Ciara POV

After some minute the ceo find his way to the conference room and follow was his mistress flora the young beautiful wolf he been taking around lately. The company meeting went well nothing much was discuss apart from the ongoing project handling by me and except Nelson glaring at me the whole time and putting on his strong alpha face which I'm less concerned about or better still not my problem anymore.

I headed home after the meeting 

The driving back home feel like a dream , as I was looking at myself from somewhere far above. Both hands stayed steady on the steering wheel and both eyes fixed on the road, but within me, all was falling apart in slow motion. Why i kept telling myself one thing over and over. The voice in my head kept saying 

Get out before you lose yourself.

By the time I finally reached the house, the sun was already sinking, painting the sky in soft orange and red. Normally, I loved evenings like this. They used to make me feel safe...Like this place..this house that I thought will always be my my home.

But right now, it felt like a cage.

As I walked inside silently, slipping off my shoes, and stood there for a moment in the hallway. The familiar house smelled . Furniture and electric A small trace of wolf musk.

My chest hurt my breath stop for a seconds , but I forced myself to keep moving.

I went straight to the my personal room and pulled out a stack of files I had prepared weeks ago and the company financial reports, land agreements, business contracts. Papers I had handled faithfully as the his wife. As his assistant. As the human who tried too hard to belong.

Hidden neatly beneath them was another document.

Divorce papers.

My fingers trembled as I slipped them back into place. Calm down, don't break as I said to myself 

I needed him calm.

Unaware.

Time passed slowly. Too slowly.

When the front door finally opened, I felt it before I heard it.

His presence.

The house seemed to react to him, the air thickening, shifting. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. He didn't call my name. He never did these days.

Instead, he went straight to his home office. And after a moment i went to knock on the door The door closed.

A moment later, his voice came through the wood.

"Come in

Deep.

Husky.

Controlled.

The same voice that once whispered promises into my ear at night.

My fingers buried deep my flesh. around the files, knuckles turning white. I took a slow breath, careful not to let my emotions leak out. Other pack members could sense distress. Wolves were sensitive to changes in energy, scent, even heartbeats.

As a human married to the Alpha of the longwei wolf pack, I had learned how to hide myself well.

Too well.

I pushed the door open.

He was standing behind his desk, loosening his tie, his jacket tossed over the chair. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing strong forearms marked faintly with old battle scars. He looked tired.

Or maybe satisfied.

I forced myself into a practiced smile.

The one I had worn for years.

I walked closer, stopping at his side, careful not to inhale too deeply.

I didn't want to smell her on him.

But it was already there.

Faint.

Lingering.

Mocking me.

"Busy?" I asked lightly. Too lightly. "I have some documents that need your signature."

My question was rhetorical. I had already placed the files in front of him, flipping them open to the marked pages. My movements were smooth, efficient. Perfect.

The perfect Alpha's wife.

Still performing, even as my heart slowly turned to stone.

He glanced down at the papers, then at me.

"Now?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "They're time sensitive."

A pause.

He studied my face, his sharp wolf eyes narrowing slightly. For a second, my heart jumped.

Does he know?

But then he looked away.

"Fine."

He picked up the pen and signed.

One page.

Then another.

The sound of the pen scratching against paper felt unbearably loud.

I stood there, hands folded in front of me, posture straight, breathing controlled. Inside, my thoughts screamed.

This man touched another woman today.

This man kissed her.

This man came home to me like nothing happened.

"Are you angry ?" he asked suddenly, still not looking at me focusing on his phone and messages coming up

The question caught me off guard.

"No," I said after a beat. "I wasn't angry ." But just want to commit murder

He frown swiftly before returning back to normal .

Flora is like a sister to me and nothing else . so you should quit your drama . I could feel his attention shift back to me. I could sense the subtle change in his posture, the way his shoulders tensed.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. I didn't ask you what your relationship with her

As I met his gaze calmly. I lie.

and he accepted it.

Because he wanted to.

He leaned back against the desk, arms crossing over his chest. "You've been quiet lately."

"I've been busy," I answered. "Managing pack affairs. Preparing reports. Supporting you."

My tone was polite.

Neutral.

He frowned slightly. "You don't have to do everything alone."

I almost poisoned him to dead if not for self control 

But instead, I said, "I know."

Another silence.

This one stretched longer.

He stepped closer.

Too close.

I could feel his warmth, his scent wrapping around me. My stomach twisted violently, but I stayed still.

