My bonding ceremony with Rhys Valerius was supposed to be the event of the season, with all eyes on us.

But when the great ceremonial doors swung open, Rhys didn't walk toward me.

Instead, he turned to his childhood friend, Cassia Thorne—the witness for our bonding—and pulled her into his arms.

Then, in front of the entire pack, he gave her a deep, passionate kiss that lasted for a full, agonizing minute.

His Beta and Gammas howled and cheered, as if this were a common sight.

After the kiss finally ended, Rhys offered a dismissive explanation, calling it a reward to "thank her for her years of loyalty."

His childhood friend, Cassia, even had the audacity to smirk at me. "A future Luna shouldn't be so petty," she purred.

I smiled, lifting the laurel wreath from my hair and placing it on her head.

"Of course not," I replied, my own smile razor-sharp. "May your bond be unbreakable."

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1

Cassia's witness gown and my ceremonial gown were nearly identical. With my wreath on her head, she looked more like the Luna-to-be than I did.

I took their hands, Rhys's and Cassia's, and placed one over the other.

"If you two are willing, I'm happy to step aside and let you be together."

The uproar from the pack died instantly. The silence was deafening.

Cassia looked at Rhys, tears already welling in her eyes.

"Oh, Rhys, what should I do? I think I've made Aveline angry." She turned to me, her voice trembling. "Aveline, I truly didn't mean for this to happen..."

Rhys's face darkened as he shielded her behind him.

A wave of his Alpha presence washed over me, heavy and demanding. "I told you, it was a reward. This is not the time to be unreasonable."

His pack members chimed in, rushing to make excuses for him.

"You're his fated mate, Aveline. You have to understand."

I stared at the handsome face that had made my heart flutter for seven years. Now, seeing his features etched with worry for another woman, I found the sight pathetic.

If he truly cared about this gift from the Moon Goddess, he never would have let Cassia be his witness.

And he certainly wouldn't have held her so tightly and kissed her on the day of our bonding ceremony.

Even now, a hint of longing lingered on his lips.

I waved a dismissive hand.

"Good. Now that I see things clearly, take your mate and go."

With that, I turned and strode toward the main doors.

I hadn't taken two steps before my wrist was yanked back.

Rhys's face was grim, his anger barely contained.

"Are you finished with this drama? Don't forget that you and your pack begged for this union!"

He was right.

My pack had pleaded for this union.

It was the Moon Goddess's decree from seven years ago, but he had never been satisfied with me.

He could have defied her.

But because my pack begged and pleaded, he reluctantly agreed to let me be bound to him.

Our fated bond was forged in an instant, and in the next, my heart shattered completely.

I forced a smile. "I won't force you anymore."

His grip on my wrist tightened, his voice dropping to an icy whisper that chilled me to the bone.

"Everything is ready for the ceremony, and you're trying to run now? Are you making a fool out of me?"

I glanced at Cassia, who had a faint, triumphant smile playing on her lips.

"Weren't all the arrangements made according to her preferences anyway? It's perfect. The two of you can bond instead."

Cassia burst into tears.

"Aveline, I was just trying to help. It's all my fault, I didn't consider that you might not like it…"

Rhys cut her off.

"Don't listen to her, she's lost her mind. You had good intentions; you don't need to apologize."

As they spoke, their hands were already clasped tightly together.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh and strode past them.

Rhys's cold threat echoed behind me. "Let her go. The mate bond will have her crawling back, begging."

But this time, he had miscalculated.

I returned to my apartment in the city.

I slipped out of the gown, scrubbed off my makeup, and soaked in a long, hot bath.

It wasn't until I was lying on the sofa with a face mask on that I noticed my communication crystal was blowing up.

Every werewolf I knew was asking where I was.

Rhys sent several commands through our mind-link.

He threatened that if I didn't show up, he would officially sever our mate bond.

Without hesitation, I sent back a single word: "Fine."

The next second, his link request exploded in my mind.

