After a Hundred Betrayals, I Severed the Bond

In five winters of our bond, my mate, Vladimir Barnes, had brought ninety-nine chosen she-wolves into our den.

At our union anniversary, he let the hundredth one trick me into drinking.

I cannot handle moon wine. It sent me into a fatal shock, and I woke in the healer's den. Still, he said to me, Stop pretending to be weak, Abigail. Stella craves roasted meat from the hunt. Drag your frail self-home and prepare it.

Then the fire broke out in the packs storage house. Without a second thought, he rushed to save his chosen mate, carrying her out while leaving me behind. The flames roared, swallowing my cries for help, and when it was over, my right leg was left permanently crippled.

When I woke in the healer's sanctum, he was urging the healer to use rare moon herbs on Stella's arm, which only had a small scratch from the chaos. Something inside my soul finally snapped.

I said, "Vladimir, I want to sever our bond."

"Sever the bond? How dare you say that? Do you no longer care if your brother lives?" He laughed. "Does your weak little brother not need my pack's protection and medicine anymore?"

His mistress laughed with him. She even started a betting pool in the pack's mind-link.

[Come on, place your marks! How long will Abigail last this time after calling for a broken bond? One day? Or forever?]

Without a second of doubt, Vladimir linked back his bet. Ten million gold, betting I would break in one day.

I quietly put one silver coin on forever.

Shutting out their harsh voices, I cut the mind link and turned away. Then I called Vladimir's greatest rival.

"Darius. I am leaving him. You once said you would take me into your territory if I asked. Is the offer still open?"

"Of course it is! Where are you? I will come for you now!"

"No need to hurry. I have things to finish here. Let us meet in one month."

After that, I went straight to the pack law keeper. "Mr. Welch, I need two scrolls drafted. One for the severance scroll and one to give back my shares of the pack lands."

Welch looked worried. "Does Alpha Barnes know you are leaving the pack?"

I touched the wrap on my arm, still seeping blood. "He will."

For now, he was likely busy with Stella Facer.

That afternoon, Vladimir and I returned to the den one after the other. Seeing the cold hearth, his face turned hard. "Did I not tell you Stella wants sweet cream cake? Why have you not made it yet?"

I ignored his accusations and calmly took my seat.

His tone turned sharp. "Abigail, are you trying to anger me? Do not test me, or I will "

"Cut off my brother's treatment," I finished, my eyes steady and cold. "Go ahead."

I had heard those threats more times than I could count. For winters, I had bowed to his will, all for my brother's sake.

Vladimir made me watch him court his lovers and clean up after their messes. He forced me to stand as a live target while his chosen ones practiced with bows, without any protection. He made me travel through moon storms for hours just to bring warm broth to some she-wolves.

However, I was still a living soul, and I had had enough of this shame.

I reached into my bag as I pulled out the scrolls. "Two scrolls. Mark them."

Vladimir frowned, clearly puzzled. He had never seen me stand so firm before. Just as his gaze dropped to the scrolls in my hands, his crystal communicator chimed. He didnt even bother stepping aside before answering it.

Stella's sweet voice came through. "Alpha, why are you not back yet? My arm hurts again."

That man softened at once. "I am coming, sweetheart," he said, turning to leave.

I immediately grabbed his wrist. "Mark them first."

Annoyed, he glared at me. "Did you not hear her? Stella needs me. Why do you always make things harder?"

With clear impatience, he took the quill, turned to the last page, and placed his mark.

As I stared at his rushed, messy mark, my chest tightened.

If he had even looked at the scroll, he would have known it was the bond severance agreement. Sadly, he did not.

Vladimir stormed out, the heavy door shaking the frame behind him. The wind chime hanging by the entrance rang softly with his departure.

I sat there for a moment, frozen.

The wind chime. It was my half-sister, Isabella Lacroix's, favorite. She and Vladimir had been promised to each other since cubhood. But five winters ago, she was killed in a carriage crash.

The Lacroixs could not bear to lose their bond ties with the Barnes, so they forced me into Vladimir's chamber.

I would never forget the look in his eyes that night, filled with nothing but disgust and hatred. He yelled at me, "You think pulling a low trick like this will make you my luna? Dream on. I will never let that happen!"

