KAELYNN LESTER POV:

Grant's bewilderment lasted only three seconds before it was replaced by a deeper fury.

He sprang from the bed, his tall frame casting an oppressive shadow in the moonlight as he stalked toward me.

"A better proposal?" he sneered, closing the distance between us. "What right does an Omega have to make a proposal to me?"

I didn't retreat, even though the Omega instincts inside me were screaming, telling me to flee or submit. I forced myself to stand straight, meeting his gaze.

"Because this proposal," I said, deliberately emphasizing the word, "is good for you, for me, and for your beloved Effie Blackburn."

At the mention of Effie's name, Grant's steps faltered. A complex mix of emotions flickered in his eyes-guilt, and the anger of having his secret thoughts exposed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

My goal was clear: not just to get away from him, but to make him publicly and willingly "reject" me, severing this cursed "fated mate" bond for good.

The obstacle was his Alpha pride and the bond ordained by the Moon Goddess. Simply asking for a rejection would be seen as weakness, another form of playing hard to get.

"I mean, you don't want to mark me," I stated the fact calmly. "You're only performing this ceremony because of the pressure of our families' alliance, because of your duty as an Alpha. Your heart is with Effie."

"Shut up!" he growled, as if my blunt words had stabbed him.

"If you mark me, you'll be betraying her. You will live with that guilt forever," I continued to press, each word precisely targeting his weak spot.

"And I," I paused, meeting his burning gaze, "do not want to be a substitute, nor do I want to be marked by an Alpha whose heart belongs to someone else."

That sentence completely ignited his fury and wounded his pride as an Alpha. He had never imagined that one day he would be so "rejected" by the Omega he despised.

"So, my proposal is," I said, word by word, delivering the shocking statement, "that we perform 'The Rejection'."

The air in the room froze. The anger on Grant's face stiffened, replaced by utter disbelief.

"What did you say?" he asked, almost thinking he had misheard. "A rejection? You want to reject me?"

"No," I shook my head, correcting him. "You reject me. I simply accept. That way, you can be free from this unwilling engagement to pursue your true love. And I can gain my freedom."

I framed it as a deal that was entirely beneficial to him, completely hiding my hatred.

Grant stared at me, trying to find any trace of a lie or a joke on my face. But all he saw was cold calmness.

His inner wolf was snarling, the fated bond making him instinctively want to possess me. But his rational mind, and his love for Effie, were deeply tempted by my offer.

This conflict threw him into a momentary confusion. I had to strike while the iron was hot.

I turned and walked to his ornate desk, where various documents and stationery were laid out.

My eyes fell on a silver letter opener. Silver. It was poison to werewolves, a weapon, but also a sacred object in rituals.

In my past life, even touching silverware would cause a burning pain. But now, the will for revenge overpowered my body's weakness.

Under Grant's astonished gaze, I picked up the letter opener. The cold touch sent a slight burning sensation through my fingertips, but I paid it no mind.

I lifted a lock of my long, dark brown hair and, without hesitation, sliced it off with the blade.

In werewolf culture, cutting one's hair is a symbol of making the most solemn of vows.

I placed the severed lock of hair on the desk and pushed it toward him. "This is my oath. I, Kaelynn Lester, willingly accept your rejection."

Grant's breath hitched. He looked at the lock of hair, then back at me, his expression incredibly complex. He realized I wasn't joking.

He had never seen such a resolute Omega. This completely overturned his understanding of me.

In the end, the desire for freedom and for Effie triumphed over his Alpha possessiveness and his wounded pride. He made his decision.

He took a deep breath, as if summoning all his strength, and in a hoarse, cold voice, began the ancient ritual: "I, Grant Freeman, Alpha of the Freeman Pack..."

As he spoke those words, I felt a sharp tearing sensation deep in my soul, as if something was being forcibly ripped away. It was the pain of the bond breaking.

I gritted my teeth, digging my nails deep into my palms to keep myself conscious.

He looked at me, finishing the vow word by word, "...reject you, Kaelynn Lester, as my mate."

The intense pain was followed by an unprecedented sense of relief. I felt the shackles that had weighed on my soul for two lifetimes shatter in that instant.

I lifted my head, meeting his complicated gaze, and responded in a clear voice, "I, Kaelynn Lester, accept your rejection."

