“Isadora, your mating ceremony is due for six years. You can't always delay it. You know the Pack’s rules.” My mom's voice echoed through the mindlink, concerned as always.

“Your father has arranged your mating ceremony with the alpha of a renowned pack. He asked me to ask for your consent.” She added, her voice hesitant.

I remained silent. I knew she was going to speak again. “If you don't want this, I’ll talk to your father and cancel everything-”

“I’m ready.” I replied, my voice firm and confident.

“Y-You agreed?” My mom stammered in disbelief.

“Just tell him to give me some time. I need to wrap up something before leaving.” I stated before disconnecting our telepathy.

As the connection was cut, a silence stretched through my chamber, a stark contrast to the fireworks going outside.

According to the pack I belonged to, I must mate with someone after I turn eighteen. Fortunately, I found my mate at the night I turned eighteen.

But, the worst part was, he refused to mate with me!

“I won't mate with you until I make a name for my pack and prove myself to be a worthy Alpha!”

Once amazed by his determination, I followed him for six years, helped him take ladders of success and merged several packs under his territory only to see him kissing his beta under the full moon.

He had held her tightly in his arms, sat on the mountain I once urged him to visit with me on the night we mate. His gaze never diverted from her eyes, as if she was the moon of his life.

“Isadora would be mad if she finds out you have already mated with me,” Layla's words cut deep through my heart.

I stared at them in disbelief. Layla’s wrinkled clothes, sweat rolling down Alexander’s abs and the mess on the green grasslands were telling the tales of their betrayal.

They had already mated!

“It's your day, Layla!” Alexander’s voice echoed through my ears, soft and gentle, but only for Layla.

“Don't think about Isadora right now!” he said, his eyes filled with desire as he pulled Layla back in his embrace and continued, “It's your birthday today! Tell me what you want?”

Layla’s cheeks turned red, a malicious smile on her face when she expressed her desire, “I want to give birth to a lot of cubs for you, Alpha! Will you let me?”

Alexander hesitated for a moment before he smiled back, “If that's what you want, I won't refuse you.”

Alexander’s words sent shivers down my spine. He promised someone to let her conceive his child while he had held our mating ceremony for six years.

My fingers were clenched into my thighs as I stared at them angrily. But, I didn't confront them.

I didn't cry either.

I just turned back and left, already making up my mind.

I had just disconnected my mindlink with mom and Layla pulled open the door of my chamber without even asking for my permission.

She walked in on her heels like she owned it as she stood right before me.

“You heard everything, don't you?” She asked, her voice laced with pride and arrogance. “Alexander is mine now!”

“If you are smart enough, you should already start packing your luggage and leave!” She added.

Resting her hands on her belly, she added, “I don't want my cubs to be scared watching such a dangerous woman in their pack when they grow up.”

“What did you just say?” I growled, stunned by her words.

“Why are you looking so shocked? Have you ever heard the whispers and snickers against you in the pack?” She smirked.

“Alexander isn't to be blamed for betraying the bond with you, Isadora. It's you! Always acting strong and powerful, fighting alongside men, roaring and growling… too unromantic”

“Men like soft and delicate women- like me!” She said, “Alexander loves touching my soft skin beneath his hard muscles. He loves it when I stiffen myself in his arms, afraid- which you wouldn't!”

“He loves it when-”

I grabbed her neck before she could say one more word and growled in anger, “Will he love it as well when your tongue comes out of your mouth?”

Layla's eyes wide open in terror. But then I saw a malicious smile on her lips, just for a moment before I was pushed so hard that I fell off the floor, my head hitting the flower wasp, bleeding heavily.

I barely managed to turn back only to find Alexander holding Layla in his arms and gently rubbing her neck.

“Are you okay, Lay?” He asked, panic written all over his face.

Lay? I couldn't remember the last time he had called me by my nickname, despite my request.

Just a cold address ‘Isadora’, tone similar as he called his men.

