Drake walked in, carrying bags of fruits and food. Things I used to like.

He set everything down, took off his coat, and came straight to me. “Why are you talking about transferring? Don’t move around like this. You’re still weak.”

I didn’t answer. I just watched him.

He gently wiped my hands, my feet, like he always did. Then he picked up fruit, peeled it carefully, and held it to my lips. “Here. Eat something first. You haven’t eaten since yesterday, right?”

I didn’t move.

He sighed softly. “Chloe, don’t be like this. You need to eat if you want to recover. Don’t make me worry, okay?”

He scooped up some soup, blew on it until it cooled, and brought it closer. “Just one bite. Come on.”

So gentle. So patient.

Just like before.

And that was the cruelest part.

Because I knew…

He’d do the same for her. No. Even more.

He’d always give Chiara the best portion first. “This one tastes better,” I once heard him say. “You should have this.”

He’d kneel beside her bed, pressing his ear to her stomach again and again. “In a few more months, you’ll feel the pup move,” he’d say, his voice full of excitement. “I can’t wait.”

He’d leave after I fell asleep. I knew. I didn’t need to see it before. But now I could.

I saw him slip into her room at night. I saw the way they looked at each other. The way his hands touched her. The marks they didn’t bother hiding anymore.

And during the day, he’d introduce her openly.

“This is my mate and Luna,” he’d say, his tone proud and gentle. “She’s pregnant. Take good care of her.”

Not me. Never me.

I just watched. Quiet. No tears. No questions.

What was the point?

People who really want to leave… they don’t waste time saying goodbye.

...

The days passed. Cold, slow, empty.

Sometimes, when Drake was with Chiara, I’d quietly make a call.

“Hello… it’s me,” I’d whisper. “How’s the process going? When can I leave?”

“Soon, Ms. Brightman,” the agent would reply. “We’re almost done. Just a little longer.”

And I waited.

On the day I was discharged, I finally got the message.

“Ms. Brightman, your documents will be ready by the morning after tomorrow.”

I stared at the words for a long time.

Then I smiled.

For the first time in… I don’t even know how long.

Finally.

Drake paused beside me, one hand still supporting Chiara. He looked at me like something caught him off guard.

“Chloe… you’re smiling,” he said quietly. “What happened? Did something good come up?”

I shook my head lightly. “Nothing. I just… felt a little better.”

He stepped closer, pulling me into his arms before I could move away. “That’s good,” he murmured. “You should smile more. Don’t stay sad all the time. I’m here, okay? I’ll always be here for you.”

Always.

I gently pulled back, avoiding his hold. “I’m fine,” I said softly.

He looked at me for a second, something uneasy flashing in his eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Alright. Let’s go home.”

On the way back, he kept glancing at me.

“Are you really okay?” he asked again. “You’ve been quiet. If something’s bothering you, just tell me. You don’t have to keep everything to yourself.”

I looked out the window. “There’s nothing to say.”

He frowned slightly, then reached out like he wanted to hold my hand.

Before he could—

“Watch out!” Chiara suddenly screamed.

Everything happened too fast. A massive black SUV came out of nowhere, crashing straight into us. A loud bang exploded in my ears. And then everything flipped.

…

I had a dream. A long one. Too real. Too painful.

I went back to five years ago… the first time I met him. I could still see back then. I used to love going out alone, exploring pack borders, climbing mountains like nothing could ever touch me.

And then I found him—lying in the middle of nowhere, deep in a dead mountain range, his leg twisted, his body burning with fever. An alpha, half-dead and alone.

I remember kneeling beside him, shaking. “Hey… can you hear me? Don’t die, okay? I’m not strong enough to drag a corpse down this mountain.”

He didn’t answer. So I stayed. I gave him everything I had—my food, my water, my medicine. I stayed awake for days, taking care of him like he was the only thing that mattered.

Three days later, he woke up.

And I… collapsed right after.

When I woke again, he was the one holding me, his wrist cut open, his blood pressed to my lips.

