The Alpha's False Rejection

On the day of their third full moon mating anniversary, which was also Emily Vance's twenty-seventh birthday.

Her mate, Alpha Daniel Blackwood, gave her a special gift

A signed mate rejection agreement.

Daniel calmly picked up a pen, signed his name in the Alpha's slot at the bottom left, and then pushed the document across the table to Emily.

"Sophia has a wild streak; she's hard to tame. Only a formal rejection agreement will convince her I'm serious."

"I've already signed it. Now you sign."

"Don't worry," he added. "It's just a formality."

His tone was flat, without a hint of emotion, as if he were discussing the pack's patrol routes for the night.

Although Emily no longer paid attention to his private life, the rampant gossip within the pack and all over the internet made it impossible for her not to know who Sophia Summers was.

She was a young, new she-wolf in Daniel's pack, barely in her twenties, radiating a vibrant and seductive energy.

What made her stand out was that Daniel, an Alpha, had been publicly pursuing her for nearly two months, yet she still hadn't officially accepted him.

Usually, Daniel would lose interest in the women who flocked to him within a month.

But this Sophia was different.

Not only had she broken his record, but she had driven him to demand this "fake rejection"an ultimate humiliation for a fated mate.

Emily took the agreement, a symbol of his betrayal, and forced a bitter smile.

"Is this the gift you got for me? How... special."

At her words, a rare look of confusion crossed Daniel's face. When he finally remembered what day it was, a flicker of apology appeared in his eyes.

"I've been busy helping Sophia adjust to the pack. I forgot it was our anniversary and your birthday. I'm sorry. I'll have my Beta send a gift over later."

So, he found a new toy and completely forgot his fated mate, Emily thought, her lips twisting into a sarcastic smirk.

"Don't bother. We're about to end our mating, aren't we? You should save your gifts for someone else."

Daniel's brow furrowed in annoyance.

"It's just a fake rejection, a piece of paper to appease her. We're not actually going to the Elder Council to perform the final bond-severing ceremony."

Is that so?

Because she had already decided to turn this little act into reality.

Emily said nothing more. She picked up the pen and, stroke by stroke, signed her name.

She was putting an end to three years of a sacred bond.

After she finished, Daniel let out a sigh of relief.

He took a photo of the agreement and made a call.

Whatever was said on the other end, Daniel's mood visibly brightened, his voice softening as he cooed into the phone.

"I've rejected her. Now you can be with me, out in the open. Wait for me in your cabin, sweetheart. I'm coming to pick you up to celebrate."

He hung up, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.

Just as he was about to close it, he seemed to remember Emily and glanced back.

"Today is the first day Sophia has agreed to be with me. I need to be with her."

"I'll celebrate your birthday and our anniversary with you next year."

With that, he eagerly shut the door, rushing off to his new flame.

He never heard Emily's whispered reply.

"Daniel, there won't be a next year for us."

Once the roar of the engine faded into the distance, Emily went upstairs.

She opened the safe and removed two mating certificates, embossed with the pack's crest, from the very back.

She opened the red certificate, and two radiant smiles looked back at her.

It was a photo of her at twenty-four and Daniel at twenty-six.

They were pressed close together, their eyes filled with the joy of finding their fated mate and the hope for their future.

Emily's gaze drifted back to the signed rejection agreement on the table.

How did they end up like this?

She remembered meeting Daniel for the first time at a movie wrap party.

Back then, she was just an up-and-coming actress.

She found him in a corner, clutching his stomach, his face pale.

He wasn't used to human parties and had drunk too much. She handed him a yogurt drink.

That simple act of kindness led them to recognize the unique scent on each otherthe scent of fated mates.

That bond, a gift from the Moon Goddess, eventually blossomed into an irresistible love.

But Daniel was the Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, a leader far beyond the reach of an ordinary werewolf like her.

Emily was just from a small family, trying to make it in the human world.

Aware of her place, she had rejected him.

But Daniel didn't give up. Instead, he stayed by her side constantly.

