When My Alpha Chose Her, I Rejected the Mating Bond

Caylins POV

The moonbeast noodle stew I ordered had barely reached the table when Breena Wintermoon started picking the meat out piece by piece, smiling the whole time.

Caylin, Zevran said you don't eat much. I'll help you finish some of it.

Perfect.

Zevran Blackwood did not stop her. Instead, he looked at her with amusement and approval.

Yet just last week, I had accidentally taken a sip from Breena's moonberry yogurt, and he had been furious for three days.

The memory made my chest go cold.

I stood up to leave.

"You're getting upset over a few pieces of meat?"

Zevran grabbed my wrist.

"Breena meant well. She didn't want food to go to waste. You should thank her."

"Fine. If it matters that much, I'll pay you back with fifty bowls."

I looked straight into his accusing eyes.

Suddenly, this bond felt suffocating.

Lowering my head, I sent a message through my crystal communicator to an old academy friend, Riven Wildmoor.

[Didn't you ask me to build a trading guild with you before? I'm in. I'll invest five hundred thousand moon coins.]

Then came a reply. [What? Isn't that the money you saved for your mating den?]

I replied back. [I'm not buying it anymore. And I'm not getting mated.]

Zevran noticed me staring at my communicator and frowned.

"Who are you talking to?"

Before I could answer, Breena quickly spoke, "Caylin, you're not planning to run home and complain to your pack over something this small, are you?"

The next second, Zevran's expression darkened.

"You're a grown she wolf. Do you still run to your parents whenever something happens?"

"Our mating ceremony is only a month away. Why are you causing trouble now?"

I almost laughed.

For six winters, I had stayed by his side.

I had survived on simple meals and plain water. I even worked five different jobs across the territories.

When I burned with fever, I would rather endure the pain than spend a single coin on medicine. Not once had I complained to my parents. Not once had I said life was hard.

And after all that, this was how he saw me.

With suspicion.

I pulled my hand free and answered calmly, "I'm just talking to a friend."

"Oh, please." Zevran let out a mocking laugh.

"You think I don't know you? It's only a few slices of meat. I'll pay you back."

He turned to the tavern owner.

"Pack Leader, bring fifty bowls of moonbeast noodles. No takeout. She'll eat every one right here."

The entire tavern fell silent.

Then the owner hurried over, convinced he had heard wrong. But Zevran immediately paid with his communicator crystal.

The payment tone rang out.

It pierced my heart like a needle. My hands clenched into fists.

One bowl after another was placed before me.

The stares around me became harder and sharper.

For six winters, I had never imagined Zevran would humiliate me like this in front of so many strangers.

"Zevran, I can't eat anymore, Breena spoke again.

The bowl in front of her was almost untouched. She had only taken my meat to provoke me.

"Then don't."

Zevran smiled gently at her before turning back to me.

"Breena and I are heading back to the den first. Take your time."

Soon after that, the two of them left the tavern side by side. Walking closer and closer together. Walking farther and farther away from me.

Just like the bond between Zevran and me.

Gone for good.

I blinked away the blur in my eyes and gave the fifty bowls of noodles to the customers who had just arrived.

On the way home, a light rain began to fall.

I had no umbrella. I did not summon a spirit carriage. I just simply walked back to the rental den.

Through the half open bedroom door, I saw Zevran settling Breena into bed.

He was telling her a gentle bedtime tale. A story he had never once told me.

He must have heard my footsteps when he turned around, placed a finger to his lips, and silently gestured for me to be quiet.

Then he picked up his communicator crystal and sent me a message.

[Keep your voice down. Breena just fell asleep.]

Yet only yesterday, when I was resting with a headache, Zevran had brought Breena to our den. At the time, Breena even played music through her crystal speaker at full volume.

She laughed and skipped around the room. The noise made my head pound.

But Zevran never stopped her.

Instead, he brought her fruit and mooncakes, caring for her as attentively as ever.

Caylins POV

The teasing only stopped when I finally spoke up. But that night, Zevran scolded me for it.

"Breena is a guest of our pack. Stop arguing over every little thing with her."

This time, I stayed silent. I sat down on the couch without a word.

Just then, Riven sent me the moon contract.

[Read through the contract. If everything looks fine, we'll have it sealed and signed.]

I had only just opened it when Zevran's voice came from behind me.

"What are you investing your gold in? Didn't we agree you'd pay the moonstones for the mating den? Don't waste money on random things right now."

I did not answer. I put away my crystal phone and glanced at the basket nearby.

Inside were Breena's academy skirt, underclothes, and stockings.

"Can you stop imagining things?"

Zevran quickly explained, "Breena got caught in the rain. Since you two are about the same size, I gave her the new nightgown and underclothes you bought."

That nightgown and underclothes were something Zevran had personally chosen for me. They were private gifts between mates.

Yet he had given them to Breena.

