I found a condom in the trash can, paired with lace panties that were definitely not mine. Mathias, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, and I hadn’t been close for a year, and owning such underwear was never my style. Just as I was about to call him, I stumbled upon a post from his so-called "adopted sister," Vanessa, a Gamma from the Crimson Fang Pack, on Facebook. There he was, head bowed, planting an affectionate kiss on her foot.

My wolf stirred faintly in the back of my mind, a low growl of betrayal rippling through me. I turned off my phone, choosing not to cry or throw a fit, and continued with my life. Eventually, Mathias noticed something was off. He looked at me with bloodshot eyes, his Alpha aura pressing down on me like a weight, and asked, "Why aren’t you upset that I’m involved with someone else?"

---

While tidying up in the bathroom, I stopped in my tracks at the sight of the trash can. Draped over it were a sultry pair of black lace panties, and next to them, a used condom. Mathias and I hadn’t been intimate for a year. Plus, I’m not the type to own such provocative underwear. This could only mean one thing: while I was at a friend’s place yesterday, Mathias had invited another woman into our home—our *pack home*.

I reached for my phone to call him but hesitated when I saw his message on WhatsApp. "I’m really tied up today. Can you handle things on your own?" Today was the anniversary of my mother’s death. Every year, Mathias would join me to pay our respects. I had assumed he’d remember and even asked him this morning if he’d be back. He said he would.

But now he claimed otherwise. What was he so busy with? Just then, I noticed Vanessa had updated her Facebook status. I had added her back when he introduced her to me as his "adopted sister." When I clicked on her post, it felt like a bomb going off in my head. She had uploaded a photo taken in a hotel. Mathias was holding her foot and kissing it tenderly, with eyes full of adoration. The caption read, "He said he loves everything about me."

At that moment, any affection I still had for him completely vanished. My wolf, usually so quiet, let out a low, pained whine, echoing the ache in my chest. I could feel the mate bond between us fraying, unraveling like a thread pulled too tight.

I stared at the screen, the weight of his betrayal pressing down on me. Mathias, my Alpha, my *mate*, had chosen to spend this day—this sacred day—with her. The bond that had once felt unbreakable now felt like a fragile chain, ready to snap.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I wouldn’t cry. I wouldn’t scream. I would face this with the strength my wolf had always tried to coax out of me. But as I set my phone down, I couldn’t help the thought that echoed in my mind: *This is the beginning of the end.*

Sitting in the living room of the Silver Moon Pack's alpha house, I alternated my gaze between my phone and a photo of Mom. Before she passed away, she had tearfully entrusted me to Alpha Mathias, imploring him to look after me.

The Alpha had knelt beside her hospital bed at that time, clutching her hand and assuring her with his deep, commanding voice, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll take good care of Lucia."

Yet not long after she left us, Alpha Mathias often didn’t return to the pack house at night. When he did, he carried the scent of another she-wolf's floral perfume—a scent that wasn’t mine. His neck and body were marked with numerous red patches, the kind left by possessive bites.

Whenever this happened, I would confront him in tears, asking if there was someone else. He would snap back in his alpha tone, the weight of his dominance pressing down on me, "You’re going stir crazy playing housewife all day. I have pack business to attend to, and it's only natural to pick up some scents."

Pushing away these memories, I packed my things and headed to Mom’s grave. The Silver Moon Pack cemetery was quiet, the moonlight casting long shadows over the tombstones. I knelt in front of hers, laid down flowers, and talked to her for a long time.

I told her how happy I was and how well the Alpha treated me. But those were just comforting lies. I hoped to soothe her spirit and keep her from worrying about me from above. With no family left in this world, I had to learn to rely on myself and grow stronger. My wolf stirred faintly in the back of my mind, a quiet whisper of support.

Night descended before I realized it, and my phone buzzed with a call from Alpha Mathias.

"Where did you go?" he demanded, his voice sharp and impatient.

Of course, he had forgotten today marked the anniversary of Mom’s death. Understandably, he was likely preoccupied with his supposed "adopted sister," Vanessa, the Gamma from the Crimson Fang Pack.

A wave of bitter hopelessness rose within me, but I forced myself to stay composed. "Today is Mom's memorial day. I'm at the cemetery."

There was a pause before he finally said, his tone softening slightly, "I'm sorry, Lucia. I was caught up with pack business and forgot. I'll come to pick you up right away."

Twenty minutes later, Alpha Mathias’s car pulled up at the cemetery. Light rain had begun falling, soaking my hair. He stayed inside the car, gesturing for me to hurry up and get in. I climbed into the passenger seat, the scent of Vanessa’s perfume lingering in the air, a cruel reminder of the bond that was slowly unraveling between us.

After sliding into the passenger seat, Mathias handed me a few tissues to wipe the rain off my face, his movements casual, almost dismissive. The scent of his Alpha aura filled the car, sharp and commanding, but it no longer brought me the comfort it once did.

“If you’d mentioned earlier that today was your mom’s anniversary, I would have driven you there,” he said, his tone flat, as if he were discussing something trivial rather than the day I visited my mother’s grave. His voice carried the weight of his Alpha tone, but it lacked the warmth it used to have when he spoke to me.

“You don’t drive like Vanessa, and it’s not exactly convenient for you to get around,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest. I had once considered getting a driver’s license myself, but he had dismissed the idea with a scoff, saying, “What does an Omega need a license for? Even if you got one, you wouldn’t have time to drive.” His words had stung then, and they still did now.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked when I stayed silent, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as he accelerated. The car jerked forward, and I felt my stomach churn. He knew I got carsick easily; if he didn’t drive smoothly, I’d end up nauseous. It felt deliberate, a subtle way to assert control.

“There’s nothing I want to say,” I replied, my voice calm but firm. In the past, I would have explained myself endlessly, trying to prove that I wasn’t angry. But now, none of that mattered. The bond between us, once a source of strength, now felt like a chain.

“Alright, then where do you want to eat…” He was interrupted by his phone, which rang loudly from its holder. The name flashing on the screen was: [My Dearest Vanessa.]

Mathias’s eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of unease crossing his face. “Vanessa changed that herself; I’ll fix it later,” he mumbled, his Alpha tone softening as if he were trying to reassure me.

“No need, the name fits well,” I said, a hint of irony in my voice, as I turned my attention to my phone. I began searching online for prominent legal advisors specializing in pack disputes. The name Bridget Lewis kept appearing in my search results, and I made a mental note to contact her.

“Hey, Vanessa, what’s up?” He had already answered the call, his voice shifting to a softer tone, one I rarely heard directed at me anymore. The voice on the other end was sickly sweet, dripping with false concern.

“Alpha, I just saw some fresh shrimp at the grocery store. I bought some and thought I’d make dinner for you and Lucia tonight.”

“This…” Mathias looked a bit troubled, his eyes flicking to me as if seeking permission.

“Sure, you’re welcome to join us,” I answered for him, my tone polite but distant. He looked at me, astonished, as if he couldn’t believe I had said that. It wasn’t surprising that he was taken aback; I used to loathe Vanessa. I didn’t like her coming over, and I disliked Mathias spending time with her. Women’s intuition is usually spot on, and I knew Vanessa had a particular interest in him.

Every time I tried to stop him from seeing Vanessa, Mathias would get furious, and over the years, we had fought about this countless times. He seemed to have forgotten the promise he made to my mother to take care of me well. The distance between us, once a small crack, had now widened into a chasm, and I wasn’t sure if it could ever be bridged.