Severing a Million Dollar Bond

Cassia might have been Grady's childhood sweetheart, but she abandoned him when he faced a financial crisis at eighteen.

Back then, Grady was nearly crushed by a million dollars of debt.

His Alpha stipend was barely enough to cover our basic living expenses.

Cassia didn't just leave—she married a Beta from another pack, claiming she "deserved better than a failed Alpha."

"I need a real wolf," she had told Grady, "not some loser pretending to be great."

She didn't even say goodbye. Just vanished one night, leaving Grady heartbroken.

It was then that my wolf recognized him as my fated mate.

I worked three jobs to help Grady pay off his debt.

I never complained, even when my hands bled from mixing too many potions.

Back then, I'd apply healing salves to my hands at night, trying to hide my tears.

"It's all worth it," I would whisper to my inner wolf. "Grady just needs time to get on his feet."

But everything changed when Cassia returned five years ago.

Her Beta mate had been killed in a pack war, and she came back with her daughter, Briar.

They showed up at our door dressed in designer clothes, playing the part of grieving widows.

Grady welcomed them back with open arms.

He even started using the money I earned to support them.

Every month, more and more of my hard-earned money went toward Cassia's "temporary" needs.

The worst was when Briar needed tuition for a private academy.

One night, Grady burst into my room, his eyes wild.

"You have to hand over the patent for your new potion. Briar needs the money more—she's younger, she has potential."

That day, Eleanor shocked everyone.

She had always been quiet and submissive.

But she grabbed a silver knife and told Grady she would rather die than see her daughter-in-law lose her future.

Her hand was shaking, but her voice was steady. "Kill me now," she said, pressing the blade to her own throat. "Because I won't live to see you destroy everything our family has for that woman's child."

Grady backed down, but he never forgave Eleanor for daring to defy him.

The warmth between mother and son bled away, leaving only a chilling distance.

Five years ago, I became the pack's Head Alchemist.

Finally, Eleanor could stop taking on extra cleaning jobs.

I still remember the way she cried when I handed her my first paycheck.

Caleb was only nine at the time.

I took over his upbringing completely, determined to give him a better life than I'd had.

I trained him myself, spending hours teaching him how to fight.

I paid for his alchemy lessons and made sure he had the best equipment.

I didn't want him to suffer the same shame I did, watching other pups with their top-of-the-line training gear.

I also handled all the household expenses—Grady's bills, Eleanor's medical fees, everything.

My alchemy business thrived, and I made sure my family wanted for nothing.

Eleanor could finally rest. Or she could have, if Grady hadn't kept inviting Cassia and Briar over.

Every visit was another reminder of who he truly wanted.

Tonight was no exception.

Eleanor wouldn't meet my eyes. "The alchemy lab is a mess," she said, her voice flat with resignation. "He wants you to clean it and start brewing potions. For Cassia and Briar's welcome."

I just stood there silently, my shoulders slumped. Years of neglect had taught me not to expect anything.

Caleb, the brother I had raised for five years, piped up. "Hurry up! Briar and Cassia are hungry!"

This was the same brother who had cried in my arms because he couldn't afford a school trip, now treating me like a servant.

I couldn't take it anymore. My inner wolf was clawing under my skin, demanding justice.

"Caleb, why don't you brew the potions? Or you, Eleanor? Since you're so concerned about everyone's needs. Or have you all forgotten how an alchemy station works, since you're so good at ordering me around?"

Grady's eyes flashed gold as his wolf surfaced. "Watch your tone! You know your place!"

"Oh, I do!" I said with a sweet smile, letting a sliver of my alchemical power bleed into the room.

"Cassia, why don't you brew the potions? Show us those skills that supposedly make you the perfect mate for Grady. Or are you only good at playing the lady of the house after someone else has done all the work?"

Cassia's face flushed. Her perfectly manicured hands clutched her designer purse.

"I... I can brew! I'll show you how a real she-wolf uses an alchemy station!"

For the next hour, she wrecked my lab. The smell of burnt potions filled the house, and I could hear her cursing as she destroyed one piece of equipment after another.

So much for her superior skills.

Briar pulled me toward the dining table, a smug smile on her lips. "You'll have to eat in the kitchen. This is Cassia's seat now. We need to maintain the proper... hierarchy."

My hand shot out, grabbing my own arm. The touch was surprisingly rough. A callus, a testament to years of thankless work, scraped against my skin. "Wait."

"We're eating out. My treat." I laced my voice with my alchemical power, daring anyone to object.

Grady snarled, his wolf eyes glowing. "The Moon Goddess Gala starts tomorrow. You haven't even finished brewing all the necessary potions! But what can I expect from a mate who's turned out just like her useless mother-in-law?"

I felt my claws extend. "What did you just say?"

"Look at you—no class, no manners. Just like Eleanor," he sneered. "I should have let Cassia train you from the start. Maybe then you wouldn't have turned into such a disgrace."

Just then, Eleanor stunned us all again. "What, are those precious hands of hers incapable of brewing their own potions?" Her voice was soft but firm, years of repressed anger finally surfacing.

"Thank the Moon Goddess I didn't raise my daughter-in-law to be as useless as you."

Grady's jaw dropped as we walked out. For once, he had no immediate comeback.