The high and mighty Alpha became her personal assistant, preparing her meals, rushing her to the hospital when she was sick, and handing her a cup of ginger tea the moment she finished a difficult underwater scene.

She wasn't made of stone. Day after day, his warmth chipped away at her defenses until she fell completely.

The final straw was a wirework stunt that went wrong.

As she was about to fall, Daniel used his powerful werewolf body as a cushion to break her fall.

She was unharmed, but Daniel broke two ribsa severe injury, even for a werewolf.

After they got together, Daniel declared to the Pack Elders that he would marry no one else, his resolve unshaken even by their objections.

Not wanting to hold him back, Emily threw herself into her work.

She spent four years clawing her way to the top, finally winning the Best Actress award, which made the pack reluctantly accept her as their Luna.

On the day of their mating ceremony, every pack celebrated with them.

Some even remarked that Daniel was a rare, devoted Alpha.

Emily believed it, too. She thought their love would last a lifetime.

But in the second year of their mating, the scent of another she-wolf appeared on his shirt.

The first time, the wavering of their mate bond sent her into agonizing pain.

The ever-proud Daniel knelt before her, swearing it was a setup by a rival pack and that he would never let it happen again.

Thinking of their deep bond, Emily chose to forgive him.

But soon after, he started staying out all night.

She questioned him like a madwoman, followed him, and their nights became filled with hysterical arguments.

Daniel would just watch her, letting her vent, before calmly telling her:

"Emily, in our world, no Alpha has just one woman by his side forever."

"You just need to know that you're the only one I love, and you will always be the Luna of the Black Moon Pack. That's enough."

It wasn't just Daniel.

Everyone around her said the same thing.

The other women were just fleeting distractions.

She just needed to hold onto her title as Luna, and the Alpha would eventually return to his mate.

All she had to do was wait. So she waited and waited.

She waited until today, when Daniel proposed a fake rejection for his new lover.

The moment she saw Daniel sign his name, the invisible chains of the "mate bond" that had shackled her heart suddenly shattered.

Did she mate with Daniel for the power and status of an Alpha's mate?

No.

It was purely for the love they shared, a love born from destiny.

But now, that love had turned into a foul, stinking mess.

Even their once-cherished bond was now just a tool for him to please his new conquest.

If that was the case, then this mating had no reason to exist anymore.

Snapping back to the present, Emily took the rejection agreement and their mating certificates to the Pack Elders.

After confirming the documents, an Elder informed her that, according to the rules, there was a mandatory one-month cooling-off period.

She was to return in a month to complete the final bond-severing ceremony and receive the official certificate of dissolution.

As she walked out of the Elders' Hall, sunlight washed over her, and for the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of relief.

She pulled out her phone and dialed a number she had saved for a long time.

"Michael, about that movie you invited me to shoot in the UK... I'll do it."

A crash of plates and cups clattered on the other end of the line, followed by a long pause before Michael Jenkins's excited voice came through.

"Emily, you finally said yes! I've been holding this role for you!"

"I know it! With you in it, this film is guaranteed to win some major awards!"

Before her mating ceremony with Daniel, his mother, the former Luna, had demanded that Emily give up her acting career in the human world to focus on pack affairs.

For three years, aside from occasional appearances with Daniel at necessary functions, she had completely vanished from the public eye.

Emily had almost forgotten what it felt like to be that young actress, clutching an Oscar trophy just three years ago.

But in one month, she would have her certificate of dissolution and could finally return to the career she loved.

"Emily, when can you get to the UK? I can't wait to start!"

Emily glanced at a calendar and spoke softly.

"How about the 6th of next month?"

That was the day her one-month cooling-off period ended, the day of her final bond-severing ceremony.

The moment the ceremony was over, she would be on a flight to London.

After discussing the role with Michael, Emily hung up.

She had just gotten into her car when her phone buzzed with the special notification tone she had set for Daniel.

Emily tapped the screen, and Daniel's latest Instagram post popped up.