After making sure, there wasn't a single scratch on Layla, he turned to look at me, eyes fiery red. “What the hell is wrong with you, Isadora?”

“Did you even try to know what she said to me just now?” I yelled, hissing in pain caused by the heavy bleeding.

“I don't care what she told you. But, you shouldn't have hurt her. She is soft and delicate unlike you- wild and masculine!” He replied.

“Wh-What did you just say?” I asked, stunned. The word ‘too wild and masculine’ kept echoing in my head.

“Apologize to Layla!” He said coldly.

“You didn't ask what happened here and assumed I was wrong.” I spat, my mind still stuck to the words he had said to me earlier.

“I don't need to ask!” He replied coldly, “I know what kind of a person you are, jealous and insecure!”

“Who made me feel insecure, Alexander?” I asked, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Don't you think it's you who should be blamed for my insecurity?”

“That's enough, Isadora!” He cut me off. He gently held Layla's hands and walked closer to me. His expressions tightened as he turned to me.

“Apologize to her now!” he commanded.

“What if I don't?” I stared at him, fearless.

“Then forget about our mating ceremony next weekend. I won't mate with you until you apologise to Layla.” He stated.

“Your apologies should sound genuine.” He had added before he picked Layla up in his arms and walked out, slamming the door behind him loudly.

I sat on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

This was the man I loved blindly and followed him around for six years. He didn't hesitate for a moment before he had chosen someone else over my years of loyalty towards him.

That's enough!

I had cried enough for him.

I stood up, wiping away my tears. The anger and hurt that had been building up inside me finally found an outlet. I was done crying, done begging, and done loving someone who didn't appreciate me.

I walked to the mirror and stared at my reflection. The woman staring back at me was strong, fierce, and determined. I took a deep breath and let my anger fuel my resolve.

I was going to leave Alexander, and I was going to start a new life, one where I would be valued and respected.

I began to pack my bags, my movements swift and decisive. I was done waiting for Alexander to realize my worth. I was done being his pawn in his game of love and power. It was time for me to take control of my own life, to forge my own path.

As I packed my luggage, my gaze fell on a small wooden box that had velvet cover on it with golden less. I had personally decorated it with handpicked materials.

I sat on the floor holding the wooden box, containing the memories of my past with Alexander.

As I opened the box, my gaze glittered with the golden lighter that was broken, the lighter he had used to light the dark chamber to look at me when we first met.

The box was filled with so many small, big things, cheap and expensive. The handkerchief I had gifted him by doing handwork on it, that he later dropped somewhere.

A broken tooth- he got broken from his mouth when he first fought in front of me. A jade pendant with moon shape, the only gift he had given me in the past six years.

A red dress that I had handcrafted, hoping to wear on the night we mate. Along with it, I had prepared a dress for Alexander as well to look esthetic.

There were many more things which I cherished once. But, now looking at them, I felt nothing.

I took the lighter out of the box before I closed it.

I sat in a dimly lit chamber, the fire reflecting in my eyes from the lighter that I had put on.

I stared at the once so valuable box to my heart for one last time and then threw the lighter towards it.

The red velvet cover caught the fire instantly and passed it to the wooden box.

I kept staring at the box, watching the memories of the past getting erased one by one as if it could ease the pain, my heart was burning with.

Suddenly, the door of my chamber was pushed open and Alexander walked inside in haste. His eyes wide open as he saw the red box burning with fire.

“Isadora…” he called me, his voice desperate. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Dumping the waste.” I had said without looking back, my voice calm and neutral.

“But, those are the memories of our past!” He protested as he rushed himself to put the fire off, “How can you even think of destroying them?”

“Past are meant to be forgotten…” I said, still sat in my place calmly as I added, “Or else we will never be able to move forward.”

Alexander shot a glance at me, hesitant and afraid. He realised the bitterness in my tone. After doing all the failed attempts to save a few items from the burning box, he walked up to me.

“Isadora, are you okay?” He asked, his voice laced with guilt and regret.

