Dahlia’s POV
If losing my mother and watching my father crumble under the weight of his grief wasn’t enough to make me swear off ever accepting a mate bond, my relationship with Finnian Blackwell sealed that decision like the final nail in a coffin.
Finnian-now Alpha Blackwell-had been everything I needed exactly when I needed him. Our fathers had been bound by duty-his as the Alpha, mine as his Beta-so from the moment we were born, our lives had been intertwined. We grew up side by side, inseparable from the start. Along with Gamma Kessler’s children, Silas and Jovie, and Isolde Mariner, the Head Omega’s daughter, we formed a tight-knit little band of mischief-makers. On any given day, we could be found racing through the pack house playing tag, hiding under stairwells for an intense game of hide and seek, causing chaos in the kitchen as we helped Isolde’s mother bake cookies, or diving headfirst into some other reckless adventure.
Finnian, Silas, Isolde, and I were the same age, and from the very beginning, we just clicked. Jovie, though a couple of years younger, was always right there with us, trailing after her older brother without hesitation. We weren’t just friends; we were family.
But as our sixteenth birthdays loomed closer, something between Finnian and me began to shift. Suddenly, I became acutely aware of how breathtaking he was-the way his sandy blonde hair fell over his forehead when he ran his fingers through it, the way his bright green eyes shimmered with mischief. And I was constantly at war with myself, resisting the urge to trail my hands over the muscles rippling beneath his tanned skin.
Our conversations took on a new edge, teasing and flirtatious, until one evening, several weeks later, Finnian finally asked me out. That first date was all it took. From that moment on, I knew-I would never want anyone else but Finnian Blackwell.
For the next four years, he was my anchor. We were inseparable, our love deepening with every stolen moment together. When my mother passed away just a few months after my birthday, Finnian was the one who held me together. He was the reason I survived-not just the loss of my mother, but the hollow shell my father became in the aftermath.
When Finnian turned eighteen, he started planning for our future with unshakable certainty. He was convinced that the moment my birthday arrived, we would officially be revealed as mates. That was all he talked about-the day the bond would snap into place, the moment he would claim me as his Luna, the future we were destined to share. And I believed him.
But fate had other plans.
The morning of my eighteenth birthday, I was practically vibrating with excitement as Finnian pulled into my driveway. I sprinted to meet him, breathless, eager to feel the pull of our bond for the first time. But the moment I reached him, I knew. There was nothing. No sudden surge of connection. No magnetic force binding our souls.
His scent-warm leather and fresh rain-was still comforting, still familiar, but not intoxicating the way a true mate’s should have been. His touch, always gentle and reassuring, lacked the telltale sparks of the mate bond.
I broke down, sobbing right there in the driveway. I had seen how much Finnian had been counting on this, how much he believed in us, and I was terrified that this would be the thing that tore us apart. But he just pulled me into his arms, whispering over and over, “I’m never leaving you, ever.” And I believed him.
Once we were inside, he sat down with me curled in his lap, pressing kisses to my cheeks, my temple, my jaw-murmuring over and over how much he loved me. I begged him to mark me, to make me his chosen mate, to solidify what the Moon Goddess had refused to grant us. But he refused. Not like this, he said. Not when I was hurting. He wanted it to be special.
I clung to the hope that day would come soon. But his parents had other ideas.
The next morning, I arrived at the pack house early, eager to surprise Finnian with his favorite muffins for breakfast. But as I neared his room, I froze at the sound of raised voices.
“That’s not fair! Plenty of wolves take chosen mates. Why shouldn’t I be able to choose who I want to be with?” Finnian’s voice was tight with frustration.
“Yes, many do. But not Alphas,” his father countered sharply.
“Alphas are stronger with their fated Lunas. It is your duty to do what is best for this pack.”
Finnian’s mother spoke next, her voice softer, more measured, but the message was the same. “Just wait until your twentieth birthday, Finnian. If you haven’t found your mate by then, we will give your chosen bond with Lia our full blessing. Just give the Moon Goddess time to reveal your path. That’s all we ask.”
“And if I don’t wait?” Finnian challenged, his tone brimming with defiance.
“Then we will not sanction your choice. And without our approval, you know the pack will never accept it either,” his father replied, his voice cold with finality.
I barely had time to process the words before footsteps approached. I stood frozen as his parents stepped into the hallway, their expressions unreadable. The Luna gave me a small, almost apologetic smile before continuing past me.
But no words were spoken. Because they had already made themselves clear.
Two years. It would be a long wait, but we both understood the importance of having the full support of the current ranked members. So, we waited.
