Chapter 2

At the very least, from the moment I signed the rejection papers at the pack hall to walking with Alpha Jordan to his car, I kept my composure, holding onto the dignity I knew a Luna should uphold. I even allowed myself a brief moment in the car to replay every memory I had shared with Jordan.

Finally, I came to a realization: I wanted an ending that preserved my self-respect. Yet, tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks, triggered by Jordan’s accusations and blame, like pearls slipping off a broken string, impossible to hold back.

"Yeah, no Alpha would want someone like me," I managed to say through my tears, my voice trembling. "So, I don’t need your affection."

I wiped the tears away and turned to leave, but Beta Annalise grabbed my wrist, her sobs louder and more dramatic than mine. She kept apologizing, her voice trembling with feigned sincerity.

"Luna Judith, please," she begged, her grip tightening. "I never meant for this to happen. Don’t be angry with Alpha Jordan. I’ll resign tomorrow. I’ll disappear! Alpha Jordan truly loves you. Don’t upset him, alright?"

I was exhausted by Annalise’s manipulative performance. Seeing her cry, I managed to stop my own tears, shook her off forcefully, and shouted, "Get lost!"

Annalise stumbled to the ground, her eyes wide with mock shock. "Luna Judith!"

Alpha Jordan immediately rushed to her side, his concern for her evident as he noticed the scrape on her palm. He turned to me, his alpha tone sharp and commanding. "Have you lost your mind? Apologize to Beta Annalise!"

"In your dreams," I shot back, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "You want me to apologize?" I glanced at Jordan, then at the triumphant glint in Annalise’s eyes, and declared, "Unless you agree to the rejection, we’ll settle this before the pack council."

I didn’t look back, ignoring Annalise’s sobs and Jordan’s furious shout branding me as irrational. Instead, I hailed a cab straight to Ella’s den.

Ella stayed silent when I arrived. After letting me in, she pulled several bottles of beer from the fridge and set them on the table, asking, "Is this enough?"

Seeing her, my eyes welled up again. Ella simply opened her arms wide for a hug, saying, "Need a hug?"

I completely broke down, sobbing uncontrollably in her embrace, crying until my voice was hoarse and my body trembled. I ended up vomiting from the overwhelming emotions. Eventually, I managed to say, "I want to reject him! I want to reject him! I want Alpha Jordan to rot in the darkest corner of the forest!"

What marks the end of a mate bond? It’s when two wolves who once stood by each other against the world become adversaries, intent on mutual destruction. It’s realizing that even if you once believed the mate bond could make love eternal, even the strongest bonds can fray.

I stayed at Ella’s for a couple of weeks. During that time, I saw Annalise’s social media updates every day, each post featuring Alpha Jordan in some way.

"The moon’s in the sky, and I have my star." The picture was a selfie of Annalise, with Jordan in the background on the phone by the window.

"Stars always shine, and I will chase the light." The picture showed a star-shaped ring on Annalise’s finger, casting a halo under the light, and a distinct hand that could only be Jordan’s.

"Learning so much with my star!" The photo showed first-class airplane seats, Annalise smiling brightly beside a sleeping Jordan.

Each post was like a dagger twisting in my heart, stirring up furious reactions from Ella. She cursed at the screen, "That conniving she-wolf! Is Alpha Jordan blind? Even a rogue wouldn’t fall for her deceitful act!"

Ella was livid, while I was calm, feeling like I had emerged from a storm after a long withdrawal. Watching her fury, I remarked calmly, "Alpha Jordan knows exactly what he’s doing."

"He knows?" Ella sat beside me, her eyes narrowing. "Then why does he keep up the innocent act?"

"To Alpha Jordan, as long as they’re not marking each other, he’s clean. He’s always maintained he hasn’t betrayed the mate bond."

Jordan clung to this technicality as his shield. Whenever I confronted him, he’d shut me down with, "Annalise and I are innocent. The dirt is in your mind!"

Reflecting on these memories now, I felt relief. I reminded Ella, "The movers should be here soon."

I was rejecting Jordan and needed to clear out my den, taking with me what was mine. My mother’s belongings were still there.

"I’m glad you’re sure about this," Ella said as she accompanied me back to the Crimson Fang territory, waiting with me at the door.