My mate, Kolton Mendez, the former Beta of the Mendez Pack, had risked his life to save Zendaya Perry during a rogue attack. The rogue’s claws had left deep, jagged scars across his once-handsome face, disfiguring him. Yet, even now, he found the words to comfort Zendaya, assuring her that he had me to rely on. My stomach churned, and I let out a quiet, sardonic laugh.

For the sake of the mate vow Kolton had made all those years ago, kneeling before the Moon Goddess with genuine sincerity, promising never to betray me, I decided to set him free. I wanted to honor what they called “true love” — may they stay in love even when they have nothing left.

---

While I was caring for my mother, Summer Johnston, the respected elder of the Martinez Pack, who had just undergone surgery, I accidentally clicked on a trending topic in the pack’s mind link network. That’s when I discovered why Kolton had been unreachable: he had been at the scene of the rogue attack, risking his life to save Zendaya first. Trapped in the chaos, he shielded her from the rogue’s claws with his own body. Normally proud and reserved, there he was, eyes red, begging the warriors to save his lover first. Videos from the scene were circulating, and the comments below praised this “pure love” with admiration.

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

Kolton and Zendaya were mates? Then what was I, his mate of six years, his officially marked fiancée? I pushed down the chaotic thoughts swirling in my mind and hurried to Kolton’s room in the pack’s healing center. As soon as I entered, I saw Zendaya still holding his hand, on the verge of tears.

“It’s all my fault, Kol. You’re about to have our marking ceremony, and yet your face… I’m the one who dragged you into this.”

Kolton’s face was covered with jagged scars, the grotesque wounds having ravaged his previously refined appearance. He gently pulled Zendaya into an embrace.

“Don’t worry. I did this willingly. You don’t have to worry about Angela; she’s always been understanding.”

“If she can’t accept my face, then she doesn’t deserve to stay by my side as my Luna.”

Once again — the tenderness in the eyes of someone usually so distant wasn’t directed at me. Hearing those words, “doesn’t deserve,” pierced my heart sharply, and I forced a bitter smile. He must have thought he had me wrapped around his finger. Indeed, for years, I had been trailing behind him, trying to catch up.

“Angela!”

I snapped back to reality. Zendaya was now clinging to my arm.

“Angela, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault that Kol got hurt.”

“You love Kol so much, surely you wouldn’t mind that he got hurt because of me, right…”

Facing away from Kolton, Zendaya gave me a challenging smirk.

Anger surged through me, and I shoved her away, my wolf growling low in the back of my mind.

“If you know you’re a troublemaker, why do you keep showing up? That’s quite something.”

Kolton immediately frowned, his alpha tone cutting through the room like a whip.

“Enough!”

“Angela, Zendaya already feels really guilty. There’s no need to say more.”

I slowly clenched my fists, my nails digging into the flesh of my palm.

Zendaya turned back to Kolton, tears streaming down her face before she even spoke.

“Kol, don’t blame Angela. She’s just worried about you… Besides, it’s my fault to begin with.”

“If your facial injuries cause any issues between you and Angela, I’ll live with that guilt forever.”

Kolton gently stroked her head.

“Silly, a few scars on a warrior are nothing. Don’t overthink it.”

He then turned to me, his gaze deep, his voice taking on that all-too-familiar lecturing tone.

“Angela, do you even realize what you’re saying?”

“Impulsive, disrespectful… Apologize to Zendaya now!”

His words were sharp, cutting through me like a blade. I stood there, my chest tightening, the bond between us screaming in agony. But I refused to let him see the pain. I was Angela Martinez, the Alpha of the Martinez Pack, and I would not be broken by this.

My heart ached, a sour feeling spreading like an overflowing pond, bit by bit.

Apologize? Why on earth should I apologize?

Since childhood, I’ve watched Kolton rush to Zendaya time and time again. Now, he’s risking everything to protect her, even at the cost of his own well-being.

Even though Zendaya is about to mate with Orion Carter, a Lycan Prince.

Even though I am his rightful mate, the Alpha of the Martinez Pack.

I took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to escape, stubbornly locking eyes with Kolton.

"Kolton Mendez, don’t forget that I am your mate, and you are bound to me by the Moon Goddess’s decree!"

I turned my head, casting an icy smile at Zendaya—

"For years, you’ve been causing trouble repeatedly; we don’t even need to talk about that."

"You’re about to mate with the Lycan Prince, yet you’re still involved with someone else’s mate. What do you call that?"

"Playing the part of the other woman, shameless!"

Zendaya’s eyes welled up, a mist of hurt in her gaze.

"Alpha Martinez, how could you think of me like that? I’ve always seen Beta Mendez as a brother."