When the so-called shame was brought to light, my father broke down in tears and demanded that Vladimir take responsibility or face disgrace before all packs.

Ethan Barnes, his father, could not risk the family reputation. So, they made us bond.

I knew Vladimir never loved me, yet I still accepted the bond because I loved him. I thought that if I tried hard enough, I might one day warm his cold heart.

But on the night of our bonding, he brought home a woman who looked almost exactly like my sister, and that was only the beginning.

I made a promise to myself. The day he brought home the hundredth she-wolf, I would walk away.

Stella was the hundredth, and she resembled Isabella more than any of the others before her.

"Look! Is that the Alpha Barnes and Lady Facer?" a servant whispered in surprise.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I glanced at my crystal communicator. A traveler was recording stories about fated bonds, and by some twist of the moon, they had stopped Vladimir and Stella.

That man looked cold and detached as always, but the other one was radiating joy. He stood tall beside her, playing the part of the devoted mate.

The traveler read their random question aloud, "If the Moon Goddess sent you back five winters, what would you change?"

Stella frowned, pretending to struggle for an answer.

At the same time, Vladimir drew her into his arms. His voice was soft like a whisper under the moon, yet his words cut like claws. "I would have torn apart anyone who came near me with hidden intent, and I would make sure I found Stella much sooner."

His tenderness was meant for Stella. She leaned into him, her face lit with happiness, while every trace of his cruelty was reserved for me.

I gripped the screen until my knuckles turned white. His rejection still stung like a silver blade, but I was done mourning.

I took a portrait of Stella and placed it into the leather-bound book that held all his past lovers. Beneath her image, I wrote: 100. Goodbye. Then I locked it inside the Alphas desk along with the signed severance scrolls.

It was my final offering to him. I thought he would at least value the truth.

After that, I began to clear out my chambers.

When Vladimir and Stella returned to the den, I had just thrown a woven fur blanket into the waste bin.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

My body stiffened for a moment. "Throwing away things that belong in the trash," I replied calmly.

Vladimir walked over and saw the bin full of handmade crafts I had once made for him, along with several expensive dresses he had gifted me. "You never even wore these dresses. How can they be trash?" he frowned.

Without stopping my hands, I replied calmly, "Some things were never meant to fit. No point in forcing them."

Like us. After five winters in this pack, I finally saw the truth.

Vladimir seemed to catch the hidden meaning in my tone, his eyes narrowing. Before he could speak, Stella grabbed his arm and whined.

"Alpha, my wolf is restless. Can I rest in the main chamber tonight?" She asked, pointing toward our private chamber.

Vladimir pressed his lips together. "Stella just went through skin grafting after her shift injury. Nights are hard for her. It will be easier for me to take care of her if she stays in the alpha chamber."

I raised my eyes and met Stellas openly defiant gaze. She was trying to provoke me.

After all, that chamber was my last territory.

In the past, I would have shifted and fought anyone who tried to enter my sanctuary. But now, the fire was gone.

I simply nodded. "Fine. I will remove my belongings."

That room was filled with every scrap of my soul. It took me hours to strip it bare.

When Vladimir saw the empty stone walls, he looked unsettled. "Stella is only here until her wounds heal. She will move to the guest wing soon. Why did you clear out every single thing?"

"I would rather have a fresh start later than hold onto old ghosts," I said calmly.

He watched me with deep suspicion. "Abigail, you are being too quiet. What game are you playing?"

I said nothing.

Then, all at once, Stella let out a soft, delighted gasp. Oh, this bracelet is beautiful!

I turned sharply and saw her holding a pale pink agate charm from my table. My heart pounded hard against my chest as I stepped toward her at once. Give that back.

Stella turned toward Vladimir with wide, innocent eyes. "Alpha, I truly desire this treasure."

Before Vladimir could respond, I intervened sharply. "That belongs to me."

Because my voice was harsh, Vladimir's expression turned predatory and dark. "It is a mere trinket. She honors you by even noticing it. Do not cause a scene in my den," he growled.

Fury boiled in my veins. "That bracelet belonged to my pack mother!"

I was a rogue's pup, raised in secret within the distant forest borders with my younger brother. My foster mother possessed nothing. That charm was a gift she spent months gathering pelts to buy for my First Shift ceremony.

