I signed the agreement to support the development of the frontier pack, and with it, I brought home the mate rejection papers. Meanwhile, Alistair Mills, the Alpha of the Shadow Fang Pack, was still at the infirmary, tending to Rosalie Jenkins, a Delta in his pack who was as fragile as a porcelain doll. Ever since she joined the pack, I’ve lost count of how many times Alistair has left me alone in our shared home.

“She’s my pack member; your needs can’t compare to hers.”

I decided it was time to give them space, so I chose to let go. A week should be enough.

---

I made my way to the infirmary, my steps heavy but determined. As I approached, I saw Alistair with Rosalie, who was getting her IV drip. They were chatting and laughing, their voices light and carefree, but the moment they noticed me, the room fell silent.

“Josephine, what are you doing here?” Alistair asked, his tone cool and dismissive.

Rosalie, just like her name, had skin as pale as snow, lying there like a tranquil porcelain doll. Right then, Alistair was gently feeding her chicken broth, his movements tender and deliberate.

“Of course, I’m sick,” I replied with a wry smile, hanging my drip on the rack nearby. “Why else would anyone come to the infirmary for fun?”

This scene was one I’d grown accustomed to. My face was pale, and I could barely stand upright. Eventually, Alistair set the soup aside and connected my medication.

“Thanks,” I said politely to the man who was once my mate. We’d been bonded for five years, with three of those in a cold war.

“Josephine, is your stomach still acting up?” Alistair frowned at me, but I didn’t reply.

“I’ve told you so many times not to skip meals. Is it my fault you ended up like this?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped. “I didn’t expect to run into you here, and you’re certainly not worth my blame.”

I stared out the window with indifference. My stomach issues were indeed due to skipping meals, back when Alistair and I were working hard together, building the pack. He used to hold me and whisper promises of care, his voice filled with genuine concern.

“I’m sorry, Josephine… It’s my fault. From now on, I’ll make sure you eat every meal.”

Back then, he truly cared about me.

“I don’t have time; can’t you take care of yourself? And apologize to Rosalie for your tone earlier.”

Alistair was unapologetic, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. I was used to it.

“Alpha,” I said, emphasizing his title, “I’m not your subordinate, and I don’t take orders from you. I’m not apologizing. If you can’t stand it, switch rooms.”

I looked at him deeply, noting how he had changed. He was no longer the man from three years ago.

Alistair scoffed and turned to Rosalie, his voice softening.

“Rosalie, do you want to stay here? If not, I’ll talk to the Healer about getting us a different room.”

Hearing my mate speak sweet words to another female, without a single care for me, was painful. Yet Rosalie, ever the thoughtful one, said,

“It’s fine, Alpha, I’m okay here. I haven’t seen Josephine in a long time; I’d like to chat with her.”

Upon hearing that, I let out a dry laugh without answering. Whether she genuinely wanted to chat with me, I knew better than anyone else.

In the end, the Alpha didn’t move Rosalie to another room; instead, he stayed with her the whole time, and I couldn’t help but eavesdrop on their conversation through the thin walls of the infirmary.

"Alpha," Rosalie’s voice was soft, almost fragile. "Do you remember when we first met? You swore you’d always look out for me."

"Of course," Alistair replied, his voice steady. "I’ll always see you as a sister and take care of you."

The word “always” hit me like a blow. He’d said the same to me once, back when the mate bond was still fresh and unbroken. Turns out, “always” wasn’t as permanent as I’d thought it was.

I chuckled quietly to myself, the sound bitter. In a week, I’d be gone. Earlier today, Bryce Stone, a Gamma from the neighboring pack, had spoken passionately about the need to develop the frontier territories. He’d called for volunteers, and I’d stepped forward without hesitation. I realized my life shouldn’t be tangled up in mate drama or the politics of packs. What I needed was to serve, to build something meaningful. To prove that a female could be as strong as any male.

The thought gave me a strange sense of comfort, but my throat was dry. I reached for the cup of coffee on the bedside table, only to find it cold. I set it aside with a sigh.

"Josephine," Rosalie’s voice cut through the silence, sweet and saccharine. "Do you want some coffee? I’ve got a fresh cup here."

Alistair appeared in the doorway, holding the steaming cup. He extended it toward me, his expression unreadable.

"No, thanks," I said, my tone flat.

"Josephine," Alistair’s voice was sharp now, the alpha tone slipping through. "Rosalie is just trying to be kind. You can’t just refuse like that."

"I’m not thirsty anymore," I replied, meeting his gaze. "Are you going to force me to drink it?"

"Josephine, don’t be unreasonable!" He slammed the cup down on the table, coffee sloshing over the edge. His aura flared, the pressure of his alpha dominance pressing against me.

I smiled faintly, catching the smug look in Rosalie’s eyes. She’d won, and she knew it.

When I was discharged from the infirmary, I left alone. Alistair walked out with Rosalie, who’d been admitted for nothing more than a mild cold. He didn’t look back at me, not once. Maybe I didn’t matter to him anymore.

