The mistress of my mate, Emmanuel Ellis, Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, had her abortion report plastered across the pack’s communal notice board. To shield her reputation, the Alpha forced me, even while I was carrying his pup, to take a potion to induce a miscarriage, making it seem as though the report was mine. Whispers of my supposed promiscuity and betrayal of the pack’s respected healer spread like wildfire. Pack members condemned me, demanding I leave the Moonlight Pack.

In anguish, I confronted the Alpha. He simply massaged his temples, his Alpha aura cold and indifferent. "Kyla is just a young Delta who can’t handle the gossip. Why compete with someone so much younger?" I looked at him, despair settling in. All those nights of enduring the mate bond, the countless rituals to strengthen our connection, the sacrifices—they now felt like mocking daggers piercing my soul.

Wiping away my tears, I decided it was time to set myself free. When I asked the Alpha to sever our mate bond, he was busy editing Kyla’s report on pack healing techniques, not even bothering to look up. "Don’t be absurd."

I stayed resolute. "This will only take a minute."

The Alpha finally frowned, his dominant presence filling the room. "Is this because I gave Kyla your research on pack rituals?"

I didn’t respond. The Alpha shifted to a more relaxed posture, though his Alpha tone still carried an edge. "Or is it because I let everyone think the abortion report was yours?" He massaged his temples, feigning disappointment. "You’re my mate, so a scandal like this won’t affect you. But Kyla is just a Delta. This could ruin her. Don’t be so heartless."

A chill ran through my fingers as his words echoed. I struggled to keep my emotions in check. "Just sever the bond."

Just then, the door to the Alpha’s office opened. Kyla walked in, her bright smile fading awkwardly upon seeing me. "Oh, Luna, I didn’t know you were here. I just had a few questions for the Alpha."

I smirked, having noticed the theater tickets in her hand as she entered. "That’s fine. The Alpha just needs to sever our bond first."

The Alpha’s expression darkened, but seeing Kyla’s hopeful look, he reluctantly stood and began the formal vow. "I, Emmanuel Ellis, Alpha of the Moonlight Pack, reject you, Zariyah Ellis, as my mate and sever our bond."

The words cut through me like a blade, the pain of the broken bond searing my soul. Leaving the Alpha’s office, I wiped away the last of my tears and smiled. Thirty years of knowing each other, seven years as mates, finally coming to a close. I called the top contact on my phone. The voice on the other end was as warm and welcoming as ever. "Are you sure you’re coming? Haha, Zariyah, you’ve finally seen the light."

"I need to wait sixty days to finalize the bond’s dissolution."

"That’s fine. Whenever you’re ready, you’re always welcome!"

The thought of being truly free in sixty days brought a real smile to my face. It had been so long since I’d felt so light, after feeling neglected and depressed for far too long. I prepared myself a gourmet dinner, poured a glass of wine, and celebrated my new beginning.

A text lit up my phone: "I’ll be home tonight. Get a bath ready for me." The Alpha liked soaking in a mix of essential oils—a blend I’d personally arranged at the pack’s apothecary. It calmed him, helping him sleep deeply. But he hadn’t been home to sleep in quite some time. Before I could block him, another message arrived: "I have some pack rituals to oversee tonight. I’ll be back in a few days."

I chuckled dryly and deleted his contact. Rituals—same old excuses. Sure enough, Kyla’s latest social media post showed a luxurious candlelit dinner, captioned with something about not just sharing dinner but also breakfast. I considered deleting her from my contacts but hesitated since I was still her mentor. I’d wait until the season ended in two months.

Before bed, a message from an unknown number appeared: "Still upset? Alright, I’ll spend our anniversary with you next month." I stared at the condescending message, realizing that the Alpha and I hadn’t celebrated an anniversary in years. What was this supposed to mean? He betrays me, takes a Delta as his mistress, and expects me to be grateful? No matter how many numbers he used to contact me, I blocked them all.

I slept soundly, as if a weight had lifted. However, when I saw the Alpha the next day, he looked more worn out than ever, with dark circles under his eyes. The moment he saw me, he was visibly irritated. "Zariyah, why did you block me? You never respond to my messages."

I looked at him with a hint of irony.