“Drink,” he said, hoarse but firm. “You’re not dying on me. Not after you saved me.”

I tried to push him away. “Are you crazy…? You’ll weaken yourself.”

He shook his head. “I’m an alpha. I can handle it. You can’t.”

He fed me his blood again and again until help came.

Later, when he chased me, when he refused to let me go, he would always say the same thing.

“We survived that place together. That kind of thing doesn’t happen twice. It means something, Chloe. It means we’re bound. Fate, past life, whatever you want to call it… I’m not letting you go.”

I believed him. I really did.

But then the dream twisted.

Everything blurred, and suddenly… it wasn’t me anymore.

I saw him throwing me toward a group of wild beasts, his face cold, choosing her over me without hesitation.

I screamed.

And woke up.

My head pounded. My body felt heavy. My hands and feet were tied, something rough covering my eyes. I couldn’t see anything again.

“Where… where am I?” I whispered.

Voices answered.

“Alpha Thornhill,” a man said, mocking, amused. “You really have some nerve. You crushed my pack, took our territory, left us with nothing. Did you really think I’d just let that go?”

Drake’s voice came low and dangerous. “Jakobi Corvo… rogue alpha. You kidnapped me? You’ve got guts. But you’re signing your own death warrant.”

Jakobi laughed, loud and unhinged. “Death? I already lost everything. If I die, I’ll drag you down with me. But killing you too fast… where’s the fun in that?”

Hands grabbed me, dragging me across the ground. Stones scraped my back and I bit down hard to keep from crying out.

Another voice—Chiara, crying. “Let me go! Please… please don’t do this…”

We were thrown down side by side.

Drake snapped, “Let them go. This is between you and me. Don’t drag them into it.”

Jakobi ignored him. I could hear the smile in his voice. “Let’s play a game, Alpha. You like games, right? I’ve prepared a few little punishments. You just need to choose… who takes them.”

My heart dropped.

“No,” Drake said immediately. “You want something, say it. Land, money, power—I’ll give it to you. Just let them go.”

“Stop wasting my time,” Jakobi snapped. “First game.”

Chains clinked. Low growls followed.

“The first punishment… is blood bait.”

I froze.

“We’ll smear one of them with fresh blood and throw them into a pit of starving rogue wolves,” Jakobi went on, almost cheerful. “Let them chase. Let them hunt. Don’t worry, I’ll pull them out before they die… maybe.”

Drake’s breathing turned heavy. “You’re insane.”

“Choose.”

Silence.

Then suddenly, we were shoved forward. Something cold and wet smeared across my skin. The smell hit instantly—blood.

“No—!” I gasped.

The ground beneath me dropped.

I fell.

Growls exploded around me. I couldn’t see, but I could feel them circling, closing in.

“Drake!” I screamed. “Please—!”

He roared, furious, desperate. “Stop! I said stop! I’ll choose!”

The wolves snapped closer. Claws brushed my leg.

“Who?” Jakobi asked, amused. “Her? Or the pregnant one?”

My chest tightened.

For a second… I waited.

I still waited.

His voice came out strained. “I—”

Then Chiara cried, choking, “Drake… please save me… our pup… I can’t… I can’t die…”

Everything went quiet. Even the wolves seemed to pause.

And then—

“Chiara.”

Just one word.And that was it. Something inside me broke so quietly I almost didn’t notice.

The wolves lunged.

Pain exploded as teeth tore into my flesh, claws ripping, my body dragged and thrown like I wasn’t even human. I screamed until my voice disappeared.

Then they pulled me out only to throw me back again.

And again.

I lost count.

By the time they dragged me out for the last time, I couldn’t even move. I could barely breathe.

“Are you trying to kill her?” Drake shouted, his voice breaking. “She won’t survive this!”

Jakobi laughed softly. “You chose this. Don’t look at me like that.”

I was thrown onto the ground. My body felt numb, heavy, like it wasn’t mine anymore.

