Chapter 1

Freya POV

"I don't understand." Halle said, still reeling from the shock.

After all, my previous interactions with her had been marked by secret hostility.

Her over-familiarity with Jasper always set my teeth on edge.

Her possessiveness was written all over her face, impossible to miss.

But today, I stirred my coffee softly and spoke, calm and measured.

"Help me dissolve the mate bond, and I'll leave. You're the only person who can make him do it."

Halle flipped through the document again, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?"

I smiled. "You've read the document. There's nothing false in it. Once Jasper signs and seals it with his blood, I'll be free of the bond."

"And then," I added, leaning forward, "you'll have the most powerful alpha. All the glory. All the wealth. Everything."

Halle went over each clause again, visibly tense.

"There's no agreement between us. What if you change your mind?"

"Once the bond is broken, my mind won't matter. We won't even know each other anymore."

Halle picked up her phone and dialed.

"Jasper? I'm at Aura Brew. Can you pick me up?"

Twenty minutes later, the man who was always too busy for me was standing by her side.

He always smiled at me with a trace of distance.

But with Halle, it was warm and genuine.

"Where have you been today?" he asked her, "Didn't expect a call from here."

Halle shuffled the dissolution document into a stack of photos.

"Do you know how popular you are? Everyone keeps asking me for your signed photos. You know, I can't say no to friends..."

Jasper laughed, taking the pen from her.

"Next time, just forge it. Save yourself the trouble."

"I couldn't!" Halle giggled, fluttering her eyelashes.

"Don't be silly," he said. "It's nothing to worry about."

He signed the papers without even looking.

Halle's smile brightened. She pulled a silk scarf from her bag.

"Jasper, can you help me with this ruby pin? It's stuck."

He glanced at it.

"Throw it away. I'll buy you a new one."

"No, I really like it. You have to help me."

With a sigh, he took the pin, fiddling with it.

Suddenly, his hands froze and he dropped the pin.

"Ah, you pricked your hand. Let me see..." Halle said, grabbing his finger.

She squeezed, and a bead of blood fell onto the document.

A subtle warmth spread across the mark on my collarbone.

"The mark is fading," my wolf murmured.

I nodded, "It'll take three days to disappear completely. Be patient. We'll be free soon."

I needed a little time too, to arrange transportation for our departure.

Slipping out through the side door, I felt a lightness I hadn't known in years.

--

In my last life, I married Jasper as part of a strategic arrangement, a union that was the envy of everyone.

I lived what looked like a fairy tale, but it all ended with me dying a slow, emotional death.

Because in Jasper's heart, there was always a place that belonged to Halle.

They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts everyone thought would eventually marry.

But then, out of nowhere, Halle married a wealthy businessman overseas.

And Jasper accepted the marriage his family arranged and became my husband.

At our grand marking ceremony, he bit down on my collarbone with a tenderness that made me dizzy.

For a moment, I almost believed the happiness was real.

But when the passion faded, I began to see the truth.

His heart had never truly opened to me.

No matter how much I loved him, there was always a distance, an invisible wall I could never break through.

Then Halle returned, Jasper's schedule became packed.

He started missing dinners and canceling our plans more and more often.

His smile appeared more often, but never for me.

Sometimes, when he answered the phone, his eyes would soften with an unmistakable tenderness..

And I realized he could be gentle, he could be happy. Just not with me.

Depression consumed me, hollowed me out day by day.

My body grew weaker until, one sunny morning, with tears still on my face, I simply didn't wake up.

Snapping back to the present, I wiped away the tears and I forced a smile.

This time would be different. I would give them their happy ending and find my own.

Maybe then, We can all be happy.

I dialed a number.

"I need you to do something for me. Name your price."

The call ended just as the screech of tires tore through the air.

I tried to jump out of the way, but the car still clipped me, sending me crashing to the ground.

The driver, pale with panic, rushed me to the hospital. A battery of tests confirmed I only had minor scrapes and bruises.

Relief washed over me, until my eyes landed on one line on the report.

My heart nearly stopped.

I was pregnant!