"Gods, you look like you wrestled a demon and lost."

Maya's blunt assessment as she pulled me inside earned a bitter smile from me.

She was the Beta of the Silvermoon Pack and my only true friend, my best friend since we were pups.

Wild red hair, and always brutally honest.

"Thanks for the honesty," I said, dragging my suitcase into her apartment. "Can I crash here for a few days?"

"Of course." Maya shut the door and studied my face. "But you need more than just a place to stay."

She walked to the window and threw open the heavy curtains.

Moonlight flooded the room.

"Full moon tonight," she said, turning to me. "When was the last time you ran?"

I froze. "I... I can't remember."

"Ivana." Maya's voice was dead serious. "You've been caging your wolf. For him. To be his perfect, docile Luna. Look at you. This isn't who you are."

She was right.

To fit Ethan's image, I had tried so hard to be docile, elegant, and harmless.

Like the perfect little decoration he wanted.

"Tonight, we run," Maya said, grabbing her car keys. "It's time to wake your wolf up."

Her family's private territory was vast and empty. Thousands of acres of forest.

We ran under the moonlight, on all fours, wild power surging through our veins.

I'd forgotten what freedom felt like.

Forgotten that I was a predator, not a porcelain doll to be protected.

My wolf form was faster, stronger, and sharper than my human one.

This was the real me.

We didn't return until the next night, exhausted but exhilarated. As we approached Maya's apartment building, I caught a familiar scent.

"Shit," Maya muttered. "How did he find you here?"

Ethan was leaning against a pillar at the entrance.

His eyes were bloodshot, his jaw was dark with stubble, and his clothes were so wrinkled he looked like he’d been sleeping in his car.

He straightened up the moment he saw us.

"Ivana." His voice was hoarse. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," I said, walking straight for the entrance.

"Please." He followed me. "Just give me a chance to explain."

"Explain what?" I stopped and turned to face him. "Explain why you were cooing sweet nothings to another woman right in front of me?"

Ethan's face went pale. "You heard that?"

"Not just heard," I sneered. "I felt it. Your satisfaction when you touched her. Your racing heart. Your—"

"Enough!" He covered his face, pained. "That wasn't... I didn't..."

"Didn't what?" Maya cut in. "Didn't cheat? Didn't betray her? Or just don't have a brain?"

Ethan glared at her. "This doesn't concern you, Beta."

"She's my friend. That makes it my business," Maya said, her claws sliding out. "Besides, Blackwood Alpha, you're on Silvermoon territory. If you want a fight, I'm happy to give you one."

"Maya, don't." I stopped her. "He's not worth it."

I looked at Ethan and saw something in his eyes I'd never seen before—desperation.

"Ivana, I know I hurt you." He took a step toward me. "But we can start over. I'll cut off all contact with Oliva—"

"Too late."

"No, it's not." He reached out to touch my face. "Our bond—"

"Our bond is about to be severed, as soon as the Elders set the date." I stepped back, avoiding his hand. "I made myself clear last night."

Ethan froze. "We're fated mates... rejecting the bond will cause a backlash. Ivana, I told you, you're my only one..."

"The only one? Not since Oliva showed up," I said. "Don't worry, I won't bother you two ever again."

Real panic flashed across his face. "No... that means I'll lose... my power will..."

"Fade?" I raised an eyebrow. "That's what you're really afraid of, isn't it? Not losing me. Losing the power boost I give you as your fated mate."

"No!" he denied it too quickly. "I love you, Ivana! I've always loved you!"

"If you love me, then let me go."

I turned and walked into the building, Maya right behind me.

"Ivana!" Ethan yelled after me. "I'm not giving up! I'll prove it to you!"

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside.

Through the closing gap, I saw Ethan lunge for the doors, only to slam into the silver-laced security gate.

A sharp sizzle echoed in the lobby as he recoiled, burned.

The elevator doors slid shut, sealing him out.

Maya watched the numbers climb. "How does it feel?" she asked quietly.

I leaned against the wall and, for the first time, let a real smile spread across my face.

"It feels like... freedom is finally within reach."

Two days later, the keys to my new apartment felt heavy in my hand.

