The Alpha’s Broken Seal

I've been mated to Alpha Damon for five years. I helped him build a business empire, but he kept delaying our marking ceremony 99 times. Right before the ceremony was supposed to happen, he told me the pack’s resources were tight. He demanded I stop the expansion of the Alpha’s manor and scrapped the nursery I’d designed for our future pups. Then he turned around and bought a thirty-million-dollar penthouse for Isabella, a new omega in our pack. When Isabella and I were in a car crash at the same time, he didn't even glance my way. He ran straight to her. He wrapped her in his Alpha scent, holding her tight. Their scents mingling was like a knife to my heart. In the pack council hall, in front of all the Elders, I looked at him with ice in my eyes. "I, Elena, reject you, Damon, as my mate." Through the gut-wrenching pain of the mate bond snapping, I sent a message to the Alpha of another pack. "I rejected him. I'll be at your Crescent Moon Pack tomorrow." Chapter 1 My Alpha mate postponed our marking ceremony 99 times for an omega. For the 100th, I rejected him instead. "The manor expansion is on hold." Damon didn't even look up as he signed another contract. My eyes were glued to the blueprints on his desk—the plans for the Alpha’s manor that I had spent three months pouring my heart into. It included the nursery for our future children. "What do you mean?" My voice was a whisper, but my hands were shaking. "The pack's resources are tight," he said, his tone casual, as if he were talking about the weather. "The expansion is too extravagant." "Extravagant?" I stared at him in disbelief. "That was supposed to be our home, Damon. Where we agreed we'd raise our pups." "Elena, don't be dramatic." He finally looked up, his eyes filled with impatience. "It's not the right time." It felt like a sledgehammer to the chest. We'd been mated for five years. And still, he'd put off our official marking ceremony. "Isabella is waiting for me for lunch," he said, standing and walking around his desk. "I have to go." I was left alone in his office. With the rejected blueprints. My hand trembled as I picked up my phone. Instagram's algorithm pushed a new post to the top of my feed. It was from Isabella’s account. In the photo, she was wearing a couture evening gown I’d never seen before, standing in front of a massive floor-to-ceiling window. The view outside was a panorama of the pack’s core territory—a view you could only get from the penthouse. The room’s decor was breathtakingly lavish. Italian marble floors, a crystal chandelier, and a vintage sofa that had to be worth a hundred thousand dollars. Her caption read: Thanks to my Alpha for my new home! So much love in every detail. Posted: Ten minutes ago. The comment section was already on fire. OMG! Is that the penthouse in the core territory?! The Alpha is so good to you! When's the Luna ceremony? I'm so jealous! My finger froze over the screen. The penthouse. The thirty-million-dollar luxury apartment. And I had just been told our home expansion was "too extravagant." I liked the post. Just a single tap. Twenty minutes later, the emergency summons echoed through the pack’s communication system. In the council hall, the twelve Elders were already seated. Damon stood on the main platform, his face a thunderous mask. "Elena!" His roar shook the hall. "Are you proud of yourself?" "What?" "Do you have any idea what that single 'like' has caused?" His eyes began to glow with the golden light of his wolf. "The entire pack is questioning Isabella's status in the comments!" The Elders began to whisper among themselves. "It was a bit inappropriate..." "As the future Luna, Elena should show more grace..." "Isabella is a guest, after all..." I scanned the faces of the Elders I once respected. The ones who had witnessed the decade of my life I had dedicated to this pack. "I just liked a post," I said, my voice deceptively calm. "You did it to provoke me!" Damon slammed his fist on the lectern, and the wood splintered. "You're questioning my decisions!" Questioning him? I almost laughed. "Isabella is an important member of this pack, and your actions led to her being harassed online!" Damon's voice grew colder. "That's a sign of disrespect to your Alpha's authority!" A low growl rumbled in my throat. His Alpha command washed over the room like a tidal wave, pressing down on me until it was hard to breathe. Everyone in the room bowed their heads. Everyone but me. "As punishment, you are confined to the manor for one month," he