As I glanced at my phone, a message from an unfamiliar number appeared. Seeing the contents, I immediately guessed it was from Rebecca, my mate's mistress. Or I should say, his true mate.

Rebecca had sent a photo of herself comfortably perched on Alpha Max’s lap. In the picture, he looked down at her with a soft smile, and it was clear from the background that they were at the pack house.

"We’re getting mated soon. Alpha Max feels it’s pointless with you. It’s time to read the signs and move on."

My grip tightened around my phone. Those words cut into me deeply, as if each letter was painfully etched into my heart, making it hard to breathe.

Below the mountain, the fireworks display had ended, leaving the summit in silence and darkness. My phone had shut off from the cold, leaving me in the faint glow of moonlight on the mountain path.

Snowflakes began to fall gently, and I realized that if I stayed here, they’d find my body by morning. I had no choice but to start descending. As I stepped into the darkness, a chill ran down my spine.

Though I dreaded the darkness and whatever might be lurking in it, it seemed Alpha Max had forgotten about my fears. I spent the entire descent through the mountain path enveloped in terror and freezing temperatures. I trudged on for four hours before reaching a place where I could catch a cab.

When I finally arrived home, my face was pale, and my lips were nearly blue from the cold. The house was in complete darkness. Jazmin, the Beta housekeeper, had left, and Alpha Max was with his fiancée.

I forced a strained smile onto my numb lips; wasn’t this how it was supposed to be? I was nothing—an Omega—and he, the Alpha of the Harrison Pack, rightfully should be with his fiancée and mate, his future Luna.

---

The next morning, I was woken by a gentle shaking. Groggy, I opened my eyes to see Alpha Max’s worried face.

"Elyse, you have a fever. I need to take you to the hospital."

Too out of it to resist, I let him carry me to the car. All I could think was: Why was he back? Wasn’t he with his fiancée?

It wasn’t until my head cleared a little, seeing the bright daylight through the car window, that I realized it was already noon.

In the car, Alpha Max held me tightly, and as soon as we reached the hospital, he carried me into the emergency room.

In the examination room, I could barely sit up, so he stood by me, holding me in a rather awkward embrace to keep me steady. Throughout the process, he seemed very anxious, repeatedly asking the doctor about what needed to be done.

As I was about to receive an IV, the doctor remarked, "You’re lucky to have Alpha, such a caring mate."

The scent of his closeness clung to him, filling my nose. I chuckled softly, with a hint of bitterness.

A caring mate? Fresh from his fiancée’s side, and this counts? Throughout my hospital stay, Alpha Max didn’t let me walk on my own, carrying me here and there.

When the nurse came to insert the needle, he cradled my head in his arms, continually reassuring me, "It’s okay, don’t be scared. It’ll just hurt for a moment."

He treated me as if I were a child, yet everything I was going through was because of him. I wanted to tell him I wasn’t afraid, that this pain was nothing compared to the terror of the previous night.

But I said nothing. Saying it out loud would only give him an excuse to put on an act. In those moments, he seemed like the perfect mate, and no one would know he had a future Luna which is not me. Even I almost fell for it.

---

Lying on the hospital bed, he tucked me in and asked if I was feeling any better. I shook my head slightly and closed my eyes, refusing to engage.

Eventually, I dozed off. When I awoke, he was no longer by my side. I removed the nearly empty IV and got out of bed to go to the restroom.

Coming out of the bathroom, I saw Alpha Max with his arm around Rebecca’s waist, emerging from an obstetrician’s office.

Although I hid in the restroom, I could still hear their conversation.

"The pup is two months along now. You’re going to be a mother, so no more acting reckless," his gentle voice sounded.

Rebecca, in a playful tone, clung to his arm, "Then my Alpha, you have to keep an eye on me, and the pup needs their father around, okay?"

He indulged her, saying, "Alright, with the mating ceremony less than two weeks away, you don’t have to worry about anything. Just focus on taking care of yourself and the pup..."

As their voices faded, I stood frozen, unable to move. When I finally snapped back to reality, my heart felt like it had been shattered with knives. I clutched my chest, bending over with heavy breaths, as tears streamed down my face.

They already had a pup. Two months along.

So they had been together for two months while I remained clueless. If I hadn’t overheard, how much longer would I have been kept in the dark?

