As Landon, the Lycan Prince, and I stood at the altar of the Silver Moon Pack’s grand hall, the moment came for the groom to kiss the bride. The air was thick with anticipation, the scent of rosemary and pine filling the space as the pack elders and warriors watched. Suddenly, Landon pushed me aside, his towering frame casting a shadow over me, and kissed Jasmine, the Omega bridesmaid standing behind me.

After a deep, fervent kiss, he turned back to me, his golden eyes gleaming with a casual arrogance. "Penelope," he said, his voice smooth but dismissive, "Jasmine has decided she never wants to mate but wanted to experience what a marking ceremony feels like. We agreed she could share in ours. Let’s carry on with the ceremony."

I glanced around the hall, the guests whispering amongst themselves, their scents mingling with unease. Jasmine’s satisfied expression, her lips curled into a smirk, made my stomach churn. The pack’s hierarchy was on full display—Landon’s Lycan status commanding their attention, my Gamma rank rendering me almost invisible in comparison.

With a smile that masked the storm brewing inside me, I replied, "If she’s 'borrowing' our marking ceremony, let this ceremony be yours instead."

Landon feigned hesitation, his broad shoulders shrugging as if this were a minor inconvenience. "That doesn’t seem quite right, but if you insist, I’m okay with it."

I nodded, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. "I’m fine with it, too. Just make sure you handle the ceremony expenses. It’s just over half a million dollars."

==============================

"What do you mean, Penelope?" Landon demanded, his voice sharp with disbelief, his alpha tone cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. His face paled visibly, the faint scent of rosemary turning bitter.

I ignored him, stepping past him with my head held high. I took the microphone from Alexis, the pack’s Gamma warrior, and addressed the hall. "Dear friends and family, I apologize for today’s scene. The marking ceremony will go on, but I’m no longer the mate. My guests are invited to the second floor for a separate celebration. All gifts will be returned."

With that, I handed the microphone back to Alexis and walked off the stage toward my parents, my heels clicking against the marble floor. The pack’s hierarchy pressed down on me, their scents—vanilla, pine, and rosemary—filling my nostrils as I moved through the crowd.

My parents, respected elders of the Moonlight Pack, had never faced such humiliation. My mother’s scent, usually warm and comforting, was tinged with sadness, while my father, a retired Gamma, remained composed despite the weight of the situation.

"I’m sorry, Mom and Dad," I apologized, my voice barely above a whisper.

My mother looked at me with eyes that mirrored my pain, but my father’s steady gaze anchored me. "You’re an adult now, Penelope, responsible for your own decisions. Take care of this, and we’ll handle the guests upstairs."

My eyes welled up instantly, but I blinked the tears away. "Dad, Mom, let’s go."

"Penelope, stop right there!" Giovanni’s angry voice echoed from behind, his alpha tone commanding and sharp. The scent of pine and leather, once familiar and comforting, now felt suffocating.

I asked my parents to guide our relatives and friends upstairs while I stayed to deal with the situation. Once they were gone, I turned back to face Giovanni, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, the man I’d loved for seven years. My demeanor was calm, but my wolf stirred within me, a low growl of defiance.

His gaze was icy, his tall, muscular frame imposing as he stepped closer. "Penelope, is this really necessary? You’re overreacting to a small issue."

"Today was supposed to be our marking ceremony, and you embarrassed me in front of the entire pack," I replied, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.

He actually thought I was making a fuss over nothing—how laughable! In his eyes, kissing Jasmine in front of all these guests was trivial. My grievances were petty, making a fuss over a minor issue. I still hoped he would recognize his wrongdoing and apologize, but it was a pipe dream.

Seeing my silence, Jasmine began her sympathetic act, her scent of lavender cloying. "Penelope, don’t be small-minded. I’m just planning never to mate, and Giovanni was generous enough to let me experience the feeling of a marking ceremony at yours. I’m not trying to compete with you."

Giovanni’s friends, Deltas and warriors of the Silver Moon Pack, started to criticize me as well, their scents sharp with judgment.

"Come on, Penelope, don’t take it so seriously. Loving someone means accepting them completely. You know Jasmine is Giovanni’s close friend; it’s never been an issue before."

"Penelope, good Alphas like Giovanni are hard to find. Don’t ruin a lifetime of happiness over a moment’s impulse."

"Since Giovanni chose to mate with you, Jasmine decided not to mate ever. Letting her experience it at your ceremony—what’s the harm?"

