As I stepped out of the upscale club, the cool night air brushed against my skin, carrying the faint scent of pine from the nearby forest. My phone buzzed in my hand—it was Grandma Carolina.

"Don’t worry, Arianna," her voice, warm and steady, came through the line. "I’ll reach out to the Mitchell Pack immediately and ensure you become the happiest Luna."

A lump formed in my throat, and my vision blurred with tears that soon spilled over. We talked for a while, her words grounding me as she steered the conversation toward mundane things—the pack’s upcoming hunt, the new healer she’d recommended, the weather. When I finally ended the call, I felt a mix of relief and sorrow.

Despite being the daughter of Alpha Francisco of the Grant Pack, my relationship with my parents was nothing like the one my sister, Zora, shared with them. My parents, deeply superstitious, believed that my presence would bring misfortune to the pack. So, from a young age, they left me in the care of Grandma Carolina, a respected elder in the pack.

Except for major pack gatherings like the Moon Festival or the Alpha’s decree ceremonies, I rarely saw my parents or Zora. Even when I was accepted into the prestigious academy in Boston, they refused to let me return to the pack territory. At first, I yearned for their acceptance, for the familial bond that seemed to come so easily to Zora. But over time, I grew indifferent. The pack’s hierarchy, the unspoken rules of deference to my father’s title, and the weight of their expectations felt suffocating.

Grandma Carolina, however, was my anchor. She doted on me, her love unwavering, and she had arranged a promising mate bond for me—her old friend’s grandson, Hayes Mitchell, a Beta from the Mitchell Pack. Yet, in my youthful defiance, I had rejected her proposal, longing for a love I could choose for myself. That’s how I ended up with Colter Cox, an Alpha from the rival Cox Pack.

At the time, I thought I had found my safe haven, a place where I could belong. But now, standing alone under the moonlight, I realized how gravely mistaken I had been. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of regret echoing in my mind.

*You knew better,* she whispered, her voice tinged with both reproach and sorrow.

I did. And yet, I had ignored the warnings, both from her and from those who cared about me. The memory of Colter’s controlling nature, his possessive grip on my life, sent a shiver down my spine. He had promised me the world, but in the end, he had only taken pieces of me away.

The night stretched on, the silence of the forest pressing in around me. I took a deep breath, the scent of damp earth and distant pine filling my lungs. I had made mistakes, but I was determined to rebuild, to find my place in this world—not as the daughter of an Alpha, not as Colter’s mate, but as Arianna Richards, a wolf in her own right.

I took a taxi back to Colter’s territory, the weight of the day pressing heavily on my shoulders. As soon as I stepped inside, I pulled out my suitcase and began packing. The air in the room felt thick, suffocating, as if the walls themselves were closing in on me. It was late when Colter returned, his presence filling the space with an alpha’s commanding aura. He strode in, his broad shoulders tense, and barked his first order before he even fully crossed the threshold.

“Arianna, get me some honey water,” he demanded, his voice sharp and impatient.

I glanced at him, my expression cold and distant. He sank onto the couch, massaging his temples, but I didn’t move. The urge to rush to his side, to soothe him like I used to, was gone. The silence stretched between us, heavy and unyielding, until Colter finally noticed my lack of response.

“Arianna?” His tone softened slightly, though it still carried an edge. “Are you still mad at me?”

“No,” I replied, my voice flat and emotionless. It wasn’t anger I felt anymore—it was resignation.

But Colter wasn’t satisfied. His alpha instincts seemed to bristle at my detachment. “Arianna Richards, enough!” he snapped, his voice rising. “I just joked around with Zora, and you’re still making a fuss? She’s your sister, for the Moon Goddess’s sake. Do you really think we’d do anything inappropriate behind your back?”

I placed the photo frame I’d been holding onto the table and turned to face him. My wolf stirred faintly in the back of my mind, a quiet growl of frustration, but I silenced her. Before I could speak, Colter kicked the coffee table aside with a growl, the wood scraping against the floor. He stormed off toward the bedroom, slamming the door behind him with a force that made the walls shudder.

I stood there for a moment, letting out a bitter laugh. The photo frame caught my eye again, and I picked it up. It was the only picture we had together, a moment frozen in time when things had seemed simpler. I pulled the photo out and carefully cut my side out of it, tossing my half into the trash. His half went back into the frame. I used to treasure that picture, but now, it felt like a relic of a life I no longer wanted.

Packing was almost done, and I did a final check. My ID was still missing. After a moment of hesitation, I headed to the bedroom. I didn’t expect to walk in on Colter and Zora in the middle of a video call, both of them in nothing but their skin.

I froze in the doorway, my heart pounding. Zora noticed me first. She gave a playful, reproachful smile as she ended the call. “Colter, you don’t even lock the door when you’re chatting?” she teased.

Colter turned, his eyes widening when he saw me. He grabbed a pillow to cover himself, then hurled it at me with a growl. “Arianna Richards, didn’t anyone teach you to knock?”

