My heart shattered, but I refused to let it show. Kayden and Francis, my oldest friends—the ones who’d once vowed to protect me—stood across from me, cold and unyielding, with Sharon nestled between them, wide-eyed and innocent as ever.
“Maybe if you weren’t so distant, we’d still trust you,” Francis spat, not even sparing me a glance.
Kayden’s tone was softer but no less cutting. “She’s done nothing to you, Malinda. Sharon just wants to belong... maybe the problem is you.”
Their words pierced deeper than I could have imagined, the sting of betrayal sharper than any pain I’d known. They were ready to cast me aside for someone they’d barely met. In that moment, my path forward became clear. Leaving them—choosing the arranged mateship with a powerful, unknown Alpha—felt like the only way to escape the heartbreak of staying where I wasn’t wanted.
Without a word, I turned away. Leaving them would hurt, but not as much as staying.
--
“Malinda, we’ve arranged a Mateship Ceremony for you,” my mother’s voice echoed through the mind link. “Your blood is becoming more volatile every day. Only the strength of an Alpha mate can keep your blood stable and keep you safe.”
I sat alone in my dimly lit room, gaze fixed on the shadowy corners. Silence stretched between us, filling the air with an unspoken weight. I knew my mother was about to speak again, offering me a way out, as always.
"If you don’t want this, I’ll speak to your father and cancel everything. We won’t force you," she finally said, her voice softening.
My lips parted, my answer steady and unyielding. “I’m willing, Mom. I’ll go through with the arranged mateship.”
There was stunned silence on the other end, and then she stammered in disbelief. “You… you agreed?”
“Yes, I agreed,” I repeated, calm and devoid of hesitation. “But I need time to wrap up some things in the Shadow Pack first. Please start preparing for the Mateship Ceremony.”
I ended the mind link without asking a single question about the Alpha they’d chosen. I didn’t care who he was or what he’d heard about my fragile health, only that he was willing to mate with someone everyone believed was dying.
But I wasn’t dying. Not yet. The powerful Lycan bloodline coursing through me was more than my body could handle without a mate’s mark to stabilize it. Every day, I grew weaker, struggling against the surging strength within.
As the connection faded, loud music from the packhouse filtered up through my walls. The faint sound of voices singing “Happy Birthday” mingled with the clinking of glasses and laughter. Downstairs, Kayden and Francis, my oldest friends and the Alpha’s sons, were throwing a celebration for Sharon, the newest member of the Shadow Pack. She’d arrived a month prior, orphaned after a rogue attack left her alone.
A soft knock at my door interrupted my thoughts, followed by the quiet creak of it opening. Sharon entered with a shy smile and a slice of blueberry cake, remnants of frosting smudged on her carefully made-up face. She stepped closer, her eyes wide and pleading.
“Malinda,” she began in a soft, sweet voice, “won’t you come down and join us? I’d love to have you there with me.”
My gaze hardened. Beneath Sharon’s innocent expression, I’d seen flashes of something else—a slyness I couldn’t ignore. “I have work to finish, Sharon,” I replied, my tone icy. “Go enjoy your party.”
A flicker of hurt crossed her face, tears welling in her eyes. “Malinda… do you not like me? Is that why you always keep your distance?”
I clenched my jaw. I hadn’t even done anything, but Sharon was already playing the victim. The act felt so obvious. It was almost laughable.
“Sharon,” I said, voice laced with warning, “save your performances for Kayden and Francis. They may fall for it, but I don’t.” I turned to close the door.
But Sharon, undeterred, reached out to stop it, catching her hand painfully between the door and the frame. She gasped, cradling her swelling hand.
“Aww—”
At that moment, Kayden and Francis rounded the corner. Their eyes fell on Sharon, cradling her injured hand, and they rushed over without sparing me a second glance. Francis’s face turned red with anger as he looked at me.
“Malinda, if you don’t like Sharon, fine, but you didn’t have to hurt her!” He snapped, words sharp with accusation. “When did you become so cruel?”
Kayden, ever the quieter one, regarded me with a cold, disappointed gaze. “Today’s her birthday, Malinda,” he said in a low voice. “There was no need for this.”
Turning back to Sharon, he instantly softened. “Let’s get that hand of yours looked at. Does it hurt much?”
Kayden led Sharon away, Francis following close behind. I watched them dote on her, whispering promises to lift her spirits. It felt as though I were watching strangers rather than the two friends who’d once been my everything.
As they disappeared down the stairs, I closed my door and leaned against it, memories flooding back from a time when I’d been the one they always protected.
We’d all grown up together in Shadow Pack, childhood friends who had once been inseparable. Kayden and Francis, the Alpha’s sons, had always been by my side, ready to defend me or make me laugh. But I, the Beta’s daughter, was born with an unstable Lycan bloodline—fragile from birth, prone to bouts of weakness that left me bedridden in the pack territory’s damp climate. When I was five, my parents sent me to a city with warmer weather to help me recover under a skilled healer’s guidance.
