After deciding to leave, I went to the Blacknight Pack's municipal office to submit my withdrawal application.

"Ms. Holt," the clerk said carefully, "once you leave the pack, you'll lose all pack protection and will never be allowed to rejoin. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure."

When I stepped out of the building, a notification popped up on Instagram.

"Thank you for being there for me when I'm at my weakest!"

The photo beneath it showed the snowy scenery of Bhador and Mason wrapping a scarf around Eira.

My chest felt like it had been stabbed right through.

Even though I had decided to walk away from this relationship, I still could not stop the pain, nor the tears that slipped out on their own.

Then, something on her hand caught my eye: the moonstone ring.

It was the token of the Blacknight Pack's Luna.

Mason's mother had pressed it into my hand before she passed away.

Mason was supposed to slide it onto my finger in front of everyone at our marking ceremony next week, declaring me his mate.

All that…yet that ring was on someone else.

Before I could stop myself, I tapped the like button.

One second later, Mason called.

"Cassandra, Eira said the ring was pretty and wanted to wear it for a few days. She'll give it back when we return. Don't worry. You're the only one in my heart. The Luna position is yours."

Before I could respond, Eira's voice chimed in, "Cassandra, don't be mad at Mason over a ring. You'll make him sad."

I had not even spoken. Then, Mason transferred money to me.

"Buy the wedding rings we tried yesterday. You liked them, didn't you? Don't be upset, okay? Don't make things hard for Eira over something so small. Her condition can't handle the stress."

I accepted the payment; I needed the money anyway. There was no point refusing it out of pride.

After hanging up, I contacted everyone to cancel the marking ceremony. They were utterly shocked.

They had gotten used to postponements over the years, but canceling outright?

They thought I was just rebelling again… that I would cave like always. No one took it seriously.

Only my best friend, Selena, came over and hugged me tight.

"You finally walked away. Honestly, I think you should've left the very first time he postponed the ceremony for Eira. You deserve better."

When I finished notifying everyone and returned home to pack, Mason called again.

He sounded exhausted.

"This time… I don't know how long the delay will be. Eira isn't doing well. You should go ahead and tell your friends the ceremony's off. We'll talk again when she's fully recovered. And you–"

"I know," I cut him off.

I knew exactly what he was about to say. It was the same old routine of "I'm sorry", a handful of gifts, and him trying to make up for it.

I used to blow up at him every time… It no longer mattered, though.

There was silence on his end. He had clearly prepared a whole list of excuses and did not expect me to give in so easily.

Then he spoke again, carefully.

"I've found a new doctor for Eira. She should improve soon. When that happens, she won't affect us anymore."

"Mason, can you bring me the towel?" Eira's sugary voice rang in the background, grating on my nerves.

I hung up before he could say another word.

I used to never understand…

Why, whenever Eira got sick, did she insist only Mason could accompany her? Why did she chase away every doctor who tried to treat her?

I understood perfectly at this point: Eira never intended to get better.

After packing my luggage, I gathered everything connected to Mason and dumped it into the trash station.

A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and I collapsed on the roadside.

In a daze, I dialed the emergency contact.

It rang several times before being rejected.

When the call finally connected, I gasped, "Mason, I almost fainted. Can you–"

"Cassandra Holt, Mason is asleep. And pretending to be sick won't work on us!" Eira hung up immediately.

In the end, a passerby called an ambulance and sent me to the hospital.

When I woke up, it was already the next night.

The doctor said, "Ms. Holt, you're pregnant. You need to rest more once you go home."

He left after giving instructions.

I sat there in complete shock.

Pregnant? Right when I chose to give up on Mason, too?

"Cassandra, are you okay?"

The hospital room door burst open, and Mason rushed in, panic written all over his face.

I quickly slipped the pregnancy report under my pillow.

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick? Do you know how dangerous it is to faint in the streets all on your own? Luckily, the doctor called me. I leave for two days, and you manage to get yourself hospitalized. What are you going to do without me?"

He scanned me from head to toe, finally letting out a sigh of relief once he saw I was intact.

As an Omega, my health had always been fragile. Every time I got sick, Mason would stay up through the night to watch over me.

I did not expect him to come back this time.

I took a sip of water to steady myself, hiding my nerves. I could not let him find out I was pregnant.

"Did you not see the call log? I called you more than ten times. You never answered. The last one was picked up by Eira. She said you–"

Before I could finish, he cut me off.

"Cassandra, I know you don't like Eira, but you don't have to slander her."

I froze. Slander?

He pulled out his phone.

There was no trace of my calls in his call history.

I opened my mouth and reached for my own phone to show him, but then Eira called.

"Mason, how could you leave me alone like that?"

"Cassandra fainted. I need to take care of her."

"She's faking it! Did you forget last time? She pretended to fall just to make you come home."

I looked at Mason.

Sure enough, doubt flickered in his eyes, but he still refused her.

"She's not doing well. When she's better, I'll come with you. Go have fun on your own for now. If you need money, just tell me."

After he hung up, he turned to me. "You were saying?"

"Nothing."

I turned my head away. I was leaving anyway; there was no point explaining anything anymore.

The next morning, I received a notification from the municipal office.

"Your pack withdrawal request has been approved."

I then called to book an afternoon flight to Ularia.

"Plane ticket? Where are you going?" Mason walked in.

"It's the honeymoon tickets I booked earlier. I just canceled them," I replied calmly.

He lowered his gaze, looking guilty. "When Eira gets better, I'll take you there. I promise."

I silently nodded.

The next second, Eira barged in. "So, you were supposed to be sick? Funny, you look perfectly healthy to me."

She looked at me from head to toe disdainfully.

Mason frowned. "Eira, Cassandra will be my mate. Don't talk to her like that."

The moment she heard 'mate', Eira broke down.

"You said you'd always take care of me! It wasn't enough that you abandoned me in Bhador, and now you're scolding me too? I should've just died that day when I saved you!"

Then she burst out of the room in tears.

Mason hesitated, glancing back at me.

"Go," I said softly. "Don't let anything happen to her."

He stared at me, stunned by my tone.

Then instinct kicked in, and he ran after her.

On his way down the hall, a strange uneasiness spread through him.

The look in my eyes… He had never seen me so resolute.

I had been too compliant this time.

A dangerous thought flashed through his mind. His lips trembled.

No… impossible. I would never leave him.

I had given up my career to be with him. Without him, as an Omega with no job, where could I possibly go?

He convinced himself he was overthinking it.

He and Eira were innocent. He only gave her a little extra care. Why would I leave him over something so silly?

…

After he left, I checked out of the hospital too.

I asked the doctor to prescribe me some prenatal vitamins.

I might be done with Mason, but I was not giving up my pup.

The baby and I would begin a new life together.

I went home, grabbed my suitcase, and headed straight for the airport.

By the time my plane landed in Ularia and I sipped my first glass of the local wine, Mason arrived home.

The empty apartment made his chest tighten.

The doctor said I had been discharged, so why was I not at home?

He walked to the bedroom, and on the table lay a sticky note…along with the pregnancy report.

"Goodbye, Mason."