Vladimir knew its value to my soul.

His brow tightened as he hesitated, glancing at Stella.

That she-wolf, the master of deceit, quickly feigned regret. "I am so sorry, Abigail. I did not know it held such magic for you. Here, take it back."

She reached out, but as she did, her grip intentionally failed. The bracelet hit the stone floor and shattered into useless shards.

My hand remained frozen in the air as I watched the last tie to my mother break forever. Tears fell before I could mask them, but I silenced my cries and struck her across the face with all my strength.

Stella staggered back in shock, her head hitting the heavy oak dresser, a dark mark forming on her skin.

Vladimir erupted in a wolfish rage. He struck me so hard I crashed to the ground, my ears ringing with the force of an Alpha. My palm landed on the broken shards, and blood soaked the floor.

Stella began to wail, crying out, "Alpha, my face! Will I be scarred for the mating season?"

Her face, so much like my sister's, only made his anger worse. Vladimir lifted her in his arms protectively. "It is all right, my love. I will take you to the healer."

He stormed out with such force that he crashed into the stone pedestals along the wall. A heavy statue tipped over and struck my head, sending a stream of blood down my face.

He did not spare a single glance for the mate he had cast aside.

I was used to this kind of cruelty. Without a word, I reached for my crystal communicator and called for a healer from the village.

When I regained consciousness, Vladimir sat by my cot, his face as cold as winter.

Usually, he would be howling threats at me. Instead, he looked at me with loathing and said, "Tomorrow, we fly to the Moon Cliffs. You once trained in the sacred water rituals, did you not? Stella will grant you her mercy if you dance for her in the tides. This is your penance."

I had learned the water rites only because Vladimir admired the elegance of the sea fairy. Thats why I wanted to prove that I was worthy of standing in his pack. I even spent my small savings to rent a private lagoon for his lunar birthday, hoping to surprise him.

But when he saw me beneath the water, the look of disgust in his eyes struck harder than any blow.

He commanded the guards to strip away my breathing charms, leaving me gasping beneath the waves for nearly an hour. I lost my senses from the drowning weight before he finally pulled me out.

Since then, I have been terrified of deep water.

"I'm not going," I said instinctively.

Alas, he didn't even bother to argue.

The next morning, his men dragged me onto a flying craft powered by moon crystals. As it rose into the sky, my stomach tightened.

The ocean surrounding the Moon Cliffs glittered under the sun, a vast blue territory. To any other shifter, it was a paradise. But as I watched the waves rise and fall like the breath of a beast, I felt a heavy terror crushing my lungs.

The moment we landed, I bolted, running toward the furthest edge of the cliffs. Oddly, he did not hunt me down. A surge of unease crawled up my spine.

Suddenly, the bright sky turned to ash. The golden sunlight vanished as thick, enchanted storm clouds rolled in. The wind howled like a hunting predator, and I knew a supernatural gale was coming.

Terrified, I called his crystal communicator. "Where are you? Where is my shelter for the night?"

Vladimir laughed with a chilling sound on the other end. "After your crimes, you believe I would grant you the safety of my walls? You truly are a delusional stray."

My heart pounded harder. "What do you mean?"

The wind screamed, but his voice was even sharper. "The pack is leaving on the chopper. The magic here will kill the crystal's connection soon. If you wish to live, find your own way to survive the moon storm."

The bond snapped, and his words sliced through my spirit like silver blades.

Clutching my thin cloak, I heard the first rumble of thunder echo over the peaks, and then the sky tore open. Heavy rain hammered down, so the horizon disappeared as the sea churned into a furious, thrashing beast.

My eyes widened with horror, and I spun to run in the opposite direction. But thunder exploded, the gale shrieked, and waves rose like giants, crashing down upon me.

The freezing tide swallowed me whole, and the violent water muffled my screams for mercy. Lightning tore the sky apart, illuminating the world for one last, terrifying second.

And as my life slipped into darkness, I saw them. In that flash of light, my foster parents smiled at me with warmth.

"Dear pup, your true father has been searching for you. Do you wish to return to his kingdom?"

No! If this pain was the price of being a Lacroix, then I would rather spend eternity in that quiet mountain village.

