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.