第4章

I returned alone to the safe house I'd built before bonding with Grayson. I rested for three days.

Grayson didn't send a single message.

The pack's mindlink buzzed constantly with gossip.

"Secretary Stella has her own territory management rights now? Talk about a rags-to-riches transformation! She must be getting close to becoming our Luna, right?"

"Obviously! Haven't you seen the Alpha calling her to his office every day? A man and woman alone—what else could they be doing?"

"Stop calling her Secretary Stella. Better start saying Luna if you want to keep your job!"

"What about Miss Aria? Doesn't she like the Alpha—"

"Please. She's fierce like a man, not gentle or caring at all. Why would the Alpha choose her? What gives her the right to be our Luna? What man would want a woman like that? Plenty of pack members have one-sided crushes on the Alpha."

Back when Grayson said he needed to be frugal and low-key as Alpha, we'd bonded in secret. We never even had a proper mate ceremony. The pack members had no idea I was their Luna. Now I realized it was just to make leaving easier for him.

On the fourth day, I went to the Pack House office as usual.

I submitted my immigration application to HR. As a core pack member, I needed the pack committee's signature to regain my status as a free wolf and transfer to another territory.

"Miss Aria, you want to immigrate? Does the Alpha know? I don't dare approve your application."

"Everyone knows you're a pack elder. If you leave, won't that cripple the Alpha?"

Just then, pack members' mocking voices drifted from outside the door.

"What's not to approve? She's too ashamed to stay, obviously."

"Her warrior teams are all useless anyway. They only catch prey because of Stella's hunting strategies. If I were her, I'd have packed up and left ages ago!"

"Stella's latest hunt helped the whole pack survive winter. That's an incredible achievement in the entire werewolf alliance. Could Aria ever do that? Calling her a trophy wife is generous—she's more like a toilet!"

The hunting strategies they praised were ones I'd calculated through sleepless nights of tactical planning.

But every time, at the crucial moment, Grayson had Stella announce the plans instead.

Swallowing my grievances, I smiled and looked up.

"Right, you're absolutely correct. That's why I'm immigrating to another pack. Please step aside."

"I hope Blackwater Pack reaches new heights under Secretary Stella's leadership. With her here, pack members' lives will definitely keep improving."

"What the hell? Who are you being passive-aggressive for? I've been sick of you for ages! Acting like you're the Luna just because you're a warrior commander?"

A colleague flew into a rage and tried to attack me.

The person next to her held her back.

"Enough, don't waste time on someone like her. Can't do her job right, can't keep her man. Still mateless at her age—she'll get what's coming to her!"

Ignoring everyone's reactions, I took my immigration application and headed for the elevator.

As the elevator doors slowly closed, I reflected on these twelve years. I'd truly given everything for Blackwater Pack's development. Now that I was really leaving, I felt a moment of—but I didn't stay sad long. Ten seconds later, I stood up again, resuming my usual decisive demeanor.

I strode directly into the office.

Stella was on Grayson's expensive sofa, gnawing on a juicy lamb leg.

"Miss Aria—what brings you here?"

As his secretary, Stella was the only person in the Pack House office who knew my identity.

Grayson's explanation was that it made work arrangements convenient.

But after twelve years, I'd seen no workplace convenience.

Just convenience for her to provoke me.

My gaze swept over the grease dripping from the lamb leg onto the sofa. How ironic.

In the past, when I entered his office, even drinking coffee was too much to ask.

He always said the office represented a person's work attitude. As Alpha, he had to be stricter. Having outsiders eat and drink in his office looked bad. Plus he claimed to be a neat freak—worried I'd dirty the carpet, dirty the sofa, damage his image as Alpha.

Now with Stella, apparently all those rules had vanished.

Seeing me enter, Grayson's face immediately darkened.

"Don't you know how to knock?"

"Can't you see I'm busy? Get out and knock again!"

Stella set aside the lamb leg and hurried forward to mediate.

"Don't be angry, Alpha. Luna didn't mean it—she's just anxious. Besides, you're family. If employees see you making her leave, what will they think?"

I shot her a cold look.

"Since when do you get a say here?"

Stella's coquettish expression froze. Tears spilled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made Luna angry. I'll leave right now."

She'd barely taken two steps when Grayson roughly grabbed her wrist.

"Stop. I'm the Alpha here. She doesn't get to make decisions."

"Today you stay right there. Let's see who dares make you leave!"

He looked up at me, his gaze challenging.

"What, finally realized your mistake? Coming to beg me now? Too late!"

I gripped the papers in my hand tighter.

"Sorry, I'm here to collect my mate bond dissolution application."

I knew Grayson would never agree to my immigration application, so I planned to slip it in with the dissolution papers when he signed them. I had to be careful not to arouse his suspicion, so I kept my voice deliberately calm and measured.

She rushed over and grabbed my hands.

"Luna, don't be impulsive! Are you dissolving your bond with the Alpha because of me?"

"What did I do wrong? I can apologize. If necessary, I can resign and leave. Please don't fight because of me!"

Grayson's patience had reached its limit. His voice was barely controlled fury.

"Aria, I told you—there's nothing between Stella and me. Believe it or not!"

"Want to dissolve the bond? Fine. Just don't regret it!"

"Before you leave, transfer your warrior teams, your gem collections, and your weapon forging secrets to Stella. Return everything belonging to the pack, including your house, car, and assets. Then go wherever you want—I won't stop you!"

My eyes turned red with disbelief.

"I earned those through countless sleepless nights. What gives you the right to make me give them to her?"

Grayson didn't even glance at me. He turned away irritably and lit a cigarette.

Behind Grayson's back, Stella flashed a triumphant smirk before resuming her act. She suddenly rushed toward me. When I stepped aside to avoid her, she threw herself toward the fireplace behind me. Flames quickly scorched her clothes and burned her arm. Her face went pale as she clutched the injured limb.

"Luna... I already apologized. I don't want the territory or management rights the Alpha gave me. I don't want anything—isn't that enough? You don't need to hurt me."

"I'll leave. I'll leave the pack right now. Please don't make things difficult for the Alpha."

Before I could react, Grayson had swept her into his arms.

He glared at me furiously, even releasing his wolf to threaten me.

"Aria! Stella already apologized. Are you never satisfied? As a warrior, you actually hurt a defenseless Omega. I'm so disappointed in you!"

"All these years of my tolerance made you forget your place. Fine—you want to dissolve the bond? I'll sign the application right now!"

My immigration application fluttered onto the desk, overlapping with the dissolution agreement.

Grayson didn't even look. He signed his name with sharp strokes.

All I saw was his back as he carried Stella away.

A breeze swept through. I wiped the tears from my face.

I went downstairs, caught a taxi, and headed straight to the airport.