After that day of telling the truth to Miles, he didn't come home again. Clarke hasn't even contacted me since.One day, while I was scrolling through my phone, I received a photo from Miles.Coincidentally, Miles' car stopped by the road to where I was sitting on a bench.The passenger-side window rolled down, revealing my former fiancé's handsome face. "Get in. I'll take you home."Nichole waved at me from the driver's seat. "Gayle, we came to pick you up. You're our friend after all."They looked like a couple just swinging by to pick up a friend. I forced myself to stand up and willed myself not to vomit on their faces.Miles seemed to sense my actions as he got out of the car before I could sprint away and grabbed my arm. "How long are you going to keep this shit up?" his tone was wholly frustrated and less angry."As long as you keep doing this 'I'm the best boyfriend' kind of shit." Miles didn't say anything else when I just brushed past him. Of course, I rejected his offer by
Five years have been nothing now that he had chosen her over me.The full moon outside the window could have been the perfect company for me and Alpha Lucien’s anniversary dinner date had it not been for Charmaine—the Beta’s daughter who captured his heart ever since they were young. For once, I thought they were just friends. But it seems, I’m the one who looks like vying for Alpha Lucien’s attention.My phone vibrated again. Another picture of them circulated online, this time more intimate than the one I saw earlier. I never thought I’d be spending me and my mate’s anniversary like this: staring at the picture of Charmaine and Alpha Lucien kissing her cheeks in a bright and jolly background.The pack is becoming more involved in our relationship too, commenting with things like “Yay, Alpha Lucien and Charmaine? My dream couple!” and “Marry her already, Alpha Lucien! Dump your girlfriend somewhere and leave her be!”I read Charmaine’s caption on her post again, every word makes me n
My eyes flew open as I felt the morning sunshine seeping into my skin, my eyelids have never been heavy. I don’t know how much I cried last night. I fell asleep while doing so. “You’re breaking up with me on the phone?” My eardrums seemed to be almost shattered by Lucien’s screaming the previous night too.“Yes!” I exhaled. “If you can party with another woman kissing you while I wait for you to show up on our dinner date, I have all the right to break up with you on the phone!” After ending our call last night, I also bombarded him with messages that I know what he’s been up to and that the party is never a part of the business.Charmaine is HIS business!I poured myself a glass of water after getting out of bed. I deem it necessary, especially with the bawling and sobbing I wasted on Lucien last night.My phone rang. I only took one look at it before shoving it into my drawer.With a heavy heart, I straightened and began packing my things.***I’m now back in my old apartment, one
The Feast of the Rose Moon was one of my favorite pack gatherings. Not only because it marks the beginning of spring, but also because it’s a huge part of our pack traditions of giving thanks to the Moon Goddess and strengthening our relationship with one another as a pack.It’s been a month since Alpha Lucien and I broke up. And though I’m crying less and less each night, I can definitely say that there is still an ember of my love for him that remains ignited in my heart.The Feast of the Rose Moon was held at the Rose Moon Hotel itself. The celebration lasts for three days and all of the packmembers are given a free stay at the hotel. A fresh scent of roses found its way towards me, filling the air with its bold sweetness and soft aroma.The concierge and I reached our room and it was the most expensive room I’ve ever seen—close to the grandiose of the penthouse that Lucien and I once shared.“Thank you,” I said to the concierge and he gave me a soft smile before vanishing in the h
“Drive!” I yelled at the top of my voice. Alpha Lucien’s obsessive fans have surrounded the car from all sides. “They’re eager for you,” I hissed.His laugh was dark and hearty. Lucien tossed me a look and the ember at the bottom of my heart flared into a flame.I looked away.“You really want to go with me now?” Alpha Lucien asked, amusement ringing his voice.I bared my fangs at my ex-boyfriend, my wolf snarling. “It’s just a ride. Don’t be so hopeful.”True, I won’t let my guard down knowing that Lucien very well knew that I am easy to please. He’s just pulling the strings and I won’t let myself be some puppet with her threads left bare for anyone to pull.We managed to get out of that ridiculously chaotic crowd and Lucien sped away. But that sharp and thick scent of vanilla and lavender keeps clawing its way into my mind.Of course, Charm was here. Why wouldn’t she?And this scent...it wasn’t just an ordinary scent.Something happened between them for this scent to be so strong an
I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on my hotel room. Last night, when I reached my room, I spent half of my night drowning my sorrows in the bathtub, chugging down a bottle of red wine as I cry. It was only three in the morning when I realized I made the bathtub as my temporary bed.As my footsteps neared the door, I realized it’s the last day of the Feast of the Rose Moon.“Who is it?” “Room service for breakfast from Alpha Lucien!”I gasped—no, I groaned and massaged my forehead as I opened the door.Lucien didn’t run after me last night. Why would he?He got the love of his life across him and his best friend beside him, what am I to him?Well, I’m just a second choice and second priority—a backup for him in case one woman leaves him, he has an extra woman behind.But now, he’s winning me back through some breakfast delivery.The hotel’s butler brought me a table full of food and the meals were piping hot. There were scrambled eggs, pancakes, egg benedicts, fried rice, It