The meaning was obvious. The clothes were not the issue, but the one wearing them was.

Cough, cough!

Breena's coughing drifted from the bedroom.

"Breena!"

Zevran's expression changed instantly. He rushed back into the room.

"What happened? Are you hurting anywhere?"

"My throat feels a little sore, Zevran." Breena sounded like an injured pup.

"I'll get medicine right away!"

Zevran hurried back into the living room and searched through every cabinet.

I watched him moving around anxiously. Then I lowered my head and replied to Riven.

[The contract looks good. Let's sign it today.]

[And help me find a new place to stay.]

Riven agreed immediately.

I turned toward the bedroom, seeing Zevran who was feeding Breena herbal medicine one spoonful at a time.

This rented den was far too crowded for three wolves.

I was stepping away.

I would leave them their peaceful little world. Just the two of them.

So I did not disturb them. I turned around and spent the night in the study.

The next morning, I woke with a spinning head. My nose felt blocked, and my voice was rough.

"Caylin!"

Zevran burst into the room, holding up his crystal communicator.

"Let's switch to that fully built den! It's only seven hundred thousand more moonstones. If you add a little more to the down payment, we can get a larger three room house. Breena can have her own room."

"That way you won't have to suffer sleeping in the study anymore."

Over the past few years, Zevran had poured all his house funds into his pack business.

The original plan was for my family to cover the down payment first and buy a small two room den for our mating ceremony.

After that, we would pay the debt together.

But now, so Breena could live with us, he was willing to spend more and buy a larger home.

And he made it sound like he was doing it for me.

"Do whatever you want."

I did not object. None of it had anything to do with me anymore.

"So well behaved today. You deserve a kiss."

Zevran grinned.

"I'll send you the link. Discuss it with the broker."

"Breena still isn't feeling well this morning. I'm taking her to the healer's hall. Buy some food at noon. She likes fish."

After giving his instructions, he turned to leave.

"Wait."

I could not stop myself from calling out.

"Zevran, don't you notice anything different about me?"

"Yeah, your voice sounds a little rough, and your nose is blocked, Caylin." Zevran paused before adding, "But I know you're strong. Just drink more hot water. You even went hunting with stomach sickness before."

Those words cut deeper than any silver blade. They almost destroyed the last bit of light left inside me.

It was the same illness.

Last night, he had rushed to find medicine for Breena and stayed by her side all night, telling her stories.

Caylins POV

Today, Zevran had not cared about me at all.

And I was the one who was more seriously ill.

If Breena held a higher place in his heart, then so be it. I would not fight for it.

While Zevran stayed busy taking care of Breena, I swallowed a packet of healing herbs for my cold and went out to sign the investment contract with Riven.

Once an arrow is released beneath the Moon Goddess's gaze, it cannot be taken back.

"Are you certain you don't want to keep your moonstones for the mating den? You really want to invest them in our business instead?"

Riven handed me a pen and asked seriously.

"Yes." I gave a slight nod. "He has the path he wants to follow. I have the path I choose for myself."

Signature written. Blood mark pressed.

Done in one smooth motion.

I trusted Riven as we had trained together at the Moonfang Academy for as long as I could remember.

More than that, he was an investment genius praised even by the elders who taught moon economics.

Back when we were students, he built a trading network between pack territories and opened two small market halls, earning his first fortune from them.

The truth was, he had invited me to become his partner many times before.

But I always refused because I wanted to save my wealth to support Zevran.

Once the contract was completed, Riven looked at me.

"I'll take you to the healer's hall."

"You've been like this since you were a pup. Whenever you catch a cold or fever, you need healing magic and medicine, or you'll stay sick for a whole week."

Zevran knew that too, but he had simply forgotten. He had also forgotten why I always forced myself to work while sick.

I wanted to save a little more wealth in case his pack business failed one day. So we would not lose everything and be forced out of our territory.

That afternoon, Riven took me to see several places.

I liked one of them.

Without hesitation, Riven paid the rent and signed the agreement on the spot, calling it housing for pack officers.

At the same time, he handed me another contract. He wanted me to become the Vice Alpha of the company.

I did not hesitate. Sure, I soon accepted.

Then, by early evening, I had just reached the door of my home when my father suddenly called.

"Sweetheart, your mother and I received a notice saying our sky carriage tickets were canceled. Is it some kind of scam?"

Last week, Zevran and I had chosen a second-hand den and planned to buy it this week so my parents could come stay with us for a while.

I asked them to send me a crystal image of the notice.

The message really had come from the Sky Wing Transport Guild.

To make sure there was no mistake, I contacted the guild myself, but the answer was the same: the tickets had been canceled.

I walked into the house with a frown.

Breena immediately hurried over.

"Caylin, Zevran just booked sky carriage tickets for my parents. They'll arrive tomorrow night. Why don't you reserve a restaurant so we can all have dinner together?"

