Melissa's POV

I was seated at a bar, drowning myself in alcohol, letting the mascara streak down my face.

After I left home, this was the only place I could think of. The only way I could numb the pain. But no matter how much I drank, the ache inside me refused to fade.

"That's enough alcohol for today, don't you think?"

I turned around at the voice behind me. An old, rough-faced gentleman sat in one of the pub's corners behind the counter, his eyes fixed on me.

"Let me guess-you just got your heart broken, and now alcohol is the only solution to forget him, right?"

I gave him a weak smile. I appreciated the distraction. "Thank you, but I have no interest in having this conversation."

"I know," he said, "but drinking won't fix heartbreak. Making money, building yourself up-that's the best way to move on."

I fully turned to him. "How do I make money when I have nothing? I'm just a nobody. No degree, no job, no home. Just an ex-housewife, an omega rejected and divorced... and pregnant."

His eyes widened slightly. "A child?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "And he knows nothing about it."

The old man stood and stretched out his hand. "Come with me. That man doesn't deserve you-not in any way."

I looked and felt ready to step in front of the cameras.

I had rebuilt myself.

I was no longer that weak, heartbroken woman. Now, I had a name. A brand. A career as a model and a marketing director.

Walking down the runway, every step was measured, every movement precise. But then I saw a face I thought had long been erased from my memory.

Alpha Derek. My ex-mate.

For a few seconds, the world around me stood still.

He looked almost the same-just a little more rugged, like life had been rough on him too.

What the hell was he doing here?

I forced myself to focus. If I reacted, I would ruin everything I had worked so hard to build. I wasn't that woman anymore-the fool who had fallen for those eyes.

Gritting my teeth, I kept walking, my face blank. To me, he was just another face in the audience tonight.

Backstage, I exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to my chest to steady the shaking.

I still remembered that day-the betrayal, the humiliation. How he left me as if I were nothing.

"Melissa, concentrate," I muttered to myself. There was no room for weakness. Especially not now. Especially not for him.

But then I heard it.

A deep, familiar voice. A voice that once made butterflies dance inside me.

"Melissa."

I turned slowly and met his gaze.

I stepped back. "What are you doing here?"

His expression softened, like he had something important to say. Something weighing on him.

"I need to talk to you," he said. "Just for a moment."

"There's nothing left to say," I replied, turning away.

He reached for my arm, gripping it gently but firmly.

"Please, just... give me a moment. After that, I'll leave you alone if that's what you want."

I hesitated. My brain screamed at me to walk away, but a part of me-maybe out of curiosity-wanted to hear him out.

"Fine," I said.

He exhaled in relief. "Are you... seeing anyone?"

I faltered for a second before locking eyes with him.

"Yes."

His jaw tightened. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, trying to mask the hurt.

"Yes," he repeated bitterly. "I suppose I asked for that."

"You did."

He let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Melissa, you can say what you want, but we're still tied in one way or another. You can feel it, can't you? You're still my mate."

I clenched my fists. "There is no bond, Derek. Whatever was there is gone. I moved on."

But he didn't believe me.

He stepped closer, his face just inches from mine.

"Stop pretending, Melissa. How long have you been in this... relationship?"

"Since the night I left."

"It doesn't matter," he said. "You're still my mate. I can feel it, and you can't deny that you do too."

Before I could respond, he grabbed my waist and pulled me against him.

"What the-"

His lips crashed against mine.

For a brief moment, my mind went blank.

Then, rage filled me.

I shoved him back with all my strength. My palm collided with his face in a sharp slap.

He touched his cheek in shock but didn't retaliate.

"Who the hell do you think you are? " I spat, breathing hard.

He blinked, stunned. I could see it in his eyes-he never expected me to fight back.

He only knew the woman who had loved him. He had never met the Melissa who no longer did.

"You're angry," he said, chuckling lowly. "But that kiss... That was the truth, wasn't it?"

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

"You think you can have whatever you want, don't you?" I hissed. "Don't ever do that again."

His smirk faded. "I had to know if I still stood a chance."

"You don't," I said firmly. "Not anymore."

I had thought I was done with this. I thought he was happy with Laura.

So why was he here?

I turned to walk away.

"Melissa," he called again.

I didn't stop. I didn't look back.

But then, someone stepped out from the shadows-a familiar face.

"Elijah," I breathed. Relief washed over me.

He extended his hand. "Melissa, are you okay?"

I remembered when he had asked me the same thing years ago when I thought my life was beyond saving.