I went home to my apartment that day with a heavy heart and a slightly red fist from my table-slamming.Even with my begging on the phone, I know he wouldn't listen to me. He still wants to keep me like some spare pet.I took a nice cool shower to rinse off today's drama and finished my studying for the day about how to stitch deep wounds.As I plopped down my bed, I glanced at the ceiling. I may not see the stars but I can feel the moon."What will I do, Moon Goddess?" I found myself whispering, praying, on what to do with Lucien. We're mates, yes. But there's no longer love binding us. What Lucien does is he's just obsessed over the fact that an Omega like me finally chose to leave him-and it hurts his pride.He thought that I might be just an Omega and he's an Alpha that I will stomach him forever, that I will endure him forever. I will not. I will certainly not.Enough is enough.***My work the next day ended up smooth. No calls throughout my working hours, even in my coffee bre
The sound of the slap seemed to lingered. None dare to open their mouth to speak. Everything was starting to make sense now.So Lucien really did have feelings for Charmaine. I wasn't imagining things all this time. My gut was right. That explains why he was always so eager to be there for her, more than for anyone else. More than for me.Not even Fate or our mating bond can stop him from following Charm around like some obsessive dog who always wants to be there for his possessive master.Charmaine broke the silence. "Vesta, calm down. There has to be some kind of misunderstanding," she urged, her voice reverberating with fake concern."Oh, there is a misunderstanding!" I turned to Alpha Lucien, who's still clutching his face from my slap. "You're dating me but you also want to date Charm?" I hissed, "Where does your loyalty and heart really lies, Alpha? Or it doesn't get tired in living in lies?""Vesta, I'm sorry I missed our anniversary." Alpha Lucien's voice blasts through the t
After that day of telling the truth to Miles, he didn't come home again. Clarke hasn't even contacted me since.One day, while I was scrolling through my phone, I received a photo from Miles.Coincidentally, Miles' car stopped by the road to where I was sitting on a bench.The passenger-side window rolled down, revealing my former fiancé's handsome face. "Get in. I'll take you home."Nichole waved at me from the driver's seat. "Gayle, we came to pick you up. You're our friend after all."They looked like a couple just swinging by to pick up a friend. I forced myself to stand up and willed myself not to vomit on their faces.Miles seemed to sense my actions as he got out of the car before I could sprint away and grabbed my arm. "How long are you going to keep this shit up?" his tone was wholly frustrated and less angry."As long as you keep doing this 'I'm the best boyfriend' kind of shit." Miles didn't say anything else when I just brushed past him. Of course, I rejected his offer by
He stood up and quickly hugged me. We both fell back on my bed mattress. "I didn't marry Nichole."His breath was warm on my cheeks but my hand didn't dare move as I tried to caress his face."Miles..."He swallowed and stared at my lips. "Tomorrow night, I'm rescheduling our wedding. You'll apologize to Clarke and the entire Wolf Moon Pack. Nichole will be there too."My broken heart cracked into a thousand broken pieces again. "So I was the one who's wrong yesterday?"He inhaled a sharp breath and quickly removed his body from mine. "Of course you are. You ruined the whole wedding and-and what you did to Clarke and Nichole wasn't polite at all.""I ruined the wedding?!" I muttered each word slowly, shoving that urge to laugh at the Alpha's statement deep in my bones."Was I supposed to just stand there and watch my fiancé embrace and kiss another female the night before our wedding?"Miles shot to his feet and anger rumbled in his presence again. "I told you it's just a pack traditi
Despite his gasp of surprise, I kissed him passionately and forcefully.While Miles and Nichole had only kissed for ten seconds, I kissed Clarke for more than thirty seconds, nearly snatching his breath and soul away.As soon as our lips parted, Beta Clarke came to his senses and pushed me away. Everyone was dumbfounded. Nichole was utterly shocked. And Miles...his furious stare could bring down the heavens.Clarke's past reprimands echoed in my head:"Gayle, how many times have I told you that Miles and Nichole are just good friends? Hugging your friends and kissing them is completely normal. I don't get why you're so jealous of them.""We feel sorry for Miles, dealing with a controlling and obsessive freak like you. He's got no freedom at all.""If it were me, I would have just left you and married Nichole. You two shouldn't even be together for eight years!"I looked at Miles with a triumphant gaze as I spoke, "Well, it seems I just did my own pre-wedding pack tradition of kissing
