That night, I stayed up until the early hours, but Jalen never mind-linked me. Reflecting on seven years of commitment, it all felt like a cruel joke.

Jalen and I first met during freshman orientation at the werewolf academy. I wasn’t from the prestigious Mills Pack; I hailed from a small, lesser-known pack. That day, I clumsily dragged my overpacked, outdated suitcase across the courtyard until it finally burst open. My clothes tumbled everywhere, accompanied by the homemade spiced honey cakes I had brought from home.

While others watched with disdain and amusement, Jalen, the future Alpha of the Mills Pack, knelt down and helped me collect my things. That was the day this vibrant young man entered my life. Although I didn’t know his true rank back then, I knew he was commanding and powerful, with admirers aplenty. As an Omega, I had no choice but to keep my feelings hidden until he confessed his feelings for me, changing everything.

It was hard to believe someone as high-ranking as Jalen could fall for someone from a small pack like me, so I initially dodged his advances. Yet, that semester, he was always by my side, caring for me tenderly, and I couldn’t resist his gentle charm. His aura, even then, was magnetic, drawing me in despite the vast gulf between our statuses.

Once we started dating, I worked tirelessly to prove myself worthy of his love, to rise above my Omega status and show that I could stand beside him as an equal—or at least as close to one as possible. After graduation, he seamlessly took over as Alpha of the Mills Pack, while I struggled for three years to find my place in the pack hierarchy. Little did I know, a shattering blow awaited me.

Based on one woman’s words, he left me on our sixth anniversary without any explanation, fearing she might be kept waiting. A notification popped up on my phone; it was a post from one of Jalen’s Betas. I tapped on it.

The man who had once been by my side day and night was now on one knee, smiling, proposing to another woman. Surrounded by joyous pack members and allies, it was a scene I had pictured countless times. But now, the woman in the picture wasn’t me. It was Theodora, a Lycan Princess, her golden hair gleaming like a crown, her status as untouchable as her beauty.

I saw Jalen again last Friday when I got home from pack duties. As soon as I opened the door, there he was, setting the table with the air of someone who still belonged.

"Dahlia, you’re back. It’s been a long week for you. I brought your favorite pastries!"

He acted as if nothing had happened, making no mention of abandoning me just days ago.

"Alpha Jalen," I said, my voice tight with anger, "get out of my house! You’re no longer welcome here!"

Noting my displeasure, he quickly tried to grab my hand, his Alpha tone softening but still laced with authority. "Dahlia, don’t be upset. I got you a new silver bracelet as an apology!"

As the bracelet was about to slip onto my wrist, I flung it away, causing Jalen to stumble against the table. He steadied himself, stood, and moved closer to me, his smile evaporating, replaced by the cold, commanding expression he reserved for pack disputes.

"Dahlia, don’t take it too far!"

"I never wronged you; you came to me willingly!"

Anger flushed my face, and my body trembled slightly with rage. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl echoing in my mind, but I pushed her down. This wasn’t the time.

"Omega Dahlia Gibson," he said, his Alpha tone sharp, "in these seven years, I’ve spent more on you than most Omegas earn in a lifetime. You ought to be grateful!"

"There are plenty of young, willing Omegas out there, who are more understanding than you!"

Fury surged through me as I raised my hand and slapped him hard. The sound echoed in the small room, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop.

"Alpha Jalen, you shameless man! Have you no sense of my sincerity?!"

Jalen looked stunned, his Alpha aura flickering for a moment before he regained control. He pressed his tongue against his cheek, suppressing his anger, and said, "Dahlia, just be sensible, stay with me, and I won’t treat you badly!"

Ha, I was his mate, his chosen one, and yet here I was, treated like a caged Omega, a plaything to be discarded when a better offer came along.

"Dahlia," he continued, his voice softer now, "I don’t love Theodora at all, but her family’s alliance is crucial for the Mills Pack. Marriage is the best way to secure our future."