They were all dressed in designer clothes bought with my money, wearing watches purchased with my money, and still spouting this nonsense. I remained silent, simply watching them, my wolf growling low in my mind.

Giovanni’s parents, elders of the Silver Moon Pack, started to panic, their scents laced with fear. "Penelope, today is your special day; don’t hold it against him."

"His dad’s right. Mating is important; you shouldn’t decide halfway through a ceremony to call it off. Listen to me: complete the ceremony first. Couples argue but make up; it’ll blow over soon."

"Giovanni, apologize to Penelope."

Giovanni looked down at me with a condescending air, his eyes full of disdain. His alpha tone was laced with arrogance as he said, "If she’s got the courage, she’ll reject me and never mate with me."

"Fine, let’s reject the bond," I said, my voice clear and unwavering. The words echoed in the grand hall, the weight of the rejection pressing down on everyone present. The scent of rosemary turned sour, the air thick with tension as I spoke the formal vow. "I, Penelope, Gamma of the Moonlight Pack, reject you, Giovanni, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, as my mate."

The bond snapped, a searing pain coursing through me, but I stood tall, refusing to show weakness. My wolf growled in agreement, a silent affirmation of my decision.

Giovanni’s face darkened, his alpha tone faltering for the first time. "You’ll regret this, Penelope."

But I knew I wouldn’t.

"What did you say?" Giovanni’s eyes widened, his Alpha aura flickering with surprise, though he quickly masked it with a scoff. The grand hall of the Silver Moon Pack, where our marking ceremony was supposed to take place, felt suffocating now, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me.

I tore the ceremonial corsage from my dress and threw it to the ground. The silver crescent moon emblem, a symbol of our pack’s unity, crumpled under my heel. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

His expression darkened, and the air around him thickened with his Alpha command. "Fine, Penelope. Don’t come crawling back like a wounded Omega."

"Don’t worry," I said, my voice steady despite the tremble in my chest. "That day will never come."

I lifted the hem of my ceremonial gown, the white fabric dragging behind me as I turned to leave the hall. The eyes of the pack members burned into my back, their whispers sharp and cutting.

"Penelope, wait!" Giovanni’s parents, elders of the Silver Moon Pack, reached out to stop me, but Jaylen, my personal guard and a Delta warrior of the Moonlight Pack, stepped forward, his presence a silent warning. They backed off, their faces pale with panic.

I found my parents upstairs in the private chamber reserved for high-ranking pack members. My father, a retired Gamma of the Moonlight Pack, stood tall, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos below. "Is everything settled?" he asked, his voice steady.

I nodded, though my throat felt tight. "It’s done."

"Then go greet your friends and relatives," my mother said, her voice soft but firm. "They’re here for you, not for him."

Taking a deep breath, I rubbed my temples. My parents had never supported this bond, even though I’d argued with them endlessly over Giovanni. Looking back, I must have been out of my mind.

My father had always believed Giovanni was irresponsible, unfit to lead a pack, let alone be my mate. But I’d been blinded by love, insisting on this bond despite their warnings. Eventually, they’d relented, agreeing to the marking ceremony and even helping to organize it.

For seven years, I’d given Giovanni everything—my loyalty, my devotion, my heart. I’d overlooked his questionable "friendship" with Teagan, a rogue werewolf who seemed to linger in his life like a shadow. I’d told myself I was being understanding, giving him the freedom to choose his own path. But now, standing in the aftermath of his betrayal, I realized how naive I’d been.

At our marking ceremony, in front of the entire pack, he’d kissed Jasmine, an Omega from his pack, as if it were nothing. And then he’d turned to me, his smirk smug, and said, "Let’s continue."

As if I were nothing.

I’m a Gamma of the Moonlight Pack. I have my pride, my dignity. I hurt just as much as anyone else, but I refused to let him see it. I’d given him everything, and he’d thrown it all away.

At that moment, Freya, my best friend and a Delta warrior, pulled me aside. Her fiery red hair and sharp eyes were a comforting sight amidst the chaos.

"You did great today, Pen," she said, her voice low but fierce. "I’ve been telling you to reject this bond for ages, but you were like a stubborn wolf, blindly charging into a trap. You’re beautiful, strong, and respected. Look at him—what does he have? A pack he barely leads and a string of questionable choices. I swear, I wanted to shake you and ask if you had rocks in your head."

Seeing she was about to launch into another tirade, I quickly interrupted. "Freya, Freya the wise. I know I was wrong. I won’t make that mistake again. It’s over."

She raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Really?"

I nodded emphatically. "Absolutely."

