Chapter 2
After mustering the strength to hold myself together and make my way back to the packhouse, I splashed some cold water on my face in the bathroom. Only then did the fog in my mind begin to clear, though slowly. My reflection stared back at me—pale skin, silent tears streaking down my cheeks—a pitiful sight that made my stomach churn.
The sharp pain in my chest was unrelenting, a constant reminder of the mate bond that still lingered despite everything. I thought of making myself a cup of coffee with some sugar before heading to bed, but as I passed the dining room, I noticed the spiced honey cake I had left on the table.
With a bitter smile, I looked at the forgotten cake. Alpha Karson had only remembered today as the birthday of his beloved, Lia Kennedy, a Delta from the Crimson Fang Pack, while he forgot it was mine as well. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
Years ago, after Lia decided to move abroad to join another pack, a drunken Karson showed up at my door. He knelt on one knee, holding nothing more than a soda can tab, and said, “Audrey Dean, I, Karson Johnson, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, accept you as my mate.” His words were slurred, but the weight of the mate vow was undeniable.
Looking at the face I had adored for so long, I knew deep down he didn’t truly love me. But I was swept away by the illusion of lasting happiness, the promise of standing by his side as his Luna. Against my better judgment, I accepted his proposal.
Eventually, we completed the mate bond, marking each other in a private ceremony under the full moon. The soda can tab he used to propose was swapped for a silver pendant engraved with the pack’s emblem, a symbol of our union.
From being an unknown Gamma warrior, I rose through the ranks to become his most trusted fighter, while he solidified his position as the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack. Everything seemed perfect, yet happiness proved as fragile as a bubble, ready to pop at the slightest disturbance.
If Lia hadn’t returned from abroad, if I hadn’t stumbled upon Karson’s design drafts and Lia’s social media post during the pack’s Thanksgiving gathering, maybe I would’ve kept lying to myself. I wouldn’t have ended the pregnancy, nor would I have turned down the opportunity to lead a new pack abroad.
But reality doesn’t entertain “what ifs.” I swept the cake off the table and into the trash, feeling nothing but icy indifference and seething resentment. The bond still burned in my chest, a cruel reminder of what once was, but I refused to let it break me.
The packhouse was silent, the air thick with tension. I could feel the eyes of the Omegas and Deltas watching me from the shadows, their whispers carrying through the halls. Millie, an Omega with a sharp tongue, had been particularly vocal earlier, taunting me about Karson’s neglect. Her words still echoed in my mind, a harsh reminder of my place—or lack thereof—in his life.
I clenched my fists, my wolf stirring in the back of my mind, a low growl of frustration and pain. *He’s a fool*, she whispered, her voice tinged with sorrow. *He’ll regret this.* But I wasn’t so sure.
The cold night air seeped through the windows, and I wrapped my arms around myself, staring out at the forest beyond the packhouse. The bond still tethered me to him, a connection I couldn’t sever, no matter how much I wanted to.
But as I stood there, the icy resolve began to harden within me. I was a Gamma, a warrior, and I would not be defined by his betrayal. The Silver Moon Pack had been my home, but it was no longer my sanctuary. I would leave, and I would rise above this—alone, if I had to.
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