"Iris is back. She'll be moving in here immediately."

Evelyn Severa is a Luna. She feels worthless when her Alpha, Callum Wolffang, enters their marital home with Iris Howley, his true love.

Her wolf growls, and fury burns within her.

"I thought your contributions would make him see you." Callum's mother, Kiera Beowulf, sighs helplessly.

Evelyn gave up her future as a wolf doctor to marry Callum and become his Luna. At the time, he was crippled and temperamental. For the past five years, she hasn't stopped treating him and caring for him. Now, it seems everything she's done is meaningless.

She held onto a sliver of hope a few months ago, but she now sees sense—she'll never be able to save a person who refuses to turn back to look at her.

Their contract is about to expire, and Callum has gotten what he wants.

Evelyn severed the mate bond and disappeared without a trace.

Callum was the one who broke it first.

So why is he the one losing his mind now, desperate to get her back?

####CHAPTER-NAME:

Evelyn Severa's POV:

At 6:00 p.m., I laid out six different dinner dishes on the long stone table, each seasoned with Callum Wolffang's favorite hint of vanilla.

At 7:00 p.m., I lit a vanilla-scented candle in Callum’s room, letting the calming fragrance seep into the walls, soothing his restless wolf. I checked the bathwater, ensuring it remained at exactly 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit—the perfect temperature for a werewolf to relax.

At 8:00 p.m., I placed his favorite boots by the door and hung his outdoor cape beside them, brushing my fingers briefly over the worn fabric.

At 9:00 p.m., I changed into the black lace outfit he had picked for me.

The doors blew open, carrying with them a rush of icy wind and the sharp, metallic scent of blood.

Callum, my Alpha, stepped in. His coat was stained with blood, his entire being humming with violence barely leashed beneath his skin.

But the moment his gaze fell on me, something shifted. The fury in his expression eased—replaced by a hunger that made the air between us crackle.

I walked to him, taking his heavy cloak from his shoulders and hanging it by the fire without a word.

"Shower or dinner?" I asked softly.

"Shower," he said, his voice rougher than usual, his eyes not leaving me this time.

I sat at the edge of the bathtub, reaching for the cloth to scrub his back.

Before I could even touch him, Callum turned, catching my wrist firmly yet gently, pulling me closer until I was standing between his knees.

His hands found my waist, sliding under the lace with possessive slowness.

He pressed his forehead against my stomach for a brief, startling moment—something so raw it made my throat tighten.

Then, without a word, he lifted me onto his lap, letting the bathwater soak my thighs. His mouth traced a searing line along the skin just above the lace.

"You have no idea how good you feel against me," Callum murmured, his voice low and hoarse. "You make everything better, Evelyn."

The way he said my name made my heart stutter.

His wolf rumbled beneath his skin, desperate for me—for us.

And for once, I didn't feel like a contract.

I felt like a need. A craving.

He slid my ruined lace aside with deliberate care, not tearing it in a rage but peeling it away like a man unwrapping something precious.

When he finally claimed me against the cold tile wall, it was rough, yes—but not cruel.

It was as if he needed to bury himself so deep within me that he could forget everything else.

Afterward, Callum wrapped a towel around his waist and ruffled his damp hair, his gaze catching mine and lingering a second too long—something unreadable flickering in his golden eyes.

I handed him his pajamas. He didn't take them immediately, only brushed his fingers lightly against mine before letting them hang forgotten on the chair.

After it was over, Callum pulled away without a word, his touch gone cold—as if nothing had ever happened.

Then he sat down at the table, the scent of venison filling the room.

Callum Wolffang was my Alpha, my so-called "mate." However, our marriage was nothing more than just a signed contract.

I gave him everything: my time, my dreams, my heart. He accepted it all without hesitation.

For a long time, I let myself believe that meant we loved each other.

Callum ate distractedly as he stared at his phone screen.

