Chapter 3

There were two days left before I was set to leave.

I went through everything I owned, throwing out what I didn't need and packing what I wanted to keep. Once I was done, I realized everything I could take with me fit into just two suitcases.

I was checking my flight when Bryan pushed the door open and walked in. He didn't notice that all my things were gone and came straight over to me.

"The Alliance wants a treatment manual on calming wolves in a frenzy. Pull together all the journals and videos you kept from when I lost control and send them to Hazel's email in a bit. She'll put it all together."

The Alliance had learned that Bryan was the only werewolf known to have recovered from the lasting effects of this kind of frenzy, so they wanted whoever had calmed him to write a manual on it.

"If Hazel's putting it together, whose name goes on it as the author?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hazel's."

"She wasn't even your assistant back then."

He gave me a flat look. "The manual is about calming wolves who've lost control of their power. Who the author is doesn't matter. Hazel's been by my side for a few years now, so she knows my condition better these days. Besides, she's young, and this would look good on her résumé."

I forced a smile. "And what about me?"

Bryan met my eyes.

"For the past five years, every single time you fell into a frenzy, I was the one by your side."

He frowned, and I could tell he was getting more and more irritated. "Aurora, there's no reason to be petty with Hazel over this. If she puts it together, it takes some of the load off you, doesn't it?"

"I'm not being petty!"

"You said it yourself. That was the past, and you can't keep living in it!"

With that, he poured himself a glass of water. If he'd just looked down, he would've seen our matching mugs lying in the trash. But he was busy with his phone, tapping away at the screen, and his smile kept growing wider.

I let out a soft laugh. "Those are my private journals. I'm not sending them."

Bryan's expression changed instantly. "Hazel's been running around nonstop for this manual, and all she's asking for are those records. Since when did you get so stingy?"

My fingers twitched. "They're not just records. They're about my private life too."

"Aurora, those records aren't yours alone, so why are you trying to take all the credit?"

He thought I was refusing to send them because I wanted the credit. I'd gone countless days and nights without sleep to stay by his side, and I still carried the wounds he'd given me when he lost control in his wolf form. Now he was reducing all of it to me trying to take credit.

"Got it." I nodded. "You're right. That's all in the past now."

Bryan scoffed, turned around, and went straight back to the bedroom.

The next day, I went to the council hall to wrap up the last of my business. Bryan and Hazel were standing in the hall with a few wolves from the Alliance beside them.

One of them asked, "Alpha Bryan, we heard that while you were recovering, you made a moonstone necklace yourself. Is Hazel wearing a similar necklace?"

Bryan looked up and met my eyes. A second later, he looked down at Hazel, his smile soft. "Sorry, that's private."

The others glanced at Hazel with knowing looks.

In the past, Bryan would've taken my hand right away and told everyone that I was his Luna and that the necklace was around my neck. This time, he didn't explain a thing.

That night, I left my appointment letter for the Frostmoon pack healer position and a potion to sever our mate bond on the table. Around the same time, the airline sent me a message confirming my ticket for the flight the next afternoon.

He didn't come home that night, and he never saw the letter.