[I would do anything, as long as you agree to be with me.]

The caption was accompanied by a photo of the rejection agreement and another picture of his hand intertwined with Sophia's.

Daniel had created his Instagram account seven years ago.

He had only ever made three posts. The first was a public declaration to the world when Emily agreed to be his mate.

The second was a message of congratulations when she won Best Actress.

The third was a lavish display of his love on the day of their mating ceremony.

Now, all three of those posts were gone.

Only this new one remained.

In the comments, Sophia's followers were celebrating wildly.

[OMG, our Alpha and the new goddess! They're perfect together!]

[Sophia deserves the best!

That washed-up old Luna should have been kicked out ages ago!

Suddenly, the name "Emily Vance" was trending on Twitter for the first time in years.

FormerLunaEmilyRejected, Kicked Out of Black Moon Pack!

SHOCKING! Once-Perfect Mates Split After Three Years!

When she had mated with Daniel, Emily never imagined they would end up here.

They had survived the pack elders' strongest opposition, only to be torn apart by Daniel's infidelity.

Emily swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat and left a comment on Daniel's post.

[Congratulations to the Alpha on his new love.]

Just as she hit send, her former agent, Jessica, called.

"Emily, you and Daniel..."

Jessica had watched her rise from a newcomer to an Oscar-winning actress.

Even after Emily retired, they remained the best of friends.

Hearing the hesitation in her voice, Emily spoke first.

"Jessica, it's true. Daniel and I have signed the rejection agreement."

Jessica was silent for a moment, her voice filled with a deep sigh.

"I saw how he poured his heart out for you back then. I really thought he was different from those other arrogant Alphas."

The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting shadows across Emily's face.

When she first mated with Daniel, she too thought he was a rare, faithful Alpha.

Looking back now, Daniel was probably just a very good actor.

If he had pursued acting, he would have been an Oscar-winning legend.

After all, his performance had fooled even her.

"Anyway, let's not talk about that. Don't forget to be on time for the Golden Film Awards tonight. I'm already here."

Before their mating, Emily had starred in one last film, The Unending.

Due to a massive amount of post-production work, it was only released last year, but it had already won several international awards.

Her role in the film had earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the Golden Film Awards. The ceremony was tonight.

After hanging up, Emily drove straight to the venue.

She had just found her seat when a commotion erupted at the entrance.

Emily looked over and saw Sophia on Daniel's arm as they walked in.

Reporters swarmed them, microphones thrust forward.

"Alpha Blackwood, your three-year mating with Ms. Vance has ended just like that. Do you have any regrets?"

"Ms. Summers, Mr. Blackwood rejected his Luna for you. Do you feel your actions were in any way immoral?"

Faced with the sharp questions, Sophia lifted her chin, a bright smile on her face.

"I, Sophia Summers, would never stoop to breaking up a relationship. Daniel and I officially got together after he rejected his former Luna. Their mating had problems long before I came along. That's not my fault."

Daniel looked at the woman beside him with adoration.

"No regrets. If there's no love between two people, a mate bond is nothing but a cage. Ending it is a relief for both of us."

Every word was a shard of ice, stabbing Emily with a sharp, cold pain.

A cage...

So, their mating had become that suffocating for him.

Jessica, sitting beside her, squeezed her hand, her eyes filled with concern.

Emily shook her head, her gaze falling on Daniel's hand as he carefully adjusted Sophia's dress.

A self-deprecating smile touched her lips.

In truth, wasn't it a cage for her, too?

She knew the love they once shared, born of destiny, had rotted away, but she had lied to herself, pretending not to see it.

Well, in one month, they would both be free from this cage.

The award ceremony soon began.

When the time came to announce the award for Best Actress, Emily's palms grew slick with a thin layer of sweat.

When she filmed The Unending, she thought it would be her last movie ever, and she had poured her heart and soul into the role.

Winning Best Actress tonight would be the perfect end to her acting career in America.

The host held the envelope, deliberately letting his gaze sweep over all the nominees before slowly announcing.

