Chapter 1

When vampires attacked the border, my Alpha mate rescued his childhood friend first, leaving me alone to face the flames. After barely surviving, I immediately submitted a request to the council of elders to sever our mate bond.

"Let's begin the ceremony." Elder Samson Acheron's voice echoed before the Moon Goddess Statue.

The council had attempted mediation three times, and each attempt failed. Tonight, I was determined to finally end this mistake of a union.

Moonlight spilled across the stone platform like silver silk. I pressed my palm against the cold surface of the Moon Goddess Statue. The power within me was instantly drawn out, silver light spreading along my arm.

"In the name of the Moon Goddess, I, Elena Morse, formally request severance of the mate bond with Alpha Damon Aldridge."

Runes flickered across the stone. The invisible bond connecting us began to tremble and twist.

"Elena, stop!" Damon's voice came from behind me, laced with a panic I'd never heard before.

I didn't turn around. "It's too late."

The instant the mate bond shattered, searing pain shot through my chest, but it was immediately followed by an unprecedented sense of relief. That suffocating feeling of being bound vanished completely.

"The ceremony is complete," Elder Samson announced.

I turned to see Damon standing there, his face ashen. Anger flickered in his eyes, mixed with disbelief.

"Elena!" He strode toward me. "Why would you dissolve our mate bond? Are you really making a scene just because you're jealous I didn't save you?"

I stared at him expressionlessly, unwilling to say a single word.

He continued with righteous indignation, "I already explained this. You have the powerful priestess bloodline, so I rescued Lydia first. You're fine now, aren't you? Can you just stop this?"

Though I'd already made up my mind, hearing him say this still brought a sharp ache to my heart.

"Think whatever you want." I fought to keep the despair from my voice. "I've completed the severance ceremony. You and I have nothing to do with each other anymore."

Seeing my absolute resolve, he finally snapped at me in fury. "Even with the mate bond dissolved, you're still a wolf of my pack!"

"Alpha Damon." I deliberately used the most distant form of address to cut him off. "Please remember your position."

His footsteps halted abruptly.

"Starting tonight, I'm giving up my elder family's surname." I looked around at the elders who had treated me as a pawn. "I'm becoming a free wolf with no pack affiliation."

The elders exchanged uncertain glances, clearly not expecting this move. Rage blazed in Damon's eyes. "You've lost your mind! Wolves without packs don't end well!"

"That's my business."

He stared at me for a long moment before finally turning to leave. Before he walked away, he threw down a leather pouch and a property deed.

"Border woodland, plus 500 gold coins." His voice was cold as ice. "Don't say I didn't take care of you."

I stared at the items on the ground until his figure disappeared, then bent down to pick up the deed. It was for a wooden cabin in the border woodland, far from the pack's chaos. This was exactly what I wanted.

The pack members gradually dispersed. Soon, I was alone before the Moon Goddess Statue. I looked up at the full moon in the night sky, feeling a true sense of freedom for the first time.

The Moon Goddess' power within me, no longer suppressed by the mate bond, was slowly recovering its original strength.

The next day, I moved into the cabin. The house was small but cozy. I set up protective wards around the perimeter, ensuring no one could easily find me.

When night fell, I lay in bed and closed my eyes. Free from the pull of the mate bond, from Damon's coldness and Lydia Sterling's false smiles, I slept soundly for the first time in a long while.