Chapter 2

(Aurora's POV)

I lay beneath Alexander, my body there but my mind elsewhere. His hands roamed my skin possessively, his lips tracing hungry patterns along my neck.

"Aurora," he growled, his amber eyes flashing with frustration. "You're not responding."

I stared at the ceiling. Although my wolf Zoe glowed to respond, I felt nothing but disgust. The scent of Ivy still clung to him, faint but unmistakable.

"What's wrong with you tonight?" Alexander demanded, pulling back slightly to study my face.

I remained motionless, like a dead fish. Let him feel the coldness I felt inside.

"Is this how you plan to give me an heir?" he snapped, his Alpha dominance pushing against my consciousness.

That was it. The final thread of my patience snapped.

"Alexander," I said clearly, looking directly into his eyes, "let's sever our mate bond."

He froze above me, surprise flickering across his face before it hardened into something cold and calculating.

"What did you just say?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

I pushed against his chest, forcing him to move away so I could sit up. I pulled the sheet around myself, creating a barrier between us.

"I want to sever our mate bond," I repeated firmly. "I know about Ivy Lawrence."

Alexander's laugh was short and dismissive. "Ivy? She's just the Beta's daughter."

"The Beta's daughter you were kissing at our border den today," I countered.

His eyes narrowed. "You were spying on me?"

"I didn't need to spy. You weren't exactly being discreet." I kept my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.

Alexander rolled off the bed and stood, his powerful body silhouetted against the moonlight streaming through our window.

"She's relocated to a different part of pack territory," he said, as if that settled everything. "It's nothing for you to concern yourself with."

I slid from the bed, wrapping the sheet more securely around me as I walked to my desk. From the bottom drawer, I pulled out the folder I'd prepared weeks ago.

"These are mate-bond severance papers," I said, holding them out. "I want half of the Blackwood hunting territories along with our shared resources and den properties."

Alexander's face darkened as he took the papers. His eyes scanned the first page, then narrowed dangerously.

"Your appetite is too large for a wolf without dominant bloodlines," he said coldly, the papers crumpling slightly in his grip.

The casual cruelty of his words stung, but I kept my expression neutral. If only he knew that I likely couldn't conceive pups anyway – not after taking that blow meant for him during the rogue wolf attack three years ago. The irony was bitter on my tongue.

"It's a fair division," I insisted. "This way, you can legitimize your relationship with Ivy while I walk away with my rightful territory share. A win-win situation for both of us."

Alexander's laugh was harsh. "You think I would give up half my territories for the freedom to mate with a wolf I can already have whenever I want?"

The crudeness of his words made me flinch.

"When you accepted my mark," he continued, his voice hard, "you knew there would be no love in the Blackwood bloodline. We mate for power, for territory, for strength."

"And for heirs," I added quietly.

A flicker of something – frustration? regret? – passed across his face. "Yes, for heirs. Which you've failed to provide."

I swallowed hard, fighting back the urge to tell him why. But what would be the point? It would only give him more power over me.

"These papers," Alexander said, waving them dismissively, "are worthless."

With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed them to the floor. The carefully prepared documents scattered across the hardwood.

"Our mate bond stays intact," he stated firmly. "We're bound by mutual pack interests, Aurora. Nothing will change that."

Without another word, he turned and walked out of our den, leaving me standing alone among the scattered papers of my failed attempt at freedom.

I bent down slowly, gathering each page with trembling hands. This wasn't the end. Alexander might think he had all the power, but I wasn't without resources of my own.

That night, I slept in the guest room, my mind racing with plans. By dawn, I had made my decision.

I was up and gone before Alexander returned, leaving only a brief note: "At the healing grounds. Don't wait up."

The healing grounds were my sanctuary, the one place in the pack territory where I still felt like myself. As Chief Healer, I had authority here that even Alexander respected – or at least, he had until recently.

Ruby met me at the entrance, her amber eyes bright with concern. "You look terrible," she said bluntly.

"Thanks," I replied with a wry smile. "Just what every girl wants to hear."

She fell into step beside me as we walked through the medicinal gardens. "Did you tell him?"

"About the severance? Yes."

"And?"

"He refused," I said simply. "But he doesn't get the final say."

Ruby's eyebrows rose. "What are you planning?"

I stopped by the moonstone beds where our rarest healing herbs grew. "I'm reassigning wolves to the Moonstone Project. I want you to lead it."

Ruby stared at me, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Aurora, that's Alexander's pet project. He handpicked those wolves."

"And as Chief Healer, I have the authority to reassign them," I replied. "We need wolves loyal to the healing arts, not to Alexander's political agenda."

