Chapter 4

Every scar was a reminder of one single fact: Jaxon was never on my side.

The next day was the pack’s annual Gala.

It wasn't just a party. It was Jaxon's main event to secure his position as the Council's top Alpha. He had promised me he would quietly make things right tonight.

I wore the ceremonial black gown embroidered with wolf teeth. The medals I had bled for in the North were pinned to my chest.

Five minutes until showtime.

In the backstage hallway, a powerful Alpha presence rushed towards me.

Jaxon strode in. When he saw me in my formal attire, he stopped short. A flash of raw admiration hit his eyes.

But he quickly regained his composure. He walked right up to me and spoke in a tone that tolerated no argument.

“Alora, you can’t stand with me on stage tonight.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Jaxon! Are you insane? The ceremony is about to start!”

“Clara has dreamed of being on the main stage as a core representative since she was a pup. I promised I would make it happen for her.” He reached out. His grip on my shoulder was heavy, a mix of placating and forceful. “The Elders just pressured me. She walks the red carpet with me, or they pull their votes.”

A sharp pain twisted in my chest. I could taste blood.

“So I stay hidden? Like a dirty secret? You're stripping my rank so she can have her debut?!” I practically spat the words. “The exchange program! The online slander! And now you’re stealing my honors too?!”

The hallway was silent for a beat.

“Alora, you already have enough. Missing one moment in the spotlight won't kill you. You’re strong. You don’t need this vanity to prove yourself. Clara does.” He lowered his voice, thick with impatience. “Stop making a scene. When this is all settled, I’ll make it up to you.”

Then, he used it. The Alpha Tone.

His powerful will slammed into my wolf, pinning me to the shadows. I couldn’t move an inch.

His footsteps faded away. Without mercy.

I slid down the cold wall until I was crumpled on the floor.

Minutes later, the announcer’s voice boomed through the venue.

“Tonight, standing beside me, is our most outstanding she-wolf, Clara.”

It was Jaxon’s deep, magnetic voice. The one that could make a crowd roar.

“Thank you, Alpha Jaxon, for this opportunity…” Clara’s voice was sweet and timid.

The applause was deafening.

In front of thousands, she stood in my place.

I sat in the darkness backstage. I covered my eyes. Tears fell, hot and silent, onto the back of my hands.

I had waited five years. I had come back with one last, dying ember of hope. And for what? To be imprisoned in the dark by his command. Just so he could make someone else’s dream come true.

Two hours later.

The Gala ended. The Alpha Command lifted.

Jaxon rushed back. A bouquet of moonpetals—a pathetic peace offering—was in his hand.

When he saw my swollen eyes, his gaze faltered. A flicker of panic crossed his face. He reached for me. “Alora, the ceremony is over. You…”

Beep-beep—

His private ringtone. Clara.

Jaxon’s hand froze in mid-air. He snatched it back and answered the call, his voice instantly gentle. “Too many people? Don’t be scared. I’m coming right now.”

He hung up and looked at me. His expression was once again one of condescending charity.

He tossed the flowers into my lap. “I’ve already cleared my schedule. We’ll go see your mother in a few days. And when we get back, we’ll make it public. Stop sulking.”

Public.

The word I had begged to hear for four years. Now it just sounded like a joke.

“Don’t bother,” I said, getting to my feet. My voice was eerily calm. “My mother doesn’t need you anymore.”

My tone enraged him. His Alpha power flared out of control.

“Alora! What the hell do you want from me?! You were the one who ran off to the North, and now you’re playing the victim? Do you even have a heart?!”

His comm vibrated again. Violently.

He didn’t even look at me. He just spat, “I don’t have time for your drama. Clara’s waiting for me,” and stormed away.

This time, I didn’t cry.

I went back to my room and pulled out the suitcase I had already packed.

Two hours later, I was sitting in the airport lounge, waiting for a flight to the North.

If he thought going public was a gift, then I would help him out.

I logged into the Pack-link. I uploaded every private photo of me and Jaxon from the last five years.

The ones of him kissing my earlobe. The ones from my Heat when he had me pinned to the bed. The ones showing the bite marks on my neck.

I didn’t write a long, pathetic essay. I just typed one line:

[About me and Jaxon. My Alpha.]

Click. Send.

The carefully crafted lie of his “pure, unattached future mate” was shattered.

Next, I packaged the proof—the server logs of Clara hiring people to run the slander campaign—and sent it directly to the Council of Elders.

Finally, I submitted my formal transfer request. I was going back to the North. For good.

I left the cracked moonstone on his desk. Right on top of the Northern Territory Defense Map.

On top of the map, I left a note: [Here’s the bargaining chip you wanted for your Council chairmanship. But Alpha Jaxon, you have lost your Luna.]

As I finished, my screen lit up.

A message from Jaxon: [I’m outside your door. Open it. We need to talk.]

I looked at the words. A cold smile touched my lips.

I turned off the screen, snapped the SIM card in half, and dropped it in the trash.

The boarding call announced my flight.

I stared out the window. I took a deep breath. And I severed the bond.

"I, Alora, reject you, Alpha Jaxon, as my mate."

Then I slung my bag over my shoulder. I walked onto the plane to the North without looking back.