He still had the same warm, strong eyes, though time had added grey to his hair and lines to his face.

Derek, standing behind me, tensed. I knew that expression. He was assessing Elijah.

"And this is...?" Derek's voice was tight with suspicion.

Elijah remained calm, his posture relaxed but firm. "I don't think that's any of your business," he said smoothly. "But I do think you need to keep your distance from her."

Derek scoffed. "So, this is the guy you're dating?"

I had told Derek before that I was with someone. Now, he was searching my face for confirmation.

"Yes, we're in a relationship," Elijah answered before I could.

I blinked, surprised. That wasn't the answer I had planned to give, but I didn't correct him. If it made Derek back off, then so be it.

Elijah tightened his grip on my hand and stepped closer. "We're together," he said, "and soon, it will be more than just that."

Derek's expression twisted in pain. "More than what?" he asked, barely holding back his anger.

Elijah didn't hesitate. "I'm going to marry Melissa."

Derek flinched, his face unreadable.

For a moment, he seemed... lost.

Then, his mask returned. He forced a stiff nod. "Well... congratulations, then."

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

I exhaled sharply, my body trembling.

"I'm sorry," I said to Elijah. "I didn't mean to drag you into this."

He chuckled softly. "Melissa, you don't need to apologise. I had a feeling you'd need a little help tonight."

I smiled at him.

He had done so much for me. And tonight, he had done even more.

"Thank you," I murmured.

Elijah nodded. "That man wants you back."

I met his gaze, my voice firm.

"Well, that's never going to happen."

Derek's POV

My Beta-Michael-walked in with the files I had requested earlier.

"Good morning, Alpha," he greeted.

I responded curtly with a nod, eager to know what he had found. Ever since I saw Melissa with that man, I needed to know what was going on between them-whether Elijah truly meant it when he said they were going to get married.

Shutting down my laptop, I focused all my attention on Michael. "Did you do everything I asked?"

He nodded, handing me the files. "I did my research and found out that Elijah and Melissa have been together for years. He's also the reason she has a good job. It's true-they're together," he explained as I flipped through the pages.

The thought of Melissa being with that man made my chest tighten, and I had to take deep breaths to control myself. "Are you sure?" I asked again, needing confirmation.

Michael nodded. I exhaled sharply and returned the files to him. "Thank you, Michael."

He responded with a small smile, bowed, and exited the room.

Left alone, I inhaled deeply, lost in thought. How had Melissa moved on so quickly? She had always been crazy in love with me, yet now it was as if I didn't exist in her world anymore.

If only I hadn't believed Laura.

My fists clenched as memories of that day flooded my mind. I had treated Melissa horribly. I could have listened to her-given her a chance to explain-but I didn't. And now, she was gone.

But none of that mattered. I was ready to do whatever it took to have her back.

It was already late, so I tidied up and left for home.

---

For five years, I had searched everywhere for Melissa. Who would have thought she had been within reach all along? I was eager to talk to her again, but she was different now-colder. She had moved on with her life and with another man.

Her eyes held nothing but resentment. I didn't matter to her anymore. She loved someone else.

But I could swear I still felt the bond. Even after rejecting her, it remained.

That meant only one thing-I still had a chance. Elijah hadn't marked her yet. All I needed was a way to show her I had been deceived.

But deep down, I knew that wasn't the whole truth. If I had trusted her, even a little, I wouldn't have pushed her away. I could have listened. I could have told her the reason I wanted to divorce her instead of rejecting her outright.

Was it too late?

She was different now-nothing like the mate I once knew. Only her face was the same.

The compassion in her eyes was gone. Not even a flicker of the Melissa I remembered remained. And she didn't seem to care-maybe she never did.

I was lost in my thoughts until an all-too-familiar voice shattered them.

"Where the hell have you been, Derek? You keep forgetting you have marital duties to perform!"

I looked up to see Laura standing in the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.

Running a hand over my face, I sighed. "Go to bed, Laura. Leave me alone. I'm not in the mood for your tantrums."

She stepped closer, ignoring my words. "Oh, you're never in the mood. But I don't care. It won't change the fact that I'm your mate now, and I deserve to be sexually satisfied. My wolf is starving, Alpha Derek."

The way she dragged out my title made my skin crawl.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I growled. "Or have you forgotten that I found out how you deceived me years ago? We were never supposed to be mated. If you hadn't manipulated your way into my life, you conniving bitch-"

She scoffed. "Oh, spare me the sob story. If you had trusted Melissa, you wouldn't have fallen for my lies. You have no one to blame but yourself. And now? You're stuck with me forever."