I did not want blood ties, nor did I want to know Vladimir Barnes.

The sharp scent of healing herbs and moon elixirs dragged me back to awareness. I opened my eyes to a stone ceiling, the steady hum of healing crystals vibrating near my cot.

Stella's voice reached me first. "You really are stubborn. I can't believe those sea hunters actually pulled you out alive."

Turning my head, I saw her standing by my side.

Her sweet, pack-sister act was gone. Instead, she reached out and crushed my throat with her claws, squeezing with supernatural strength. "Why will you not just die, Abigail? If you were dead, I could finally be the Luna of the Barnes Pack."

"Can you not see it? Vladimir does not love you. You are like a stray omega clinging to a title you stole. Pathetic."

"It only took one whisper from me for him to exile you to that island, knowing your wolf is terrified of deep water. Do you still not understand who his heart truly beats for?"

Her grip tightened. She was not bluffing; she fully intended to choke the life out of me right there.

I could not draw a breath, and my shifting instincts surged, forcing me to claw at her to push her away.

Suddenly, she released me and threw herself backward, crashing into a tray of medical tools that clattered across the stone floor. A sharp dagger cut across her palm, leaving a deep, bleeding gash.

Stella let out a high-pitched howl. "Luna Abigail, why did you attack me?"

Before I could respond, Vladimir appeared in the doorway.

Tears immediately welled in Stellas eyes. "Alpha, I was only checking on Abigails recovery, and she "

She did not need to finish. The lie hung in the air like poison.

Vladimir did not even ask for my version of the truth. His jaw set, ready to roar at me.

But when he saw how pale my face was, for once, he stayed silent. Instead, he scooped up the bleeding Stella and rushed her out of the chamber.

Ten minutes later, he stormed back in with the fury of a True Alpha. Without a word, he yanked me off the cot.

I stumbled on weak legs. "Let go! What are you doing?"

"Stella's essence is fading because of you. She is losing too much blood. You are the same rank and type. You will give her a transfusion of your life force." His voice was low and freezing.

I froze. I had never heard of her having any wasting sickness. And after barely surviving the cold waters of Moon Cliffs, my inner wolf could hardly stand.

I struggled desperately. "I will not do it! Let me go!"

However, Vladimir gripped my wrist even tighter. "You have no choice in this pack."

He shoved me toward the healers.

One of them looked at me with hesitation. "But Alpha, she is severely drained after the exile. Forcing a blood bond transfusion now could cause her soul to shatter."

Vladimir's face remained like ice. "Stella's life comes first. Do it."

The needle directly pierced my skin. My blood drained into the vials, leaving my entire body aching, especially my lower belly.

Without knowing, something warm trickled beneath me. It was sticky and burning, but it was not my monthly cycle.

A cold sweat broke out on my brow. I clutched my stomach as a sharp pain tore through me, and then the world went dark.

When I woke again, the healer was sitting beside me with a heavy expression. "Luna, I am so sorry. After the trauma your body suffered, you lost the pup."

I went numb. "The pup?"

She nodded slowly. "You were only one moon along. With your weak condition and the massive blood loss, the little one could not survive."

I placed my hand over my empty stomach, unable to find my voice.

The tiny life I had not even known was growing there was gone. Perhaps the Moon Goddess intended this fate.

Outside, loud booms suddenly shook the sanctum, followed by a chain of magical explosions.

It was the fireworks. Those giant bursts of light painted the afternoon sky with brilliant colors, visible even in the bright sun.

A group of young pack girls crowded by the window, whispering with excitement. "Did you hear? The Alpha Barnes ordered this display to celebrate his mate's pregnancy. It is so romantic."

"If I had a mate like that, I would be the happiest wolf in the woods."

"He is planning a massive feast for the whole pack next week. Whoever the Barnes Luna is must be so lucky!"

If I were not the Luna of Barnes myself, I probably would have been moved by such a grand gesture of love. Unfortunately, I was her.

My mind drifted back to a year ago.

That night, Vladimir came home reeking of moon wine. He pinned me down, his Alpha strength overwhelming me as he claimed me without marking me or using protection. The next morning, he tossed a handful of wolfsbane-laced pills onto the bed.