"Ciara," he said, lowering his voice. "You know how much I Love you and how much you mean to me 

I looked up at him then.

Really looked.

At the man I had loved for five years.

At the husband who had chosen another woman while I waited.

At the Alpha who thought I would stay silent forever.

My lips curved slightly.

"Of course," I said softly. "You're my husband."

Something flickered in his eyes.

Guilt?

No.

Annoyance.

He stepped back.

"I have a meeting later," he said. "I'll be out tonight."

Of course you will.

"I understand," I replied. 

He nodded once, already mentally gone.

I gathered the signed files carefully, making sure the hidden papers remained unseen. As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me.

"Ciara."

I paused.

"Yes?"

He hesitated, then said, "You trust me, right?"

The question felt like a knife pressing against my ribs.

I turned slowly.

Met his eyes.

And smiled.

"I did," I said.

Past tense but he

didn't notice.

I walked out of the office without another word, closing the door gently behind me.

Only when I reached the bedroom did my composure finally crack.

I locked the door.

Then I slid down against it, my back lay on the wood as a silent sob tore out of my chest. I covered my mouth with both hands, shaking violently, my body folding in on itself.

The pain was unbearable now.

Hot.

Sharp.

Real.

I pressed my forehead to my knees, tears soaking into my clothes.

How did I become this woman?

The woman who smiled while dying inside.

The woman who handed her cheating husband documents with steady hands.

The woman who loved a wolf who no longer chose her.

I cried until my chest hurt.

Until my throat burned.

Until there were no tears left.

When the storm finally passed, I wiped my face slowly and stood up. My reflection in the mirror startled me.

Red eyes.

Pale skin.

But beneath it all-

Resolve.

I walked to the dresser and pulled out the hidden envelope.

Divorce papers.

I laid them flat on the bed.

This was no longer about love.

This was about survival.

If I stayed, I would disappear.

If I stayed, I would break.

I straightened my shoulders.

I will leave on my own terms.

And this time I would not look back.

,

After hiding the divorce file where no other person could see it . I walked slowly toward my wardrobe.

because there wasn't enough strength left in me to rush.My body felt exhausted, Weak like something important had been pulled out of me and never replaced. By the time I reached the bed, my legs gave in. I collapsed onto the mattress and let out a long and heavy breath I didn't even realize how I was holding up

The room was quiet.

I put my hand at the stack of files under my bed, I reached out and pulled one document from the file the divorce papers. My key to freedom 

My hands were shaking as I open the pages one by one. I stopped at the last one where I saw Nelson's signature that he just signed on the paper 

His name sat there boldly, written with confidence. The same strong handwriting he used when signing pack documents, land deals, and contracts that shaped the future of the whole clan 

I traced his name slowly with my fingertip. A bitter smile show at my lips.

He is still clumsy, so careless.

Memories flooded through my mind without warning me

I remembered Nelson in high school, standing by the highschool gate, refusing to move an inch until I agreed to talk to him. I remembered the way he smiled at me like I was something precious.

"I don't care that you're human," he had told me, voice full of certainty."The wolf Goddess doesn't make mistakes. You're meant for me." And I believed him.

I remembered how fiercely he pursued me. How proud he was to call me his. How he promised, again and again, that I was his one true mate . even without a wolf bond.

"I choose you," he whispered the night he proposed. "Now and always."

My chest tightened.

Then another memory followed.

Helen. Nelson mother.

Her eyes had been cold the first time she saw me. Sharp. Measuring. Like she was already judging how long I would last.

She even move close and quietly said to me ,ordinary ware wolf might claim to mate just to one lady for life, but an Alpha male will never be satisfied with just one woman. Especially not with ordinary human. But 

I had stood my ground then

"You're wrong," I said, my voice shaking but firm. "Nelson is different. Our bond is different."

The memory hurt now.

Because I had been so sure that I'm really So foolish.

He wasn't different.

He was exactly what her mother warned me about.

He cheated with a younger wolf girl, careless enough to think I wouldn't notice. He enjoyed it, the secrecy, the vibe, the power of having two women tied to him.

He took her on his business trip and parading her as the new princess and than brought her back here.

Into my home.

My fingers tightened into the bedsheets as the truth settled deeper into my chest.

Slowly, I picked up my phone and took a clear photo of his signature.

I sent it to Helen , he signed it I whispered 

Nothing more, No explanation.

No emotion.

A week ago, we had met privately.

