Chapter 1

Evan Scott had just become the Alpha of the Starmoon pack, and the very first thing he did was break our mate bond. I knew he would do it, so seeing him in the studio did not shock me.

He looked at me with a frown, his face full of dislike when he saw my simple clothes.

"I'm ending our mate bond. Sign these papers to agree!"

His gaze was serious, like he would not take no for an answer.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already midnight.

My inner wolf, Shane, laughed a little.

"Can you believe it? On your birthday and anniversary, the first present you get is papers from your husband saying he wants to break your mate bond."

I did not say anything back. I just smiled a little at myself, feeling cold in my light clothes. I sat down across from Evan.

I quickly looked at the papers and said calmly, "Give me 15 million dollars, and I'll agree to break the bond right away!"

Evan smirked at me, thinking I was not worth his time. He tossed his phone to me, and it showed a video of me in a short dress, looking friendly with another werewolf.

That werewolf was Alan Roberts, the youngest influential figure in our pack.

It had been taken at a normal fashion show, but the video only showed Alan and me together.

Evan looked down on me and said, "Nancy, you're in no position to make deals with me."

I watched the video to the end, and suddenly, my head started to hurt a lot.

I tried to ignore the pain and smiled a little at Evan. "Evan, if this were a year ago, you would have given me anything I asked for without thinking twice."

Then, I whispered to myself, "You've changed." I felt like Evan was a stranger now.

"Evan, aren't you supposed to pick up Nancy? Why are you still here?"

I glanced outside. Julia Lawson walked in with a smile that lit up the room.

She saw me and rushed over with concern in her eyes. "Nancy, why are you still at work? It's late, and it's not safe for you to be alone. We're here to take you home."

Shane spoke up, his voice calm but carrying a hint of admiration. "It's no surprise Evan is head over heels for her. She's really likable."

I could not help but agree, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, she's a pure, kind, and beautiful she-wolf. No male wolf can resist her."

Next to her, I felt like nothing more than a tiny speck of dust in the sunlight.

Evan's frown softened as he looked at Julia. "Why did you come outside? It's cold. Get back in the car. We'll be done soon, and then I'll take you home to rest."

Looking at Evan's gentle expression, something inside me fluttered. His tenderness used to be just for me.

Then, the pain hit my head again, sharp and clear. Shane's howls echoed in my ears, but I was glad. The magic potion I had taken was working. Evan could not tell how much I was hurting.

I could feel my wolf spirit getting weaker.

The pain snapped me back to reality. I had no more chances to bargain with Evan. All I could do was obey.

I pushed my thoughts aside and signed my name on the consent form without a second thought.

Evan was eager to shift back into his wolf form and start the bond breaking ceremony. I had not expected him to be so impatient. I stepped back, confused. "We just signed the agreement. Don't we need the elders' approval for the ceremony?"

Evan's impatience was clear. "I've taken care of it. You just need to follow orders."

He finished speaking, took hold of my shoulders, and bit into the mark on my neck with a fierce look in his eyes. The pain from his sharp teeth digging into my skin made me shudder.

As blood trickled down, Evan let out a hoarse roar and released me.

"I, Evan, am breaking my mate bond with Nancy. Let this link be undone, and let us be free from each other."

I fought through the pain and said with a shaky voice, "I accept your rejection."

A silver glow surrounded us, and the mark on my neck was replaced with an ugly scar. I felt the magic inside me disappear completely.

Without my magic, Shane felt weaker, and even his cries were softer.

Evan looked okay, probably because he had taken some herbs beforehand. He seemed happy that I was obedient. "If you haven't found a place to stay, you can continue to stay in the villa for a while."

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I'll leave tomorrow so that I won't be in your way."

Evan did not say much more and left the studio with Julia.

I stayed there alone until morning, then quickly went to pack my things once I thought they were gone. I did not have much, so I left the villa quickly.

Walking alone on the street, I felt so lonely.

Today was my birthday. It should have been a happy day with my family. However, I did not have a home anymore.

I walked into the night with nowhere to go. The winter night was long and cold. The snow hit my face, making me shiver. The pain in my head grew sharper, and my vision started to blur.

Half-asleep, I saw a shadow appear before me. That shadow had not shown up since I became mates with Evan. Now that my mate bond was gone, the shadow returned.

I reached out, trying to touch something that seemed just out of reach.

"You... You're here..."