"And the Golden Film Award for Best Actress goes to..."

"Sophia Summers!"

The audience erupted in thunderous applause.

Sophia smiled, planted a kiss on Daniel's cheek, and gracefully made her way to the stage.

A wave of disappointment washed over Emily, but she quickly composed herself.

Jessica leaned in, whispering furiously in her ear.

"Emily, I already asked around. The judging panel loved your film. Best Actress should have been yours."

"Do you think... Daniel used his influence?"

Before Jessica could finish, Emily instinctively shut down the idea.

"He wouldn't."

Daniel wasn't the type to mix business with pleasure or resort to underhanded tactics.

Even when they were madly in love, he had never used his Alpha power to pull strings for her career.

"Maybe her performance just moved the judges more."

Jessica was still fuming.

"How could her commercial popcorn flick beat your arthouse film?"

Emily patted her hand reassuringly.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"In a month, I'm leaving for the UK to start a new film."

Jessica's eyes widened, her voice trembling with excitement.

"The UK?! You mean with that director, Michael Jenkins, the one who's contacted you several times before?"

Emily nodded with a smile.

"That's fantastic! Michael Jenkins is an internationally renowned director."

"When you become an international superstar, don't you dare forget me!"

Emily laughingly promised she wouldn't, and Jessica finally let her go to attend to other work.

With the Best Actress award announced, there was nothing left for Emily at the ceremony. She decided to leave early.

As she passed by the backstage area, she saw Daniel standing by the side of the stage, holding a bouquet of red roses.

Emily's fingers curled into a fist.

She pretended not to see him and turned to leave.

But a sycophantic voice drifted from behind her.

"Alpha Blackwood, we've done as you asked and switched the Best Actress award to Ms. Summers. Is there anything else you need?"

Emily froze in her tracks.

Daniel's casual voice followed.

"Just keep your mouths shut. Don't let Sophia know the award was originally Emily's."

Daniel's words struck Emily like a bolt of lightning.

The Best Actress award... was supposed to be mine?

Their conversation continued, but Emily's eyes were fixed on the bouquet of red roses in Daniel's hands.

The irony was suffocating.

She had just confidently defended him, insisting he would never stoop so low, only for reality to slap her brutally across the face.

Perhaps her stare was too intense, because Daniel turned and looked directly at her.

The moment their eyes met, a flash of panic crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by his usual calm.

Daniel walked over, roses in hand, his tone laced with a weary sort of pleading.

"Emily, just let Sophia have the award this time. Keep this a secret for me, okay?"

Emily couldn't believe he could say the word "let" with such a straight face.

"Daniel, that honor belonged to me. Why should I just let her have it?"

Daniel loosened his tie, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"You're not acting anymore. What's the point of having these empty titles?"

"Besides, if you hadn't posted that comment today and pissed Sophia off, I wouldn't have had to come up with this plan to appease her."

His sharp words made Emily's eyes burn. Her voice trembled as she asked.

"So you're saying you stole my award, and somehow, it's my fault?"

Daniel rarely saw Emily look so fragile. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his voice softening.

"Emily, that's not what I meant."

"I'm just really into Sophia right now, so of course, I have to spoil her. The day I lose interest, I promise I'll get the award back for you."

"Don't worry. I know who my fated mate is. This thing with her is just for show. You don't need to get worked up about it."

For two years, Emily had heard these same lines until she was numb.

I'm just playing around with her. The Luna's position is still yours.

It's all just an act...

In Daniel's mind, his actions were perfectly reasonable.

It was she, his mate, who was being difficult, petty, and unaccommodating.

Emily pushed him away, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Don't trouble yourself, Alpha. I don't want a trophy that's been tainted by someone else."

And I don't want a man who's been tainted, either.

Without waiting to see his reaction, she stumbled away from the venue and drove home.

The next morning, she woke up early and began clearing out her belongings from the house.

Except for the essentials she would take to the UK, she packed everything else up and threw it away.

