I blinked several times, staring at the message glowing on the surface of the soulstone in my palm. It felt like a blunt force had struck my chest—I couldn’t even breathe. It was an invitation sealed with moonbinding sigils, its edges laced with silver thread—a symbol of pure-blood Alpha honor. "Alpha Fernando and Bianca cordially invite you to attend their bonding oath ceremony..." My lips cracked dry. My ears rang. I read the sentence over and over again, as if hoping that, just once, it would change into something else. "No." Leona’s voice shot through my mind, low and sharp, like claws raking across stone. "This isn’t right. He’s not the Alpha meant for us." No. This had to be fake. alpha fermando is blackthorn pack’s alpha. Bianca? The Beta cousin? The one Fernando always said was “just a friend”? My hand trembled as I stared at the sender’s spirit mark—it was Bianca herself. She’d always looked down on me for being a Gamma. Never hid her disdain. This had to be a deliberate attempt to humiliate me. Or maybe… a declaration of victory. But why... why had my wolf suddenly stopped responding to Alpha Fernando’s aura? "Because he never truly responded to us." Leona scoffed, her voice tight, bitter—wounded. "You thought it was a fated resonance. But it was never mutual. Just a fantasy born of your desperation." My heart thundered against my ribs like a war drum. Fernando was my fated mate. I knew the moment I first saw him on the night of my eighteenth Moon Ceremony. We hadn’t completed the marking ritual, true, but I thought... I thought he just wasn’t ready yet. "He wasn’t unready," Leona bit out, syllables as sharp as bone, "he was never willing. You gave us to an Alpha who made a joke out of the Moon Goddess’s vow." I needed to hear him deny this bond ceremony himself. Stumbling out of the council chamber, I raced through the runestone corridor, ducked into the nearest signal tower, and clutched my soulstone tightly, channeling soul-thread to form a message imprint. Before I could activate the resonance spell, the soulstone began to pulse violently, waves of silver-blue light rising—an Alpha-tier transmission. Fernando was contacting me. Thank the Moon. He was going to explain everything. He’d say it was a misunderstanding. I accepted the call at once. “Fe—” “...Thalia? That pitiful Gamma?” His voice struck like a blade of frost, laced with mockery. I froze. Something within me began to burn—dark, painful. Like silver venom surging backward through my veins. "You hear that?" Leona’s voice trembled too, but it was like holding back a scream with gritted teeth. "He doesn’t love you. Doesn’t respect you. Doesn’t even see us as a soul worth naming." “Please. She’s just a convenient tool. Like I’d ever make her my Luna.” My hand hovered in the air, numb. “She still doesn’t know?” another male voice chimed in, full of smug amusement. “The way she worships me, it’s pathetic,” Fernando sneered. “Cooking, cleaning, managing my alliance scrolls—might as well squeeze out the last bit of usefulness.” I instinctively covered my mouth, a guttural sob caught in my throat. Shame and soul-deep agony cracked me open from the inside. "He’s tearing our soul apart." Leona’s voice lowered to a near whisper. "And you still think he deserves a single tear?" “Didn’t you send her to the High Council Summit?” someone else asked. “Of course,” Fernando said. “Told her she’d represent me. She looked like she’d been handed a shard of the moon.” I remembered that day. I was ecstatic. I thought it meant he was finally ready to acknowledge me... publicly. Their laughter sliced me over and over again. “She was just a placeholder,” Fernando said flatly. “I’ve waited years for Bianca. Thalia was never more than passing time.” The ground beneath me crumbled. My whole world began to fall. “I’ve made sure she stays clueless. Once the ceremony is over, I’ll decide what to do with her next.” “And if she finds out?” “She loves me too much. She’d drink silver venom if I told her it was moonlight.” At that moment, my soul-link with him shattered. Not because of his betrayal. But because I saw it clearly now—he had never honored the connection in the first place. I ended the soulstone call. My body shook. Tears poured uncontrollably down my face. I looked pathetic. Just like they said. I had gathered sacred spring crystals to strengthen our bond resonance, begged healing witches for sigils to purge his battle toxins, done everything I could to nurture a future he never even planned to share. "You’re not pathetic," Leona whispered softly now, like her fury had ebbed into sorrow. "You just... loved." "But now it’s time. Time to shed this disgrace. Say the words you should’ve said long ago." I knew—if I didn’t sever this mate-bond myself, I would forever be shackled to his scorn. So I spoke, voice raw but steady: “I, Thalia, rejected you, Alpha Fernando, as my mate.” A faint trail of lunar markings faded from my shoulder. The bond could never be reforged. The marking ritual would never happen. And then Leona roared within me— “We are free!” I stood tall, wiped my tears, and untied the heartward talisman wrapped around my wrist. I was no longer the little she-wolf waiting in the shadows for love. I opened the hidden imprint archive in my soulstone and accessed a sealed frequency. “Alpha Ross,” I said, my voice calm and sure, “I’m ready to become your mate.” He was the alpha of sliverclaw pack. There was a brief silence. Then his voice came through—deep, steady, and gentle: “I’m glad,” he said. “Call me Ross.”
