Chapter 5
(Harper’s POV)
The neon glow of the Moonpine Tavern sign flickered as I pulled into the lot. Nestled in the neutral zone between territories, this bar was a favorite for wolves from different packs—either to talk business or to slip away from their Alpha's ever-watchful gaze.
It was the perfect place for someone who had just dumped her fiancé and humiliated him in front of his entire pack.
The moment I stepped inside, I spotted Kaia. Her dark hair was thrown up in a messy bun, eyes sharp as she scanned the room. When she saw me, concern quickly turned to shock.
“Harper!” she exclaimed, rushing over and pulling me into a tight hug. Then she stepped back, looking me over. “You look... totally fine?”
I gave a nonchalant shrug. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Her eyes zeroed in on my coat. “Wait—is that blood?”
I glanced down at the crimson splatter on my sleeve. I hadn’t even noticed it during the chaos of my exit.
“Huh. Guess it is.” I brushed my finger over the stain. “Not mine though.”
Kaia’s voice rose a pitch. “Not yours? Then whose is it?”
I offered a small, smug smile. “Probably Eden’s. Or Joshua’s. Things got... heated on my way out.”
Kaia’s jaw dropped. “You attacked the Alpha heir and his pregnant mistress? Are you out of your damn mind?”
“Maybe a little.” I couldn’t help grinning. “You should’ve seen Joshua's face when I formally rejected him.”
She stared at me for a beat, then burst out laughing, disbelief mixing with admiration. “I can’t believe you actually went through with it! I thought I’d find you crying into a bottle of merlot, not strutting in here like you just hit the jackpot.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “It feels like I did. Finally free of that arrogant bastard and his conniving ‘sister.’”
Kaia shook her head, still trying to process my mood. “You’ve seriously surprised me tonight, H. You know Joshua isn’t some random wolf—he’s the Hale heir. And Eden... we all know how dangerous she can be.”
A cold memory flashed in my mind—Eden’s silver-tipped claws raking across my skin, the burn of poison flooding my bloodstream during her staged “rogue” attack three years ago.
“I’m not afraid of them anymore,” I said, pushing the memory aside.
Kaia gave my arm a reassuring squeeze. “Good. It’s about time someone stood up to those two.”
She glanced around the busy bar. “Let’s sit down. I’m starving, and you look like you could use a strong drink.”
“Make it a double,” I said, following her through the crowd.
Moonpine was packed tonight—wolves from all over mingling and murmuring. Heads turned as we passed, whispers trailing behind us. News traveled fast in our world.
We slid into a corner booth, tucked away enough to talk privately. Kaia flagged down a waitress and ordered us both whiskeys and steaks.
“Medium rare for me,” I added.
When the food arrived, I struggled to cut through the overcooked meat. My knife screeched against the plate as I tried to slice it.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered, dropping my utensils. “I’d rather have rabbit. Something I can rip apart with my teeth.”
Kaia chuckled. “Next time, I’ll take you to my favorite rabbit roast. Sorry—your message sounded urgent, so I didn’t have time to book somewhere decent.”
“It’s fine.” I took a long swig of whiskey, savoring the burn. “The booze makes up for it.”
Kaia leaned in, her voice dropping. “So... what’s your next move? Joshua’s not going to just let this go.”
I didn’t hesitate. “I’m canceling the marking ceremony. I want you to spread the word. Let every pack know.”
She nearly choked on her drink. “You’re serious? Do the Hale and Swift packs even know you’re doing this?”
I smiled coldly. “Don’t need their approval. It’s my decision.”
“Harper...” Her tone was cautious. “This isn’t just between you and Joshua anymore. This is about politics. Two major packs.”
I shrugged, unbothered. “Then they’ll have to find another way to play politics. I’m done being their pawn.”
Kaia leaned back, studying me like she was seeing me for the first time. “You’ve changed. A year ago, you never would’ve dared to go against both packs like this.”
She wasn’t wrong. I’d spent years craving approval—especially from the parents who abandoned me for Eden, even after the truth came out about our switched identities.
