Chapter 1

Ella's POV

Outside the fitting room, Vera Ashford, the mate of the late Alfie Grayson, chose the same ceremonial gown I'd been trying on.

She stood in front of the mirror and turned to Ryan with a smile. "How do I look?"

Ryan Blackwood, the Alpha of the Blackthorn pack, looked her over, his praise utterly sincere. "You look beautiful."

A moment later, the seamstress glanced through the gap in my fitting-room curtain and called out, "Are you coming out? That gown looks even better on you than it does on the lady outside!"

I shook my head and quietly closed the curtain. "No, thank you."

There was no point in having two identical gowns for the same ceremony. One was enough. After all, there could only be one Luna.

As I changed out of the gown, my phone rang. It was Ryan.

"Ella, have you had lunch yet?"

In the background, I could hear the seamstress complimenting Vera, followed by Vera's soft laughter. The sound made my chest tighten.

Before I could answer, Ryan continued, "I'm sorry, Ella. I probably won't be able to make it home for lunch today. Vera's feeling down because she's been thinking about her mate, and I need to stay with her."

I stood in the cramped fitting room, staring at the ceremonial gown I'd dreamed of wearing for seven years. "So because she's feeling down, you're accompanying her to pick out a gown for your bonding ceremony?"

Silence fell over the line.

After a long pause, Ryan asked quietly, "You found out?"

He drew a deep breath before continuing. "Ella, you know what happened back then better than anyone. I owe Vera and her family a debt I can't ignore. Her parents aren't in good health, and this is the only thing they've ever asked of me. I can't refuse them."

Every word sounded reasonable. He had an explanation for everything, as he always did. But not once did he seem to consider what any of it was doing to me.

"What about me?" I asked.

There was another brief silence. Then Ryan's voice softened. "Ella, you're my mate. The Moon Goddess herself knows that. That has never changed."

He paused before adding, "Once the bonding ceremony is over, I'll find the right opportunity to break the bond with Vera. Then I'll mate with you. You're the only she-wolf who will ever be Luna of the Blackthorn pack."

His voice grew gentler, as though he were painting a future he expected me to hold on to. "When the time comes, I'll take you to choose your own ceremony gown. We'll go to Moon Bay and watch the ocean together. I'll make up for every anniversary I've missed, one by one."

I tightened my grip on the phone until my knuckles turned white. "If you love me that much, Ryan, why can't you just call off the ceremony?"

Silence. This time, it lasted so long that I almost thought he'd hung up.

When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse. "I owe Vera's family a debt I have to repay.

I closed my eyes.

"But I promise you this. Once that debt is paid, I'll spend the rest of my life loving only you. I swear I won't make you wait much longer."

"Is that so?" The words came out colder than I'd intended.

Ryan seemed to hear the change in my voice. Exhaustion seeped into his words, but he still kept his tone gentle. "Of course. Ella, you're the only she-wolf I've ever wanted to mate. Will you wait for me?"

I didn't answer.

For seven years, I'd waited, but not anymore. I simply hung up.

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

There were countless ways Ryan could have repaid his debt. Yet somehow, he'd chosen the one that humiliated me the most. It was his debt to repay, but I was the one paying the price.

Through our mate bond, I could still feel his emotions, even from a distance. Once, that connection had been the thing I cherished most. Knowing I could reach him no matter how far apart we were had made me feel like I would never truly be alone.

Now, I wanted nothing more than to sever it.

He could feel my anger and despair just as clearly as I could feel his. And yet, even knowing exactly how much he was hurting me, he still didn't turn back.