I had just barely laid down when Ryan sent me a voice message. "Clare needs a ride to Silverfang Club. Take her there."

I frowned and replied impatiently, "Can't she get a ride herself?"

It was the second time I had turned down one of his orders today. I could hear the irritation bubbling in his voice.

"Can't you even do one small task?"

Not wanting to argue, I gave in.

Only then did he sound satisfied. "See? Was that so hard?"

By the time I changed and came downstairs, Ryan was already outside in the courtyard. Standing beside him was Clare, wearing a low-cut top.

"Hurry up. Clare's got somewhere to be. Don't keep her waiting."

Clare flashed me a smile. "Thank you, Daisy."

Then, she turned and wrapped her arms around Ryan. She kissed him long and slow before finally making her way to the car.

She plopped into the passenger seat, turned toward me, and let the sarcasm drip from her voice. "Sorry. Alpha Ryan just couldn't keep his hands off me. Honestly, it's exhausting."

I stayed silent.

That only seemed to fuel her. "You really don't get what he wants. You're old and flat. No wonder he never wants to sleep with you."

I said nothing the whole ride, and eventually, she ran out of steam.

But just before we reached the club, a rogue with a silver blade in his hand swerved his car straight toward us. I yanked the wheel hard, but it was too late. We were hit.

The impact slammed me into the side window. Pain exploded in my leg like it had been torn open.

Clare started screaming as well.

I turned to check on her and saw only a scratch on her hand, yet she was acting like she was dying. For a second, I thought perhaps she really was hurt.

Only when the pack's healers arrived and pulled us out did I realize that my calf had been sliced by a fragment of the silver blade.

Meanwhile, Clare just had a bit of scraped skin, and it was already healing.

While the healers were packing up, Ryan arrived. He almost flew over, throwing himself beside Clare as he asked if she was hurt.

Pouting, Clare replied, "My arm hurts."

Ryan immediately ordered the guards to get her to the emergency treatment room and bring in the head healer. He passed by me twice but didn't spare me a glance.

I lowered my head and let out a quiet laugh. The pain in my leg was nothing compared to the disappointment sinking into my heart.

They sent me to the regular treatment room, where I had to wait. While I sat there, I overheard the trainee healers whispering in the corner.

"Did you see how worried Alpha Ryan was over Clare? He's calling the head healer for a scratch. OMG!"

"Where do you find an Alpha that gentle and powerful? I wish I could marry him."

I closed my eyes and answered in my head, "Marrying Ryan doesn't bring happiness."

When it was finally my turn and the healer rolled me toward the room, I saw Ryan walking down the hallway with Clare in his arms.

He finally looked at me, but with a frown. "Don't you watch the road when you drive? If Clare weren't lucky, she could've died."

Clare chimed in softly, "It's my fault. I asked Daisy to drive me to the club. That's why the accident happened."

Ryan pulled her closer and said affectionately, "Don't blame yourself. You didn't mean to. And you're hurt, too. Come on. Let's get you something to eat to calm your nerves."

The healer walked over then and said I could be brought in for treatment.

Ryan glanced back at me, probably just remembering I had also been in that wrecked car. Then, Clare tugged on his sleeve, and he forgot all over again.

The treatment went smoothly enough. After that, the trainee healer asked me if I had any family they should contact.

I paused for a moment before answering softly, "No, I don't have any family."

While I was recovering at the clinic, I hired an older healer to help take care of me.

Meanwhile, Ryan spent his days parading Clare around the pack. Every day, Clare sent me pictures from their "romantic tour".

They went to Crescent Lake, dove beneath Moonlight Springs, and watched star trails from Starlight Cliff at night. Every spot was marked with kisses, as if they couldn't wait to show the world how in love they were.

I looked at those pictures with nothing but calm.

Lately, I had been busy working with my friend, Amy Bauer, to set up an herbal remedy lab. For the past nine years, I had been secretly helping her refine old formulas and brew new herbal remedies whenever I had the time.

Amy had long wanted to open an herbal remedy lab with me, but I kept putting it off because of a fake relationship.

A lot of friends said it was a shame that I wasted nine years on an Alpha who gave me nothing in return.

But I didn't regret it. Back then, all I cared about was saving Grandpa's life. That mattered more than anything.

Now, with my agreement with Ryan days away from ending, I could finally be free again.

…

On the day I was discharged, Ryan sent me a voice message. "When are you coming back? The villa looks like a damn battlefield. Haven't you left the clinic yet?"

I scoffed and replied with a bite, "What, are the staff on strike or something? Can't you even manage them?"