But it was more than just my frail health; my blood held a rare strength, the power of an ancient Lycan lineage, a force that pulsed through me but was far too much for my body to withstand alone. The only solution, the healer said, was to find my fated mate—an Alpha strong enough to mark me and anchor the power within.
Kayden and Francis had been my protectors, my friends. When I left for the city to recuperate, they’d practically begged me not to go, vowing to stay by my side, no matter what. Back then, the bond between us had felt unbreakable.
But that bond was crumbling, and it all started when Sharon arrived.
On her first day, Sharon sat alone, avoiding eye contact and refusing to join the pack for meals. I had pitied her then, hearing of her tragic past and feeling the urge to protect her as I’d once been protected. I invited Sharon to join me, introducing her to Kayden and Francis, who welcomed her into our circle without a second thought.
And Sharon, with her doe-eyed innocence, captivated them.
Kayden, once the silent, steady presence by my side, now laughed and joked at Sharon’s every word. Francis, who used to spar and train with me, dropped everything the moment Sharon needed something.
It was painful, realizing I had been replaced, and yet, in a twisted way, it also freed me. I could walk away from them both without regret now. My decision to accept the arranged mateship was more than just a means to stabilize my blood—it was the only way to run away from everything.
Late in the evening, I shut my door and popped in my sound-dampening earplugs, letting the celebration music fade to nothing. The decision was final—I’d return home and accept the arranged mating with a powerful Alpha. It was my only real option now. But leaving Shadow Pack wasn’t something I could just rush. I had responsibilities here, things to put in order, all without raising suspicion.
I glanced toward my window, watching the forest stretch into the dark beyond the pack's territory. A couple of hours later, when I’d finished what I could, I stretched and took out my earplugs, letting the peaceful quiet settle in.
Just then, my phone buzzed. Sharon.
"Why don’t you ever like my posts?" The message stared back at me. A minute later, another one popped up, "Oh, sorry, Malinda! That was sent by mistake. Don’t be mad?"
I shook my head, recognizing the thinly veiled jab. Sharon loved to pull these little stunts, planting seeds and then pretending innocence. Curiosity piqued, I tapped open Sharon’s posts, letting the images fill my screen.
The first one showed her surrounded by gifts from Kayden and Francis. She wore a wide, innocent grin, her eyes glistening in that overly sweet way, dressed in the new satin gown Kayden had gifted her, soft pink and delicate as rose petals. Flanking her were Kayden and Francis, each with an arm around her as if she were some delicate thing that needed protection.
Then there was Kayden’s gift—a pair of crystal-studded shoes—and Francis’s, a dagger with intricate gold designs, a gift usually reserved for the pack's inner circle. And in the last image, Sharon was framed between the two of them, captioned, "Guess who got to feel like a princess today!"
An old bitterness rose in me, but I swallowed it back down. Sharon could have it all if that’s what they wanted. Later on, none of this would matter. I tapped a little heart emoji on her story, almost laughing at the absurdity of it. Soon enough, my ties to Kayden, Francis, and Sharon would mean nothing.
The next morning, I wrapped up my duties at the intelligence office, double-checking that everything was in order. Back home, I opened a box of old photos—snapshots of my life with Kayden and Francis. We’d shared everything once: school pranks, our first shifts as wolves, holidays, and family trips. Memories from the past I could no longer hold on to.
Taking a deep breath, I carried the stack to the old stone fireplace and set each photo onto the flames, watching the edges curl and blacken before they crumbled to ash.
I was down to the last photo when Kayden and Francis walked in, stopping dead at the sight. Kayden’s eyes flashed, and he closed the distance between us in a heartbeat, gripping my wrist. “Malinda, what are you doing?” he growled, his gaze flicking from me to the smoldering pictures.
Francis’s brows knitted, and he reached for a half-burned photo, only to pull his hand back as the flames licked his fingers, leaving them blistered.
“Why would you burn them? These are our memories!” Francis’s voice cracked, his eyes a dark, angry red as he tried to hold back whatever emotions simmered beneath the surface.
I met their stares calmly, slipping my wrist from Kayden’s grip. “They’re just old memories, Kayden. Time to let go.”
Kayden’s icy glare softened, uncertainty flickering across his face. I almost wanted to laugh. How had we gotten here? They could ignore me for Sharon, wound me for her sake, but the moment a few photos burned, suddenly it mattered.
I lifted my chin, fighting the urge to let the bitterness show. This was the right choice—I had no doubt anymore.
And part of me wondered how the two of them would react the moment they found out I’d agreed to the arranged mateship.
