Chapter 6: Severed Ties and Crimson Rides

“How do you feel?” asked Aella, placing down her coffee cup and looking Zoriana straight in the eyes.

Zoriana smiled faintly and paused. Her gaze flickered between her loyal friends—Aella, Scott, and Braydon—sitting outdoors in the small café.

“Overwhelmed… confused… free, and absolutely happy,” she replied.

“Don't you feel pain from severing a mate bond?” asked Braydon curiously, squeezing his own mate's hand as if he couldn't imagine ever losing him.

“I did feel physical pain the moment the bond was severed, but it was gone fast. It was like I amputated something that was already rotten and had to be removed. My heart was already broken when he brought Milana to the pack, chose to protect her during the rogue attack, and mated with her… Our bond was already snapping, holding on by a tiny thread. I just cut what was already dead,” Zoriana replied, taking a final sip of her coffee.

Strangely, it tasted good—better than any coffee she had tasted before. Maybe because a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders; maybe because she was surrounded by people she cared about and could trust; maybe because the view of the mountains was breathtaking; or maybe because, finally, she was doing what, when, and how she wanted to do it.

Aella giggled. “We should celebrate with champagne, not coffee. In just a few days, you left your pack, severed a mate bond, and bought a plot of land to build your own pack. I am so proud of you.”

“I also got a license for my new company,” added Zoriana. “And you still don't want to join our pack?”

Aella shifted uncomfortably in her seat and raised her blue eyes shyly to Zoriana. “Hmm. You know I have someone special in my pack. Tom wouldn't want to leave, as he is doing well and is about to get a promotion. He is young, ambitious, and I… I just want to stay by his side.”

Scott’s lips thinned into a line and he clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Aella, you could start fresh in Zoriana’s new pack, and he could grow along with us. You would both be safe with us. Can you imagine what Alpha Fabian would do to him if he discovered his Luna’s affair?”

Aella knitted her eyebrows, her breathing uneven. “Alpha Fabian does not care about me or my whereabouts. I am his Luna in name only, and he has had open mistresses for years. As long as I am fulfilling my duties as Luna, he isn't concerned with what I do behind closed doors.”

Braydon, Zoriana, and Scott just exchanged a knowing look. They knew how headstrong Aella could be.

“As you wish, but you are always welcome in our pack,” muttered Zoriana.

Aella stood up and hugged her tight. “Thank you. You are my inspiration. A true warrior—fearless, intelligent, a leader… I wish I could be more like you, but unfortunately, I am more materialistic.” She kissed Zoriana’s cheeks. “I need to go. Tom is preparing a surprise for me.”

She waved goodbye to Scott and Braydon and left, walking lightly as if dancing, a wide grin on her face. Zoriana watched her friend's retreat. Clearly, she was in love. Zoriana had once worn that same look when she mated Ryder; she only hoped her friend’s love story would have a better ending than hers.

“I also need to leave now to finish a few things before heading to the new pack grounds,” said Zoriana.

“No problem, Alpha,” Scott teased her sweetly. “Braydon is bringing our trailer, and the warriors are already setting up tents on the land. Building materials and workers will arrive tonight.”

Zoriana smiled. “Thank you, Beta Scott. See you soon at the pack grounds.”

She stood up, walking to complete her final tasks in the city. Mixed emotions overwhelmed her. She had sold all her jewellery and emptied her bank account to buy the plot of land, materials, and her license. Zoriana prayed that her application for the pack registration would be approved, as it was unheard of for a pack to have a female Alpha. She had considered making Scott the Alpha just to get the application through, but he had refused, stating that it was her right. She hoped the pack would form and her corporation would grow so she could repay everyone who had followed her. She wasn't afraid of having nothing; she was only scared for the 150 warriors and her two friends who trusted her enough to put their destinies in her hands. She could not disappoint them.

She entered the salon and sat comfortably in the chair. The hairdresser looked at the waterfall of her long, beautiful hair, her eyes widening when Zoriana said, “I would like a short bob.”

“But you have such beautiful hair! You’ll regret it,” the hairdresser protested.

“Short bob. No regrets,” Zoriana said confidently, winking to lighten the mood.

The hairdresser sighed deeply and raised the scissors, snapping through the curtain of dark hair.

Zoriana felt lighter. Her hair used to be long, shiny, and thick. Many she-wolves had sighed enviably at her gorgeous locks, but she hadn't liked it. Ryder did. For him, she hadn't cut it. For him, she wore the flowing long gowns he loved so much. For him… She shook her head, looking at the pile of hair on the floor. There was nothing she would do for him anymore. From now on, she would dress, act, and live exactly how she liked.

Kalina, her wolf, purred in agreement. Zoriana was surprised that her wolf didn't weep over losing her mate. Kalina, like her human half, was determined, sharp, and ready to shape her own path.

Zoriana looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Her new hairstyle suited her well. Her old style as a sophisticated, reserved Luna had died with her hair. Now, a fearless and strong new Alpha was born.

She had her last few thousand left in her bank account and knew exactly what to do. Finally, she would get something for herself—a little gift her heart had craved for far too long.

Her next stop was a showroom. The moment she entered, it caught her eye.

The motorbike sat in the centre of the room, its aggressive, aerodynamic silhouette finished in a defiant, high-gloss red. It had a sharp, forward-leaning stance and a minimalist tail that made it look like a weapon designed for pure speed, even while standing perfectly still. Zoriana’s eyes lit up as she moved toward it.

A Ducati Panigale V4 S.

It was a high-performance beast that pumped out over 210 horsepower, screaming from 0 to 100 km/h in just over three seconds. It was exactly what she needed—and exactly what she had always wanted, though Ryder had been against it. To him, riding a motorcycle was not "ladylike" or safe. A respectful Luna needed to be in the back seat of a large, blacked-out vehicle with bodyguards, not racing through the streets like a teenager.

She knew buying it now was reckless. It would leave her nearly broke, but as she looked at the defiant red finish, she didn't care. This was her first act of true rebellion. Now, none of Ryder's rules mattered.

“Would you like a test drive?” asked the sales assistant.

“No, I’m buying it,” she said without hesitation. The assistant’s eyes widened at her resolve, then he nodded. “Excellent choice. I’ll prepare the bill.”

Zoriana moved to the Ducati, her hand sliding over the handlebars. She closed her eyes, imagining the wind roaring in her ears as she rode toward her new life.

“Step away from the bike, doll. I came to pick it up. Choose something more suitable for a little girl like you.”

The voice was low, like the rumble of distant thunder, and it sent a jolt of electricity down her spine that made her breath hitch. Kalina, who had been calm, suddenly snapped to attention within her, pacing with a low, expectant growl. Her hand tightened on the handlebars, her eyes flew open, and she turned.

She was furious, but the moment her eyes landed on the man at the entrance, she forgot how to breathe. He was handsome as sin—tall, with the body of a Greek god and a messy, effortless crown of sandy-blond curls. There was a striking sharpness to his jaw and cheekbones that gave him a rugged, cinematic intensity. But it was his gaze—absolutely magnetic, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through her—that caught her off guard. A powerful Alpha aura radiated from him, heavy and commanding, yet he looked extremely arrogant and self-centered. He was everything Zoriana hated, and yet, her knees were about to buckle under the weight of his presence. She felt a strange, undeniable pull toward him.

“Kalina, is he our mate?” Zoriana asked her wolf in a trembling voice, her heart drumming in her chest as she waited for an answer.