Chapter 1: An Open Marriage.

ROSAELIE

“I reject you, Asher Westwood.” These words escaped my tongue steadier than I thought.

An eerie silence fell over the room. No response. I clenched my fist as my eyes hovered over my mate, naked and inside Hannah, while he was trying to cover that slut.

“I reject you, Asher,” I repeated, growing impatient.

Asher shot me a narrow glance. “Shut this nonsense, Rose! What are you doing here in my office without reporting to me?”

“This isn't nonsense. Asher, accept my rejection.”

He gritted his teeth and slid out of the bed as he buttoned his shirt.

He had brought this bed into his office last year. He told me he was always busy with work and sometimes ended up sleeping there. Now, the mere thought of him sharing that bed with other women made my stomach churn with nausea.

Disgusting.

“I've told you not to break into my office. I have a lot of important stuff here, and this is an important place. Didn't I tell you to send the dinner through the Beta? You can leave now after giving me dinner.”

I smirked, sarcastically. “Yes, right. You were certainly doing something very important.”

“Fuck, Rose! Shut it. Don't be like a jealous shrew. Hannah was sick; I was just taking care of her.”

The nerve of him to still behave as if nothing had happened and lie after he was caught red-handed.

“I could certainly see how well you were taking care of her in the bed, Asher. What kind of dirty illness was she suffering from that would require you to fuck her? Or, both of you were in a rut?”

“ROSE” Asher screamed as he threw the nearest object to him—a vase at me. I managed to dodge before it could strike my forehead, but it still crashed into my arm. Blood immediately oozed from the wound.

‘Hiss…’ I sucked in a sharp breath, but I lifted my head almost immediately, not letting him feel the satisfaction of hurting me.

I could feel why he would be so angry. After all, a werewolf losing control of their heat means that they're a low-class wolf, and obviously, it affected Asher’s pride.

“Rose… Please don't fight with the Alpha because of me… It was me. He was just intoxicated by my scent and couldn't let me go. Plus, we were both drugged. This was a mistake. Please don't fight over me.” Hannah cried out as she bent down on her knees before me. “If you can't stand it, I'll just leave and never appear before your eyes, Rose. Please don't punish the Alpha.”

I gritted my teeth and kicked Hannah on her stomach. “Cut this act out, Hannah!”

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?” Asher's roar came immediately as he pushed me towards the edge of his table and curled Hannah in his arm. “She's your best friend, for God's sake! How can you be so jealous?”

Best friend? I used to think Hannah deserved that title. We had always had each other's backs, and in this pack, she was the only friend I ever trusted. That's why I never questioned the amount of time she spent around Asher. I was the one who introduced her as his secretary, believing I was helping both of them. Looking back now… I had simply handed her the perfect opportunity to steal my mate.

“What? Should I thank my best friend for sleeping with my mate?”

“Cut this out, Rose! Stop being petty and jealous over something like this! It's just a one-time matter. Didn't she apologize? What more do you want?”

For all I know, this didn't happen for the first time. Hannah kept sending me suspicious photos over the month. But I always kept believing them. One was my mate, the person I've been with for the last 3 years, and helped him grow the pack. The other was my best friend, the only person I was close to during my time on the pack, while the others belittled me for being a human. However, today was the last straw.

I rolled my eyes. “I just want you to fucking accept my rejection, and both of you to never appear before my eyes. Don't dirty my eyes, please.”

Asher gritted his teeth.

“Rose, please don't do this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll just leave the pack, okay? Please don't fight over this petty matter.”

“ENOUGH You're not leaving anywhere, Hannah.” After comforting Hannah, Asher turned towards me. “If you can't even handle your emotions, how the fuck are you going to be a Luna? Didn't you want a mating ceremony? Fine, I'll arrange it. I know you can't live without me. Stop pushing things further!”

How can this mutthead be so narcissistic? Yes, I loved him. He was my mate, and the pull was irresistible. But every time he humiliated me and left me stranded this year, my dignity was shredded, and this was the final straw. I wouldn't tolerate a cheating mate. And the mating ceremony? He promised that three years ago when he marked me. However, every year he kept delaying. And now he wants to arrange a mating ceremony after fucking my best friend? Funny.

I heaved a sigh and pressed the bridge of my nose. “I don't want anything, Asher. I just want rejection and to get this done with.”

“FUCK IT, ROSE! THIS WAS JUST A ONE-TIME THING!”

“SHUT IT, ASHER! This wasn't. Do you want me to investigate what you were doing the last month with her?” Then my eyes turned to Hannah. “Stop pulling this pitiful act.”

Asher growled, “Don't you misbehave with Hannah, Rose.” Then a pause followed before he spoke again. “Yes, fuck. This wasn't a one-time thing. But don't you think that you're responsible for it?”

I laughed. “I'm responsible for it?”

“Yes. You're a fucking human, and you can't excite me. That's your problem. That's why I had to find other she-wolves to satisfy my needs. Do you think any werewolf would want you? No. Let alone an Alpha.” He said without a hesitation. “You're my mate and my Luna. But can't you even handle this? This is common. Every Alpha has some mistresses. I only have Hannah, and she's your best friend. I haven't touched any other she-wolves. Don't you think you should be understanding?”

“Understanding?” I laughed. This fucking mutthead is asking me to be understanding because he couldn't control his heat! “I told you, Asher. I won't ever tolerate cheating. You and I are done. You can fuck any she-wolves you want.”

“Don't make this more difficult than it already is, Rose. You can't reject me. And I won't accept your rejection. Think carefully before you speak. You're a fucking pathetic human. Do you think you can handle the pain of rejection?”

Impatience grew inside my chest. I didn't sign up for this nonsense when I marked him. It's been three years of our relationship. I took care of him, helped his pack grow, and all I got from him was this ridicule.

“I don't care, Asher; you're rejecting me today.”

Asher rolled his eyes and bared his fangs at me. “You think you can force a rejection? Try it then.”

I bit my lower lip. He knew perfectly well that I couldn't force a rejection. Only someone with greater power could forcefully sever a mate bond, and I was just a human. A pathetic human. One without a wolf. Without any power. How was I supposed to force a rejection?

“Reflect on your actions today, Rose. Don't interrupt my spaces without my permission. I'm doing this for your own good.” Asher said while he patted my arms, as if he was doing me a great favor.“Also, I want an open marriage. I won't hide anything from you. I'll just use the she-wolves for my physical needs, and you'll still be my Luna.”

So he fucking wanted a free pass. What he'd been doing in secret, he simply didn't mean to bother with a pretense anymore. Didn't he even feel the slightest bit of shame?

He continued, “And, yes, of course, you can also be with others… if anyone would even want to fuck you.” He said, smirking as if he was cent percent sure that I wouldn't be chosen. That I was ugly. That I was unfuckable. “I doubt if even a lowly omega would get turned on by your scent, let alone an Alpha.”

I clenched my teeth and nodded. “Okay.” A satisfactory grin crept up on Asher’s face.

“Good. Since you were so angry that I hid my affair from you, I'll make sure to inform you every time I'm with another she-wolf.”

He tried to pull me into a hug, not showing even an ounce of guilt or shame. I stepped back and walked away. I wasn't fucking interested in this.

Why should he be the only one allowed to play this game?

I walked out of the pack house, wiped away the tears threatening to fall, and unlocked my car.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel as a single destination surfaced in my mind.

Nocturne. The city's most exclusive bar.

The kind of place good girls were warned to stay away from. A hunting ground where powerful Alphas searched for nothing more than a night of pleasure.

Since he was so convinced that no Alpha would ever want me…

I'd prove him wrong.