"Laura, get out of here. Now." My voice was low, dangerous. My eyes burnt red, my fangs threatening to emerge.

She smirked. "Or what? Face it, Derek. This all happened years ago. You should move on already. I love you, and in time, you'll learn to love me too-if only you'd put in some effort."

"Keep dreaming, Laura. I'm going to get Melissa back. And you? I'll get rid of you."

She burst into laughter. "She wants nothing to do with you, Derek. She made that clear when she accepted your rejection. Remember?"

Her words sliced through me like a blade, hitting wounds I had tried to suppress.

"No need to keep fuming," she added with a mocking smirk.

"Enough already." My voice was colder than I intended.

"Aww, such a pity," she murmured, shaking her head. "You're only deceiving yourself, Derek. And that? That's just sad."

Life with Laura had been hell. She never missed an opportunity to get on my nerves. But I wasn't going to let her get to me-not now, when I was trying to figure out how to win Melissa back.

I grabbed my briefcase and headed to my room.

But, of course, she followed.

"Are you thinking about her right now?" she blurted, standing beside me.

I hadn't even noticed her come in. I ignored her and got up to leave, but she blocked my path.

She smiled seductively. "If you dare to walk out, I'll scream and call the attention of the Cabinet Minister. I'll tell the Pack you've refused to touch me since making me your Luna."

I swallowed hard, my hands clenching into fists.

She knew exactly how to manipulate me. The Pack had been expecting an heir from me. If they found out I was refusing to make it happen, they'd turn against me.

"Forget her, Derek. She's gone. You searched for her for five years and found nothing. Why not give up and have a little fun with me?" She stepped closer, trying to kiss me.

I turned away.

Her robes fell to the floor, revealing her red lingerie.

My wolf stirred at the sight, but I forced him down. He had been starved for five years, and I planned to keep him that way-until Melissa returned to me.

"It won't work, Laura," I said flatly. "Put your robe back on."

She sank to her knees, looking up at me with a smug smile.

Unbuckling my trousers, she massaged me gently, making it hard to pull away.

"Stop, Laura," I warned, my voice strained.

But before I could push her off, she took me into her mouth.

I gritted my teeth, my wolf battling for control. Despite my resistance, pleasure surged through me. My fingers curled into her hair as I threw my head back.

"Fuck, Melissa," I groaned.

Laura immediately froze.

She pulled away, eyes darkening with rage. "Melissa? You were thinking about that bitch while I was sucking you off?"

"Watch your mouth," I snarled. "Don't ever call her that again, or I swear I won't show you any mercy."

She scoffed. "Ever since you saw that bitch again-"

I grabbed her by the hair, slamming her against the wall. She yelped, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps.

Taking a deep breath, I released her, though I still had her pinned. "Don't ever speak ill of Melissa again," I warned, my voice dangerously low.

"If anything, you are the bitch-for backstabbing her. And from this day forward? You are banned from entering my chambers."

Derek's POV

The moment I shoved Laura away, she staggered backward, eyes wide with shock. She had pushed me too far this time. 

My patience with her had run out, and I was done pretending to tolerate her.

"You can't do this to me, Derek," she whispered, pressing a hand against the wall for support. "I am your Luna."

I clenched my jaw. "You were never my Luna. You forced your way into my life through lies and manipulation. And now, I'm taking my life back."

Her expression darkened, and her lips curled in frustration. "And what? You think Melissa will run back into your arms? That she'll forgive you just like that?" She laughed bitterly. "She's happy with someone else. She has a life without you."

A growl rumbled in my chest, but I kept myself in control. "You don't know a damn thing about Melissa."

"I know she doesn't want you," Laura spat. "She made that very clear when she accepted your rejection."

I inhaled deeply, my nails digging into my palms. She wasn't wrong, but she didn't know the full truth either. Melissa had accepted my rejection, but the bond hadn't broken-not fully. That meant something. That meant she still felt something, even if it was buried under all the pain I had caused her.

Laura took a step closer, eyes narrowing. "You think you have a chance with her?" She scoffed. "You're delusional. Elijah has given her everything you denied her-love, protection, stability. Why would she ever choose you over him?"

My wolf growled, furious at her words, but I knew I couldn't lose control. Not now. I straightened my posture and levelled her with a cold glare.