The pillow hit me in the head, but the pain in my heart was far worse. “Get out!” he shouted, his alpha tone lashing at me like a whip.

I blinked back tears, refusing to let him see me cry. “I just came to get something. I’ll be gone soon,” I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. I walked over to the nightstand, my movements deliberate.

Colter watched me approach, his temper flaring. He pulled on his shorts and jumped off the bed, grabbing my wrist with a force that made me wince. “Arianna Richards, you’re so pathetic! Do you really have to hang on to me?” he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

The pain in my wrist brought tears to my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. “Let go!” I cried, trying to pull away.

His grip tightened, and he shoved me onto the bed. “You wanted to end things, and I agree! Now get out!” he roared, his alpha aura pressing down on me like a weight.

Grasping my swollen wrist, I got off the bed, grabbed my ID, and headed for the door. My wolf growled faintly in the back of my mind, a mix of anger and hurt, but I pushed her down. I couldn’t afford to let her take control now.

“Stop!” Colter called out suddenly. I paused, but I didn’t turn around.

“Take everything you’ve used out of this house when you leave. I don’t want to see it!” he snapped, his voice cold and final.

I kept my head down, my voice quiet but firm. “I’ll have someone come by to clean up. You won’t have to see a thing.”

Colter’s face darkened with anger, but he didn’t try to stop me again. I walked out the door, my suitcase in hand, and didn’t look back. The mate bond between us felt like a frayed thread, barely holding on, but I knew it was only a matter of time before it snapped completely.

Outside, snow had begun to fall, covering everything in a blanket of white. I pulled my suitcase behind me, resolutely heading for the door without looking back. The icy air bit at my skin, but I barely felt it. My mind was too focused on the weight of the decision I was making—the decision to leave Colter Cox, the Alpha of the Cox Pack, for good.

Colter probably didn’t expect me to actually leave. The moment I opened the door, he rushed over and grabbed my suitcase. I glanced at him, and he took that chance to drag me back into the room, his grip firm and unyielding. His towering frame loomed over me, his Alpha aura pressing down like a heavy weight.

“Arianna, have you lost your mind?” he growled, his voice laced with that commanding Alpha tone that always made my knees weak. “It’s snowing hard, and you still want to leave. If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to your father, the Alpha of the Grant Pack?”

I looked into his furious face, his dark eyes blazing with anger, and dropped my gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not Zora. They don’t care about me.”

Colter’s expression faltered for a moment, his brow briefly relaxing before furrowing again. He knew well how little I mattered in the Grant family hierarchy. It was only a year ago that I discovered the alliance between the Cox Pack and the Grant Pack. I also found out that my parents, the Alpha and Luna of the Grant Pack, intended to pair Zora with Colter as his mate.

When they learned that Colter and I had formed a bond, they didn’t say much, but their attitude towards me grew even colder. They kept urging Colter to take good care of Zora, right in front of me. True to their wishes, Colter looked after her splendidly—so much so that even their conversations seemed excessively intimate.

Perhaps noticing my despondency, Colter pulled me into his arms, his scent—a mix of pine and something distinctly Alpha—enveloping me. It was a scent that had once comforted me, but now it only made my chest ache.

“Alright,” he said, his voice softer now, though still edged with authority. “I admit I messed up tonight. Zora had an embarrassing moment at the coffee shop, and while trying to cheer her up, I probably overdid the drinks. I promise, it won’t happen again.”

I suppose I should be grateful. Though Colter didn’t promise to distance himself from Zora, at least he showed some willingness to make things right, didn’t he? I pushed him away, speaking calmly, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “There’s no need to force things. Let’s just go back to being regular packmates.”

A dangerous look flashed in Colter’s eyes, his Alpha aura flaring, making the air around us thick with tension. “Arianna, are you trying to test me?”

Seeing that I continued to avert my gaze, he shoved me roughly on the shoulder. I stumbled backward against the shoe cabinet in the hallway, my lower back hitting it painfully and causing tears to spring to my eyes. The sharp sting grounded me, though, reminding me of the reality of the situation.

Seeing my tears, Colter finally reined in his anger, his Alpha tone softening slightly. “You’re not thinking straight tonight. Go back and sleep; we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

I forced myself to stand tall, squaring my shoulders despite the ache in my back, and met his eyes. “There’s no need. I’m about to mate with Hayes—”

Before I could finish, the door swung open. When Colter saw who it was, he quickly released me and stepped forward, his demeanor shifting instantly. “Zora, what are you doing here?”

Zora rubbed her hands together, her delicate features framed by her golden hair. She spoke in a sugary voice, “Father said the power’s out at home, so he told me to stay here for the night.”

Colter naturally took her hands, warming them up, his touch gentle and attentive. Zora smiled sweetly and looked past him to address me, her tone dripping with faux innocence. “Sister, you don’t mind, do you?”

Colter’s gaze also landed on me, his eyes dark and unreadable. I swallowed my tears before turning away, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. “No, I don’t mind.”