Words can wound the heart, yet they also reveal truths about people. It turns out that lineage does matter to him after all.

In a haze, I remembered the Alpha from three years ago, so full of passion and sincerity. He had stood in front of me, defying his mother with conviction: "I don’t care about her family’s rank or connections. I just want her."

Back to the present, I pulled out the letter my grandmother, Holly, had left for Atharv. "Grandma passed away," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.

Atharv’s eyes narrowed, his Alpha aura flaring with irritation. "Jealousy shouldn’t go this far. Don’t joke about Grandma."

How could I use Grandma, my last family member, as a pawn in our petty disputes? The thought alone made me feel sick. I swallowed my pain, forcing back tears, and carefully packed the Victorian-style dress she had made for our engagement ceremony into my suitcase. "We need to end this," I said firmly.

It was time to sever this dysfunctional mate bond.

Three years ago, my family had fallen from grace. Our once-proud pack was stripped of its status, and both my parents took their lives. I was left fending off creditors while caring for Grandma, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness. Facing enormous medical bills, I eventually yielded to Atharv’s advances, though I knew deep down it was more of a contract than a true pairing.

After reading the letter, tears filled his eyes. He pulled me into a remorseful hug, his Alpha scent—a mix of cedar and storm—overpowering. "You still have me," he said, his voice softening.

For a moment, it felt like those intimate times from the past. But the scent of roses, which belonged only to Ada, clung to him, making my stomach churn. "Alpha," I said, my tone firm, "I’m serious."

His expression turned cold, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips. "And how would you manage without me? Where could you possibly go on your own?"

"Stop overreacting. I know you’re upset, but just this once!"

Yes, my only family was gone. I was an orphan, an Omega with no pack ties left. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my skin, unable to speak.

Atharv realized he had crossed a line and quickly tried to backtrack, his Alpha tone shifting to a more placating one. "That’s not what I meant. I would never abandon you." He pulled an antique ring from his pocket, the silver band gleaming under the light.

I froze. Wasn’t this ring supposed to be with Ada? Stiffly, I let him slide the ring onto my finger. He held me close, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We’ll be together forever."

Just as I was about to speak, a message from Ada appeared on my phone. "Sariah, Atharv has really crossed the line this time!" she wrote. "He had a fake antique ring made for you. The real one has a scratch under the diamond from the original owner."

My heart sank. The ring, the scent, the lies—it was all too much. I stepped back from Atharv, my resolve hardening. "I, Sariah Moreno, Omega of the Silverfang Pack, reject you, Atharv Castellano, Alpha of the Silverfang Pack, as my mate."

The words hung in the air, heavy and final. The mate bond between us screamed in protest, a searing pain that shot through my chest. But I stood my ground, refusing to let the tears fall.

Atharv’s eyes widened, his Alpha aura flaring in shock and anger. "You can’t do this," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"I just did," I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

He stared at me, his expression a mix of disbelief and fury. But I didn’t wait for his response. I turned and walked away, my suitcase in hand, ready to face whatever came next.

My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, but I silenced her with a firm thought. This was my choice, and I wouldn’t look back.

As soon as I laid eyes on it... I knew it was a forgery.

I brushed Alpha Atharv aside and went back to packing. I couldn’t stand being in this suffocating den any longer, the weight of his alpha aura pressing down on me like a storm cloud.

Unaware of the turmoil he was causing, Alpha Atharv gently took my hand, his touch sending an unwelcome shiver down my spine. “Let’s go see Grandma together,” he said, his voice dripping with sincerity. “Hasn’t she always wanted to meet me?”

“No need,” I replied, shaking off his grip and refusing flatly. His scent—a mix of pine and something sharp—felt like a mockery now, a reminder of what I’d once thought was our bond.

Since Ada’s return, Alpha Atharv hadn’t visited Grandma once. I vividly recalled that stormy night—Nina had mind-linked me, her voice tense as she told me Alpha Atharv was drunk and needed me to pick him up. Opening the door to the pack’s gathering hall, I was met with a scene that shattered whatever fragile hope I had left. There he was, locked in a passionate embrace with Ada, their scents mingling in a way that made my stomach churn. The pack members around us exchanged mocking glances, their whispers cutting into me like claws.

When the kiss finally broke and they noticed my presence, Ada quickly distanced herself from him, her movements deliberate, her scent lingering in the air like a taunt. She twisted her ankle and fell back into his arms, her voice sweet and innocent as she said, “Alpha Atharv was drunk and mistook me for you, Sariah. You should take him home.” But her gaze never left him, full of longing and something darker.

Alpha Atharv ruffled Ada’s hair with a sigh, his alpha tone softening as he said, “Stop moving around, you’re already hurt. I’ll take you to the healer.” Then he turned to me, his expression hardening. “And you, Sariah, who told you to come here? Go back on your own.”

Just like that, they left me stranded at the pack’s estate. I was soaked through, the rain dripping off my hair as I took one humiliating step after another, my wolf whimpering in the back of my mind. I collapsed by the roadside, only to be found by Nina, her scent of rosemary wrapping around me like a shield.

Alpha Atharv didn’t mock me further now; instead, he handed me that letter, his voice gentle yet insistent. “Grandma wants to see me.”

He tenderly patted my head after saying this, his alpha aura softening for a moment. “I know you’re upset with me for not visiting Grandma. Can you give me another chance?”

Reluctantly, I nodded. It was Grandma’s last wish. When she first entered the pack’s healing center, Alpha Atharv was there every day, attentive and dedicated—the perfect alpha mate—bringing her tea, entertaining her with stories of the pack. It comforted Grandma to leave me in his care completely. Even in her final days, she repeatedly advised me to be more understanding of him.

Yet, despite having the time, Alpha Atharv ignored my pleas to visit Grandma, swayed by Ada’s comment: “Alpha Atharv, you pamper Sariah too much. At such an important time, you still take time to visit her grandmother.”

Letting him go now was only for Grandma to finally see his true character.

That evening, while I was arranging things for Grandma, Alpha Atharv’s mind-link came through, his voice commanding and sharp. “Ada wants to join us. Help her get ready. She’s still young and doesn’t know much about these things.”

I clenched my fists, the bond between us twisting painfully in my chest. But I didn’t argue. Not for him, not anymore. This was for Grandma.