Jonathan left immediately after breakfast without a word. He didn't bother saying goodbye, let alone clear the dining table. His discarded clothes lay crumpled on the bed, a mess I knew I had to clean up myself.

I'm too aware of his obsession with a spotless house and the anger he'd unleash on me if things weren't perfect. In his mind, every chore is my responsibility.

Maybe, in some way, I was also the reason why he acts like this. I let him get used to being served, to having everything done for him. I tolerated it for so long that it became our routine. I used to think love meant sacrificing everything for someone, that doing everything for them was proof of affection. But over the years, I've realized it's not supposed to be this way.

What's happening between us now isn't love anymore—it's abuse. He's abusing my love for him.

After cleaning up, I forced myself to eat just enough to take some medicine, hoping it would help me feel better for the training later. I wasn't well, and it took me nearly two hours to get ready. Just as I was heading to the training grounds, Jonathan's voice blasted through the mind-link.

"What's taking you so long, Niana? Training's already started. Get your lazy ass here in ten minutes! I don't want the others thinking you're getting special treatment from me!" He snapped. I didn't bother responding.

Special treatment? Whether in or out of the training grounds, I've never received that from him.

When I arrived, a few members greeted me, but I was already bracing myself for Jonathan's anger since I was thirty minutes late. Oddly, though, as I scanned the area, he was nowhere to be found. It was strange as this training was supposed to be led by him.

"Are you looking for Prime Jonathan?" One of the members asked, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.

I nodded, noticing a smirk forming on her lips. "He said he's welcoming the new members. And rumor has it, he's got his eye on one of them," She added, her voice dripping with gossip.

The Blazing Packlet members knew about my relationship with Jonathan. Some saw it as a positive thing, believing I was a great match for him, while others seemed to resent it—maybe out of jealousy. Hearing her remark, I brushed it off, thinking she was just one of those who envied what Jonathan and I had.

We waited for Jonathan for a few more minutes, but eventually received notice that he wouldn't make it back in time. He had assigned someone else to lead the session.

Despite feeling sick, I pushed myself to keep up with the instructions. At the moment, we were asked to ride a horse and follow a specific path. Even though I was unwell, I focused on doing my best.

I rode my horse, and at first, everything was going smoothly. I was actually enjoying it. But as we continued, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. My vision blurred, and I struggled to control the horse. Sensing my weakness, the horse panicked, rearing up before I could steady it. In seconds, I was thrown hard to the ground, and the horse bolted away.

I screamed for help, but no one came. I had fallen behind the others, and now I was alone. Desperate, I tried to stand, but my legs gave out beneath me. Then I saw it—blood, thick and dark, flowing between my thighs. It wasn't normal bleeding. My heart dropped, and I started crying. This couldn't be happening.

I screamed again, over and over, but the silence that followed was deafening. With no other choice, I mind-linked Jonathan, pleading for help. I was terrified, desperate to survive. But he didn't answer. Each mind-link I sent was ignored, until finally, he blocked me completely.

I was left helpless, lying flat on the damp ground, cradling my stomach and sobbing as the world around me faded to black.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the infirmary. For a moment, I wondered if Jonathan had saved me. Had he been the one to bring me here? Just as I began to hope that maybe he did care, our personal doctor walked into the room.

"You're awake," She said softly, placing a food tray on the bedside table. "How are you feeling, Niana?"

"I'm okay," I replied, my voice hesitant. "Is Jonathan here? Was he the one who brought me here? He rescued me, right?"

Her lips curved into a sad smile. "The other members brought you here, Niana. I've been trying to reach Jonathan through the mind-link, but there's been no response. Maybe he's just busy…"

Busy. Or maybe he just doesn't care at all. The sinking feeling in my chest returned as the truth I'd been avoiding settled in again.

After my long conversation with the doctor, she advised me to rest, but how could I when tears streamed down my face from the devastating news she had just delivered?

She said I was fine, but the pup inside me hadn't made it. She said that if I had been rescued earlier, they might have saved it, but I had been found too late. The pup couldn't hold on.

If only Jonathan had come to save me…

If only he had cared, even just a little…

But I was foolish to even hope for that. He didn't even know I was pregnant. I had tried to tell him several times, but every time I attempted to talk about it, he would either shut me down or turn his back on me. Now, I had lost the pup, and he would never even know I carried it.

The pain was unbearable, but maybe all of this happened for a reason. Perhaps this was the Moon Goddess' way of redirecting my life, of showing me that it was time to let go of Jonathan for good.

Maybe this loss, as tragic as it was, was a sign that I needed to choose myself now.

Maybe I'd be better off without him.

Still lying on the infirmary bed, I closed my eyes and prayed. I prayed to the Moon Goddess for strength, for guidance, and for the courage to unlove the man who made me feel the exact opposite of love. I poured my heart into that prayer until exhaustion took over, and I drifted off to sleep.

The next day, the doctor cleared me to leave the infirmary but advised a week of rest at home. Before I left, I asked if Jonathan had responded to her mind-link. She shook her head and told me he had blocked her as well. I smiled through the pain. It hurt, but I told her not to mention the pregnancy or miscarriage to Jonathan.

A few minutes later, I was finally home. I didn't expect Jonathan to be there, so I went straight to our bedroom, hoping to find some peace and continue my rest. But the moment I stepped inside, I was hit with a foreign scent—an unfamiliar she-wolf's scent that suffocated the air. It wasn't mine, and I knew that so well.

I felt immediate disgust at the thought forming in my head, but I tried to shake it off, telling myself that maybe Jonathan had bought a new perfume for me. Yet, when I lifted the bed comforter, I found a pair of red nightwear beneath it. From the size alone, I knew it wasn't mine.

So the rumors about Jonathan being attracted to one of the new members were true. He hadn't shown up for training, hadn't answered any of our mind-links, and hadn't saved me because he was busy—busy with another woman. He had even spent the night with her, right here, in our own bedroom.

What a shameless man. The irony hit me hard. He demanded respect from everyone, yet couldn't even give it to his own girlfriend. I wiped away my tears, but this time, they were fueled by hatred rather than pain.

I turned to leave the bedroom, heading toward the guest room to sleep, when I saw Jonathan at the doorway, walking toward me. His expression was sharp, and without a warning, he grabbed my arm roughly.

"Haven't I told you not to mind-link me when I'm busy?" He snapped, his grip tightening.

Busy with what? Undressing his lover?

I said nothing, refusing to let him know I had already uncovered his affair. I pulled my arm free and walked past him, leaving him stunned. He called my name repeatedly, but I didn't look back. I just kept walking to the guest room, shutting the door behind me like his shouts didn't matter anymore.

Behind that closed door, I cried. But this time, I knew something had changed inside me. My heart, which once held nothing but love for him, had finally had enough.