Chapter 3

The wolves around us gasped in disbelief. Clearly, none of them had expected that a low-ranking she-wolf like me, whom they thought was desperately trying to climb above her social standing, had once shared that kind of relationship with their great Alpha.

For a moment, the whole venue turned strangely quiet.

But Sherry slowly lifted her head with her eyes shining brightly as she asked, "So, you don't have a mate anymore?"

Only then did the crowd snap back to their senses, and excited chatter immediately ensued.

"Oh my gosh, I knew it!"

"Fated mates really do come back to each other in the end."

"They truly are fated mates. Their pairing was delayed but destined to be."

"I'd gladly give up ten years of my life to see them form a mate bond!"

The noisy chatter arose one after another.

Among the crowd, Zed—the very one who had mocked me before—looked at me again. This time, his eyes held a complicated mix of emotions.

As he passed by me, he let out a low sigh and said, "Just accept it. You can't fight what's fated."

I felt as though my entire body had been hollowed out as I weakly sat back down. I had never imagined that Ian would personally trample me into the dirt like I was worthless at a gathering like this.

The ridicule around me became even more brazen.

"So, she was just some ex-mate Alpha Ian didn't want to bring up."

"With the way she acted earlier, I thought she was about to say she was his Luna."

"She should consider what bloodline she comes from first. As if she's worthy of him."

The endless insults stabbed into me like blades, leaving me bloody and torn apart.

Zed couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed me and strode out of the banquet hall.

Even until then, Ian never looked in my direction again.

Zed cursed vehemently the whole way out. "Are you stupid or what? They humiliated you so badly, but you still stayed there. Do you really want to sit there and watch them flirt?"

He muttered another curse under his breath and went on, "I'm not trying to help you or anything, but can you stop being so dumb? No wonder Ian doesn't want you anymore—"

When he turned around and saw my tear-streaked face, he panicked and blurted, "Hey, don't cry! Fine! Ian's the one who's in the wrong. You two obviously never dissolved your bond."

"He wasn't wrong. We really are about to dissolve it," I interrupted softly in a firm tone. "Zed, can you help me get a bond-dissolution potion from the black market? I know you have connections."

Zed stared at me in shock. "Don't joke with me, Nadine! You know how much Ian loves you. There's no way he'd agree to dissolve your mate bond!"

I used to believe that too. But after tonight, I finally realized how terribly wrong I had been.

I replied, "He'll dissolve it. Sherry is his fated mate."

Zed fell silent for a while before finally letting out a long sigh. "I hope you won't regret this."

All he did was make one single phone call. Half an hour later, I had a bond-dissolution potion worth a fortune in my hands.

"Thank you!" I thanked him sincerely.

Then, I added, "Maybe you were right. Ian and I were never from the same world."

Zed's face flushed red. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to explain himself, but I had already turned around and walked away. I didn't give him a chance to speak.

I returned to Whitestone Estate and packed all my clothes. I didn't touch a single one of the gifts Ian had given me.

From this day forward, I would no longer have anything to do with him.

With my luggage in hand, I returned once more to the entrance of the banquet hall. This time, the first one I encountered was Sherry.

She stood at the doorway as though she had been purposely waiting for me.

"Ian doesn't need you anymore. Leave, and don't ever come back," she said.

Her expression was lofty and condescending, as though she were merely dismissing a lowly servant.

I stared steadily at her, and the next words out of my mouth made Sherry's face fall drastically.

I stated evenly, "Back then, I saw it with my own eyes. Your scarf had always been meant for Archer. You lied to Ian."

At that time, Alpha Damon had yet to acknowledge Ian as his heir. A nobody like him, who had nothing to his name, couldn't have caught Sherry's eye.

Archer Grant, on the other hand, was the heir of an ancient family. Though he was ugly and overweight, Sherry had chosen him because of his noble status.

After a brief moment of panic, Sherry quickly calmed down and retorted, "So what? Back then, Ian was just some poor nobody. His talents couldn't have gotten him anywhere. Once he left college, he would've been some miserable loser without any resources or connections.

"I'm not so stupid as to suffer alongside him for life. But now that he's climbed to the top, he has the greatest power and wealth. Go ahead and tell him everything if you want. Let's see whether he believes you or me."

Sherry's smile dripped with mockery, but I just smiled and stuffed the bond-dissolution potion into her hand.

I said, "I won't tell him. On the contrary, I'll help fulfill your wishes. As long as you make him drink the potion, I'll leave the Whitestone pack immediately and disappear from here forever."

Sherry froze for a moment, and then a greedy glint flashed through her eyes. "Will you really keep your word?"

I chuckled, picked up my luggage, and walked away without looking back.

Sherry remained stiffly rooted in place.

Just then, the banquet hall doors were pushed open from inside.

Ian's deep voice sounded from behind the doors. "Who were you talking to, Sherry?"