The day my world shattered was supposed to be a celebration of our Moonbond. I had spent hours preparing a quiet feast at the table, lighting moon-candles and tuning the wind-chimes, imagining how the night might reignite the lost fire between us.

Instead, Raiden, my mate, did not even cross the threshold on time.

It was deep into the night, the greater moon high, as I sat alone at the stone table staring at untouched plates, that my crystal communicator hummed. A pack-wide rune-message shimmered.

It showed Raiden with another she-wolf from the Silvercrest pack. She wore a silky red dress that clung to her figure, with his hand resting possessively on her lower back.

I heard him speak faintly. "Celebrating life with someone who makes every moment brighter."

I gazed at the glowing stone, my hands trembling.

The woman was Kaia, his neighboring allied pack, whose laugh always seemed a little too loud and smile a little too wide whenever he was around. The audacity of it all hit like a slap to my face.

Then, I whispered through the mind-link. "Nice."

My crystal communicator pulsed almost instantly with his call. I watched his name glow before answering.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Freya," he began defensively. "It's just a formal gathering between packs. You understand how these duties are."

"Duty?" My voice was eerily calm. "Is that why your hand looks so comfortable on her back?"

Raiden sighed. I could hear the frustration in his tone, barely concealed. "You are always overthinking things. We might not be having these problems if you weren't so controlling.

I severed the connection without another word and turned to my faint reflection in the moonlit glass.

Outside, the lanterns along the ridge blurred into glowing trails, mocking how hollow I felt inside.

His excuses were an old chant. I'd heard them too many times. They always made me feel like the villain and the irrational one.

Raiden arrived home many hours later, smelling heavily of fermented elderberry wine and foreign perfume. He did not offer an appeasement or even a greeting. Instead, he flung his cloak onto the divan and noticed the small wooden box I had carved earlier. It was a token I'd intended to give him for our anniversary.

"What's this?" he asked indifferently.

"Your anniversary gift," I replied flatly.

He frowned and left it unopened. "I didn't have time to bring you anything. Kaia was in charge of planning tonight's celebration. And everything took longer than expected."

Of course, Kaia.

Then his gaze flicked toward the moon-herb vials on the table.

"You've skipped your fertility tonics again? Is this your way of throwing a tantrum?" he asked irritably.

"I'm not angry," I replied evenly. Still, my heart ached after saying that.

He faked a laugh. "Could've fooled me. You know you need those tonics if you still want a pup. You've wanted this for cycles, Freya. Don't mess it up now."

I swallowed hard. "I have my audience with the pack healer at dawn."

He didn't acknowledge it. Instead, he drew a wooden box from his hunting satchel. "Kaia wanted to apologize in case you got the wrong impression earlier. She chose this for you."

Curiosity clashed with fear as I unwrapped it, revealing a handkerchief. The edges were embroidered with Kaia's sigil. I tightened my grasp on the fabric, resisting the temptation to toss it across the chamber.

How dare he present this to me as a gift?

"She thought it would make you feel better," Raiden added. Annoyance was plain in his voice, as if he expected my immediate gratitude.

I placed the box down. "Inform Kaia I express my thanks."

Raiden's face went gloomy. "Freya, what's with the attitude? You know, she didn't need to do this. Unlike you, Kaia is considerate."

The sting of his words was an old pain, one I'd experienced before. Yet, it lost none of its sharpness. I excused myself and retreated to the sleep-chamber early. I curled into a ball, overthinking. The faint sound of the fire crackling in the hearth and the occasional clink of his pewter mug against the wooden mantle did nothing to soothe my restlessness.

At midnight, the hushed sound of his crystal communicator vibrating woke me. I reached over and saw Kaia's name illuminated on the surface.

I could hear her muffled voice, "Cannot stop recalling our time tonight. Wish you were still with me."

I stared at the message. The voice seared itself into my mind. My finger hovered over the crystal.

A hundred furious rebuttals formed in my mind, but I stopped myself. Instead, I erased the message without a flicker of hesitation and returned the crystal to the stand. If Raiden noticed, he made no mention of it.

At dawn, I sat at the edge of the bed as I stared at the moon clock. A decision slowly rooted itself within me.

I wouldn't fight for someone who wasn't fighting for me. Not anymore.

During the morning meal, Raiden seemed oblivious to my silence as he scanned through his crystal, letting out a soft chuckle at something. I observed him from across the table, absorbing every detail of him.

