On our fifth anniversary as mates, Andy, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, promised me a special surprise. I waited alone by the lake for hours as the rain poured down, my Luna’s dress soaked through, but he never showed. The bond between us felt heavy with his absence, the silence in my mind louder than the storm.

Then I saw it—a post on Charlotte’s social media, tagged at a nearby hotel. Charlotte, a rogue werewolf and Andy’s childhood friend, had captioned it: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." The photo showed them kissing under dim lighting, their hands intertwined on a bed strewn with rose petals. Andy’s mating mark, usually prominent on his neck, was absent. My stomach churned, the scent of betrayal sharp in the air.

I quickly sent her a message: "May you two grow old together, blessed with a whole team of little heirs." The sarcasm in my words did little to mask the ache in my chest. The photo confirmed what I had suspected for months—Andy had strayed from our bond.

When Andy finally called, his voice was calm, almost dismissive. "Annabelle, what’s this all about? Charlotte is just an old friend, like a sister. You’re misreading the situation."

"And let’s not forget, it’s pouring rain, and she didn’t have an umbrella. I happened to run into her. With her heart condition, what if she got sick from the rain? I only brought her to the hotel to wait it out!" His excuses poured out, each one more hollow than the last. Through the phone, I could hear Charlotte’s faint breathing, soft and delicate.

Unmoved, I cut him off. "Andy, I’m still at the lake." My voice was steady, though my body trembled with cold and exhaustion. I had been waiting for nearly four hours, drenched and shivering, with no shelter or transport nearby.

He hesitated, then said, "Stay there. I’ll come get you right away."

But another hour passed, the rain unrelenting, and Andy never came. When the storm finally ceased, I trudged away from the lake, my body heavy with illness and disgust. The bond between us felt like a frayed thread, ready to snap.

At home, I sought warmth in a hot bath, but my mind couldn’t escape the image of Andy and Charlotte. I opened my phone again and saw his comment under her post: "I will always protect my little princess." The words stung more than the cold.

When I clicked on Charlotte’s profile, I was met with a blank line—I had been blocked. My headache worsened, and I took a few healing herbs, hoping sleep would bring relief.

It didn’t last long. Andy’s voice jolted me awake as he ripped off the comforter, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. "Didn’t I tell you to wait for me at the lake? I’ve been running back and forth all night. Get up and make me something to eat!"

"And another thing, make some ginger tea for Charlotte. She got wet, and I’ll take it over to her later."

My headache spiked, and my patience shattered. "Was Charlotte not enough for you? Why else would you have the energy to shout at me here?"

He stood abruptly, his towering frame looming over me, his dark eyes blazing. "Annabelle, haven’t you had enough? I’ve told you over and over—I was late because of traffic."

"You just have to stir things up on our anniversary, don’t you? I even got you a gift, and this is how you thank me—sulking?" He tossed a small box at me, the force of it hitting my forehead and bringing tears to my eyes.

He leaned in to inspect the damage, but the scent of Charlotte’s perfume—vanilla and rose—was overwhelming. The memory of them together flashed in my mind, and I pushed him away, nausea rising in my throat.

The box had spilled open, revealing a bracelet I had admired for months. But I remembered seeing it on Charlotte’s wrist in her post, clasped around her delicate hand as she intertwined her fingers with Andy’s.

The cheap sparkle of the bracelet told me everything I needed to know. In this battle for his affection, Charlotte had won—Andy’s loyalty and a costly trinket. All I had were his lies.

"It’s almost 2 AM now," I said, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Andy, our fifth anniversary is over, and so is our bond."

"Let’s not make any hasty statements. Get up, and I’ll take you to the healer."

Andy’s voice was firm, his Alpha tone leaving no room for argument. His dark eyes flickered with concern as he stared at the blood seeping from my forehead. Despite the pounding in my skull, he insisted on pulling me out of bed, his grip unyielding. He was determined to play the doting mate, even now.

I was too disoriented to protest. In the car, the AC was blasting, and I instinctively clutched my talisman tighter. It was only then I noticed the markings—a crude X carved into its surface, defacing the intricate design. Someone had made a point, and it wasn’t subtle.

Andy noticed my discomfort and waved a hand dismissively. "The last time I picked up Charlotte, she thought it was a bit plain and decided to ‘improve’ it. Don’t worry, I’ll get you a new one tomorrow."

Then, his voice hardened, the Alpha tone creeping back in. "Come on, Annabelle. You’re the Luna of this pack. Clinging to trinkets like this—it’s beneath you. I haven’t even complained, so why are you upset?"

The talisman was a cherished gift from my parents, a symbol of my heritage and connection to the Crimson Howl Pack. Silently, I wiped the markings with a damp cloth, my heart heavy with emotions I couldn’t voice.

At that moment, Charlotte called, her voice light and teasing through the speakers.

"Hey, Alpha, is she asleep yet? Never mind, just come over. Cassius and Kartier are waiting."

Her tone was casual, as if she were discussing the weather.

Andy glanced at me, a flicker of guilt crossing his features before he masked it. "She’s with me."

"Oh? Perfect. Bring her along too; don’t be a killjoy." Charlotte’s voice carried a mocking edge that set my teeth on edge.

Without hesitation, Andy turned the car around, following the location Charlotte had sent.

"I’m not going, Alpha. Just take me home," I said firmly, my voice steady despite the dizziness.

But Andy’s jaw tightened, his Alpha aura pressing down on me. "You’re the Luna, Annabelle. You need to be seen with me. It’s not just about you anymore."

I shook my head, the memories of past humiliations flooding back. The first time I’d met Andy’s friends, I’d been hopeful, eager to fit in. But they’d mocked my lack of inner wolf, my "plainness," and Andy had done nothing to defend me. Instead, he’d left me at a bar to escort Charlotte home, leaving me vulnerable and humiliated.

But Andy seemed to have forgotten all that. He sighed, his tone softening just enough to be patronizing. "Please, just come and say hi, then we’ll leave. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be."

By the time we arrived, it was past midnight, the moon high in the sky. Charlotte greeted Andy with a warm embrace, her golden hair shimmering under the light. Turning to me, her eyes glinted with malice. "Playing hard to get, are you? Still upset about last time?"

She laughed, a sound that grated on my nerves. "Come on, I’ve known Alpha for years. If there was anything between us, do you think you’d be Luna?"

The group eagerly pulled Andy to sit down, leaving four seats available, awkwardly excluding me. Cassius stood up, his polite smile not reaching his eyes. "Luna, you can take my seat."

I looked at him, remembering the countless times he’d questioned Andy’s choice of mate. "What does Annabelle have over Charlotte? Why did you mark her?"

Andy’s response echoed in my mind. "I argued with Charlotte then, acted on impulse… I regret it, but she’s been by my side all these years, so my heart softened."

Lost in thought, I shook my head slightly and smiled at Cassius, my voice calm but firm. "No need. Andy and I are dissolving our mate bond. There’s no reason to save a seat for me."

My words left Andy momentarily stunned; he clearly hadn’t expected me to speak so candidly in front of his friends. Over the years, no matter how late, I’d always put aside past grievances to pick him up from a gathering with just one call.

But at this moment, I decided I wouldn’t compromise for Andy any longer.