announced, looking down on me. "You are not to leave the grounds or use any social media." Confined. Like a child being punished. "Anything else to say?" A dangerous glint shone in Damon’s eyes. I stood up. The hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. "I, Elena, reject you, Damon, as my mate." The words hung in the air for a second before the room erupted in gasps. A storm of energy exploded in the hall. Every wolf felt the soul-tearing agony. The excruciating pain of an Alpha’s mate bond being violently severed. The crystal chandelier swung wildly, and glasses on the tables shattered. The Elders clutched their chests, their faces ashen. Damon’s face went white as a sheet, and he staggered back a step. He let out a guttural howl, a sound thick with pain and rage. "Get out!" His roar shook the foundations of the building. "Get out of my territory! I don't want to see your face for another second!" His Alpha aura lashed out, raw and untamed, stealing the air from everyone's lungs. I picked up my bag and walked toward the door without a backward glance. In the underground garage, I started the engine of the black Mercedes—the birthday gift Damon had given me last year. The engine's roar echoed through the empty space. The car moved slowly toward the territory exit. Just as I was about to pass through the main gate, a flash of red appeared in my rearview mirror. A Ferrari, speeding right for me. I had no time to react. CRUNCH! The massive impact ripped through the night. My car was thrown from the road, slamming hard into the guardrail. The airbag deployed, and my head smashed against the steering wheel. Blood trickled down my forehead. "Elena!" I heard Damon’s frantic shout in the distance. But he wasn't running to me. He was running to the red Ferrari. "Isabella! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I pushed open the warped car door and stumbled out. My head was spinning, my vision blurry. "I'm fine..." Isabella crawled out of the driver's seat, tears streaming down her face. "I was just trying to catch up to Elena, to convince her to come back... She must have been so distraught, she just sped off without looking..." Wild with jealousy? I hadn't even turned the wheel. "Elena!" Damon finally ran to me, but his eyes held no concern, only accusation. "Look what you've done! You almost got Isabella killed!" I looked at the fury in his eyes. So real. So blinding. "Yeah," I wiped the blood from my face. "I'm wild with jealousy." A taxi had been waiting by the side of the road for the last ten minutes. I walked toward it. "Elena, where are you going?" Damon yelled. I didn't look back. Once inside the taxi, I sent a message to Sera. "I rejected him. I'm coming to your Crescent Moon Pack tomorrow." Chapter 2 "Elena?" Sera called me soon, laced with worry. "Are you okay?" I sat in the back of the taxi, watching the city lights blur past the window. "I'm fine," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'll be there tomorrow." "That's great!" Sera's voice instantly brightened. "I always said you should have come build the Crescent Moon Pack with me. Remember five years ago? When I asked you to be my partner..." Five years ago. Back when Damon had just become Alpha and needed my support to secure his position. I chose him. I turned down Sera's offer. "I remember," I said softly. "If I'd said yes then, maybe things would be different now." "Don't say that," Sera's tone softened. "The choices you made then made you who you are today. And now, you're free." Free. The word felt both foreign and beautiful. "Elena, I'll have someone pick you up. We'll sign the partnership agreement tomorrow." "Okay." After ending the call, I gave the taxi driver a new address. Not a hotel. The apartment I shared with Damon. I had a few things to take care of. The apartment was dark. I didn't turn on the lights, using my werewolf night vision to navigate the familiar space. By the living room fireplace stood the wolf sculpture I had carved myself. Two wolves, curled together, a symbol of an eternal mate bond. It had taken me a whole month to finish it. Every detail was filled with my hopes for our future. Now, it was covered in a layer of dust. No one cared. Just like our relationship. I walked over and picked up the sculpture. I lifted it high, then smashed it onto the floor. CRACK! Crystalline fragments scattered everywhere, glittering in the dark. Just like my shattered heart. My phone buzzed. A new notification from the pack's internal channel. Isabella had posted a video. I didn't