The subtle tension between his brows and the way his lips curved when he smirked. For years, I had cherished those details, clung to them as proof that we had a bond worth protecting.

However, they now served as a reminder of what I had sacrificed for someone who considered me to be an inconvenience.

"I'm going to work early today," Raiden declared without even looking up. "I have a hectic day planned."

I nodded indifferently. "Don't forget your handkerchief. Kaia would hate for it to go to waste."

A full cycle of the moon had passed, with us arguing every time we had the chance. All because of Kaia of the Silvercrest pack.

Having dispatched a message to my pack elder about initiating the mate bond revocation, I sought the comfort of my den early. It wasn't cold, but I drew my bedding tightly around my shoulders.

For the first time in many moons, the crushing weight upon my spirit seemed to lighten. It was as if the oppressive burden I'd carried had finally begun to dissolve.

Close to midnight, a loud voice from the mind-link jolted me awake. I blinked as I massaged my temple. It was Raiden.

"Don't be so dramatic, Freya. Let's talk this through."

His arrogance made my blood heat. The fact that he couldn't scent the ruin he'd caused, that he believed this could be mended with a few hollow words, was ridiculous.

I ignored the voice and turned my back on it. Alas, sleep refused to return.

Every time I closed my eyes, memories of Kaia's smug smile and Raiden's dismissive tone replayed in my mind like a haunting loop.

By dawn, I dragged myself from the bed. I determined to reclaim my life, even if I didn't know where to begin.

As I sipped my morning Moonbrew and observed the situation outside through the crystal communicator, I saw a vision of Kaia.

Against my inner wolf's warning, I took a look a little closer. I was right.

The crystal displayed Raiden and Kaia, their arms linked, standing before a sleek, obsidian carriage. She said, "When the moon finally sends you the mate you deserve, everything aligns."

A sharp laugh escaped me. I had to admit that her audacity was unmatched. They weren't even trying to hide anymore.

At the Alpha Hall, Raiden was already in the council chamber when I arrived. He looked perfectly composed, as always.

None of the pack knew about our mate bond. Raiden insisted it remain hidden, claiming it was for the good of the pack, though I suspected he simply wanted to maintain his image as an untouchable Alpha.

"Freya," he called as I walked past the doors.

I paused, keeping my face straight. "Yes?"

"Enter the chamber a moment," he said, gesturing to the seat opposing his.

Reluctantly, I stepped inside. A coil of dread tightened in my stomach.

The scent of Kaia lingered in the room, even though she was not present.

Once the door closed behind us, Raiden leaned back, studying me like I was a troublesome subordinate rather than his mate.

"About last night," he began. He softened his tone, maybe thinking kindness would make me forget everything.

"I'm not interested in discussing it," I cut him off.

He frowned, clearly unused to being denied. "Freya, I feel your anger, but we've survived bigger storms. Don't make impulsive decisions."

I crossed my arms. "Impulsive? You've been pushing me out of our life for months, Raiden. I'm just finally reacting."

His jaw clenched. For a fleeting instant, his Alpha composure cracked, revealing raw frustration. "You speak unjustly. You understand the demands of my high Alpha duties. I have been striving to provide for our pack, for the future we have sworn to build."

"Our future?" I could not prevent my voice from rising. "You mean the one where you play house with Kaia while I linger in the shadows, waiting for scraps of your attention?"

Not long after, Raiden's crystal communicator vibrated on the polished table between us. His eyes flickered down to the surface.

I tracked his gaze. I could see Kaia's signature mark pulsing brightly at that moment.

He hesitated, but the pull of his other mate was too strong. Snatching the crystal, he moved towards the window.

He lowered his voice, yet I clearly heard the murmur of his words. "Kaia, I am currently busy. I'll talk to you later."

The open, unapologetic dismissal wounded me more deeply than I cared to admit.

As he concluded the short call, I seized the scroll I had carried in and rose to my feet. "This is useless," I muttered, heading for the door.

"Freya, wait."

I turned back, my hand resting on the smooth door handle. "For what purpose? To hear a new justification? Another deception?"

Raiden stared at me. His usual self-assurance began to crumble. His mouth opened, yet no sound emerged.

Then, I walked out without looking back.

Back at my own station, I tried to focus on my duties. Unfortunately, my thoughts kept wandering. Memories of our first runs together flooded my mind, how he used to leave secret tokens of affection tucked into my satchel. How he'd hold my hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

However, that former version of Raiden felt like a ghost now.

