The snowstorm howled outside as I stumbled into the packhouse, my body numb from the cold. Celia had locked me in the car, leaving me to freeze while she celebrated Ivan Black’s birthday. I almost didn’t make it home, but here I was, half-dead and shivering. The hallway was a mess—clothes scattered everywhere, on the sofa, on the floor, in every corner. Even the bedroom had been claimed by them. I stood outside the door, listening to Celia’s fervent whispers:

"Ivan, I wish I could be your mate. I love you so much."

A bitter laugh escaped me. In the past, I would’ve barged in, using my Alpha tone to command them to stop. But now, I simply turned to the kitchen to bake some spiced honey cake. Six years of loving Celia had drained me of any fight.

The aroma of the cake filled the air, but its warmth couldn’t touch the chill in my heart. I curled up on the sofa, my fingers nearly frozen, unable to draw warmth from the dessert. The sound of the bedroom door opening shattered the silence. Celia and Ivan emerged, their faces smug and satisfied. Ivan, a Delta from the Crimson Fang Pack, wore nothing but boxers, flaunting his physique without a care. As for Celia, my mate and the former healer of the Silver Moon Pack, she hadn’t bothered to dress.

Ivan raised an eyebrow when he saw me, a smirk on his lips. Celia nonchalantly nudged him, "Go wait for me inside; I'll handle this." Ivan chuckled softly and obeyed, retreating to the bedroom.

Celia turned to face me, her expression devoid of guilt. She glanced at me carelessly, her tone flat, "You’re home?"

I set down the dessert, my gaze lingering on her bare body for a moment, then turned to the window, where the city lay buried under the snowstorm. My heart felt as cold and lifeless as the landscape outside.

She gracefully seated herself by the sofa and lit a cigarette. "I told you it was Ivan’s birthday. Why did you have to come and spoil it for everyone?" She puffed out a cloud of smoke, her tone edged with annoyance.

I watched her, feeling utterly drained. The first time I caught them together, Celia had been frantic, tears brimming in her eyes. "You know, Ivan has been my unfulfilled dream since my youth. I won’t be with him; I just need to have him. If you disagree, we can sever the mate bond." Her eyes were cold and stubborn, and Ivan was her unattainable love, much like she was mine.

Her family had fallen from grace, losing hope of being with Ivan. Yet, it gave me hope of being with her. We’d spent three years in this twisted bond, each time convincing myself she’d eventually let him go. She had promised not to bring Ivan to the packhouse, and yet here we were.

I couldn’t help but ask, "Did you ever consider I might have died in that car?"

She flicked her cigarette ash casually, barely glancing at me, "But you didn’t. If there’s no problem, you should stay at a hotel tonight. It’s Ivan’s birthday; I don’t want him upset."

Her indifference pierced my heart like a needle. All she cared about was Ivan, while I found myself locked out of my own home. If I hadn’t managed to break free and smash the car window, I might have died there. Perhaps, to her, even my breathing was an inconvenience.

Seeing my silence, she continued, "Don’t make a scene. The bedroom will be cleaned up, and there won’t be a next time."

"There won’t be a next time?" I echoed with sarcasm. "So, as long as I’m not home, you two can do whatever you want in my house?"

She tensed momentarily but quickly composed herself, "Think whatever you want. Bottom line, you need to leave tonight."

"Both of you get out, or I’ll call the pack enforcers." She hesitated, her eyes cold, "You wouldn’t dare!"

Calmly, I took out my phone and dialed the Gamma. She lunged forward, grabbed the phone, and smashed it into the corner, breaking the screen instantly.

"Fine, I’ll go! Is this all you can do?" She sneered, "If you weren’t playing a useless communication liaison, would I have to cling to Ivan?"

I once had a respected position as the pack strategist. Three years ago, during a fire at the packhouse, I inhaled so much smoke rescuing her that my vocal cords were damaged. I had to step back, settling for a liaison job, which she despised. Now, I barely had any dignity left.

They dressed and put on their shoes in the hallway. Ivan wrapped an arm around her shoulder, teasingly, "We can continue at the hotel later. Kneel and serve me." Celia playfully glared at him, her tone full of affection, "Making me lick your toes again, you’re so bad."

They flirted openly, as if I were invisible. Their words sickened me to the core.

As they opened the door, Ivan paused, glancing back at me, "Alpha Alec, you’re the most willing cuckold I’ve ever seen. Why not just watch us by the bedside?"

Celia laughed, nudged him lightly, and shut the door. Silence at last, punctuated only by my increasingly labored breaths. Blood trickled from my nose, a reminder of my dwindling life.

I had intended to tell Celia today about my late-stage nasal cancer, the healer’s grim prognosis giving me maybe six months. But now, I saw no point. What difference would it make? She already views me as an obstacle, disturbing her dreams with Ivan.

The next day, the pack lawyer I contacted swiftly drafted the mate bond dissolution papers. We didn’t have much to divide in terms of assets. Celia had already depleted most of our shared savings. I decided she could keep the house; I didn’t have much time left to concern myself with such matters anyway.