No pack members. No witnesses.

She wanted this divorce handled quietly. She didn't want gossip. Didn't want whispers about her Alpha son being married to a human.

She wanted me gone.

In return, I demanded twenty million dollars.

"One month," I told her calmly. "Then I disappear from his life completely."

She stared at me for a long time before agreeing.

Now, it was real.

One more month.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.

My body stiffened.

Quickly, I hid the divorce papers and smoothed the bed. I wiped my face and forced my expression into something calm.

"Come in," I said.

The door opened.

Henry stepped inside.

Nelson's Beta assistant.

He carried himself with respect, holding a gold-plated box carefully in his hands.

"Mrs. Ciara," he said politely. "Your husband asked me to give this to you."

He placed the box on my desk.

I walked over and opened it.

Inside was a diamond set.

Beautiful.

Rare.

Expensive.

I stared at it without feeling anything good.

Instead, my mind betrayed me.

I saw her again.

The short-haired girl.

Wrapped in a bathrobe.

Laughing softly as she held up a similar diamond necklace while Nelson kissed her neck.

Soft lights.

Messy sheets.

Fresh marks on her skin.

My stomach twisted violently.

I swallowed hard.

The bitterness rose in my throat, but I pushed it down. Just 

One more month, I reminded myself.

Just one.

Henry cleared his throat. "The Alpha picked it himself," he added. "It's one of a kind. I hope you'll love it... and cherish it."

I looked up slowly.

Met his eyes.

"Thank you, Beta Henry," I said softly.

Then, after a pause, I added quietly,

"It's just that his loyalty isn't one of a kind."

Henry froze.

For a brief moment, his face showed shock. He clearly understood what I meant, even though he pretended not to.

"I... I don't understand," he said carefully.

"I know," I replied.

Silence stretched between us.

Then he bowed his head slightly."Excuse me, Mrs. Ciara."

I nodded.

The moment he left, my shoulders sagged.

I picked up my phone and contacted a luxury resale brand. I arranged for the diamond set to be sold.

Every penny would go to the orphanage outside pack territory which also belongs to my lawyer friend that I have been supporting all the time.

If this marriage was built on lies, I would leave nothing behind that carried his name or guilt.

Later that night, the house was silent.

Nelson didn't come to the bedroom.

I wasn't surprised.

I lay on my side, staring at the dark wall, listening to my own breathing.

No tears came.

I was empty now.

And in that emptiness, I found something I hadn't felt in a long time.

Clarity.

I was no longer his wife in my heart.

Only on paper.

And paper could be destroyed.

One more month.

Then I would leave

Not broken.

But free.

Ciara POV

9:00 AM

The sounds of my alarm wake me up as usual. And I glance at the other side of the bed was cold empty. I stared at it for a few seconds and my chest rising and falling slowly, then I pushed myself up. I didn't really feel disappointed again. That feeling had worn itself out somedays ago. Now, it was just part of my daily routine. As 

I moved through the bedroom quietly, washed my face, tied my hair back, and headed into the kitchen. As I prepared breakfast as the same way I always did toast some bread ,and eggs with my black coffee. Out of habit, I set two plates on the counter as I paused.

Then I slide one plate back into the cabinet. No point in pretending anymore 

Nelson hadn't come home or had breakfast at home for a while. I hadn't expected him to. So I ate my meal standing up, i barely taste the food. My body felt light, hollow, like I was moving through air instead of time. When I finished, I washed the dishes, wiped the cabinets  and grabbed my bag heading to the office it just another day in a broken marriage.

The underground parking garage was quiet when I got there. My heels echoed loudly against the concrete floor as I continue walking toward my car. I pressed the unlock button, reached out for the handle and froze.

A sleek black SUV parked a few rows away suddenly start

Running.

The engine purred low and smooth, like the driver is on emergency 

My eyes lifted without permission.

Through the tinted back window, I saw him.

Nelson. Relaxing against the leather seat like a king on a throne.

And pressing against him was 

a girl with short hair and a soft, round face. Young fresh floral laughing at something as he whispered into her ear. Her slim body leaned into him without hesitation, like she belonged there.

and I didn't.

My chest tightened sharply. Then a shout come out all of suddenly 

"Alpha Nelson!" Beta Henry's voice cut through the air, sharp with panic.

Tires screeched.

The SUV jerked to a stop.

But it was already too late.

Nelson looked up.

Our eyes met through the thick glass.