That included everything that had to do with her and Daniel.

The photo albums that chronicled their journey from dating to mating, the massive, expensive portrait from their ceremony, the moonlight roses in the garden that Daniel had planted himself because they were her favorite...

They had been in love for four years and mated for three.

They had lived in this house for seven years, and memories of them were everywhere.

It took Emily a full two weeks to methodically erase every trace of those memories.

By the end, the once warm and welcoming home had reverted to the cold, empty villa it was when they first moved in.

Daniel didn't come home once during those two weeks.

Emily knew where he was.

It was his pattern. Whenever he found a new lover, he would spend at least a month by her side.

And Sophia was a woman who loved the spotlight, posting about their romance on Instagram almost daily.

The day before yesterday, Daniel took her sailing and cooked for her himself.

Yesterday, he visited her on set, giving her a gentle massage to help her relax.

As the shared memories in the house disappeared, Emily felt her feelings for Daniel being slowly uprooted from her heart.

Now, when she saw those posts, she would pause for a moment before casually scrolling past.

After clearing out the house, she drove to the mall. The film shoot would be long.

Once she left for the UK, she wouldn't be back for at least two years, so she needed to pack a lot.

She spent the afternoon shopping, and by the end, her car's trunk was filled with bags.

Emily closed the trunk and opened the driver's side door to leave.

She had just put one foot inside when a force from behind yanked her out of the car.

Caught completely off guard, Emily fell hard onto the pavement.

A large patch of skin on her arm was scraped raw, and blood trickled down her arm.

She pushed through the pain and propped herself up, finally getting a clear look at her attackers.

It was a group of five or six young girls.

She didn't recognize any of them.

"Who are you?"

As soon as she spoke, disgust twisted the girls' faces.

One of them stepped forward, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and snarled.

"It's all because of this bitch! If she wasn't clinging to the Luna position, Sophia would have been with the Alpha ages ago."

"Now that she's finally been rejected, she still has the nerve to spend the Alpha's money. Fucking shameless!"

A sharp, searing pain shot through her scalp.

Emily understood now. These were Sophia's fanatical followers.

But Sophia was the other woman.

She was the Alpha's rightful mate.

How, in their eyes, did this become her fault?

Besides, she had used her own credit card today. It had nothing to do with Daniel.

Emily tried to explain, hoping to calm them down.

"I haven't spent a single dime of Daniel's money. Let me go. You know this is illegal, right?"

The girl holding her hair sneered.

"Tch, still lying."

"Girls, let's get her! Let's teach this bitch a lesson for Sophia!"

At her command, the other girls closed in, kicking and punching Emily with all their strength.

There was no way Emily could fight back against so many of them. She could only curl up and endure the beating.

She had parked in a more secluded area of the lot, and there was no one else around.

The girls grew bolder, their mouths spewing a constant stream of insults.

"Old hag, you think you can compete with our Sophia for the Alpha? This will teach you to know your place."

"Best Actress? I bet you slept your way to the top. The Alpha must have been blind, but thank God our Sophia saved him."

...

Emily could feel clumps of her hair being ripped from her scalp. Her insides ached, feeling as if her organs had been rearranged.

"What are you doing?!"

The fists and feet raining down on her suddenly stopped.

Emily struggled to open her eyes and saw several mall security guards running toward them.

Only then did her body finally give out, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

When she woke up, she was in a hospital bed.

Daniel, whom she hadn't seen in two weeks, was sitting by her side, holding her hand.

Seeing her awake, he asked with concern.

"Emily, how are you feeling? Are you any better?"

Emily silently pulled her hand away and stared out the window.

"Did they catch the people who attacked me? I want to press charges."

Daniel looked at her, covered in bruises, a flicker of pain in his eyes.

"The mall security called the police immediately. Those girls are being held at the station. I..."

Before he could finish, the door opened and Sophia walked in, immediately linking her arm with Daniel's.

"Daniel, darling. Oh, Emily, you're awake."

She looked at Emily, her expression a mask of apology.