want to watch it, but curiosity won. In the video, Isabella was wearing a tight red dress, standing somewhere I’d never been. It was a massive underground garage. The walls were lined with priceless supercars and vintage models. Damon's private collection. He once told me, "That's my personal space. No one is allowed in." Including me, his mate. In the video, Damon walked toward a silver Aston Martin. A limited edition, worth three million dollars. His most prized possession. "Tonight, I'll show you what real speed is," he said to Isabella, placing the keys in her hand. Isabella shrieked with excitement, like a child with a new toy. "Really? I've never driven a car this expensive!" "Of course," Damon's voice was full of indulgence. "You can do whatever you want." They drove out of the garage and headed for the family's private racetrack. A sacred place only those of Alpha blood were allowed to enter. The video ended with a shot of Isabella tearing down the track, laughing wildly into the night. And Damon stood on the sidelines, his eyes full of admiration. Posted: Thirty minutes ago. Caption: First time feeling real speed! Thanks to my Alpha for showing me a different world! I turned off my phone, a wave of nausea rolling in my stomach. It wasn't jealousy. It was heartache. The sound of the lock turning broke the silence. Damon was back. "Elena?" His voice echoed in the darkness. "You're home?" I didn't answer. He flipped on the living room lights. When he saw the shattered pieces on the floor, he froze. "Is that... our sculpture?" He knelt, trying to pick up the pieces. "Don't touch it," my voice was as cold as ice. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with confusion. "Elena, why would you break it? You poured your heart into this..." "Because what it represents doesn't exist anymore." He stood up and tried to walk toward me. "I can explain what happened tonight." "Explain what?" I took a step back, my eyes red. "Explain why you took Isabella to your private garage? Or why you let her drive your most prized car?" "I was just teaching a new pack member," he said, his tone a little defensive. "She needs to understand the pack's..." "Enough," I cut him off. "Don't treat me like an idiot." He kept walking toward me, trying to take my hand. "Elena, listen to me. Isabella means nothing to me. You're the one I love." His hand touched my cheek. In that instant, I caught a sweet, cloying scent. Isabella’s scent. On his skin, on his clothes, even in his hair. My stomach churned. I recoiled, shoving him away. I scrubbed the back of my hand across my lips, a desperate attempt to wipe away the phantom touch and the foul scent of his betrayal. Chapter 3 A flash of feral rage crossed Damon's eyes. "Elena, you're disgusted by me?" Before I could answer, his fist slammed into the living room wall. Plaster and dust flew through the air. "You'll regret this," he snarled, turning and storming toward the door. "There will come a day when you're on your knees, begging me to come back!" The door slammed shut, shaking the entire apartment. I collapsed onto the sofa, staring at the shattered wolf and the hole in the wall. This was my five years of love. Broken to pieces. The next morning, I started packing. This apartment was bought with my own design fees; Damon's name wasn't on the deed. But according to pack law, any major property transaction required the Alpha's seal. I logged into the pack’s internal system to submit the sale application. [PERMISSION DENIED] [USER HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY ADMINISTRATOR] Blocked. He had actually blocked me from the pack network. Like I was some rogue. I called my lawyer. "Thomas, I want to sell the apartment." "Miss Elena, you'll need the Alpha's written consent," Thomas said, his voice hesitant. "But... from what I understand, your current status is a bit... complicated." Complicated. Meaning I was a nobody now. "Is there any way around it?" "If the Alpha agrees to sign the paperwork, then there's no problem." I stared at my phone, thinking. Then I dialed Damon's number. "Elena?" His voice was full of surprise. "You've come to your senses?" I took a deep breath, making my voice as fragile as possible. "Damon, I... I did a lot of thinking last night." I paused, faking a sob. "Maybe I was too impulsive." "Elena!" His tone was instantly ecstatic. "I knew you'd never really leave me!" "I want to see you," I managed, squeezing out a few tears to make my voice tremble. "There are some things I need to tell you in