The ritual was complete. From this moment on, we were strangers.

I turned and walked toward the door without a second glance. "Since the ritual is complete, I believe I should go pack my things. My dowry-I won't be leaving a single piece behind."

KAELYNN LESTER POV:

I didn't look at Grant again. Whether his face showed shock, relief, or regret was no longer my concern. I pulled open the heavy oak door and walked out without hesitation.

The hallway was empty, the wall sconces casting a dim, yellow light. The lingering pain from my soul being torn still made my steps feel unsteady, but I kept my back straight.

I didn't go back to my room in the main building. Instead, I crossed the courtyard and headed toward the servant's wing. There, I would find my true "dowry"-the people who had come with me from the Lester estate, and the first traitor I needed to deal with.

I had two personal maids. One was the loyal Taryn Hayes. The other was the ambitious Brenda Hicks.

In my past life, it was Brenda who had put an herb that induces an Omega's heat into my water, leading to Grant's loss of control and my forced marking. She thought she could curry favor with Grant, perhaps even dreaming of climbing into his bed.

I reached the door to my suite in the servant's wing. It was smaller than the rooms in the main house, but it was more convenient for managing the servants who had come with me.

I pushed the door open. The room was lit. Brenda was sitting at the table, anxiously wringing her hands, clearly waiting for my "good news."

Seeing me enter, she immediately stood up, her face a mask of false concern. "My lady! You're back! Did the Alpha... did he mark you?" Her eyes shone with a mixture of eagerness and jealousy.

I looked at her coldly, saying nothing, and walked straight to the wardrobe in the center of the room.

My silence made Brenda uneasy. She followed me, probing, "My lady, did everything go smoothly? My herbs... they should have worked."

She actually admitted it. How laughably stupid.

"Herbs?" I finally spoke, my voice as cold as a winter lake. "You mean this?" I pulled a small sachet from my sleeve and threw it at her feet.

I had secretly torn this sachet from the hem of my nightgown and hidden it in my sleeve while I was confronting Grant in his bedroom. In my past life, it was this hidden sachet that had caused me to lose control in front of him.

Brenda's face turned deathly pale. She recognized the sachet.

"No... my lady, I..." she stammered, trying to explain.

"Taryn!" I ignored her and called out to the inner room.

My loyal maid, Taryn, immediately came out. She saw my torn nightgown and pale face, her eyes filled with worry. "My lady! What happened to you?"

"I'm fine," I gave her a reassuring look, then pointed at the trembling Brenda. "Tie her up."

Taryn hesitated for a second, but she never questioned my orders. She quickly found a rope and, amidst Brenda's screams and struggles, tied her securely to a chair.

"My lady! You can't do this to me! I'm your maid! You can't blame me for your mistakes!" Brenda was still screaming.

I walked over to her, crouched down, and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Mistakes? No, I'm doing everything right."

"Did you think drugging your mistress and pushing her into the bed of a man who despises her would make you a phoenix?" I asked with a cold smile.

"I..." Fear filled Brenda's eyes. She never expected me to know everything so clearly.

"You're too naive, Brenda. To an Alpha like Grant, an Omega who throws herself at him isn't even worthy of being a plaything."

I let go of her chin and stood up, wiping my fingers with a handkerchief as if I had touched something filthy.

"Taryn, start packing. Pack up all the dowry from the Lester family. Not a single piece of jewelry, not a single silver cup, is to be left behind," I ordered.

"Yes, my lady," Taryn immediately began to work, her movements efficient.

Brenda looked at us in disbelief. "Packing? My lady, where are you going? The Alpha, he..."

"He and I have nothing to do with each other anymore," I cut her off. "As for you..."

I walked to the window and looked out at the dark night. "A servant who betrays her master is a liability."

I turned back to her and announced her fate. "Tomorrow at dawn, I will sell you to the lowest brothel in the city. I imagine the madam there will be very 'fond' of an 'ambitious' Omega like you."

"No-!" Brenda let out a desperate scream, her face ashen. This was a fate worse than death for her.

I ignored her wails, feeling no pity. There is no mercy for traitors.

I watched Taryn's busy figure and a new plan formed in my mind. "Taryn, bring out the dowry ledger. I need to check it."

Taryn retrieved a thick, leather-bound book from a locked chest. This, this was my most powerful weapon for striking back at the Freeman family.