"He'll be furious," Ruby warned.

"Let him be." I knelt to examine the moonstone plants. "I mean it."

The pack council meeting that afternoon was tense, to say the least. Alexander's face when he saw me at the table was a study in controlled fury. I had deliberately taken the seat usually reserved for his Beta, placing Ruby beside me.

The discussions about territory patrols and upcoming full moon ceremonies passed in a blur. I spoke only when asked about healing matters, keeping my responses professional and brief.

It wasn't until the subject of the Moonstone Project came up that Alexander directly addressed me.

"I understand you've made some unauthorized changes to the project team," he said, his voice deceptively calm.

Every eye at the table turned to me. I met Alexander's gaze steadily.

"As Chief Healer, assigning wolves to healing projects falls within my authority," I replied. "The changes were necessary for the project's success."

"We had discussed those assignments previously," Alexander countered, the muscle in his jaw twitching.

"And I found your selections inadequate," I said simply. "Ruby has a natural affinity for the moonstone herbs. She's the logical choice to lead the team."

The silence around the table was deafening. No one had ever heard me challenge Alexander so openly before.

Elder Blackwood, Alexander's grandfather, watched our exchange with shrewd eyes but said nothing. His silence spoke volumes – he was letting this play out, curious to see where it would lead.

When the meeting finally ended, I escaped to my healing den, exhaustion washing over me in waves. The confrontation had taken more out of me than I wanted to admit.

A message from Ethan Gray waited on my phone: "Need to speak with you. Territory border café, 7PM. Important."

Ethan, Alexander's friend and the pack's senior enforcer and counselor, had always been fair in his dealings with me. If he wanted to meet, it must be significant.

I texted back a simple "I'll be there" before collapsing onto my couch for a moment's rest.

The Territory border café was a neutral meeting place, frequented by both wolves and humans. I arrived precisely at seven, spotting Ethan immediately at a corner table.

He stood as I approached, his steel-gray eyes assessing me carefully. "Aurora," he greeted, pulling out a chair for me.

"Ethan," I replied, settling into the seat. "What's so urgent?"

He placed a folder on the table between us. It looked distressingly similar to my severance papers, but the logo on the front was different.

"Your pre-mating agreement," he said quietly. "I thought you should review it before proceeding with any... separation plans."

I frowned, opening the folder. "I don't remember signing a pre-mating agreement."

"It was included in the pack integration documents," Ethan explained. "Standard procedure for all mate bonds with the ruling family."

As I scanned the document, my heart sank. The terms were clear: in the event of mate bond severance initiated by the non-Blackwood party, all joint properties and territories would revert to the Blackwood bloodline.

"This means I would leave with nothing," I said, looking up at him.

Ethan's expression remained neutral, professional. "That's correct."

I closed the folder and pushed it back toward him. "Even if I leave with nothing but my herbs, I still want our mate bond severed."

Surprise flickered in his eyes. "Aurora, no wolf walks away from the resources of the Blackwood pack willingly. What happened? I thought you loved him once."

I let out a bitter smile, the memories of my early days with Alexander flooding back. The way he'd pursued me, determined to make me his mate. The pride I'd felt when he chose me, despite my humble bloodline. The hope that perhaps, in time, respect might grow into something more.

"I did," I admitted quietly. "But love isn't enough when there's no respect."

(Third person's POV)

Ethan studied Aurora as she spoke, noting the vulnerable beauty that radiated from her even in her distressed state. Unlike Ivy Lawrence's deliberate seduction, Aurora's appeal was natural and unaffected. Her honey-brown hair fell in soft waves around her face, and her green eyes reflected both intelligence and hurt.

"Alexander is under tremendous pressure from his father and grandfather," Ethan said, playing devil's advocate despite his growing sympathy for her. "The expectation to produce an heir—"

"Doesn't excuse betrayal," Aurora interrupted, her voice firm despite its softness.

Ethan found himself leaning closer, drawn by the quiet strength she displayed. For a wolf without dominant bloodlines, she carried herself with remarkable dignity.

"What will you do if he refuses to release you?" he asked.

"I'll find another way," she answered, determination clear in her eyes.

The café door opened, bringing with it a rush of evening air and a familiar scent. Both Ethan and Aurora looked up to see Alexander himself entering the establishment, his amber eyes immediately finding them in the corner.

His face darkened as he took in the scene: his mate and his friend, heads close together in what appeared to be an intimate conversation. A flash of territoriality crossed his features as he noted how intently Ethan was watching Aurora.