Five months after my miscarriage, Holden, my Alpha and mate, was attentive in every way except for intimacy. I thought he was being considerate of my recovery until I discovered a condom in the bag with the late-night snack he brought home for me.

That same evening, I found messages on his phone exchanged with a young Omega named Alianna.

"Your Luna is so pathetic, she only ever gets what's left."

"I heard it's been almost six months since her miscarriage. Haven't you two done anything? This whole waiting game is tiring."

He replied, "If it wasn’t for wanting an heir, I wouldn’t have touched her at all. She doesn’t interest me in the slightest."

"I got a place for you near the pack training grounds, so you can swing by during lunch breaks."

Staring at the leftovers in front of me, my stomach churned uncontrollably. After the miscarriage, Holden would bring me snacks whenever he worked late. I was foolish enough to think he had finally learned to be considerate, not realizing that what he brought home were actually the remains from his meals with another wolf!

Suppressing my nausea, I forced myself to scroll through more of the chat history. That's when I discovered that Alianna was a young Omega Holden met during a pack alliance event.

"Alianna, you're as delicious as a spiced honey cake."

"Do you prefer the frosting or the cake itself?"

"If it’s you, I like it all."

No wonder Holden, who hated sweets, had been buying them all the time back then. Was it really the dessert he desired, or was it something—or someone—else?

After reading through all the messages, I couldn’t hold back any longer and ran to the bathroom to vomit. It was unthinkable. The usually reserved Alpha of our pack was entangled in such a sordid affair. If I hadn’t seen those messages myself, I would never have believed he could say such things.

Hearing the commotion, Holden rushed out of his study with a glass of warm water, gently rubbing my back. "Skyler, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

I finally felt a bit better after retching nothing but bile. Meeting Holden’s concerned gaze, I fought to suppress my anger. "The food might be off."

"Off?"

When Holden saw the contents of the takeout container, his face darkened immediately. "I'm sorry, Skyler. Maybe I upset the pack kitchen staff before, and they're taking it out on me. I’ll talk to them tomorrow. Let me take you to the healer now."

Hearing his excuse, I shook my head wearily. "I didn’t eat it. And don't bring home late-night snacks anymore."

Seeing my sour mood, Holden walked behind me and wrapped me in his arms, resting his head on my shoulder. "There’s a pack reunion tomorrow. They invited me. Will you come with me? I’d love to relive our early days together."

Holden and I had harbored feelings for each other for years, but it wasn’t until pack training that we officially became mates. Thinking about those times with Holden, my heart ached in ways I couldn’t suppress. The memories between us were burdensome—too heavy to carry, yet impossible to forget.

Seeing Holden’s eyes filled with curiosity, I agreed to his request.

Returning to the pack grounds with Holden, I saw a familiar name on the announcement board. Alianna Grant, a young Omega and assistant to the pack Gamma. Next to the board was an exhibition of her photography.

One photo showed a partially eaten spiced honey cake with two hands intertwined. Alianna had titled it "Young Love." The veined male hand in the photo—I recognized it instantly as Holden’s. I knew his body too intimately for it to be anyone else's. Just like he knew mine too well, well enough to disdain it.

"What’s caught your attention? These are just Omega projects, probably a bit mundane for your taste," Holden commented, his gaze lingering fondly on Alianna's profile picture.

The sight struck me like a dagger. "Look at this pup. They’re adorable. I’ve recovered now, let’s try for another heir."

Holden’s brow furrowed, a gesture I recognized as his trademark sign of frustration. "There's no rush, Skyler. I want you to focus on taking better care of yourself."

No sooner had Holden finished speaking than a group of young Omegas approached us.

"Alpha Grant, we’re also training under the Gamma. Could you mentor us sometime? Alianna says you’re the best!"

Holden, who had intended to refuse, lit up at the mention of Alianna’s name. Turning to me, he grasped my hand. "Skyler, you haven’t been here for years. Why don’t you explore a bit?"

While his tone seemed conciliatory, his eyes betrayed a resolute determination.

"The Omegas have their Gamma. We rarely come here together; why not take a walk? I remember there used to be a clearing around here."

The clearing was where Holden and I had first declared our feelings for each other. Holden hesitated. "All right..."

"This must be Alpha Grant! I’m Alianna Grant, your Gamma’s assistant!" A cute but provocatively dressed Omega ran up to Holden, interrupting him with a playful voice.

Holden’s eyes lit up at Alianna’s outfit, quickly dimming again. "Skyler, I’ll join you later to walk around the pack grounds."

Watching Holden leave with the Omegas, I followed them at a distance.

Once they reached a secluded spot, Alianna found a reason to send the other two Omegas away. Left alone, Holden embraced Alianna, his gaze possessive. "Wearing this to the grounds today—trying to make me jealous or shopping for a new mate?"

Alianna, unafraid, wrapped her arms around his neck. "If you’re my mate, what about Skyler?"

