A week before our bonding ceremony, I overheard my mate talking to his friends.

“You actually changed the location for Kira?” one of them teased. “Without telling your fiancée?”

Then came his arrogant reply, laced with a smirk I could practically hear through the door.

“It’s fine. She loves me so much she nearly died for me. She’ll do whatever I say.”

He was so sure I’d follow him to that California beach.

So on our bonding day, when his furious mind-link message finally came…

“Sarah, where the hell are you?!”

I just smiled at the snow falling on my chosen mountain peak.

“I’ve been here for a while.”

————————

1

I had chosen our bonding ceremony to be at Aurora Peak in Alaska long ago. That place held a special meaning for me and Ethan Thornfield.

But I never imagined he would change it just because of something Kira Reed said.

My hands trembled. I stood frozen at the door, afraid of disturbing the Alphas inside.

Ethan’s Beta, Leo, frowned.

“A bonding ceremony is about two people. You should at least tell Sarah Carter, right? How else is she supposed to prepare?”

Ethan waved his hand, annoyed.

“What is there to prepare? Aurora Peak is freezing. Crescent Bay is so much more comfortable.”

“But a bonding ceremony is a huge deal. Isn’t it incredibly disrespectful to not even tell her?”

Ethan was getting impatient.

“If she knew, she’d ask a million questions and probably throw a fit. Then I’d have to soothe her. It’s a hassle.”

“Anyway, she loves me so much, she’ll definitely agree. Don’t you remember? She nearly died for me. What’s changing a location compared to that?”

Someone beside him smirked.

“I know what our Alpha is thinking. It’s all for Kira… I mean, what man could resist a fiery body like hers?”

“Haha, we all thought you were going to marry Kira. She’s so beautiful and comes from such a good family.”

Ethan’s face darkened at that, his Alpha presence flooding the room.

“Shut up. Don’t let me hear that again. If Sarah Carter makes a scene, I’ll hold all of you responsible.”

The men laughed.

“Alright, alright, we’ll stop. You’re the man, Ethan. Sarah is completely devoted to you.”

Suddenly, Ethan’s phone rang. The caller ID said “Kira.” The men all shared a knowing grin.

“The real Luna is calling.”

Ethan didn’t correct them, his voice softening as he answered.

Kira’s sweet, flirty laugh came through the phone.

“Ethan, did you really get me that moonstone necklace? I heard it’s exclusively for a Luna!”

“Mhm, I had it custom-made. It’ll arrive next week.”

“Is… is it very expensive?”

“Only $200,000. It’s worth it if you like it.”

Kira sounded deeply touched.

“You’re so good to me. I’ll definitely wear it for you at the bonding ceremony!”

Ethan smiled warmly.

“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

After he hung up, his friends started hooting.

“She’s going to outshine the bride! Ethan, are you marrying Sarah or Kira?”

Ethan just smiled.

“Sarah and I are practically an old married couple. It doesn’t matter what she wears… Kira is different. She needs this more.”

I stood at the door, a bitter smile touching my lips. My ceremony necklace was from a local jewelry store.

The day I tried it on, my old wounds were still aching. I asked Ethan for his opinion.

After I had tried on three, he just waved me off.

“They all look good. Let’s just get this one. You don’t know anything about jewelry anyway.”

He was in a hurry to pay. The receipt came to $20,000.

So, he was capable of planning thoughtful surprises. Just not for me.

On the way home, I bit my lip so hard it almost bled, but tears streamed down my face regardless.

Six years.

For six whole years, I had naively believed that he understood me.

When I first told him I wanted our bonding ceremony at Aurora Peak, he smiled, ruffled my hair, and said, “Okay.”

I was so moved in that moment.

He remembers, I told myself. He had to.

He remembered it was where we first met. He remembered I fell and was covered in blood for him. He remembered how I held his hand tightly in a blizzard and said, “Don’t be afraid.”

But it turned out he didn’t remember at all.

Or rather, he had never truly cared.

I remembered the healer’s warning that emotional turmoil would affect my recovery. I tilted my head back, trying to force the tears back, but my throat was tight with sobs.

Ethan contacted me through our mind-link. The background was a wall of sound, the music deafening.

“Sarah, Leo and the guys are throwing me a bachelor party tonight. I won’t be home.”

I paused for two seconds.

“Okay.”

This “bachelor party” had been going on for three days.

At 1 a.m., I couldn’t sleep and scrolled through social media.

Leo had posted a nine-photo grid with the caption: The Alpha’s Last Night of Freedom.

In the center photo, Kira, her cheeks flushed, was leaning drunkenly in Ethan’s arms. Ethan’s hand was pressed firmly against her bare waist.

There were plenty of comments below:

“They look so good together. What a shame.”

“They grew up together, don’t start rumors.”

“Ethan Thornfield, watch yourself! Don’t make Sarah mad!”

Ethan had replied to that one.

“Sarah won’t mind. If she makes a fuss over something this small, then we shouldn’t even be getting mated.”

I quietly liked his comment, then turned off my phone and went to sleep.

He was so sure I would put up with it, just like I put up with him changing the ceremony location, put up with the $200,000 necklace, and put up with every “we’re just friends.”

But this time, I didn’t want to put up with it anymore.

I went to the pack’s medical center alone for a follow-up on my old injuries.

“I told you last time, your old wounds are unstable. Someone must come with you.”

Hearing the healer’s words, I just smiled quietly.

“I can handle it by myself.”

As I left the medical center, a heavy rain began to fall.

I glanced into a nearby coffee shop and saw two people. Ethan was holding up his phone, and Kira was leaning on his shoulder. They were in a close embrace.

The watch on Kira’s wrist was the new model Ethan had said he was “getting for a client” last week.

I laughed at my own foolishness and walked home in the downpour.

When Ethan got home, I was taking off my soaked shirt, revealing the black lace lingerie underneath.

He looked up and froze, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“Why are you soaked?”

“My follow-up.”

Ethan’s expression stiffened.

“That was today?”

I gave a small laugh.

“Yes. This was the third time I reminded you.”

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“I’ve been too busy lately, I forgot. Anyway, you’ve recovered. Missing one appointment is fine.”

I watched him quietly.

“The healer said my wolf core is still shrinking.”

Ethan was speechless. After a moment, he looked up, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

“Are you trying to remind me again that you almost died for me?”

So, that’s what this was.

In his eyes, my sacrifice was just a tool I used to make him feel guilty.

When I didn’t say anything, Ethan suddenly became furious.

“There’s that dead-eyed stare again! I forgot one time! Why do you always get so worked up over every little thing?”

I looked at his collar and said softly.

“You have Kira’s perfume on you.”

Ethan instinctively sniffed his collar and froze.

“You…”

I added calmly, “Kira’s new watch looks nice.”

Ethan’s face turned red with anger. He pointed a finger at me, exasperated.

“Are you following me? Seriously? She was just in a bad mood and wanted to talk!”

“You know what her family situation is like! She only has me!”

“Sarah Carter, can’t you be more generous? This is getting ridiculous!”