She sacrificed everything for a mate who never chose her. Now she's choosing herself.**Annalisa gave up a brilliant career in AI and pharmaceuticals to save her premature son's life and support her Alpha mate's ambitions. But devotion isn't enough when Derek can't feel their bond—because Annalisa's wolf remains locked away, making her an outcast in her own pack.When Derek's "true mate" Alice returns and seamlessly takes over Annalisa's life—her husband, her home, even her son's affection—Annalisa finally sees the truth: she's been fighting for a family that never truly wanted her.On her forgotten birthday, watching through a restaurant window as her husband and son celebrate with another woman, Annalisa makes a choice that shocks everyone. She doesn't fight for her marriage. She doesn't beg for her son's love. She walks away from both.Filing for divorce without telling Derek, Annalisa resurrects the tech genius she buried seven years ago and returns to Silicon Valley. Her former partner James welcomes her back to TechNova, where her groundbreaking AI research quickly attracts global attention. As Annalisa reclaims her identity as a multi-talented innovator, new people enter her life—brilliant colleagues who value her mind, friends who celebrate her achievements, and eventually, someone who sees her worth without needing a mystical bond to prove it.But as Annalisa rises to stardom in the tech world, developing innovations that revolutionize the industry, Derek finally realizes what he's lost. When her wolfless condition mysteriously resolves and shocking truths about Alice's "mate bond" come to light, Derek wants his wife back.Too bad Annalisa is done being anyone's second choice.