Ariana 

I was about to say something to him when his phone binged and his screen lit up. He immediately rushed to glance at his phone and the look in his eyes after told me all I needed to know. 

He kept looking at me to see if I'd react and when I didn't, he quickly typed a reply and tossed it aside.

"Let's just sleep," he said and turned to face the other side of the bed. 

But the thing is, I couldn't sleep because even when I closed my eyes all I could see was Damian holding his first love in one arm, and his son in the other hand.

The image was far too engraved into my mind and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't erase it. 

A part of me wanted to grab his phone right then and there, to demand the truth, to ask why she still had such power over him. But another part of me, the part that had learned to endure, remained still. 

It wasn't going to be very wise of me to seek a rejection right now knowing fully well that my mother was recovering from her surgery and she didn't need to hear about my mate troubles on top of that.

At 4 a.m., while I was still struggling to sleep, his phone lit up again and five minutes later, Damian got out of bed, grabbed his jacket, and left the house without a word.

I waited until I could no longer hear the hum of his car engine before I opened my eyes.

A single message. That's all it took for him to run to his ex-girlfriend and so called first love. I used to think the Moon Goddess made no mistakes when she bound two souls together, but now I wasn't so sure. Maybe she had turned away from us long ago.

I was angry, I wanted to scream, shout, shift, throw something, or let my rage consume me, but instead I just lay there in silence staring at the door he left open. Even my wolf, Nara, stayed silent in the back of my mind and I knew too well that she was hurting too. It was as if she had retreated deep inside, too wounded to speak

By morning, I dragged myself out of bed and went to the infirmary wing of the pack hospital where my parents were resting.

My mother, Lyra, was lying weakly on the bed, tubes still running from her arm. "Ariana," she whispered when she saw me, "are you all right, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, Mom," I lied, forcing a small smile. "I just didn't sleep much but don't worry about me and just focus on getting better."

My father, Seth Volkstane, peeled half an orange and handed it to me. "The doctor said your mother's healing nicely and we just need to stay here for another week before she's discharged."

I let out a sigh of relief hearing that her surgery was a success and she'd soon be discharged to go home. 

I helped my mom finish eating her breakfast before I went looking for my mom's attending healer. 

On my way back, I unexpectedly ran into Damian standing at the payment counter.

Even in a crowd, he was impossible to miss, the way he carried himself, tall and composed, with that calm dominance only Alphas had. For three years, I'd told myself that I was proud to be his Luna. But now, the title just felt meaningless to me.

Our eyes met briefly and his brow furrowed as he walked toward me. There was a small stack of receipts in his hand, but I didn't say anything because I no longer cared enough to ask.

It was a weekday morning and he should've been in a meeting with his pack council, not here so I already kind of guessed why he was.

He reached out, as if to take the papers from my hand, but at that moment his phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and his expression softened in a way I hadn't seen in years.

"I need to take this," he said, already walking toward the elevator.

Then, in a low, gentle tone that stabbed straight through my chest, he murmured into the phone, "Be good now, don't be upset."

I stood there frozen and in shock because not once had he ever spoken to me that way. 

My throat burned and I had to quickly run into the restroom so I could cry without anyone seeing me. 

After I was done I wiped my face and fixed my makeup as if nothing had happened before I stepped inside my mom's hospital room. 

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" she asked softly, "Did you and Damian fight?"

I shook my head, staring at the floor. "No, Mom. Everything's fine."

But the lie didn't even sound believable to me.

A moment later, the door opened again and there he was, right behind my father, carrying a bouquet of peonies.

"Mrs. Volkstane," he called out politely, "I've arranged a private consultation with one of the best healers in the territory. You'll make a full recovery soon."

"You've always been reliable, Damian. We're lucky to have you as family." My father said, smiling proudly. 

Damian gave a small nod, his gaze flicking briefly to my swollen eyes. "There's no need to thank me," he said quietly. "We take care of our own."

I looked away, unable to stand it any longer.

He had been my savior once, the Alpha who lifted my family from ruin after our pack fell. He paid off our debts, gave my brother a place to train, and married me to seal the alliance after finding out we were mates.

For years, I'd believed he'd chosen me out of love. But one conversation I overheard between him and his father had shattered that illusion.