By midday, the atmosphere in the hall felt suffocating. I told my aide I was stepping out, then wandered into the forest clearing near the borders.

Sitting on a moss-covered bench, watching golden leaves flutter around me, my crystal communicator hummed again.

This time, the message was from my pack elder. The rune glowed through the surface.

"The severance is prepared. Send word when you are ready to set the seal."

My fingers trembled as I read the message. It felt like crossing a bridge and letting it burn behind me, but maybe that was exactly what I needed.

Drawing a steadying breath, I sent my reply. "Set the seal."

The day passed in tense silence.

At the Alpha Hall, Raiden hovered near the edge of my station several times, clearly wanting to speak. But each time, I kept my gaze fixed on the glowing runes of my ledger.

In the end, he chose to give up. He retreated into his chamber and shut the door.

It wasn't that I didn't want to talk to him. I did. The words even burned in my throat like silver-taint, threatening to spill out.

Still, I held them back because I was already weary of speaking and sparring with him over the she-wolf, Kaia.

What was the point of another clash when he'd already decided whose side he stood on?

By the time the evening meal rolled around, I was too emotionally drained to bother with the pack politeness. I ate alone at the long table, not waiting for him as I once did.

When Raiden finally walked in, shrugging off his mantle and setting his satchel by the door, I barely acknowledged him.

"You didn't wait for me," he remarked, his gaze sweeping over the half-finished bowl of savory stew on the stone table.

I didn't look up. "I wasn't sure you'd return before the stars changed."

His lips tightened, but he said nothing as he pulled out a chair and sat down across from me.

For a while, the only sounds were the scrape of his utensils and the low hum of the birds outside. Finally, he sighed as he set down his meat. "Freya, how long will you give me the silent treatment?"

I shrugged, swirling what remained of my elderberry wine. "Until you figure out why I'm angry."

"That's the issue," he muttered, fingers dragging through his dark hair. "I don't understand why you're making this a whole territorial dispute. Kaia didn't mean to disrespect you."

I set my glass down harder than I meant to. "You always have a defense for her, don't you?"

His gaze sharpened. "That's not fair."

"No, Raiden. What's unfair is having to compete with your ally for your attention. What's unfair is you choosing her side every time she openly disregards me."

He groaned, leaning back in his chair. "This is why I want us to settle things. Let's have lunch tomorrow, just the three of us. You, me and Kaia. I want you to see there's nothing between Kaia and me."

A humorless laugh escaped me as I shook my head. I would rather face a silver blade than share a meal with Kaia.

"Thank you, but no. I have a territorial council during the sun-high."

"Then dinner," he insisted as he leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "There is a new trout lodge I've been meaning to sample. We'll sit down, share a proper meal and talk as packmates should."

"No thanks," I insisted.

He frowned, looking clearly frustrated. "Why not? What's wrong with a feast?"

I pushed my chair back and I stood as I wiped the corner of my lips with a napkin. "Because I have an adverse reaction to river-caught fish."

Raiden's eyes narrowed instantly. "You can't eat the fish?"

"Yes," I lied smoothly while clearing my table. "But don't let me stop you. I'm sure Kaia would be thrilled to accompany the Alpha of Ironwood pack."

His mouth opened to argue, but I didn't give him the chance.

I turned to depart. Before passing the doorway, I gave him a final glimpse. A bitter twist touched my mouth when a realization struck me.

He didn't even know I was lying.

The Alpha I had bound my life and spirit to didn't know one of the most basic truths about me. Or perhaps he did. But he just didn't care enough to remember.

"Freya," Raiden's voice stopped me halfway.

I glanced over my shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "What is it now?"

His gaze was sharp as a claw, his knuckles already white where he gripped the edge of the stone table. "You're being willful as a lone wolf. You know that, don't you?"

I didn't answer. I waited for him to continue, to say something that might mend the tattered bond between us.

Instead, he stood abruptly, shoving his chair back. "Fine. Keep howling at shadows. But don't say I didn't try to call you back."

After that, he stormed out of the dining den without another word.

For a moment, I stood frozen, staring at the space where he'd been. I should've felt relief that he was gone, but all I felt was the bitter sting of his words.

It wasn't until I reached the stone stairs that I noticed something. A faint, enchanted humming reached my ears.

His crystal communicator lay forgotten on the corner. The runes on its surface glowed with a name that made my blood run cold: Kaia.

The message preview shimmered into view. "Can't wait for tomorrow. I've got a surprise for you."