My breath caught, sharp and painful, as I lingered at the doorway of my mate Damon’s office—the pack’s alpha—eavesdropping on his conversation with his Beta about me.

“She’s just a safety net, man. You know how it is,” Alpha Damon’s voice casual and cruel, slicing through my heart like a blade.

A safety net? Me, his mate, to him?

His Beta, Logan, let out a low chuckle. “You’re playing with fire, Damon. The wedding’s in a week. You sure you wanna go through with it?”

Damon scoffed. “What choice do I have? Her father’s expecting this alliance, and once the deal is sealed, I’ll cut her loose.”

A sharp, sinking pain twisted in my stomach, so brutal I had to grip the doorframe to steady myself.

“She’s delusional.” Damon’s voice dripped with amusement. “She thinks this is some fated love story—like we’re actually meant to be. But the truth? I was never planning to be tied down to her forever.”

I swallowed against the bile rising in my throat. Delusional?

“You should have just made her your mistress,” Beta Logan said, laughing.

Damon snorted. “Tried. She wouldn’t even sleep with me until after the wedding. Said she wanted it to be ‘special.’” His voice turned mocking, dripping with scorn. “If she had given it up, maybe I’d keep her around longer. I could’ve had my fun.”...

A sharp ringing filled my ears. I couldn’t breathe.

I pressed my back against the cold wall, my fingers digging into the wood as their words sank in like poisoned daggers.

....

When I slipped into the study to surprise my fiancé Damon, Alpha of the pack, with a handwritten note—one I’d spent hours perfecting—the last thing I expected to hear was him laughing at me.

The soft murmur of voices carried through the slightly cracked door, but it was his familiar, rich voice that stopped me cold.

“She’s just a safety net, man. You know how it is,” Alpha Damon’s voice rang out, casual and cruel, slicing through my excitement like a blade.

The note trembled in my hand. My heart pounded against my ribs, the edges of the paper crinkling beneath my fingers. A safety net?

His best man, which was also his Beta, Logan, let out a low chuckle. “You’re playing with fire, Damon. The wedding’s in a week. You sure you wanna go through with it?”

Damon scoffed. “What choice do I have? Her father’s expecting this alliance, and once the deal is sealed, I’ll cut her loose.”

A sharp, sinking pain twisted in my stomach, so brutal I had to grip the doorframe to steady myself.

“Damn,” Beta Logan mused. “She really has no idea?”

“She’s delusional.” Damon’s voice dripped with amusement. “She thinks this is some fated love story—like we’re actually meant to be. But the truth? I was never planning to be tied down to her forever.”

"And she's not my mate. Nor will she be my Luna."

I swallowed against the bile rising in my throat. Delusional.

How many times had I whispered to myself that Alpha Damon was my destiny? That despite his growing distance, despite the coldness creeping into his gaze, our bond was something unbreakable?

“You should have just made her your mistress,” Beta Logan said, laughing.

Damon snorted. “Tried. She wouldn’t even sleep with me until after the wedding. Said she wanted it to be ‘special.’” His voice turned mocking, dripping with scorn. “If she had given it up, maybe I’d keep her around longer. I could’ve had my fun.”

Laughter filled the room. Their laughter.

My stomach clenched.

“She’s a good girl, though,” Logan drawled. “All obedient and devoted. Those ones fall the hardest.”

Damon hummed in agreement. “Yeah. She’ll be devastated. Probably cry for weeks. But I’ll make sure to pin the blame on her when it all goes down. Women like her? They love to play the victim.”

A sharp ringing filled my ears.

I couldn’t breathe.

I pressed my back against the cold wall, my fingers digging into the wood as their words sank in like poisoned daggers.

A safety net.

A means to an end.

A fool.

A while ago…

I had believed—naively, stupidly—that Damon and I were fated.

We met at a pack summit, where our packs—his, the powerful Shadow Fang Pack, and mine, the smaller but wealthy Silver Ridge Pack—discussed an alliance. I was barely out of my transition phase, my wolf still adjusting to her strength. But the moment his dark eyes locked on mine, everything else faded away.

Alpha Damon had been everything I dreamed of—charming, protective, mine. And when he marked me, I thought my place at his side was permanent.

He promised me forever.

I gave him everything.

For two years, I ignored the warning signs. How his kisses grew colder. How his touch lacked the warmth it once held. How his phone buzzed late at night with messages he brushed off.

Even when he missed our anniversary dinner, claiming he had "pack duties," I told myself I was enough.

I had to be.

Because in our world, mates were supposed to be sacred—a bond so deep, nothing could break it.

I believed he loved me.

And now?

I knew better.

A safety net.

I stifled the rising sob threatening to tear through me, shoving the delicate note back into my pocket. The words I’d spent hours crafting—words about how much I loved him, how grateful I was to be his—felt like a joke now.