A penthouse on the thirty-second floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing east, overlooking the entire glittering city.

Most importantly, it held zero memories of Ethan.

"Welcome home, Ms. Silvermoon," the building manager said with a smile, opening the door for me.

I had just dropped my suitcase when his voice wormed its way back into my head.

"Ivana... please... I was wrong..."

His mind link. Faint, but desperate. He had clawed his way through my block.

"I'll change. I'll cut her off completely... just give me a chance..."

I closed my eyes, found that last remaining thread, and severed it.

Snip.

From now on, he could never invade my thoughts again.

That afternoon, I walked into the headquarters of Victoria Group, a top-tier human corporation.

"Ivana, your creative proposal is breathtaking!"

The CEO of Victoria Group slammed his hands on the table in excitement. "This cross-promotional marketing concept is pure genius!"

I smiled, accepting his praise.

For three years, Ethan had insisted my collaborations with human companies were "pointless for our kind."

He said I should focus on pack business, not "waste time on trivial creative projects."

But now, without him holding me back, my talent was finally free to shine.

"The contract is for fifty million dollars," the CEO said, handing me the file. "A three-year exclusive partnership."

The moment I signed my name, I felt a sense of accomplishment I'd never known.

This was something I had earned on my own. Not because I was someone's mate, not because of a political alliance.

This was just me. Ivana.

I returned to my apartment that evening and poured a glass of red wine to celebrate.

As I prepared to enjoy the night view, the lights in the penthouse of the building directly opposite me suddenly flickered on.

I froze.

That penthouse had been empty yesterday.

Now, a familiar figure was standing at the massive window, staring straight at me.

Ethan.

My phone rang immediately.

"Did you buy the penthouse across from me?" I asked, skipping the pleasantries.

"I need to ensure your safety," his voice came through the phone. "The security in this area—"

"Cut the crap," I interrupted. "We're about to sever our bond. Why are you still clinging to me?"

"Because I'm not letting you run away," his voice turned hard. "Ivana, you still care about me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have called to confront me."

I paused for a second.

"See? You're silent," he continued. "That proves you still have feelings for me. We can start over—"

I hung up.

But even across the distance, I could see his silhouette in the window.

A persistent, watching shadow.

At eleven o'clock, my doorbell rang.

"Ms. Silvermoon," the security guard's voice came through the intercom, "there's a delivery for you."

"I didn't order anything."

"A gentleman sent some herbs. He said they're good for your health."

I frowned.

Herbs?

Five minutes later, a bouquet of strange, deep purple plants was presented to me.

A thick, cloying scent hit me instantly.

I scrambled back three steps, covering my nose. "Get it away! Take it away now!" My voice trembled with panic.

The guard looked at me, confused. "Ma'am, is there a problem with these herbs?"

"That's Night-soul grass!" I choked out, tears already blurring my vision as a furious rash exploded across my skin. "I'm fatally allergic to it!"

The guard immediately removed the plants.

I rushed into the bathroom, frantically splashing my face and hands with cold water.

My phone rang.

"Ivana! Did you get the herbs?" Ethan's excited voice chirped. "It's the rarest Night-soul grass. It's supposed to enhance a she-wolf's spiritual power. I had it specially—"

"Ethan," my voice was hoarse from the allergic reaction. "I'm allergic to Night-soul grass."

The line went silent.

"What? No... you never told me..."

"Two years ago," I rasped, my throat raw. "At the pack festival. I ate a pastry with that poison in it. My wolf almost collapsed, my whole body broke out in hives, and I couldn't shift for three days."

A longer silence.

"You took me to the emergency healer," I continued. "You stood there while the healer told you I had a fatal allergy to it and had to avoid it at all costs."

"I… I remember," he stammered, panic finally seeping into his voice. "I do now."

"You don't remember me screaming in the healer's den? So much pain I thought my wolf was dying?"

"I'm sorry! My memory… it's all foggy because of the rejection! The bond… it’s weakening, it’s affecting my mind!" he finally spat out, his voice spiraling.

"Ivana, this isn't my fault! This is your fault! You're the one who did this to us!"