His Fake Mark, Her Final Goodbye

Marcus did not reply immediately. He was probably busy.

When I got home, Damon was sitting in the living room. He smiled when he saw me.

"Where did you go so early?"

"To City Hall. I wanted to pick up our certificate."

His smile paused for a second. "Why would you do that?"

"To put it on the wall."

Damon was quiet for a moment. "The system probably has not updated yet. I just became Alpha. Registration takes time. Might be a few days."

He walked over and put his arms around me. "Are you that scared I will leave?"

"Damon, who is Clara Wellick?"

"The clerk at City Hall told me you completed a formal registration with her two weeks ago."

Damon let go of me and stepped back. He looked at me. His face shifted through something fast. Guilt, panic, then tired resignation.

"Sylvia, let me explain. Clara's wolf soul is damaged. She needs treatment at the Moon Energy Clinic. The clinic only accepts formal mates. It also requires the Luna's medical authorization. You are not crowned as Luna yet. She cannot wait that long. I registered with her so she could get treatment. Once she is better, I will end it."

I looked at him. "Then why is my mark fake?"

Damon lowered his head. "I did not want you to hurt. A real mark breaks the skin and draws blood. It hurts a lot. I could not do that to you."

He made a fake mark so I would not feel pain, but he completed a real registration for another woman.

I knew the name Clara Wellick. She grew up with Damon. They ran in the same pack as pups. Then she left the territory. I heard she went far away. Damon never told me he was still in contact with her.

"Why did she come to you? Why not someone else?"

"She has no family. No pack. No one to rely on. Her wolf soul is too weak to protect herself." Damon lifted his head and looked at me. "Sylvia, you know I could not say no. She might die."

"How long will it take?"

Damon let out a breath. He took my hand. "A few months. Once she is stable, I will end the registration. Then we will do the real mark. I owe you a real ceremony. I promise."

I nodded, "Fine."

I sat in the living room for a long time. Then my phone vibrated. Marcus had finally replied.

Are you sure? Didn’t you say you were preparing for your mate ceremony?

I stared at the message for several seconds.

Cancelled.

Marcus called immediately.

“Sylvia, what happened?” His voice was low, filled with restrained anger.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Then why are you suddenly joining the closed research program? Weren’t you and Damon planning the ceremony? He told me last week he wanted to formally mark you.”

I closed my eyes, “Marcus, I’m tired.”

Silence stretched between us.

“Fine,” he finally said. “I’ll handle the application. Wait for my update.”

After hanging up, I turned off the lights. Moonlight spilled through the windows and across my knees. My wolf curled tightly inside my chest, ears flattened back like a pup trapped in a storm.

The next morning, laughter from the living room woke me.

“Damon, you still remember this is my favorite.”

I stopped in the hallway. Clara sat at the dining table while Damon stood beside her, pouring thick moon herb soup into her bowl.

Damon never cooked. In six years together, I handled everything in the kitchen. I didn’t even know he knew how to make soup.

He looked up and saw me. His expression flickered briefly before smoothing over.

“Sylvia, you’re awake. Come eat. I made you a bowl too.”

Clara turned toward me, her gaze lingering for a second before she smiled softly.

"You must be Sylvia. Damon told me about you. Sorry to bother you during this time."

She stood up and offered me her seat across from Damon. Then she sat down next to him.

I watched her hand rest on his arm. He did not pull away.

"Eat without me. I am not hungry."

I turned and walked toward the bedroom.

When I opened the door, I stopped.