Oddly, the thought of severing our bond left me feeling calm when it came to Celia. She returned late that night, as usual, and walked into the kitchen, her voice casual. "Alpha, I’m hungry. Can you make me some dinner rolls and pulled pork?"

Instead of reacting with the anger or silence I’d shown in the past, I quietly got up and prepared her a plate of pulled pork sandwiches. She seemed surprised by my composure. Over the last two years, every time I’d discovered her sneaking around with Ivan, I’d give her the cold shoulder for days. But now, there was an unsettling peace within me.

She softened, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Alpha, you’re so good to me." I watched her, trying to figure out how to bring up the dissolution of our bond. She picked up a piece of spiced honey cake and offered it to me. "What’s on your mind? Try the cake I made."

She’d done this countless times before, but now the thought of her submitting to Ivan made me recoil instinctively. A wave of repulsion washed over me. I leaned back, my voice steady. "No, thanks. You have it."

She didn’t push, just continued eating her sandwiches and casually remarked, "The day after tomorrow is our anniversary. Let’s go out and celebrate. I’ve already reserved a spot at the restaurant."

We’d marked our anniversary every year. With Ivan back in town, I’d assumed she’d forgotten, but to my surprise, she brought it up herself. Maybe she wanted to make this farce of a bond official with one last celebration.

I considered it and decided it might be best to discuss the dissolution after the anniversary. "Alright."

She looked pleased, her tone almost playful. "If you’d always been this considerate, I’d have treated you better."

"I know I was a bit harsh yesterday, but…"

She suddenly stopped, her eyes narrowing as she stared at my face. "Alpha, why are you having another nosebleed?"

A ringing in my ears drowned out everything else. When I regained awareness, Celia was frantically pressing tissues against my nose, trying to stop the bleeding. But the blood kept flowing, unstoppable, like a river breaking through a dam.

I bolted into the bathroom, not wanting her to see me like this—weak, vulnerable. The Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack shouldn’t be seen this way, especially not by her. Celia followed, her voice edged with concern, "Let me take you to the healing lodge."

I turned the faucet on hard, splashing cold water on my face, trying to stop the nosebleed. My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a low growl of discomfort. I silenced it, focusing on the icy water. Celia paced behind me, her anxiety palpable. "This isn’t normal, Alec. You need to see the pack healer. Now."

I hesitated, my hand gripping the edge of the sink. I didn’t want her to know about the cancer. Didn’t want her pity, or worse, her indifference. But before I could decide, her phone rang.

She answered it quickly, her tone softening as she spoke. Less than three minutes later, she was already heading for the door. "You should go to the healing lodge," she said casually, not even looking at me. "Ivan’s hungry, and he wants me to make him some ravioli."

I watched her leave, her scent—once so comforting to me—fading as she walked away. My wolf snarled, a bitter sound that echoed in my mind. I let out a bitter laugh. How thoughtful of her.

After taking the medication Dr. Esteban Morgan had prescribed, the nosebleed stopped, but the headache remained, a relentless pounding in my skull. My wolf growled again, restless. Maybe I should go to the healing lodge after all, if only for some relief.

Dr. Morgan was waiting for me when I arrived. His eyes narrowed as he took in my condition. "Alpha Williamson," he said, his tone firm but respectful. "You need to admit yourself for treatment. Without it, you don’t have much time left. But if we act now, we might be able to extend it."

I shook my head, forcing a smile. "I’d rather enjoy what’s left of my time than spend it in a healing lodge."

The pack healer sighed, his expression heavy with concern. "Where’s your mate? Why hasn’t she come with you even once?"

I shrugged, my voice flat. "She’s gone."

It wasn’t exactly a lie. The fire that had claimed my parents had taken something from her too—something I couldn’t quite name. And now, with the way she was with Ivan, she might as well be gone.

As I turned to leave with my medication, a familiar voice called out from behind me. "Alpha Williamson?"

I turned to see Celia, her arm linked with Ivan’s. They stood too close, their scents mingling in a way that made my wolf bristle. Celia’s face was flushed with guilt, but she managed a small smile. "How’s your nose?"

"Fine," I said coolly, unwilling to give her more than that. "Just a bit of stress."

Ivan smirked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Seems like an Alpha needs to let off some steam, or he’ll get sick from holding it in. How about I let Celia spend the night with you? For old times’ sake."

My wolf growled low in my chest, but I kept my expression neutral. "No need," I said, my voice icy. "You two are a better match."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away. Celia caught my arm, her grip surprisingly firm. "Wait for me at the entrance," she said, her voice low. "I’ll go home with you."

I nodded, though I had no intention of waiting. As soon as I stepped outside the healing lodge, the nausea hit me like a wave. I leaned over the flowerbed, vomiting until my vision blurred. My wolf whined softly, a sound of pain and frustration. The signs from my body were becoming impossible to ignore.