I let out a bitter laugh, wiping my face to find it was cooled by a tear slipping over the ring on my finger.

The ring was a gift from Alpha Max, given on a day when he had knelt on one knee, looking up at me with a nervous intensity. His dark eyes held nothing but me, and his voice trembled, "Elyse, would you spend the rest of our lives together? I, Max Harrison, Alpha of the Harrison Pack, accept you, Elyse Garza, as my mate. I love you so much; I can't imagine mating with anyone else."

Those words had felt like a dream, and anyone thinking rationally might have doubted them. Yet, I chose to believe.

The excitement I once felt was now met with heartbreak. I regained my composure and left the room. My finger was bare, marked only by a faint band where the ring had been, while the exquisite ring sat untouched on the bathroom sink.

It wasn't until ten that night that Alpha Max hurriedly opened the door. As soon as he entered, he knelt before me, who was seated on the couch. Before I could react, he slid the ring I had left behind back onto my finger. He held my hand and looked up at me tenderly.

"Sweetheart, did you lose the ring and not even realize it? You really should be more careful. This is our mating symbol."

The affection in his eyes was unchanged, but for me, the feelings from those days were now irrevocably tainted.

Instead of answering his question, I asked, "Where were you today?"

I fixed my eyes on his, catching a fleeting hint of guilt. It disappeared almost instantly as he replied, "I had some pack matters to take care of. By the time I got back to the office, you were already gone."

Hearing this, I felt a deep fatigue and turned my attention to the television without a word.

Alpha Max assumed my silence was due to annoyance at being left uninformed and coaxed me gently, "Darling, how about we go to the countryside tomorrow for some fresh air? You've always wanted to, and the healer did say you should get more sunlight."

I remained noncommittal to his offer, too weary of his deceit. I just wanted to wait for the right moment to leave.

The next day, Alpha Max took me to a horse stable in the countryside. Upon arrival, I discovered Rebecca Phillips was there. It was my first time meeting Rebecca, whom I had only heard about from others. Rebecca's elegance suggested she was from a powerful Alpha family, and standing next to Alpha Max, they made quite the pair.

Bitterness surged within me. I thought that with Rebecca present, Alpha Max would ignore me, but to my surprise, he kept me close. "Elyse, come, I'll teach you how to ride a horse," he said, acting as if Rebecca was invisible.

He helped me choose a gentle horse and guided me closely. My interest in riding soon dispelled my earlier feelings. After about half an hour, I said I was tired, and Alpha Max immediately stopped to take me back to rest. We had barely sat down when I saw Rebecca leaving. A few minutes later, Alpha Max said, "Elyse, wait here a moment; I'll get you some coffee."

The care with which Alpha Max attended to me stirred my heart momentarily, but it swiftly calmed when he walked a few meters away. Quietly, I stood and followed him.

I discreetly trailed him to a quiet spot where Rebecca was already waiting. As soon as she saw Alpha Max, Rebecca rushed to him. Alpha Max caught her and frowned, "Didn't I say we should pretend not to know each other until after the mating ceremony? If Elyse makes a scene, it won't be good for either of our packs."

He had indeed mentioned this before. Rebecca, however, pouted, "I just wanted to see you. Besides, she hasn't noticed, has she?"

'She' obviously referred to me. As soon as Rebecca finished speaking, I watched Alpha Max's frown soften, and he appeared resigned before they kissed, completely oblivious to their surroundings.

Witnessing this, I felt as if my heart was being torn apart. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms without my realizing. The sound of their kiss echoed in my ears, but I refused to continue torturing myself by listening further. My steps were unsteady as I headed back to the rest area.

Half an hour later, Alpha Max returned with coffee, placing it before me with an apologetic tone, "Darling, I had to take a call, so it took a while. You weren't waiting too long, were you?"

Hearing him call me 'darling' brought back the image of their recent kiss, and I felt a wave of nausea. I sipped the coffee to quell my disgust.

Alpha Max noticed the bruising on my palm immediately, taking my hand in concern, "What happened here?"

Only then did I realize my palm was bruised from my own grip. Surprised, I subtly withdrew my hand and casually deflected, "Must have been from holding the reins too tightly."

