"Rowan, a bonding ceremony is not a joke. Stop this nonsense."

I ripped my arm from his grasp, hiked up my skirt, and stormed out of the Sterling Estate without a single backward glance.

Behind me, I could hear Cassia's theatrical sobs and Jonas's pursuing footsteps, but I ignored them all.

I called a cab back to my apartment, locked the door behind me, and tore off the suffocating gown, flinging it to the floor.

My phone buzzed. A text from Jonas: Rowan, just calm down. We can talk about the ceremony later.

I didn't reply.

Half an hour later, I saw Cassia's new post on the pack's internal social app, "Wolf's Den."

It was a selfie of her, draped in the Sterling family's heirloom wolf-fang necklace—an artifact that was supposed to be in Jonas's private keeping.

The caption read: Jonas said the necklace's calming energy could soothe my hurt feelings. Please don't be mad, okay? I know I was wrong.

I stared at the photo until a sharp, humorless laugh escaped my lips.

It was a familiar sting. In my past life, I had endured countless provocations just like this.

Every time Jonas "comforted" her, she would secretly take these intimate photos and send them to me.

And Jonas's response was always the same: "Don't overthink it. She's just too dependent on me."

This time, I didn't get angry. I didn't cry.

I saved the screenshot.

The next day, Jonas appeared at my door with a bouquet of rare Moon Orchids, a flower known to soothe a werewolf's emotions.

The moment he saw me, he swept me into his arms in a gesture of utter apology. "Babe, I was wrong. Let's reschedule the ceremony, okay? I promise nothing like that will happen again."

I shoved him away. "Jonas, I told you, we're done. How is that not clear?"

Jonas frowned, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Rowan, haven't you always looked forward to our bonding? We planned every last detail—"

I closed my eyes. "Jonas, you know in your heart whether you truly care about me or not."

"Can you swear to me, right now, that your heart is completely mine?"

I had laid everything bare, but he didn't even flinch.

Instead, he answered with even more certainty, "Rowan, what are you talking about? We've been together for so long. You're the only one in my heart."

I sneered. So, they really think I'm that clueless.

"Fine. Then call Cassia over right now. Make her publicly announce that all her previous 'prophecies' were lies and permanently banish the seers of the Valerius family."

Jonas froze, unable to comprehend where this hostility was coming from.

But he still answered reluctantly, "Rowan, you know Cassia is a prophet. This is the livelihood of the Valerius family. Making her do that would ruin her and her entire family."

I just looked at him calmly, saying nothing.

"Rowan, I must remind you what the Sterling Pack has done for your family."

Eleanor Sterling seemed to materialize from the shadows, her brow furrowed in disapproval.

She said your family—not you.

"Your grandmother's treatment in the life-support pod. And your brother's apprenticeship to become a Covenant Keeper."

My heart clenched.

She was right. All of it was courtesy of the Sterling family.

But just before my bonding ceremony, Cassia had ensured my grandmother missed the optimal window for her energy replenishment.

She had deliberately shown Grandmother Calloway photos of her and Jonas in bed, whispering that I was the other woman.

My grandmother couldn't speak, her finger trembling as she pointed at Cassia. Her inner wolf shattered on the spot, and she nearly died.

I understood the threat in Eleanor's words. My family’s survival depended on the Sterling Pack. That was the cold, hard reality.

Just then, Jonas stepped forward, his eyes full of feigned tenderness. "Mother, that's enough. I do these things because I love her. I'd do anything for her."

If I didn't already know the truth, I might have actually fallen for his devoted act.

I had no grounds to dissolve the union.

And the Sterling Pack wouldn't let go of such an easily controlled daughter-in-law.

As planned, the bonding feast was held on schedule.

The Sterling Pack's grand hall was filled with guests, wine flowing freely.

In the dressing room, a wave of drowsiness washed over me. My eyelids felt like lead. A strange, cloying aroma, laced with the sharp scent of wolfsbane, hung heavy in the air.

I knew this script. It was a scene straight from my past life.

So, I played along, letting my head droop onto the vanity.

Through the haze, I felt someone shift my body, checking to see if I was truly unconscious.

When the room fell silent again, my eyes snapped open.

I scrambled into my gown, not even taking the time to finish my makeup.

I burst out of the room and sprinted for the main hall.

Everyone stared at my sudden, disheveled appearance. Even Marcus and Eleanor Sterling looked bewildered.

I rushed to the main stage and grabbed the microphone. "Everyone, since today is my bonding feast, I'd like to give you all a little gift to commemorate our 'eternal vows.'"

The moment I finished speaking, I lunged at Jonas and, in front of everyone, ripped open his expensive, custom-tailored dress shirt.

His muscular chest was exposed to the air. But that wasn't the point.

The guests instantly burst into an uproar.

"Isn't he an Alpha?"

"That's a tattoo on his chest... is that the name of the Valerius girl? To mark another wolf's mate! Shameless!"

Eleanor clapped a hand over her mouth, letting out a horrified gasp.

I seized the moment, my expression instantly crumbling into the most pitiful mask of heartbreak I could manage. Tears welled in my eyes, my lower lip trembling as if I were about to shatter. Just like that, everyone forgot I was the one who had ripped the shirt. All eyes were glued to the two traitors.

In the chaos, Jonas's father, Marcus, was so enraged his face was purple. He slapped Jonas hard across the face. "You disgrace! Haven't you brought enough shame upon this family?"

Eleanor rounded on a flushed Cassia, her voice like a whip. "Cassia Valerius, how dare you! Seducing my son? This is a Valerius plot to frame him, isn't it!"

The slap stunned Cassia. She scrambled into Jonas's arms for cover.

The Sterlings began clearing out the guests. After the hall had emptied, I slowly emerged from the back of the crowd.

When my eyes met Jonas's, there wasn't a trace of guilt in them. Only fury.

"Rowan, we need to talk."