When the time finally came, Finnian’s Alpha induction ceremony was nothing short of spectacular. The entire pack gathered, celebrating the rise of their new leader with excitement and pride. I had never felt prouder. Silas was officially stepping into my father’s former role as Beta, making it a double celebration.
Finnian and I had planned a trip for the following weekend, one that would finally solidify our chosen bond. Saying I was excited would be the understatement of the century. After everything we had endured together over the past four years, we were convinced we had earned our happily-ever-after.
Finnian never let a moment pass without brushing his fingers along my neck, whispering with a promise that sent shivers down my spine:
“Soon, love. I’ll put my mark right here for everyone to see, and you’ll be mine forever.”
That was all I ever wanted. All I needed to finally feel complete.
But the Moon Goddess had other plans.
Silas’s parents were throwing a party to celebrate his official induction as Beta, and it was also a welcome-home gathering for Jovie, his younger sister, who had just returned after four years at an all-girls boarding school abroad. As Alpha, Finnian was expected to attend, but we wanted to go regardless. Silas was one of our best friends, and our little group wouldn’t be complete without us.
I could have never predicted that the moment we stepped through that door, my entire world would come crashing down.
Finnian froze in place the instant we entered. His eyes darkened, his wolf, Hunter, stirring as he inhaled sharply. Then, without warning, he ripped his hand from mine, nearly yanking my arm out of its socket as he surged forward, shoving past the crowd with singular purpose.
And then he said it.
“Mine!”
The word sent a tremor through the room, echoing like a death sentence.
Finnian stood before Jovie, his mate, the truth of their bond unmistakable. In the blink of an eye, he had her pinned against the wall, kissing her with the same passion he had shown me only minutes before.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.
I had always known the mate bond was powerful, but I never imagined it could erase four years in a heartbeat. I stood there, numb, watching as Finnian lost himself in the pull of fate, waiting-praying-that he would snap out of it, that he would remember me, that he would fight it.
But he never did.
The silence of the room pressed in on me, dozens of eyes flickering between us, witnessing my humiliation unfold in real time.
And then, mercifully, Isolde stepped in.
“Come with me, Lia. You don’t need to stay here and watch this.”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me from the house. I stumbled numbly behind her, barely registering where we were going until she shoved me into her car and drove us straight to her home. The moment she shut the door to her bedroom, the dam inside me broke. I collapsed onto her bed, sobs wracking my body as the weight of it all crushed me.
I don’t know how long I cried. Hours, maybe. But through it all, Isolde never left my side. She didn’t try to offer empty words or false comforts. She simply stayed, rubbing my back in quiet support.
Once again, the fated mate bond had shattered my life.
By the time my tears ran dry, I knew two things with absolute certainty.
First, I hated the Moon Goddess and her cruel, twisted notion of fate.
And second, I would never allow anyone the power to break me like this again.
In the weeks that followed, Finnian tried countless times to see me. Each time, I refused.
“He’s here again. What do you want me to tell him this time?” Isolde huffed as she barged into her room, where I had been staring blankly at the ceiling.
I turned to her, my voice devoid of emotion. “Tell him I’m not here. Tell him I’ve left and you don’t know where I went. I don’t care what you say, as long as I never have to see him again.”
Finnian had left me standing in that doorway, discarded and forgotten, after four years of unwavering devotion. He had given me nothing. I would give him the same in return.
Now, a year later, pieces of me were still irreparably broken. My heart had never truly healed, but I had thrown myself into my work as a midwife and the relationships that mattered. I had slowly started to reclaim the version of myself that had once been fun-loving and free. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t just pretending to be okay-I was actually living again. And I refused to let anything take that from me.
As exhaustion weighed heavily on my body, I trudged up the stairs to my room. A small part of me considered pushing through the fatigue, changing into my training gear, and joining the pack warriors for a session.
After Finnian found his mate, my wolf, Blue, and I had struggled to process the storm of emotions that followed. Training had been my salvation, an outlet for my pain, my anger, my frustration. In the beginning, I could barely make it through a full session without my muscles giving out. But over time, I had grown stronger, faster.
A year later, I was in the best shape of my life. One of the strongest she-wolves in our pack. I could hold my own in a fight, and I loved every second of it.
But tonight, exhaustion won out.
As I crawled into bed, I reflected on the past and the lessons it had carved into my soul. It was so easy to be swept up in love, to romanticize it, to believe in the fairy tale. But all love really did was hand someone the weapon to destroy you.
I had learned my lesson.
As sleep pulled me under, I whispered a silent prayer of gratitude that I had never met my fated mate. That kind of love was a fantasy meant for the lucky few.
And I had no interest in playing a game that was rigged against me.