Alpha Max insisted on treating my hand, but I didn't want him to touch me anymore and pulled away again, saying, "No need. I'll go ride."

Seeing Alpha Max's intention to follow, I quickly added, "I want to ride alone."

He didn't press further.

I rode slowly, lost in thought, barely noticing Rebecca Phillips until her horse bumped into mine. The sudden jolt startled my horse, and it reared, threatening to bolt. Instinctively, I let go of the reins and rolled to the ground, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. I looked up just in time to see Rebecca falling, only to be caught by Alpha Max.

My chest tightened as he glanced at me, his hands already loosening around Rebecca. But she clung to him, her hand pressing against her stomach, and whispered, "The baby..."

Alpha Max hesitated, his conflicted gaze flickering to me, then back to Rebecca. He sighed, pulling her closer. "Elyse," he said, his voice pleading, "Rebecca’s pregnant. I need to get her to the hospital first, alright?"

A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I nodded silently. With my permission, he scooped Rebecca into his arms and hurried away, leaving me alone in the dirt.

I watched them go, the sting of betrayal sharp in my chest. Kyro Rose, the stable’s trainer, approached and helped me to my feet. "Miss, are you hurt anywhere?" he asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.

I shook my head. I’d managed to avoid serious injury, though the ache in my heart far outweighed the physical pain. I thanked Kyro quietly and limped to the edge of the stables, only to find the car Alpha Max had driven already gone. The sight was familiar, yet this time, it didn’t shatter me. I’d expected it, hadn’t I?

I pulled out my phone and booked a ride home. Exhausted from the emotional turmoil of the past few days, I fell asleep early that night, not waiting for Alpha Max. I didn’t care if he returned or not.

The next morning, I woke to find him sitting by the bed, watching me intently. He smiled at my drowsy confusion, but as my eyes dimmed, his expression faltered. An uneasy fear seemed to settle over him. He reached for a small box on the bedside table, pulling out a delicate bracelet.

Gently, he clasped it around my wrist, his touch lingering as if it were something precious. Then he pressed a soft kiss to my hand, his eyes filled with a tenderness that felt hollow now.

"I’m sorry, darling," he murmured, his voice heavy with guilt. "For not taking you to the hospital first yesterday. Rebecca’s expecting, and I felt I had to take care of her. You understand, right?"

A friend? I almost laughed. My lips curved into a mocking smile as I glanced at the bracelet. I recognized it—the extravagant piece I’d casually complimented weeks ago. Remembering the whispers I’d overheard in the suite, I whispered, "Not worth it..."

Alpha Max’s eyes widened, and he leaned closer, panic flickering in his gaze. "What are you saying? It’s not worth what? Darling, you’re worth everything. The whole world’s wonders are yours."

I chuckled softly, meeting his eyes with a calmness that belied the storm inside. "I watched a show yesterday," I said, my voice steady. "The lead couple were dating, but the woman secretly got engaged to someone else. Everyone was discussing whether the man should forgive her. What do you think?"

He absentmindedly played with my hand, his reply careless. "Of course, he shouldn’t forgive her."

I nodded, gently withdrawing my hand. "I agree. He shouldn’t forgive her."

Before he could reach for me again, I mentioned I was hungry. Alpha Max brightened immediately. "I’ll make breakfast today," he offered, standing. "You go freshen up, and I’ll call you when it’s ready." He left the room with a cheerfulness that felt misplaced, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I took off the bracelet, setting it aside. I didn’t deserve such opulence, just as I didn’t deserve for him to sacrifice his family’s interests.

Two days later was my birthday. Alpha Max, who usually made a point of spending the day with me, suddenly announced he had plans. Instead, he celebrated with me a day early. I didn’t ask what the plans were—I wouldn’t have celebrated at all if I could. But when I mentioned it, he insisted, "I promised to celebrate your birthday with you every year. We can’t skip it."

I chuckled to myself. *This is the last time,* I thought. *After this, my birthdays will no longer involve you.*

He brought out the cake, lit the candles, and sang the birthday song, just like every other year. I closed my eyes and made a silent wish: *May I start a new life after leaving Alpha Max Harrison.*

As I blew out the candles, Alpha Max smiled, asking what I’d wished for. I cut the cake, silently answering in my heart, "To leave you."