The words sky carriage tickets struck every sore place in my heart.

I turned toward Zevran.

He was cutting fruit in the kitchen.

"So that's why you canceled my parents' tickets, Zevran?"

Zevran sighed and walked out carrying a plate of fruit.

"Don't make this into something bigger than it is, Caylin. It's hard for Breena's parents to travel across pack territories, so I wanted them to stay here a little longer."

"As for your parents, they've spent their whole lives in a small village pack. They wouldn't enjoy life in the Pinehowl City anyway. They can come when the mating ceremony begins."

"And you know my holdings isn't doing well right now. Breena's family lives closer, so the trip costs a few hundred moonstones less. It's the wiser choice."

As I watched him speak with that expression, as if he had carefully thought everything through, my chest tightened.

I hated that I had ever fallen in love with someone so disappointing.

My parents were kind and understanding people. They knew Zevran struggled to build his business, so they agreed not to ask for any mating gifts.

Instead, they gave us one hundred thousand moonstones to help buy a home.

How many harvests had they worked for?

How much grain had they sold to save one hundred thousand moonstones?

All they wanted was to visit their daughter and future son in law.

It's hard for Breena's parents to travel. And it was easy for mine?

Zevran knew all of this. Yet he still chose Breena's parents first.

So this was what it meant to love a man and everything connected to him as well.

Caylins POV

"Huh? Didn't I ask you to buy groceries? Why are your hands empty?"

Zevran added that as well, and those words hurt even more.

My lips parted slightly, but for a moment, I could not say anything.

"Caylin, have a slice of moon lemon."

Breena took the chance, grabbed a slice of moon lemon, and pushed it into my mouth.

The sour taste instantly brought tears to my eyes.

I went to wash my face, then took out my crystal phone and sent a message to my parents.

[Mom, Dad, I'm not completing the mating ceremony with Zevran.]

[One day, I'll buy a large den and bring both of you to live with me forever.]

My father called immediately.

"Sweetheart, don't make a decision in anger. Maybe Zevran has his reasons. It's fine if your mother and I don't move to Pinehowl City. As long as we can attend your mating ceremony and see you happy, that's enough for us."

My mother spoke beside him, "That's right, Caylin. We'd only trouble you if we stayed there anyway."

Hearing them accept the insult and still defend Zevran, wanting nothing except for me to have a happy future.

Then looking at Zevran and Breena laughing and playing together right in front of me.

My heart broke.

I turned and walked out the front door.

"Mother, Father, I'm not acting on impulse, and I'm not joking. This mating bond would never make me happy."

Everyone knew how much I loved Zevran. I loved him beyond reason.

But now, I had no love left to give.

After a long silence, they replied, "Sweetheart, someone has hurt you, hasn't he? If you don't want to mate with him, then don't. Whatever choice you make, your family stands with you."

I told them not to worry, ended the call, and went to the bedroom to pack my belongings.

Only then did I realize something: y clothes were just a few simple outfits that I wore again and again.

As for beauty products, I only had a nearly empty lipstick and a tube of sun protection cream.

I could not even fill half a suitcase.

Meanwhile, Zevran's side of the wardrobe was packed with expensive suits and shirts from every famous merchant guild.

All of it was for appearances.

I carried my bag out of the room.

Zevran froze before frowning. "Where are you going?"

I answered calmly, "I have to leave for pack business for a few days."

The next second, his expression relaxed and he sighed in relief.

"I thought you were going to throw a childish tantrum and run away from the den."

He walked to the ice chest, took out several bottles of mango yogurt, and handed them to me.

"You love yogurt. Take these with you."

I did love yogurt, but I never liked mango. I was allergic to it.

Mango was Breena's favorite flavor. She wanted it with everything.

"Oh, what a pity. Looks like I won't get a free meal from Caylin."

Breena spread her hands and stuck out her tongue playfully.

"But don't worry. I'll take good care of Zevran."

I simply smiled and said nothing. I simply turned around and left.

On my way out, I threw the yogurt into the trash bin downstairs.

Ten minutes later, Zevran suddenly called.

"Caylin, stop by the new den first and change the rune lock code to my moon-born day. Breena's parents want to stay longer, so I'm moving them into the new house."

"Since you're away on this trip, stay out a few extra days if you want. No need to rush back. That way Breena's parents won't feel crowded or uncomfortable."

He was becoming more and more considerate. Just not toward me.

Then I heard Breena's sweet voice through the crystal phone.

"Zevran, give me a hug!"

I said nothing. I let out a cold laugh, ended the call, then blocked and deleted him immediately.

Whoever wanted to be a fool for him could do it.

As for me, I was focusing on my career now.

The following evening, Zevran brought Breena and her entire family to the entrance of the new den.

Smiling proudly, he entered the rune code.

[Incorrect password!]