I remained silent. He sighed as he went back to put the fire off the box, whispering, “Let's go out somewhere… to freshen up. How about we go on a dinner date tomorrow?”

Alexander’s hands were swollen red while trying to save the remnants from the fire. After realizing it was too late to save our memories, he stood up, disappointed.

“Do not do this ever again…” he had said, the hurt visible in his eyes. I wondered why.

He had humiliated our bond by mating with Layla and planning to have babies with her. He had disappointed me in ever possible ways he could, destroyed everything we built in past six years.

Then why clutching to the memories of the past?

“I won't do it again!” I said, my voice flat.

‘Because there would be no memory of us in the future’. I had added to myself.

Alexander smiled, his expressions careful as he asked, “Isadora, everything is okay between us, right?”

He seemed to guess there was something off about me. I didn't reply. He walked closer, trying to win me with his soft manipulative voice,

“I lost my mind seeing you hurt Layla. Everything will be okay once you apologize to her.” He said. As if doing some favour on me, he added.

“Once you apologize to Layla, our mating ceremony will be held on the scheduled time just as you planned.”

I sensed a cold threat in his words despite his softened expression. He made it loud and clear he was going to postpone our mating ceremony if I didn't apologize to Layla.

Counting this one, he had postponed our mating ceremony for a hundred times, always agreeing for a date and then ghosting me on the day of the mating ceremony, letting me face the whispers and snickers of his people.

But, this time I was going to ditch the ceremony, not him!

I looked Alexander straight in the eye, my gaze unwavering. "You want me to apologize to Layla?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain. "You want me to grovel at her feet, to beg for your forgiveness?"

Alexander's smile faltered, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. But he quickly regained his composure, his expression hardening into a mask of determination.

"Yes, I want you to apologize to Layla," he repeated, his voice firm. "It's the least you can do after what you did to her."

I laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You really don't get it, do you?" I said, my voice laced with venom. "I'm not going to apologize to Layla. I'm not going to apologize for something I didn't do. And I'm certainly not going to beg for your forgiveness."

Alexander's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. But I didn't back down. Instead, I took a step closer to him, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"Our mating ceremony?" I said, a sly smile spreading across my face. "You can forget about it. I'm not going to waste my time waiting for you to decide when and if we're going to mate. I'm done waiting, Alexander. I'm done being strung along."

The words hung in the air, a challenge issued. And for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of surprise in Alexander's eyes.

“This time, I’m serious, Isadora.” He had replied before holding my hands.

“Trust me.” He urged. He shot a glance at the burning box before he turned to look at me.

“Don't do anything stupid! Let's go on a dinner date tomorrow and talk about whatever is running in your head, okay?” He said, his tone seemed genuine.

I slowly nod my head in agreement, not that I trusted him. But, I had to tell him about my departure and that I was going to mate with someone else, someone my family decided for me.

A dinner date to say goodbye for forever- not a bad idea of parting with someone you loved for six years.

Seeing me not rebelling anymore, a smile spread beneath his lips. But, soon his phone rang.

Despite his attempt to hide the name on his phone screen, I could see “Lay” written with a heart emoji as he picked up the call.

“Alex, I just had a bad dream! I can't sleep. Can you please come and sleep over here? I’m scared.”

Layla's voice sounded from the other end, laced with desperation and urgency as usual.

“Don't worry! Keep the lights switched on. You won't feel scared. I’m coming right now.” He said, turning his back to me.

Without a word, he left the room, left the conversation we were having a moment ago. I could see the urgency in his movements for Layla.

As he left, I smiled at the hollow promises he just made before leaving before I dialed a number.

“I want to resign from the post of Alexander commander in the army.” I declared.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Elder Victor’s voice sounded from the other hand, shocked.“Does Alexander know about it?”

“Not yet!” I replied, “But he will be known by next weekend.”

“Next weekend?” I could sense the urgency in Elder Victor's tone as he asked, “It's your mating ceremony with Alexander next weekend. Isadora, what the hell are you planning to do?”