Chapter 2

Rohan was convinced I couldn’t live without him.

And honestly, it wasn’t surprising he’d think that way. After all, everyone knew how wildly in love I was with him. He was tall, muscular, and commanding—a dominant Alpha with the kind of aura that made others bow their heads in respect. People said I was lucky to have landed him, as if he was a prize that only came around once in a lifetime.

Once, after a fiery argument with Rohan, I crashed at my friend Mauricio’s place. Mauricio, a Gamma warrior, tried to comfort me, “Alpha Rohan is quite the catch. A bit of a temper is normal for an Alpha—don’t be so high-strung about it.” Everyone seemed to think that as long as the Alpha was interested in being with me, I should ignore his faults, let things slide, and not hang onto old grievances.

But I wasn’t with him for his status or power. I was there purely for love.

Rohan and I grew up in the same pack, and back then, he’d narrowly escaped a rogue attack that left him with depression, causing him to withdraw. I painstakingly helped him through that darkness, turning him into the confident Alpha everyone admired. He depended heavily on me then. Wherever he went, he wanted me there beside him. He often said, “Aurelia, thank you for always being there.”

Eventually, we took our mate bond, and I moved into his home as his Luna. One pack gathering, we went out to celebrate the full moon run, and the rogue who had attacked him earlier tracked him down, seeking revenge. I happened to witness him being ambushed. I shielded him with my own body, taking the brutal assault meant for him.

My wolf form was brutally crushed, and I blacked out from the pain. When I came to in the pack healer’s den, I was told I’d never shift again. Rohan, with tears streaming down his face, looked at me and said, “Aurelia, I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you from now on.”

Losing my ability to shift was a devastating blow, but his words offered some comfort. I hung on because of him, trusting in what he’d said. Yet, less than a month later, he started not coming home much, and we ended up sleeping in separate rooms. He’d said it was because he was afraid he’d accidentally hurt me in his sleep. I bought it at the time.

But now I realize that wasn’t the real reason—he had already begun to see me as a burden.

Chapter 3

I checked into a hotel room alone, the scent of pine and fresh linen doing little to calm the storm inside me. As soon as I settled in, I pulled out my phone and opened the pack’s social network. My fingers froze as I stumbled upon a post from a tabloid account. There, in stark clarity, was a picture of Alpha Rohan Castro at an exclusive private school, with Imani Cunningham and their daughter, Layne.

The caption read: “Alpha Rohan Castro, renowned singer and leader of the Silverclaw Pack, seen with his mate and their pup, enrolling her in school.”

Rohan, the Alpha of the Silverclaw Pack, was not only a powerful leader but also a celebrated singer whose fame stretched across the werewolf community. Yet, despite our bond, he had never publicly acknowledged me. To the world, he was a single Alpha, untethered and free.

Just then, I noticed Rohan had posted on the network, addressing the rumors. “I do have a mate and a pup, and I love them dearly,” he wrote.

The words hit me like a rogue’s claw to the chest, tearing through the remnants of the mate bond that still lingered. Rohan and I had been mates for five years, and for five years, he had deceived me, hiding Imani and Layne from my sight.

At that moment, my phone buzzed. It was Mauricio, a Gamma warrior and someone I once considered a friend. “Did you have another argument with Alpha Rohan?” he asked, his tone casual, as if my world hadn’t just shattered. “He just called to check if you were at my place.”

“I’ve told you to move on and stop being so sensitive,” Mauricio continued, his voice tinged with exasperation. “You still rely on him, so don’t upset him.”

It was always the same. Everyone seemed to think I should be grateful for Rohan, for the scraps of affection he threw my way. But in a mate bond, both parties should be equals. A strong bond isn’t built on one wolf’s endless sacrifice and patience. And now, with the discovery of his pup, the betrayal was unbearable.

I ended the call with Mauricio. Friends like that, I could do without.

Early the next morning, a text from Rohan lit up my screen: “Going to my parents’ place today.”

I couldn’t fathom how he could act as though nothing had happened, as though my heart hadn’t been ripped apart the night before. But perhaps it was for the best; I needed to visit his parents’ house too, to settle the matter of our broken mate bond.

So, I replied, my fingers trembling slightly as I typed: “I’ll take a cab there myself.”

The drive to the Castro estate was quiet, the hum of the engine doing little to drown out the thoughts swirling in my mind. As I stepped out of the car, the imposing structure of the Alpha’s family home loomed before me, a stark reminder of the hierarchy I had once been a part of. I squared my shoulders and walked inside, determined to face whatever came next.