"A lowly omega like you has no right to carry my heir. Even if an accident happened, I would tear the pup from your womb myself."

Well, his cruel wish had been granted.

He had forced me to give my blood to heal his mistress, and that sacrifice had killed my unborn pup. Now, he was lighting the ceremonial fires across the kingdom to celebrate Stella's pregnancy.

I cried in silence. Once the healing herbs finished dripping into my veins, I signed the release scroll and went back to the den.

I walked to the backyard and stood beneath the wisteria tree. Its purple flowers were glowing with moon magic. I sat there for hours, lost in the scent of the petals.

By dusk, Vladimir arrived with Stella at his side. He stopped when he saw me.

Stella's eyes glimmered as she said sweetly. "Alpha, this tree holds so much lunar energy. We should cut it down to carve a protection amulet for our pup. But ... I heard Luna Abigail planted this tree herself."

She looked at me with a fake smile. "You wouldn't mind, would you, Abigail?"

This tree was the last scrap of peace in our bond. My foster father had planted it for his mate as a symbol of their eternal pack bond. Four winters ago, I moved it here from my old territory, digging the earth until my hands bled.

Vladimir had told me that a tree that had been moved from its home would die. So, I used that moment to make a plea. "If I can make it bloom in your soil, will you try to love me?"

He was silent for a long time before answering. "I will think about it."

That was the only hope he had ever given me. Since then, I have protected that tree more than my own life.

Once, his eighteenth chosen woman plucked a single bloom, and I fought her like a wolf defending its last ground. Anyone who dared suggest destroying it would have faced my fury.

But now, facing Stella's provocation, I smiled faintly. "Go ahead. Cut it if you want."

Vladimir squinted, looking annoyed by my lack of spirit. As I tried to walk away, he blocked my path.

"You planted it," he said coldly. "So you cut it. I do not want you bringing this up later and blaming Stella for it."

He wanted me to destroy my own sanctuary. Though I had expected this, my heart still trembled.

A guard handed me a heavy silver saw, and my hands shook as I forced the metal into the thick wood.

My private den, my mothers memory, my lost pup, and even my faith in him. Everything I had loved had become nothing more than a toy for Stella.

Vladimir looked at her with indulgence. "Choose the piece you favor. I will have it shaped into a charm for you."

Stella carefully selected a slender branch no thicker than a finger.

After that, Vladimir turned to the guards. "Burn the rest. Throw the ashes in the waste pit."

Ashes. That was all my devotion was worth. I dropped the saw and walked to my room like a ghost.

That night, Darius sent me a message through the crystal communicator. [A month is too long. I have crossed the border already. I will come to take you away in three days.]

I looked out at the scarred, empty garden and sent my reply back to him. [Okay.]

Three days. That was all the time I needed to leave this pack forever.

The dawn of the first day brought a cold sense of liberation. I wasted no time in selling off the pack equity agreement that Vladimir had signed with his own hand.

Five winters of suffering. This was what he owed me.

The next day, with the gold in my keeping, I went to the healing house to arrange my brother's move. There were healers across the sea with ancient knowledge who could mend his shattered spirit. I intended to carry him away from this cursed territory forever.

But as soon as I arrived, I was met with chaos. The pack caregiver rushed over, fear clear on her face. "Luna, where have you been? Your brother's condition has turned for the worse!"

My chest tightened as if claws had sunk into it. "What do you mean? He has been stabled all this time. What happened?"

Too bad, the caregiver could not give me a clear answer.

Not long after, the elder healer came out from the healing den, his face dark. "Luna, we've stabilized him for now, but his situation is critical. His state could fall at any moment. This place does not have the power for this kind of fight. I strongly urge you to move him to the Moon City healing sanctums at once."

I did not waste a heartbeat on indecision. We summoned a carriage, and soon we were racing down the old path toward the city.

We were only two turns away when a line of dark chariots blocked the road. The coachman climbed down to speak with the sentries, but came back shaking his head. "They have claimed this whole stretch for a Luna rite. They will not let us pass."

What celebration could possibly outweigh a life hanging by a silver thread?

I kicked open the carriage door and leaped onto the cobblestones. There, leaning against a gilded carriage with a smirk on his face, stood Vladimir. His arm was draped possessively around Stella.

