~Tamia~

I did not speak to Leo throughout the drive.

Every attempt he made to speak to me was shut down by my silence. When we arrived home, I went straight to the bedroom.

Our house had four bedrooms. We chose it so our children would have a room each to themselves, but that wouldn't be the case now. I wonder which of the rooms I will be asked to move into when Amanda moves in.

Linda's words remained on my mind, and just like hers, I knew my bed would be cold soon.

"Tamia, please," Leo said, following me to the bedroom.

"Please, Tamia," he pleaded, and I turned to look at him.

"Please, what? Everyone is talking about it, Leo. You humiliated me at the party. So what she is your fated. Did you have to leave my side, get into the balcony and make out with her? Do you know the meaning of self-control?" I asked him, and he bowed his head.

"The feeling was overwhelming," he said, and I laughed.

"Better go to Whitewood and finish what you started, Leo. Do not wait for my approval because it will never come. I will never say it is okay so you can feel good. In fact, it isn't okay! It hurts! It feels like a betrayal, and I can never get over it. So don't waste your time hoping I will see the light because I won't. I am the loser in this. Not you, not her, not the fucking pack members, just me. Me and Kaira." I said, walking into the bathroom to shower.

I stood under it while the water ran, and I was frozen. I did not know what to do. Where will I go to? Just like Linda and Avery, I was trapped. I could not go anywhere without an invite because I was his luna. I could not dream of finding love. No one would want to try with me. I was stuck.

I sat under the water and wept.

I was trying to prepare my mind for the dark days ahead, but I couldn't. My heart was too broken, and I was too afraid.

"We will have to try, Tamia," Kaira, my wolf, said, resigning herself to our fate.

"What if she is mean and evil and wants him and everything to herself?" I asked my wolf.

"Then we will let her have it. We can't fight this. She is higher than us, and she is his fated. We do not stand a chance. We just have to hope that she is nice and considerate, or a cold bed would be the least of our problems, Tamia," my wolf said, and I wept. This was all too much.

One month passed, and I watched Leo fight the bond. He never went to get her from the Whitewood pack. Alpha Ramzey sent several envoys to no avail. I knew he was trying to prove something to me, and I appreciated him for it.

We made love a couple of times, but it was different. His heart and wolf weren't in it, making it feel like pity fuck. I had never felt so low in my life until now.

He spent long hours in the office and reduced his time working from home.

I knew he wasn't attracted to me as he used to be.

Alpha Ramzey had threatened war with us if he didn't take his daughter, and word had spread that he was soliciting help from others. Because of this, we were summoned to the council meeting.

The meeting was where Alphas in our region met and decided on issues. Every Alpha had equal rights in the council, and the judgement was binding. Every council consisted of all the alphas in a region. Every Alpha in the council represented their pack.

I was nervous about the verdict, but I dressed to go anyway.

While we sat in the car's back seat, Leo squeezed my hand gently.

"Don't be worried, Tamia. You will always be my Luna. I promise you," he said, and I nodded and smiled at him. I had somehow learned how to pretend I believed him. The truth was the only reason I was still with him was that I had nowhere to go.

A lot of issues were discussed at the council.

Alpha Sylvester Volkov of the Dark Wolf pack, and Lord of all werewolves was one issue that troubled people the most. He conquered an entire region and was heading for ours.

Some people argued that the Dark Alpha never attacked unless someone offended him. Still, most believed he was a bully, and we needed to prepare ourselves.

Being an Alpha from another region, I had never met him before, so I could not judge his character or decide whether the rumours about him were true or false. One certain thing was that the man was powerful, and he was feared.

After discussing how evil the Dark Alpha was and deciding what to do on the matter, Ramzey's issue with Leo was tabled.

"Why have you refused to do the honourable thing, Alpha Leo?" Kyle asked him, and I knew he would see kicking me to the curb for a fated as honourable since that was what he did to Linda.

"Your chosen cannot leave you unless you reject her. It is wrong to have relations with you fated and then abandon her," he said sternly, and Leo shook his head.

"I did not go all the way with her, I swear," he argued, and Kyle shook his head.

"Not according to Amanda," he said, and Leo frowned.

Either he was lying, or she was lying; whatever the case may be, people would likely believe her because of her ripped dress.

"We do not want a war among ourselves, Leo, do the honourable thing," Alpha Gabriel said and looked at me.

"You should not hold him back from his fated, Luna Tamia. It is cruelty," The chauvinistic bastard said to me. What was my crime in all this?

"Do not blame me for this, Alpha," I warned the man, and he took offence.

"I am not the one under scrutiny. Do not get me involved." I warned him, and he growled.

