Chapter 2

Morning light filtered through the curtains of my temporary quarters—a small guest room on the far side of the pack house, as far from Ryan's chambers as possible. I hadn't slept. The physical pain of rejection had settled into a dull ache beneath my ribs, but the humiliation still burned fresh.

Sarah, my wolf, paced restlessly within me. *We need to leave this place.*

'Soon,' I promised her silently. 'But with dignity.'

I dressed carefully in a simple gray blouse and black pants—professional attire that revealed nothing of the turmoil inside me. As I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, I caught my reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back looked composed, but her eyes held a new wariness.

The pack house was unusually quiet as I made my way to the small office I'd been using for translations. Pack members who normally greeted me warmly now averted their eyes or whispered as I passed. News traveled fast in wolf communities.

I had just settled at my desk, gathering my belongings, when the door swung open without a knock. Ryan stood in the doorway, his imposing frame blocking the exit. He looked immaculate in his tailored suit, not a hint of the previous day's events showing on his face.

'The German Alpine Pack sent an urgent communication about border disputes,' he said without preamble, dropping a folder on my desk. 'I need it translated by noon.'

I stared at the folder, then back at him. The casual command, as if yesterday had never happened, made something shift inside me.

'No,' I said quietly.

Ryan's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. 'Excuse me?'

'I said no.' My voice was steadier than I expected. 'I'm no longer your mate or your Luna-to-be. I'm not obligated to handle pack communications anymore.'

His jaw clenched—that telltale sign of his anger I'd learned to fear. 'You're still a member of this pack, and I'm still your Alpha. This isn't a request.'

'Actually,' I said, standing slowly, 'as a rejected mate, I have the right to request reassignment or release from the pack. Alpha law is quite clear on that.'

Ryan's face darkened. 'This is about Sophia, isn't it? You're being petty and insubordinate because you're jealous.'

A laugh escaped me—a sound so foreign that it startled us both. 'Jealous? Of what exactly? Of being with someone who never valued me? Who humiliated me in front of allied packs?'

'You should be grateful I kept you around as long as I did,' he snarled, his Alpha tone creeping in. 'Everyone knew you weren't Luna material. Too weak, too bookish. I was doing you a favor.'

Each word was designed to wound, to remind me of my place. Once, they would have crushed me. Now, they merely confirmed what I already knew.

'If you'll excuse me,' I said, gathering my personal items into a small box, 'I have packing to do.'

Ryan's hand slammed down on the desk. 'You don't walk away from me!'

I met his gaze steadily. 'You walked away first.'

Something dangerous flashed in his eyes. He followed me as I left the office, his rage building with each step until we reached the library—the one place in the pack house I'd always felt safe.

'I, Ryan Mitchell, future Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Claire Sullivan, as my mate,' he recited again, his voice cruel. 'Did you not hear me clearly yesterday? Or do you need to hear it again to understand your place?'

He expected tears. He expected begging. He expected me to crumble as his rejection washed over me a second time.

Instead, I looked him directly in the eyes and said, 'So be it.'

Three simple words. But they hit him like a physical blow. His expression faltered, confusion replacing rage for a brief moment.

I turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone in the library, surrounded by the books that had been my only true companions in this place.

For the first time since the public rejection, I felt Sarah's approval warming me from within.

*We were never meant for him,* she whispered. *Our true path lies elsewhere.*

As I closed the library door behind me, I didn't see Sophia watching from the shadows, her triumphant smile fading into something like concern as she witnessed Ryan's stunned expression.

I didn't see it, but I would soon learn that the first crack in their perfect future had just appeared.