Chapter 1On the tenth year of my bond with Brandon Hunter, he cheated on me.
With the little sister I raised with my own hands.
The second I caught them kissing, I slapped him across the face - then my sister Amanda shoved me down the stairs.
As I tumbled down, step after step, all I felt was... inevitability.
Everyone in my life eventually gets stolen by Amanda.
Amanda is my father's illegitimate daughter.
When she was thirteen, my mom went feral and killed my dad and his mistress.
Just like that, twenty-year-old me became Amanda's only legal guardian.
I was swamped with pack duties, so I had to bring her to the packhouse with me.
The kid was bubbly, outgoing - like a little ray of sunshine.
My friends, my packmates - they all went from resenting her to adoring her.
"Your sister's way more likable than you."
I heard that more times than I could count.
And now, apparently, my chosen mate felt the same way.
When I woke up in the pack hospital, Brandon was sitting by my bed.
"That kiss was an accident," he said. "It won't happen again... And about Amanda - she's still your blood. She's just a pup. Don't hold it against her, okay?"
I looked down and laughed.
"You're telling me this because you're scared I'll banish her, aren't you?"
He froze. Then he grabbed my hand.
"Teresa, I know you're still upset. It's okay. I'll stay with you until you calm down."
I pulled my hand away and turned my back to him.
Behind me, he let out this long sigh - like I was some bratty pup throwing a fit.
His phone rang. I heard Amanda's voice, crystal clear:
"Brandon, I'm so scared being home alone. Can you come back and stay with me?"
He murmured something soothing, then said to me, "Emergency with the patrols. I'll be right back."
He didn't even wait for me to answer before rushing out the door.
He never came back.
I lay there staring at a healer's pamphlet on the nightstand.
[New Bond-Severing Ritual - Forget 99% of Your Problems.]
I've always been decisive.
Once something's dirty, I never touch it again.
So I was done - with Brandon Hunter, with ten years of my life.
All of it.
Done.
Chapter 2
When I walked out of the ritual chamber, my head was foggy.
Everything from my past felt like it was wrapped in mist - and I was just a bystander now, calm and detached.
I followed the address in my healer's records and went home.
The second I opened the door, I heard cheering.
"Happy birthday, Amanda!"
I stepped into the living room. Everyone was gathered around Amanda, singing happy birthday.
Her eyes welled up with tears as she threw her arms around Brandon, beaming.
One of my friends noticed me and cleared their throat awkwardly.
The whole room went silent.
After a beat, Brandon asked, a little uncomfortable, "Teresa, you're out already? Why didn't you tell me? I would've picked you up."
I dodged his hand reaching for my bag. "The healer's ward was too noisy. Figured I'd be better off at home."
The room got even more awkward.
My longtime friend Winnie stepped forward, trying to smooth things over. "Teresa, perfect timing - it's Amanda's birthday. We all chipped in for a gift. You're her blood, so you should be the one to give it to her."
She pressed a small, elegant box into my hands.
I stood there frozen. After a moment, I took it and handed it to Amanda.
I'd been her elder sister for years.
This gift could be the last thing I ever gave her - a final gesture to close the book on all of it.
The second I held it out, Amanda reached for it - but it slipped and hit the floor.
The box popped open. The delicate moonstone bracelet inside shattered into pieces.
Amanda's eyes filled with tears. "Teresa... you still won't forgive me, will you? That kiss was an accident. I didn't mean it! I've been so worried about you this whole time you were in the healer's ward..."
Everyone rushed to comfort her. The looks they shot me were full of blame.
"Teresa, I'm sorry, but you're being ridiculous. You're the elder one - why are you still holding a grudge?"
"It's her birthday. Can't you just let her be happy for one day?"
I looked around at the people accusing me.
Standing front and center, staring at me with pure disappointment, was the male I'd loved for ten years.
A roar filled my ears. My vision blurred. I could barely stay on my feet.
"Alright, everyone, stop blaming Teresa. She just got out of the healer's ward."
Brandon walked over and said gently, "Don't be mad at Amanda. She's just a pup."
He picked up the box from the floor and handed it back to me.
"She didn't mean to drop it. Just give it to her again... You two are going to have to get along eventually."
His voice was soft, but his hand on my shoulder was pressing down - alpha dominance disguised as comfort.
I took a deep breath and stepped away from him. "That won't be necessary. She and I... probably won't be living together anymore."
"Actually, I came back today to move out."
The second I said that, Amanda burst into tears.
"Teresa, are you... banishing me?" She looked at Brandon helplessly. "Brandon, what do I do? You promised me..."
Brandon patted her head soothingly, then turned to me, irritation flickering across his face.
Before I could explain, my friends cut me off.
"Teresa! That's way too harsh!"
"Where's she supposed to go if you kick her out?"
"What if something happens to her out there? How could you be so heartless?"
Winnie looked at me with pity. "Come on, Teresa. Look how upset she is. She's just a pup..."