"Gayle, what's your deal?" Miles' breathing was uneven as he looked around and then back to me. "Okay, I'm sorry for the slap earlier but you triggered us!"Miles grabbed the bouquet from Nichole's hand and threw it to the floor, scattering the red and pink petals everywhere. The whole pack was just watching us beneath their gossipful noses.When I didn't answer, the Alpha finally lost his temper and shouted, "Gayle Snow, where did I go wrong?!"I let out a cold laugh as I closed the distance between us. "How could you be wrong, Miles? It's me who was always wrong, aren't I?" I paused as I glimpsed Nichole and somehow, she stepped back. "You're foolishly perfect, Alpha. There's nothing wrong with you."But Miles scented the sarcasm and the immense anger bright in my eyes. "Gayle, this is just a pre-wedding tradition. I'm sure the Snow Moon Pack also does that. Why are you angry?""I'm not. I'm just..." I threw Nichole a glance for emphasis. "I'm just tired."I want this drama to end s
The slap was full of anger and despise. Almost as if he was not the Alpha Miles I came to love for the past years.“And that,” I announced with a furious grin as I pointed at him, “ladies and gentlemen, is why I’m not fit to be married to Miles. I won’t marry an Alpha who beats his Luna in front of his pack.”“Miles!” Nichole’s call cut through the tension. And I saw how the Alpha’s expression softened at his bestfriend's behest. “Please,” she pleaded. I don’t know what she’s begging of him but it was enough for me to step back and clenched my fingers to a fist.Looking at both of them, it seems the Alpha I love only care about Nichole. It seems as if I never existed in his life even though I did everything I could for him. I offered my heart and mind and soul to him. I gave him everything I had. Yet, he only returned his affection to me for the first four years of our relationship. As soon as Nichole returned after studying from another pack, Miles changed. Everything fucking cha
"You should set that room on fire." Celia, my Beta and bestfriend, snarled beside me."No need for violence when their kissing is already violently against the ethics of to-be newlyweds.""It seems Nichole doesn't know what boundaries or respect are." Celia huffed, "And yet you're fine with that?"I shrugged and sighed, lowering my gaze to the floor as I massaged my forehead.In the past, I would have screamed at everyone and become the jealous violent monster Miles described me to be. It would have ended in an ugly pre-wedding party and an even uglier argument between me and Miles."It seems I'm the only one who doesn't know that Nichole and Miles are more than just friends-opposite to what he constantly growled at me."Celia scoffed, "You see the pack's reaction. All of them know what's between the two. You're just the one being fooled by your Alpha."Indeed, in the past years, Miles would often call me out for having dirty thoughts between him and Nichole. He would be utterly disap
Short Story's Blurb:Gayle's world shatters when her mate, Alpha Miles, chooses his childhood friend, Nichole, to spend the night before their wedding. When Nichole boldly asks if Miles would make her his Luna instead of Gayle, his response cuts deep: "I would."Crushed, Gayle forces a smile and claps for their union, knowing that tomorrow's wedding will never happen. With her heart broken and her place in the pack shattered, she's done pretending. The love she's held for eight years is no more, and she's ready to tear it all down. ***Chapter 1I watch as my mate and fiancé, Alpha Miles, kisses his childhood friend, Nichole, in front of me.“That was fun!” she chirped, as if I, the bride-to-be and her future Luna, wasn’t in the same room as hers. “If Gayle wasn’t here, would you make me your Luna instead?”I pretended I wasn’t stunned; I acted as if I wasn’t even in the room. I know each pack has their own tr
"Don't worry, I was once in a relationship like that," Alex explained as soon as we got to our hotel room. "They're dangerous, not because they're obsessive, but because they no longer see the need to respect you. They see you as a possession of theirs that they'll chase even to the far end of the world." "Thank you," I inhaled. I found myself wandering to the window and there, Jon was standing outside. Thunder cracked the distance and soon, the rain started to pour. Alex saw him too."See. That's why."I understood what he meant and right now, instead of hatred, I feel sorry for Jon. He no longer feels the need to live. He doesn't know how to let go as if what he and Emilia have possessed him with intense guilt that he thinks the only way to solve it is to prove to me we can still be together despite what happened.Well, what's done is done.I dialed Emilia's number and spoke in a flat tone. "Stop letting him go out and make a scene." Dr. Alex tossed me a subtle smile. I just shook
'It only happened once, Anastasia.' I chuckled mirthlessly at Jonathan's words earlier. Only the dead would believe his lies.Although it made me vomit, I gulped down the bile that rose to my throat at the foul picture I received."Really? Is this all that you can do, Emilia?" I texted the unknown number and then blocked it right away.I went back to sleep as though I just dreamed all of it.***Dr. Alex approached me the next day. The Dawn Thorn Pack wants a Head Nurse as their current Head Nurse resigned after being married to another pack's Alpha.Alex has approached me with several offers from other packs but I rejected all of them because I don't want to be far from Jon.Now that I'm free from him and single, I immediately volunteered for it even when he didn't offer it to me at first."As soon as they mentioned Head Nurse, I immediately thought of you. But then I remember you always rejected all the opportunities I laid before you so I didn't tell you right away. What makes you