He had told his father, "Reputation is everything, and taking in the fallen Volkstane heir will make us look honorable. Besides she still happens to be my mate so think of it as killing two birds with one stone." But still I stayed even after finding out he didn't love me and had only married me out of duty.

But recently I've come to realize that he didn't love me because there was only one woman in his heart, his first love and I was certain her return only meant one thing.

My face grew so pale and I could tell my mother noticed the change as she begged him to take me home. I refused to talk to him, I hadn't said a word to him since he got here.

In fact, his scent I used to love and find soothing now only made me want to throw up 

Just before the elevator doors opened, Damian caught my wrist.

"You look pale," he murmured. "Did you not sleep well last night?"

A bitter smile touched my lips. 

How could I have slept well when my mate had spent the night with another woman and her child?

So that was the reason he had refused to mark me all these years even after sleeping with me countless times. It was because he hoped one day she'd return. 

I had told myself it didn't matter if he marked me or not, but now it was clear to me that he didn't want me, and neither did his wolf. 

"Don't worry about me, go back to... whatever's keeping you busy," I said, gently pulling my hands away. 

He didn't answer. When the elevator opened, I tried to step aside, but his hand tightened around mine, guiding me inside. "I've booked a table for tonight," he said. "Your favorite place."

I just hummed in reply, too tired to pretend I cared.

He held me close as more people stepped in, as if he didn't want anyone to notice the distance between us. I could see him frowning at me from the corner of my eye.

He must be wondering why I was so quiet when I'd always been so full of life, bubbly, and always throwing myself at him.

"Well....he didn't have to worry about that any longer," I whispered to myself before slipping away from him when the elevator doors opened. 

That same morning, I went to the high council office. By noon, the formal rejection request was ready to be presented.

If Damian Zeus wouldn't let go of his old flame......then I'd end the bond between us myself and get him to reject me officially since his heart already has.

Ariana

By 8 p.m., I arrived at the restaurant to see that Damian was already waiting. As always, he stood the moment he saw me, pulling out my chair with that same quiet elegance he was known for.

I couldn't deny the fact that he looked extraordinarily handsome tonight and his aura was commanding but calm. He was the kind of Alpha who didn't need to raise his voice to remind others who led the pack.

I mean he was born to lead and control and was raised as the heir to the Blood Moon Pack, trained in diplomacy and strength from childhood. I had never once heard him curse, or lose his temper. Even when he was angry, his tone stayed calm and measured, as if emotion was something beneath him.

"He's perfect in every way, except for the fact that he doesn't love us." My wolf whispered to me bitterly, as we watched him order for us. 

When the waiter left to get our food, I watched as he reached into his jacket and set a small box beside my plate. "For our third anniversary," he said.

I froze for a moment, my hand tightening around the glass of water. I gave a small nod, staring at the box without opening it.

Three years as his Luna, more than a decade of loving him.

And yet, I still couldn't reach his heart.

When I was younger, I used to beg him for gifts, any small thing just to see him look my way. He'd sometimes give in, and I'd cherish it for days. But after my pack fell, and my family lost everything, my mother told me something I never forgot:

"You're not his equal anymore, Ariana. You're just a girl from a fallen pack. You're not worthy of him."

From that day, I stopped asking, I stopped expecting anything.

Even so, Damian always kept up appearances. Birthdays, anniversaries, pack ceremonies, every occasion came with a gift, perfectly chosen and wrapped with care. 

He had this image of a perfect and devoted mate to the other members of the pack but only I knew better. 

When I didn't reach for the box, he opened it himself, showing me the sparkling diamond bracelet in his hand and just by merely looking at it I could tell it cost millions. 

He took my hand so he could clasp the bracelet around my wrist and when I tried to pull away, his grip on my hand tightened.

"Don't you like it?" He asked. 

"It's fine," I said quietly, not daring to say another word. 

He fastened the bracelet and looked at it with faint satisfaction. "It looks beautiful on you."

"Thank you," I replied politely.

He frowned and I knew he was probably wondering why I wasn't acting like my old self, the girl who used to chase after him, laugh too loud, and fill every silence.

He must think I was sulking, maybe he even believed this was about his distance and him missing our anniversary dinner. 