“I wasted so much time trying to be what they wanted.” My voice sharpened. “And where did it get me? Engaged to a man who cheated on me with my adopted sister—the same woman who tried to kill me.”
Kaia nodded slowly. “I remember when they first arranged the bond.”
Her words took me back. After Eden’s planned attack nearly ended my life, there’d been a brief moment where I thought justice might win. Joshua had stepped in, condemned her actions, acted like he cared.
I’d been so pathetically grateful that when the Hale Pack proposed a mating bond, I agreed. They said it would unite our packs. They promised it would secure my place in the Hale hierarchy.
God, I’d been such a fool.
“Joshua never had any intention of letting Eden take the fall,” I said bitterly. “He was just playing the game—pushing the mating deal forward while making sure she stayed protected.”
Kaia’s eyes narrowed in fury. “That two-faced asshole. I never trusted him.”
“Well, now he can have Eden. With my blessing.” I downed the rest of my whiskey. “They’re perfect for each other.”
Kaia paused, then asked carefully, “But why’d you go along with it for so long, Harper? You even helped plan the marking ceremony.”
The question hit deeper than I wanted to admit. I couldn’t tell her the truth—that after leaving Ryker and my adoptive mom, I’d felt crushingly alone. That I’d been so desperate to feel like I belonged, to earn love from the birth family that had always favored Eden, even after the truth came out.
So I dodged. “Doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is ending this circus for good.”
Kaia nodded, sensing I wasn’t ready to go there. “What do you need from me?”
“Post about their hospital visit on the pack forums,” I said. “Make it clear they went in for a prenatal appointment, not treatment for silver poisoning.”
Her eyes lit up with wicked glee. “Oh, I can do that.”
She whipped out her phone and started typing fast. As a healer-in-training, Kaia had credibility in the medical circles. Combine that with her online clout among the younger wolves, and her posts were practically gospel.
“I’m not just posting about their little OB/GYN trip,” she said, her fingers flying. “I’m announcing your decision to cancel the marking ceremony too.”
I gave her a satisfied smile. “Perfect.”
In less than half an hour, Kaia had crafted a detailed post—complete with the exact time and date of Joshua and Eden’s appointment. She even included a quote from a nurse about them asking questions related to early pregnancy symptoms.
“And... posted,” she said triumphantly.
Her phone immediately lit up with pings, buzzing nonstop.
“Wow, it’s going viral,” Kaia said, scrolling through the flood of responses. “People are stunned—but honestly? Not that surprised. Looks like rumors about Joshua and Eden have been floating around for a while.”
“Of course they have,” I scoffed. “They were probably screwing behind my back the whole time I was busy planning our future.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and showed the screen to Kaia—Joshua’s name flashed in bold letters.
“That didn’t take long,” she muttered.
I answered, switching to speaker. Kaia leaned in.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Joshua’s voice roared through the phone, loud enough to draw glances from nearby tables.
“Letting people know where I stand,” I said coolly. “Is that a problem?”
“You had no right—” he snapped.
“I had every right. I rejected you as my mate. The marking ceremony is off. End of story.”
His breathing turned ragged—he was holding back rage. “You’re making a huge mistake, Harper. If you think you can humiliate me like this—”
“I already did,” I cut in. “And there’s nothing you can do to undo it.”
Joshua’s voice dropped to a low, menacing growl. “If you don’t come home and fix this right now, I swear I’ll come to your apartment and tear the place apart myself.”
Kaia’s eyes widened, but I didn’t flinch.
“Go ahead,” I said flatly. “Give me another reason to file a formal complaint with the Pack Council.”
Silence. Then, he exploded.
“This isn’t over, Harper! You think you can just walk away from this? I’ll burn down everything you care about!”
I hung up without replying.
Kaia stared at me, half-shocked, half-impressed.
“Well,” she said, lifting her glass. “Here’s to burning bridges in style.”
I clinked mine against hers. “To new beginnings.”
Some content on the website is uploaded by users. If it infringes on your rights, please contact us.