Chapter 2

I grabbed that moon-silk robe, the one that held ninety-nine hopes and disappointments, slashed it viciously with my dagger, and then hurled it into the roaring bonfire.

The flames devoured the white silk, just like they devoured the last of my feelings for Kaelen.

Everyone was stunned, staring open-mouthed at my symbolic act of breaking things off.

And I just felt a relief I'd never known before.

Back in my tent, I didn't sleep all night.

Kaelen spent the night with his precious Seraphina, and the pain from the mate bond burned through me all night long.

The moment the first sunlight streamed into the tent, I was up and packing.

Everything was ready.

Five years ago, when I left the Moonshadow Palace, giving up my title as princess just to find true love, my father had warned me that the world outside wasn't as wonderful as I imagined. But I stubbornly believed that the love of a farted mate would conquer all.

I still remembered the day I first met Kaelen.

He'd walked out of the forest and bumped right into me.

My whole body felt like it was pulled by an invisible force, my heart pounded like crazy, and my blood boiled in my veins. This was the fated mate connection, stronger than any legend described.

And just like that, we fell in love.

In the beginning, he knew every little thing about me. I was afraid of thunder, and he'd hold me tight every rainy night. I liked to pick up unusual little stones when I walked, and he'd collect the most beautiful gems for me.

But now, he gave all his attention to Seraphina. Looking at those gems, now worthless to me, I tossed them out.

Then, I got ready to go before the elders and formally state my intention to leave.

As I passed the pack square, a few young werewolves were gathered around the "Echo Stone"—the Blackrock pack's version of social media, a special stone that could record and play images.

"Look, Seraphina posted a new image!" a girl shouted excitedly.

On the Echo Stone, Seraphina's image was crystal clear. She was wearing Kaelen's Alpha armor，snuggled up to Kaelen under the moonlight. Her voice was sickeningly sweet:

"Kaelen said the ceremony was too much fuss, and he'd rather patrol the territory with me. Teehee, he said he loves protecting me most of all."

The young wolves saw me and immediately stopped their snickering, scattering in a panic.

I felt sick to my stomach, a cramp seizing me.

But none of that mattered anymore.

I took out my silver staff, and strode resolutely towards the Elder's Council Hall.

It was time to put an end to all of this.

"Luna-to-be?" one elder asked, confused.

"I am not your Luna," my voice was calm and clear. "I never was."

The elders looked at each other. I walked to the center of the council table.

"I, Lyra, Princess of the Moonshadow Realm, hereby renounce my fated mate bond with Kaelen Blackclaw."

One of the Pack Elders scoffed. "Princess? Because of this… little silver stick? Dream on, little girl."

He knocked the silver staff from my hand.

"You're just an ordinary girl who got lucky enough to be chosen by the Alpha, and now you're scorning this gift?"

The other elders snickered along. "A princess from the Moonshadow Realm? Don't make a fool of yourself."

"This is blasphemy! Go get the Alpha. His little mate is throwing a tantrum again."

"Blasphemy?" I scoffed. "Ninety-nine failed marking ceremonies—that's blasphemy against the Moon Goddess!"

As expected, the council hall door was soon thrown open. Kaelen stood in the doorway, his chest heaving, clearly having run all the way.

"What's going on?" He looked around, his gaze finally landing on me. "Lyra, what are you doing? What's with the outfit?"

I straightened my back, looking him directly in the eye. "I am requesting to dissolve our destined mate bond, Kaelen. I am leaving the Blackrock pack."

"This is ridiculous!" Kaelen's face went from shocked to angry. He strode towards me. "You can't just decide to leave! The mate bond is sacred, you don't have the right—"

"I have every right," I cut him off calmly. "Five years, Kaelen. Ninety-nine times. I've waited long enough."

"Because of last night?" He looked at me incredulously, his voice laced with contempt. "Just because I helped Seraphina? Do you know how serious her foot injury was?"

"Not because of last night, but because of every time in the last five years you put me last. Every time you ignored me. Every time you abandoned me."

"You're being too emotional, Lyra." His tone was like he was talking to a misbehaving child. "Let's go back and talk this over properly. Don't embarrass yourself in front of the elders."

The elders exchanged glances, mostly filled with mockery and disdain.

It wasn't the first time I'd seen that look from them—they'd never really seen me as their pack's future Luna. They only put up with me because Kaelen said I was his destined mate.

"My decision is made." I looked at all the elders, then back at Kaelen. "At sunrise tomorrow, my people and I will leave. There's no place for me in the Blackrock pack anymore."

Kaelen's face darkened, but surprisingly, he didn't argue further.

Instead, he gave a small smile, one that oozed confidence and disdain.

"Alright, I get it," he shrugged, his tone completely dismissive, like he was just humouring me. "Since you need to cool off, I'll set up a dinner tonight as my apology, and we can properly discuss the next ceremony then."

He lowered his voice, leaning in close. "Stop this, Lyra. Where can you go? No one outside the Blackrock pack will take you in.Why make such a big deal out of something one dinner can fix?"

I definitely have a place I can go. There's just no need for you to be told where that is.