For six years, I had been bonded to my Alpha mate, Damian. During all that time, he never allowed our son to call him "dad." After he missed another of Leo's birthdays because of a she-wolf, I finally made up my mind. I pulled out the severance agreement for our mate bond, packed our bags, and prepared to leave with my son forever. The man who had always been composed and in control of himself lost his mind. He stormed into the office like a madman, demanding to know where I had gone. But this time, neither Leo nor I would look back. ... "Mark, I'm moving overseas next month. Here is my resignation letter." Mark, the pack's Beta, looked at me in surprise. "This is so sudden, Elara." I handed him the explanation I had rehearsed countless times. "Leo's father is waiting for us overseas. I've decided to take him there so we can reunite as a family." Mark nodded thoughtfully. "That's probably for the best. It's been tough for you, raising a child here on your own. Honestly, we all thought you were a single mom." I smiled faintly. I wasn't before, but I was about to be. As I stepped out of the room, I crossed paths with Damian and Chloe. Damian—my Alpha mate and Leo's father. Seven years ago, I was his personal assistant. One full moon night, our instincts took over, and I was pregnant with his child. This year marked six years of us being bound by the mate bond. It also marked six years of his refusing to let Leo call him "dad." Damian walked slowly, as if deliberately matching Chloe's pace. She held a territory report in one hand, the edge of his suit jacket in the other, clinging to him in a way that felt painfully intimate. As they passed me, my heart involuntarily quickened at the proximity of my mate. I couldn't stop myself from calling his name. "Damian..." He paused but didn't turn fully. His expression was cold, detached. "Elara." His voice was polite but distant, a subtle warning in his tone. It was a reminder. This was the pack headquarters. Here, we were nothing more than Alpha and subordinate. I understood his unspoken message and swallowed the emotions threatening to rise. "Alpha," I replied, bowing my head slightly. He gave a curt "hmm," his footsteps resuming as if he had passed a stranger. I forced a bitter smile and held back the words I had intended to say about my resignation. Forget it. It wouldn't matter to him anyway. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Leo, sent from his little smartwatch. "Mom, will Dad come home for my birthday?" I froze, my fingers hovering over the screen. Instinctively, I glanced back. Damian was leaning down slightly, speaking softly to Chloe, his posture protective, shielding her as a few other wolves passed by. The tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable. I pushed down the bitterness rising in my chest and sent Damian a message. "Today is Leo's birthday. Can you come home tonight?" From across the corridor, I saw him glance at his phone. He read the message, then set the phone down without a second thought, his expression unchanged. The empty chat window stared back at me. No reply. I let out a quiet, self-deprecating laugh. "Elara, when will you learn? You've known for years that his heart is a cold, unyielding place. Why are you still hoping for warmth?" I thought. Sliding the phone back into my pocket, I took a deep breath and walked away. "Damian, you'll soon be free." ... After leaving headquarters, I went to pick up Leo from school. The moment he saw me, his face lit up. "Mommy, today is my birthday!" he declared proudly. Then, with a hopeful gleam in his eyes, he added, "Will Daddy celebrate with us?" The bustling street suddenly felt overwhelming. My throat tightened, and I fought back the tears threatening to spill. "Your dad..." I began, but my phone buzzed before I could finish. Damian had finally replied. "I'll try to make it home in time." Relief and excitement surged through me, and I smiled at Leo. "Don't worry, sweetheart. Your dad's coming home tonight." Leo clapped his hands and threw himself into my arms, his joyful laughter filling the air. For the first time in six years, Damian had agreed to celebrate Leo's birthday. ... That evening, I prepared a lavish dinner, pouring my heart into every dish. Leo, full of excitement, finished his homework early and waited eagerly. An hour passed. Then two. Then three. I sent message after message, each more desperate than the last. But just like every other time, there was no response. Leo's hopeful expression slowly faded. He looked up at me with wide, cautious eyes. "Mommy, is Daddy too busy again?" he asked softly. A sharp pain pierced my chest. I wanted to explain, to make excuses for Damian, but no words came. In the end, all I could manage was a quiet promise. "It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy will always be here for you." Leo didn't ask again. He simply picked up his little birthday hat and handed it to me. "Mommy, can you help me put this on?" I nodded, my hands trembling slightly as I adjusted the hat on his head. Out of the corner of my eye, my phone lit up with a notification. Chloe had updated her Instagram. "Today was amazing. I loved every moment."