My mate used his military achievements to sever our bond, and the entire pack watched my humiliation unfold.
But the very next day, Carson Duncan, my childhood friend and the Beta of the Duncan Pack, came to propose.
For seven years, he treated me like a treasure, silencing the whispers of the pack.
Until the pack gathering, where my half-sister Bellamy and I fell into the lake.
Without hesitation, he saved her, leaving me to nearly drown in the icy water.
I smiled bitterly, then made my decision. I swallowed the potion that would make me appear dead.
In seven days, the bond between us would be severed, and I would be free.
---
"Miss Jaliyah, are you sure about this? Besides this incident, the Beta has always been good to you," Layne, my loyal maid and an Omega in the Duncan Pack, asked with deep concern in her voice.
Layne had been with me since my mother’s passing, witnessing every hardship I’d endured and knowing how much I loved Carson.
But the memory of the pack gathering yesterday was like a knife twisting in my heart.
The mate who had been by my side for seven years, who had sworn to protect me, had instinctively rushed to save Bellamy instead.
And as I nearly drowned, he didn’t even spare me a glance.
I forced a bitter smile and nodded without hesitation.
"Hand it to me. If I stay, I fear I’ll end up like my mother, forever buried in this pack’s cruelty."
Layne wiped her tears and handed me the potion she’d prepared.
"Miss Jaliyah, we don’t know how your body will react to this. If the pain becomes unbearable, you can bite me."
Her selfless offer warmed my heart.
At least in this world, there was still someone who cared for me.
I took the potion and drank it without hesitation.
The liquid was bitter, so bitter, but compared to my current reality, it was nothing.
Within moments, a sharp pain tore through my abdomen, as if countless ants were gnawing at my flesh.
Just as I was on the verge of passing out from the agony, the door burst open.
Carson stood there, his hair disheveled, as if he’d run all the way here.
Seeing the sweat drenching my forehead, he rushed to the bed and pulled me into his arms.
"Jaliyah, Jaliyah, don’t be afraid. I’m here," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
The sincerity in his eyes was almost convincing, as if he truly loved me deeply.
But the faint scent of rosemary clinging to him was a cruel reminder—he had come from Bellamy’s side.
My heart sank further.
I stared at him, tears streaming down my cheeks.
In seven days, I would disappear from his world forever.
No matter how much he called for me, I would not return.
