MasukChapter 46 Eleanor's POV``` I woke up screaming. For a few seconds, I didn't know where I was. My room was dark, my blankets were tangled around my legs, and my heart was beating so violently that I thought something was terribly wrong with me. Then I remembered. The meeting. The circle. The silver thread. Ethan. My mate. No. Not my mate anymore. I pressed both hands against my chest. Nothing. There was no warmth. No pull. No strange awareness of another heartbeat somewhere beyond me. No feeling that someone was there even when I couldn't see him. Nothing. Nyla was silent. That scared me more than anything. "Nyla?" Nothing. "Nyla, are you there?" I closed my eyes and searched for her. Usually, I could feel her immediately, like another presence living inside my thoughts. But now there was only emptiness. Then, finally, I heard her voice. I'm here. Her voice sounded different. Weaker. Almost exhausted. "What happened to us?" She didn't answer immediately. The bond is gone. I swall
Chapter 45 Eleanor's POV``` I woke up the next morning with swollen eyes and a headache. For a few seconds, I didn't remember why I felt so terrible. Then everything came rushing back. The meeting. Ethan. The announcement. The mate bond. I stared at the ceiling. I didn't want to get out of bed. I didn't want to see anyone. I didn't want to hear his name. Then there was a knock on my door. "Eleanor?" Dad. I didn't answer. He knocked again. "You've been summoned." My heart sank. "Summoned for what?" There was a pause. "The bond." I sat up slowly. My stomach twisted. "No." "Eleanor…" "No." I shook my head. "They can't make me do this." Dad opened the door slightly. "They're not going to force you. But both families have agreed to proceed with the severing." I stared at him. "Today?" He nodded. My chest tightened. "Where?" "The same place as yesterday." I looked away. I couldn't believe this was happening. Yesterday, I had watched everyone announce the decision. Today, I had to exper
Chapter 44 Eleanor's POV The drive home was silent. Completely silent. Dad didn't say anything. Neither did I. I sat in the passenger seat, staring out of the window as the streets passed by. Usually, I would have noticed everything. The lights, the cars, the people walking along the sidewalks, the sounds of the city. Tonight, none of it mattered. My mind was somewhere else. Back in that basement. Back at that table. Back to the moment those words were spoken. The Varde family and Ethan Varde have decided to sever the mate bond between Ethan Varde and Eleanor Bale. I closed my eyes. My chest tightened again. How could he do that to me? How? I thought I was his mate. I thought that meant something. I thought we meant something. I thought… I thought we were falling in love. I remembered our first meeting. The party. The strange feeling when I bumped into him. The way my entire body had reacted before I even knew his name. I remembered Nyla telling me he was my mate. I remembered how
Chapter 43 Eleanor's POV The doors opened, and Dad walked in first. I followed closely behind him, trying my best not to look as nervous as I felt. The meeting was being held deep beneath the building, in a secluded basement that looked nothing like a basement. It was enormous. Elegant. The walls were made of dark stone, decorated with old paintings and symbols I didn't recognize. Soft golden lights hung from the ceiling, reflecting against the polished floor. At the center of the room was a massive round table surrounded by chairs. And people were already sitting there. Elders. Young people. Werewolves, vampires, witches, and other supernaturals whose presence I couldn't quite identify. My senses immediately became overwhelmed. There were so many different scents, heartbeats, voices, and emotions filling the room. Nyla stirred inside my head. Stay calm. I'm trying. Dad walked forward. "Christian Bale." His voice echoed through the room. Several people looked toward us. Dad pl
Chapter 42 Eleanor's POV I was sitting on the couch in our living room, scrolling through my phone when Dad suddenly walked in. He looked serious. Not angry. Not worried. Just serious. I immediately sat up. "What's wrong?" He didn't answer at first. Instead, he walked over and picked up his keys from the table. "Get ready." I blinked. "For what?" "We've been summoned to a supernatural meeting." I stared at him. "A supernatural meeting?" Dad nodded. "Yes." My eyes widened. "Wait." I slowly put my phone down. "My first supernatural meeting?" He gave me a look. "Eleanor." I couldn't help myself. "Ouuu." Dad sighed. I jumped off the couch. "My first supernatural meeting!" "Eleanor, please don't make this into some kind of exciting adventure." "But it is exciting!" He stared at me. I tried to calm down. I really did. But there was something about finally seeing the supernatural world for myself that made my heart race. I'd spent my entire life thinking I was normal. Then, within we
Chapter 41 Ethan's POV I barely slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Eleanor's voice. I can't wait to see you. The words followed me through the darkness, repeating until sleep became impossible. By morning, I had already made my decision. I stood outside my father's study, staring at the closed door. For the first time in my life, I wasn't nervous about facing my father. I was afraid of what came after. I knocked. "Come in." I opened the door. Alexander was standing beside his desk, reading through several old documents. He looked up when he saw me. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then his eyes narrowed slightly. "You've decided." It wasn't a question. I nodded. "I have." He studied my face. "And?" I took a deep breath. "I choose the Alpha position." The room became completely silent. My father slowly put the papers down. "Are you certain?" No. I wasn't. But I couldn't say that. "Yes." He nodded once. "I knew you would make the right decision." The words f







