Elena spent over a decade caring for her mate Caelan's ailing mother while he rose to Alpha rank, only to discover he had secretly built a family with another woman. Betrayed and discarded, she reclaims her freedom by burning their mating scroll and leaving. She finds true devotion in Aldric, a low-ranking warrior who returns from war a hero, having petitioned the High Alpha to claim her honorably. Elena escapes the manipulative pack and begins a new life valued and loved, finally receiving the respect she always deserved.