"It is because of you he hasn't taken Amanda in. We can't have two powerful Alphas go to war because you don't want to share. Fate has made it, so deal with it," the man said, and I did not bother to respond because there was no point arguing with the bastard.

"You are expected to take Miss Amanda Richford in by the end of the week. Or the council will be against you. You might be powerful. You might have more land and wealth than all of us, but together, we are stronger than you. Do not force our hands. You have hurt Alpha Ramzey and should make reparations by doing the right thing." Kyle said, and the case was closed.

We did not stand a chance against the entire council, so I knew we would welcome a guest into our home soon.

I returned home with Leo fuming with anger.

"I will move my things out of the master's bedroom tomorrow morning," I told him, kicking myself out of the room before he did it.

"No," he said.

"We will remain together. Since Amanda is hellbent on coming here, she will sleep in the other room," he said and looked at me.

"I swear to you, Tamia, I did not sleep with her," he said, and I nodded at his empty words and went to the bedroom.

I tossed and turned most of the night because I knew my life would be different in the morning.

Morning came, and Amanda arrived.

People stared as they moved their things into our home. I pointed to the guest room, and they reluctantly moved her things there. It was as if they felt she should not be there.

After they had arranged everything in her room, the people she came with left. I avoided speaking to her and decided I would leave the house when she chose that moment to speak.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience this is causing you, Luna Tamia. Know that if the rejection was an option, we would have done it in a heartbeat, but a powerful Alpha like Leo would not want to be weak neither do I. I promise I will not try to replace you," she said, and I knew she knew it was only a matter of time.

"Thank you," I lied and stepped out of the house. I walked to the woods, shifted to my wolf form, and ran.

I remained in my wolf form all day, until nighttime. I returned home and noticed that Leo's car was parked in front of the house. It was times like this I wished we lived in the packhouse; they would never have privacy.

I entered the house and heard their voices coming from Amanda's room. They were arguing about something. From the discussion, it was clear she had lied against Leo that they had relations, but they only made out. At the end of it all, she won and now is currently living with us.

I went to the master bedroom to shower.

Two weeks passed, and Leo treated Amanda like a ghost in the house. I began to feel sorry for her. I could see his efforts to stay away. She had asked for rejection several times already. I knew she did not mean it; she was only doing it to get a reaction from him. I wondered how long he would hold out on her.

I woke up with a sharp pain in my chest. I felt disoriented, but the pain soon made me focus. Leo wasn't beside me, and I did not need to guess where he was. This pain was different; it was draining and excruciatingly painful, and soon it stopped abruptly. I did not understand what had happened but was grateful that it had stopped. I laid back down to sleep but couldn't. Tears of fear, betrayal and sadness streamed down my cheeks, and I knew that my life had been altered completely.

Sleep eventually came in the morning's early hours, making me wake by noon. I could not take my normal morning runs because the sun was up, so I opted to shower. I left the room and went to find something to eat in the kitchen, and there they were, laughing and talking. They were silent when I entered the kitchen, and I had to cover my hurt.

"Please ignore me," I said and headed for the coffee maker.

"Good morning, Luna Tamia," Amanda said too nicely, and I looked at her. She turned to face me so I could see Leo's mark on her neck. It explained why the pain stopped abruptly, as Linda had told me.

I began to laugh immediately. That was the response that came out of me. I laughed and nodded.

"Congratulations," I said, lifted my mug and left the kitchen.

"Tamia, Tamia!" Leo called out, and I stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Please, Tamia. It doesn't change anything. You are still Luna," He said, and I laughed. There was no way I was going to let Leo use me.

"No, Leo. I am not the only Luna anymore," I told him, and he frowned at me, wondering what I meant.

There was no need for me to elaborate now. I will do so when the opportunity presents itself. I looked at his clothes, and it did not seem like he had anywhere to go, which meant they would be together all day. It was time to start planning my exit. Yes, he won't reject me, and now that he has claimed her, I won't feel pain when they are together again. It was time to start searching for places I could move to. I might not be able to settle down again, and I might have to move to a different region and lie that my mate is dead, but I knew whatever I needed to do needed to be quick. Amanda didn't seem like a nice woman, and I did not want to find out.

~Tamia~

Another month passed, and things got worse between Leo and me. He never spent time with me anymore and seemed to have miraculously moved out of our bedroom.

I saw it all coming, yet it bothered me.

He took her along to functions he was invited to and told me to mind the pack. I was working on my exit, so I kept telling myself it would only take a little longer.

I would often stare at my neck where his mark rested and want to clean it off. I hated seeing it so much, I always covered the area. My tears had run dry.

