Chapter 1

After Caleb Miller left in the middle of the night again for his former fated mate, I learned one thing: to stop caring.

He'd go thirty hours without replying while on night patrol, and I wouldn't wait anymore.

He'd forget my birthday, and I wouldn't bring it up.

When an enemy bit my ankle, I'd grit my teeth, bandage it myself, and continue combat training.

Loving someone is hard, but letting go is simple.

Joanna Bennett POV

Today was the public combat exhibition at the Full Moon Ceremony.

The third act involved a high-difficulty combat combo. The moment I landed the ninth move, a searing pain shot through the old wound in my ankle.

A crowd gathered at the edge of the training field.

"Joanna! Should we stop?"

My forehead instantly beaded with cold sweat, and my vision briefly blurred.

The ankle wound was from three days ago, a fierce bite from an attacker during a skirmish.

The doctor said the wound contained a unique toxin that was hard to remove immediately, and that I should rest, but I hadn't listened.

Gritting my teeth, I waved them off. "It's the last act."

I don't remember how I managed to get through eight minutes of solo demonstration.

I only remember the loud applause at the end, the bonfire's light flickering in my blurred vision, and dark red blood seeping through the bandage on my ankle.

I smiled and bowed three times.

No one saw me shaking all over from the pain as I walked off the stage, almost needing to lean against the wall to stand steady.

One A.M., at the pack hospital.

I sat alone on a plastic chair in the observation room, applying special herbal medicine.

The doctor's brows furrowed tightly.

"The wound toxin wasn't completely removed, which is why it split open. Why did you wait until now to come?"

"I just finished the exhibition," my voice was a little hoarse.

While recording my information, the doctor glanced at my pale face and casually asked, "You're Caleb Miller's girlfriend, aren't you? Many people saw you two together, maybe five days ago?"

My eyelashes fluttered.

Caleb Miller, son of Frostveil Pack's Alpha.

And my boyfriend.

We had indeed been together five days ago; he'd asked me out on a date.

But the next day, I waited five hours at the restaurant we'd booked, only to receive a text saying, "Something came up, we'll reschedule."

That "reschedule" never came.

"Do you want me to call him over for you? I saw them finish their patrol," the doctor kindly offered.

"No need," I said. "Don't disturb his work."

No sooner had I spoken than footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.

Caleb came downstairs and paused as he passed the observation room.

He turned and walked in, his gaze falling on my ankle, and his brows immediately furrowed. "You're hurt again? Why didn't you tell me?"

He crouched down, his disapproval evident.

I pulled my foot back.

"It's just a small injury."

Caleb's hand froze in mid-air, looking at me in surprise.

Before, if I even scraped my skin during training, I'd take a picture and send it to him, whining, "My wound hurts so much, I miss you."

Before every important mission, I'd nervously burrow into his arms, repeatedly asking, "You'll be by my side, right?"

Now, with old wounds tearing open and new ones piling on, there wasn't a trace of complaint on my face.

I wouldn't even let him touch me.

Before he could ask, footsteps sounded from the end of the hallway.

"Caleb!" The voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of laughter.

Chloe walked over, carrying two hot drinks, and naturally stood beside Caleb.

"Your favorite mocha, light on sugar and milk." She handed him a cup, then her gaze shifted to me, pausing for a beat. "This is… your friend?"

Caleb took the hot drink, his voice unconsciously softening by half a degree. "My girlfriend, Joanna Bennett. She hurt her foot."

"Oh my goodness, is it serious?" Chloe immediately crouched down to look at my ankle. "Hi, I'm Chloe Davis. You really can't do any high-intensity training with this injury, you need to rest."

Her tone was sincere.

The fleeting hint of disdain in her eyes was also sincere.

Chloe, I knew her too.

She had some Alpha blood, making her a strong fighter.

She was also Caleb's ex; they were once fated mates, but Chloe chose to go abroad to a werewolf academy for five years.

They had differing opinions, so they held a rejection ceremony.

Five years later, she was back, and Caleb still prioritized her.

Maybe they truly were the right partners, and they would always find their way back to each other.

And I was just an interlude during those five years, nothing significant.

"Thanks," I said. "The doctor already treated it."

As Chloe stood up, her shoulder brushed against Caleb's arm. "Caleb, you still have patrol tonight, I'll go with you."

"Okay." Caleb seemed not to notice her familiarity.

He looked at me. "I'll take you home first."

"No need."

I pushed myself up using the armrest.

The herbs had been applied to the wound, removing some of the remaining toxins.

But it still wasn't healed, so I had to use crutches for now.

Caleb frowned. "How can you—"

But I was already walking away.

The crutches tapped against the ground, one steady rhythm after another.

Chloe's voice drifted from behind me, clear even across the entire hallway.

"Caleb, did she misunderstand something? Should I go explain it to her?"

"She's not like that," Caleb's voice held a hint of helplessness.

I didn't look back.

For five years, I never made a fuss, never questioned, never chased after answers.

I thought that by being understanding and considerate, I would earn Caleb's attention, but instead, I got his neglect.

I had thought about texting him on the way to the hospital.

But when I opened my phone, I saw a message I'd sent three days ago.

"Full Moon Exhibition today, I have a solo combat demonstration. Will you come?"

He hadn't replied.

I knew it wasn't that he forgot; he just didn't want to reply.

In his life's priorities, I ranked after the pack, after his missions, after that hot drink with light sugar and milk.

And definitely after Chloe.

It had always been that way.

Back home, I pulled open the study drawer.

The invitation from the Shadow Fang Pack lay quietly inside; I had read it many times.

[We sincerely invite you to join the Shadow Fang Pack as a Warrior Trainer.]

My thumb traced the gilded totem on the paper.

I remembered how easily he took the hot drink Chloe offered at the hospital, how his tone unconsciously softened when he spoke to her, and how he hadn't even asked if I was hurting when I got injured that day.

Five years.

I had waited for countless "reschedules," for countless "something came up" excuses.

I didn't want to wait anymore.

I found a piece of letter paper and personally wrote a reply:

[Thank you for the invitation, I accept. I will report for duty within seven days. – Joanna Bennett]