As I reached the hospital entrance, Cassius suddenly appeared, his broad frame blocking my path. His voice carried the faintest hint of an Alpha tone, a reminder of his rank as Beta of the Silver Moon Pack.

"Kya, Lana didn’t mean any harm."

I recoiled, shaking off his hand with more force than I thought I had left. My legs trembled, the low blood sugar making my vision blur for a moment, but I steadied myself.

"Don’t you know she’s my arch-enemy?" I hissed, my voice low but sharp. "She took the Gamma position that should’ve been mine. Or have you forgotten how she spread rumors about me being unfit for the pack because my wolf hasn’t awakened?"

Cassius’s jaw tightened, his dark eyes flashing with something—anger, maybe regret. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a cold, dismissive glare.

"Even if that’s true," he said, his voice steady but cutting, "Lana earned that position fair and square. Why didn’t you fight for it? In the end, it’s because you’re too weak, Kya. You lack the strength to stand up for yourself."

His words hit me like a blow to the chest. Seven years. Seven years of him standing by me, reassuring me when I felt like an outcast in the pack.

"It’s okay," he’d say, his voice soft and comforting. "Even if your wolf never awakens, you’re still my mate. You’re still worthy."

But now, he was the one tearing me down, his words sharper than any claws.

The sky darkened, and a crack of thunder echoed above us. Rain began to pour, drenching us in seconds. I couldn’t tell if the water on my face was rain or tears, but it didn’t matter. I felt hollow, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me.

"Kya," he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. "You know I have to think of the pack. Lana’s a Gamma. She’s strong, capable. I need someone like her by my side."

I stared at him, my heart shattering all over again. My wolf, silent for so long, stirred in the back of my mind, a faint whimper echoing in my thoughts.

"Is that what this is about?" I asked, my voice trembling. "You’re ashamed of me because I’m an Omega? Because I’m not strong enough for you?"

Cassius’s silence was all the answer I needed.

The rain poured harder, but I didn’t care. I turned and walked away, my legs feeling like they might give out at any moment. Cassius didn’t follow, and for the first time, I was glad.

I didn’t need him. I didn’t need anyone who saw me as a burden. My wolf stirred again, a quiet growl of defiance. For the first time in years, I felt a spark of something—anger, determination, maybe even strength.

I would prove him wrong. I would prove them all wrong.

The next morning, I woke up in my small room in the Silver Moon Pack's Omega quarters. The faint scent of Cassius still lingered in the air, a cruel reminder of the mate bond that once tied us together. As soon as I sat up, his voice cut through the silence, sharp and devoid of the concern he’d shown the night before.

"You fainted in the rain again yesterday. You really need to take better care of yourself, Kya. Low blood sugar isn’t something to ignore."

I met his gaze with a steady voice, my tone colder than the frost that clung to the windows. "Aren’t you and Lana preparing for the marking ceremony? I could be your witness, if you’d like."

Cassius’s eyes widened, and he forced a sheepish grin, his Beta aura flickering with unease. "What are you talking about? If you were the witness, who would be the one being marked?"

I stared into his eyes, searching for any trace of the mate bond we once shared, but all I found was anxiety—and something darker. Before he could stammer out another excuse, the doorbell chimed, its echo cutting through the tension.

It was Lana. She stood at the threshold, a bouquet of roses clutched in her hands, her voice delicate but tinged with a whine. "Cassius, I wanted to buy flowers to apologize to Kya, but I pricked myself on the thorns. What should I do?"

Cassius, who had just been impatient with me, instantly shifted his tone, his voice soft and dripping with concern. "How did you manage that? Wait here, I’ll get the first-aid kit."

"But what about the flowers for Kya..." Lana’s voice trailed off, her eyes flickering to me with a feigned innocence.

I covered my nose with my hand, my expression cool and unyielding. "I’m allergic to roses. I can’t be near them."

Cassius’s face twisted, his Beta aura flaring in irritation. "Kya, I can’t believe you’d be so harsh. Lana didn’t know about your allergy. Why the cold tone? Would smelling them really be that dangerous?"

Before I could respond, he scooped Lana into his arms, her roses falling to the floor as he stormed out of the room. "Forget about her, let’s get to the healer’s quarters!"

The door slammed shut behind them, leaving me alone in the silence. The faint aroma of spaghetti and meatballs—Lana’s favorite—still lingered in the air, a bitter contrast to the cold breakfast Cassius had left untouched on the side table.

I glanced at the bowl, its contents congealed and unappetizing, and a sharp pain stabbed at my chest. At that moment, whatever remnants of the mate bond I’d clung to shattered completely. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind, a low growl of anger and betrayal.

"He’s not worth it," she murmured, her voice a quiet echo in my thoughts.

I nodded to myself, my resolve hardening. Cassius had made his choice, and I would make mine. The Silver Moon Pack had no place for me anymore. It was time to leave—to find a new pack, a new life, and maybe, just maybe, a future where I wasn’t just an Omega with a broken bond.