Chapter 1

The day I finally stood on my own two feet again, Cody, my mate and Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, pulled out a silver mating band, ready to propose. But then, Jayla, a junior Delta warrior, stepped forward, tears streaming down her face as she knelt before me, clutching a sonogram. She pleaded for me to accept her and Cody’s pup.

Cody, usually so composed, lost his cool. His eyes reddened as he helped Jayla to her feet. In a tone meant to sound sincere, he urged me to be generous: 'Since the healers told you that you can’t bear pups, why not accept this one as your own? You’ll have someone to care for you in the future.'

The entire pack hall held its breath, expecting me to explode with rage. Instead, I steadied myself, suppressed the urge to lash out, and forced a smile. 'That’s a good idea,' I said calmly.

Seeing me so composed, Cody looked relieved. He promised that once the pup was born, he’d break things off with Jayla, ensuring the pup would always respect me.

What Cody didn’t know was that my legs had fully healed, and I had been officially accepted into the elite warrior ranks of the Silver Fang Pack. I no longer wanted to share a future with him.

Agreeing to recognize the pup, I quickly excused myself, claiming I felt unwell, and wheeled out of the hall. The moment I left, the tension in the room dissolved.

'Jayla, you’ve got guts; everyone knows how protective Amelia is of Cody,' someone remarked.

'And Cody, that was quite a bold move. Aren’t you worried Amelia will reject the mate bond?' another added.

'Ha! You still think Amelia is the Gamma she once was? Since the rogue attack, she’s been a burden. She depends entirely on Cody. If she dares to mention rejection, I'll eat my hat!' Their laughter echoed through the hall.

It turned out, all those pack members who once fought alongside me knew about Cody’s affair and had been treating me like a fool behind my back.

Cody nodded. 'And since Amelia can't bear pups, she should thank Jayla for continuing the bloodline.'

'After the attack, I felt guilty towards Amelia, but over time, touching her limp legs felt so repulsive. It’s like sleeping with a corpse. But what choice did I have since she saved me?' Cody confessed, drawing more laughter from the crowd. Outside, I managed a bitter smile.

Repulsive, huh? If not for Cody, I wouldn’t have come close to being disabled.

A year ago, Cody and I were on patrol when a rogue ambush caught us off guard. One of the rogues lunged at him, and without hesitation, I shoved him aside, taking the hit myself. When I woke up, the lower half of my body was numb, and Cody swore at my bedside he’d care for me for life.

I believed him at first. But he grew tired of me, even refusing to help massage my legs daily. I struggled to do it myself, drenched in sweat each time. I fought hard not to become a burden, yet we drifted apart. All I could do was watch as Jayla replaced me as the star in his life.

Faced with my grievances, Cody grew impatient. 'Can’t you learn from Jayla’s kindness? You’re disabled and stopped fighting. Do you expect me to stop too? If I’d known you’d turn out like this, maybe I should have been the one hit!'

At that moment, I knew it was truly over.

Coincidentally, a healer from the Silver Fang Pack saw my case and offered help. I didn’t hesitate to leave the Blue Moon Pack and seek their assistance.

While I was away, Cody called daily to comfort me, promising to propose when I returned. I kept my recovery a secret, intending to surprise him during his proposal.

Instead, I discovered Jayla was carrying his pup. His audacity left me completely disheartened.

To Cody, the disabled me had lost all dignity. No matter how he insulted me, I was expected to just swallow it quietly.

When I came home, everything had changed. The rehab tools I used were replaced with toys and clothes Cody had bought for their unborn pup. Our mating photo had vanished, replaced by walls of pictures of him and Jayla.

All my efforts in rehab to become Cody’s partner again felt like a cruel joke.

With trembling hands, I mind-linked Alpha Alexandra Dunn, informing her of my decision to join the Silver Fang Pack.

A message promptly came through, surprised: [Didn’t you say you’d return to mark Cody and fight alongside him forever? Have you changed your mind about the mate bond?]

I smiled ironically. It was Cody who had changed his mind.

I simply replied: [No, the bond has broken. Not marking anymore.]

Then, I sent my resignation to the Blue Moon Pack. Just after hitting send, Cody and Jayla casually opened the door and came in.

'Why didn’t you answer the mind-link at home? You’ve agreed to recognize the pup, so why are you acting up?' Jayla stood timidly behind Cody, as if I were some kind of monster.

'Amelia, you may hate me, but the pup is innocent. Once the pup is born, I promise to stay out of your way.'

They truly thought I was a fool.

I turned away and replied coolly, 'My mind-link was blocked; I didn’t feel it.'

Cody wanted to say more but suddenly glanced at my phone screen.

He happened to see a message from the Silver Fang Pack’s Gamma: [Welcome to the Silver Fang Pack’s warrior ranks.]

His face froze: 'Which pack? Your legs are healed?'