"I don't need to explain myself to you," I said firmly. "But hear this, Laura-your time here is over. From this moment on, you are no longer allowed in my chambers. You are no longer welcome in my life. If you try to manipulate me again, I'll strip you of your title and exile you from this pack."

Her breath hitched, and she looked at me as if I had struck her. "You wouldn't dare," she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief.

"Try me," I challenged.

For a long moment, she just stared at me, her face pale and stricken. Then, without another word, she turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

The moment she was gone, I let out a slow breath and ran a hand through my hair. I should have done this years ago. I should have never let her manipulate me into rejecting Melissa.

But there was no point in regretting the past. All I could do now was fight for what I had lost.

And that started with Melissa.

The next morning, I barely touched my breakfast. My mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of Melissa. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her-her beautiful face, the way she had looked at me with so much hatred and pain.

I had spent five years searching for her, only to find out she had moved on. But that wasn't what hurt the most. What truly shattered me was realising how much I had broken her.

She had loved me once. I had been her world. And I had destroyed her.

I exhaled sharply and pushed my plate away.

Michael, my Beta, entered the dining hall just as I stood up. "Alpha," he greeted, bowing slightly.

I nodded at him. "Did you get more information on Melissa?"

He nodded, handing me another file. "I dug deeper into her life with Elijah. They've been together for years, but something doesn't add up."

I frowned, flipping through the file. "What do you mean?"

"Elijah has influence and money, but there's no record of a mating bond between them. He's never marked her."

I froze. "What?"

Michael nodded. "From what I found, they've been living together, but they're not officially mated. It's like they're just... together for appearances."

Hope flickered in my chest.

If Elijah hadn't marked her, that meant the bond between Melissa and me still had a chance. It meant she wasn't fully his.

It meant I still had time.

Michael studied me carefully. "Alpha, if you really want to win her back, you need to be smart about this. Melissa isn't the same girl she used to be. She's strong now. Independent. She won't just fall back into your arms."

"I know," I admitted, clenching my jaw. "But I don't care how long it takes. I'll do whatever it takes to fix what I broke."

Michael sighed. "Just be careful, Alpha. Elijah is powerful. If he finds out you're trying to take Melissa back, he won't let you do it easily."

"I don't care," I said firmly. "Melissa is mine, and I'm going to fight for her."

Later that day, I decided to see Melissa. I had to talk to her-to make her understand.

I drove to the company where she worked, my heart pounding with anticipation. When I arrived, I spotted her in the lobby, talking to a colleague.

She looked stunning. She wore a fitted black dress that accentuated her curves, her hair flowing down her back. She looked confident, powerful-so different from the Melissa I had known.

For a moment, I hesitated. What if she refused to see me? What if she had truly moved on?

But I couldn't turn back now.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

The moment she saw me, her body tensed. Her smile vanished, and her eyes hardened.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coldly.

I swallowed. "We need to talk."

Her jaw tightened. "We have nothing to talk about, Derek. Leave."

"I can't," I said, my voice firm but gentle. "Not until you hear me out."

Her hands clenched at her sides, and she glanced around, as if checking to see if anyone was watching.

Then she sighed. "Fine. Five minutes."

Relief washed over me, and I followed her into a private office.

The moment the door closed, she turned to face me. "Say what you need to say and leave."

I took a step closer, but she immediately took a step back. The distance between us felt unbearable.

"I was deceived, Melissa," I began, my voice thick with emotion. "Laura set me up. She made me believe you betrayed me. If I had known the truth-"

"But you didn't," she cut in sharply. "You didn't believe me. You didn't even give me a chance to explain."

I flinched. "I know. And I regret it every single day."

She laughed bitterly. "Regret? Do you have any idea what you put me through, Derek? Do you know how much I suffered because of you?"

Guilt crashed over me like a tidal wave. "I do," I admitted. "And I hate myself for it."

She shook her head. "It doesn't change anything. I've moved on."

"Then why haven't you let Elijah mark you?" I asked quietly.

Her breath hitched, and for the first time, uncertainty flickered in her eyes.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "You still feel the bond, don't you?"

She didn't answer.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Melissa, please," I whispered. "Give me a chance to make things right."

She closed her eyes, inhaling shakily. For a moment, I thought she might give in.

But then she stepped back, her eyes cold once more. "It's too late, Derek."

And with that, she walked away, leaving me standing there, heartbroken but more determined than ever.

Melissa still felt the bond.

And I was going to make her admit it.