"Your favorite steak," he said, cutting a slice and placing it on my plate.

"If I said I wanted one cooked by you, would you ever try to make it for me?" I asked, smiling faintly. 

"Everyone has their strengths, Ariana, you know I'm not a good cook but don't worry you can order anything you like and I'll pay for it immediately." He replied, still eating his food gracefully. 

I lowered my gaze so he wouldn't see the tears burning behind my eyes.

Everyone has their strengths, sure, but he once made a blueberry pie himself for Lily, and their pup, and even posted it proudly on Instagram. Yet he couldn't lift a finger to do something for me. Not once.

The difference between love and indifference had never been clearer.

I took a bite of the steak into my mouth and chewed on it but it only tasted bitter. My wolf whimpered quietly inside me, restless and suffocated by the tension between us. 

Damian rarely spoke during meals, but tonight, the silence was more intense than usual. He kept looking at me in a way that suggested he was trying to study me, as if trying to figure out what had changed.

When I was a child, I couldn't sit still. I'd talk through every meal, laugh too loudly, or find some excuse to touch him. Even when we fought, I'd cry or yell and never go silent like this so I could understand why he looked so unsettled. 

We continued eating his silence until his phone lit up with a notification. He glanced at it briefly before turning the screen face down and tried distracting himself by refilling my wine, but the phone buzzed again. Once, twice, and a third time.

I didn't have to ask who it was, because his whole demeanor shifted, first, there was a flicker of hesitation but it was quickly followed by urgency and I knew without needing to look that the only one who could get such a reaction from him was Lily.

I had known him for years and for me a single call was enough, I only had to keep texting him if it was too urgent because that was the boundary he had set for me claiming he was an Alpha often locked in on tense meetings with elders or out handling rogue business and he didn't have time to respond to calls all the time and I had respected it as I never wanted to come off as needy or as a distraction. 

The fourth ring came, and he finally sighed, setting his utensils down. "I'll leave the car for you. Go home and rest early and please don't wait for me."

My heart twisted painfully, but I kept my face calm. "Don't worry, I'll take a cab home". I replied, standing up immediately to pick up my bag and phone. 

He turned to leave, not bothering to explain and I didn't bother to ask, not like I cared any longer either.

As I turned to leave, I bumped into a passing waiter and my bag opened, its contents scattering across the floor.

My blood ran cold. The rejection papers I had drafted earlier in the day were among the scattered contents on the floor.

Damian bent down to help me pick up my things from the floor, but I quickly gathered the papers before he could touch them. My pulse raced. It wasn't time yet, I couldn't tell him to reject me or give him the rejection notice yet, not until my mother recovered.

"What's that?" He asked as his eyes caught hold of the document I was trying to hide. 

"Just... some instructions from the healer," I said lightly.

I knew he didn't buy it from the way his gaze hardened so I turned to leave immediately but his hand caught mine and he tried snatching the paper but I held onto it strongly, not letting go. 

Thankfully his phone rang again almost immediately and he shot me one last glance before releasing my hand and walking away. 

I smiled bitterly as realization dawned on me of the power another woman had over my mate, and Alpha. 

I touched the bracelet still on my wrist. It sparkled beautifully under the restaurant's light while I stood frozen in the middle of the restaurant, my pulse racing from the tug of the wall over the papers.

"End it now before it ends us,' my wolf whispered in my mind, her voice low and broken. 'Let him feel what it's like to lose his Luna.'

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and walked out of the restaurant calmly.

Ariana 

After Damian left, I ditched the car he'd left behind and flagged a taxi down. I initially thought of following him, but I knew doing that would be stupid.

Moreover, I didn't want to be known as the "foolish jealous Luna, who was shadowing her faithless Alpha" so I changed my mind.

"Take me to the pack's infirmary," I said to the driver and turned to face the window.

I stayed silent throughout the ride just thinking of everything and the pitiable condition I was in. 

Would it have been easier to leave if my pack hadn't fallen? I thought to myself.

"We're here." The driver announced and I nodded, stepping down to pay him.

I stood there watching as he drove off contemplating if I was in the best state to go see my mother like this. 