Some lunas reached out to me to sympathise with me, and others congratulated Amanda; she wasn't named Luna yet, and I knew why.

Amanda was a medical doctor, and she wasn't trained for battle. Naming her Luna would mean she would have to take up all my responsibilities, including leading battles. I guess her life was too important for that. I planned on surprising Leo soon.

I was sitting in my office when Leo barged in and began to yell at me. He was behaving like a madman. He had never spoken to me in such a manner before. People were around and had to excuse us, but he had already embarrassed me.

"What is the matter?"

"Why did you send men after Amanda?" He asked me, and I frowned at him.

"Answer me!" he yelled, and I shook my head.

"I did not send anyone after Amanda," I said, and he raised his hand to slap me but stopped and looked at his hand with disbelief.

He looked up at me with misty eyes. He was ashamed of what he was about to do.

"I have a man in the cell that said you sent him to kill Amanda. Why will you do that? It isn't our fault that we are fated. It isn't my fault, Tamia. Why couldn't you just make it easy for all of us?" He said, and tears streamed down his eyes. He sat on the chair in my office, bowed his head, and wept.

His words hurt me not because of the accusation but because he said it wasn't his fault he had found his fate. I sat down and stared at him numbly.

"I have made it easy, Leo," I said.

"When last did you speak to me lovingly? When last did we go to a function together other than security meetings? When last did you spend time with me as your wife? When was the last time we slept on the same bed? When was the last time you made love to me?" I asked him, and he looked up at me with swollen eyes. I knew he was conflicted, but I was the one hurting.

"We have barely spoken in two weeks, and you barge into my office to accuse me of sending goons after your mate. You didn't even bother to ask or investigate." I said, and he looked ashamed.

"You said a prisoner in custody said I sent him to eliminate Amanda. What proof does he have?" I asked Leo, and he was speechless.

"Anyway. I didn't do it. Someone is trying to frame me, and you should be smart enough to know that I wouldn't plan this because I never fail," I said.

"Is that why you decided to go house hunting without telling me? I learnt of all your requests to neighbouring Alphas begging to let you own a property on their lands. Did you think I wouldn't find out?" He asked me, sounding hurt, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"I am sure Amanda will like the space. There will be no need for her to moan louder than necessary when you two are together." I said, and he was silent.

"You are my wife and Luna of this pack. You are not allowed to leave," He said, behaving like a victim.

"I have warned all the Alphas that if they give you refuge, they will have me to contend with. I might have a fated, but you are still my wife, and I am not letting you go. I will die before I let you go, Tamia," He said with determination and a promise.

There was a time it would have made my heart flutter, but that was gone the moment we welcomed his fated into our home.

"You should let me go, Leo, because I do not feel the same way anymore," I said, and my words hurt him.

"We will talk more at home. Sorry I barged into your office, and I am sorry I believed the bastard without investigating the issue. There is a dinner tomorrow evening, and I want you to accompany me there. I want people to know you are still my wife, and I love you dearly," he said.

I smiled because I was going to go regardless. Linda had sent me an invite and promised to introduce me to her friends. We were both in the same situation, but that did not mean we would deal with it the same way.

"See you at home," he said and walked away.

I arrived home, and Amanda was crying on the couch.

I ignored her completely and went to my bedroom. It was mine and Leo's, but he wasn't sleeping there anymore.

To my surprise, I found him in the room.

I did not bother to ask him what the deal was with Amanda, and I Just went to the closet to undress and shower.

I locked the door behind me when I entered the bathroom. I did not want him coming in or touching me. I heard him try the knob on the door, and I smiled. I realised he must have told Amanda he would be sleeping in my room tonight, which must have hurt her feelings.

There was no way he was just doing this to please me; I knew he wanted something from me. I Ignored him.

After showering, I dressed up in the bathroom and ensured that the lace fitted night dress I was wearing was sexy.

I had changed my wardrobe to have more sexually provocative outfits, and now I had make-up too.

I exited the bathroom and went to sit at the vanity table.

"When did you start locking the bathroom door?" he said, sitting at the foot of the bed.

"When a third party moved into my home, you stylishly moved out of our room," I replied, sounding bored.

"This is still our room, Tamia, and you are still my wife. I am new to this; I am trying," He said, sounding like a broken record, and I sighed.

"Of course," I said, smiling, and he sighed.

He came to me and kissed his mark on my neck.

"Don't force it, Leo. Your heart isn't in it." I said, and he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You are so distant. I want you," He said, kissing his mark again, and I froze.

