(Olivia Vane's POV)

I felt his presence before I saw him.

My apprentice healer stood before me, his earnest face flushed as he extended a rare Moonlight Orchid toward me. His confession of love hung in the air between us, but my attention had already shifted to the tall figure approaching from the nearby chamber.

Andrew Obsidian. The Alpha King of Silvermist Pack. My mate-at least on paper.

I never expected to see him again, not after our last encounter on the second night of our Marking Ceremony three years ago. Yet there he stood, surrounded by his usual retinue, his amber eyes briefly meeting mine before sliding away.

As our paths crossed, the hem of his impeccably tailored suit brushed lightly against the back of my hand for just an instant before slipping away, leaving a faint trace of his powerful aura that made my skin tingle.

I forced myself to breathe normally, to show no reaction. But inside, my heart hammered against my ribs like a caged animal seeking escape.

Three years. Three years of silence, and now this.

The young healer was still speaking, but his words had become distant noise. All I could focus on was Andrew's retreating back, his shoulders broad and unyielding under the expensive fabric of his suit.

"Senior Healer Vane? Did you hear what I said?"

I blinked, forcing my attention back to my apprentice. "I'm sorry, I was distracted. Perhaps we should continue this conversation another time."

After politely declining my colleague's offer for a ride, I made my way alone to the Obsidian Estate. The exclusive enclave in Northcrest City was reserved for only the most powerful werewolves-the kind of place only the Obsidian Family could command.

My taxi could only take me to the imposing gates, forcing me to walk the rest of the way in the chilly November dusk. As I stepped out, a familiar Black Wolf's Midnight SUV swept past me.

Andrew sat in the driver's seat, his profile sharp against the gathering darkness. His amber eyes briefly met mine before quickly looking away, but that fleeting glance was enough to send a jolt through my system.

I shivered in the autumn air, hastening my steps toward the main entrance. The wind carried the scent of fallen leaves and something else-something distinctly Andrew that my traitorous body still recognized after all this time.

At the entrance of the Obsidian Estate, I found him waiting by his Midnight SUV, cigarette in hand. His tall and commanding figure was silhouetted beneath the estate lights, smoke curling around him like ghostly fingers.

Our eyes met-his gaze deep, unreadable, tinged with a misty confusion that mirrored my own turmoil. For a second, I froze in place, rooted by the unexpected, almost predatory intensity of the moment.

Andrew flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his expensive shoe. He strode toward me, closing the distance between us until his formidable presence overwhelmed my senses.

"Too long without seeing your mate-don't recognize me anymore, Liv?" His lips curved with a languid, dangerous smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

I lifted my chin, meeting his piercing amber eyes with cool detachment. I was determined to mask the tremor his sudden reappearance caused deep within me.

"If someone you haven't seen in three years suddenly appears, it's only natural to think you've seen a ghost." I tried to regain composure, but memories of his silent departure after our disastrous Marking Ceremony flashed through my mind.

The night he left without a word. The morning I woke up alone. The weeks of silence that followed.

Andrew's eyes gleamed with a teasing light that felt like salt in my wounds. "Didn't we just see each other this afternoon? My Luna was busy being courted-no wonder you missed me."

He stepped closer, his scent-pine and smoke and something uniquely him-enveloping me. "So, should I consult the Pack Council on the penalty for infidelity when a mate accepts another's advances?"

His proximity unsettled both my human side and the wolf within me. I stepped back, needing space from his overwhelming presence.

"He's younger and has more vitality than you," I said, trying to wound his pride. "It makes sense I didn't notice an old wolf like you."

Then, my tone sharpened, laced with years of bitterness: "Besides, Andrew Obsidian, we're about to sever the bond. The New Divorce Accord you had delivered three years ago is still in the drawer in my bedroom at Emerald Heights Estate."

I didn't mention the date on that agreement-my birthday. That particular cruelty I couldn't bring myself to speak aloud.

With that, I turned and walked into the imposing Obsidian Estate, leaving Andrew standing alone under the estate lights. His shadow stretched long behind him, amidst the scattered embers of discarded cigarettes.

Inside, a servant greeted me with careful neutrality. "Ms. Vane, this way please." Their tone was formal, distant-the way the staff had treated me since the day Andrew left.

I was led to the grand living room, where mockery reached my ears before Elder Obsidian even turned around. Andrew's mother had never approved of me, and three years hadn't softened her opinion.

"Olivia Vane, you certainly carry yourself with importance now. I have to personally summon you?" Her voice cut through the room like a silver blade.

I kept my expression neutral, though my hands clenched at my sides. "My phone ran out of battery-it shut off automatically."

It was the truth. I'd been so focused on my healing work that I'd ignored the incoming calls until my phone died.

Elder Obsidian's lips thinned with disapproval. "Silvermist Pack rules-latecomers don't eat at the Alpha's table."

I clenched my phone, the unfairness of her arbitrary rules grating on my already frayed nerves. Three years of this treatment had worn my patience thin.

"Mother." Andrew's familiar deep voice interrupted from behind me.

Before I could react, he pulled me into his arms with practiced ease. His height dwarfed me as his hand traced possessively along my waist, sending an unwelcome jolt through my body despite my resistance.

"Didn't I tell you to slow down and wait for me, Liv?" he teased, his smile ambiguous, directed as much at his mother as at me.

Elder Obsidian's stern expression immediately softened at the sight of her son. Her previous hostility melted away as she fussed over him.

"Andrew, you're finally home! How was your trip? Three years managing pack affairs abroad must have been exhausting." Her warmth, however, did not extend to me.

I stood stiffly in Andrew's embrace, acutely aware of every point where our bodies touched. His hand at my waist felt like a brand, reminding me of intimacies long past.

Andrew continued to play the devoted mate, asking smoothly, "Is there food set aside for me and my mate?"

I couldn't discern the sincerity behind his casual use of the term. The word "mate" reopened old wounds of our broken bond-a cruel reminder of the connection he had abandoned, the future we had lost, including our unborn child.

Elder Obsidian, clearly delighted to have her Alpha King son home, immediately brightened. "Of course! I'll have the servants prepare your favorites right away."

She swept away to oversee the arrangements, leaving us alone in the grand living room.

I quietly but firmly removed Andrew's arm from my waist, stepping away from his warmth. "You don't have to speak for me," I stated, my voice low but steady. "We're severing the bond soon."