Harper's POV

Novaria’s timid expression painted me as the villain in this twisted play. I could see it in the way she looked at me as if I were the unreasonable one.

“How could I possibly be angry?” I replied, my voice smooth and controlled, masking the storm inside. “Please, enjoy your meal. I just remembered I have some unfinished work to take care of.”

With a serene smile, I picked up my bag, making a move to leave.

“Come on, are you still upset about Otis giving Nova a cake?” Jovan’s voice cut through the air, dripping with deliberate provocation. His gaze met mine, challenging, almost daring me to react.

So, Otis had shared that with them, had he?

As if on cue, Novaria chimed in, her voice dripping with false sincerity. “I’m sorry, Harper. I was just feeling down, and Otis was trying to cheer me up. Otis, you should apologize to Harper.”

Otis frowned, clearly annoyed. “I just gave you a cake, Nova. Why should I apologize?”

His words sent a chill through the room, freezing the atmosphere in an instant. Novaria smiled subtly, a gesture that didn’t escape my notice. It was a silent declaration, a claim on what she believed was hers.

It was almost laughable—the person who had wronged me had no idea he was in the wrong. Otis never realized his own faults, just like before. He believed he could smooth things over with a few empty words, that I would simply let it slide and move on.

I returned his gaze with a smile. “Yes, you’re right. Keep it up next time.”

Without another word, I turned and left, not bothering to look back.

As I walked away, I overheard Novaria’s voice, laced with mock concern. “Otis, go apologize quickly. Harper is obviously angry.”

“Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine in a few days.” His words cut through me like a blade, sharp and unforgiving.

What had I done to make him so confident that I would always come back, no matter how many times he hurt me?

I continued walking, my steps slow and heavy, the cool breeze of the early autumn night doing little to ease the suffocation I felt inside. The streets were bustling with life, mates walking hand in hand, their laughter and affection genuine and enviable.

Once upon a time, Otis and I were just like them, inseparable, holding onto each other as if our lives depended on it. But now, all that was left were memories, fading like the warmth of summer as the chill of autumn set in.

My breath hitched, the weight of it all pressing down on me. I caught sight of a skewer stall and, on impulse, decided to buy one. The smell of grilled meat used to comfort me, but as I took a bite, the taste was overwhelming—far too salty.

“This skewer tastes off,” I mumbled to the vendor, my voice trembling with unspoken emotions.

The vendor looked at me, sympathy in his eyes, and handed me a tissue. “Miss, maybe you should wipe your tears first.”

I blinked, realizing that my vision was blurred, my tears silently falling onto the skewer, making it unbearably salty. No wonder it tasted so wrong.

I sniffed, wiping my eyes, and turned away, heading home with a heavy heart.

As soon as I walked through the door, my phone buzzed with a message from Otis:

Otis: [Why am I blocked on our mindlink? Anyway, have you arrived home?]

I stared at the screen, my heart aching, but I didn’t reply. Another message came through moments later:

Otis: [Everyone didn't enjoy the meal because of you today. Let's invite them to dinner another day.]

Still, I remained silent, my fingers hovering over the screen before I set the phone down.

Minutes passed before my phone rang, Otis’s name flashing across the screen. I let it ring, ignoring the call, letting the sound echo in the quiet of my home.

By the time I returned from washing up, the phone was silent, as if it had given up on trying to reach me.

Harper's POV

The next day, after getting ready, I decided to head to the market to buy some groceries. But as I opened the door, I froze. A neatly wrapped breakfast sat on the ground, an unwelcome reminder of the person who refused to leave me alone.

It wasn’t hard to guess who had placed it there. Otis. Again.

I picked up the breakfast with a sigh, heading downstairs. As I passed by the trash can, I didn’t hesitate to toss it in. I wasn’t hungry for his empty gestures.

But as I looked up, I saw him—Otis, standing right in front of me, his expression dark and brooding. His presence was like a storm cloud hanging over my day.

He was here again. How I wished the guards would stop letting him through. But as long as our bond remained, it was impossible to keep him away.

"You threw away the breakfast I bought for you," he said, his voice tinged with displeasure and a flicker of anger. His deep orange eyes bore into me, searching for a reaction.

"I told you," I replied coolly, "I don’t like what you say or what you give."

I tried to walk past him, but his hand shot out, gripping my arm. “Harper, are you still in a mood?”

"Am I in a mood?" I echoed, meeting his gaze with icy calm. "Didn’t you always dismiss me like this before? Always thought I was just being temperamental?"

Otis had a serious stomach condition, something the pack healer constantly warned him about. To help, I’d spent hours learning to prepare the perfect nutritious meals for him. I’d hoped to ease his discomfort, to show him how much I cared. But none of those meals ever touched his lips.

If I hadn’t accidentally seen him giving those meals to Novaria, I would’ve been none the wiser, still blindly making them for him, thinking I was helping.

Otis hesitated, his silence betraying him. Finally, he said, “She’s physically weak. She needs the nutritious meals more than I do.”

"Really?" I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "One with a stomach problem, the other physically weak—you two are quite a match."

I had no more time to waste on him. Shaking off his hand, I walked away, my heart hardening with each step.

I focused on the more important things in my life, ignoring the barrage of messages he sent. Every gift, every meal he tried to send my way—I returned them unopened, untouched.