I recall him once saying that our meeting was the Moon Goddess’s finest arrangement. But faced with cold, hard pack politics, such words become meaningless.

"Alpha Jalen," I said, my voice breaking, "what does our seven-year mate bond amount to then?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of everything we had lost. And for the first time, I saw a flicker of something in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or guilt. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the steely resolve of an Alpha who had made his choice.

He looked at me with a smirk, his Alpha aura pressing down on me like a weight. "Dahlia, do you really think love can pay the bills? How else could you, an Omega from a small pack, land a position in the Mills Pack’s inner circle?"

"Their pack has a rule that says you have to serve for five years before you can leave without penalty. And the reason Alpha Drake didn’t give you a hard time when you transferred to the Atlas Pack is because I’m his most valuable ally!"

I always believed I had never taken any favors from Jalen, yet I’ve constantly lived under his shadow. It was true; I had entered the Mills Pack smoothly after graduation. Among all the candidates, I was the only one who stayed. But did that give Jalen the right to trample on my feelings and humiliate me?

I slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing in the room. "Jalen, at least I truly loved you these past few years, unlike you, who took the warmth of my love while also accepting the alliance Theodora offered!"

Jalen, proud and arrogant as ever, hated being accused of relying on others. He pulled out a credit card and placed it on the table, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. "This card has enough for your needs. Be a good girl and don’t cause trouble."

With that, he picked up his coat and headed for the door. At the doorway, he glanced back at me, his smirk widening. "Oh, Dahlia, Theodora and I are almost there. Want to come to the marking ceremony? It’ll be at that chapel you love."

I stared at him, his amusement twisting the knife in my chest. My eyes burned with unshed tears as bitterness welled up inside me. The next day, my day off, was disrupted by yet another storm.

Theodora used Jalen’s phone to send me an invitation. She wore a royal purple dress, radiating wealth and dominance, with a single accessory that would cost an ordinary werewolf years of earnings. Her Lycan Princess aura was suffocating.

Theodora was blunt as she spoke to me, her voice dripping with condescension. "Dahlia, Jalen and I are finalizing our mate bond, and I want you to disappear from his life!"

The current situation felt like the Luna confronting a rogue, yet I was the rightful mate. I summoned the courage to tell her, my voice trembling but firm. "I’ve known Jalen for seven years. We truly love each other. What about you two?"

Theodora looked at me with disdain, her golden eyes cold. "Miss Gibson, what’s love worth? It’s nothing compared to a strategic alliance! I admit I have no feelings for Jalen, but for the prosperity of our packs, this bond is essential!"

She took a sip of her coffee, her movements elegant and deliberate. "Miss Gibson, you must understand, you’ll never fit into our circle. Name your price. How much would it take for you to leave Jalen?"

"Believe me, even without me, Jalen wouldn’t choose you!"

I chuckled bitterly. Is it common for Lycans to equate everything with wealth? Money can’t buy the seven years I devoted to him.

"Princess Theodora," I said, emphasizing her title, "I admit you come from a more privileged lineage, but you’re the one disrupting our bond!"

I wanted to avoid getting entangled with these powerful figures, opting to keep my distance. But overnight, scandalous rumors about me spread through the packs.

"Omega uses her looks to climb the ranks, indulges in luxury." "Innocent girl seduces, protected by Alpha."

The rumors featured numerous fabricated images of me. Intimate moments with Jalen were posted online, his face obscured. Different angles made it seem like I was involved with multiple wolves...

Theodora issued an ultimatum to Alpha Drake: keep me, and they would sever their alliance, risking the Mills Pack’s downfall. Under pressure, Alpha Drake personally dismissed me from the pack.

"Dahlia, you’re a smart girl. Don’t get caught up in their high-ranking drama!" "While Jalen still cares, think for yourself, wouldn’t it be better to secure some stability?"

Everyone advised me to accept Jalen’s offer and become his secret mate. But who could understand the pain of being betrayed by the one they loved most?