“Second game,” Jakobi said casually. “Let’s make this more interesting.”

Something was dragged. Metal scraping.

“A silver whip. Ninety-nine lashes. Alpha Thornhill… choose again. Who takes it this time?”

Drake didn’t answer right away. His breathing was rough, uneven.

My lungs burned. I coughed, choking on blood, my whole body shaking. I couldn’t even lift my head anymore.

So this is it…? Is this how I end

The next second, his answer came.

“Chiara.”

Chiara broke into tears, clutching her chest and looking at me like she’d been saved from death itself. “Chloe already suffered so much. I… I don’t know what to say! I didn’t mean for things to turn out like this.”

I didn’t look at her. I looked at him. Drake. “Why…?” My voice barely came out. “Why is it always her? Tell me, Drake, just once, tell me why.”

He didn’t answer.

The whip came down before I could hear anything else. A sharp crack split the air and pain exploded across my back. I gasped, my body jerking forward, my fingers digging into the rough ground.

Stones cut into my skin and blood smeared under my nails. “One.” Another strike. “Two.” I bit my lip, but the sound still slipped out. “Three…” The pain kept building, tearing me apart piece by piece.

“Drake…” I choked out, my voice shaking. “Does it hurt you at all watching this? Or am I just nothing now?”

No answer.

By the time it reached fifty, I couldn’t think straight. My back was soaked, blood dripping down my sides. “Fifty-five!” someone called out. My vision blurred. My body swayed.

“Stop!” Drake roared, “I said stop hitting her! Can’t you hear me? That’s enough, she can’t take it anymore!” Chains rattled as he broke free, rushing toward me.

For a second I thought, I really thought… But then—

“Drake!” Chiara screamed, “My stomach!! It hurts… something’s wrong! I think I’m losing our babies— please, help me…”

Everything froze. I felt it. That hesitation. Drake stopped. Grabbed her. “What’s wrong? Talk to me. Are you in pain? Don’t scare me like this… breathe, okay? I’m here.”

I laughed weakly.

It came out broken. So this is it… right? Another whip came down. I coughed, blood spilling from my mouth.

“Chloe!” Drake shouted. His voice sounded far away now.

Jakobi laughed, slow and cruel. “Alpha Thornhill, this is getting interesting. I’ve got a medical team ready, but you can only save one. Think carefully… are you choosing her again? Or do you finally want to change your answer?”

Another strike. Another. I couldn’t hear properly anymore. Everything rang. I forced my eyes open. I saw Drake and Jakobi talking, mouths moving, but I couldn’t hear the words. Then Jakobi nodded.

Drake picked Chiara up, held her close, and turned away. He walked off without even looking back. Not once. A laugh slipped out of me, weak and shaking.

“Ha… so this is it…” Ninety-nine lashes, and somehow none of them hurt as much as that moment.

The sky turned red as the sun set, like the world was bleeding with me. Something soft landed on me, a white seabird, its feathers turning red instantly.

“Drake…” I whispered, “Your fate… your bond… all those things you said… they meant nothing, didn’t they?” I tried to breathe but it hurts. Everything hurts. “If there’s another life… I won’t love you again.”

Then darkness swallowed everything.

I don’t know how long it has been. When I woke again, there were sirens, people shouting, hands moving around me. They said I was lucky. They said I survived. I didn’t feel lucky.

At the hospital, they treated my wounds and told me to stay, but I refused. What was the point? I went back to the glass house alone.

The place he built for me, every detail made just to make me smile. Now it didn’t feel like mine anymore. Chiara had only been there for two months, but she was everywhere. Her clothes, her scent, her things filling spaces that used to be mine.

My dressing room was a mess, my music room filled with her stuff like I’d never existed. Even the wooden carving I made for him, the one he once held like it meant everything, was lying on the floor, crooked and forgotten. I stared at it for a long time. Did he really cry back then… or was that fake too?

Outside, the sky was completely dark. A whole day and night had passed, and he never came back. Of course he didn’t. He was with her.

