Chapter 1
On my birthday, Killian, the Alpha of the Black Moon Pack and my mate of six years, gifted me a cheap pair of pajamas worth less than a hundred bucks. Meanwhile, he presented Veronica, his childhood crush, with a set of luxurious gold lingerie. The blatant favoritism ignited a fire within me, and I confronted him immediately. But he dismissed my anger with a sharp command, his alpha tone cutting through the air like a blade.
"Veronica’s been struggling lately, and gold wards off misfortune. Stop overreacting, Luna," he snapped before banishing me from my own celebration with a wave of his hand.
That night, Veronica flaunted her gift on the pack’s social network, posting a photo of herself in the golden lingerie with the caption: "Fits perfectly—Alpha Killian always knows me best after all these years ~"
Six years of our mate bond couldn’t rival their eight-year friendship. Furious and heartbroken, I instructed Marianna, my Beta and most trusted assistant, to draft the dissolution of our mate bond, ensuring Killian would lose everything he held dear.
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When Killian returned to the pack house, he found me shredding one of his prized shirts—a gift from Veronica on his eighteenth birthday. He rushed in, not bothering to remove his shoes, and shoved me aside to salvage the remnants.
"Luna Elsie, have you lost your mind? Do you know what this shirt means to me?" he roared, his alpha aura flaring as he gathered the scraps. His voice carried the weight of authority, but I refused to cower.
I stood silent, my gaze icy, as he fussed over the ruined shirt. Moments later, he calmed, though his eyes still burned with anger, and placed a gift box before me.
"I didn’t forget your birthday. Here’s your gift," he said, his tone softer but still laced with irritation. It seemed he’d finally remembered that Veronica and I shared the same birthday.
I didn’t react, and his patience wore thin. "Celebrating with Veronica would’ve been more enjoyable. You’re always making things difficult for her!" he insisted, his alpha tone creeping back. "I invited you back for your own sake, so the pack wouldn’t think you’re jealous!"
As always, Killian masked his negligence with feigned concern. My chest tightened as I recalled the celebration that should’ve been mine. The hall was decorated to Veronica’s taste, and Killian had publicly presented her with the extravagant gold lingerie.
The pack members egged him on, their laughter and sneers directed at me. "Alpha Killian always spares no expense. Veronica’s fortunate," one remarked. "With lingerie like that, she owes him quite the thanks," another added, their words laced with innuendo.
In the past, I would’ve endured the humiliation for the sake of the pack’s harmony. But tonight, I couldn’t suppress my anger and challenged him about the inappropriateness of his gift. His response was to silence me with his alpha tone and order me to leave.
Adding insult to injury, Veronica flaunted her gift online, her post dripping with provocation. And here was Killian, still playing the role of the concerned mate with his half-hearted gestures.
“Come on, Elsie, open it. It’s a gift I picked just for you,” he urged, his tone softer but still carrying the weight of his alpha authority.
I flipped the box over, and the contents spilled onto the floor—a hideous yellow pajama set, its cheap quality glaringly obvious. The tag displayed a price of $9.99, mocking its value.
Before Killian could speak, I scanned the barcode with my phone. The app confirmed the price: $9.99. I tossed both the box and pajamas at him.
"Alpha Killian, what is this? Are you trying to insult me with this bargain-bin trash?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.
He looked mortified, his alpha aura flickering with unease. "Elsie, I bought high-quality pajamas. The store must’ve made a mistake. It’s not about the price; it’s the thought—"
I cut him off with a sharp glare. "You splurge on lingerie for an Omega and give your Luna this garbage? Is this how you honor the mate bond?"
His face flushed with anger and shame. "Elsie, stop exaggerating. Veronica’s not a second-rate model. She’s part of this pack, and you’re acting like a jealous fool!"
His words struck deep, but I refused to let him see my pain. Instead, I straightened my shoulders and met his gaze with unwavering resolve.
"Alpha Killian," I said, my voice cold and clear, "if this is how you value our mate bond, then perhaps it’s time we dissolve it properly."