Crack.
Emily heard the distinct sound of something shattering in her chest.
It was the crumbling foundation of her seven years with Daniel.

Now, it was nothing but dust.
She dug her nails deep into her palms, trying to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside her, and managed to speak calmly.
"Alpha Blackwood certainly dotes on Ms. Summers."
Daniel's face darkened, his brow twitching almost imperceptibly.
Emily paid him no mind and continued.
"In that case, give me seventy thousand dollars for my medical bills. I won't press charges."

Sophia looked at her suspiciously.
"Only seventy thousand?"
Emily nodded firmly.
"Yes. Just seventy thousand."

Seventy thousand.
A price to buy out the seven years they had spent together, from falling in love to their mating.
It was the final period on this chapter of her life.
Without asking any more questions, Daniel transferred the money and led Sophia out of the room.
The hospital room was quiet once more.
Emily turned over and pulled the blanket over her head.
Perhaps the movement aggravated her wounds, because a damp spot slowly spread across the pillow.
She stayed in the hospital for nearly ten days.
Daniel visited her once, alone.
But she had no desire to see him.
Each time, she pretended to be asleep, avoiding him completely.
After being discharged, she met up with her few close friends and told them about her plans to move abroad.
They were all thrilled to hear she was returning to acting.
The last few days before her departure, Emily counted down the hours.
On the final day, she was at the Pack Elders' Hall the moment the doors opened.
The one-month cooling-off period was over.
She smoothly received her official certificate of mate bond dissolution.
Just as she walked out of the hall, her phone buzzed.
It was a message from Sophia, asking to meet at a private club.
Her eyes fell on the cold, official document in her hand. Emily decided to go.
When Emily arrived at the private room, Sophia was already there.
She took a small sip of milk, then smiled at Emily.
"Emily, I didn't ask you here for any other reason than to thank you for letting me and Daniel be together."
"I was going to thank you after your bond-severing ceremony, but Daniel has been so clingy this past month. He won't even let me be away from him for three hours. He has to be by my side constantly, even on set. He's even willing to act as my personal assistant. It was a real struggle to get away today."
Emily's hand tightened around her water glass.
When they were first in love, Daniel had been that clingy with her, too.
But now, he couldn't care less about her.
Sophia noticed the subtle change in Emily's expression, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
"It seems you're still not over Daniel. Too bad you two are done."
"When Daniel was pursuing me, I told him I would never be a mistress. So, for me, he immediately rejected you. It looks like I'm more important to him. You, my dear, are in the past."
Emily could see that Sophia was a smart and ambitious woman.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have kept Daniel obsessed for three months, let alone convince him to reject his fated mate.
She spoke calmly.
"You didn't call me here just to gloat, did you?"
Sophia chuckled.
"You really are sharp."
She pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to Emily.
Emily frowned, unsure of what game she was playing.
She took the paper, and an ultrasound photo came into view.
Her mind went blank. A chilling coldness enveloped her heart, freezing it solid.
Sophia... was pregnant?
Sophia was very pleased with Emily's reaction.
She lifted her chin proudly, one hand resting on her lower abdomen, her voice dripping with unconcealed triumph.
"You know, Daniel and I have only been together for a month, and I'm already carrying his child. You two were mated for three years and couldn't even produce a pup. How pathetic."
Emily's grip tightened on the ultrasound photo, wrinkling the paper.
She and Daniel had a child once.
In the second year of their mating, she had just found out she was one month pregnant.
She was about to share the happy news with Daniel when she discovered the scent of another she-wolf on him.
That was the first time he had betrayed her.
That night, Emily cried until dawn.
The next day, overwhelmed by grief and the instability of their mate bond, she lost the baby.
Daniel had knelt by her hospital bed, swearing he would never cheat again.
But afterward, he had taken one lover after another.
However, he never let any of them get pregnant.
The Alpha's bloodline could only be carried on by his fated Luna.
It was an ancient pack tradition.
The child they lost became a forbidden topic between them.
Daniel had clearly forgotten.
But it didn't matter anymore. They were no longer connected.
Who he was with, who he got pregnant—none of it concerned her now.
Emily suppressed the turmoil in her heart and handed the ultrasound photo back to Sophia.
"Congratulations. It seems you two will be celebrating soon."
Sophia's triumphant expression faltered. She hadn't expected Emily to accept the news so calmly.
She stood up, grabbed Emily's wrist, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"You say congratulations, but I bet you hate my guts, don't you?"
"Well, too bad for you, because I don't like having an ex-mate like you hanging around Daniel either. I'm going to make you disappear from his life for good!"
Before Emily could process what she meant, Sophia let go of her wrist and fell backward dramatically.
Blood trickled down her thighs, and her face went pale as she clutched her stomach.
A sense of alarm shot through Emily, and she instinctively pulled out her phone to dial 911.
BANG!
"Sophia!"