person." "Okay! I'll be right there!" After hanging up, I looked at myself in the mirror. The tears were still on my cheeks. But my eyes were cold as stone. An hour later, I was sitting in the city's most exclusive restaurant, waiting for Sera. "Elena!" Sera strode over and wrapped me in a tight hug. "You look better than I expected." "That's because I'm free," I said with a smile. We were seated in a quiet private room with a panoramic view of the city. "I've got the Crescent Moon Pack contract ready," Sera said, pushing a folder across the table. "Chief Strategy Officer, forty percent of the profits." I looked through the terms. It was more generous than I ever could have imagined. "Sera, this is too much." "It's not," she said, her expression serious. "Elena, your talent is worth far more than this. How much wealth have you created for Damon all these years?" I thought about it. She was right. More than half of the Black Stone Pack's business empire was built on projects I designed. "Sign it," Sera said, handing me a pen. "It's time to live for yourself." Just as I was about to sign, Sera's gaze shifted to the window. "Elena, look over there." I followed her eyes. On a balcony of the building across the street, two familiar figures stood in plain view. Damon and Isabella. Even from this distance, I could see their expressions clearly. Damon seemed to be comforting her, his hands on her shoulders. Isabella looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. She said something that made Damon's expression soften. Then, as if knowing she was being watched, Isabella rose onto her toes and pressed a possessive kiss to his neck. Chapter 4 That mark was a sting. Even from so far away, my werewolf hearing picked up their conversation from the terrace. "Don't worry, Isabella," Damon's voice was gentle, reassuring. "I'll find the right time to deal with the bond with Elena. For good." Deal with it. Like a problem to be solved. "Really?" Isabella's voice trembled with feigned insecurity. "But the Elders said a simple rejection doesn't fully sever a fated mate bond..." "Then we'll perform the full severance ritual," Damon's tone was firm. "At the next full moon, in front of the entire pack. I'll make her disappear from my life forever." "But what about the toll it will take on you..." Isabella feigned concern. "For our future, it's worth it." I shut off my enhanced hearing and sat back down. There was no pain in my chest, not like I expected. Only a sense of relief. "Heard enough?" Sera asked. "More than enough." I picked up the pen and signed my name on the contract. "He's making this cleaner than I thought." "Good." Sera raised her glass. "To new beginnings." Our glasses clinked, the sound sharp and clear. After our meeting, we walked to the restaurant's parking garage together. "Elena, I have something for you." Sera pulled a sleek car key from her purse. The fob was inlaid with a small crescent moon emblem that sparkled under the lights. "What's this?" "Your new ride." She gestured to a spot in the garage. "Custom Maserati. One of only fifty in the world." I pressed the unlock button. A short distance away, a sports car's lights flashed. Its body was sleek and bold, like a swan about to take flight. "Sera, this is too much..." "Elena." She looked me right in the eyes. "A rejected Luna can't lose face. You need to show everyone that you're better off without him." She was right. If I was going to start a new life, I had to make it more brilliant than my last one. "Thank you." I took the key, feeling its warmth in my hand. "That's your commission from your last project. You earned it," Sera said, patting my shoulder. "From now on, you work for you." I drove the new car back to the apartment. As I pulled into the underground garage, I saw a familiar figure leaning against a pillar. Damon. His arms were crossed, his expression dark. He'd clearly been waiting for a while. "Elena." His voice echoed in the empty space. "Where were you?" I got out and grabbed my bag. "Dinner." "With who?" He followed me. "You're back late." "A friend." "What kind of friend requires you to dress up like that?" His tone grew colder. "Elena, given your... situation, it's not appropriate for you to be meeting with outsiders." Outsiders. An interesting choice of words. "And who, exactly, is an 'outsider'?" I stopped and turned to face him. "Anyone who isn't a member of the Black Stone Pack," he said, as if it were obvious. "Especially our competitors." "Like Sera?" "Exactly like her!" Anger flashed in his eyes. "Elena, how