When my old friends found out I had returned, they invited me out, and I didn’t hesitate. I laughed, I danced, I did whatever I wanted. Without Otis and Novaria hanging over me like a dark cloud, my troubles were reduced to a fraction of what they were before. What remained was the pure, simple joy of being alone, of being free.

But just as I was beginning to forget they even existed, my phone buzzed. It was Jovan.

“Harper, when are you coming? We’re all waiting here, just missing you.”

I frowned, confused. “Waiting for me? Why?”

“Isn’t it you and Otis who are treating us to dinner? Hurry up and get here. We’re waiting for you.”

He hung up before I could respond, sending me an address immediately after.

For a moment, I stood there, torn between the desire to move on and the need to confront this lingering pain. Maybe it was time to clarify things once and for all, to take a clean break.

I shifted into my wolf form, sprinting towards the Gravetooth Canines Pack. The wind rushed past me, the world blurring as I ran. The guards at the border recognized my scent and let me through without a word. Following the address Jovan sent, I found myself standing in front of a shop I’d once mentioned to Otis.

I’d wanted to try this place for ages, curious if the food was as good as the rumors. But Otis always claimed he was too busy, so I never got the chance to come.

Pushing open the door, I spotted Jovan’s seat, but before I could step inside, his voice reached my ears.

"Harper has quite the temper, doesn’t she? We had to call her again and again before she finally agreed to come. Otis has humbled himself, yet she still won’t give him the time of day. She’s really spoiled."

They hadn’t caught my scent yet. Novaria’s soft chuckle followed, laced with that infuriating sweetness she always used. "Girls are like that—a bit of a temper is normal. Harper’s just too insecure and doesn’t quite trust Otis. She’ll come around eventually."

"In my opinion, you and Otis are a better match," Jovan continued. "If only he didn't encounter Harper, you’d be the one by Otis’s side now."

Something inside me snapped. The pieces of the puzzle finally clicked into place. So Otis had feelings for Novaria all along. My suspicions were right.

No wonder he was so unconditionally tolerant of her. She wasn’t just a friend—she was the one he truly wanted, the one he adored.

Jus then, Otis’s voice came from behind me. “Go on in. Don’t just stand there.”

I turned to face him, clutching my bag tightly, my heart pounding in my chest. “What do you want me to go in for? To hear you announce your new romance?”

Harper's POV

A cold, sharp edge crept into my expression as I turned to walk away. But before I could leave, Jovan and Novaria finally noticed our presence as they heard our conversation. They approached us, their faces a mix of concern and confusion.

Novaria, always quick to play the innocent, flashed a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Harper, finally, you’re here. Let’s start our dinner."

I leveled a cold stare at her, my voice icy. "No, I can’t eat with you guys around."

Her smile wavered, and I could see the tension in her eyes. She wasn’t used to me pushing back like this. "Harper, what do you mean?"

Ignoring her, I locked my gaze on Otis. "She calls you every time she has a problem, and you always rush to her side without a second thought. I didn’t understand why before, but now I do. Do you find it amusing to play this act in front of me?"

Otis’s face hardened, his eyes flaring with that intense orange glow that always appeared when he was angry. His voice was rough, edged with frustration. "What nonsense are you talking about? I’ve told you before—I only see Nova as my sister!"

Novaria’s face drained of color, her composure faltering.

I looked between them, a wave of disgust washing over me. I’d once been so devoted to Otis, pouring my heart into our bond, but now it felt like a cruel joke—one that they were all in on.

"Well," I said, my voice cutting through the tension, "I no longer care about whatever relationship you have with her, because I, Harper Delaney, reject you, Otis Collier, as my mate."

He moved to stop me, but I was quicker, my words slicing through the air with finality. The bond between us shattered, and I watched as he clutched his chest, pain twisting his features.

"Don’t come looking for me again," I spat, my voice cold and unyielding.

I didn’t spare him another glance as I turned on my heel and walked away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Novaria and Jovan rush to his side, trying to comfort him, but I no longer cared.

Little did they know, the pain searing through Otis was nothing compared to the agony tearing through my own heart—multiplied tenfold. I sprinted back to White Fang Pack, tears streaming down my cheeks as I fought to endure the pain that threatened to consume me.

As soon as I reached the border, I pulled out my phone, my hands trembling. With a few taps, I deleted every trace of him from my life—messages, photos, everything. This time, I would erase him completely, burn every bridge, and let the ashes scatter in the wind.

Not recognizing him once was a moment of confusion; doing it repeatedly would be sheer folly.

I kept walking, my feet moving on their own until I found myself in a very familiar place—the lake.

I sat by the water’s edge, the memories flooding back—of someone who used to be here with me, someone I wished was here now. Sylas. My childhood friend, the one who always knew how to lift my spirits. We’d always met here, but only in the summer, and I never understood why.

He was my safe place, my anchor, and I remembered how I’d once secretly wished he was my mate, how easy it would’ve been if fate had chosen him instead of Otis.

Lost in thought, the tears came again, hot and unrelenting. As I wept, I was startled by a voice, unfamiliar yet oddly comforting, coming from behind me.

"I’ve been waiting for you here for years now."

The scent that accompanied the voice sent a shiver down my spine—familiar, like a long-lost memory suddenly awakened.