Chapter 5 A Rogue, Departed Reluctantly

• Bryan's POV:
• Today marked the annual mating ceremony of the Shadow Pack. I had just wrapped up discussing the details with Liam the Beta when Yvonne's message pinged on my phone.
• I skimmed the message, then tossed my phone aside with a snort.
• The third wedding anniversary was nothing but a vile reminder of my disgrace.
• If not for Yvonne's insistence on repaying her debt, I would never have married an omega with witch blood.
• I despised her. Despite her dutiful demeanor and apparent harmlessness, I avoided looking at her.
• She was as loathsome as the rest of her kind.
• Once my grandfather's health was fully restored, I planned to dissolve our mate pact.
• Strangely, my wolf, Eric, had taken a liking to Yvonne.
• Whenever she was around, Eric urged me to strengthen our bond, suggesting that since we were mates, I should recognize her as Luna.
• Naturally, I refused. Whitney was the one I loved, and only she deserved to be my mate and Luna of the Shadow Pack.
• After issuing my orders to Liam, I went to the Blue Moon Pack to fetch Whitney. We had plans to co-host the mating ceremony tonight.
• Traditionally, only the pack's Alpha and Luna could preside over the event, and I wanted to show Whitney how much she meant to me.
• Even if Yvonne currently held the mate position, Whitney was my true Luna.
• We worked together flawlessly, conducting the ceremony with grace and efficiency.
• Just as I was about to whisk Whitney away for a private celebration, Yvonne used our mate bond to summon me back home.
• My mood darkened immediately.
• However, I could not defy the rules of our pact. I instructed Liam to return Whitney to the Moon Pack and reluctantly made my way back home.
• When I arrived, Yvonne greeted me at a table laden with a sumptuous feast. I snapped, "Are you seriously expecting me to spend this dreadful anniversary with you? "
• Usually, she would have played the part of the sorrowful wife, but this time, she smiled and handed me a drink.
• That drink was a game-changer.
• True to her witch heritage, Yvonne had drugged it.
• The moment I drank, my body was engulfed in heat, and I found myself unable to push Yvonne away.
• Anger flared in my eyes, but she guided me onto the bed, insisting that she would end our mate bond only after she had me completely.
• For the Alpha of The Shadow Pack to be manipulated by a woman was a humiliation beyond measure.
• I fought against her, but my body betrayed me, demanding to hold her, to merge with her.
• Yvonne's hands roamed over me, and she boldly grasped my desire. Instantly, my suppressed longing exploded.
• Eric, too, was stirred, shouting, "Bryan, take her! Now! "
• Eric's fervor took control of my body, guiding me into Yvonne.
• I felt her warmth and tightness, and to my surprise, this loathsome woman's body was incredibly inviting.
• Whether it was Eric's influence or my own desire, I lost myself in the moment. I held Yvonne tightly and made love to her through the night in every conceivable way.
• When I climaxed inside her again, I felt an intense satisfaction.
• The scent of roses wafted from Yvonne, making it difficult to pull away.
• It seemed my hatred for Yvonne had waned ...
• Just as I began to appreciate this shift, Yvonne cast a sleeping spell on me.
• The woman had promised she wouldn't use magic!
• …
• When I awoke, it was already midday the next day.
• The moment I rose from bed, a single thought consumed me: to strangle Yvonne!
• As the Alpha of the Shadow Pack, my reputation for cunning and foresight was unmatched.
• Never had anyone outmaneuvered me—until Yvonne.
• Fury roiled within me. I scanned the room, but she was nowhere to be found. Her belongings had vanished as well.
• A chilling dread settled over me, soon accompanied by a sharp pain in my chest, as if something vital had been wrenched from my heart.
• The agony spread, consuming my entire body, signaling that the mate bond between us had been severed.
• I feel a void growing inside me, gnawing at whatever was left of my heart.
• I stood there, stunned, grappling with the disbelief that Yvonne had actually dissolved our pact.
• It defied all logic. For three years, she had resisted the very idea of unraveling this pact that bound us together.
• It had to be some form of magic, a deception to make me believe the bond was broken.
• I tried to use my Alpha authority to connect with my pack, to trace her. But, to my shock, there was no trace of her presence.
• Not only could I not sense her as my mate, but I couldn't even detect her as a member of the Shadow Pack!
• Desperate, I called out to Eric, but he was deeply asleep, offering no response.
• I dressed quickly and stormed downstairs, confronting Steven. "Where is Yvonne? "
• Caught off guard, Steven replied, "Alpha, Ms. Johnston left before dawn. She said she was leaving The Shadow Pack voluntarily and would no longer be a burden to you … "
• I stood frozen.
• Yvonne had indeed severed our mate bond and left the Shadow Pack!
• A wave of terror washed over me, quickly followed by a storm of anger and concern.
• Where could this reckless woman have gone?
• Without the pack's protection and as a Rogue without a wolf, she was vulnerable and exposed!
• I couldn't fathom why I felt this pang of worry. I had always loathed her, wishing she would disappear.
• But now that she had, the panic was unbearable. I ordered my subordinates to search for Yvonne and bring her back.
• They returned empty-handed.
• It was as if she had vanished without a trace.
• Then, ten months later, a barely alive infant girl was delivered to me.
• At a single glance, I knew she was my daughter.
• I had only mated with with Yvonne.
• Yvonne must have given birth to this child!
• I searched frantically for anyone who had delivered the baby, but all leads were exhausted.
• Holding the fragile infant, who was on the brink of death, I rushed her to the best doctor in the pack.
• The doctor's report was grim: the baby had been abandoned immediately after birth, without having had a single drop of milk.
• This revelation only intensified my rage.
• Yvonne, you are heartless!
• Abandoning me was one thing, but leaving such a helpless infant is unforgivable.
• When I find you, I swear I will make you answer for this!