I could see a hint of joy in his eyes as a light smile gradually appeared on his lips—something I'd never seen before.

I walked past him and unexpectedly caught sight of the name on his phone screen—Iris Howley.

I was stunned. However, I simply calmly averted my gaze and went into the kitchen.

Suddenly, my phone began to ring.

I fished it out from my pocket and saw that it was Callum's mother, Kiera Beowulf.

As soon as I answered the call, I could hear Kiera's voice on the other end of the line. She asked, "Evelyn, are you truly going to sever the mate bond with Callum?"

I fixed my gaze on the window before me, where the moonflowers were blooming.

Then, I answered in an unusually calm voice, "Mrs. Wolffang, you know very well that I'm only with him because of that contract.

"The contract terms are ending soon, and his first love, Iris, has also renounced her mate. She's coming back to our territory soon, and Callum's beyond excited. He doesn't need me anymore."

Kiera heaved a long sigh. She sounded regretful as she said,

"It must have been hard on you for the past few years, since you had to stabilize that despotic wolf of his. I know he must have done some terrible things to you.

"I thought that he would start loving you after realizing all the things you did for him... Ah, well, whatever. Iris is coming back anyway, so I'm not worried anymore.

You gave up on your dreams to be a wolf doctor five years ago. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

I stared at the brightly blooming moonflower and spaced out for a brief moment.

Five years ago, I gave up a massive scholarship offer.

I also gave up my hobbies as I kept trying to please him any way I could, like a little lapdog.

It was time for me to move on.

I didn't hesitate when Kiera offered her help.

"Thank you very much. In that case, please arrange for me to leave as soon as possible."

The phone call ended.

The moonflower I'd been looking at suddenly fell off and floated to the ground lifelessly.

It felt like breaking free from a five-year prison sentence bound by my mate bond with Callum.

####CHAPTER-NAME:

Evelyn's POV:

Five years ago, I was an orphan from a low-ranking clan at the borders and grew up in an orphanage there, called Faelan Orphanage.

However, because of my intelligence and hard-working attitude, I had received a considerable amount of monetary support from the Wolffang Trust Fund.

I was the only werewoman offered a position to be a wolf doctor at university. Just before enrolment, I decided to visit the Wolffang family to thank them in person.

The Wolffang clan owned the most land and were the richest family amongst the other werewolf packs nearby.

To help the werewolves living at the borders survive, they built the Wolffang Trust Fund, and I was one of the receivers of their monetary support. I owed them too much.

Kiera had looked at me back then. She fell silent for a while before saying, "If you really want to repay us, you can do me a favor instead."

The "favor" Kiera meant was to save the only descendant of the Wolffang family, Callum, from a massive heartbreak.

Callum and Iris had been friends since they were cubs and meant the world to one another. When Iris told Callum that she wanted to take things slowly, he agreed to wait for her for years.

They still never confirmed their relationship even after they turned 18 years old. However, when Callum was 24, Iris suddenly left the pack with another wolf, leaving Callum behind.

Callum lost control of himself and chased fervently after her and got himself into a serious car accident.

After waking up, he realized that he had been heavily injured, and one of his legs was also crippled.

He then began drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day. His strong, muscular body disappeared, and his wolf dwindled in power.

It was precisely because of Callum's inability to control his wolf that it kept going berserk and attacked his own family members.

What Kiera wanted me to do was to become Callum's mate to save him from himself. She also knew that I was talented in medicine and had a strong, obedient wolf.

So, to repay her for her help, I gave up the opportunity to go to university and signed a five-year contract with Kieran to worm my way into Callum's heart.

I pushed my wolf to reach out to Callum’s, a feral, uncontrollable thing that thrashed inside him.

Day after day, I soothed him, binding his broken pieces back together.

At first, it was only to save him.

But slowly, as our wolves grew closer, something inside me shifted.

I think... I fell in love with Callum too.

That year, the pack hosted the Hunting Games.

I was injured deep in the woods.

