

"Rogues," Axel muttered, instantly alert. "They must have tracked us from the Pack House."

My heart raced as I remembered the enemies Axel had made during his rise to power—wolves who had challenged him and lost everything.

"Marcus, take the next turnoff," Axel ordered, his Alpha tone vibrating through the car.

The driver nodded sharply, accelerating into a curve. The tires squealed against the asphalt as we took the bend too fast.

"They're gaining," I whispered, watching the headlights grow larger in the side mirror.

Axel's hand found mine, squeezing tightly. "Don't worry. Marcus can handle this."

A sickening thud echoed through the car as something heavy slammed into our rear bumper. We lurched forward, my body thrown against the seatbelt.

"They're trying to run us off the road!" Marcus shouted.

Another impact, harder this time. The car spun, tires losing their grip on the wet pavement. Through the windshield, I glimpsed a steep ravine beside the road, trees reaching up from the darkness below.

"Brace yourself," Axel commanded, his voice eerily calm.

Time slowed. Axel's body lunged across mine, his arms wrapping around me protectively as the world tilted sideways. Glass shattered. Metal screamed against metal. The car flipped once, twice, three times.

Each impact drove Axel's body harder against mine. I heard his breath leave his lungs in a painful rush as his head cracked against the reinforced frame.

"Stay with me," I gasped, tasting blood where I'd bitten my tongue.

The car finally came to rest upside down, the engine ticking ominously in the silence that followed. Something warm trickled down my temple—blood, not mine.

"Axel?" I whispered, struggling against my seatbelt.

His breathing came in shallow gasps. His face, normally so commanding and cold, looked vulnerable in the dim light filtering through the shattered windows.

---

Two days later, I sat beside Axel's hospital bed, my body bruised but otherwise intact. Dr. Hartwell had insisted I stay for observation, but I knew it was really because she didn't trust me to leave Axel alone in his condition.

I'd been there when his eyes finally opened.

"Noelle?" His voice was hoarse, confused. "What happened? Why are we here?"

I froze, my hand halfway to his. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

"Where's your father?" he asked, trying to sit up. "Did he hurt you again? I'll kill him if he did."

"Axel," I said carefully, "my father died years ago."

Confusion clouded his features. He reached for me suddenly, pulling me against his chest. "My beautiful mate," he murmured against my hair. "I'm sorry I left you alone so long in that prison. I'm never leaving you again."

I recoiled in horror, stumbling backward. This wasn't my mate—this was a stranger wearing his face.

"Dr. Hartwell!" I called out, my voice shaking.

The doctor appeared instantly, her expression grim as she took in the scene.

"What's happening to him?" I demanded.

She approached Axel slowly, checking his vitals. "It's a form of traumatic regression," she explained quietly. "The injury to his head combined with... whatever was happening between you two... his mind has retreated to a safer time."

"Safer time?" I echoed.

Axel looked between us, his eyes wide and frightened. "Noelle, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dr. Hartwell turned to me, her voice low. "He believes he's eighteen years old, just released from prison. He doesn't remember anything past that."

I stared at the man before me—this version of Axel who looked at me with adoration instead of contempt. Who called me his beautiful mate instead of accusing me of manipulation.

"Is it permanent?" I whispered.

Dr. Hartwell's silence was answer enough.

The Pack House loomed before us, its stone facade gleaming in the afternoon sun. I helped Axel from the car, his arm steady around my waist. Dr. Hartwell had insisted on discharge today, despite my concerns about his condition.

"Whoa," Axel breathed, his eyes wide as he took in the sprawling mansion. "This is... ours?"

I nodded, unable to meet his gaze. "Yes."

"But how? I was just released from prison. I don't understand any of this." His fingers traced the marble steps leading to the grand entrance. "Why would they let me live here?"

The servants lined up at the entrance, bowing their heads respectfully. "Welcome home, Alpha. Luna."