Although her words were directed at me, her eyes were fixed on Kolton.

Tears trailed down her face as she tried to hold back her sobs, saying:

"I understand now, I’m sorry for disrupting you both, I’ll leave right away..."

With her hand covering her mouth to wipe away the tears, Zendaya darted out of the hospital room.

Noticing Kolton starting to follow her, I instinctively grabbed his arm.

The next second, a slap landed hard on my face.

Caught off guard, I was knocked to the ground, a ringing in my head as I looked up—only to meet Kolton’s cold and frosty stare.

"Alpha Martinez, who do you think you are to belittle Zendaya like this!"

Kolton, usually so composed, rarely got angry. Yet now, because of Zendaya’s tears, he lashed out at me, his Beta.

In an instant, my heart felt as if it had been torn open, the cold air rushing in.

Kolton spat out, "Do what you want," then hurriedly left the room.

I crumpled onto the floor, the sting of his Alpha tone reverberating through me, a reminder of the power imbalance between us.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a message—"So pathetic."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Such an obvious charade, yet Kolton always played blind to it.

How ludicrous.

I braced against the wall, struggling to stand.

Just as I got halfway up, a sharp pain shot through my lower back, sending me crashing back down.

I had just remembered, during that slap, I had hit the corner of the nightstand.

... It really hurts.

I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to let my wolf’s whimper escape.

He’s a fool, she growled weakly. He’ll regret this.

But I wasn’t so sure. The bond between us, once unbreakable, now felt like ash in my hands.

And yet, even as I lay there, I knew I couldn’t show weakness. I was the Alpha of the Martinez Pack, and I would not let this break me.

Not now. Not ever.

As I steadied my emotions, a healer informed me that my mother had regained consciousness. By the time I entered her room, I had composed myself, the weight of the Alpha’s aura masking the turmoil within.

"You’re a wonderful daughter," my mother said, her voice frail but warm as she looked at me. I leaned in to adjust her blanket, keeping my demeanor steady despite the ache in my chest.

"Really, it’s nothing. The most important thing is your health and safety," I replied, my tone calm, the practiced ease of an Alpha concealing the storm beneath.

A faint worry creased her brow. "Where’s that Kolton boy?"

My hand hesitated for a fraction of a second, but I quickly resumed smoothing the blanket, forcing a casual smile. "Oh, he was here earlier. He got called away for an urgent pack matter. He said he’ll return later to see you."

She studied me closely, her sharp eyes piercing through my façade. "Be honest, how are things between you two…"

I cut in gently, my smile unwavering. "That’s the truth, Mom. Kolton’s tied up with pack duties, but he feels guilty about not being here."

Feigning busyness, I tidied the room, turning so she wouldn’t notice the flicker of pain in my eyes. In reality, Kolton hadn’t visited my mother, and certainly not me. His betrayal cut deeper than I cared to admit.

After my mother dozed off, I returned to my office. As Alpha, there were always pressing matters demanding my attention. While reviewing the pack’s financial reports, I discovered Kolton had unilaterally terminated a major alliance with another pack.

"Why wasn’t I informed about something this significant?" I demanded, my voice sharp with authority.

"Well, isn’t your mating ceremony to Beta Mendez coming up? And didn’t you authorize him to make decisions on your behalf?" one of my Gammas replied hesitantly.

My anger momentarily froze. It was true, I had passively allowed him that power. After my father’s unexpected passing, I hadn’t yet fully stepped into my role as Alpha. Kolton had offered to help, citing my inexperience as a reason to take on more responsibilities. I thought, since we were to be mates, it would be fine. But I hadn’t realized how far his overreach would go.

I mind-linked him immediately, my tone cutting through the connection. "What happened with the alliance? We’ve been negotiating for months, nearly finalized, and you just decide to end it?"

Kolton’s response was dismissive, his voice cold in my mind. "Zendaya’s mating ceremony is soon. We’re friends, so consider it a gift."

Barely containing my anger, I replied, "That alliance is crucial. We’ve invested so much and are nearly finished. You can’t just dismiss the losses with a simple explanation."

"What kind of gift is so special, Kolton, that you—"

"Enough!" Kolton snapped, his voice cutting through the mind link like a whip. "Alpha Martinez, when did you become so petty? You even made Zendaya cry today—shouldn’t you apologize and make things right? This conversation is over."

Before I could respond, he severed the link, leaving me seething.

Silently, I clenched my fists, my wolf stirring in the back of my mind, a low growl of frustration echoing within me. Fueled with anger, I shifted into my wolf form and ran straight to Kolton’s territory, the forest blurring around me as I moved with the speed of an Alpha on a mission.