"A human vessel cannot bear a strong Alpha heir; she exists only as my possession," Kaelen declared before the pack. He ordered me to bleed onto the Mate Downgrade Document, handing my Luna position to the pureblood Selene. I didn't cry. Instead of accepting my submission, I sliced my palm and silently chanted a f*******n Moon Witch incantation. As my blood hit the parchment, the sacrificial fire flared an eerie silver-blue, triggering a one-way blood oath to sever our soul bond. Enduring the agonizing magical backlash, I turned away from the chaos and leaped into the deathly miasma of the Moonless Forest. As Kaelen collapsed behind me, coughing up black blood from our shattered bond, I stood alone against the glowing red eyes lurking in the shadows, carrying a rejected heir he would never claim.