I hadn't expected Callum to charge straight into the heart of the wild beasts without hesitation, shielding me from a killing blow.

Blood splattered across the ground.

He knelt before me, shielding my body with his own, his voice rough and steady in my ear.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here."

In that moment, I truly fell for him.

It didn’t take long for rumors to spread.

People said that Callum Wolffang, the cold, untouchable Alpha, now had a woman hopelessly devoted to him.

But what they didn’t see was that Callum, who had pushed away countless admirers, never once pushed me away.

When he looked at me, there was a flicker of warmth in his otherwise frozen eyes.

Sometimes, when I touched him, he no longer flinched.

He would simply stay still, letting my fingers trail over his old scars in silence.

I foraged the mountains for the rarest herbs, brewed healing potions by hand, and nursed him back from the edge of ruin.

Bit by bit, his leg healed.

He rose again, stronger and prouder, as if he had never fallen.

One night, as we sat before a dying fire, Callum spoke in a low voice.

"Why do you keep doing this for me?"

I looked at him and smiled softly.

"Because when I see you," I whispered, "I see a piece of myself, and the one soul I want to follow for the rest of my life."

Callum said nothing.

He only pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly as if I was the only thing anchoring him to this world.

I truly believed, back then, that we loved each other.

In that moment, I truly believed that all my efforts had finally touched him.

I believed Callum loved me.

One night, at a dinner event, Callum joined in a bet with the rest of the other elites and socialites in the clan.

They bet on a piece of prime land in Northville that their female plus ones would jump into the sea to search for the legendary, long-lost emerald-encrusted silver dagger that the king of the werewolves, Lupinus Wolffang, had lost at sea.

I immediately jumped into the icy sea without further thought. I knew that Callum had spent countless sleepless nights trying to acquire the rights to that piece of land.

So, while the other young women were still contemplating jumping because of the strong winds, massive waves, and the legend that probably wasn't even true, I took the first step and did it anyway.

When I got rescued, I was clutching the emerald-encrusted dagger tightly in my hands that I'd searched high and low for on the seabed.

That was the first time Callum ever lost his composure in front of everyone because of me.

His voice trembled, rough and unsteady, as he held me tightly and blurted out,

"I...I want us to be mates. I'll love you the best I can."

In that moment, I truly believed that all my efforts had finally touched him.

I believed Callum loved me.

However, I only learned later that Callum only proposed to me that night because Iris had posted a photo of herself kissing her husband under the moonlit night on her social media account.

Callum had only asked me to marry him out of spite and jealousy.

Still, in order to fulfill the contract that I'd signed with Kiera and remove Iris from Callum's painful memories, I still did everything in my power to be nice to him.

I would hunt the freshest venison for him, satisfy his wolf's needs, and more.

When I learned that his birthday wish since he was young was to watch the falling stars, and that he still hadn't seen them before, I purposely spent half a year scouting around for the best mountaintop to watch the stars.

I waited for him all night, and Callum never showed up.

He had even blocked our mind link.

Later, I found out he had gone to see Iris.

Iris' marriage was going through some turbulence at that time, and it was also then that Callum started leaving his pack every week, delivering all sorts of gifts and presents right to Iris' door to cheer her up.

However, he never let her know that he was the one sending her the gifts.

On the day Iris finally returned, Callum had rushed over because he wanted to see her as soon as possible and got himself into another accident.

I didn't sleep for three whole nights as I stood vigil by Callum's bedside the whole time he was unconscious at the hospital. Yet, the only name Callum ever kept repeating was Iris.

In that moment, I realized I was never meant to be his true mate.

Luckily, the contract was coming to an end, and Iris had also returned to the pack in the territory.

Callum would be able to be with his first love, which meant it was also time for me to leave.

From today onward, Callum and Iris could finally spend the rest of their new life together.