"Emily, I'm so sorry. My followers caused you so much trouble."

"They were just looking out for me. They felt you were standing in the way of my happiness with Daniel, and they acted out of anger."

Her words were apologetic, but the triumphant gleam in her eyes and the mocking tone of her voice revealed her true feelings.

Sophia was clearly thrilled to see her beaten and bruised.

A fire of rage ignited in Emily's heart.

If she hadn't protected her face, she could have been disfigured.

For an actress, a scarred face meant the end of a career.

"Sophia, if you can't control your followers, then I'll do it for you."

"I'm not letting them get away with this. They can expect to be sued."

At that, Sophia immediately jumped to their defense.

"Emily, I've already apologized to you. Why are you being so relentless? I won't let you hurt my followers!"

Her eyes welled up with tears as she turned her watery gaze to Daniel.

"Daniel, I'm your girlfriend now, and Emily is your ex-mate. Whose side are you on?"

Seeing the usually proud woman on the verge of tears, Daniel's heart went out to her.

He pulled her into his arms, forgetting everything else.

"Do you even need to ask? I'm on your side, of course."

"Don't worry, they'll be released without any trouble."

His words left Emily's mind blank.

She stared at him in disbelief.

"Daniel, are you really protecting your lover like this? Do you have any idea how close I came to being disfigured?"

Sophia frowned, interrupting with a dissatisfied tone.

"Emily, I call you 'senior' out of respect, but that doesn't give you the right to slander me."

"Daniel and I got together after you signed the rejection agreement. I am his official girlfriend."

Emily found it laughable.

It takes two to tango.

If Sophia had truly kept her distance from Daniel, an Alpha, before the agreement was signed, then given his arrogant nature, he wouldn't have pursued her relentlessly for two months.

Sophia just wanted it alla powerful Alpha like Daniel as her backer, without the stigma of being labeled a homewrecker.

Daniel gently stroked Sophia's hair, then turned his gaze back to Emily, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But you weren't disfigured, were you?"

"How much compensation do you want? Just name your price."

Crack.

Emily heard the distinct sound of something shattering in her chest.

It was the crumbling foundation of her seven years with Daniel.

Now, it was nothing but dust. She dug her nails deep into her palms, trying to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside her, and managed to speak calmly.

"Alpha Blackwood certainly dotes on Ms. Summers."

Daniel's face darkened, his brow twitching almost imperceptibly.

Emily paid him no mind and continued.

"In that case, give me seventy thousand dollars for my medical bills. I won't press charges."

Sophia looked at her suspiciously.

"Only seventy thousand?"

Emily nodded firmly.

"Yes. Just seventy thousand."

Seventy thousand.

A price to buy out the seven years they had spent together, from falling in love to their mating.

It was the final period on this chapter of her life.

Without asking any more questions, Daniel transferred the money and led Sophia out of the room.

The hospital room was quiet once more.

Emily turned over and pulled the blanket over her head.

Perhaps the movement aggravated her wounds, because a damp spot slowly spread across the pillow.

She stayed in the hospital for nearly ten days. Daniel visited her once, alone.

But she had no desire to see him. Each time, she pretended to be asleep, avoiding him completely.

After being discharged, she met up with her few close friends and told them about her plans to move abroad.

They were all thrilled to hear she was returning to acting.

The last few days before her departure, Emily counted down the hours.

On the final day, she was at the Pack Elders' Hall the moment the doors opened.

The one-month cooling-off period was over.

She smoothly received her official certificate of mate bond dissolution.

Just as she walked out of the hall, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from Sophia, asking to meet at a private club.

Her eyes fell on the cold, official document in her hand. Emily decided to go.

When Emily arrived at the private room, Sophia was already there.

She took a small sip of milk, then smiled at Emily.

"Emily, I didn't ask you here for any other reason than to thank you for letting me and Daniel be together."

