Something flickered in my eyes — the first crack in my composure.

Damien's face twisted with conflict. "Vivian has a terminal illness. She doesn't have long. Her dying wish is a mating ceremony — a real one. She wants to be my Luna before she goes. She saved my life. Can't I grant her this one thing?"

"Of course, we'd only dissolve our bond temporarily. We'll get back together afterward. This won't affect the alliance between our packs. I don't want our personal business to interfere with politics."

All those pretty words boiled down to one thing: he wanted Vivian's child and my family's wealth. He wanted it all.

Despite everything, I nodded.

Relief broke across his face. "I'll have the papers drawn up right away."

"No need." I pulled the dissolution agreement from my bag. "I've had these ready for a while."

His relief vanished, replaced by something hard and suspicious.

"How did you—"

"Stop stalling. Sign. Your Vivian is waiting."

He picked up the pen but hesitated at the last moment, looking up at me. "Elena... do you still love me?"

I laughed — a cold, hollow sound — and turned the question back on him. "Do you?"

"Of course I—"

Vivian's wailing cut through from outside.

"Damien! If I can't be with you, what's the point of living? I'd rather die than be apart from you!"

She raised a silver blade to her own chest. Damien bolted toward her and caught her in his arms. "I've already dissolved things with Elena! The ceremony is happening. Calm down!"

She thrashed and sobbed. "You haven't signed yet! You're lying to me!"

Without a second's hesitation, Damien bit open his hand and signed his name in blood. He flung the papers at me. "Sign it! Do you want to watch her die?"

I bit my own hand and let my blood fall onto his. The two bloods merged and ignited, burning the contract to ash. In that instant, our bond was severed.

Even though love was already dead, the severance still hurt — a deep, aching hollow where the bond had been.

Damien's jaw clenched. His body shook. I knew he felt it too, but he wouldn't show it — not in front of Vivian.

The moment it was done, Vivian stopped crying. She grabbed Damien's arm and walked out without a backward glance.

Silence filled the room. My heart emptied along with it. The pain of dissolution was far worse than I'd expected. Sweat beaded on my forehead before I even realized it.

After a long while, I went to my room, grabbed the bags I'd already packed, and walked out of the place I'd called home for seven years.

At the airport, I blocked Damien on everything — every number, every contact, every link to my old life. Then I boarded the plane.

The pack's buildings shrank beneath me until they were nothing. A new life was beginning.