In that moment, a massive magical display ignited above the street. It shimmered with the words: 'Happy 24th Birthday, Stella.'

A birth rite? They blocked the healing path for a birth rite?

Fury surged through me, wild and uncontrollable, like a wolf breaking free of its chains. "Vladimir! Move your carriage! We need to get through to the Moon City healers sanctum!"

He looked over with lazy eyes. "You just left the healer sanctum yourself. Instead of going home to brew some broth for Stella, you are running to the Moon City healer sanctum? For what?"

"My brother!" I snarled, my voice shaking with need. "His spirit is failing. I need to get him to the Moon City healer sanctum now!"

My blood parents were long gone to the spirit lands. My brother was all I had left in this world.

Vladimir knew this truth better than anyone. For a fleeting second, his gaze softened, and he hesitated.

But Stella leaned her head against his shoulder, her eyes shimmering with false confusion. "Your brother? Is he not safe, comfortable and well cared for at the healing house as we speak?"

I was burning with fury. "I do not have time for your tricks, Stella. This is life or death. Move out of the way!"

Her lips trembled as she forced tears into her voice. "Luna Abigail, I know you are angry because Alpha Vladimir has been spending so much time with me lately. But how could you sink so low? Cursing your own brother's spirit to fail just because you are jealous?"

Then she looked at Vladimir with innocent eyes. "Alpha Vladimir could easily learn the truth with a quick crystal communicator call. There is really no need to lie, is there?"

Her soft, gentle voice struck like a claw. Hitting every one of Vladimir's weak spots.

Frowning, he made a call with his crystal communicator. After a short talk, the hesitation on his face vanished completely.

Suddenly, the bells inside my carriage began to chime frantically.

"Luna, we are losing him!" the caregiver cried out. "We need to move now!"

My palms were soaked with fear as I begged, "Vladimir, I am on my knees! Please let us through!"

Unfortunately, Vladimir only showed his teeth in a snarl. "I just sent word. Your brother is at the healing house, perfectly fine. I did not expect you to fall this low, Abigail. How much gold did you pay that actor inside the carriage? You are just jealous of Stella's coming pup, so you picked today of all days to pull this trick and ruin her birth rite."

The bells inside screamed louder, but he was too caught up in his own pride to see the truth.

Moments later, one long, flat howl rang out from inside the carriage. Chaos broke out as the healers rushed to pull his spirit back.

The elder healer soon came out, shaking his head. "I am sorry, Luna. We were too late."

My whole body shook. The tears would not stop falling.

"Vladimir!" My voice cracked. "You have finally done it. For Stella, you killed the last of my blood I had left. Are you happy now?"

For a brief moment, seeing my grief, doubt flickered across his face.

He opened his mouth to say something when Stella handed him her crystal communicator. "Alpha, I worried I might be wrong, so I called the caregiver earlier. Look. They are taking good care of her brother."

She showed him a projection of my brother, perfectly fine, being cleaned in his healing bed.

What a perfect illusion.

Whatever doubt Vladimir had vanished in an instant. Disgust twisted across his face. "You are a master of the stage, Abigail. It is a pity you did not seek a life in the theater. Today is Stella's birth rite. So I will not deal with your lies now. But tomorrow, we will finish this."

With that, he pulled Stella close and walked away without a second look. I crumbled beside my brother's cooling body, sobbing helplessly.

The pack's funeral hall was cold and silent. I remained there for the full cycle of the moon, staring into the dark void.

On the third day, I gave up my place in the pack and took my brother's ashes home.

The moment I crossed the border into our territory, Vladimir was waiting. His growl was sharp and full of irritation. "Why didn't you answer my calls last night? Do you have any idea how upset Stella was? You completely ruined her birthday rite."

I kept my voice calm. "I was at the funeral hall. Waiting for my brother."

He let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Always lying. What will you say next? That the thing you are holding is really his ashes?"

I stayed silent. There was no point in defending my honor; he never trusted my word anyway.

Vladimir waved his hand as if I bored him. "Forget it. Stella did not rest well after the celebration. You owe her."

