Chapter 4

The moment I opened the door, a silver dagger lunged for my chest.

“Die!” Seraphina’s eyes were wild with hatred.

Kaelen grabbed her around the waist from the side, trying to stop her. "Sera, no!"

"Let go of me! I want her dead!" Seraphina thrashed wildly, the dagger swinging through the air.

In the struggle, the silver dagger slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor at my feet.

I bent down and picked it up.

The silver seared my palm, but I didn't flinch.

"You want my life?" I raised the dagger, aiming it at Seraphina's heart. "Let's see if you have what it takes."

Kaelen instantly moved to block her. "Elara, stop!"

"Get out of my way!" I sidestepped him, the dagger slicing toward Seraphina's exposed throat.

But Kaelen was faster. He kicked my wrist, and the dagger went flying again.

Then, a sharp crack echoed through the hallway.

My cheek burned. The right side of my face went numb. He had slapped me.

"Stop this, Elara," Kaelen's voice was ice. "I'll agree to sever the bond."

He pulled a document from inside his suit jacket and threw it at my feet.

The words "Mate Bond Dissolution Agreement" stared up at me. At the bottom was his neat signature.

"You had this ready," I said. My voice didn't sound like my own.

"Yes," he didn't deny it.

During their struggle, Kaelen's shirt had been torn open, revealing his muscular chest.

And our tattoo—two intertwined wolves, symbolizing our eternal bond.

But now, the tattoo had been altered.

The design, which once held only our two names, now included a third. Seraphina's mark had been skillfully woven in, as if she’d always been part of the bond.

"When did you do this?" I pointed at his chest.

Kaelen looked down, then pulled his shirt closed. "Two days ago."

"You carved another woman's name into our mating bond while we were still mates."

"Elara…"

"Shut up." I picked up the agreement from the floor. "As of today, we are nothing to each other."

I signed my name on the agreement, then ripped it in half.

Kaelen put his arm around Seraphina's waist. "Let's go, Sera."

They turned and left. Kaelen never looked back.

I stood in the doorway, watching them walk to the elevator.

In the garage, Kaelen opened the passenger door for Seraphina. As she got in, she deliberately rolled down the window.

She took out that damned memory crystal.

"Want to see it again?" she yelled at me.

The crystal activated, and the humiliating images were projected onto the car window again—me, thirteen years ago, bound in silver chains, covered in blood, sobbing in despair...

And this time, Kaelen sat in the driver's seat and watched it all without stopping her.

The car started, disappearing into the night with my painful memories.

I closed the door and leaned against the wall.

Thirteen years. Our bond was over, just like that.

And he had been a liar from the start.

Two days later, a gold-embossed invitation arrived at my office.

"You are cordially invited to the Luna Ceremony and Wedding of Mr. Kaelen Blackwood and Miss Seraphina Collins."

I stared at the photo of them in a loving embrace on the invitation, and the last shred of warmth in my heart died.

I picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Marcus."

"Luna," a respectful voice answered.

"Gather the men."

"How many?"

"All of them."

The ceremony was held at the most luxurious hotel in the city. The entire pack leadership was there.

Kaelen stood on the stage in a custom black suit, Seraphina beside him in a pure white Luna gown.

"We are gathered here today," the elder officiating the ceremony began, "to witness the union of our new Alpha and Luna…"

Just then, Marcus walked in through a back door, holding a gun loaded with special rounds.

He walked straight onto the stage and pressed the muzzle to the back of Kaelen's head.

"Don't move," Marcus's voice boomed through the microphone.

Instantly, hundreds of pack warriors flooded in from every entrance, their guns all aimed at the couple on stage.

The guests began to scream in panic.

Kaelen slowly turned around and saw me walking in through the main entrance.

"Elara," he said. There was no surprise in his voice, only a deep weariness. "I should have known."

"Yes," I said, walking up the steps to face him. "You should have."