Chapter 1

Kya POV

"What? You didn’t mention before that you’re planning to sever a mate bond with an Alpha!" The petite witch with chestnut-brown hair said, widening her eyes in astonishment.

"Yes," I said firmly. "Precisely because he’s an Alpha, I had no choice but to come to you. I know you can do it."

"Then the price won’t be the same," the witch said, pointing to the ring on my finger. "Add this to the deal."

I glanced at the wedding ring on my right hand. I hadn’t taken it off since the day we got married.

“Fine, Deal!!”Without hesitation, I removed it and placed it on the table.

"Good. I enjoy doing business with decisive people like you. Did you bring his blood?" The witch observed the ring with a sly smile and slid it into her pocket.

I took a small glass vial from my pocket and handed it to her.

“Here it is. Alpha Owen’s blood!”

She drew out a dagger and cut a line across my right palm. The sharp pain made me tremble slightly.

One drop, two drops, three drops... She let my blood pour into the same vial, mixing it with Owen’s.

"Ten days from now, during the Moon Goddess Festival, when the mate bond is at its strongest, I’ll cast the spell. But this forced severing will be very painful. You need to be prepared." Her big eyes peered into mine.

"Once it’s broken, there will be no connection between you two. Ever. Are you sure?"

"I’m sure. Thank you." I bowed slightly and walked out to feel the fresh breeze fanning my face.

I looked up at the crescent moon shining in the sky. In ten days, it would become a full moon.

And I would finally get what I wanted— entirely off Owen’s world.

But why am I not feeling that happiness?

***

When I returned to the Starry Pack, my mate, Alpha Owen, was busy organizing this year’s Moon Goddess Festival.

For werewolves, this festival is like Valentine’s Day. During this time, mate bonds are at their peak, and the air is always thick with the scent of passion.

Owen and I first met three years ago at the Moon Goddess Festival.

Back then, I was wandering like a rogue.

Don’t get me wrong—I wasn’t indeed a rogue. I had my own pack, though I could hardly call it my home.

When I was five, my father had an affair, and he rejected my mother.

By the time I was ten, she passed away. Left with no choice, I moved in with my father and stepmother, only to find they had no place for me in their house or their heart.

So, at seventeen, I ran away and started fresh.

When I met Owen, I thought I had finally found a home. But once again, I was wrong.

“This year’s Moon Goddess Festival will be the grandest in the last decade!” Owen announced from the stage in the pack square. He was as tall and striking as he had been when I first met him.

“What surprise have you prepared for Luna Kya this time?” A journalist asked.

“A cruise ship named after her! Kya loves the sea,” Owen replied, never hesitating to showcase his affection for me publicly.

“OMG…That’s even more extravagant than the last gift!” A young woman beside me gasped, covering her mouth.

“I heard Alpha Owen proposes to Luna Kya every time they travel to a new destination. In three years, he’s already proposed her seven times!”

“Alpha Owen is truly the best mate in the world! I hope I can meet someone like him at this year’s Moon Goddess Festival!”A girl who looked no older than eighteen said, her eyes filled with admiration as she gazed at Owen.

I pulled my hat lower, quietly listening to their conversation.

The seven proposals were true. Each time Owen presented a gift, he recited the same vow.

“I, Alpha Owen of the Starry Pack, will protect Kya for all my life, remain loyal to her, love her, and respect her.”

Every time he said these words, I used to cry and throw myself into his arms.

But those vows—once sacred—were shattered by his own hands by cheating on me. These gifts and affection are all just a show.

I watched my husband with hurt and let out a bitter smile.

You have broken my trust, and I can’t forgive you.