Chapter 43
They say fate always finds a way to make you face the ghosts you’ve buried.
I never expected it would be so soon.
And certainly not under the glare of a thousand eyes, in the most sacred arena of the werewolf world.
The Coalescence Rite was one of the most solemn rituals among werewolves–a sacred ceremony where Alphas and Omegas tested pheromonal compatibility under the blessing of the Moon Goddess.
But this year, it was different.
Because for the first time in recorded history, a “bondless, awakened Omega” had been
1/12
Chapter 43
+ 5 Points
(
invited to participate.
That Omega–was me.
Sadie Hale. A former contract mate. A marked widow. A forgotten relic of the Greaves.
Now… a threat.
The venue was the Celestial Temple of Starlight City, where the three dominant wolf factions gathered:
Greaves Family: Northern aristocrats,
dominant Alpha bloodline.
Helmont Legion: Eastern warrior clan,
feral–type werewolves.
Silvercrest Tribe: Neutral zone, home to Deltas and spiritual coordinators.
2/12
Chapter 43
+ 5 Points
As I stepped into the arena, the air buzzed with pheromonal pressure.
Alphas oozed confidence. Omegas stood stiff, unsure. Betas kept their eyes sharp. Awakened wolves radiated unpredictable spiritual density.
And me? I walked straight through them, head held high.
“You’ll draw every eye,” Rima Solas whispered beside me.
I smirked. “Let them stare.”
A man stepped out to meet me–a tall figure in gray and crimson armor, hair like onyx and eyes like smoke.
“You’re Sadie Hale?” he asked.
3/12
“Yes.”
“I’m Talon Helmont, Alpha. Deputy Commander of the Eastern Helmont Legion.”
He inclined his head with a warrior’s respect.
“I’ve heard of you,” he continued. “Surviving a mental backlash during bond severance while pregnant… That’s not something even most Alphas could handle.”
I raised a brow. “I heard you fought three wild Betas solo in the Frostfang War”
He chuckled, quick and sharp. “This ritual may be worse than war.”
“I’ve already died once,” I said calmly. “What’s one more battlefield?”
4/12
Chapter 43
+ 5 Points
The lights dimmed. A ceremonial bell echoed across the temple.
“The Rite of Coalescence shall commence,” announced Varo, the Delta High Ritualist.
And stepping onto the sacred circle–was Noah Greaves.
He wore black–silver formal robes, the heirloom crest of his house gleaming across his chest.
His expression was confident–until his eyes met mine.
Then it crumbled.
“Sadie…?” he choked, as if seeing a ghost.
“Surprised?” I replied coolly.
5/12
Chapter 43
+5 Points
He walked toward me, arms starting to lift, but I stepped back.
“You have no claim over me,” I said loudly enough for the arena to hear. “Keep your distance.”
The audience rippled with shock.
Varo’s voice followed immediately: “Alpha Noah, please respect ritual boundaries.”
Noah’s hands curled into fists.
“Why are you here?” he asked tightly.
“I was invited,” I said. “Afraid of something?”
He flared his pheromones–Alpha pressure like smoke and steel.
But the moment his energy touched mine, a
6/12
Chapter 43
+
5 Points
silver–blue flare exploded from my chest.
The arena gasped.
My Silvertail resonance had activated.
“If you attempt psychic intrusion again,” I warned, “you’ll forfeit your inheritance.”
From the other side of the room, Aria Linford entered, dressed in flowing white Omega robes. She looked pale, fragile, and flawless.
Trailing behind her was Kara Venn, her loyal Beta, now stripped of official rank, serving as Aria’s personal “attendant.”
Aria offered me a sweet smile. “Sadie–sis, you’re looking… radiant.”
I smiled back, razor–sharp. “Still playing the porcelain saint, Aria? After all these years,
7/12
+
Points
you must be suffocating behind that mask.”
Her gaze flickered. She wobbled suddenly, and Noah rushed to catch her.
“I think… I might be pregnant,” she whispered faintly.
The arena practically exploded.
I let the chaos rise for a moment before stepping forward.
“Congratulations,” I said, voice dripping with acid. “Just don’t make the same mistake twice–denying paternity after conception isn’t exactly a noble move, Noah.”
Noah spun on me. “Don’t bring her into this!”
“You already did,” I said, turning to Varo. “I reject any pheromonal pairing attempt with
8/12
Chapter 43
+ 5 Points
Alpha Noah Greaves.”
A beat of silence.
Then Talon stepped forward. “Then I will stand in his place.”
Gasps. Whispers.
“You’re sure?” Varo asked.
“I don’t believe in fate” Talon said. “But I believe in her.”
The match began.
When Talon and I connected, the spiritual field around us shimmered–not with dominance or submission–but equilibrium.
It was the rarest form of resonance.
9/12
Chapter
Equality.
And from the sidelines, Noah’s face turned to ash.
Because he saw what he had lost.
After the ritual, I was escorted to a private chamber to rest.
But when I entered, Noah was already inside.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” I said sharply. “I’ll activate a defensive ward.”
He looked up from the window, eyes bloodshot.
“Sadie,” he said. “Why did you change?”
“I died,” I answered. “And when I came back, I stopped needing your approval.”
10/12
“You called me that night. I didn’t know. I-”
“You knew.” My voice cut like ice. “You knew I was pregnant. You knew I was bleeding out. And you posted a memorial.”
“I thought… I smelled another Alpha on you. I thought you betrayed me-”
“So you let me die?”
He didn’t respond.
I took a step closer.
“You are not my Alpha. Not my son’s father. Not my anything.”
“You’re a mistake I erased with fire.”
I turned to leave.
11/12
Behind me, he stood up, his voice breaking.
“Sadie… You can’t do this to me. I still love you. I want-”
“What?” I looked over my shoulder.
“You want to raise my son?”
“He doesn’t need you.”
12/12