I left the Elder Council meeting without a shred of hesitation, claiming I wasn’t feeling well. No one questioned me—my reddened eyes and fractured aura said enough. In truth, I’d spent the entire meeting suppressing my wolf’s instinctive revolt. Leona had nearly broken through the mental barrier, desperate to confront Fernando across the distance. It was a textbook signal—the kind that flares right before a soulbond between an Alpha and his fated mate begins to rupture. I knew I was entering the final stage of resonance collapse. “We have to leave,” Leona growled hoarsely. “If we stay any longer, we’ll lose the strength to rebuild what remains of our wolfheart.” I didn’t argue. Because she was right. When I returned to my dwelling on the edge of the territory, Alpha Fernando wasn’t home yet. Good. I needed time to stabilize my aura, to prepare for the confrontation I knew was coming—especially after what I heard on that soulstone transmission. I activated the crystal’s core and resumed my remote connection with Alpha Ross. We were discussing the final preparations for the marking ceremony: it had to take place under a full moon, and a certified healing witch must be present to oversee the ritual. More importantly, I needed to fully purge the residual imprint of Fernando’s soulmark from within me—without that, Ross’s mark wouldn’t take. A few minutes later, Alpha Fernando stepped through the door. But I didn’t look up. I kept tapping the soulstone’s surface, composing my reply to Ross’s latest message. Fernando sensed the change instantly. The air grew heavy between us. He wasn’t used to being ignored—especially not by me. In the past, whenever he walked through that door, I would rush to greet him, smiling as I asked if he was hurt, if he needed his wounds treated with moonstone salve. But now, I didn’t even lift my gaze. “Thalia?” he called gently. I raised my head slowly. “Hmm?” My tone was flat, cold. He paused, frowning. “What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping closer. “Your aura’s... unsteady.” I gave a casual shrug and returned my attention to the soulstone. “It’s nothing,” I said calmly. “The meeting ran long. Just gave me a bit of a headache.” I even forced a faint smile. He visibly relaxed. Clearly, he thought I was still unaware of his and Bianca’s secret preparations for their marking ritual. “Too late,” Leona muttered, voice like crushed glass. “From the moment he betrayed the bond gifted to us by the Moon Goddess, we stopped belonging to him.” “By the way, there’s something I wanted to tell you,” I said casually. Fernando narrowed his eyes, wary. “What is it?” I kept my tone light, still tapping on the stone’s surface. “I’ve been thinking... I’ve been doing a lot of Alpha-level work lately. But I realized, maybe I’m better suited for something else.” Leona’s voice sliced through me like a blade. “This is the moment you begin the severing.” He squinted, his voice taut. “You’re stepping away from our shared responsibilities? Are you abandoning me?” “I didn’t say that.” I chuckled softly, still not looking at him. “I just believe someone of your Alpha rank is perfectly capable of handling the territory alone. Besides... isn’t Bianca quite good at Alpha-level policy work?” His face darkened instantly at the mention of her name. “Bianca?” he snapped. “What are you implying?” I finally looked at him, letting a sickeningly sweet smile stretch across my lips. “You know, while I was away, she was... very helpful. Treated your injuries, kept your favorite healing crystals at the ready, even spoke up for you when you were late to the summit.” A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. That was when I saw it—real fear. “Thalia, you don’t really think I—? There’s nothing going on between me and her. I never—” “I don’t care,” I interrupted flatly. “Whatever’s happened between you two... I’ve already made peace with it.” “Made peace with what?” I didn’t answer. Instead, I reached to my wrist and unfastened the band that sealed the Guardian Rune of Pending Bond, the last psychic protection worn by any Gamma who had not yet accepted a new mark. Fernando froze. That’s when he realized—I no longer belonged to him. “I’m going to wash up,” I said, standing. As I passed him, I made sure not to brush against his aura—not even the faintest touch of soul resonance. “We’ll talk later.” “Not now, Alpha Fernando.” I walked into the hallway. Behind me, I could hear his hesitant footsteps—but he didn’t follow. He didn’t dare. He knew—this time, I wasn’t the girl foolish enough to be deceived by silver venom a third time.
