---- me. I turned toward him and smiled a little. Nearly two years had passed. Ethan had changed a lot. He was thinner, haggard, and even his eyes had lost their light. Exhaustion was etched deep into his features. Gone was the radiant man I once fell for at a glance. "Tt's been a while, Ethan." I spoke with calm detachment. My tone was completely flat. Seeing him again, I was far more composed than I had imagined. It was like facing a stranger. He was just another guest to me. Ethan's eyes instantly filled with tears. My nonchalant demeanor pierced him like a blade. He had envisioned our reunion countless times. He thought that I'd cry, yell, and demand to know why he ---- lied to me, but he had never expected me to be this calm. It was as if I had never loved him. "Maddie, please don't treat me like this. We're mates!" His voice was trembling. "Ethan, we never had a real mate certificate. I'm not your mate. Please address me properly as Alpha Female Madeline." The blow hit him hard. He shook his head frantically and rushed toward me with outstretched arms. "No! You are my mate. I love you!" I tooka step back. In the next second, several werewolves from my pack stepped forward and tackled him to the ground. "How dare you lay a hand on our Alpha Female? Are you trying to start a war between our packs?"