Chapter 1I leaned against the headboard, heard the doorknob turn, didn't even bother to look up.
When Ryker walked in, I was staring at the strip of light bleeding through the curtain. Didn't turn until he got close. Then I swept my hair back, tilted my neck so he could see the mark—barely visible now, faded to almost nothing.
"Go get Wren," I said. "I'm ready."
He stopped. I knew what he was looking at—that mating mark, forced down over and over by the witch's magic, now just a pale brownish smudge. Like an old birthmark nobody remembered anymore.
He came closer. Took my hand. That look in his eyes—guilt, pity. Same every time.
"Last time, Nora." His voice was soft. "I promise."
"Once things settle down with Celia—once I don't need to keep checking on her—you won't have to do this anymore."
I'd heard this seven times.
Believed it seven times.
Now? It just tasted bitter.
Every time Celia had some little crisis—fever, bad dream, paper cut—he'd have Wren suppress our bond so he could run to her. I'm an omega. Every single suppression felt like someone dragging a dull knife through my bones. Left me curled up in bed for days, shaking under the covers.
And him? He'd sit by Celia's bed, bring her water, tuck her in, use a voice a hundred times softer than anything I ever heard.
"Whatever." I pulled my hand back. "Just get Wren. Don't want you saying I wasted your time again."
Last time was the same. They suppressed the bond and I passed out cold. He sat there for maybe half an hour, then left. Next day he turned it around on me—said I was holding him back. Then ghosted me for three months.
His face changed. "What's that supposed to mean? Last time you passed out because you weren't eating—"
"Not eating?" I actually laughed. "You really think I passed out because I skipped lunch?"
He shut up. Jaw tight, regret flashing in his eyes.
But I didn't stop. "You're the alpha, Ryker. You don't feel the pain when they suppress the bond. Easy for you to say it's fine. Me? Who am I suffering for? Celia?"
I got out of bed, barefoot on the cold floor, walked to the window. Couldn't stand looking at his face anymore. That face I'd chased for years—now it just made me sick.
He followed. "I'll stay tonight. I'll stay until you get through the worst of it."
"Don't bother." I didn't turn around. "I can handle it. I always have."
Last time. I told myself. Just get through this and it's over.
Half an hour later, Wren pushed the door open. Silver hair braided tight against her scalp, that tired sympathy in her eyes that pissed me off every time. She had her old leather bag slung over her shoulder, stuffed with herbs and stones—the same stuff that made me wish I was dead every single time.
"Nora, your body's too weak. And your cycle's at its peak right now. If we force the suppression—"
"Do it." I cut her off. "He's waiting. Celia's waiting for him."
Wren glanced at Ryker. He frowned. "Just do it. I'll stay here until she's okay."
"I said don't stay." I stared at him, each word sharp. "Go to her."
His phone rang.
Celia's name lit up the screen.
He answered.
"What? That bad? I'm on my way."
Call wasn't even over and he was already heading for the door.
Then—like he suddenly remembered—he stopped in the doorway, turned back.
"Next full moon. We'll do the marking ceremony."
Next full moon?
I watched his back disappear. The door slammed shut.
What a coincidence, Ryker.
That's the exact day I'd already picked—to disappear from your world for good.
Chapter 2
The door slammed behind me.
Then—silence. Worse than the suppression spell.
Wren didn't say a word. That pity in her eyes—the kind that drove me crazy—turned into something heavier. She got to work. Smooth, practiced. Herbs, stones, chanting. The whole routine.
Silver light spilled from her palms, crawled into my veins, wrapped around that golden thread tying me to Ryker. I used to bite through my lip from the pain. Not this time. Didn't even make a sound. Just stared at the ceiling, counting the seconds.
Until the tearing feeling disappeared completely.
What was left? A numbness I couldn't name. No pain. Nothing hurt anymore.
"You really don't regret this?" Wren stopped, looked at me. "He's an alpha. And he never refused to mark you."
"He also never actually marked me," I said.
Silence stretched between us. She sighed. "Alphas don't feel the bond breaking until the next full moon."
"I won't tell anyone before then." I sat up, rubbed my neck. "But after that? I've got it figured out."
"You're his fated mate." She leaned against the table, voice low. "Ryker won't just let go of that power."
"I know. That's why I'm thanking you, Wren." I looked up at her. "If you hadn't helped me secretly, I'd never get him to let go."
She smiled a little. "Your mom saved my life once. This debt—I'm paying it back to her daughter."
The next morning, I didn't "stay in bed for weeks" like Ryker expected.
I didn't have that kind of time. I had a deadline to meet.
---
"You look like a ghost, Nora."
Tessa tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
We were sitting in the back corner of Howling Moon Café. The place sat on the edge of pack territory, far enough from everyone else—or so I used to think.
"I am a ghost." I stirred the cold tea in my cup. "But ghosts are hard to catch, right?"
Tessa squeezed my hand. "I still don't get it. He left you with the witch and ran off because Celia 'had an emergency'? I heard from patrol—she just had a nightmare. A nightmare, Nora."
I laughed, dry and empty. "To Ryker, Celia's nightmares matter more than my life. Whatever. Let him guard his shadow. I'll go find my sun."
"That's the spirit." Tessa smacked the table. "Finish that tea. Let's hit up that shop you liked last time. No pack talk. No alpha—"
She stopped.
Went completely rigid. Back straight as a board. I didn't need to turn around to know who'd walked in.
The air changed. Coffee smell got buried under pine and rain—Ryker's scent. And Celia's sickly sweet perfume.
He walked in with his arm around her shoulders, a few high-ranking wolves trailing behind. He was laughing, relaxed, chatting with someone. Didn't even look my way.
