Chapter 3

Just then, the healer stepped up and told me it was time to neutralize the silver poisoning in my leg.

Vincent glanced back at me, his eyes freezing and distant, as if he'd only just remembered I was in that crumpled truck too.

But Mia tugged on his sleeve, pulling his attention right back. Forgetting I existed, he turned to soothe her as they kept walking.

The pain was hellish. The silver poison burned so fiercely, I nearly bit through my lip.

The Omega medic stared at me sitting isolated, hesitated, and asked if I wanted to mind-link my family.

I paused, gazing out into the night, then answered softly, "No, I don't have a pack family anymore."

During my recovery at the clinic, I requested a senior pack doctor to oversee my treatment.

Meanwhile, Vincent paraded Mia across Blackwood territory, flaunting her as if she were already the new Luna.

Mia kept flaunting their "romantic getaways" by sending me photos through the pack network every single day.

They hiked to Emerald Lake, dove into Moonlight Springs, and camped under the stars at Starlight Ridge.

They kissed at every turn, Mia clearly eager to broadcast their mating bond before the entire world.

Looking at those photos, I felt nothing but a dead calm inside.

Lately, I had been working around the clock with Amy to establish our wolfsbane lab.

For the past seven years, whenever I had a spare moment, I'd secretly help her refine ancient recipes and develop new wolfsbane antidotes and herbal formulas.

Amy always pushed to launch a private wolfsbane lab, completely free from the Blackwood Pack's control, but my proxy Luna obligations forced me to stall.

A lot of my friends whispered that I wasted seven prime years on an Alpha who offered nothing but a cold shoulder in return.

Yet, I harbored no regrets because my sole focus back then was keeping my brother alive.

Nothing else mattered.

Now, my brother was dead, and my contract with Vincent expired in exactly twenty-four hours.

I was finally going to cut the leash.

The day I was discharged, it was drizzling outside.

Vincent dropped a voice note.

Vincent: [When are you getting your ass back to the packhouse? The top-floor study looks like a war zone. Are you still slacking in medical?]

I scoffed aloud and snapped back: [What, your precious little Omega can't even sort papers? Did the low-ranking Omegas go on strike? Can't you control your own pack?]

Vincent instantly fired back another message, his deep tone dripping with irritation.

Vincent: [You know I hate lower ranks touching my things. Organizing those confidential territory files has always been your job.]

I checked the time, ready to shut him down, when an Omega medic knocked on the door to remind me to sign out at the front desk.

Vincent must have caught the background noise, because he started blowing up my phone with demands to hurry back.

I ignored him, paid the clinic bill, and climbed straight into the car when Amy picked me up.

Amy gripped the steering wheel, flashed a sharp grin, and winked at me.

"So, you're finally cutting the leash?" she asked.

I glanced out at the shadowy trees in the distance, a soft smile finally touching my lips.

"It's over," I said. "Once I sign the proxy dissolution paperwork tomorrow, I'm free for good."

Amy slammed her palm against the wheel in pure excitement.

"Hell yeah! Let's go celebrate your freedom with some fire-roasted venison steaks!" she cheered.

I nodded, and as we dove into our expansion plans for the lab, Vincent's name flashed across my screen again.

Without hesitation, I hit mute, locked my phone, and tuned back into Amy's voice.

She raised an eyebrow, glancing over at me. "Just like that? You really don't feel a damn thing for that Alpha anymore?"

She was the only one who knew that, during those dark years under contract, my inner wolf had foolishly fallen for Vincent.

But that pathetic, desperate spark I once carried for him had completely died.

His frozen indifference, his ruthless exploitation, and his final abandonment at the crash site crushed the last of my devotion into ash.

I replied coolly, "We aren't fated mates. It was always going to end in a bloodless execution."

Amy nodded, understanding.

After we finished hashing out our business plan, we headed to our favorite tavern in the border town.

The moment I bit into that juicy, charred venison steak, the dam broke, and hot tears streamed down my face.

Amy laughed. "Come on, is it really that good? Don't freak me out, man."

I wiped my eyes and forced a smile, keeping the truth to myself.