I smiled a little, but it felt empty. I wiped the blood from my lips slowly, then took out the papers I prepared and placed them inside the mailbox at the front of the glass house.

The first thing I grabbed was the test report from that cursed bouquet Chiara gave me yesterday.

I opened it slowly, my fingers trembling, and my chest ached like someone had slammed a fist into it.

The bouquet wasn’t just flowers. It was packed with intoxicating spices. The rogue wolf and the shadow lynx went berserk because of that. It wasn’t an accident. It was planned. Deliberate. And he never noticed, never questioned, never even blinked while I almost died.

I clutched the second item, my hands shaking so hard the papers crumpled. It was my medical report from the hospital.

The miscarriage. My child. My baby. All because he chose Chiara. Again. Just like that night with the rogue wolves, when I was thrown into their cage, my body battered, freezing, suffocating, and he… he saved her instead of me.

He made me suffer through the silver whips for her apology show, and he let me bleed, thrash, nearly die, while she watched. And now I knew—he’d done it twice. Twice he’d indirectly killed a child I carried for him.

And the third thing… my chest tightened when I held the broken diamond ring. The one he picked himself in Africa five years ago, polished until it shined a million times.

A half-year of patience, a symbol of his devotion, he said. He said he’d love me forever, that I was the only one. That ring had meant everything. And now, it was nothing. He left it to remind me what love could look like when it was fake.

I whispered to myself, almost laughing bitterly, “Drake, it was you… it was all you.”

The helicopter’s roar cut through the sky and I squinted up, seeing a familiar face poking its head out.

“Aren’t you leaving, Alice?” Alaric called.

I hesitated a moment, then forced a smile through the burning pain in my chest. “Do you have a lighter, Alaric?”

He whistled and tossed a box down. “That’s all I got.”

“Good enough,” I said, gripping the match box tight. My fingers shook so badly, I thought I might drop it.

Step by step, I walked toward the glass house. Every step burned in my legs, every breath in my chest was heavy with memories of what once felt like home. The walls had seen laughter, music, warmth, and now… they’d see fire.

I thought about Drake. About his hands on me, soft and warm, the alpha that claimed me. About the nights I thought we shared something sacred. My throat hurt. My eyes burned. My heart felt like it had been hollowed out. And yet… I had to do this.

I held up the match, my other hand pressed to my neck where his mark had been. The imprint burned under my fingers. Pain shot through me, sharp and deep, and I gritted my teeth.

I whispered to the shadows of that glass house, to the ghosts of the life I lost, “I am Luna Chloe Brightman. I reject you, Alpha Drake Thornhill. I sever the bond. You are no longer mine.”

The pain hit like a wave, electric, burning through my veins. I grabbed the mark and pulled. It screamed in my mind. My body convulsed, but I held on.

I felt him inside me, the bond snapping, tearing apart. My lungs burned, my tears mixed with blood and sweat, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. Not anymore.

I struck the match.

And I threw it at the glass house.

The flames erupted immediately, roaring higher than I thought possible. I could see the windows shattering, the roof collapsing, and the rooms where my laughter had once lived now swallowed by fire. The scent of smoke and burning wood stung my nose, and my heart twisted. Every memory of him, every promise, every lie… everything vanished into the flames.

Alaric’s voice came from behind me, steady and calm. “Are you okay, Chloe?”

I nodded, but my lips barely moved. “I’m fine. I’m free now.”

He didn’t argue. He knew better.

I glanced back once at the burning house.

And I felt it. The emptiness. The cold, crushing void.

But I kept moving. Step by step, toward the helicopter. I climbed aboard, the engine shaking the night, the wind whipping my hair, the flames behind me like a warning to anyone who thought they could ever hold me again.

“This is it. Goodbye, Drake. Goodbye, everything you ever promised.”

The helicopter lifted into the sky, cutting through the darkness toward the ocean, and I let the wind carry away the last pieces of what he thought he owned.

I was gone.