At the annual gathering of the Blackwood Pack, I took the initiative to tell Aiden Blackwood that I wanted to complete our bonding ceremony soon and officially become his Luna. But Aiden believed that what I wanted was not him, but his future position and power as Alpha. He thought I only wanted to be his Luna to satisfy my vanity. So, in front of the entire pack, Aiden publicly humiliated me by rejecting me in the cruelest way possible. After that, he turned around to comfort his jealous childhood sweetheart, Sophia Sterling, whose wolf had supposedly become unstable from rage. I grabbed Aiden's hand, begging him not to go, not to finish the rejection ritual. But Aiden, furious, shoved me down the stairs of the hall. The pain was unbearable, like my soul was being torn apart. My legs were broken, and my skull was fractured. I lay unconscious in the ICU of the pack's medical center for a month before finally waking up. This time, instead of throwing a tantrum, I reached out through the mental link to my mother, who had married into another pack overseas. "Mom, about what you said last time—about me taking over as Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack. I've decided to do it." ...... After handling my own discharge, I took a taxi to the Blackwood Pack's corporate headquarters. Standing in front of the building where I had worked for nine years, I suddenly felt like a stranger. In just one month, all my identity records had been erased from the pack's system. Even the guards at the entrance stopped me and refused to let me in. With no choice, I took out my phone and called Aiden Blackwood—but he never answered. Instead, Sophia Sterling video-called me. On the screen, she smiled faintly, her tone full of fake sympathy. "I didn't expect you to recover so soon, Elara Vance. Aiden's worried about my safety, so he's forbidden any banished members from entering the building. Don't worry, I'll tell the guards to let you in right now." The gates that had been tightly closed suddenly opened at her command. I stood there, frozen for a few seconds, before slowly walking inside. The door to Aiden's office was open. When I pushed it, I saw Sophia Sterling lounging on the sofa in a silky robe, smiling at me. Beside her, Aiden stood shirtless, the air thick with the scent of their intimacy. Without saying a word, I placed a document on his desk—it was my official request to leave the Blackwood Pack. Seeing me ignore him, Aiden frowned and stepped forward. "Sophia just returned from her pack. You know our families have been close for generations. The elders want to strengthen our bond. Besides, Sophia is more qualified to be my Luna." "That's not the only reason, is it?" Sophia interrupted, raising her wrist to show a new, intricate mark. "Elara Vance, you probably don't know yet—Aiden and I are having our bonding ceremony soon." Aiden's wrist bore the same symbol. He didn't explain, just looked at me calmly. I looked back at him and nodded slightly. "Alright." I didn't cry or argue. I simply pointed at the papers on the desk. "I've submitted the withdrawal request. The process is ongoing. All my Luna duties have been handed over." Aiden seemed surprised by how calm I was. His eyes widened slightly. I turned and walked away, ignoring the stunned looks from both of them. Pain shot through my legs with every step, reminding me of that moment—Aiden pushing me down the stairs to chase after Sophia. Whatever love I had for him had already died in the ICU, buried under a month of agony. At some point, Aiden followed me. He stood behind me, wrapped his arms around me, and buried his face in the crook of my neck. His cheek brushed against my skin—a wolf's instinctive gesture of comfort. "Sophia's just jealous because she knows we're fated mates. It's normal. Don't take the ceremony too seriously—the alliance between the Blackwood Pack and the Sterlings is necessary..." "I don't care," I cut him off, stepping out of his embrace. We had been together for nine years, and we'd been closer than this many times before. But now, even his touch made my soul recoil. Aiden's face darkened. He stood there, staring at me as if trying to confirm what I'd just said. "You and Sophia grew up together, and the alliance was arranged by your elders. It's none of my business. Don't worry—I'm really leaving. I'm not jealous, and I'm not throwing a tantrum." Aiden opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Sophia's voice came from the office. "Aiden, where did you put my lace underwear? The one that—oh..." She stopped when she saw me and feigned surprise. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were still here. I guess I forgot you're Aiden's 'fated mate'." I just replied casually and left the place. The next morning, my mother called after hearing I'd been discharged: "Sweetheart, how's your body? I'm getting old, and I just want you to come home. You've followed Aiden all these years without ever becoming his Luna, and the elders of his family still look down on you."