5

I kept my expression calm as I walked toward Moira.

Everyone watched me approach, probably expecting another submissive apology.

Moira lifted her chin arrogantly. "Go ahead and show me what a commoner—"

I grabbed the back of her perfectly styled hair. Without warning, I slammed her face straight down into the steaming bowl of venison soup in front of her.

The hot liquid splashed everywhere.

Moira's scream pierced the air as the scalding broth hit her skin.

"AHHHHH! MY FACE!"

The pack house fell into absolute silence.

No one moved. No one breathed.

They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

The docile, obedient Luna they knew had just attacked a Blackwood family elder.

Moira thrashed wildly under my grip, soup dripping from her hair and face.

I held her down for exactly three seconds before releasing her.

She stumbled backward, gasping and wiping soup from her eyes.

"You— you insane bitch!" Moira shrieked.

The silence shattered like glass.

Everyone erupted at once.

"How dare you!"

"This is outrageous!"

"Luna has lost her mind!"

Moira's face was red and blotchy from the heat. Fury blazed in her eyes as she raised her hand to slap me.

But I wasn't the same broken woman I'd been an hour ago.

My dormant wolf might be sleeping, but my fighting instincts weren't.

I dodged her swing easily. My body moved like it remembered every combat lesson from my hunting squad days.

My hand shot out and grabbed the silver ceremonial whip from the dining table.

The Blackwood family kept it as decoration, a symbol of their ancient authority.

How fitting.

I cracked it across Moira's cheek before she could react.

The silver burned her skin on contact. She screamed again and collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony.

"MARCUS! DO SOMETHING!" she wailed.

I stood over her, whip still in hand. "I was far too polite to you all these years."

My voice was deadly quiet.

"Next time you see me, remember to shut your mouth. Otherwise, this will be your fate."

The former Luna—Marcus's mother—slammed her palm on the table so hard the dishes rattled.

Her face was purple with rage. "YOU— YOU—"

She pointed a shaking finger at my nose, her whole body trembling with fury.

I spread my hands toward Marcus with a relaxed smile. "I've wanted to do this since the day I became your mate."

The honesty in my voice seemed to shock him more than my actions.

Marcus's mother clutched her chest dramatically. "Marcus! Terminate the mate bond with her immediately! I won't have this savage in our family!"

Before I could thank her for making my life easier, Marcus stepped forward.

"Everyone calm down." His Alpha voice commanded attention. "Sage has been under stress lately. Don't judge her by tonight's behavior."

Victoria's mouth fell open in disbelief.

The entire Blackwood family stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

Even I blinked in surprise.

Marcus looked directly at me. "Sage, apologize to my aunt. I can pretend tonight never happened."

His tone was measured. Controlled.

"This is my final offer."

The room held its breath.

Victoria's face went pale. She clearly expected him to throw me out immediately.

The family members exchanged shocked glances.

I almost laughed at the absurdity.

"How ridiculous." I reached into my purse. "Who wants your offer? You can keep your final chances."

I pulled out the mate bond dissolution papers my lawyer had prepared and threw the papers straight at his face.

The silence was deafening. Marcus stared at the papers around his feet.

I turned to my son. "Mommy will come visit you when she has time, okay?"

Without another word, I walked toward the door, climbed into my car and started the engine.

Through my rearview mirror, I saw movement at the pack house entrance.

Marcus burst through the doors, running toward my car.

"Sage! Get out of the car! We need to talk about this!"

I kept my eyes straight ahead.

BANG! BANG!

"Don't be stupid! You can't survive without the pack!"

"Sage! Think about Logan!"

I pressed the gas pedal.

The car lurched forward. Marcus had to jump back to avoid being hit.

"Sage!" he shouted after me.

"SAGE!"

His voice grew fainter as I drove away.

I didn't look back again.