I heard Alpha Fernando push the door open and step inside. I shut my eyes tightly and forced myself to stay completely still, pretending to be asleep. “Thalia?” he called. I didn’t respond. “Thalia, are you awake?” he asked again, this time more gently. Still, I didn’t move. Leona growled low in my mind, "Don’t respond. His aura is no longer clean. The soul-bond is beginning to decay." Fernando huffed. “Asleep.” I could tell he was making a call. He lowered his voice deliberately, as if afraid to wake me—or maybe afraid to trigger the bond link that hadn’t been fully severed yet. “Can you stop by that cheaper bag store and grab one for me? I need to pacify Thalia. I think she’s been acting jealous over Bianca lately.” Whoever was on the other end said something. He chuckled softly. “No, she doesn’t know about the ceremony. She just heard that Bianca and I got a little close while she was off attending the Border Summoning of the Moon Council.” He laughed again. “Don’t go to that upscale boutique. Those silver-trimmed bags are way too expensive and too durable. Bianca likes that kind of thing, but Thalia? So not worth it.” “Just grab something flashy. Something with sequins. She’s always fallen for stuff like that.” I froze under the blanket. My fingers trembled slightly beneath the covers. Leona’s voice burned inside me: “Did you hear that? You’ve cleansed silver venom for him, stabilized his aura during blood moons, and even used your resonance to calm his wolf when it nearly tore his mind apart—and he sees you as nothing but a convenience.” Fernando kept talking, unaware or unconcerned: “Honestly, I don’t even know why I’ve kept her around. She’s convenient, sure. Loyal. Knows how to brew healing crystals. Can reach the healing witches when I need one. But she’s so dull. No fire. No spark worthy of an Alpha.” Then he added in a quieter voice, “Bianca is the one who truly deserves the Luna title. Her bloodline is refined. She looks like a true Alpha’s match standing at my side.” “Thalia… she’s just comfortable.” “She doesn’t even push back,” he went on. “That’s her value. She’s steady, compliant, emotionally undemanding. She worships me like I’m her Alpha icon.” He yawned. “Alright, get the bag and write one of those sappy letters you’re good at. I’ll leave it on her nightstand. She’ll wake up tomorrow thinking I’m the sweetest mate in the world.” “She still has to attend the Crestmoon Assembly for me next week. I need her in a good mood.” I let out a quiet, bitter laugh. Now I understood why he was suddenly being “thoughtful.” It wasn’t because my soul had shattered. It wasn’t because I had stood by him through his mother’s death and the collapse of his leadership. It was because he needed a manageable, obedient partner to uphold his public image. The person on the other end of the call said something funny, apparently. Fernando burst out laughing. “That’s how it works. Toss in a bit of ritual drama, some sweet talk, and boom—she forgets everything.” He scoffed. I inhaled slightly, involuntarily. Fernando immediately fell silent. “Wait.” His voice dropped to a near-whisper. “I think she moved.” He ended the call and began walking toward me. I forced myself to stay still—even though every fiber of me wanted to leap up and scream his lies back into his face. “Don’t move,” Leona whispered coldly. “Let him believe you’re still the obedient Luna he thinks he owns. It’s the only way he’ll let his guard down.” A few seconds passed. Then he exhaled in relief. “Still asleep. Good.” He climbed into bed beside me, and soon I could hear his breathing settle into a rhythmic sleep. Only once I was certain he was deeply asleep did I allow myself to take a real breath. Then I opened my eyes. All those things he’d said about “her”—he would never understand the sacrifices behind them. I had turned down a high-ranking appointment from the Council of Healing Witches just to stay by his side, to help stabilize his collapsing pack with my abilities. After his mother died, it was me who took over the spiritual grid of the territory using our soul-bond. During the time of pack unrest, I went alone to border negotiations multiple times to stop a full-blown Alpha war. He once whispered promises in my ear, saying he would mark me under the next full moon and announce me as his Luna before the entire pack. Now, he was preparing a mate ceremony with Bianca behind my back—without even the decency of a farewell, without any honor. He was preparing to strip my Luna mark away. The soulstone beside me pulsed faintly. It was a resonance message from Alpha Ross. I wiped away the tears that had silently streamed down my face and opened the message. “Thalia, just say the word when you’re ready. I’ll come get you—with not a drop of shame.” A tiny smile tugged at the corner of my lips. And in that moment, just for a breath, I almost forgot what heartbreak felt like.
Alpha Fernando’s punch landed hard on my face. I looked up and met his eyes. “You hit me.” He frowned, jaw clenched. “You hurt Bianca. You should apologize.” “She’s a Beta. I’m just a Gamma,” I said coldly. “You really think I could hurt her?” Fernando’s face darkened. “Apologize, Thalia. Now.” I narrowed my eyes. A low laugh escaped me. “Over my dead body.” I could feel my wolf soul, Leona, roaring beneath my skin. She was clawing at my bones. Her growl echoed in my mind: “The bond is broken. He no longer deserves you.” I turned and walked away. But Bianca wasn’t done. In her sickly-sweet voice, she cried out, “Ow, my head hurts,” and collapsed dramatically into Fernando’s arms. “She attacked me. Tore my shoulder channel open.” She bit her lip, playing the perfect victim. Fernando turned his full attention to her. “We’ll go to the healer’s tent. They’ll take care of you.” I went back to my quarters. Opened the closet. Pulled out my suitcase. The silver ring Fernando gave me. The moon pendant. That tiny bottle of so-called “Southern incense oil” he claimed he brought back from the borderlands. I threw them all into the trash. I remembered that scent. Bianca wore it too. He returned to find the suitcase open. He paused. “What are you doing?” I looked up, gave a stiff, polite smile. “Clearing things. I don’t need them anymore.” He stepped closer, eyeing the pile of folded clothes. “You’re not going anywhere, are you?” “They’re just items,” I replied blandly. Relief flickered in his expression. “Bianca says she doesn’t want things to stay like this between you two.” I laughed. Sharp enough to cut. “She’s willing to forgive me?” He raised his hand, hesitated, then dropped it. “Don’t talk about her like that.” I said nothing and kept packing. “I didn’t mean to hit you. I swear.” I let out a short breath through my nose. “Let me make it up to you,” he said. “Dinner at your favorite spot? The lake place with the spicy noodles. Friday night. Like we used to.” I faked a smile. “Sure. What time?” “Six?” “Perfect.” That evening, I changed into a white dress. Light makeup. My dark hair tied into a loose knot. It was chilly out, so I threw on a grey knit shawl. We sat at the lakeside trattoria. The wooden deck glowed under soft yellow lights. The spicy noodles still burned the same way. Fernando ordered me a mocktail. Poured the water. Handed me tissues. Like we were pretending the past hadn’t burned down. I opened my mouth to speak—then I heard a voice I knew too well. “Alpha Fernando!” Bianca strutted in, wrapped in a tight red dress. Her heels clicked against the wood. Her gaze slid over me with challenge. “Bianca? What are you doing here?” “I got bored alone,” she said, fluttering her lashes. “Thought I’d go for a walk. Didn’t expect to find you two.” She stumbled—somehow—and the red wine in her hand splashed straight across my chest. The wine soaked my dress. The stain bloomed, dark and vivid. “Oh no! I’m so sorry! That was an accident,” she said quickly, eyes gleaming. Fernando’s face darkened. “Can’t you be careful? You always make a scene.” I stared at him, stunned. “Did you not see her do that on purpose?” Bianca’s eyes welled. “Don’t blame her, Alpha. It was my fault.” Fernando put an arm around her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get you changed.” I slammed my hand on the table and stood. “You owe me an explanation!” “You’re always like this,” he muttered, annoyed. “Dramatic.” Then he walked out with Bianca, not looking back once.
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