The moment I connected, his roar felt like it would shatter my skull.

"Aveline Shaw, have I been too easy on you? If you're not at the ceremony in half an hour, we are done. For good!"

The apartment's small cleaning bot glided past, and I couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

"We were done two hours ago."

With that, I severed the link.

Before long, Rhys was at my apartment door with Cassia in tow. Most of the real estate in this city belonged to the Valerius pack; it was no surprise he'd found me so quickly.

When he saw me—makeup-free, wrapped in a bathrobe with my hair still dripping wet—his entire expression twisted in fury.

"Aveline! The reception is about to start! Are you planning to go dressed like that?"

I looked at him incredulously.

"Didn't I make it clear I was leaving this to you two? I don't need to be there."

He gasped, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"So you're really calling it off?"

Cassia's voice was laced with feigned grievance, but she couldn't hide the thrill beneath it.

"Aveline, today is your bonding ceremony. The elders are all here. How can you throw a tantrum like this? You'll embarrass Rhys."

I gave her a cold stare.

"Then why don't you take my place? Changing a name on the bonding certificate is simple enough."

She covered her face and started to cry, muttering over and over that it was all her fault.

Rhys’s brows furrowed in distress.

He opened his mouth to scold me, but his communication crystal rang.

It was probably the pack elders, urging him to return. He answered quickly, then reined in his anger, trying his best to sound persuasive.

"Look, I was wrong to kiss her this morning, alright? I apologize. Once we complete the bonding ceremony, I promise I'll make it up to you."

"Haven't you always wanted the pack's heirloom, the 'Wolf's Heart' gem? Once the ceremony is over, I'll give it to you."

Oh, so he did remember what I wanted. And he still chose to humiliate me.

I should have realized long ago. They were the real couple.

Seeing my silence, he leaned in to kiss me.

"You're just jealous I kissed Cassia, aren't you? Fine. I'll make it up to you now. An Alpha's kiss makes everything better, doesn't it?"

The warm, cloying scent of another woman, thick with his possessiveness, disgusted me. My entire body recoiled.

But he paid no mind, using his Alpha strength to hold me in place.

The taste of blood filled my mouth. My inner wolf howled in protest, and a surge of power erupted from within me, violently shoving him away.

Then I slapped him, hard, across the face.

"You're disgusting!" I shuddered, trembling from head to toe.

Tears I could no longer hold back welled in my eyes.

Stunned by my unexpected strength and choked cry, a look of pure shock crossed his face.

"You think I'm disgusting?"

I wiped my mouth forcefully, letting the action be my answer.

"You put your mouth on someone else and then try to kiss me? How is that not disgusting?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cassia brazenly showing off a new mark on her arm.

"Rhys, your totem is gorgeous. It looks perfect on me, don't you think?"

I saw it clearly then—a flicker of attraction in Rhys's eyes.

That mate totem, the one that should have been mine, was now encircled by a ring of thorn runes that represented Cassia.

An Alpha’s mate totem is a sacred mark, a manifestation of their power connecting with their fated one. It's supposed to be pure, unique.

To add another’s mark to it was the ultimate betrayal of a mate.

Even more disgusting.

How could that totem have been imprinted on her without Rhys's permission?

Was the bonding ceremony always meant for her?

My stomach churned. I hated myself for being so blind.

I looked at their "merged" totem in the mirror's reflection and began to clap slowly.

"A tainted totem does suit a disgusting werewolf."

Cassia started, her eyes turning red.

"Aveline, I wasn't trying to steal it from you. Rhys gave me this protection mark himself."

Rhys's gaze never left her.

I grabbed my clothes and headed for the door.

"I'll leave you two to celebrate your new bond."

"Cassia, let's go! I'll announce to the pack today that you are the mate I choose!"

Rhys gripped Cassia's arm, shoving me aside. The force of the push sent me stumbling to the floor.

He didn't even look back.

So, of course, he didn't see Cassia's triumphant smile.