Reina had been with Dean since she was eighteen.

She grew up without her parents and was raised by her grandmother, Leighton, who passed away when Reina was just fifteen. Dean entered her life during that void. His pursuit was relentless, showering her with gifts as if he wanted to lay the world's treasures at her feet. Dean, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, was charming and commanding, his presence both reassuring and overwhelming. He made Reina feel secure, and she quickly found herself drawn to him.

On her nineteenth birthday, he led her into a new level of closeness, guiding her from discomfort to surrender that night. They became inseparable. The following day, Dean introduced her to his inner circle—his Beta, Gamma, and other high-ranking members of the pack. Unused to such settings, Reina clung nervously to Dean's arm and greeted them shyly. Their eyes held a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"Alpha," one of them said, "how did you end up with someone so young?"

"She's too sweet; she'll just hold you back," another added.

Reina didn't understand then what they meant by "hold back." She couldn't help but quietly assert, "I won't."

"I won't be a burden to the Alpha."

She was resolute, but as she gradually acclimated to Dean's world, she realized the kind of life he led—a life balanced on the precipice of danger. To avoid dragging him down and to stand by his side, she forced herself to adapt to that environment. She trained alongside the pack's warriors, learning to fight and defend herself, though her natural gentleness often clashed with the brutal reality of pack life.

Over ten years, she changed dramatically. She cut her hair short, dyed it, and adorned her body with tattoos that symbolized her loyalty to the Silver Moon Pack. Her body bore countless scars as evidence of her transformation. It was her toughness that helped Dean solidify his position as Alpha, his aura growing stronger with each challenge they faced together.

Yet Dean didn't seem happy.

Countless nights, he would hold her close, his fingers tracing the scars on her skin before leaning in to kiss them.

"Reina," he murmured, burying his face against her chest with a sigh, "I still miss the old you."

And every time, after a moment of stunned silence, Reina would push him away, light a cigarette, and laugh before teasing him.

"Alpha," she would say, her voice teasing but with an edge, "talking like that is such a betrayal."

She had given up so much to stand by his side, to be the Luna the pack needed. But now, as she faced her own mortality and the betrayal that had shattered their bond, she wondered if it had all been worth it. The life they had built together, the sacrifices she had made—none of it could erase the pain of his infidelity or the terminal illness that now loomed over her.

Reina's resolve hardened. She would leave him, not out of weakness, but out of a newfound strength. The mate bond that had once tied them together now felt like a chain, and she was ready to break free.

It was the early hours of the morning when Alpha Dean Willis returned to the Silver Moon Pack’s territory. Reina Lawson lay in bed, her eyes wide open, staring into the darkness. She hadn’t slept at all.

Before long, Dean pulled her into his embrace. "Still awake?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her, only to feel empty space. Confused, he held her tighter, trying to suppress his frustration. "Who upset you, Reina? I’ll handle it for you, okay?"

"Alpha," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah?" he responded, his tone softening slightly.

The room was so dark she couldn’t see his face, but she could smell the lingering scent of rosemary clinging to him—a scent that wasn’t hers.

"Let’s break the bond."

Dean stiffened, then let go, rolling over to the side. "What now?" he sighed, rubbing his temples with impatience. "You’re too grown-up for this kind of drama."

He chuckled lightly, "Reina, you’re not getting any younger. Who would mark a Luna who smokes, drinks, has tattoos, and is tougher than most Deltas in the pack?"

Her chest tightened, a dull pain spreading she couldn’t suppress. Last year, when she had twelve stitches sewn into her arm without anesthesia due to an allergy, she gritted her teeth without uttering a sound. Yet, Dean’s drunken honesty now brought tears to her eyes.

"Alpha," she couldn’t help but ask, "If I were terminally ill, would you..."

"Reina." He cut her off, a hint of irritation in his voice. "Don’t ask pointless questions."

"If you really were terminally ill, would you want me to join you in some dramatic act?" He pressed his fingers against his brow. "I’m busy with the marking ceremony and the pack’s affairs. I don’t have time for this nonsense."

