RUBY
I stood in Roman's office, trembling with a rage I could barely contain. The polished wooden desk between us might as well have been a canyon. His golden-brown eyes stared back at me, cold and unflinching.
"I deserve answers," I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt. "Why have you treated me like this? Like I'm beneath you?"
Roman leaned back in his leather chair, his face a mask of indifference. The silver streak in his dark hair caught the light as he tilted his head.
"Like what, exactly?" His tone was clipped, businesslike.
"Like I'm nothing more than a convenience. An obligation. You parade me around as your Luna-to-be, but behind closed doors, I have no voice."
A muscle twitched in his jaw. "You're being dramatic."
"Am I?" I slammed my palm on his desk. Papers scattered. "You make decisions without me. You dismiss my concerns about pack matters. And I saw how you looked at me today—like I was an embarrassment."
Roman stood slowly, his imposing height making me step back instinctively. "I never promised you equality, Ruby."
The words hit like a physical blow. "What?"
"I never said you would be my equal." His voice was terrifyingly calm. "You're my mate, yes. But you're also a rogue."
"I was a rogue," I corrected, my voice hollow. "I thought that didn't matter to you."
"It matters to everyone else." He gestured toward the window overlooking the pack grounds. "Do you think they would respect an Alpha who gives a former rogue the same authority as wolves born to leadership? I have a responsibility to this pack."
Each word drove deeper into my heart. "So what am I to you, then? Just a body to fulfill your mate bond?"
His silence was damning.
"What about our children?" I whispered, tears threatening. "Will they be half-breeds to you? Less worthy because their mother was once homeless?"
Roman's expression flickered briefly—the first crack in his armor. "Any child of mine will be raised as Silverclaw royalty."
"With a mother who's treated as inferior?" I shook my head. "I won't do that to them. I won't do that to myself."
"You don't have a choice," he said flatly. "We're fated mates."
Something inside me snapped. A wild, desperate courage took hold. "There is always a choice."
His eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"
"I want you to reject me."
Roman's laugh was harsh. "That's not happening."
"Why not?" I challenged. "You clearly don't love me. You've made it clear I'll never be your equal. Why keep me?"
"Because my wolf needs yours," he admitted coldly. "The bond demands it."
The final blow. Not love. Not respect. Just instinct and obligation.
I stepped back, understanding washing over me like ice water. "Then I'll do what you won't."
"Ruby—" Warning edged his voice.
I cut him off. "I, Ruby West, reject Roman Vance as my mate."
Nothing happened. Roman's smile was cruel. "That's not how it works."
"I'm not finished." I drew myself up, summoning every ounce of courage. "I reject our bond. I reject the fate that tied me to a man who sees me as less. I reject you, Alpha Roman Vance, with every fiber of my being."
Pain exploded through my chest—white-hot and searing. I gasped, doubling over. It felt like someone was ripping my heart from my ribcage.
Roman staggered, clutching his chest. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What have you done?" he growled through gritted teeth.
I couldn't answer through the agony. My wolf, Luna, howled in anguish inside me. I could feel her thrashing against the severing, fighting to maintain the connection to Roman's wolf.
But my human determination was stronger. I embraced the pain, let it wash through me. This agony was preferable to a lifetime of being less-than.
Roman's face contorted as he fought the separation. Sweat beaded on his forehead. "Stop this," he commanded, his Alpha voice booming.
I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "It's already done."
The invisible cord between us—the one I'd felt since the moment we met—stretched thin, frayed, and finally snapped with a force that drove me to my knees.
Silence fell between us. The pain slowly receded, leaving a hollow emptiness where our bond had been. Inside me, Luna whimpered, curling into herself.
Roman stood rigidly, his breathing harsh. For the first time since I'd known him, he looked truly shocked. "No rogue has ever severed a mate bond with an Alpha."
"I'm full of surprises," I whispered, rising shakily to my feet.
His eyes flashed with something dangerous. "You can't leave."
"Watch me." I turned toward the door on unsteady legs.
