Chapter 2

When I turned around, Aiden instinctively let go of Seraphina’s hand.

"She had too much to drink," he said. "As Alpha of the pack, I have to make sure everyone’s safe. That’s the only reason I brought her here."

He paused. "She insisted on leaving first. She didn’t want you to get the wrong idea."

The same Aiden who barely spoke sweet words to me now couldn’t stop talking when it came to Seraphina. Every word that came out of his mouth defended her.

I looked at him and felt like I was seeing a stranger.

I was the one who’d spent ten years by his side. I was the mate the Moon Goddess had chosen. So why did I feel like I was the other woman?

Fighting back the sharp, tearing pain in my chest, I took a deep breath.

"You know exactly who she is. She’s the pup of my father’s one-night stand with his mistress. She's an Omega. Her mother destroyed my family. She’s no better."

At my words, fury flashed across Aiden’s face. "Clara! How could you say something so vile? Apologize to Seraphina right now! No wonder your father left you. This bitter, petty version of you is unrecognizable. Keep going like this, and you’ll never know real love!"

As though he were afraid I’d hurt Seraphina, Aiden released a wave of Alpha force. The force slammed into me like an invisible wall, throwing me to the ground.

He stood like a mountain between us, shielding her.

Moonlight touched his face. In that moment, he looked just like the boy from my memories.

Years ago, when we were just pups, my father had betrayed my mother to marry a human woman and had thrown us out of the pack.

When I was at my lowest, it was Aiden who stood in front of me, his tiny body trying to protect me. He had said, "Clara, your wolf is the most beautiful in the world. Even if no one else wants you, I’ll always be your Alpha."

I had carved that promise into my soul. I fought to become stronger, not for power, but to escape that painful past and build a real home with him.

However, every time I described our future together, he would frown and say indifferently, "That was just childish talk."

Now, with Seraphina back, he didn’t even bother with excuses. With just that sentence—"you’ll never know real love"—he tore open my deepest wound.

I turned my head away, unable to bear to look at him. My eyes burned and blurred without my permission.

Aiden’s gaze flickered.

Maybe he realized he’d gone too far, or maybe he noticed the fresh red scratch on my neck, left from yanking off that necklace.

He sighed. "Let’s just pretend you were drunk last night. From now on—"

"There is no 'from now on'," I interrupted softly.

"What?" He looked confused, like he didn’t understand.

He tried to say more, but Seraphina burst into tears and ran off.

Just like that, Aiden’s focus shifted. He ran after her without hesitation, leaving me with his confusion and a ring that had fallen from his pocket.

He never even noticed.

It was a black obsidian ring, carved with a crescent moon wrapped in thorns.

Suddenly, I remembered that Aiden had the exact same symbol tattooed over his heart.

All the clues I’d ignored snapped into place. What he had etched closest to his heart wasn’t a symbol of Alpha power. It was a token from another woman.

So much for the Moon Goddess’ blessing and our decade of love.

In the end, I was just chasing a ghost from his past. That meant it was time to stop.

My mother texted. She’d already arranged for someone to bring me to her pack.

The timing?

Exactly half a month from now on the day Aiden and I were supposed to hold our mating ceremony.

The countdown calendar I’d used to prepare for the ceremony had become a countdown to my departure.

I let out a bitter laugh and tossed out all the decorations, all the tokens we’d collected.

So be it.

I’d spend these last two weeks saying goodbye to everything we ever were.