My Alpha Bonded His Mistress at Our Ceremony

Chapter 2

I left the Elder Council meeting without a shred of hesitation, claiming I wasn’t feeling well. No one questioned me—my reddened eyes and fractured aura said enough.

In truth, I’d spent the entire meeting suppressing my wolf’s instinctive revolt. Leona had nearly broken through the mental barrier, desperate to confront Fernando across the distance. It was a textbook signal—the kind that flares right before a soulbond between an Alpha and his fated mate begins to rupture.

I knew I was entering the final stage of resonance collapse.

“We have to leave,” Leona growled hoarsely. “If we stay any longer, we’ll lose the strength to rebuild what remains of our wolfheart.”

I didn’t argue. Because she was right.

When I returned to my dwelling on the edge of the territory, Alpha Fernando wasn’t home yet. Good. I needed time to stabilize my aura, to prepare for the confrontation I knew was coming—especially after what I heard on that soulstone transmission.

I activated the crystal’s core and resumed my remote connection with Alpha Ross.

We were discussing the final preparations for the marking ceremony: it had to take place under a full moon, and a certified healing witch must be present to oversee the ritual. More importantly, I needed to fully purge the residual imprint of Fernando’s soulmark from within me—without that, Ross’s mark wouldn’t take.

A few minutes later, Alpha Fernando stepped through the door. But I didn’t look up. I kept tapping the soulstone’s surface, composing my reply to Ross’s latest message.

Fernando sensed the change instantly. The air grew heavy between us. He wasn’t used to being ignored—especially not by me.

In the past, whenever he walked through that door, I would rush to greet him, smiling as I asked if he was hurt, if he needed his wounds treated with moonstone salve. But now, I didn’t even lift my gaze.

“Thalia?” he called gently.

I raised my head slowly. “Hmm?” My tone was flat, cold.

He paused, frowning.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping closer. “Your aura’s... unsteady.”

I gave a casual shrug and returned my attention to the soulstone.

“It’s nothing,” I said calmly. “The meeting ran long. Just gave me a bit of a headache.” I even forced a faint smile.

He visibly relaxed. Clearly, he thought I was still unaware of his and Bianca’s secret preparations for their marking ritual.

“Too late,” Leona muttered, voice like crushed glass. “From the moment he betrayed the bond gifted to us by the Moon Goddess, we stopped belonging to him.”

“By the way, there’s something I wanted to tell you,” I said casually.

Fernando narrowed his eyes, wary. “What is it?”

I kept my tone light, still tapping on the stone’s surface. “I’ve been thinking... I’ve been doing a lot of Alpha-level work lately. But I realized, maybe I’m better suited for something else.”

Leona’s voice sliced through me like a blade.

“This is the moment you begin the severing.”

He squinted, his voice taut. “You’re stepping away from our shared responsibilities? Are you abandoning me?”

“I didn’t say that.” I chuckled softly, still not looking at him. “I just believe someone of your Alpha rank is perfectly capable of handling the territory alone. Besides... isn’t Bianca quite good at Alpha-level policy work?”

His face darkened instantly at the mention of her name.

“Bianca?” he snapped. “What are you implying?”

I finally looked at him, letting a sickeningly sweet smile stretch across my lips. “You know, while I was away, she was... very helpful. Treated your injuries, kept your favorite healing crystals at the ready, even spoke up for you when you were late to the summit.”

A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. That was when I saw it—real fear.

“Thalia, you don’t really think I—? There’s nothing going on between me and her. I never—”

“I don’t care,” I interrupted flatly. “Whatever’s happened between you two... I’ve already made peace with it.”

“Made peace with what?”

I didn’t answer.

Instead, I reached to my wrist and unfastened the band that sealed the Guardian Rune of Pending Bond, the last psychic protection worn by any Gamma who had not yet accepted a new mark.

Fernando froze.

That’s when he realized—I no longer belonged to him.

“I’m going to wash up,” I said, standing. As I passed him, I made sure not to brush against his aura—not even the faintest touch of soul resonance.

“We’ll talk later.”

“Not now, Alpha Fernando.”

I walked into the hallway. Behind me, I could hear his hesitant footsteps—but he didn’t follow.

He didn’t dare.

He knew—this time, I wasn’t the girl foolish enough to be deceived by silver venom a third time.