Freya grinned and gave me a thumbs up. "That’s more like it. Now, let’s celebrate the end of this disaster."

I couldn’t help but laugh, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Alright, my honorary Luna, lead the way."

Even outsiders could see Giovanni didn’t love me, but I’d been too lost in my own illusions to see it. How foolish I’d been.

When most of the guests had left, I changed out of my ceremonial gown and found Freya holding a box of spiced honey cakes, a treat we’d loved since we were pups.

"Dig in," she said, shoving the box into my hands.

I ate a lot that day. Seven years of devotion, day by day, turned into crumbs that sank into my stomach. In times of pain, it’s family and friends who stand by you. Freya and I ate until the moon was high, then stumbled out of the hall with mugs of coffee in hand.

As we walked out of the pack grounds, we unexpectedly ran into Giovanni and Teagan, their hands intertwined, laughing and whispering like mates. Giovanni spotted me and sauntered over, his Alpha aura radiating arrogance.

"Drowning your sorrows, Penelope?" he sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Regretting it already? If you beg me, I might just forgive you out of pity."

I stared at him, my wolf growling in the back of my mind. I didn’t need his pity. I’d already given him too much.

"Have you forgotten? I rejected the mate bond," I reminded him, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest. "And with your chin raised so high, be careful not to strain your neck."

Giovanni froze, momentarily stunned into silence. Perhaps he never truly believed that I would sever the bond between us. After years of tolerating his arrogance, it’s no wonder he couldn’t fathom this change.

Freya, my ever-loyal Delta warrior and best friend, looked at him with disdain. "Alpha Giovanni, weren’t you the one always boasting about your pride? Why are you still lingering around her? Still dreaming of reclaiming your place as her mate?"

She smirked, her tone sharp and unyielding. "Too bad your dream’s over. Even if you begged on your knees, Penelope wouldn’t take you back."

Giovanni, who prided himself on his dominance as the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, turned crimson with anger at Freya’s words. His aura flared, a clear attempt to assert his authority, but Freya stood her ground, unshaken.

That’s when Jessica, a rogue werewolf who had somehow weaseled her way into Giovanni’s life, chimed in with a sly grin. "Alpha Gio, don’t get upset. How about you call me a taxi, and I’ll have a word with Penelope for you."

Giovanni shot Jessica a grateful glance, his expression softening for her in a way it never had for me. He then turned to Freya and me, his disdain palpable, before striding to the curb to hail a cab.

Inside, I felt an overwhelming sadness. A simple request from Jessica won his gratitude, while no matter how much I had given, he always took it for granted.

There was this one time when I wasn’t feeling well and asked him to call a taxi for me. He sneered, his alpha tone cutting through me like a blade. "Have you gotten so used to being a Luna that you think you can order me around? Why don’t you call your pack’s driver to pick you up and drop me off while you’re at it?"

Yet here he was, eager to get a cab for Jessica just because she asked.

Funny how a mate pales in comparison to a rogue.

Jessica looked at me smugly, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Penelope, I know you still care for Alpha Giovanni. I can leave him and give him back to you."

She held up five fingers, her smile widening. "Five million dollars. Give me five million, and I’ll be out of his life by tomorrow, never to see him again."

"Five million to buy the man you love for a lifetime with you—it’s a steal."

Freya chuckled, her tone laced with sarcasm. "You really dare to ask that much, huh? What Alpha is worth five million?"

Jessica scoffed, unfazed. "What’s five million? Trust me, even if I added another five, Penelope would agree."

Did she think I was foolish?

I smiled, my voice calm but firm. "So Alpha Giovanni is only worth five million in your eyes? Aren’t you the ones who claim loyalty is priceless?"

"If he knew you priced him at five million, what would he think?"

Jessica remained unfazed, her confidence unshaken. "Go tell him. See if he’ll believe you or me."

"Penelope, you better fork over the cash, or the price won’t be the same tomorrow."

I replied calmly, my tone carrying the authority of a Gamma. "Buying and selling mates is against pack law. I’m not interested. Freya, let’s go."

Freya, amused, waved at Jessica, her grin sharp. "Bye-bye, rogue."

Jessica stomped her foot in frustration, her voice rising. "Penelope, stop right there! If you don’t pay me, I’ll make sure you never get Alpha Giovanni back."

I walked away without looking back, feeling only a sense of pity. How could Giovanni, an Alpha, be so invested in someone like her? The bond was broken, and I was moving forward. My wolf stirred within me, a quiet reminder of the strength I had reclaimed.