"You do not have to touch me because I complained," I told him, and he sucked his mark.

"I noticed you changed your wardrobe," He teased, and I blocked all emotions away.

"I didn't do it for you," I told him, still unresponsive. Soon he gave up.

"Please let us make this work. I do not want to be like Kyle and Max," He said, pleading with me, and I smiled.

"Maybe I will find my fated too, and we can have a fuck fest," I said, and his face darkened.

"You can't handle me sleeping with someone else; why should I?" I pointed out the selfishness of the matter, and he backed away from me.

"What do you want to tell me?" I asked him, knowing he had come to my room for a reason.

"About the dinner Alpha Kyle is organising. Do you mind sitting it out? I know I asked you to come with me, but Amanda was hoping she would go," he said, and I laughed.

"I do not plan on sitting it out, Leo. The fun isn't just for you and your mate. I have my invite from Luna Linda, and I plan on honouring it." I told him, and his facial expression became angry.

"That is why I changed my mind about taking you there because I do not want you associating with that slut. She has embarrassed her husband too many times and has a drinking problem too. Too bad rejecting her will weaken Kyle; I am sure he would have done it in a heartbeat," He said, and I laughed.

"Of course, he would have just as you would have. Seeing both of you doing the same thing must have made you accept his values. He wanted her to be miserable, and she chose to do something about it. There is nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, we can't leave, so Linda tries to find love and affection the best way she can. Do not shame her for it." I said, coming to Linda's defence. He looked bewildered.

"Please do not tell me you plan on following in her footstep, Tamia. I won't share. I refuse to share," he said, and I laughed.

"Yet I have to," I said, pointing out the foolishness and selfishness of his words.

I wore my robe and went to lie on the bed.

"Tell your mate she does not need to cry like a baby, that she will be going to the dinner party with you, and you do not have to sleep with me as compensation," I said and went under the sheets.

He stood frozen, and I could see him contemplating. I pointed at the door.

"Leave my room, Leo," I said. I noticed he was hard as hell, and I knew it was for me, but I did not care.

"Tamia," He said, and I shook my head.

"The day I sleep with someone else and come and meet you, will you touch me?" I asked him, and he could not answer.

"Do not ask me to do the same," I said and clapped to turn off the lights.

The day of the event came, and they left ahead of me. I heard Leo instructing the kappas not to drive me to the venue.

He did not want me to go; unfortunately for him, Avery had decided to branch our pack and pick me up on her way to the event.

Avery and Linda knew and understood what I was going through and were always there to hold my hand.

I wore a backless red dress that showed cleavage and curves. The artist that did my make-up did an excellent job.

I did not know I was pretty until she did my make-up. For the years I was with Leo, he never wanted me to wear make-up and revealing clothes. I could see why now. I was gorgeous.

Being with him since I was seventeen gave him time to get into my head and mess with my self-esteem. But not anymore. I was determined to put myself out there and maybe find my fated eventually.

"Someone is dressed to kill," Luna Avery said, and I smiled at her. She had picked me up in her husband's limousine.

"I must say you are handling this Amanda shit well. They would have allowed Leo to forget her if she weren't an Alpha's daughter." She said, sounding angry, and I laughed.

"I doubt Leo could forget her. He tried to hold out on her, but the pull was too much." I said and sighed, and she poured me a drink.

"At least he made an effort. Mine didn't. Accepted and fucked her immediately." She said, smiling.

"Here is to being on the losing side of fate," She said, and we took our shots and laughed.

We arrived at the party, and when Luna Avery and I stepped into the ball, the place went silent.

Everyone stared at us in awe.

I heard people whispering, and it all favoured me.

Luna Linda walked up to us, drunk as usual, and we hugged. She led me to a table where her foreign guests were.

I introduced myself, and they were confused at first, knowing that Leo had come with another woman and introduced her as the luna of Mountain Pack. Luna Linda was the first to dismiss it.

"Oh, that's his slut, and this is his wife. It seems fate has a way of fucking up good things," She said and swallowed her drink.

The event went by slowly, and I did not search for Leo and Amanda with my eyes. He tried to link me several times, and I blocked him. I was having a good time, and the men gave me a lot of attention.

I was in the middle of it when someone walked up to my table. He was a handsome blonde-haired man with blue eyes, brawny and confident. He did not seem to be from around, so I smiled at him.

"Don't you dare, Tamia," I heard Leo's jealous voice.

"Watch me," I responded and smiled at him, the stranger.

"Hello, I am Alpha Devin of the Greenwood Pack; I would like a dance if you do not mind," he said, and I frowned at him.

He was from a different region. What was he doing here?