I stared at Winnie, feeling completely hollow inside.
When she got scammed out of all her savings, I gave her every cent I had so she'd have a roof over her head.
Back then, she hugged me with tears in her eyes and told me I was her best friend.
Now she was standing against me, defending the girl who kissed my promised mate.
"Winnie, I know we're close, but this is pack business... Besides, I'm the one moving out. This territory - "
Brandon cut me off.
"Enough, Teresa. Winnie's just trying to be fair to Amanda. She's your blood. This place is hers too."
He kept comforting Amanda while glaring at me. "Let's be honest - you're still holding that kiss against us. But she's just a pup. If you have a problem, take it up with me. Don't take it out on her."
I was speechless. The words stuck in my throat.
Amanda timidly walked over and grabbed my hand. "Teresa, please don't be mad at me anymore. I promise I won't say a single word to Brandon from now on. You're the only pack I have left..."
I didn't say anything - but then a sharp pain shot through my hand.
I jerked it away instinctively, and Amanda stumbled backward, landing hard on the floor.
I reached out to help her up, but Brandon shoved me back.
"Don't touch her!"
I'd never seen him lose it like that. My chest tightened with a stabbing pain.
"Brandon... my ankle really hurts. I think I twisted it..."
Brandon scooped her up in his arms and glared at me. "I'm taking her out of here. You need to cool off and think about what you've done."
His jaw clenched. Then he added, "Teresa, you've really disappointed me."
Chapter 3
My hand twitched, barely noticeable.
I sniffled quietly, trying to push down the sting in my nose.
Everyone stood there watching, silent - but their eyes said it all.
They suggested taking Amanda to the healer's ward and celebrating her birthday somewhere else.
Before leaving, some guy who'd been chasing after Amanda made sure to say loudly, "The only reason I even came to this dump was for Amanda."
"She's just jealous that Amanda's more popular than her. An old hag starting drama with a pup - disgusting."
Brandon froze for a second. But he didn't turn around.
He just carried Amanda out in silence.
The moment they left, I called a territory agent to come list the house.
The agent was confused. "This is prime pack territory. The value's only going up. You sure you don't want to wait?"
I just smiled and shook my head.
After the agent left, I sat on the couch and whispered, "Grandma, I'm leaving. I couldn't keep the den. Please don't be mad at me."
My phone buzzed. A message from Brandon.
"You left your necklace at my place. When are you picking it up?"
I opened the photo. It was the necklace he gave me for our tenth anniversary.
A custom Chaumet piece. The ruby at the center caught the light beautifully.
It was stunning. But I felt nothing.
I typed back: "Just keep it for now. I'll get it later."
I put my phone down and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up, Brandon was sitting on the edge of my bed.
His voice was hoarse. "You're awake. I came to check on you. Brought your necklace."
I didn't sit up. I just took it from him and tossed it on the nightstand.
"Thanks. You didn't have to come all the way here this late."
He shook his head. "This necklace is different."
"When I look at it, I think about everything we've been through together... We've made it through so much. And now we're fighting over something so small. It's not worth it."
I thought about the past too.
The time I had a fever in the middle of the night, and he drove through a storm to bring me medicine - almost got into an accident.
The time we visited a pack seer, and she told me I was cursed to live a lonely, bitter life.
Brandon drove to the Moon Temple in the mountains and climbed the stone steps on his knees, bowing with every step, forehead swollen and bleeding, eyes closed in prayer: "Please let Teresa live a safe, happy life."
When I was diagnosed with a condition that meant I could never bear pups, he got sterilized and told his mother he'd made his choice.
Back then, things were so good...
I pulled my hand away. The bruises and needle marks on the back of my hand were still visible.
He ignored them.
"Amanda's been staying at a motel. She's miserable. Got food poisoning from takeout and ended up at the healer's ward. Can we go pick her up and bring her back home?"
I asked flatly, "Bring her back where, Brandon? I told you - I'm selling the den."
He frowned. "When did you say that? Why would you sell it?"
I sighed. "On Amanda's birthday. I told you I was moving out."
His jaw tightened. He didn't say anything.
After a moment, he stood up. "Get some rest. I'm going to check on Amanda. She's sick. She can't be alone right now."
I heard the door close behind him.
I waited a few minutes, then got up and deleted his biometrics from the lock.
I went back to bed and closed my eyes.
I didn't sleep all night.
When I got up in the morning, I felt dizzy and bumped into the nightstand.
The necklace fell to the floor.
I didn't want to damage it, so I picked it up carefully to check for scratches.
That's when I saw the engraving on the inside:
"LOVE Amanda"
It was obvious who this necklace was really for.
I walked over to the safe and opened it.
My necklace was sitting inside, untouched. The engraving read: Teresa.
I stared at it for a long time.
Then I laughed.
And as I laughed, my eyes filled with tears.
Our anniversary - mine and Brandon's - was also his anniversary with Amanda.