Ryan's voice turned impatient. "You know I don't like people messing with my stuff. And it's your job to sort those files."

I glanced at the time, ready to say I was busy, when a trainee healer knocked and reminded me to settle the bill.

Ryan must've overheard because he immediately started pressuring me to return.

I ignored him. After paying, I left with my Amy.

In the car, she grinned and winked at me. "Are you free now?"

I stared at the shadows of trees in the distance and smiled softly. "It's finally over. Once I sign the mate dissolution agreement, I'm out of here."

Amy smacked the car window in excitement. "Hell yes! Let's go! We're celebrating with lamb chops!"

I nodded.

As we chatted about our little business venture, Ryan called again. I didn't even look at it. Instead, I locked the phone and kept listening to Amy.

She raised an eyebrow at me. "So that's it? You have no feelings left for him at all?"

She was the only one who knew I had once fallen for Ryan.

But whatever feelings I had had were long gone. They were crushed under the weight of his indifference.

I answered coolly, "We were never meant to be. It was always going to end."

Amy nodded in understanding.

After we wrapped up our plans, we headed to our favorite restaurant. The moment I bit into that first juicy lamb chop, my eyes welled up with tears.

Amy laughed. "Seriously? Is it that good?"

I smiled and didn't say a word.

Ever since I got tied to Ryan, I hadn't touched lamb. He said he hated the smell.

It wasn't just about food. There were so many things he called "inappropriate", like laughing in public and speaking loudly.

For nine years, I was like an empty shell with my emotions kept on a leash. But now, surrounded by the smell of lamb, I caught the scent of freedom. My nose stung from it.

…

By the time I returned to the villa, night had fallen.

I opened the door and saw Ryan sitting in the living room. His expression was darker than the sky outside.

He had sent me over a dozen texts and called countless times, but I hadn't answered a single one.

"Where were you?"

I changed into my indoor slippers and washed my hands before finally replying, "I had dinner with a friend."

Ryan approached, sniffed with a wrinkled nose, and his expression turned even more sour. "I told you not to eat lamb. That smell gives me a headache."

I gave him a sweet smile and said in an innocent tone, "But it didn't bother you when Clare had some."

His expression instantly turned stormy. "Clare's different. She's not my mate."

I didn't respond.

Perhaps not now. But it was only a matter of time.

Everyone in the pack could see how Ryan doted on Clare. Meanwhile, I was nothing to him and definitely not a Luna.

After Amy and I finalized our partnership, she flew to Northia to handle the opening of our herbal remedy lab.

I, on the other hand, met with an experienced advisor from within the pack.

Since Ryan and I were never officially marked as mates, a simple mate dissolution agreement was enough.

When I saw the line "voluntarily forfeits all rights to territory and property inheritance", I didn't hesitate. I pressed my thumbprint firmly beneath it.

Right as the stamp hit the page, Clare sent me a video.

The screen opened on an extravagant ceremonial hall, draped in silver feathers and blooming flowers. Front and center hung a grand sign painted in shimmering silver ink that wrote, "Welcome to the Bonding Ceremony of Ryan Hardin and Clare Lambert."

The camera shifted. Ryan stood there, going over the event details.

"I just casually mentioned wanting to be bonded, and he immediately started planning the whole thing for me. The ceremony is in two days. You're invited, of course."

That day just so happened to be my 29th birthday. It was also the same day I had planned to leave.

I stared at the message, then blocked her number without hesitation. Afterward, I started packing.

In all my years living in the villa, I had never bought a single thing for myself. I moved in with one worn-out duffel bag. And now, nine years later, I was leaving with the same one.

I had barely set it by the door when Ryan entered.

"Make me a bowl of crab chowder."

He still ordered me around out of habit, like I was nothing more than a maid he kept at his side.

I figured this would be the last time, so I didn't argue and just did as he said.

When I set the bowl down on the stone table, Ryan stared at me for a long moment. "You've been awfully quiet these past few days."

I used to revolve around him, finding things to say, telling stories, and sharing gossip, even though he barely ever responded with more than a grunt.

I replied evenly, "My throat's been sore. I didn't feel like talking."

Ryan clicked his tongue in disdain and dropped it.

He didn't come home again for the next two days.

The day he and Clare held their ceremony, I laid our mate agreement from nine years ago and the freshly written mate dissolution agreement on the stone table in the study.

Then, I picked up my old duffel bag, took one last look around the house that had caged me for nine years, and walked toward a future that finally belonged to me.

…

When I arrived at the boarding gate, Ryan suddenly called me.

Without hesitation, I rejected the call. Then, I pulled out the SIM card and tossed it in a trash can.