could you be consorting with the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack? She's only using you!" Consorting. What a disgusting word. "And what's with the car?" He pointed to my new Maserati. "A limited edition, that's at least four hundred thousand. Where did you get that kind of money?" His eyes were filled with suspicion and a possessive glint. As if I were still his property. "I earned it." "You earned it?" He scoffed. "Elena, all your design fees are turned over to the pack. You don't have that kind of money." Turned over. Like an underling reporting to a superior. I didn't answer, just kept walking toward the elevator. "Elena!" His voice, laced with his Alpha command, boomed behind me. "I'm talking to you!" The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside. He followed me in. In the confined space, I could smell that sweet, cloying Omega scent on him again. "You need to tell me what you did tonight." He slammed his hand on the stop button. "As your former mate, I have a right to know where you are." Former mate. And he still thought he had rights. "Damon, you're mistaken about one thing." I stared directly into his eyes. "You have no rights whatsoever." "No rights?" His eyes flashed, a flicker of his wolf's gold surfacing. "Elena, you are still living on my territory!" "This is my apartment." "But you are still within the jurisdiction of the Black Stone Pack!" Jurisdiction. Such arrogant logic. The elevator reached my floor. I stepped out, and he followed close behind. "Elena, what did you and Sera talk about today?" He followed me into the living room. "Are you two plotting something?" I walked to the coffee table and pulled a folder from my bag. If he wanted to know so badly, then I'd let him know. I pushed the folder toward him. "You should take a look at this." Chapter 5 Damon looked at the folder, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Elena, I knew you'd come around. Is this a request to reinstate our bond?" He didn't open it right away, instead leaning back on the sofa, savoring the feeling of control. "Was it seeing me with Isabella tonight that finally made you realize your mistake?" I watched him, my face a blank mask. "Aren't you going to look at it?" "In a minute." He crossed his legs, acting as if he held all the cards. "Elena, I can give you one more chance. If you sincerely apologize and admit that your behavior tonight was wrong, I might consider taking you back." Taking me back. How generous. "Of course, there will be conditions," he continued. "For instance, you can't have any more contact with the Crescent Moon Pack. And that car? It has to go back." I said nothing, just waited. He was about to open the folder when a mind link from Isabella came through. "You should answer that," I said flatly. He hesitated for a second before turning away to take it. "Damon!" Isabella's panicked voice filled the link, clear enough for me to hear through our residual bond. "Where are you? I'm so scared!" "What's wrong?" Damon’s tone sharpened instantly. "There are some rogues following me!" Isabella’s voice trembled. "They look dangerous, I don't know what to do!" Damon shot to his feet, the folder completely forgotten in his hand. "Where are you right now?" "In the mall parking lot, I'm too scared to leave..." "Elena, I have to go get Isabella," he said, rushing toward the door. "Wait," I called out. "You haven't dealt with the document yet." "Elena!" He spun around, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Isabella is in danger, and you're worried about a piece of paper?" "You're here. Just handle it before you go," I said, my voice calm. "It's important." "How can you be so cold-blooded?" he seethed. "She could get hurt!" Another, sharper scream came through the link. "Damon! They're getting closer! Help me!" That scream was the final push. Damon lost all reason. "Fine, fine, I'll deal with it!" he snapped, storming back and snatching the folder. He didn't even look at the contents, just flipped straight to the last page. When he saw the spot requiring the Alpha's seal, he pressed his thumb to it without a second thought. The crimson print stood out, stark and clear against the paper. It was done. "Happy now?" He snarled, tossing the folder onto the coffee table before bolting for the door. "Perfectly," I murmured, picking up the document. A slow, cold smile touched my lips. "Drive safe." He was gone without another word. I sat on the sofa, the once-chaotic living room now quiet again. I pulled out my phone and