Back in my small room at the edge of the pack territory, I pulled out the mate rejection papers. The words were still fresh in my mind, the vow I’d made to sever the bond between us. “I, Josephine, daughter of Beta Moreno of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Alistair Mills, Alpha of the Shadow Fang Pack, as my mate.” The pain had been excruciating, but it was nothing compared to the years of neglect I’d endured.

I traced the edge of the paper, thinking about everything that had happened. All those years I’d spent as his mate, trying to be enough, couldn’t compare to the three years Rosalie had known him. It was ridiculous, pathetic even.

I tucked the papers away. Only five days remained until I’d leave for the frontier.

Alistair returned late that night, and I was half-asleep when I felt a hand brush against my stomach.

"Who’s there?!" I jerked upright, my heart racing.

"It’s just me," Alistair said, his voice low. He stepped back, his face illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the window. "I just wanted to see if you were feeling better."

I pushed his hand away, my chest tight. "I’m fine."

He lit the oil lamp on the table, the flickering light casting shadows across the room. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the silence heavy with unspoken words. Then he turned away, his shoulders stiff.

"Get some rest," he said, his tone clipped. "You’ll need your strength for the journey."

I didn’t reply. Instead, I lay back down, my thoughts churning. The bond between us was broken, but the pain of it still lingered, like a wound that hadn’t quite healed. And as much as I wanted to forget him, I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.

"Alright, thanks." I murmured, ready to drift off to sleep when Alpha Alistair's voice broke the silence.

"You know, Rosalie wanted to chat with you today, but you brushed her off. I think you owe her an apology."

"I'm not going to apologize."

"Josephine!" His tone sharpened, the Alpha command lacing his words. "You're being too stubborn! Rosalie always thinks of you as her big sister!"

"Is that supposed to make me feel grateful?" I let out a bitter laugh, recalling countless times Alpha Alistair had neglected me due to Rosalie's whims—when I miscarried, during my gastric episodes, even when I got lost outside, he left me to find my own way back while soothing Rosalie’s imaginary fears.

Ultimately, I nearly fell off a cliff and was brought back on a stretcher, while he was busy making pulled pork for Rosalie.

"Josephine, you weren't always like this. What's going on?" Alpha Alistair questioned beside me, his voice tinged with frustration.

"If you think I’ve changed, maybe we should consider a mate rejection."

The words "mate rejection" seemed to hang in the air, silencing him for a moment. I felt a bit uneasy myself.

"We're not rejecting the bond. Don’t bring it up again," Alpha Alistair said softly before turning to sleep.

We lay there, backs to each other, silent. The moon, often a comfort to our kind, seemed less bright tonight.

The next day, I decided to speak with Alpha Alistair. Despite the looming rejection, he should know about my plans to leave for a while. But when I reached his office, he wasn’t there; instead, Rosalie was sitting inside, fiddling with a small object.

I focused my gaze and realized it was the watch I had given Alpha Alistair as a symbol of our mate bond, bought with all my savings at the time.

"Jo, you're here!" Rosalie chirped as she saw me, clutching the watch tightly.

"Is that Alpha Alistair's watch?" I asked coolly, looking directly at it.

"Oh, this? Yeah, Alpha Alistair gave it to me. I bought him a new one, and since this wasn't worth much, he passed it on to me."

Her smug tone made each word cut like a knife, leaving a dull ache inside.

"Did he really say that?"

"Yep, he said that since I liked it, he’d let me have it. Alpha Alistair’s always pampering me, promising me whatever I want." Rosalie boasted proudly, her Delta status giving her the confidence to speak so boldly.

"In that case, you might as well give the watch back to me. After all, it’s not worth much." I masked my inner pain and spoke expressionlessly. The watch wasn't expensive, but I’d bought it with all my savings back then.

Before Rosalie could respond, the sound of the door opening interrupted, followed by a surprised yelp from Rosalie. Alpha Alistair stepped in, his towering frame filling the doorway. His dark eyes flicked between us, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of guilt. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual commanding presence.

"Josephine," he said, his voice calm but firm. "We need to talk."

I stood my ground, my heart pounding. The mate bond between us felt like a weight, pulling at me even as I tried to push it away. My wolf stirred within me, a quiet growl of discontent echoing in my mind.

Alpha Alistair’s gaze softened slightly, and he stepped closer. "You can’t keep avoiding this. The bond—"

"I’m not avoiding anything," I interrupted, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "But I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do wrong."

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "You’re making this harder than it needs to be."

"And you’re making it impossible," I shot back, my wolf’s growl growing louder in my head. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. "Alpha Alistair, I think it’s time we accept that this isn’t working."

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. But then he nodded, his expression resigned. "If that’s what you want."

"It’s not about what I want," I said quietly. "It’s about what’s best for both of us."

He didn’t respond, and the silence between us felt heavier than ever. Rosalie’s presence in the room was a reminder of the distance that had grown between us, and I knew that no matter what happened next, things would never be the same.

As I turned to leave, I felt the mate bond pull at me once more, a painful reminder of what we were losing. My wolf whimpered softly, but I ignored it, focusing on the path ahead. The moon, now hidden behind the clouds, offered no comfort, and I knew that from here on out, I would be walking this path alone.