Chapter 186 The Divorce He Never Knew About。

The word divorced had been following Alpha Sebastian for weeks.

His parents had mentioned it first. Isabella had thrown it around like an insult. Serena had hinted at it. Ethan had said it outright. Even Vincent , who was neither friend nor ally, had used it against him.

Alpha Sebastian had refused to take any of them seriously. A mate bond could not be dissolved without his signature, and he would never sign away Eira.

But hearing the word from Eira herself felt like an invisible fist closing around his heart.

"Eira, we are not getting divorced." His voice cracked. "You matter to me. To my reputation. To the Carter deal. We can fix this."

Eira stared at him as if he were being deliberately stupid.

"I said we’re already divorced. The day I left Sterling Group, the dissolution certificate came through."

"Certificate?" Alpha Sebastian’s face went pale. "What certificate?"

He reached for her shoulder.

Alpha Killian moved first.He wrapped one arm around Eira and pulled her back beside him. His body settled between her and Alpha Sebastian, broad shoulders squared, silver-gray eyes turning colder than a winter wind across the northern territories.

His wolf had made its choice.

Protect. Guard. Claim.

Alpha Sebastian’s wolf snarled, wild with jealousy.

Barry quickly guided his grandmother toward the front room, then hurried back. There was no way he was missing the rest of this disaster.

"If you don’t believe me, call your parents," Eira said. "You signed the papers yourself. Your father used his Pack Council connections to rush the dissolution through. You know how many officials he has in his pocket."

"No." Alpha Sebastian shook his head, but panic flashed across his face. "I never signed anything. I would never sign away my mate. How could I?"

"You did."

Eira’s voice stayed calm, which somehow made it worse.

"It wasn’t a property transfer. It was part of the dissolution agreement. Did you really think I wanted that condo after you and Serena used it as your private getaway?"

Alpha Sebastian’s pupils tightened.His heart stumbled.

She knew.

She actually knew.

"I..." His voice failed him.

"Save the whole ’nothing happened with Serena’ speech," Eira said. "It only worked on you. That was when she got pregnant, wasn’t it?"

Her gaze dropped briefly to his face.

"You two left enough evidence behind. You didn’t even bother changing the sheets."

Fiona made a strangled sound somewhere between a curse and a gag.

He had brought his mistress into the home he shared with Eira and slept with her in their bed. What was next? Was the CEO of Hale Group too cheap to get a hotel room?

She looked at her brother.

Her sweet, easygoing little brother had turned into a walking thunderstorm.

Alpha Killian remembered Eira spending hours sick to her stomach at Sterling Group. His jaw tightened.

The broth still steamed on the table, but the air around him had turned ice-cold.

Alpha Sebastian’s panic collapsed into terror.

She knew everything.

"No," he rasped. His eyes were rimmed red. "I never signed anything. We’re not divorced. The certificate never reached me. That’s not possible."

So his parents really hadn’t told him.

Eira frowned.

The Hales had wanted her gone more than anyone. She had agreed to keep the divorce quiet until the bidding ended only because she was afraid Alpha Roger would drag his feet.

Every day the paperwork stayed unfinished meant more lawyers, more Pack Council hearings, and more time tied to a bond that meant nothing to her anymore.

She had a future to build. Alpha Sebastian was no longer her mate, and he had no right to keep tearing her life apart.

That was why she had blocked his texts. Every message started with Let me explain. She had stopped reading after those first three words.

She had assumed his sudden desperation meant he knew their marriage was over. Why else would he keep chasing her?

But that was not it.

He had come crawling back because the gossip had shredded his reputation, and he needed his Luna to clean up the mess.

He wanted her to protect his name, his position, and the millions that came with it.

What was there left to say?

"Sebastian." Eira’s voice was flat and calm. "Whether you believe it or not, we’re done."

That calm destroyed him.

If she had screamed, he could have fought back. If she had hated him, he could have begged for forgiveness. But there was no anger in her voice. No hurt. No love.

Nothing.

He remembered how she used to look at him. She was distant with everyone else, but never with him. She could sit in his office for hours while he worked late, quiet and patient, never asking him to stop.

Four years of that.

Then she had walked away, dissolved their bond, and looked at him like he was a stranger.

How had he lost her so completely?

"You’re lying, right?" His voice shook. "Serena means nothing to me. You’re the one I want. You."

Alpha Killian gave a low, humorless laugh.

"That’s what you call wanting her?" His silver-gray eyes turned cold. "You gave Eira the bare minimum and told her it was love. You gave Serena everything, then stood here and swore there was nothing between you."

Alpha Sebastian flinched.

Alpha Killian leaned back against the bench, one arm still braced behind Eira.

"Own it. Say you loved Serena, and I might almost respect you." His mouth curved without warmth. "But you won’t. You don’t have the guts."

Alpha Sebastian jerked as if Alpha Killian had struck him. Whatever control he had left finally snapped.

"Alpha Killian, what gives you the right to stand beside her?"