Destiny was supposed to be a blessing. For Neriah, it becomes a death sentence. Raised to believe in the sacred bond every shifter is promised, she expects fate to bring love, stability, and belonging. But when destiny reveals her mate, it delivers something far crueler. Rejection. And in a world governed by unforgiving laws of magic, a rejected bond does not simply break. It kills. As Neriah’s body begins to weaken under the strain of a severed connection that refuses to release her, survival becomes a race against time. The pain is not just heartbreak, it is physical, relentless, and fatal. Because without a bond… A shifter cannot live. While Dmitri Ivanov remains the source of the bond slowly destroying her, Lucien offers something fate never intended, a choice. A chance at stability. A chance at survival. A chance to claim a connection not written by destiny, but by decision. But Brimwood Academy is not merely a place of power, politics, and ruthless hierarchy. Something older moves beneath its foundations. Whispers of rituals. Of traditions. Of a cycle few dare to question. And Neriah’s fractured bond may be tied to a truth far more dangerous than rejection itself. Because destiny may be cruel. But it is never careless. This second edition features expanded scenes, deeper emotional development, and enhanced worldbuilding.