"I was going to thank you after your bond-severing ceremony, but Daniel has been so clingy this past month. He won't even let me be away from him for three hours. He has to be by my side constantly, even on set. He's even willing to act as my personal assistant. It was a real struggle to get away today."

Emily's hand tightened around her water glass.

When they were first in love, Daniel had been that clingy with her, too.

But now, he couldn't care less about her.

Sophia noticed the subtle change in Emily's expression, and the smile in her eyes deepened.

"It seems you're still not over Daniel. Too bad you two are done."

"When Daniel was pursuing me, I told him I would never be a mistress. So, for me, he immediately rejected you. It looks like I'm more important to him. You, my dear, are in the past."

Emily could see that Sophia was a smart and ambitious woman.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have kept Daniel obsessed for three months, let alone convince him to reject his fated mate.

She spoke calmly.

"You didn't call me here just to gloat, did you?"

Sophia chuckled.

"You really are sharp."

She pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to Emily.

Emily frowned, unsure of what game she was playing.

She took the paper, and an ultrasound photo came into view.

Her mind went blank. A chilling coldness enveloped her heart, freezing it solid.

Sophia... was pregnant?

Sophia was very pleased with Emily's reaction.

She lifted her chin proudly, one hand resting on her lower abdomen, her voice dripping with unconcealed triumph.

"You know, Daniel and I have only been together for a month, and I'm already carrying his child. You two were mated for three years and couldn't even produce a pup. How pathetic."

Emily's grip tightened on the ultrasound photo, wrinkling the paper.

She and Daniel had a child once.

In the second year of their mating, she had just found out she was one month pregnant.

She was about to share the happy news with Daniel when she discovered the scent of another she-wolf on him.

That was the first time he had betrayed her.

That night, Emily cried until dawn.

The next day, overwhelmed by grief and the instability of their mate bond, she lost the baby.

Daniel had knelt by her hospital bed, swearing he would never cheat again.

But afterward, he had taken one lover after another.

However, he never let any of them get pregnant.

The Alpha's bloodline could only be carried on by his fated Luna.

It was an ancient pack tradition.

The child they lost became a forbidden topic between them. Daniel had clearly forgotten.

But it didn't matter anymore. They were no longer connected.

Who he was with, who he got pregnantnone of it concerned her now.

Emily suppressed the turmoil in her heart and handed the ultrasound photo back to Sophia.

"Congratulations. It seems you two will be celebrating soon."

Sophia's triumphant expression faltered. She hadn't expected Emily to accept the news so calmly.

She stood up, grabbed Emily's wrist, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"You say congratulations, but I bet you hate my guts, don't you?"

"Well, too bad for you, because I don't like having an ex-mate like you hanging around Daniel either. I'm going to make you disappear from his life for good!"

Before Emily could process what she meant, Sophia let go of her wrist and fell backward dramatically.

Blood trickled down her thighs, and her face went pale as she clutched her stomach.

A sense of alarm shot through Emily, and she instinctively pulled out her phone to dial 911.

BANG!

"Sophia!"

Daniel kicked the door open, his hands trembling as he rushed to Sophia's side and gathered her into his arms.

"Sophia, don't be scared. I'm taking you to the hospital right now."

Emily opened her mouth, trying to explain.

But Daniel strode past her, his shoulder slamming into hers as he focused only on the woman in his arms.

Emily stumbled back, losing her balance.

Daniel didn't seem to notice, his attention solely on comforting Sophia.

He didn't say a word to Emily, but she felt a bone-deep chill that was colder than any verbal accusation.

Emily didn't know how she got to the hospital.

When she found the operating room where Sophia was, Daniel was pacing outside, his anxiety palpable.

It was clear he had truly fallen for Sophia.

She said nothing, quietly taking a seat on a bench on the other side of the hallway, waiting for the results.

The corridor was silent.

The once-inseparable mates now sat on opposite sides of an unbridgeable chasm.

Only silence remained between them.

After what felt like an eternity, Daniel lifted his bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse.

"Emily, I promised you the Luna's position would always be yours, that you were the only one I loved. Why did you have to go after Sophia?"

