Chapter 4

On the ride back, Lily took the passenger seat like she owned it.

I sat in the back, eyes closed. I didn't even waste a glance on them.

Back at our apartment, Kian was in a great mood.

He took off his suit jacket, unbuttoned his collar, and walked over to me.

He was holding a thick catalog of Luna ceremony gowns.

"Aurora, come look." He sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. His voice held a rare, genuine warmth and excitement. "The Mating Ceremony is next month. I picked out a few dresses. Tell me if you like them."

He opened the book and pointed at a page.

"This one is perfect for you." His deep eyes reflected my face, like I was his most precious treasure.

I looked at where he was pointing.

A pure white gown. The hem and collar were heavily hand-embroidered with silver thread.

The pattern? Lilies of the valley.

Lily.

Her favorite flower. The symbol of her name.

Even for our most sacred mating dress, his subconscious was entirely focused on another woman.

I stared at the dress, a deep sneer flashing in my eyes.

"It's beautiful." I looked up, meeting his eager gaze. My voice was dead calm. "Let's go with this one."

I wasn't going to wear it anyway.

Hearing my instant agreement, Kian's smile grew huge.

He was thrilled with my "obedience" tonight.

He cupped my face and kissed my forehead. A kiss that felt like a reward.

"I knew you'd love it." His deep voice brushed my ear, full of Alpha charm and indulgence. "Aurora, as long as you don't throw tantrums, we are the perfect mates."

He let go, grabbed his pajamas, and walked into the bathroom, practically glowing.

The second the bathroom door clicked shut, my calm mask shattered.

I grabbed a sanitizing wipe from the table and scrubbed my forehead. Hard.

Once. Twice. Three times.

I didn't stop until my skin was raw, red, and burning.

Everywhere he touched made me physically sick.

The clock struck 9:00 PM.

Kian walked out of the bathroom on the dot. The Bluetooth bud was already in his right ear.

He didn't even glance at the wide-open closet.

Half of my clothes were gone.

He didn't notice the black suitcase sitting at the foot of the bed.

He just put his phone face down on the nightstand, turned his back to me, and used his softest voice to start another endless night with another woman.

I turned my back to him, quietly waiting for dawn.

Midnight.

A feral roar ripped through the bedroom.

I snapped my eyes open.

Kian—the man who prided himself on absolute logic and control—shot up from the bed like a madman.

His eyes were bloodshot with pure panic. His wild Alpha scent exploded, filling the room until I couldn't breathe.

"Hold on! I'm coming!"

Kian's voice shook. It was terror from the absolute depths of his soul.

He didn't even put his shoes on properly. He stumbled out of the room, slammed the front door open, and sprinted into the night.

From start to finish, he didn't look at me once.

Like I was totally invisible.

I sat up, leaned against the headboard, and opened the pack's forum.

Ten minutes later, a video was pinned to the top. It blew up instantly.

In the video, a border outpost was up in flames.

Lily had been ambushed by rogues on her patrol.

The footage showed Kian in his massive wolf form, ripping a rogue's throat out. He didn't stop until the rogue was nothing but blood and bone.

When the guards arrived, he was clutching Lily.

He held the trembling Omega against his chest, his massive body curled protectively over her, his face buried in her hair.

Even through the screen, I could feel his lingering terror.

I watched the video in silence.

Watched the man who swore he loved me, who was about to mate me, completely abandon every rule and disguise for another woman.

A comment caught my eye:

[Look at them holding each other. Their souls are resonating. Wishing the Alpha and his Omega happiness.]

I read the comment. A relieved smile touched my lips.

I hit the thumbs-up button.

In that exact second, I felt it. The bleeding wolf inside me finally turned to ash.

Kian didn't come back that night.

6:00 AM.

The morning sun tore through the dark, lighting up the empty apartment.

I put on my black trench coat and grabbed the handle of my suitcase.

At the entryway, I stopped.

I pulled the bone ring out of my pocket—the symbol of the future Luna—and set it gently on the shoe cabinet.

No regrets. No looking back.

I opened the door and walked out.

7:00 AM.

The armored convoy to the Northern Tundra sped down the highway.

I pulled out my phone and tapped into the Valerius Pack's mind-link broadcast.

I opened the text box, typed one line, and hit [Pin to All].

[Announcement: I, Aurora Thorne, due to personal reasons, officially step down from the position of Luna, effective immediately.]

Then, I powered off the phone.

I pulled out the SIM card I'd used for five years, cracked the window, and tossed it into the howling wind.

The second the convoy crossed the pack borders, the chains that had choked me for five years shattered.

Kian and I were done. Forever.