Two years after the arranged mate bond, I was sent back, and my mate, Rowen Watson, wasted no time in handing me a rejection letter.

On the day I left, he stood silently to the side, his hands clasped behind his back, watching as I packed my belongings. His voice cut through the quiet, cold and detached.

“You’re gentle and capable, Ivy. This rejection won’t hinder your future. When you return from your travels, I’ll arrange a suitable mate for you…”

I nodded. “Alright.”

His hand twitched as I took the rejection letter and tucked it into my bag.

For many nights after, he would wake from nightmares, staring at my portrait and whispering, “Ivy, when will you come back?”

---

On the day I left, Rowen stood to the side, his Alpha aura subdued but still palpable. He watched as I folded the few clothes I owned and placed them into the same bag I had brought with me when I first arrived.

He stepped forward, his tone calm but distant. “There’s no need to rush. The escorting party won’t arrive for a few days.”

I wrapped a well-used pen in a cloth before looking up at him. “Today’s a good day for travel. I don’t have much to pack, so it won’t take long.”

It was too calm. Too smooth.

Unlike the messy separations in other packs, where Omegas were cast aside for petty reasons, my departure was as simple as a few words and a piece of paper.

I carefully wiped down a few old books and placed them in the corner of the bag, wondering if I had forgotten anything. I didn’t notice the two servants’ contracts clutched in Rowen’s hand.

After a long moment of hesitation, he finally stepped forward and offered them to me. “Take these two Omegas with you. They’re used to attending to you.”

I knew what he meant, but I simply smiled and declined. “They’ll have a better life here in the pack than with me on the road. Let them stay.”

He asked again, “Where are you planning to go?”

My voice was steady. “Perhaps I’ll return to my hometown first.”

He nodded. “That place is harsh. Visit your parents’ graves, then find somewhere else to settle.”

He paused, then added, “We were mates once. If you return to the city, seek out Zen. He’ll help you.”

I nodded. “Alright.”

But I knew I wouldn’t return to the city.

These gestures of goodwill were likely meaningless.

Life was unpredictable, full of gains and losses.

If it weren’t for that misunderstanding years ago, I might have already settled in that small, remote town.

There was nothing to regret.

Over the years, I had supported Rowen’s education and networking with the money I earned from my craftsmanship. Now, my skill with creating intricate designs had become my livelihood.

Whether it was detailed patterns or delicate color combinations, I had mastered it all.

With this skill, I wouldn’t starve, no matter where I went.

But even if the day came when my eyesight failed and I could no longer create, I wouldn’t return to the city.

With that thought, I tightened the straps of my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and said, “I’m leaving.”

Just as I stepped toward the door, his voice stopped me.

“Wait!”

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “The ‘Eternal Bond’ tapestry my mother gave you, the pair of wolf figurines from our marking ceremony—your name is engraved on the base. Aren’t you taking them?”

I paused, then shook my head. “You can handle them.”

He was taken aback, as if realizing I had no attachment to this place.

He let out a bitter laugh, though it didn’t sound like he was pleased.

“How do you expect me to handle them? Selling or gifting them wouldn’t be appropriate. Leaving them here would only cause trouble if she sees them…”

My chest tightened. “Then throw them away.”

Rowen had nothing more to say as he followed me out the door.

The distance from the inner courtyard to the gate felt like an eternity…

I had stood by Rowen’s side as he rose from a struggling Beta to become the Alpha of his pack.

Every detail of the pack’s affairs, I had managed with care.

To those above, I showed respect; to those below, I offered kindness.

Liliana, his mother, had treated me like her own daughter.

If she hadn’t passed away two years ago, she would have shielded me from this scene, forcing Rowen to kneel in the pack’s sacred grounds as punishment.

I missed her deeply.

I missed the herbal tea she used to brew for me during pack gatherings.

I missed her gentle reminders not to strain myself during pack training.

I missed how she defended me when others whispered about my inability to awaken my inner wolf.

Even in her frail state, she stood up for me: “What my daughter-in-law does is none of your concern!”

“Awakening one’s wolf is a matter of fate, not just effort. What are you trying to achieve with your gossip?”

I missed how, before she left this world, she whispered in Rowen’s ear, urging him to treat me well.

Sadly, her wish remained unfulfilled.

……

The pack members had always respected me.

Now, as I prepared to leave, they gathered in the courtyard, hesitating, unsure if they should approach to say goodbye.

I calmly told them to return to their duties.

Rowen was a stickler for rules, and I didn’t want them to face punishment on my account.

After I left, Sky—the noble Beta’s heir who had been rejected by the Northern Pack’s Alpha heir—would take my place as the pack’s Luna.

They needed to earn her favor to secure their positions in the pack.

Compared to my humble origins, Sky’s status, even tarnished, carried an air of nobility.

As Alpha, Rowen needed a Luna who could bring prestige and strength to the pack.

In that regard, I was no match for Sky.

Being replaced was inevitable.

Still, the situation was more absurd than I had imagined.

Even if it wasn’t Sky’s fault, being rejected by the Northern Pack after two years had damaged her reputation.

For a female werewolf, all she desired was a stable mate and a place in the pack.

When the news reached our pack, Rowen became restless.

I could tell he pitied her.

He never said it outright.

But he had already written the rejection letter and hidden it in the drawer of his desk.

I found it by accident while organizing his papers.

I quietly placed it back and continued with my work as if nothing had happened.

At that moment, I revisited every memory of our journey together.

I couldn’t find any evidence that Rowen didn’t love me.

He had been a considerate mate,

sneaking in the silver pendant I’d admired for my birthday,

staying by my side when I was unwell,

and always bringing me little gifts he thought would make me smile.

……

But if this was love, why did I lose my place the moment she returned, even before she set foot in our territory?