His face darkened instantly, flashing black with irritation and something close to anger.

Mine didn't change at all.

I felt nothing.

No shock.

No tears.

Just a dull, dead stillness.

Across that silence, the girl finally noticed me.

She followed Nelson's line of sight, her eyes landing on my face.

For a brief second, curiosity flickered across her features.

Then-

She smiled.

And instead of pulling away, she wrapped her arms around Nelson's neck, pressing closer, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered something I couldn't hear.

But I didn't need to.

The partial mate bond flared in my chest, sharp and cruel, like someone had poured acid straight into my veins. My eyes burned. My lungs struggled to pull in air.

This wasn't private.

This wasn't a mistake.

She was challenging me.

Publicly.

Claiming her place.

My fingers trembled on the car door.

Every instinct screamed at me to march over there, to drag her away, to remind her who I was.

But I wasn't a wolf.

I was just a human.

A foolish woman who had believed in forever.

I tore my gaze away, got into my car, and slammed the door shut. My hands shook as I started the engine.

I didn't look back.

I drove out of the parking lot with my jaw clenched tight, my vision blurring, my heart pounding painfully against my ribs.

I missed the turn to the company.

Didn't care.

I drove aimlessly for nearly an hour, letting the city blur past me. When my chest finally felt steady enough to breathe again, I turned the car around.

And went home.

The apartment was quiet when I arrived.

Too quiet.

I dropped my bag on the couch and kicked off my shoes. I barely had time to take two steps toward the bedroom when movement outside the window caught my eye.

Headlights swept across the concrete below.

Nelson's car pulled into the garage.

My stomach sank, twisting with a mix of dread and slow-burning anger.

I turned away from the window and walked straight into the bedroom.

The walk-in closet felt too small, too tight. I stood in front of the glass cabinet and reached for the diamond necklace he'd given me last month.

Another apology wrapped in glitter.

Another lie.

I unclasped it slowly, letting it slide into my palm.

Before I could put it away-

A wall of muscle pressed suddenly against my back.

I stiffened.

The familiar cold scent wrapped around me, sharp and suffocating. Once, it had meant safety. Comfort.

Now, it made my skin crawl.

Nelson braced his hands on the glass cabinet on either side of me, caging me in. His reflection stared back at me from the mirror, eyes dark, expression unreadable.

"Are you angry?" he asked.

That tone.

Commanding.

Possessive.

The tone that had once made my knees weak.

I didn't look at him.

I placed the necklace carefully back into its box, my movements slow and deliberate.

"For what?" I asked calmly. "I thought she was your sister. Why should I be mad at you and your so-called sister?"

The air shifted.

Nelson went still.

His wolf stirred beneath his skin, assessing, listening.

He watched me for a long moment before speaking again, his voice carefully controlled.

"The Ned family is interested in collaborating with us on the Star Energy Project," he said. "I've been in discussions with Davin, their eldest son. The girl you saw is his sister."

I turned then.

Slowly.

Faced him fully.

"So," I said quietly, "you need to get cozy with his sister to secure his business?"

My gaze sharpened.

"Is that how the powerful Alpha Nelson handles his deals now?"

His jaw tightened.

"I'm trying to explain," he snapped. "So don't assume everything bad about me. And stop being sarcastic."

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

"There's nothing to explain," I said. "If you're tired of me as your wife, I don't mind stepping aside. Let her come in. Make her your new Luna."

I turned to leave.

The next second, his hand closed around my wrist.

Hard.

He yanked me back against him.

"Did you mean that?" he growled, eyes glowing faintly red.

I looked up at him.

Unflinching.

"If you want a divorce," I said clearly, "I can give it to you."

His wolf surged.

The room filled with pressure, thick and heavy. His face flushed, anger rolling off him in waves I could almost taste.

"Don't even think of leaving me," he snarled.

I inhaled slowly.

I had already set plans in motion.

But I didn't say that.

Instead, I whispered, "You're hurting me."

His grip loosened instantly.

He stepped back like he'd been burned.

For a moment, something like guilt flickered in his eyes.

Then it vanished.

Without another word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door to his office behind him.

The sound echoed through the apartment.

I stood there, rubbing my wrist, staring at the empty space he'd left behind.

My heart was calm.

Too calm.

And that scared me more than his anger ever could.

Because calm meant I was already gone.

That night, I packed another small box.

Quietly.

Carefully.

One more month.

And then I would leave.