As he spoke, his phone suddenly buzzed. Annoyed, he hung up on the call, but it rang again. After several attempts, Dean got out of bed with his phone. "Yeah?"

A girl’s sobbing voice trickled through the receiver, indistinct but persistent.

"Damn it," Dean muttered under his breath, "This is such a hassle."

Despite his words, he hurried out the door. "There’s a problem with the pack’s patrols. I need to deal with it."

"You should get some sleep. Don’t wait up for me."

The door closed behind him, leaving Reina alone in the darkness. She clenched her fists, her wolf whimpering softly in the back of her mind, a sound of quiet despair. She had hoped, foolishly, that he might notice her pain, that he might care enough to stay. But Dean was the Alpha, and his priorities were always the pack—or so he claimed.

Reina turned her face into the pillow, letting the tears she’d held back finally fall. She thought of the marking ceremony, now just days away, and the life she had built with Dean over the past ten years. It all felt like a cruel joke now, a bond that had once been her anchor now dragging her deeper into despair.

Outside, the howl of a lone wolf echoed through the night, a haunting reminder of the world she was preparing to leave behind.

Reina Lawson’s marking ceremony with Alpha Dean Willis of the Silver Moon Pack was scheduled for the third of next month. The event was meant to be modest, a quiet affirmation of their mate bond without the pomp and spectacle often associated with such rituals. Reina had never mentioned her illness to Dean—a rare, incurable wolf-borne disease that left her with roughly six months to live. She also hadn’t told him that she had no intention of actually going through with the ceremony.

Reina could accept many things about Dean—his commanding presence as Alpha, his strength, his dedication to the pack—but his betrayal was something she couldn’t stomach. The thought of him embracing another woman, kissing her face, and searching for traces of a younger Reina in her made her insides churn with disgust. It was a violation of the mate bond, a sacred connection bestowed by the Moon Goddess, and it cut deeper than any physical wound.

Reina had been with Dean since her awakening at eighteen, their relationship spanning a decade. In the grand scheme of her life, which was now measured in months rather than years, she’d spent a significant portion of it on him. But in the time she had left, she wanted to reclaim herself, to live for something other than the expectations of a mate bond she no longer believed in.

She had booked a flight for a trip abroad, a journey to explore the world she loved but had never truly experienced while she still had the strength. Coincidentally, her departure was scheduled for the same day as the marking ceremony. As Reina packed her suitcase, she replaced the formal gowns she’d once imagined wearing for the ceremony with comfortable sundresses, practical for the adventures she planned. Instead of the elaborate feasts she’d once envisioned, she packed trays of spiced honey cake, perfect for sharing with fellow travelers she might meet along the way.

Her itinerary was filled with dreams she’d long postponed—visiting quaint cafes in quiet European towns, sipping coffee as the world passed by, hiking the stunning Alps, and losing herself in the pages of a book in cozy corners of bustling cafes reminiscent of those she’d read about in English novels. Through WhatsApp, she sent farewell messages to her friends, ensuring her memories were shared and cherished, even as her time dwindled.

Reina’s plan was simple yet daring: to leave behind the life she’d known, the mate bond she’d once cherished, and the man who had broken it. She would donate Dean’s fortune, a final act of defiance against the betrayal that had shattered her trust. Her flight, scheduled for the morning of the ceremony, would take her far from the Silver Moon Pack, far from the whispers and expectations that had defined her life for so long.

As she zipped up her suitcase, Reina glanced at the photo of her grandmother, Leighton, resting in the pack’s sacred burial ground. She had visited the grave the day before, speaking to the stone marker as if her grandmother could hear her. “I’ll be with you soon,” she had whispered, her voice trembling with both grief and resolve. “But first, I need to live.”

Whiskers, the stray wolf she’d taken in, nudged her leg, its usual aloofness replaced by an uncharacteristic tenderness. It was as if the creature sensed her imminent departure. Reina knelt, scratching behind its ears, her heart heavy but determined. She would leave this life behind, not with regret, but with the quiet strength of someone who had chosen to reclaim her own story, even in the face of the end.