The weight of my decision felt like a stone lodged in my chest, cold and unyielding. “It’s just a photo,” I murmured, more to myself than to Kayden and Francis, though I knew they’d hear it. “We don’t need any more photos together.”
My tone was final, and I hoped they’d take it as the end of the discussion. But Kayden, always the one to keep hope alive, nudged gently, “The skies are clear tonight. Maybe we could still take a few later if you’d like. Besides, it’s been a while since we left the pack grounds. It might be good for all of us.”
Francis chimed in quickly, his voice brighter, as if he could will away the tension. “And we could bring Sharon along, too. She’s been asking to see the northern forest for ages.” His eyes held a glimmer of hope, clinging to the thought that one simple trip might hold our fragile threads together.
The mention of Sharon—innocent, sheltered Sharon—brought a faint, bittersweet smile to my lips, though it was more in resignation than joy. I didn’t respond, just gave a small nod, knowing they’d take it as reluctant agreement. It was the only peace I could offer them.
They seemed relieved as we started toward the den, but their steps faltered when they noticed the stacked boxes by the door.
“What’s all this?” Kayden asked, confusion softening his voice, while Francis’s face mirrored his shock.
I let out a quiet sigh, keeping my gaze on the boxes. “I resigned from the intelligence division. Alpha Nathan already approved it.” My voice held firm, but a part of me felt exposed, as if admitting it made the whole thing more real.
The silence that followed was thick, stretching uncomfortably between us. Both of them knew how hard I had fought for that position, how I’d ignored the toll it took on me to keep pushing forward. For them, it was an unspoken truth, a sign of my commitment to the pack—and, by extension, to them. Kayden’s brow furrowed, and his mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came.
Francis, always the one more open with his emotions, glanced between me and Kayden, trying to find the right words. But before he could say anything, a sharp ring from Kayden’s phone broke the silence.
He answered, and Sharon’s small, anxious voice filled the room. “Kayden? My power’s out, and it’s… it’s so dark. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.” Her words were fragile, trembling with unspoken fear.
Francis’s expression shifted instantly, a protective urgency replacing his shock. Before Kayden could respond, he interjected, “Don’t worry, Sharon. I’m coming over.” Kayden gave a quick nod, his own worry evident, and in an instant, they both shifted into their wolves, powerful forms taking over as they bolted out the door without another word to me.
I stood there, watching as their paw prints scattered bits of paper and dust from my carefully packed boxes, leaving a mess in their wake. The silence they left felt vast and hollow, and I was left alone once again, just as I’d planned.
I let out a sigh and reached for my phone, dialing a familiar number. The line rang a few times before Anna’s voice, warm and steady, greeted me on the other end.
“Malinda?” Her tone held that gentle strength that had comforted me countless times since I was a child. Anna had taken me in, a motherly figure who filled the void in ways no one else had.
I hesitated, my voice softening as I finally spoke. “I’m calling to let you know I’ll be leaving soon. I’m heading to join my mate—a match arranged by my parents.”
There was a brief silence on her end, long enough for me to imagine her reaction. When she finally spoke, there was sadness woven into her words. “Have you told Kayden and Francis?”
“No,” I replied, steadying my voice. “They’ll find out in time. For now, I just need things to stay… uncomplicated. Please, Anna, don’t tell them.”
She sighed, the sound soft and filled with reluctant understanding. “You’ve been their anchor, Malinda. They’ve looked after you since you were a child, like you were one of their own. I always thought… one day, you’d choose one of them. It’s hard to see you going elsewhere.”
A faint, wistful smile tugged at my lips. “There’s no pity in it, Anna. We weren’t fated mates, not for sure. They’ll understand.”
Another pause stretched between us, her silence heavy with the unspoken words that we both felt. Finally, she spoke, her voice tinged with regret. “Promise me you’ll come see me before you leave, Malinda. It feels so sudden… and who knows when we’ll see each other again?”
“I promise,” I replied, warmth softening my tone. “I have something for you, anyway. I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
After we exchanged a few more words, we ended the call, and I found myself alone once again in the quiet of my empty home. I barely had a moment to collect my thoughts before another presence filled my mind—Alpha Nathan’s voice, firm and authoritative, reaching me through the pack’s mind link.
“Malinda, your work in the intelligence division has served the pack well. As a token of appreciation, I’ve had a crystal plaque crafted in your honor. It’s been delivered to your home.”
The link faded just as quickly as it had started, and I was left staring at the door, surprised by the gesture. A moment later, the doorbell rang, and when I opened it, Sharon stood there, clutching a small box in her hands.
She held the box out to me, her expression a mixture of gratitude and something else, a question that lingered in her gaze, though she didn’t voice it. “It’s your reward,” she said softly, eyes tracing my face as if searching for answers.
