When the Moonrise Ceremony Fails

"Alpha Kaelan, Luna Selene, are you certain you wish to sever the mate bond?" Elder Elara's voice was grave. "This decision is irreversible."

Standing before the ancient altar of the Council of Elders, I nodded calmly.

"I'm certain."

Kaelan stood beside me, his expression complicated. On the way to the altar, he had suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Selene, do we really have to go this far?"

His voice held a hint of panic. "Maybe we can reconsider…"

"Haven't you already lost your bond with me?" I retorted. "Severing it should be a relief for you."

He hesitated for a moment, then quickly composed himself. "Right… yes. I'm just worried you'll have a hard time adjusting."

What a terrible actor.

And now, in front of the elder, he was putting on another show, trying to guilt me into staying.

"Selene, do you remember our bonding ceremony?" Kaelan gazed into my eyes. "That night, under the moonlight, we promised to be together forever…"

"Of course, I remember," I cut him off. "I also remember what you said to my father."

Kaelan's expression soured. "What?"

"You said, 'This bond is important to me; it will help me become Alpha. Selene's powerful bloodline and her healing talent will help me solidify my position.'" I repeated his words verbatim. "Did you think I didn't know?"

Elder Elara looked at Kaelan, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

"That… that was…" Kaelan stammered.

"The truth," I finished for him. "So now you've found someone better, right?"

Kaelan opened his mouth to argue, but I had already turned to Elder Elara.

"Please, begin the ceremony."

The ceremony went smoothly.

When the last ray of moonlight faded from the altar, I felt the tightness in my chest completely disappear. Seven years of a mate bond, gone just like that.

"The ritual is complete," Elder Elara announced.

"From this moment on, you are no longer mates."

When I walked out of the elders' hall, Briar was already waiting. She was wearing a black evening gown, as if she were attending a party.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, excitedly linking her arm with Kaelan's. "Now we can plan our bonding ceremony!"

Then she turned to me, her eyes glinting with triumph. "Selene, when are you moving out of the Alpha's mansion? I need to redecorate the Luna's suite."

"Tomorrow," I said simply.

"Tomorrow? Wonderful!" Briar clapped her hands.

"I've already hired a designer. We're going to throw out all that old-fashioned art."

That "old-fashioned art" was a collection I had spent three years curating. Every piece had a special meaning.

But now, it would all be thrown away.

"Briar's right," Kaelan chimed in. "The new Luna needs a fresh start. Selene, if you need help moving…"

"I don't," I said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Kaelan hurried after me, grabbing my arm. "Here… this is for you."

I looked at the ring—his "gift" from our bonding ceremony.

A large ruby, glittering exquisitely under the light.

"Kaelan," I looked up at him. "This is a fake."

His face went pale. "What?"

I scoffed. "Worth a few thousand dollars at most? Is this what our bond was worth to you?"

Kaelan opened his mouth to explain, but I had already thrown the ring on the ground.

"A fake bond, a fake ring. A perfect match."

I strode to my car without a backward glance.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Kaelan and Briar arguing.

I rolled down my window and overheard their conversation.

"How did she know it was a fake?" Briar demanded.

"Who knows," Kaelan said irritably. "It doesn't matter. The bond is severed anyway."

"But she looked really angry…"

"Don't worry, Selene is easy to handle," Kaelan said confidently.

"Once she calms down, I'll just use a little Alpha command, and she'll come crawling back. She wouldn't dare survive as a rogue."

I started the engine and hit the gas.

He was wrong.

This time, it was really over. There was no turning back.