Chapter 3

"A formal petition to sever a mate bond?"

Elder Aldric looked at the documents I'd submitted, his ancient eyebrows raised high.

"Yes," I said, sitting up straight. "I want to be formally released from my current mate bond."

"This is highly unusual, child," he said, flipping through the pages. "Once approved, you will forfeit all privileges of a Luna, including…"

"Including the obligation to be summoned back at an Alpha's whim," I cut in. "That's exactly what I want."

Aldric sighed. "I'll need three days to review this. But Elara, are you sure? Once this is done, it can't be reversed."

"I'm sure."

It was dark by the time I got back to the apartment. Brenna was in the kitchen, mixing one of her special cocktails.

"So?" she asked.

"Three days until I'm a free wolf," I said, taking off my coat. "And then…"

Buzz—

A request for a mind-link suddenly echoed in my head.

I knew that mental touch. It was Kaelen.

I froze for a second. In seven years, he had never once initiated contact.

I was always the one, like a starving puppy, desperate for any scrap of his attention.

His powerful Alpha presence flooded my mind, tinged with annoyance.

"Why are your mental shields up?"

I gave a casual excuse.

"My energy has been unstable lately."

The moment the words were out, I regretted them.

It sounded like I was showing weakness, like I was still craving his comfort.

Sure enough, Kaelen's mental presence softened, and I could almost feel him smile.

"We're mates, Elara. Your mind is my territory. You can't hide from me."

His possessive tone made my skin crawl. I shot back coldly.

"Did you need something?"

He immediately sensed the distance in my mind. His lazy tone sharpened.

"The elders told me you petitioned for severance?"

I sent back a simple, "Mhm," offering no explanation.

The link went silent for a moment.

Then, Kaelen’s tone became teasing, like he was just trying to make conversation.

"It's for the best, I guess. You, a Luna, insisting on being an intern at the company. You treated it like a game... And you still took the allowance I gave you every month…"

I cut him off, my patience gone.

"Shouldn't you be with Seraphina?"

Kaelen's thoughts stuttered for a moment. He mumbled,

"There's nothing going on between us."

Then he fell silent.

He realized that I was just his "rejected" former mate, too.

Kaelen's guilt was palpable.

"I'm sorry about the rejection ritual."

"I was just afraid people would say Seraphina, a half-blood Omega, was breaking a sacred bond… and I was afraid she would really be cursed."

I nodded to myself.

Seraphina shouldn't be cursed. She shouldn't be blamed.

So I was the one who deserved to be the joke of the werewolf world, to endure the bond-shattering pain seven times.

My heart sank, turning colder.

"If that's all, I'm cutting the link."

"Wait!"

Kaelen's voice was urgent.

"The 'Blood Moon Hunt' is on the twelfth. I know you've wanted to go. I'll take you. We'll go together, okay?"

My heart skipped a beat.

The Blood Moon Hunt. The highest-level celebration, open only to an Alpha and his official Luna.

In seven years, I had never been invited.

"Why now?"

"Because…" His voice was a little fuzzy. "Because it's the anniversary of the day we first met. I wanted to… do something different."

The anniversary of when we first met. He actually remembered.

"Kaelen…"

"Promise me, Elara. This time, I'll…"

"Kaelen! How do you work the jacuzzi tub in the bathroom? I can't get the temperature right! It's so hot!"

Seraphina's whiny, spoiled voice cut through the link from his end.

A jolt of raw, possessive arousal—his arousal—shot through our bond.

He was aroused.

By her voice.

"Just a minute," he said quickly. "I'll be right…"

His mental presence started to pull away, but he didn't rush to cut the link.

"Elara, wait for me. I'll be right back."

Then, I felt his thoughts spike with worry before he brutally severed the connection from his side.

I lowered my mental shields completely, my face a mask of scorn.

I sat on the sofa, staring into space.

"What's wrong?" Brenna came over. "You look awful."

"He invited me to the Blood Moon Hunt."

"What?!" Brenna nearly dropped her glass. "And?"

"And then his first love called for him to fix her bathwater," I said, getting up. "He ditched me to go play servant for her."

"That bastard!" Brenna seethed. "In the middle of a mind-link, he just…"

"Got aroused," I finished for her, my face blank. "Because of her pathetic little cry for help."

I walked out onto the balcony and took a deep breath of the cold night air.

Seven years.

For seven years, I thought I'd seen every shade of his cruelty.

Clearly, I was still naive.

"Elara…" Brenna looked at me, worried.

I turned and gave her a brilliant smile. "Do you know where the underground fight club is?"

"What?"

"I need to fight," I said, dropping all my mental defenses and letting the rage and pain pour out. "A few hard rounds."

There were so many other things in the world that could make my blood pump.

The bond had blinded me for so long.

Why should I waste another second on an Alpha who was already part of my past?