Chapter 4

I went deep into the Thornwood Forest to find a witch, searching for a potion that could sever a mate bond.

Before Sebastian left, I hesitated for a long time. In the end, I decided to tell him.

"Sebastian, I've thought about this for a long time. We should... sever our mate bond."

He froze, then looked at me like I had said something absurd. A moment later, he let out a short laugh.

"So this is about the vacation? You didn't get your way, and now you're talking about breaking our bond just to get my attention?"

Before I could respond, his phone rang. He answered it, and the tension in his face vanished instantly.

"Alright. Okay. I'll be there right away."

He hung up, grabbed his suitcase, and didn't even spare me a glance.

"I'm busy right now. Whatever you want to say can wait until I'm back."

He didn't take my words seriously. To him, I was just throwing a tantrum.

And the "busy" he mentioned was nothing more than leaving on a trip with Charlotte.

I found the witch's cabin hidden deep in the forest.

"I don't do business at a loss," the witch said, her voice sharp and old. "What do you have to trade?"

My bank card was frozen, and there was no way I could scrape together that much money on short notice. I was about to call a friend to borrow some when my phone buzzed as soon as I turned it on. There were multiple missed calls and unread messages from Sebastian.

Because of the frozen card, he had unleashed everything he had bottled up. Toward the end, he outright screamed at me, threatening to break the mate bond himself.

With no money on hand, he pawned his ring and even sent me a photo.

[See? You forced me to do this.]

That photo reminded me of something I had almost forgotten.

Our rings were set with moonstone. It was rare, luminous, and incredibly valuable. Moonstone was not only beautiful. It was also a precious ingredient used in a witch's potions.

So, the symbol of what I once believed was our love became the price I paid to sever our bond.

We had begun with that stone, and we would end with it.

How ironic.

I took the potion from the witch's hand.

I knew Sebastian never truly wanted to break our mate bond. To him, it was just another threat.

He was convinced I wouldn't dare break our mate bond, so the moment he brought it up, he expected me to give in to every one of his demands without question. But every unreasonable outburst, every tantrum, slowly drained my feelings for him.

My disappointment built up until it reached a point of no return.

I didn't hesitate. I uncorked the vial and drank it all in one go.

A pain unlike anything I had ever known exploded through my body. It spread fast, devouring my senses. My breathing grew ragged, then shallow. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. The witch rushed forward in alarm and had me sent to the hospital.

At the same moment, far away, Sebastian suddenly clutched his chest.

A sharp, tearing pain hit him out of nowhere. His vision went dark, and he nearly fell. Charlotte rushed forward to steady him, her voice filled with concern. "What's wrong?"

Sebastian gasped for air. He had no idea why the pain was so intense, or why a crushing sense of unease had settled deep in his chest.

"You must be exhausted from the past few days," Charlotte said softly. "Come on, I'll help you back to the hotel so you can rest."

Sebastian didn't think too much about it. He only nodded and let her lead him away.

-

The day I was discharged, I felt lighter than I had in years. Not because I had survived something terrible, but because there was no longer anyone in this world who could bind me.

The moment I stepped outside, my phone rang. It was a staff member of the Wolf Council.

All procedures for my withdrawal from the pack had been completed, and the agreement had already been delivered to the pack's administrative office.

I went straight there.

When I pushed the door open, my steps faltered.

On the opposite wall, where the mural of the current Alpha and Luna should have been, hung a large portrait of Charlotte alone.

My heart sank.

It seemed Charlotte had already decided she was the Luna, acting as she pleased within the pack.

Just then, I saw Charlotte coming down the stairs. She was dressed in a gown meant only for a Luna, walking with all the confidence of someone claiming the spotlight. She froze when she saw me. Then she smiled.

"Selena, don't get the wrong idea. Sebastian said there's an important banquet next week and insisted I go with him. That's why he brought me to choose a dress."

As she spoke, she made her way down the stairs. When she reached the last step, she deliberately stepped on the hem of her dress.

With a sharp tear, the gown split cleanly down the middle.