My phone buzzed every ten minutes, filled with well-wishes from the pack members counting the hours before my supposed mating ritual ceremony. I didn't bother to respond to any of those texts. Instead, I went to the venue for the last time.

The grand hall looked elegant, draped in soft whites and blush pinks, just like I’d always dreamed it would be. But now it felt like a stage set for a show I had no interest in being part of.

I went to a table where a photo of Easton and me was displayed. We looked so happy, like the perfect mates the pack expected us to be. Before I could think much about it, I grabbed that photo and ripped it in half. The sound echoed through that empty hall, almost satisfying, though it didn’t quite erase the sting of betrayal.

“Get these down,” I said to the attendant without glancing at her.

I sounded calm despite the burning rage inside me. The attendant just nodded, probably too polite to ask questions. I bet she thought I was one of those future Luna having cold feet. If only she knew the real story.

"Why are you angry this early?"

I tensed as I heard that familiar voice. It's Astrid, my adoptive mother. Her tone dripped with sarcasm, her eyes scanning the room like she was judging a bad play. She stood there, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.

“Shouldn’t you be a bit more composed? You’re about to become Luna,” she said, smirking.

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I snapped.

Her smirk widened.

“Still got that fiery temper, huh? You should learn to control it by now. A Luna should know when to keep quiet.”

I didn’t even bother responding. Instead, I turned my focus back to the hall, but Astrid wasn’t done with me.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, pulling a small box from her bag and shoving it toward me.

“A gift from me.”

I stared at the box, hesitant to take it. My mother didn’t give gifts unless there were strings attached. And when I opened it, my breath caught in my throat. A diamond necklace sparkled in the light - gorgeous, cold, and meaningless. It was the necklace promised to me as a kid but never given. Instead, it went to Elena on her sixteenth birthday. Seeing it now felt like a slap in the face. I stared at the necklace for what felt like forever before tossing it into the trash can.

The hours that followed were spent packing my stuff and double-checking everything. Tomorrow, I was supposed to walk down the ceremonial grounds with Easton. But nope, that was definitely not happening.

I took one last look at my phone. A message from Elena lit up the screen. “Wishing you a blessed mating ritual ceremony, Ardyn. I hope you find joy always.”

I forced a smile because I knew Elena was lying. I bet she was snuggled up in Easton’s arms at this second, celebrating her little victory. I quickly typed a response.

"Thanks for the blessing, Elena. I’ll always find my happiness. Oh, and I got you a little something. You will receive it tomorrow."

Elena would receive it at the mating ritual ceremony. I specifically instructed the courier. I chuckled, imagining what she would look like when she saw it. Then, I also sent one last message to Easton.

"Sorry, I canceled our mating ritual ceremony. Please attend your and Elena's mating ritual ceremony."

I attached the candid photos I had taken when they were being carelessly unaware while being intimate. Once I stepped onto the ship, those messages would be sent automatically. The pictures would even be forwarded to the pack's group chat for everyone to see. It would serve as my final goodbye.

I arrived at the dock and looked at the amazing cruise ship I owned. It was enormously beautiful. I felt the weight of the things I was letting go of but did not back down.

“Excuse me, Miss Ardyn. I am Paolo, the ship's captain, where would you like to go?” a voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned and smiled.

“Wherever this ship takes me.”

I glanced at the sea. And for the first time, I wasn't afraid of what would happen next. I was actually excited.

“To Croatia,” Paolo said.

I nodded and boarded the ship. I had never been to Croatia, but I was already excited about what I would find there. After sending a voice call to Easton, I took out my SIM card, the last thing he could use to communicate with me. I threw it into the water, and I made sure to block everyone from communicating via mind-link. My wolf whimpered, and I soothed her by telling her Easton chose Elena; it's time to move on.

Meanwhile, at the Ward estate, Easton was awakened by the incessant ringing of his phone. He picked it up and groaned when he saw it was his mother. He wanted to get more sleep so he would not feel tired during the mating ritual ceremony, but he couldn't ignore her.

"Yes, Mom," he answered sleepily.

"Easton, you better be awake now. You have only two hours to prepare. And where is Ardyn? Why can't I reach her?"

"Mom, she would be there. Now, let me go and prepare."

Elena was beside him, awakened from the call, too. Once the call ended, Elena hugged him and asked, "Easton, would you still love me even after you mated with my sister?"

She looked at him with watery eyes. Easton hugged her tightly.

"Of course, baby. I just need to honor this mating ritual, but it would not matter. Nothing would change between us."

He then kissed her passionately.

"Alright, baby. We need to prepare and head to the venue."

Once ready, Easton called Ardyn. After three rings, it went to voicemail. A weird, sinking feeling settled deep in his chest. But he ignored it thinking she was just busy. He grabbed his things and immediately went to the door. Suddenly, his phone rang from an unknown caller. But when he answered, it was Ardyn's voice.

"Hey, it’s me. My phone was acting up. Don’t freak out; I’ll be at the venue waiting for you. I’ve got a surprise for you."