How many times had he lied to my face?

I thought back to last night—how he pulled away when I tried to kiss him, claiming he was tired. How he brushed off my concerns, promising we’d be happy after the wedding.

I wanted to believe him. Moon Goddess, I wanted to trust the man I loved.

But nothing could erase the sound of his voice, dripping with cold amusement.

"Once the deal is sealed, I’ll cut her loose."

I clutched my stomach as bile burned the back of my throat. The wedding was in a week. Seven days until I would stand in front of the entire pack and bind myself to a man who didn’t love me.

I was just a pawn to him.

And I had been too blind to see it.

I clenched my jaw, forcing the bile back down. My heart pounded, but my body felt strangely detached—numb, frozen in place as the laughter in the study continued.

My fiancé and my mate. The man I loved. Laughing about me like I was some joke.

I should have barged in. I should have thrown the door open and screamed at him, demanded answers. But I didn’t.

Instead, I turned on my heel and walked away.

My fingers dug into my palm, nails biting into my skin. The hallway felt suffocating, the weight of what I’d just overheard pressing down on my chest. I needed air, space—anything but this crushing realization.

Alpha Damon never loved me.

He never wanted me.

He was using me.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to keep walking. I wouldn’t break down here. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

I barely made it to my room before the emotions came crashing down on me.

I slammed the door shut, resting my forehead against the cool wood. My entire body trembled. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the words away, wishing I could unhear them.

"She’s just a safety net."

"If she had given it up, maybe I’d keep her around longer."

"She’s delusional."

A choked sound escaped my lips. The pain was unbearable, twisting and gnawing at my insides like a beast that refused to be caged.

How had I been so blind?

How had I convinced myself that Damon and I were destined, that his growing coldness was just stress, that the late nights and hushed conversations meant nothing?

"He’s just busy," I had told myself. "He loves me. He’s just distracted. The wedding planning is overwhelming him."

I had excused every red flag.

And the worst part? I had been warned.

––––––

A few weeks ago…

“Sienna, wake up.”

I groaned as warm hands shook my shoulders. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon filled my nose before I forced my heavy eyelids open. Across from me, my best friend, Eva, stood with her arms crossed, an unimpressed look on her face.

“It’s six in the morning,” I muttered, rolling over and burying my face in my pillow.

“Exactly,” she shot back. “Six in the morning, and your loving mate hasn’t come home from his ‘meeting.’”

I stiffened.

Eva sighed. “Sienna, come on. I’m not trying to ruin your day, but I know what I saw.”

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Eva, we’ve talked about this. Damon has important pack responsibilities. He—”

“He was at a club last night,” she interrupted. “I saw him with my own eyes, and he wasn’t alone.”

My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to scoff. “That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe it was a business thing.”

Eva’s jaw clenched. “Sienna, he had a woman on his lap.”

The room suddenly felt too small, too hot. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, shaking my head.

“You’re mistaken,” I said, voice tight.

Eva exhaled sharply. “I know you love him. I know you want to believe in him. But, Sienna—”

“I don’t want to talk about this.” I threw the blankets off me and stood, walking to the window, desperate to breathe. “Damon loves me. We’re getting mated in a week. I am gonna to be his Luna. Everything is fine.”

A heavy silence followed before Eva finally spoke. “Okay.” Her voice was soft, understanding. “Just… if you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

––––––

Now, standing alone in my bedroom, her words haunted me.

Eva had tried to warn me, and I had brushed her off like a fool.

I should have listened.

But I had been too caught up in the fantasy of what I wanted my life to be.

I turned to the vanity mirror, staring at my reflection. My eyes were red, my lips trembling, my skin pale. I looked broken.

I took a shaky breath and wiped my face, erasing every trace of my pain. I forced my lips into a neutral line, training my expression into calm indifference. No one could know.

I would go through with the wedding.

I would smile, play the perfect fiancée, let him believe I was the same foolish woman who adored him.

––––––

The next day, I made my way to the small ticketing office on the outskirts of the pack’s territory. It was the only place that handled long-distance travel, including flights to the Werewolf Council.

The old attendant at the desk barely looked up as I approached.

“I need a ticket,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “To the Council.”

She hummed, clicking a few keys on her old computer before nodding. “Next available flight is in a week.”

My heart stopped.

“In a week?” I repeated.

The woman barely spared me a glance. “Yes. Earliest available departure.”

I almost laughed. The universe was cruel.

A week.

The same day as my wedding.

The irony wasn’t lost on me.

“Perfect,” I said, smiling coldly. “That’s even better.”

The pre-wedding party was supposed to be a celebration of love—a night where friends and family came together to honor the bond Alpha Damon and I shared.

It was held at the Shadow Fang Pack’s grand hall, an extravagant space filled with glittering chandeliers and walls draped in deep crimson silk.