After taking a moment to compose myself I brought out a mirror, dabbed some powder on my face and when I was sure that I had successfully concealed every trace of tears, I headed towards my mother's ward.

"Ariana," my mother screamed happily. Her face lit up immediately when she saw me.

"Come my child", she said and I reached to hug her.

"Are you okay? You look a bit pale, tell me honestly is everything okay between you and your mate?" She asked with a concerned look.

Hmmmphh, so despite all my efforts she still managed to see beyond the facade.

I sat beside her wearing the best smile on my face. "Mom we're fine, you don't need to worry about us." The lie made my mouth bitter but I couldn't help it, it needed to be told. 

"Ariana, you and Damian make such a lovely couple. These past 3 years he's been so helpful to our family, honestly I have no idea what we would have done if he hadn't helped us. Maybe we'd be rogues by now." He paused to drink water.

"What you should be more concerned about now is stability and how you can produce an heir for him soon so you can secure your future." My father said and I smiled faintly. 

"I'll try my best, Father," I said and he nodded curtly.

The mere thought of having Damian's pup made my skin crawl. Once it had been a lifelong dream of mine but ever since I found out about his infidelity and his pup with Lily I was only disgusted by the thought of it.

"Or have you not been performing your duties as his mate and Luna?" My father asked with questioning eyes.

"I have, I have father," I quickly replied so he wouldn't suspect anything. 

I had been performing my marital duties religiously up until our 3rd anniversary night. 

It wasn't me who didn't want to have a child, it was Damian.

I closed my eyes thinking about the time he'd force me to drink a herb some months back because he'd forgotten to pull out and he didn't want to have a child anytime soon.

I had taken the herb at the time thinking I was doing it for us but now it was clear to me, it was not that he didn't want a child, he just didn't want a child with me. 

"Ariana, I just ran into Alpha Damian outside. Did you guys come together?" My brother Liam asked, jolting me out of my reverie.

"No, maybe he came to see a friend or he's here on his own." I scratched my nape, avoiding their piercing gaze. 

I needed to go find Damian to get him to at least come greet my parents. Why was he here? Did he follow me here or had he come to see the healer about my mom?

"Excuse me please, I need to go find Damian," I said not waiting to hear their response.

This was the VIP floor so if Liam said he saw him outside he should still be around here.

I began strolling around the walkway trying to find him through his scent, then I got a whiff of it and I trailed it.

It led me to the front of another ward. Why was Damian here? Was Riley sick or did something bad happen?

I was about to knock on the door when I heard his voice. "How are you feeling now?" He asked softly.

Who was he talking to in such a soft manner? I knew this wasn't right but I still peeped inside the room since the door was partially open and then I saw him with a she wolf I was guessing was his precious Lily.

She was clinging to his waist and she rested her head on his stomach, dangerously close to his V line.

"Damian, will you stay with me tonight?" She asked, her soft voice quivering.

"Sshhhhh ... .you don't have to be like this, of course I'll stay with you." He cooed, stroking her hair softly.

The scene in front of me made me want to puke as bile rose to my chest. When was the last time he was this soft to me or looked at me with such tenderness?

"Confront him now," Nara growled in my head and I wanted to, not until I saw the familiar bracelet.

It was the same one he'd just given me at the dinner and I still had it around my wrist, he'd worn it on me himself.

I smiled bitterly, my mind numb. So not only was he cheating, he was giving the same gifts to his Luna and his mistress. Was I really worth nothing to him?

So when he said it looked beautiful on me earlier it was a lie? It must have been. Maybe he was even thinking about Lily when he said that.

Rage washed over and in a burst of fury, I ripped the replica bracelet from my own wrist and flung it away. 

I couldn't stay here, I couldn't let them notice me in such a pathetic state, so I ran.

I kept running till I was outside the infirmary, I didn't even bother to say goodbye to my family, I couldn't let them see me like this.

I whimpered when the cool air touched my skin. I didn't even want to order a ride home. So I shifted, I let the rage consume me and Nara began running all the way back home.

I could feel her breaking too, she was right when she said we should leave before he kills us because if I didn't get a rejection from him or get to reject him soon, I'd be as good as dead.

"I do not want him anymore, one more day, and I'll tell him about the rejection papers I sought from the high council." I concluded racing into the night .