Chapter 2

It'd been days since Zev was discharged, and neither of us had reached out to the other.

Word around the pack was that Zev had turned into a party maniac. The hot ladies were now regulars at his parties.

I never originated from this pack and had only joined it for Zev. Now, it was time to leave.

After work, I went straight home to pack my stuff. But once I opened the door, I froze.

Zev was on the couch, holding a pretty blonde with bright, sparkling eyes. The two were so tangled up it was as if they owned the place.

My sudden appearance clearly startled him. He panickedly and pulled his hand away, but almost immediately after, he remembered he was supposed to have lost his memory. Then, he placed his arms around her and held her tighter.

"What are you doing at my house?" he asked impatiently.

His house?

Everything in this place, from the floors to the furniture, including the couch they were shamelessly sprawled on, was something we'd chosen together. And now, he'd brought another woman here to engage in some disgusting doings.

I forced down the burning anger in my chest and turned toward the stairs. "Packing my stuff."

Once I was done, I wouldn't spend another second in this hellhole.

"Are you leaving the pack?" Zev's surprised voice came from behind me.

"Let her go if she wants to. Or perhaps, can't you bear to part with her?" the pretty blonde in his arms purred in a disgustingly sweet voice into his ear.

I knew that face all too well. She was Lessie Rothton, the daughter of an elder in the pack.

From the day I joined the pack, she treated me like a foe because she'd always had her eyes on Zev.

Zev's body stiffened at her words like she'd hit a nerve. Then, he let out a low, annoyed growl. "No way! If she wants to leave, let her! I'm not gonna stop her anyway!"

"That's more like it," Lessie replied in a sharp, shrill voice full of smug triumph. She jutted her chin at me as her eyes flashed with a cunning glint.

Then, she continued, "You really should leave, but as an Alpha mate who's about to be marked, you can't walk out just like that. That would be a direct challenge to Alpha Zev's authority and an act of betrayal against the pack! You have to go through… the exile ceremony if you want to leave!"

A wave of cold swept through my body and froze the blood in my veins.

The exile ceremony was a brutal punishment that would sever the pack bond and brand me as a traitor forever.

I turned sharply to Zev, and my voice trembled uncontrollably as I cried out, "No, Zev! You promised that if I ever wanted to leave, I could go anytime I want! There would be no ceremonies, and you gave me your word!"

I stared at him and prayed he'd say something. After all, I knew he hadn't lost his memory.

Zev hesitated briefly, and before he could speak, Lessie shrieked, "Liar! Don't you dare make up stories just because he's amnesiac! I can vouch that he never said anything like that!"

"Zev! Answer me! You swore you'd never forget your promises!" I clenched my fists and stepped closer.

Perhaps the truth in my eyes rattled him because his face flushed red with anger and humiliation.

Then, he snapped, "Enough! Lessie's right. You're just a clingy liar! For the honor of the pack, the exile ceremony starts now!"

"No!" I screamed.

But in the next instant, Zev closed his eyes, and the ceremony began.

"As Alpha of the Stormfang pack, I, Zev Briarwood, shall declare that Kira Elrick is permanently expelled from the pack for breaking her vow! The pack bond severs… now!"

An indescribable pain exploded from the deepest part of my soul. It felt as if a cord rooted in my bones was being ripped out by force.

"Ah!" The agony tore through me and swallowed me whole.

My vision went dark as my knees buckled. With that, I crashed to the floor, utterly helpless and humiliated.

I'd trained my body to endure anything, and this pain shouldn't have broken me. But for some reason, it felt like every ounce of strength had been sucked out of me, and I was too powerless to resist.

"Quit acting pathetic. It's just an exile ceremony. Can't you even handle that?" Lessie sneered delightedly.

Zev instantly believed her. Annoyed, he kicked my limp body with the tip of his boot. "Hey, get up! Don't just lie there in my way!"

Dragging my aching body, I forced myself up the stairs. After opening the wardrobe, I grabbed a few old outfits I'd brought with me years ago, just enough to fill my suitcase.

That was all I needed. I didn't want anything else.

"Is that all you're taking?" Zev's voice came from behind me as he looked at me with eyes wide in disbelief.

"There are still so many clothes in there… and the gown for the Luna ceremony. Are you leaving it all behind? I mean… they're taking up my place!"

I turned to look at him and forced a cold smile. Then, I pulled out a lighter and flicked it to life before tossing it onto the pile of clothes.

"Y-You're insane!" he shouted as the fire quickly consumed the pile of expensive outfits.

"Why keep any of it when it's worthless?" I picked up my suitcase and walked a few steps before pausing.

Then, I turned to look back at him and said, "Don't worry. I'll leave money for the repairs."

Without bothering to watch the complex swirl of emotions on his face, I lifted my suitcase and headed for the door.

But Zev suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. Glaring at me, he snapped, "You'd better think this through! One day, I'll remember everything. And when I do, I won't take you back even if you come crawling back and begging on your knees! I swear I'll never let you in again!"

I let out a cold laugh and flung his hands away.

As I stepped out, the cold air hit my lungs like shards of ice.

Now, I felt relieved that everything happened before the marking ceremony. Otherwise, I would never have been able to leave this cleanly.