Chapter 62
Violet's POV:
The Ember Grill sat on a corner in Riverside, wedged between a laundromat and a pawn shop. I pulled my motorcycle into a spot near the entrance, killing the engine and pulling off my helmet.
Zane was already waiting outside, leaning against the brick wall in a plaid shirt and a thick brown jacket. When he spotted me, his face lit up, but the smile faltered almost immediately.
"Violet," he said as I approached, genuine concern creeping into his voice. "Are you okay? You look really pale."
I forced a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Just had a nightmare."
His expression shifted to something softer, almost protective. "Oh man, that's rough. You know what my grandmother used to say? Put a silver knife under your pillow. Old werewolf folklore—supposed to drive away evil spirits from your dreams."
"I'll try that. Thanks."
He held the door open for me, and we stepped into the warm interior. The place was packed with working-class wolves, the air thick with the smell of charcoal and barbecue sauce. Booths lined the walls, their red vinyl cracked but clean, and a jukebox in the corner played classic rock.
"I know it's not fancy," Zane said quickly as we slid into a booth near the window. "But they have the best ribs in the city, and I can actually afford to treat you here."
"It's perfect," I said, meaning it.
The waitress came over—a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and flour on her apron. Zane ordered for both of us, clearly a regular, and she gave him a maternal smile before heading back to the kitchen.
I watched him across the table, noting how different he seemed from the last time I'd seen him crying on that bench. His eyes were clearer now, his shoulders less hunched.
"You seem good," I said. "Better than before."
He shrugged, fingers drumming on the table. "I mean, yeah. It sucked for a while, but I've been focusing on classes, working some extra shifts. Staying busy helps, you know?"
The food arrived quickly, steaming plates of fall-off-the-bone ribs glazed in dark sauce, golden cornbread, and coleslaw. Despite my lack of appetite, the smell was intoxicating. I picked up a rib carefully and took a bite. The meat was tender, the sauce sweet and tangy with just enough kick.
"I heard something, actually. About Celeste," Zane said after draining half his soda,
My fork paused halfway to my mouth. "Oh?"
"Yeah, apparently she brought some lawyer boyfriend home to meet her parents. But it wasn't Alpha Daemon."
I set down the fork. "I know. Daemon went to see her after. I was actually at her house when it happened."
Zane's eyes widened. "You were at Celeste's house?"
"Her mom Ruby used to be a housekeeper at my estate. She's really nice, offered to get me some herbal medicine, so I went to pick it up." I kept my tone light, casual, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
After lunch, we rode separately to Crescent Falls Park. The famous waterfall cascaded over dark rocks into the pool below, smaller in winter but still impressive. Most of the pond had frozen over, but there was still open water where dozens of koi and goldfish clustered, their scales flashing orange and white.
Zane had brought a huge bag of fish food. We stood at the railing together, tossing pellets into the water and watching the fish surge forward in a frenzy. The cold air bit at my exposed skin, but it felt good, clarifying.
Then I heard a voice behind us. "Evan, look at the waterfall! It's so beautiful!"
I turned. Evan Thorne stood about twenty feet away, a young woman in a cream-colored coat beside him. She was pretty, with styled blonde hair and expensive boots. A hospital ID badge hung from her coat pocket.
Evan's eyes locked on me. His polite expression vanished, replaced by something cold and sharp. He walked toward us, the woman following behind.
"Well, well," he said. "If it isn't our Luna. Out with Celeste's ex-mate again? That's an interesting choice of company."
The air turned glacial. I stepped slightly in front of Zane, meeting Evan's gaze head-on.
"Dr. Thorne," I said coolly. "Did you bring your date here specifically to find relevance?"
His jaw tightened. "I'm just wondering about your taste, Luna. First an Alpha, now a college student."
Zane moved forward, but I caught his arm. The woman shifted uncomfortably behind Evan.
"And speaking of your mate," Evan continued, "have you and Daemon done the Rejection Ceremony yet? Or are you still bound while you explore your options?"
That did it. My voice came out loud enough that several nearby families turned to stare.
"Zane is my friend, and we're allowed to hang out without your commentary. As for the Rejection Ceremony, I've asked Daemon for it multiple times. He's the one refusing."
Evan stared at me for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. Then without another word, he turned and walked away. The woman hesitated, glanced at me once, then hurried after him.
The silence that followed felt deafening. I was breathing hard, my hands shaking. Several people were still watching us, whispering.
"Violet," Zane said gently, "are you okay?"
"I'm fine." But my voice cracked on the last word.
We left the park shortly after. Zane walked me to my car, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.
Aas I unlocked my door, he spoke. "Violet, I need to tell you something. As a guy, my instincts are telling me that Evan has feelings for you."