Axel flinched at the title. "Alpha? What are they talking about?"

I guided him inside, past the formal dining room where we once shared meals as a family—before everything fell apart. "You became Alpha after you were released. You challenged the previous Alpha and won."

"But that would mean..." His voice trailed off as realization dawned. "That would mean I killed him."

The truth hung between us, unspoken. Yes, my gentle mate had become a killer to claim power. To claim me.

As we climbed the stairs to our private quarters, Axel's pace slowed. His nostrils flared, and I knew he was scenting something I couldn't perceive.

"Noelle," he whispered, his voice breaking. "What's that smell?"

I froze, knowing exactly what he meant. "What smell?"

"Like... rot." His hand reached for mine, squeezing tightly. "It's coming from us. From our bond."

We reached our bedroom door, and I hesitated before pushing it open. The master suite was immaculate as always—my side of the bed untouched, his side bearing the faint indentation of his body from nights spent reaching for me in his sleep.

Axel stepped inside, then immediately backed out, his face contorted in distress. "Noelle, why do you smell so sad?"

I couldn't answer. How could I explain that the sadness was a physical manifestation of our dying bond? That every day for three years, I'd carried the weight of our daughter's death and his betrayal?

"I'll sleep in the guest room," I said quietly, turning away.

---

The sound of the front door crashing open jolted me from my thoughts. I'd been arranging fresh linens in the guest room when Brinley's voice echoed through the Pack House.

"Where is he?" she demanded. "Where's Axel?"

I rushed downstairs to find her striding through the foyer, her designer heels clicking against the marble floor. Her eyes were rimmed with what looked like genuine tears.

"Brinley," I acknowledged coldly. "He's recovering. You shouldn't be here."

"Recovering?" She pushed past me toward the stairs. "He needs me. I'm the one who understands him now."

A low growl stopped her in her tracks.

Axel stood at the top of the stairs, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Brinley's expression shifted instantly from concern to seduction. "Oh, baby," she cooed, starting up the stairs. "It's me. Don't you remember?"

"Noelle?" Axel looked past her to me, confusion and disgust warring on his face. "Who is this woman?"

"She's... a pack member," I said carefully.

Brinley reached for him, her hand outstretched. "Axel, darling. I've been so worried about you."

Axel's growl deepened, more wolf than man. He moved with startling speed, positioning himself between Brinley and me. His shoulders squared as he faced her, protective instincts flaring.

"Don't touch me," he snarled. "You smell wrong. Like lies."

Brinley's face paled. "But we—"

"Get out," Axel commanded, his voice vibrating with authority that belied his youthful consciousness. "Now."

The force of his command—pure Alpha power without the corruption of his later years—sent Brinley stumbling backward. She looked from Axel to me, hatred flashing in her eyes before she turned and fled.

---

The next morning, I woke to find a small bouquet of wildflowers outside my door. Purple asters and white daisies—the same flowers Axel used to pick for me when we were young.

My fingers trembled as I picked up the small card tucked among the stems.

*To my beautiful mate,*

*I don't know what I did wrong, but I'll spend every day making it right.*

*Forever yours,*

*Axel*

His handwriting was messier than I remembered—the scrawl of a teenager, not the precise script of an Alpha who signed legal documents and pack treaties.

I pressed the card to my chest, tears blurring my vision. This wasn't real. This was just the ghost of the boy I loved, haunting me with what could have been.

More flowers appeared the next day. And the next. Each accompanied by notes written in that same youthful hand:

*Noelle, why won't you look at me?*

*I dreamed about our wedding day.*

*I can still taste your kiss from five years ago.*

I found myself standing in the forest edge where the flowers grew wild, imagining him there—the real him, not this echo of who he once was.

"Noelle?"

I turned to find Axel watching me from a distance, his eyes hopeful and afraid.

"Why are you crying?" he asked softly.

I couldn't answer. How could I explain that every tender gesture from this version of him was a knife twisting in my heart?