Stella's eyes lit up right away. "Luna, why don't you make it up to me with a birthday gift? That ring you are wearing would be perfect."

My wedding ring. The Barnes Pack heirloom Vladimir had placed on my finger during the moon ceremony. Out of everything he had given me, it was the only thing that ever felt true.

I raised my eyes and looked straight at Vladimir. "Is that what you want too, Vladimir?"

For a second, I saw a flash of doubt in his amber gaze.

Stella lowered her head, acting like a shy pup. "It is fine, Luna. If you wish to keep it, I will step back. It was just a small wish for my birthday. I do not truly need it."

Her weak act worked perfectly. Vladimir's expression immediately turned to stone. "If she desires it, hand it over. Do not force me to strip it from you myself."

Before I could move, Stella lunged and grabbed for my hand. In the scuffle, the urn slipped from my fingers. The ceramic shattered against the stone floor, sending my brother's ashes flying across the hall.

My heart felt like it stopped. I fell to my knees, desperately trying to save what little remained.

Just as I reached out, a gust of wind blew through the hall, sending the ashes flying everywhere.

"No! Please, stop!" My voice broke as tears filled my eyes.

Vladimir stood there, finally seeming to understand something was wrong. "Abigail, you "

Still, Stella spoke first, cutting him off. "I am so sorry, Luna. I did not mean it," she said sweetly, yet her foot pressed down on a small bone fragment while she kept trying to pull the ring from my hand.

I pushed her away, my voice shaking with anger. "Get away from me!"

She stumbled backward, landing hard on her backside. The next second, her fake sobs filled the air. "Luna, you know I am carrying a pup. How could you push me like that? Do you hate this pup so much?"

Vladimir quickly wrapped his arms around her. "Abigail! She just wanted the ring, for moon's sake! Why would you get so aggressive?"

Tears were falling down my face. Something inside me finally broke.

"You will pay for this!" I screamed, my voice cracking. "One day, you will both pay for everything you have done to me!"

I had never been this angry in my whole life. My rage silenced even Vladimir. Stella sat frozen, eyes wide, as if she did not know me anymore.

Even so, I did not care. I did not care about either of them, for all I could think about was my brother, whose ashes now lay scattered across the floor like worthless dust.

I dropped to my knees, desperately trying to save what little I could, my hands cutting open on the sharp pieces of ceramic. My blood mixed with the ashes, turning everything into a sticky, painful mess.

Vladimir's voice softened a little, like some twisted part of him felt pity. "If you did not want to give the ring, you could have just said so. You did not need to put on this act. Anyone watching might actually believe this really was your brother's ashes."

I froze. My hands still bleeding, my chest heaving. Even now, after everything, I still could not get him to believe me.

Stella clicked her tongue, letting out a small sigh of annoyance. "Oh, the ring is dirty. What a shame."

Vladimir brushed her hair back, comforting her like she was some prized she-wolf. "Dont worry. I will buy you a new one."

And just like that, they walked away, stepping on my brother's ashes as if they were nothing but dirt beneath their feet.

That afternoon, Stella sent me several messages through the crystal communicator.

[Vladimir gifted me twenty different gems today! All forged by the best smiths, with gold chains to match!]

[He says I deserve the highest honors. Tonight, he is taking me to the High Council vault to pick out ancient jewels!]

[Rings ... the mark of a pack bond, of loyalty, of a true mate.]

[But Vladimir's love is just like these rings, cheap and passed around like meaningless things.]

[Fine. If that is who he is, then I do not want him anymore.]

[And I do not want the filthy ring either.]

I walked into the work chamber and opened the heavy desk. Inside were the portraits of his one hundred mistresses and the severance scrolls I had quietly prepared long ago.

I took off the blood-stained wedding ring and placed it inside, along with my healer's report, the one confirming I had lost our pup.

Once everything was in place, I gently took what little was left of my brother's ashes and put them in my bag, then headed downstairs.

I left the manor keys on the dining table and wiped my scent from the territory wards. Now, every trace of me in this pack house was gone.

Under the dark sky of the new moon, I stepped into the carriage waiting at the border. I took out my crystal communicator, snapped it in half, and threw it into the deep forest. The shadows swallowed it whole.

By the time Vladimir returned to his den, I was already across the sea.