After seven years together, Emily knew Daniel all too well.

He was on the verge of exploding.

The last time she'd seen him this angry was when she'd gotten accidentally injured on a film set, and he'd taken his fury out on the entire crew.

Now, his anger was for his lover, and the target of that fury was her.

How ironic.

Emily lowered her gaze, swallowing the thick lump of bitterness in her throat.

"I didn't push her. She framed me."

Daniel let out a cold, cynical laugh, his disbelief obvious.

"Emily, when did you learn to play these petty games like the other she-wolves? Wasn't what I gave you enough? The Luna's position, my loveit was all yours. I was just having some fun with Sophia. Couldn't you tolerate even that?"

Just for fun. I only love you.

Hearing those words, Emily let out a small, bitter laugh that ended with her eyes turning red.

"Daniel, if you repeat a lie often enough, do you start to believe it yourself? Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself, do you really still love me?"

If he loved her, why would he constantly seek out other women?

If he loved her, why would he let another woman carry his child?

If he loved her, why did he have absolutely no trust in her?

Seeing the desolate emptiness in her eyes, Daniel flinched, and some of his anger subsided.

He reasoned that she was just acting out because she loved him too much. It was jealousy.

He had been so focused on Sophia this past month that he had indeed neglected her feelings.

Daniel stood up and pulled Emily into an embrace.

"Emily, just wait a little longer. Once I get bored of the women on the side, I'll come back to you. Then, whatever you want to do, I'll do it with you."

It was the same old empty promise, one he would never keep.

Emily pushed him away, her voice devoid of emotion.

"There's no need."

Because they had officially severed their mate bond.

She didn't need to wait anymore. From now on, she could do whatever she wanted, by herself.

Daniel thought she was still sulking.

"I'll make sure Sophia drops the matter. But you have to apologize to her when she wakes up."

Emily couldn't believe her ears.

He wanted her to apologize.

For what? She hadn't done anything wrong.

She was about to argue when the operating room doors swung open.

A nurse rushed out.

"Mr. Blackwood, the patient is hemorrhaging. We urgently need Type A blood."

Daniel immediately pulled out his phone and called his Beta, ordering him to divert all Type A blood from every blood bank in the city to the hospital.

Seeing his frantic state, Emily was suddenly reminded of the year her stunt went wrong.

Daniel had used his own body to save her, and he had been just as terrified then.

He hadn't relaxed until he saw she was safe, at which point he had fainted.

Emily rolled up her sleeve and extended her arm to the nurse.

"I'm Type A. Take my blood first."

At her words, Daniel's expression became incredibly complex.

His lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.

Emily ignored his reaction and followed the nurse to have her blood drawn.

They took 800cc before they stopped.

Her face was now deathly pale, her lips completely drained of color.

She pressed a cotton ball to the needle mark and walked slowly back to Daniel, a relieved smile on her face.

"Now... I don't owe you anything anymore."

The life debt from seven years ago was repaid.

Daniel, however, thought she was doing it out of guilt for pushing Sophia.

His gaze fell on her pale face, and a pang of protectiveness shot through him.

"Emily, you should go home and rest. I'll come see you after Sophia is stable."

Emily didn't answer.

She simply turned and, dragging her weakened body, walked away.

For some reason, watching her retreating back filled Daniel with a strange sense of panic.

He opened his mouth to call out to her. But just then, the light above the operating room went out.

He had to turn to the doctor to ask about Sophia's condition first.

When he looked up again, Emily was gone.

Back home, Emily pulled her already-packed suitcase to the door.

She took the certificate of dissolution from her bag and placed it on the shoe cabinet.

Then, she tore a piece of paper from a notepad and wrote one final message to Daniel.

[Daniel, the movie about us has officially wrapped. From now on, let's never see each other again.]

She placed the note under the certificate and took one last look at the home she had lived in for seven years.

All the love and hate of those seven years ended today.

She, Emily Vance, was going off to write a new script for her own life.