"Well, well." Jax—one of Ryker's top guys—pointed at our table. "The omega's out of bed? Thought that spell would have you down for a month, Nora. Finally grew a spine?"
The group stopped. Ryker's smile died because his eyes finally landed on me.
He froze. Didn't look pleased—wasn't expecting me dressed and sitting here.
"Nora?" He frowned, walked over. "What are you doing here? You should be resting. Wren said you were too weak."
Celia pouted, tightened her grip around his waist. "Maybe she just wants attention, Ryke. You know how omegas are. Get ignored and they get all sensitive."
A few people laughed. "Yeah," someone else chimed in. "Celia, be careful. Breathe too loud and you might blow her over. Then she'll mess up our alpha's plans again."
Tessa slammed her hand on the table, chair scraping back as she stood. "You fucking—"
"Tessa." I grabbed her hand, voice steady but quiet. "Sit down."
"Nora! They're insulting you! And he's just standing there watching!" Tessa's eyes were already glowing amber.
I stood up slowly.
Didn't look at Jax. Didn't look at the others laughing. I stared straight at Ryker.
He looked uncomfortable. His hand twitched like he wanted to reach for me, but Celia was clinging to him. He couldn't move.
"It's fine." I said it to Tessa, but my eyes stayed locked on him. "They're right. I've been 'sensitive' for way too long. But you know what? When you finally realize you've been fighting for a chair at a table that never had a seat for you—you wake up real fast."
"Nora, wait." Ryker took a step toward me. "Last night—"
I didn't let him finish.
Didn't yell. Didn't bring up the pain, the broken promises lying in pieces. I just picked up my jacket, draped it over my shoulder.
"Have fun drinking, Ryker." I smiled. My eyes didn't.
"You too, Celia. Hope those nightmares stop coming—wouldn't want to waste any more of the alpha's precious time."
Then I turned and walked out. Didn't look back.
I don't know if they stood there stunned. Don't know if Ryker's face went pale.
Didn't matter anymore.
He'd suppressed that bond so many times, it couldn't hold me anymore.
It was letting go.
And I was walking away.
Chapter 3
Every other time they suppressed the bond, Ryker wouldn't contact me for a whole week. He'd spend that time glued to Celia's side. I figured this time would be the same.
But that night, he texted me.
"Don't take what Jax said to heart, Nora. He's just got a shitty mouth."
I glanced at it, tossed my phone aside. Didn't bother replying. Then he called.
"Nora, are you mad at me?" he asked as soon as I picked up. Voice a little rough.
"Why would that matter to you?" I said.
"Why wouldn't it matter?" he said. "You're my mate. My moon goddess. Of course I care."
Used to be, he'd say something sweet and I'd cave. Those days were long gone.
"If you cared, you wouldn't be at Celia's side," I said before I could stop myself. "If you cared, you wouldn't make me deal with all this alone while you run off to comfort her stupid nightmares."
"Nora..." He said my name soft, gentle. "Last time. I promise. I'll make it up to you."
"Let's go shopping tomorrow. Just you and me. Plus, your birthday's coming up. Let's do it then." He threw that out there, hung up before I could refuse.
I don't know why I didn't call back to say no, to say there was no point. But the next day, I actually got dressed and went out. Maybe because this might be our last day together. I wanted to leave with at least one decent memory before I disappeared for good.
But when I got to the villa he'd given me—his car was already parked out front.
I walked over, reached for the passenger door.
Celia was already sitting there.
I looked straight at Ryker. "I remember you said just you and me."
Something flickered in his eyes—hesitation. Then he spoke.
"Celia needed to pick up a few things, so I brought her along."
I stood there, waiting for Celia to have some sense and move. Instead, Ryker said this:
"Nora, can you sit in the back? Celia gets carsick if she's not up front. You understand, right?"
I didn't say anything. Closed the door. Climbed into the back seat.
Once the car started moving, I kept staring at the rearview mirror. Ryker's hand kept drifting to the center console, close enough that Celia could brush against his fingers whenever she wanted. I felt like a ghost haunting my own birthday.
Inside the mall, all those fancy stores blurred together under bright lights. But nothing was more blinding than reality. Ryker didn't hold my hand. Didn't ask which dress I liked. He just followed Celia around the whole time.
"I'm gonna try these on." Celia grabbed a pile of silk dresses, voice all sweet and whiny. "Ryke, come help me see which color looks best on me?"
Ryker glanced at me. A flicker of conflict crossed his face, but Celia already had his arm. "I'll be right back, Nora. Just wait here."
Ten minutes passed. Fifteen. The sales girls started giving me those pitying looks—the future Luna of the pack, standing alone on her birthday while her mate was in the fitting room with another woman.
I walked toward the back. Heart pounding against my ribs. I told myself I was just checking on things. But when I reached that heavy velvet curtain separating the VIP fitting area, I heard it.
A low, breathless sound I knew way too well.
I pulled the curtain back just a crack. In the three-way mirror's reflection, I saw Celia pressed against the wall, legs wrapped around Ryker's waist, his face buried in her neck. His fingers dug into her hips—rough, intense. Turned out he had this side too.
That last shred of a "good memory" I wanted to keep? Burned to nothing right there.
I walked out of the store. Behind me, Ryker's voice called my name, desperate. I didn't stop.
I pulled out my phone, called Tessa.
"Tessa?"
"Nora? I thought you were out celebrating your birthday with your alpha?" Tessa sounded confused.
"Any bars open tonight?" I asked. "The loud kind."
Silence on the other end. "Nora, what happened?"
"It's my birthday, Tessa." I took one last look at that store, turned toward the exit.
"I want to celebrate—celebrate finally being done with all this. Pick me up in twenty minutes."