The scent of roasted meats and aged wine filled the air, but it did little to soothe the knot twisting in my stomach.

I forced a smile, letting the chatter of the crowd wash over me. Damon was nowhere in sight. He had disappeared earlier, claiming he had "business matters to attend to," leaving me to play the perfect fiancée on my own.

Not that it surprised me.

I scanned the room, my heart sinking when I spotted him near the bar. And he wasn’t alone.

A tall shewolf with sleek black hair and a body made for sin clung to his arm, laughing softly at something he whispered in her ear. Her blood-red dress clung to every curve, the slit revealing far too much leg for a simple "friend."

Alpha Damon’s hand rested comfortably on her waist—too comfortably—his thumb brushing over her exposed skin in a way that sent a sickening twist through my gut.

As if sensing my gaze, Damon glanced up and met my eyes across the room. For a brief moment, something flickered in his expression—not guilt, not regret—indifference. Then, without missing a beat, he leaned closer to the shewolf, whispering something that made her laugh again.

I swallowed hard, reminding myself to breathe.

This was just another game to him. Another humiliation designed to break me little by little. But I wouldn’t let him see me shatter. Not tonight.

I plastered on a smile as he finally made his way over, the shewolf still clinging to him like a second skin.

“Sienna,” Damon greeted, his tone smooth and casual, as if nothing were amiss. “I want you to meet an old friend. This is Alina.”

Friend.

Of course.

Alina’s lips curled into a smirk as she extended her hand. “It’s so lovely to finally meet you, Sienna. Damon talks about you all the time.”

I took her hand, my grip firm as I met her gaze head-on. “Really? I can’t say he’s mentioned you.”

Her smile faltered for a brief second before she recovered, leaning into Damon just a little more. “Well, we go way back. He’s always been so... generous.” Her voice dripped with suggestion, and the way she looked at him made her true intentions painfully clear.

I felt every pair of eyes in the room on us—on me—waiting to see how I’d react.

I wanted to scream. To wipe that smug expression off her face and demand answers. But instead, I did what I had always done. I stayed silent.

Damon slipped an arm around my waist in what was supposed to be a loving gesture. But his touch was cold—a performance for the audience.

“You know how it is,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my temple. “I can’t help it if my friends adore me.”

A laugh bubbled up in my throat, sharp and bitter, but I swallowed it down.

I wouldn’t let him see me break.

“I’m sure they do,” I said coolly. “Enjoy catching up. I wouldn’t want to interrupt.”

I stepped out of his embrace, offering a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.

Let him play his games. I wouldn’t fall apart for him.

As I turned to walk away, I caught the barely concealed laughter from his friends at a nearby table. Logan, his Beta and best man, smirked as I approached.

“Damn, Sienna,” he drawled, tipping his glass toward me. “You’re really cool about all this. Most girls would be losing their minds by now.”

The others chuckled, exchanging knowing glances as if I weren’t even there.

I smiled sweetly. “I suppose it takes confidence to handle a man like Damon.”

Logan raised a brow. “Or maybe you’re just too naïve to know better.”

The words struck harder than they should have. They weren’t wrong. I had been too blind—too desperate to hold onto a fantasy that never existed.

Still, I refused to let them see how much it hurt.

I met Logan’s gaze, my voice unwavering. “Better naïve than pathetic.”

His smirk faltered, but before he could respond, a voice cut through the tension.

“Oh, don’t be too hard on her, boys,” Alina purred, stepping to Damon’s side once more. “Not everyone is cut out for this world.”

I clenched my jaw, willing myself to remain calm.

“Especially someone as... delicate as Sienna,” she continued, her eyes gleaming with malice. “I mean, it’s sweet how much you worship him. You’re lucky. Most women in your position would be left behind.”

A sharp, cruel silence followed her words. Even Logan raised a brow, as if surprised by how far she was willing to push.

I forced a polite smile. “It’s funny,” I said softly. “You talk like you’re an expert in being left behind.”

Alina’s smile slipped, just for a moment. Good.

Damon chuckled low under his breath, clearly entertained by the spectacle. He wasn’t even trying to hide it.

“You’re handling this so well, babe,” he murmured in my ear, his voice too soft for anyone else to hear. “But you always do, don’t you?”

My stomach twisted, but I refused to give him the reaction he wanted.

“Of course,” I said smoothly, stepping out of his touch. “I know my worth.”

I left him there, surrounded by his friends and his mistress, but I knew the damage had already been done.

The murmurs followed me as I slipped onto the balcony, the cool night air brushing against my flushed skin. My hands trembled as I gripped the railing, trying to steady my breath.

I had wanted to believe—so badly—that things would be different. That Damon still cared.

But tonight proved otherwise.

He wasn’t trying to hide it anymore.