dialed my lawyer, Thomas. "Thomas, the document has been signed. You can file the transfer paperwork tomorrow." "Of course, Miss Elena. And the new name on the deed?" "Elena Martinez," I said, repeating my own name. "Not an attachment to anyone." After hanging up, I walked to the window and looked out at the city lights. The traffic flowed like rivers, the lights like stars. This world was so much bigger than just the Black Stone Pack. My phone buzzed. A private message. From: Isabella. Elena, Damon's heart is mine now. You should just leave with some dignity. Chapter 6 The next afternoon, I went back to the apartment to pack my last few things. The moment I opened the door, I was hit by that cloying, sweet scent again. Isabella. The door swung open to the sound of sizzling and spatulas clanking. Someone was cooking in the kitchen. I walked over and saw a familiar figure with her back to me. Isabella, wearing my silk robe, was flipping a steak on the grill. My robe. My kitchen. She heard my footsteps and turned around. "Elena!" A flash of panic crossed her face, but she quickly composed herself. "You're back." "What are you doing in my home?" "Damon asked me to come," she said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I was so frightened after what happened last night, and he said it would be safer here." She turned back to the steak, her movements practiced, as if she owned the place. "You're wearing my clothes." "Oh, this?" Isabella looked down at the silk robe. "My clothes got dirty, and Damon said I could just grab something of yours." Just grab something. I took a deep breath, fighting to stay calm. Her scent had saturated the entire apartment. It was nauseating. "Elena, what's wrong?" She turned to me, her eyes wide with innocent confusion. "You look pale." "It's nothing." Just then, the sound of the shower started in the bathroom. Damon was taking a shower. "He'll be out soon," Isabella explained helpfully. "I'm making him dinner to thank him for saving my life last night." Such a perfect excuse. "Elena!" Damon walked out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waist. "Why are you back?" His tone was far from welcoming. "I'm here to get my things." "What things?" He frowned. "Weren't you coming back to apologize?" Apologize? "I have nothing to apologize for." "Elena, stop being difficult," he said, walking to the closet to get dressed. "Isabella almost got hurt last night, and it was all because of your stubbornness." Because of my stubbornness? "Yes," Isabella chimed in at the perfect moment, her eyes welling up with tears. "If Elena hadn't rejected the mate bond and caused all that chaos in the pack, those rogues would never have targeted me." Such flawless logic. I didn't argue, just walked straight to my design studio. I still had some important blueprints to collect. "Elena, where are you going?" Isabella called after me. "My studio." "Oh," her voice was filled with interest. "Can I see it? I've always been so curious about where you work." I didn't answer, just pushed open the studio door. But Isabella had already followed me in. "Wow!" she exclaimed dramatically. "So many beautiful designs!" She walked over to my drafting table, where some of my newest project sketches were laid out. "Are these all your work?" She picked up a blueprint. "You're so talented." "Put it down," I said coldly. "Sorry," she said with a look of pure innocence, but her hand moved slowly. "I just wanted to admire it." Just then, the glass of red wine in her other hand "accidentally" tipped. The deep red liquid spilled across the blueprint, staining the white paper instantly. It was my resort proposal for the Crescent Moon Pack. "Ah!" Isabella cried out, then her foot "slipped," and she stumbled backward. She fell hard onto the floor. "Isabella!" Damon's roar came from the doorway. He rushed into the studio and saw Isabella on the ground, his eyes blazing with fury. "Elena!" he snarled. "What did you do to her?" "I didn't do anything." I looked at the ruined blueprint on the floor. "She fell on her own." "On her own?" He looked at me in disbelief. "Isabella, are you okay? Are you hurt?" "My back... it hurts so much..." Isabella moaned in his arms. "Elena pushed me..." "I didn't touch her." "Elena!" Damon stood up, the golden light in his eyes flaring dangerously. "You've lost your mind!" A low growl rumbled in his chest as his Alpha aura flooded the room. "First the car crash, now this," he advanced on me. "Elena, you are completely out of control." "I told you, I didn't push