Holden looked at Alianna indulgently. "We’ve finally got some time alone. Are you going to waste it talking about this? I know of a gazebo where no one ever goes."

The two of them quickly moved to the gazebo. Alianna sat on a bench, her legs hooked over Holden’s shoulders. Holden grinned wider, lowering himself toward her.

Alianna blocked his mouth with her hand. "What am I to you, really?"

Taking her question seriously, Holden paused, then playfully pinched her cheek. "You’re my number one. The only regret I have is not meeting you sooner."

"Meeting me earlier would’ve been pointless—I was underage back then."

"No problem. I’d have waited for you to grow up."

My fingernails bit into my palms and tears spilled uncontrollably. Once upon a time, Holden had told me he was the luckiest wolf alive to have met me at the perfect time in his life. How quickly things change.

Unable to bear the sight of them in the gazebo, I turned away in a daze, my heart shattering with every step.

I waited by the lakeside for Holden, the crisp evening air carrying the faint scent of pine. My wolf stirred uneasily in my chest, a low growl of discomfort echoing in my mind. I didn’t want to listen to it—not now. When Holden finally arrived, he was dressed casually, which was unusual for him. As an Alpha, he always carried himself with an air of authority, his presence commanding and his aura dominant. Today, though, his shirt was slightly wrinkled, and his usual polished demeanor seemed... off.

He handed me a cup of flavored coffee, his deep voice soft. "Your favorite back in school," he said, his tone almost nostalgic.

I used to love it, but now it tasted like ash in my mouth. I didn’t have the appetite for it—or for him. Not anymore.

"Why aren't you drinking?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

I met his gaze, the weight of his Alpha aura pressing against me even now. "People change, Alpha," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.

Before Alianna, I never would have imagined Holden falling for someone so different from me. He hesitated, clearly thrown off by my use of his title rather than his name. Then, as if trying to bridge the growing distance between us, he gently pulled me into his arms.

"Skyler," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear, "I know you're hurting since we lost the pup. Just promise me you won’t let your mind go to dark places. We can have another."

"Skyler, I’m always here for you."

Always... that meant whenever he wasn’t with Alianna, he’d be with me. I leaned against his shoulder, the familiar scent of his Alpha musk wrapping around me. I forced a bitter smile and shut my eyes, trying to block out the pain. This might be the last time I’d allow myself to lean on him like this.

Once we got home, Holden immediately opened his laptop and dove into work. The photos he was editing were clearly someone else’s, and it twisted my gut. Back during our pack training days, we used to help each other with projects like this. He’d been my Beta then, my partner in everything.

Catching my gaze, Holden looked up and grasped my hand. "Just helping out some juniors," he said, his tone dismissive. "It’s how I give back to the pack."

Late that night, I woke to find Holden still glued to the computer. A new chat window had popped up on the screen. Carefully, I zoomed in on the conversation using my phone.

"Editing photos for you isn’t tiring. I’d do it all night. How do you plan to pay me back?"

"I’m thinking of renting a place near your home, hanging out during breaks. If that’s not enough, maybe we can have a pup together?"

"But I have one condition: if I have your child, you have to reject Skyler as your mate."

Their flirting hit a wall at that, and Holden’s fingers shook slightly as he stared at the screen, stuck without a reply. Alianna began losing patience, her tone edging into annoyance.

"If you stick with Skyler, you’ll be with a boring old she-wolf forever. I can give you what she can’t."

Reading this, Holden’s fingers flew across the keyboard.

"I just don’t want you to have a pup yet. How could I let that happen? Alianna, I’ll be with you tomorrow."

The next morning, when I woke up, Holden was gone, but he’d left breakfast on the table for me. I picked up my phone to message him but noticed Alianna had updated her profile. I’d followed it after spotting it on the pack’s bulletin board yesterday, thinking she only posted her photography work. Instead, I found something else.

"First time experiencing the contrast between fading and blooming."

The picture showed Alianna with a radiant smile, contrasted against my dejected silhouette. Humiliation and anger surged within me. Holden had clearly edited those photos for her; he must have recognized my silhouette but still let Alianna share them.

That evening, Holden came home smelling of alcohol. Seeing him drunk made me recall Alianna’s recent post.

"No wonder he’s the Alpha I picked; even drunk, he’s all about me. His stamina is something else."

Linking that comment to the man before me made me feel ill.

"Skyler, I missed you so much," Holden murmured, pulling me into an embrace. I wrestled to break free, but his grip was firm, his Alpha strength overpowering.

He carried me to the bedroom, gazing earnestly into my eyes. "Skyler, three days from now is our anniversary. How do you want to celebrate?"

Feeling Holden’s warmth, I buried my face in the pillow, tears quickly soaking it. In his drunken state, Holden failed to notice my distress, merely whispering my name now and then.

I couldn’t understand how he could be so infatuated with Alianna, yet pretend to be so devoted to me at the same time. My wolf growled again, a low, pained sound, but I silenced it. I didn’t need its reminders. The cracks in our bond were already too deep to ignore.