Easton smiled and felt relieved hearing her voice. With a grin, he turned to the others, still searching for her.

“Hey, Ardyn just called! She’s just getting ready to surprise me. No need to worry, alright?”

He couldn’t help but beam as he spoke, feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Even now, she was planning something special for him. His friends couldn’t resist but tease him.

"Look at you, all lovey-dovey! So cute!"

"Seriously, that’s just the sweetest thing!"

As the mating ritual ceremony was about to start, Ardyn was still nowhere to be seen. Easton's mom leaned to him and whispered, "You don’t think she’s trying to bail on the mating ritual, do you? It’s been ages! If she pulls a stunt like that, she’ll have to answer me."

Easton shook his head, tugging at his mom's sleeves.

“Nah, she wouldn’t do that! She loves me so much. Plus, she said she was planning a surprise for me."

He was still confident Ardyn would show up. But when the elder urged for the mates to step up, nerves kicked in for Easton. He stood there, a little shaky, trying to think of a good reason for Ardyn's delay.

"Uh, everyone, just hang tight for a sec. We’ll be starting soon..."

Before he could say another word, whispers erupted from the crowd. People pulled out their phones. Their glance darted from their phone to Easton.

At the same time, Ardyn’s gift for Elena arrived. Elena took the box from the delivery guy and opened it. It contained all the pictures of him and Easton. She almost fainted but didn’t make a sound.

Out of nowhere, Astrid dashed up, yanking Easton down and shoving her phone in his face.

“What’s going on? Ardyn just posted something on her social media and sent messages for the entire pack to read!”

Ardyn was a well-known designer and influencer before she met Easton. Her fans loved her and adored them as mates. But no one thought she’d end up in a situation like this.

Easton stared at the screen, unable to process what he was seeing. He also received the last message Ardyn sent to him. The Ardyn he knew was always thoughtful, kind, and understanding. But now, it hit him—she had known everything about his affair with Elena. How did she find out?

At that moment, Easton felt like a total fool. Everything that had transpired today was part of Ardyn’s grand plan. The surprise he had been so excited about was this. His mind went completely blank and stood there frozen.

“Is there anyone named Elena Blackwood here?" another delivery guy shouted, silencing the crowd.

Heads turned, eyes darting around, and whispers spread. While Elena stiffened, her face heated with embarrassment as all those eyes fixed on her.

“That’s me. Is there a problem?” Elena answered as she shakily stood.

The delivery guy walked toward her and placed a big box on the table before her.

“This is a gift from Ms. Ardyn Blackwood," he said nonchalantly.

"Sign, please."

Gasps spread through the crowd. Elena's hands shook as she took the pen. Earlier, she received pictures that she tried to hide, but there was no way she could hide this.

After signing, the guy opened the box for her and took out a stunning white ceremonial dress and a bouquet of red roses. Murmurs grew louder among the crowd, and chaos was about to erupt again. The delivery guy cleared his throat and dropped the bomb.

“She said, ‘Wishing you a happy mating ritual ceremony.’”

And just like that, the room went wild.

“Shameless!” someone yelled in disdain.

“She slept with Ardyn's mate on her wedding day!"

Elena's cheeks burned like they were on fire. The whispers quickly morphed into accusations; sharp glances aimed right at her.

“You call yourself her sister? Betraying her like this? Absolutely disgusting!”

A wave of nausea washed over her, and she stumbled backward. Her eyes went to the crowd's faces all twisted with disgust, judgment, and pity. Without thinking twice, she spun around and bolted for the exit.

Meanwhile, Easton was pacing, restless. He couldn’t care less about the chaos happening inside. All that was on his mind was Ardyn. Just Ardyn. His mate, his rock, and also the woman he messed up.

"Where the heck is she?" he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

As soon as he received her last short but brutal text message everything started to go downhill. He had to find her.

Grabbing his car keys, he jumped into his vehicle, knuckles pale against the steering wheel. He slammed on the gas, weaving through traffic like a man possessed, desperation blinding his judgment. Red lights blurred by horns blaring like crazy in the background. But his thoughts raced even faster than the car. Why didn’t she yell at me? Why didn’t she fight back?

Sweaty palms clutched the wheel tighter. For the first time, Easton felt real, gut-wrenching fear that she might be gone for good.

By the time he skidded into the driveway, it felt like his chest was about to explode. He stumbled inside, calling her name.

"Ardyn!"

Silence.

The house felt too empty, too quiet. Panic was clawing at him. He burst into their bedroom only to freeze at the doorway.

Her side of the room was completely empty. The wardrobe doors were wide open and bare even her scent was gone. Just his stuff remained, staring back at him, reminding him of everything he’d lost.

"Ardyn!" he shouted again, storming back into the living room.

The omega housekeeper appeared, her eyes wide and nervous.

"Where is she?!" he demanded.

"She... she packed her things and left yesterday, Alpha," the omega stammered, twisting the hem of her apron.