When I finally found my voice, it was a fragile whisper.

"So you agreed?"

Kael's patience was already wearing thin. "Evelyn, this is just to help her wolf heal!"

"Gritte is family. Can't you care about her for once? You're still my fated mate."

I opened my mouth, but Finn's voice cut me off.

"Mom, Gritte is a good person. We all love her."

"Why can't you just try? She's suffering in the infirmary!"

After six years of love and sacrifice, I was the one they deemed disposable. Abandoned by my parents and brother, and now by my own mate and child.

I met Kael's gaze, my voice terrifyingly calm.

"Fine. I agree."

He drew in a sharp breath. "You... you're serious?" Then, he clumsily grabbed my hand, hastily petitioning the Moon Goddess to sever the bond, as if terrified I would change my mind.

"Merciful Moon Goddess, I petition you to allow us to sever our mate bond..."

My wolf bled within me, the curse's power flaring as our bond tore apart. It felt as if my wolf's own spirit was being torn in two. Tears blurred my vision as I hoarsely repeated the vow.

Six years of a sacred bond, gone in an instant.

After the ritual, I turned to leave, but Kael grabbed my wrist.

"Evelyn... you did the right thing."

"As soon as Gritte is better, I'll re-establish our bond. I promise."

Finn threw his arms around me, his smile radiant. "Mom! I'm so proud of you! You're finally being selfless!"

Their happy faces tore the last shred of hope from my heart.

I prayed for death to come quickly.

I stood up, my throat parched, intending to get a glass of water from the kitchen, but darkness swallowed my vision as I crumpled to the floor.

"Evelyn?"

Kael's voice sounded distant. When I forced my eyes open, their looks of disgust pinned me down.

"See, Dad?" Finn said with a sneer. "There she goes again with the theatrics. Just another pathetic attempt to make us feel guilty."

Kael scoffed. "We have an agreement, Evelyn. The bond stays severed until Gritte has recovered. Did you really think this pathetic act would change my mind?"

I grabbed a chair and hauled myself to my feet. My reflection in the mirror showed no sign of my decay—a cruel trick of the suppressants—but the dying whimper of my inner wolf echoed through my bones.

"If you're done wasting our time," Finn snapped, "we're going to see Gritte."

"I'll go with you," I said, my voice cold as ice. "There's another document she needs to sign."

Kael said nothing. My parents must have already told him.

In the pack infirmary, Gritte was holding court from her bed, a triumphant queen attended by her devoted subjects.

"Evelyn! How sweet of you to visit me." Her sickeningly sweet tone couldn't mask her glee.

"Oh, Evelyn!" my mother gushed. "Aren't you lucky? Gritte is taking all that tedious work off your hands!"

I slowly placed the deeds to all my personal properties on the bedside table.

"These are my personal lands," I announced to the room. "I want Gritte to have them, too."

The room once again fell silent.

"Evelyn..." Kael's voice was surprisingly hesitant. "Are you really giving Gritte everything? Your company... even your personal lands?"

This was my former mate, the man who had always insisted Gritte deserved more. And now he was hesitating?

My father broke the silence, his voice full of approval. "Evelyn, you've finally become the kind of sister you were always meant to be!"

"I'm so relieved to see you're not so selfish anymore."

Asher offered me a smile he hadn't given me in years. "Yes, Evelyn. Family is supposed to take care of each other. I'm glad you finally understand that."

Their joy should have sliced me to the bone, but by now, I only felt a hollow numbness.

Would they still be so pleased when the truth finally came out?

Then, a trickle of black blood, flecked with silver, oozed from my nose, instantly staining my white shirt a deep crimson.

"Evelyn?!" My mother's voice was sharp with panic.

I wiped away the blood, my own voice surprisingly calm.

"Mom," I asked quietly, "if my wolf were to fade completely... would you even miss me?"

She recoiled as if I'd struck her. "Don't say such dreadful things! Your wolf is the strongest in this family."

Dad nodded, his attention already drifting back to Gritte. "Your mother's right. We should be worried about Gritte. Her wolf is the weakest."

Finn rushed to Gritte's side. "Exactly. Mom always recovers quickly, but Gritte needs our care."

Something inside me shattered.

I turned to Finn, my voice as soft as a whisper. "You've always wanted Gritte to take care of you, haven't you?"

A heavy silence fell.

"Congratulations. From now on, she's your surrogate mother. I'll never get in your way again."

Finn’s face lit up with pure joy. "Really? That's amazing, Mom! I can't believe you finally agree!"

I smiled gently. "Yes, Finn. From now on, you can call Gritte 'mother'. She'll always be with you."

His face lit up. "You're the best, Mom! I love you!" He eagerly planted a kiss on Gritte's cheek, his laughter echoing in the room like a victory cry.

My parents exchanged a look of smug satisfaction. Asher approvingly ruffled Finn's hair, while Kael fussed over Gritte as if she were a precious treasure.

I stood apart from them, an invisible ghost.

What a perfect family portrait—warm, whole, and united. And I was just the inconvenient shadow they were desperate to cut out.

So I left.