Chapter 2

It was a full thirty minutes after Elara returned to the manor that Kaelen finally replied to her message. "Never mind. Since you asked me to sign it, it must be beneficial to the pack. I don't need to review it."

It was just an excuse to politely express that he wouldn't look at it at all.

Of course, he wouldn't look—he was busy comforting the injured and emotionally unstable Seraphina. Where would he find the time to scrutinize a Bond Severance Agreement?

Even if that document, which determined their fate, lay quietly within arm's reach in the passenger glove box.

...

The storm raged all day without ceasing. It wasn't until the evening of the next day that the thunder receded slightly into the distance.

Elara stayed in the main house the entire time. Calmly, she logged into the pack's internal network and Instagram, deleting every post from the past three years related to her identity as Luna.

Just as she finished clearing her photo album, she saw a new post from Seraphina. In the photo, Seraphina was languidly lying on the family's private yacht. The background was a stunning post-rain landscape of lakes and mountains, the composition perfect. In the corner of the frame was a man's slender hand, wearing the obsidian watch that symbolized the Alpha's authority.

Elara knew that hand belonged to Kaelen—and she knew Seraphina had posted it deliberately for her to see. But none of it mattered anymore.

She turned off her phone and went to the kitchen to make herself a simple dinner. Just as she was finishing her meal, Kaelen returned.

seeing the exquisite cake box in his hand, she paused. "You hate the smell of sweets. Why did you buy a cake?"

Kaelen walked over, glanced at the monotonous salad on her plate, and frowned slightly. "Today is your 24th birthday, have you forgotten? Why are you eating so lightly?"

Elara froze.

When she was four or five, her parents sacrificed themselves defending against a rogue wolf attack, leaving her to her elderly grandmother. By the time she was fifteen or sixteen, her grandmother passed away. Since then, as an orphan with a marginal bloodline in the pack, no one remembered her birthday. Such celebrations had long vanished from her life.

But in the three years she had been married to Kaelen, he had never forgotten. No matter how busy pack affairs were, he would always rush back to spend her birthday with her.

If Elara returned from a diplomatic mission in a neighboring territory, he would worry about her safety and personally meet her at the border. During thunderstorms, knowing that despite being a wolf she feared the thunder, he would hold her in his arms, soothing her with his Alpha pheromones.

Elara had once thought this natural protectiveness must mean he had feelings for her, even if it was just instinct based on the mate contract.

Everything changed on their wedding anniversary a month ago. That day, Kaelen used an "emergency Council meeting" as an excuse to cancel their pre-booked dinner.

Disappointed, Elara agreed to help Olivia pick up a document from a downtown bar. It was there she accidentally stumbled upon Seraphina, dead drunk and with her magic spiraling out of control.

She was clinging tightly to Kaelen—who was supposed to be at a "meeting"—refusing to let go.

Kaelen's face was full of anger as he tried to pull her off, the air pressure around them plummeting due to his rage. "Seraphina! Enough! Stop this! Let go! What do you think I am—a toy you can throw away and pick up whenever you want?"

Seraphina wouldn't listen. Even when Kaelen used his strength to pry her hands away, she hugged his waist again and again, refusing to release him.

Finally, he compromised. He stood there with his head lowered, gazing at her, his eyes filled with a suppressed, fated love.

His voice was low and helpless, as if admitting defeat. "Seraphina, what am I going to do with you?"

In that moment, the document folder in Elara's hand slipped, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

Memories flooded her mind—the sight of Seraphina and Kaelen’s perfectly synchronized backs on the academy training grounds, the large black umbrella tilted to shield Seraphina in the rain, and the image of a young Kaelen kneeling on one knee after winning a championship to present the trophy to Seraphina...

Every image proved that Kaelen's love for Seraphina had never wavered. Elara had seen it with her own eyes; she could no longer deceive herself.

Three years of marriage didn't count. The title of wife on the contract didn't count. Even those moments of warmth he had given her couldn't change the fact.

The truth was, all the tenderness Kaelen gave her didn't truly belong to her—it was merely his misplaced Alpha protectiveness, borrowed from Seraphina simply because Seraphina wasn't there at the time.

She had clung tightly to those crumbs of sweetness, foolishly thinking they were hers. But in reality, she had never truly possessed him—not even for a second.

So, when Elara looked at the number "24" on the birthday cake, she felt nothing. She simply lowered her head politely and said thank you.

Kaelen lit the candles and smiled gently, a smile that looked exceptionally charming in the candlelight. "Elara, we are mates. You don't need to say thank you like a stranger. Make a wish."

She nodded. Just as she was about to stand up, Kaelen's phone rang. A specific ringtone pierced the silence. From the slight hesitation in his eyes, she guessed who was calling. So, she sat back down.

Sure enough, she was right. A minute later, he hung up and hurried out, looking anxious.

As the sound of the SUV's engine faded into the distance, Elara revealed a bitter smile. She didn't turn on the lights; the weak candlelight flickered, casting her lonely shadow against the empty walls of the main house.

She clasped her hands together and made her 24th birthday wish. "This year, I will no longer love Kaelen Blackwood."