"Alpha Emmanuel, our research project wrapped up ages ago, and you swapped my name with Kyla’s. We’re not working together anymore, so why can’t I just block you?"

Emmanuel sighed at my words, giving me his usual look of disappointment.

"Zariyah, why do you always nitpick? It’s just a name. You’re already a respected healer with a reputation; what’s wrong with giving younger members of the pack a chance?"

I stared at Emmanuel, sensing his indifference. He never offers his own name to Kyla, only ever sacrificing mine. Yet, at this moment, I had lost the desire to argue with him.

"Alpha Emmanuel, this is a breach of pack honor. My not reporting you to the council is already showing leniency. We have no professional ties anymore, and on a personal level, we’ve severed our mate bond. I have no reason to keep your contact information. Please stop bothering me."

Emmanuel was taken aback by my bluntness, silent for a few seconds before suddenly smiling,

"Zariyah, you’ve gotten smarter, playing hard to get."

I rolled my eyes dramatically and turned to leave, not expecting him to grab my arm.

"Zariyah, for next month’s marking anniversary, let me take you to the pack’s gathering feast. Remember how much you loved the roasted venison with herbs?"

"Can I have a slice of the alpha’s portion this time?" I asked deliberately.

He frowned, "Zariyah, you weren’t so materialistic before."

A wave of bitterness washed over me as I recalled Kyla’s photos from a lavish dinner at the Lycan King’s palace last night. A casual meal with her can cost thousands in gold, yet for our once-a-year anniversary, he insists on the pack’s common feast and can’t even spare me a slice from the alpha’s table.

With a bitter smile, I pulled my arm away from his grasp.

That evening, I sat down with my parents and confessed our severed mate bond. My father remained silent, his fists clenched tightly until he couldn’t contain his anger,

"Who does Alpha Emmanuel think he is? Had I not recommended him and introduced him to the council, would he have achieved his current position?"

My mother’s eyes reddened,

"Zariyah, if you’re unhappy, we can bring him before the council."

I shook my head. "Let it go. It’s better to part on good terms."

My father sighed,

"I raised you to be considerate, but those who don’t appreciate you end up hurting you."

I didn’t contradict him. Instead, I brewed a pot of moonflower tea for my parents. The aroma calmed my turbulent emotions somewhat.

The next day in the pack’s training grounds, as I stood at the front demonstrating healing techniques, whispers rose from the warriors below. Pack training often has inattentive listeners, but I continued without concern. Suddenly, someone called out,

"Healer Zariyah, is it true you and Alpha Emmanuel severed your mate bond?"

"Is it because he couldn’t handle you cheating on him?"

"You’ve been mated for seven years with no pups—is it because your private life is messy, with miscarriages causing this?"

My fingers trembled uncontrollably as the memories I wanted to forget replayed painfully in my mind, making me want to scream.

But I didn’t. I fought back the emotions, forcing a smile,

"Alpha Emmanuel and I parted amicably."

"She’s lying!" Kyla stood up with a hint of triumph,

"Alpha Emmanuel told me that because Healer Zariyah was promiscuous and lost the ability to bear pups, that’s why he severed the bond."

My emotions were on the verge of collapse, and I couldn’t help but yell out the truth,

"The one who had the miscarriage and was promiscuous wasn’t me! It was—"

A loud slap silenced the training grounds. Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth where I had been struck, and I turned to see Emmanuel had quietly entered the area.

He looked at me with a pleading expression,

"Zariyah, admitting mistakes is essential for a healer!"

Before I could respond, he dismissed the warriors, leaving just the two of us in the clearing. With an expression of concern, he tried to check my swollen cheek. I coldly pushed his hand away.

He quickly pleaded,

"Zariyah, you know I’m up for a promotion to the Lycan King’s council; I can’t afford a scandal. If you tell others you’re the one who wanted to sever the bond, it’ll be hard for me to explain."

"The miscarriage issue is long in the past; why bring it up again? It’s cruel to destroy a young she-wolf’s life."

I asked, trembling,

"And what about my reputation? Doesn’t it matter?"

He didn’t answer, and in that silence, I felt the weight of his betrayal settle deeper into my soul. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of pain and anger echoing in my mind. I clenched my fists, knowing that this was the final straw. There would be no turning back now.