Chapter 3

For a split second, my wolf almost took over, and I almost snapped at Blake, demanding to know who was truly the one desecrating our bond. But I didn't.

I didn't want to sound like some bitter ex who'd been dumped, so I said flatly, "I just don't think it's appropriate for you to keep it anymore."

"Whatever."

Blake took out the metal amulet engraved with ancient runes from his suit pocket and tossed it at me. "This thing is practically ancient anyway. Your scent is almost completely gone from it. It's about time to replace it with a new one."

With that, he took Sophia's hand and walked away.

Instead of going after him, I gently traced the deep dent on the edge of the amulet.

Back when I first gave it to him, he treasured it more than anything, always keeping it tucked right against his chest, closest to his heart.

During one of his patrols in the snowy mountain territory in Cafodio, he was ambushed by Rogues.

That was when a high-speed armor-piercing bullet laced with concentrated liquid silver was fired straight at his chest. It should have gone right through him, but the edge of the amulet deflected the bullet by a few inches, leaving him with only a few cracked ribs instead.

Everyone thought he was going to die from his injury. But he just stood there in a daze for a moment, slowly pulled the amulet from his pocket, and stared at it for a long time.

Later, he came looking for me and said, "Stella, you really saved my life. I swear to the Moon Goddess, I'll never let you down."

Back then, everything between us was great, and our mind-link was still pure and untainted. But later, even the way he addressed me became distant.

He stopped calling my name in that deep, distinctive voice of his. And that was because Sophia claimed that hearing him say my name so intimately made her feel insecure, like she was just a replacement for a low-ranking wolf.

So, from then on, Blake started calling me "Ms. Lane".

"Stella."

The voice of my Beta best friend and assistant, Paige Everett, pulled me out of my thoughts. She looked at me worriedly. "Are you okay?"

I handed the amulet to her. "Get rid of this for me."

"But you paid a fortune to have a witch personally enchant this…"

I gave a casual smile. "I don't need it anymore."

Blake never came looking for me again after that. There were only four days left until my bonding ceremony with Harrison.

That day, Mom took me to Sterling Manor to meet with Eleanor and hash out the final security details for the venue. It was my first official meeting with Harrison as well.

He was seated in a high-end, custom electric wheelchair. He seemed a little pale, but he was devastatingly handsome.

It was the kind of handsome that came with chiseled features and a wild edge. Even while sitting in a wheelchair, he carried the overwhelming presence of an elite Alpha—a stark contrast to Blake's carefree and arrogant demeanor.

Eleanor said, "Harrison, the roses in the backyard are blooming beautifully today. You should take Stella for a walk."

I softly agreed and followed him out back.

He was witty, humorous, and incredibly knowledgeable. No matter what topic came up, he could keep the conversation going.

Whether it was Scoron Valley's supernatural biotech industry, the power struggles behind the global silver mining market, or the few werewolf influencers on TikTok going viral while hiding their true identities, he knew everything about them.

I had been a bit tense at first, but I slowly began to relax.

As we chatted, my mind drifted back to the day I showed up at his door with that declaration letter bearing his name.

He had silently taken it, stared at it for a long time, and then looked up to ask, "Are you sure?"

I said yes.

He stared at me for a long time. Then he set the letter down. "Then let's begin the preparations."

He offered no unnecessary words, no sympathy, and no sense of superiority. It was just one elite Alpha giving his word to an equal.

Right in the middle of our chat, I suddenly felt a sharp, intimidating gaze lock onto me.

I turned around, only to see Blake standing under the colonnade. I had no idea when he'd gotten there. His golden eyes were glowing in the shadows, staring directly at Harrison and me.

In his hand was a territory usage authorization form, the exact same paperwork we'd just hammered out with Eleanor.