her." "Enough!" He slammed his fist into the wall. "I am done with your tantrums and your jealousy! If you dare touch Isabella again, I will officially, by Alpha decree, banish you. I'll make you a Rogue!" A Rogue. The cruelest punishment in the werewolf world. It meant being cast out forever, never allowed to join another pack, destined to die alone. "Do you hear me?" his eyes were full of menace. "Now, apologize to Isabella!" I looked at Isabella, who was still feigning agony on the floor. I looked at Damon, who was burning with rage. Before Damon could issue his verdict, I cut him off, my voice chillingly calm. "There's no need. I accept the banishment. I will be a Rogue." Chapter 7 Damon’s face went white. "What?" He looked as if he'd misheard. "Elena, what did you just say?" "I accept. To be a Rogue," I repeated, my tone as steady as if I were discussing the weather. "Isn't that what you want?" "No!" He shook his head violently. "Elena, you're crazy! I was just angry, I didn't really mean—" "But I do," I cut him off. "Damon, we're done." Panic flashed in his eyes. A raw, uncontrolled panic. "Isabella, get out," he said suddenly, turning to the woman on the floor. "Elena and I need to talk. Alone." "But Damon, my back..." Isabella put on a pained expression. "Out!" His roar shook the room. Terrified by his Alpha command, Isabella scrambled to her feet and fled the studio. The room was silent, leaving just the two of us. "Elena, what happened to your hand?" He suddenly noticed my right hand. I glanced down. There were a few small, thin scratches on the back of my hand. I must have caught it on a piece of glass while cleaning up the blueprints. "It's nothing." "How is it nothing?" He started to step toward me, but I stepped back. "Let me see." "Don't." "Elena, whatever is going on between us, I never want to see you get hurt." His tone softened. "After all these years, everything you've done for me..." "Enough." I didn't want to hear his fake sentiment. "I know what happened today was Isabella's fault," he continued. "I'll make her pay for the damages." Pay for it? "Damon, do you really think this is about money?" "Then what is it about?" He looked at me, his expression earnest. "Elena, tell me. What do I need to do?" I didn't answer, just went back to gathering the last of my things. The drafting table was mostly empty. I had already moved all the important blueprints and data. "Why is your studio so empty?" He looked around, a growing unease in his voice. "Where are the project files?" "I moved them." "Moved them where?" "To my new office." He froze. "What new office?" "The studio the Crescent Moon Pack set up for me," I said, closing the last portfolio. "The facility is state-of-the-art." "Elena!" His voice was sharp. "You can't do that! Those designs contain classified information about the Black Stone Pack!" "Don't worry, I won't leak your secrets," I said, zipping my bag. "After all, we won't have anything to do with each other soon." "What do you mean, 'nothing to do with each other'?" He was starting to panic. "Elena, what are you doing?" "I'm leaving," I said, walking toward the door. "I've sold the apartment." "What?!" He grabbed my arm. "What did you just say?" "The apartment is sold," I said, yanking my arm free. "The new owner takes possession tomorrow." "That's impossible!" His eyes were wide with disbelief. "Elena, you're lying! This apartment requires my final seal to be sold!" "Oh, really?" I pulled the document he'd signed last night from my bag. "Are you sure about that?" I held it out to him. "See for yourself." His hands trembled as he took the paper and quickly scanned it. When his eyes landed on the title, "Property Transfer Agreement," the color drained from his face. "What... what is this?" "The property transfer agreement," I said calmly. "The one you signed yourself last night." "No!" He frantically flipped to the last page, his face a mask of horror. "I thought... I thought this was your written apology!" "When did I ever say it was an apology letter?" "You... you tricked me!" His voice shook. "I didn't trick you," I said, my tone unchanging. "All I said was, 'You should take a look at this.' You were the one who didn't bother to read it." He kept scanning the document, desperately searching for a loophole. But the terms were ironclad, the legal language precise. And on the final page, there was a crimson mark. When Damon saw the clear, undeniable mark of his Alpha Seal—his own crimson thumbprint, imbued with a trace of his power—his body went rigid.