Five days before my departure, I walked out of Zack's lab for the last time and handed in my resignation at the Central City hospital.
I had stayed at the hospital to be close to Zack, to be his assistant.
My colleagues were shocked to hear I was leaving.
"Maggie, why the sudden move?"
"You were handing out candy just the other day, and we were all excited about attending your Luna ceremony. Are you going back to being a full-time homemaker?"
Someone quipped.
Clutching my box of research notes on medicinal herbs, I managed a smile.
"That's over. The engagement's off."
Their eyes widened in stunned silence.
Without another word, I turned and headed home.
Pushing open the door, I was greeted by the sight of Nancy perched on Zack's lap, a coy smile on her face.
Zack pushed her off instinctively, then his brow furrowed as he saw me with my belongings.
"Why are you bringing all this stuff home?"
I replied with a steady voice, "Just some research notes on herbs. They're of no use to me now."
Zack nodded. Then, as if an afterthought, he spoke up again.
"Maggie, I've only been gone a few days, but why does the house feel so empty?"
He looked at me, confused.
I chucked the tied-up clutter into the corner. "Just got rid of stuff we don't need."
He opened his mouth to question further, but Nancy cut in with a gentle voice.
"Thanks for letting us take that promise picture, Maggie. You made my dream come true.
"However, I might still need your help in the future. I hope you won't get sick of me.
"Let me take you out for dinner today, okay?"
Her eyes were wide and innocent, but inside, I was seething. I kept my cool, though. Only the fierce part of me, my inner wolf, knew the extent of my rage.
My eyes briefly met her slightly swollen belly before I shut them, forcing calm.
No point in getting mad.
In five days, I would be out of there, with no strings attached to them.
Nancy's eyes brimmed with tears when I stayed silent.
"Zack, is Maggie upset? I guess it makes sense, she's your true Luna..."
Her words trailed off as blood started to drip from her lips.
Zack panicked, then shot me a disapproving look.
"Maggie, Nancy is really thankful. What's with the attitude?
"She's ill, what if you make her worse?
"Join us for dinner!"
He insisted, just as he had when he told me not to touch his phone.
I ended up at the restaurant, more out of coercion than choice.
As we sat down, the waiter approached to take our order. I barely glanced at the menu before Zack started dictating.
"Nothing too spicy, no heavy oils, and hold the onions."
He tenderly prepared Nancy's meal, then slid a plate of fresh fish my way.
"Nancy can't have this right now, she ordered it just for you."
I stared at the fish, an icy feeling settling in my stomach.
"I'm allergic to fish."
The irony was not lost on me.
He kept saying he loved me, but somehow, he always forgot about my fish allergy.
He insisted he was not into Nancy, yet he never forgot she hated onions.
Zack stopped dead in his tracks, a guilty look washing over his face as if he had just remembered something important.
"Maggie, you know I never meant to forget..."
When I did not react, he tried to make it up to me by ordering more dishes.
However, I did not touch a thing, just watched in silence as Zack doted on Nancy with every little detail.
On the way home, my phone rang.
"Maggie, you're set on doing this by the book, right?
"The first gig at Northwood is top secret. Once you're in, you might be off the grid for a year, maybe even more."
I watched the couple ahead.
Zack was gently holding Nancy, his expression soft.
I gripped my phone, my voice calm and even.
"Yeah, let's do it by the book."
The person on the other end let out a relieved breath. "Great, your advisor was worried you'd have a hard time leaving your Alpha."
I took one last look at them, then turned down a different path.
"No more Bonding Ceremony, no more Alpha.
"The Bonding Ceremony's off.
"I'm ready to move on."
My words had barely faded when Zack's confused voice floated from behind.
"Who's leaving?"