I almost laughed. "If you told me Evan was trying to steal Celeste from Daemon, I might believe you. But me? No way."
Zane shook his head firmly. "I saw how he looked at you. That wasn't a friend looking out for his Alpha's mate. That was something else."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I just nodded and swung my leg over the motorcycle. As I pulled on my helmet and started the engine, I caught a glimpse of Zane in the side mirror—standing alone in the parking lot, hands shoved in his pockets, looking small and lost. A pang of guilt twisted in my chest. I was using his kindness as an escape, letting him hope for something I couldn't give.
I couldn't keep doing this to him. He deserved better than being someone's emotional life raft.
When I got back to Blackwood Manor, it was empty. Daemon still hadn't come home.
I opened my laptop and pulled up the modified Rejection Ceremony agreement. My hands trembled slightly as I attached it to a group message with Sienna, Jade, and Lily. The cursor blinked in the message field.
"I've decided to file with the Council," I typed. "Formal petition for forced dissolution. I'm done waiting."
My finger hovered over the send button for a long moment. This was it. Once I sent this, the Council would be involved, Daemon would be formally notified, and the entire pack would know our bond was ending.
I hit send.
The responses came almost immediately. Jade sent contact information for a specialized attorney named Natalie who handled dissolution cases. Lily sent a string of supportive emojis. Sienna sent a gif of someone burning a wedding dress with the caption "YAAAS QUEEN."
Over the next two days, I worked with Natalie remotely, preparing all the documentation.
"This is the right thing," I whispered as I signed my name. "You're not going back."
That night, I started packing. Five suitcases filled with clothes, shoes, jewelry. As I worked through my closet, I found a storage box shoved in the back corner, covered in dust.
Inside were remnants of a different me. A half-finished scarf I'd been knitting. A throw pillow embroidered with Daemon's wolf form, three-quarters complete. A faded red string bracelet. A small wolf plushie I'd made from wool felt.
I picked up the plushie, running my thumb over its crooked ears. "My crush on him was just as intense as Celeste's is now," I said quietly. "Took me ten years to learn that one-sided devotion doesn't turn into love."
I put everything back in the box and shoved it to the rear of the closet. These belonged to the old Violet. The new one didn't need them.
Two days later, with Sienna by my side, I walked into the Council's administrative office. The receptionist was a middle-aged woman with kind eyes that had probably seen a thousand desperate wolves walk through those doors.
"I need to file a formal petition for Rejection Ceremony," I said, my voice steady.
Recognition flickered across her face, but her professionalism never wavered. "Do you have all the required documentation?"
I slid the folder across the counter. She reviewed each page carefully, then stamped each document with official Council seals. The sound felt final, irrevocable.
"Mr. Blackwood will be formally notified within seven business days," she said, handing me a receipt.
"Thank you."
That afternoon, I went to my old apartment, the one I'd bought before the marriage but never sold. It had been rented out for the past few years, but the lease had just ended.
I hired a professional cleaning crew. Five people, three hours, every surface scrubbed until it gleamed. Standing in the empty living room afterward, smelling lemon cleaner instead of Daemon's cologne, I felt something in my chest expand.
That evening, after the movers had brought my five suitcases, I stood at the window looking out over the city. Lights were beginning to flicker on as dusk settled, and somewhere out there, Daemon was probably getting the notification that I'd filed. Or maybe he was with Celeste, too absorbed to check his phone.
Either way, it didn't matter anymore.
My phone buzzed. Sienna's name flashed on the screen.
"Hey," I answered. "Did you forget something?"
"Actually," she said, her voice bright with forced casualness that immediately set off alarm bells, "I'm wondering if you want to come over? We could order pizza, watch terrible movies, make it a girls' night?"
"That sounds perfect, actually. Give me thirty minutes to—"
"Oh wait, sorry!" she interrupted. "I just remembered I promised to meet someone for drinks. Rain check?"
The line went dead before I could respond. I stared at my phone, frowning.
The next day passed quietly. I unpacked, arranged furniture, tried to make the apartment feel like home. Around mid-afternoon, as I was organizing my closet, my phone rang.
"Violet." Daemon's voice was cold, controlled, dangerous. "What the hell are you playing at?"
I froze, confused. The Council had said seven business days. It had only been one. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me. If something happens to Celeste, you're going to regret it."
My confusion deepened into genuine alarm. "Celeste? What happened to Celeste? I don't know what you're—"
The line went dead. I stood there holding my phone, completely bewildered.
My phone rang again immediately. Sienna's name flashed on the screen, and I answered before the first ring finished.
"Violet! Holy shit, you're not going to believe this!" She was practically shouting, her words tumbling over each other. "Victoria found Celeste! And they met up!"