"If you walk out that door now, don't come back," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "You have until the wedding ceremony to reconsider. After that, you're no longer welcome in Silverclaw territory."
I paused, hand on the doorknob. "The wedding is three days away."
"Then you have three days to come to your senses."
I looked back at him one last time. The man I'd thought would be my forever. The man who'd just revealed he never truly saw me as his equal.
"Goodbye, Roman."
I walked out, closing the door softly behind me. Each step away from him felt both impossible and necessary, like learning to walk with a missing limb.
But with each step, I also felt something new growing inside me—something that felt strangely like freedom.
SERAPHINA
I lingered in the shadows of the hallway, watching Ruby stumble out of Roman's office. Her face was ashen, tear-streaked. She clutched at her chest as if physically wounded.
Perfect.
I waited until she disappeared around the corner before approaching Roman's door. I composed my face into a mask of concern before knocking softly.
"Not now," Roman's voice growled from inside.
I pushed the door open anyway. "It's me."
Roman stood at the window, his back to me, shoulders rigid with tension. The energy in the room was chaotic—rage, pain, and confusion swirled like a tempest.
"I saw Ruby leaving," I said carefully, closing the door behind me. "She looked upset."
He didn't turn around. "She severed our bond."
I allowed myself a brief, triumphant smile before schooling my features. "She did what? But that's—"
"Impossible? Apparently not." His voice was raw.
I approached slowly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Roman, I'm so sorry."
He didn't shrug me off. Progress.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, moving to stand beside him.
"Like half of me has been ripped away." His golden eyes were turbulent when they finally met mine. "My wolf is..."
"Devastated," I finished sympathetically. "Of course he is."
Roman ran a hand through his hair, the silver streak catching the light. "I told her she has until the wedding to return."
My heart skipped. This wasn't part of the plan. "You still want her back? After what she did?"
"The bond may be severed, but she's still my mate," he said flatly. "Some things can't be changed."
I bit back my frustration. "But she rejected you. Humiliated you. No Alpha has ever been rejected by their mate."
Roman's jaw tightened. "I'm aware."
"The pack will talk," I pressed, moving closer. "They'll question your strength."
"Let them talk."
This wasn't going as planned. I needed to change tactics.
"You're right," I said, softening my tone. "You're the Alpha. Your word is law." I hesitated. "But what will you do if she doesn't come back?"
Something dark flashed across his face. "Then it's over."
I allowed myself to touch his arm lightly. "You deserve better, Roman. Someone who understands what it means to be Luna. Someone who supports you without question."
He didn't respond, but he didn't move away either.
Annelise appeared in the doorway, her eyes widening at the sight of us standing so close.
"Alpha," she said, "the council is requesting an emergency meeting. Word of what happened is spreading."
Roman straightened. "Tell them I'll be there shortly."
Annelise nodded, throwing me a knowing look before withdrawing.
"You should go," I said. "The pack needs you now more than ever."
Roman nodded stiffly and moved toward the door. He paused, looking back at me. "Thank you, Seraphina."
"For what?"
"For being here. For always being here."
I smiled, warmth spreading through my chest. "Always, Roman."
When the door closed behind him, I allowed my mask to drop. Triumph surged through me. For years I'd waited, watching as Roman found his so-called "fated mate" in that worthless rogue. For years I'd played the supportive friend while planning for this moment.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed a number I knew by heart.
"It's me," I said when the line connected. "We need to make arrangements."
"What kind of arrangements?" the voice asked.
I walked to Roman's window, looking out at the territory that should have been mine to rule alongside him. "Make sure Ruby West never sets foot on this territory again."
"And if she tries?"
My lips curved into a cold smile. "Be creative. Just make sure she's never a problem for us again."
I ended the call, satisfaction settling deep in my bones. Let Roman think he'd given Ruby a chance to return. By the time the wedding day arrived, she'd be long gone—one way or another.
I'd waited too long for this opportunity. Nothing would stand in my way now. Not fate, not pack law, and certainly not some rogue girl who thought she could be Luna.
Roman was mine. He just didn't know it yet.