####CHAPTER-NAME:

Evelyn's POV:

"Who were you talking to?" Callum suddenly asked in a deep voice as he approached me from the back, breaking the silence in the kitchen.

He was standing at the door, his sharp eyes focused on the phone in my hand.

I quickly put my phone away and fibbed, "Nothing, just a routine call from the clan."

It was getting dark at night, and Callum lay on his side on his half of the bed. His breathing was calm and steady, as if he was already fast asleep. Meanwhile, I stared up at the ceiling and couldn't sleep a wink all night.

I gripped the contract document in my hand. I had been putting up with him and his cold demeanor for five years. It was all finally coming to an end.

The next morning, Callum saw the sweets and chicken breast I'd put on the breakfast table. At once, he frowned deeply.

"You know that I only like fresh meat. What's the point of making all these?" he asked, sounding extremely dissatisfied.

I lowered my head and sliced the chicken breast with my knife, answering lightly, "This was all that was left in the fridge."

That was a lie. I was simply preparing for my departure, which included getting myself familiarized with human food.

Callum didn't think much about it and just put his phone on the table. However, he kept staring at it until a notification sound popped up along with a text message. He grabbed it at once, his expression softening.

I didn't even have to ask to know who he had been waiting for.

Iris was going to light up my Alpha's world once more.

I watched Callum quietly before taking out a divorce agreement and putting it down quietly on the table.

"Callum, let's get a divorce and end our relationship," I said in a calm voice as if just talking about the weather.

Callum didn't even raise his head, too engrossed in his conversation with Iris, when he replied distractedly, "Okay."

I had expected his reaction. Although I was supposedly his mate, he had never really paid much attention to me, let alone what I was doing or saying to him.

I flipped to the last page of the divorce agreement and handed him the pen.

"Sign here."

Callum's eyes were still on his phone when he grabbed the pen from me and signed his initials on the line I pointed at.

I then picked up the document and continued, "Callum, I'll be leaving at the end of the month-long cooling-off period."

Callum just hummed in response. Then, he set down his fork and turned to leave.

I watched his back and finally couldn't hold back anymore. I called out to him.

"Callum, did you even hear what I just said?"

Callum stopped in his footsteps and looked at me in confusion.

He frowned lightly and said, "You told me something about sending more supplies to the wolf clans at the borders, didn't you? That was what the contract was for.

"I remember that you brought it up to me a few days ago. What's the matter with it now?"

I had actually given him the other contract to sign last month.

As expected, Callum hadn't paid attention to a single word I had said. He never cared about me. However, it wasn't going to matter anymore.

I thought, "I hope you'll be happy with Iris after I'm gone."

However, I plastered a smile on my face and told him, "It's nothing."

…

That afternoon, I drove the pickup truck to the packs at the borders to deliver the supplies to them.

After I was done, I went to see Vera Knot, the head of Faelan Orphanage, to say goodbye to her.

"Ms. Knot, I'm leaving the pack to study medicine abroad."

Vera was happy for me when she heard that.

Since I was young, my dream had been to be a successful wolf doctor. Vera had felt like it was a waste when I gave up the opportunity to further my studies for Callum.

"That's just good news!" Vera said, grabbing my hands in delight. However, her face suddenly dropped.

"If you're studying medicine overseas, that means you're going to be separated from Callum. You'll both be in a long-distance relationship, and that's not very healthy for your emotions.

"Moreover, the countries abroad aren't as friendly and welcoming to us werewolves. Are you sure that you've thought everything through?"

I looked at a few kids chasing each other around at the playground and slowly shook my head.

"I won't be in a long-distance relationship with him. We're already divorced."

Vera was stunned for a moment. Then, she let out a long sigh.

After the sigh, she grabbed my hand and said, "Your relationship has always seemed one-sided to me. You were the one always keeping it afloat… Callum had never cherished you, not even once. It's good that you're both divorced now."

I smiled lightly and shook my head again. "It's okay. I'm finally free now."

####CHAPTER-NAME: