Seven years had elapsed since I formed the bond with Alpha Lucian, and now, the pup he'd fathered with his mistress was already attending werewolf preschool. "Alpha Lucian, come home. Let's get the bond broken over with,". There was a long, excruciating silence on the other end of the line. "Luna Natalie, quit playing games. Things are fine the way they are," he finally replied. "If you don't come back, I'll just have to go find her," I growled. Three years ago, everything had changed. Alpha Lucian had returned from a routine border patrol with a new she-wolf in tow. At first, I'd dismissed it as nothing more than a passing fancy. B ut then, the rumors started. Whispers of secret meetings in the woods, stolen kisses under the cover of night. And then, the unthinkable happened-she announced she was with pup, and Lucian didn't deny it. We'd had a massive blowout . In the heat of the argument, our wolves had emerged, snarling and snapping at each other. His wolf, a massive black beast with eyes that glowed like embers, had towered over me. He didn't beg for forgiveness-instead, he demanded to break our bond. "The mate bond was a mistake," he'd said, his voice cold and emotionless. "I've found my true mate, and I won't let anything stand in our way." For the next three years, we were locked in this messy, drawn-out battle to break our bond, tangled up in each other the whole time. The last big fight was outside Family Court. I'd been trembling with rage, my wolf on the verge of breaking free. " Yeah, I'm dragging this out on purpose! I want that she-wolf and her pup to be stuck with the labels of 'homewrecker' and 'bastard' forever. I'd rather die than break our bond, so don't even dream about it!" Alpha Lucian had been so pissed that his wolf had almost taken over completely. He'd raised his hand, his claws extended, stopping an inch from my face. But he didn't hit me. Instead, he'd just stood there, his chest heaving with anger, his eyes filled with a mixture of hatred and something else-a flicker of regret that he quickly masked. That day, he'd left with that she-wolf and her pup. Didn't come back for a whole year. After I made that phone call, I sat on the couch, waiting. In the hollow quiet of the room, I shook my head and let out a bitter laugh. The she-wolf who'd once sworn she'd never break bond with him was now the one bringing it up. When Alpha Lucian walked through the door, I flashed him a rare smile. But then I saw her-the she-wolf, holding hands with the little boy-trailing right behind him. I froze for a second, taking in the sight of them. Maybe I stared too long, because Alpha Lucian's face darkened, his anger flaring up after a year apart. He didn't hold back. "Luna Natalie, you're really pulling out all the stops now, aren't you? No shame left in you, just to keep me around!" Normally, we'd have torn into each other, yelling until we were red in the face, making a scene. But this time, I didn't get mad. I calmly picked up the papers to sever our bond. "I'm not playing games. Look, I already signed them." He snatched the paper from my hand, staring at it for a long time. Then he looked up at me, his expression a mix of relief and confusion, maybe even something else. But it didn't stop him from signing his name without a second's hesitation. Afterward, he couldn't resist taking a jab. "No clue what's gotten into you, suddenly wanting to break our bond out of nowhere." My smile froze for a moment. I held the signed papers carefully, like they were fragile. "I'm dying, Alpha Lucian. Isn't it better to set you free?" His eyes flickered, just for a second, before he let out a cruel laugh. "Well, you'd better hurry up and die then. I don't want you casting a shadow over my bond to Vanessa Monroe. Family Court tomorrow-don't be late."

The heavy oak door slammed shut with a deafening crash. IFrom the moment Alpha Lucian had stepped through that door, his presence a searing brand on my soul, to the instant he turned his back on me and walked out, less than ten minutes had elapsed. As I sat there in the darkness, my wolf whimpering pitifully within me, I couldn't help but think of tomorrow. Tomorrow was our seventh bond anniversary. A notification popped up . Alpha Lucian, who never shares personal stuff, couldn't contain his excitement over breaking our bond. He posted the signed papers. The comments were flooded with congratulations. Even his parents and relatives liked the post. What hurt more was that Alpha Lucian knew I'd see it. He didn't care how it'd make me feel. Then again, why would he? Who wastes energy on someone they stopped loving ages ago? I turned around, and the house was full of her traces. If Alpha Lucian had bothered to look closer, he'd have noticed his clothes still hanging on the balcony, his favorite slippers by the front door, my long hair still kept because he once said it looked good. Truth is, I lied. If I had more time, I'd have dragged this out forever. Set him free? No way. The wolf I fell for-I'd hold onto him till my last breath. The day I found out he was cheating, I asked him calmly, "What's so great about her compared to me? Is she prettier? Younger?" Alpha Lucian stayed quiet, but I could see the irritation creeping onto his face. Finally, he ran a hand through his hair and said, "Luna Natalie, you're great. You're perfect in every way. But sometimes you put so much pressure on me. I'm scared I'll mess up and not live up to how much you love me. You're too good-so good it feels unreal. Vanessa's different. She's timid, but she still reaches out, teasing me like a little kitten." The anger on his face softened as he spoke. Outside, the wind picked up. I brought his clothes in from the balcony and pulled a small white pill bottle from the drawer. The healer said if I kept taking them, I could hold on for a few more months. But the pain would get worse. To keep Alpha Lucian from thinking I'd taint his new life, I decided this would be the last thing I did for him. Before dawn even broke, Alpha Lucian sent people to pick me up. Probably worried I'd change my mind halfway through breaking our bond. They rushed me out so fast I didn't even get a chance to grab breakfast, half-dragging me into the car. I figured we'd be waiting hours outside Family Court, but instead, they took me to the house Alpha Lucian had set up for her. My feet froze, instinct screaming not to step inside. The door cracked open, and someone inside yanked me in like they were smuggling contraband. The she-wolf put a finger to her lips, her voice barely a whisper. "Mr. and Mrs. Thorne are still sleeping. Wait on the couch."

She didn't give me another glance before disappearing into the kitchen. I stood there, fists clenched, until I forced myself to loosen them and shuffled to the couch. One look around, and my eyes landed on a bond photo framed on the TV stand. Besides our bond certificate, Alpha Lucian had given Vanessa everything he could. The day he confessed, he'd already taken bond photos with her. He told her, "Vanessa, I'm sorry I can't give you the title of mate yet, but anything else you want, it's yours." And that day, Vanessa asked for a pup. Footsteps creaked on the stairs. Alpha Lucian came down in a disheveled robe, his chest half-exposed, marked with purplish bruises. My eyes stung, and I turned away, squeezing them shut. "What are you doing here? Who let you in?" His voice was sharp with anger. Before I could answer, he grabbed my wrist and started dragging me toward the door. The nanny burst out of the kitchen, stopping him. "Sir, it was Mrs. Thorne's orders to let her in. You'll upset her if you do this." Alpha Lucian's grip loosened, and he stormed off to the bathroom without another word. Behind me, the nanny whispered to someone, "It's all her fault. She won't break the bond with him, keeping Mr. and Mrs. Thorne apart, letting the little boy get mocked by outsiders. Such a kind she-wolf like Mrs. Thorne, forced to be the other she-wolf because of her." By the end of this mess of a bond, everyone thought I was the villain. Like I was the one wrecking someone else's home, shamelessly clinging to a wolf who didn't love me anymore. Refusing to let go, refusing to let them be happy. But the truth? Alpha Lucian and I were childhood sweethearts, bound for four years before Vanessa showed up. We had history, legitimacy. Alpha Lucian came out of the bathroom, standing behind me, frowning. "Luna Natalie, you on a diet or something? You're looking thinner." The sudden concern hit me like a punch, my nose stinging. But then he kept talking, a smirk in his voice. "Got any tips? Vanessa's been stressing about losing weight, but she gets all pouty when I bring it up. Name your price, I'll pay for the advice." My nails dug into my palms as I turned to face him. "What, not worried I'd sabotage your precious Vanessa?" He actually thought about it. "Fair point. Knowing your temper, you probably would." Funny thing is, he forgot. For all my stubbornness, all my pride, I never once went after Vanessa. When Vanessa came downstairs, Alpha Lucian and I were locked in a stare-down, neither of us backing off. She hesitated, her voice soft. "Alpha Lucian, are you two fighting over me again?" Alpha Lucian's cold glare softened as he scooped her off the stairs, carrying her down. But I spoke first. "Ms. Monroe, you're the one who had me dragged here?" Alpha Lucian's brow twitched with irritation, but Vanessa tiptoed up, planting a morning kiss on him. He grabbed the back of her head, deepening it, his eyes flicking to me like he was rubbing it in my face. They kissed for a solid five minutes. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, over and over. A voice in my head kept whispering, Natalie, give up. Haven't you loved him long enough? Haven't you been hurt enough? When Alpha Lucian finally let her go, Vanessa's lips were glossy and red. She walked over to me. "Natalie, can we talk? Just the two of us?"