Seven Days to Forget My Alpha

Seven years ago, Ronan Blackwood—Alpha of the Beastman Clan—endured 999 lashes and defied the Council's exile to bond with me, a human.

He swore before the gods I'd be his only mate, forever.

But when his childhood sweetheart Camilla was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he dissolved our soul-bond at the Underground Court.

Then he handed me a glowing vial—the Seven-Day Oblivion.

"Sia, I need seven days to give Camilla a proper bonding ceremony before she dies. This potion will make you forget me temporarily. No pain, no memories. After the ceremony, you'll take the antidote and love me again. Then we'll re-bond."

He promised this separation was temporary. That I'd still be his only true mate.

What he didn't know: the potion was forbidden. There was no antidote.

I stared into those amber eyes that once bled for me—and swallowed it anyway.

In seven days, I'll forget him completely.

Sia's POV

"The potion should kick in soon. How do you feel?"

The second we stepped out of the underground tribunal, Ronan grabbed my wrist.

The bond severance left me dizzy. I shook my head, couldn't speak.

He touched my hair, trying to soothe me. "Go home and rest. Soon you'll forget everything about me. Without the bond holding you back, the pain stops. After Camilla's ceremony, you take the antidote and everything goes back to normal. We rebond. Just like before."

I pulled my wrist free.

Ronan went still. "Sia, you're still my one and only mate. Trust me, it's just temporary."

I stared at him without a word.

Temporary.

It took me three sleepless nights to uncover the truth about that vial. Seven-Day Oblivion—a forbidden poison that no one had EVER reversed. It didn't rip your memories away all at once. It ate at them slowly, bite by bite, until the person you loved just... vanished from your head.

And he had NO clue.

"Are you sure you won't regret this?" My voice came out soft.

Ronan frowned, like he hadn't expected me to ask.

"Camilla doesn't have much time, Sia. She's loved me since we were kids. All she wants before she dies is to bond with me." His voice had that edge—the one that said the decision was already made. "How can I say no to a dying woman?"

He paused. "You understand, right?" His voice dropped, almost gentle. "Don't hold this against someone who's dying. When it's over, we go back to how things were."

How things were.

I almost laughed.

Seven years ago, as heir to the Blackwood clan, he defied the Council to bond with me. A human woman.

In the pouring rain, he knelt outside the clan temple for three days and nights while 999 lashes shredded his back. Flesh split open. Blood pooled beneath him. I could see BONE.

I knelt in front of him, sobbing. "Stop this, Ronan. It's not WORTH it—"

He gritted his teeth but didn't break. "Sia, you ARE my life. Even if it kills me, I WILL be with you."

During the bonding ceremony, my body tried to kill me. For three months, I fought genetic rejection. I seized so hard I thought my bones would snap. Blood poured from my nose, my mouth.

But I held on.

Because I loved him. I wanted him. Even if it cost me everything.

Every agonizing night, he held me, fed me his blood to keep me alive, whispered the same thing over and over: "Just hold on, Sia. I won't let go. I'll NEVER let go."

Once, out of my mind with pain, I mumbled: "What if I die?"

He froze.

Then crushed his mouth to mine, eyes bloodshot. "Don't say that. If you died, I'd lose my MIND."

But now? Now he handed me poison that would erase him from my head. Knowing it could destroy me, he still made me drink it.

All for his first love's "perfect" bonding ceremony. One without his inconvenient human wife.

I couldn't even force a smile.

"One more thing." Ronan cleared his throat. Couldn't meet my eyes. "You need to move out for these seven days. Camilla's health is fragile—I have to stay with her. If she sees you living there... it might make her worse."

Stay with her.

The home we'd shared for seven years didn't have room for me anymore.

"I understand."

I pulled out my key. My fingers brushed the crystal keychain—inside was a photo of us kissing. He held me close, both of us laughing. Stars filled the background, like the whole universe was celebrating us.

When did we take this? First date?

Pain exploded in my skull.

Like someone drove a spike through my temple. My vision went black. I pitched forward.

"Sia!"

Ronan caught me. "What's wrong? Is it the potion? Damn it, I should've asked—"

His hands cupped my face. Those amber eyes filled with concern—REAL concern I hadn't seen in forever.

"Maybe... maybe I should move out instead." The words rushed out. "You stay at the apartment. Your health matters more. After seven days, I'll take you to rebond—"

"No."

I pushed myself upright. Shoved his hands away. My head pounded. Everything blurred. His face—once so familiar—looked like a stranger's.

Did I forget something?

I looked up at him, confused.

"What... rebond?" I frowned. "Who are you?"

Ronan's face turned white as death.