“Luna Natasha?” he said, clearly surprised. “This is… unexpected.”
“I need your help with something rare,” I said. “A severance ritual.”
His expression turned grave. “Severance? That ritual hasn’t been performed in decades. It’s strictly—”
“I know it’s forbidden,” I interrupted, my tone unwavering. “But I want my bond with Alpha Jonathan severed. I know you store the Alpha’s blood for healing rites. I need it—for this.”
He stared at me for a moment, searching my eyes. Then he nodded. “If you’re sure, then all I need is your blood mixed with his. It’s a powerful ritual—permanent.”
He brought the vials, and I let my blood drip into the vessel. The mixture shimmered briefly, then darkened. The bond—what was once the tie between our souls—was being broken.
When it was done, I thanked him and left, my resolve colder than ever.
My next stop was a little-known structure hidden near rogue territory. It had no sign, barely any lighting, and looked abandoned. But I knew better.
Inside, the air smelled like damp stone and burnt sage. A man sat behind a desk, his features hidden beneath a hood. His scent was peculiar—muted and hard to place.
“I need a clean break,” I told him. “A full disappearance.”
His lips curved into a slow, intrigued grin. “You’re not the first to come here with that request. Why should I help you?”
I dropped a bundle of cash onto the table. Thick, unmarked bills.
He chuckled. “Now we’re speaking the same language.”
He beckoned for me to follow him. Behind a curtain, a room full of glowing screens showed identities wiped clean, faces blurred beyond recognition.
“This is how it works,” he explained. “We fake a death—yours. Rogue attack, drowning, your call. After that, we issue you a new identity and place you somewhere even the strongest trackers can’t find.”
My wolf stirred inside me, agitated and fierce.
Natasha, this isn't right. I don’t want to hide. I want retribution.
I didn’t answer her. Not yet.
The headline drew my attention before I even fully registered what I was looking at.
“Alpha Jonathan Marsh and Janine Golden Seen Together at High-Profile Auction—Old Flames Reignite,” it read.