CHAPTER FIVE

I never contacted him until today and I was glad he answered. He didn’t forget me, he still remembered my voice.

I let out a short, stunned laugh. His tone had just the right edge—a teasing reprimand and something that sounded like relief. He said, “I heard you married Damian.” There was a faint note of disapproval in it, but also curiosity.

“I am fine” I told him, “just having a little bit of trouble though. I saw your interview, you must be in New York?”

“Hmm,” he replied, his voice low and even. “I came for some work at Silver Moon Pack. Whatever trouble you are going through, I am very sure we can help you.”

I froze, clutching the phone tighter. The words sat heavy on my tongue. How could I even begin? 

When I finally spoke, my voice was raw. “Aiden… I don’t even know where to start. Everything feels like it’s falling apart. And I don’t know if you—if anyone—can really help me.”

There was another pause, but his tone carried no hesitation when he answered. “I am sending you an address. Meet me, and we can talk personally.”

“Thanks, I’ll come,” I replied softly before hanging up.

A kind of feeling crept up in my heart, maybe he was the only person who could help me now. Maybe he was the only person who could bring me out of this dilemma.

My phone beeped with another message from Emily, it was another picture. Damian was holding onto her waist and they were on the dance floor. What the heck was going on with Damian? Did he really want her? I made up my mind, I wasn’t going to wait for him to come home. I was his wife and Luna, I have that right.

I quickly texted Emily and in no time, I was on my way to the club. I could have waited for him to come home but I was too nervous to do that…we actually needed to talk.

Fifteen minutes later, the car pulled up in front of the club and I hastened towards the entrance. The man stationed at the door saw me and he immediately bowed. Everyone knew who I was, Damian’s wife.

Walking past him, I sauntered into the club and my eyes began to wander round, looking for my husband. I finally saw him, the two of them. He was saying something to her and she was smiling like a Cheshire cat. My anger skyrocketed but I kept my cool. He has a wife but he thinks it’s better to hang out with his ex-girlfriend instead. Damian was holding onto her waist, they looked so close thus I could literally sniff out their love for each other. I broke down, I have been a fool all these years. I only kept watching them, he would say something to her and she would laugh. It got to a point that he even bent down to help with her shoes…

That was the only thing I needed to see, I turned around and rushed out of the club. I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me anything, everything was clear for me to see. That was it, I won’t allow myself go through another torture again. It was already enough seeing my fated mate hugging someone in such an intimate manner. It wouldn’t have hurt so bad if Damian was not my mate but he was, he was my one true mate. How could he want someone else when his mate was here? How was that even possible? I was upset, really upset. I understand that the two of us didn’t have the most beautiful relationship but I would never hurt him but he…. I cleaned the tears that welled up in my eyes as I hurried towards my car, I was about to throw up.

When I got back home, I decided to have a quick shower to help clear my head. It hurts, it hurts so bad seeing my own mate with another woman. I tried for three years to make him see me as his but he was mostly distant and now…

“You look heartbroken” my wolf, Enid said to me. She sounded a bit disappointed too and I couldn’t blame her. She was way more obsessed with Damian than I was but seeing him like this, of course she would be sad.

“Of course I am heartbroken”

“Is she the reason why he hasn’t put his mark on us yet?”

My heart shattered again, Damian has not marked me yet even though I am his mate. We have only been intimate but he has not put that mark that signified we were mates on me yet.

That night, Damian came back late. He didn’t come home with Kourtney so I am guessing she would be coming later. He didn’t say anything to me, he just went to have a shower and left for the study. He told me earlier that we would talk when he got back but he seemed to not care. That night, I cried myself to sleep. I was so hurt but my dear husband didn’t even seem to care.

*****

Before I woke up the next morning, he was already gone. He was clearly avoiding me but I won’t allow that. I won’t let him make a mess of me after everything I have done for him. After halting my own life to nurse him back to health.

I confirmed my meeting with Aiden for later and went about my day as usual. I have heard stories of male mates treating their female mates this way but I never imagined I would ever be in this kind of a situation.

Later that evening, I got dressed in a simple silver gown, paired it with a wedge heel and had my hair pulled into a neat bun before leaving for the hotel that Aiden had invited me to. He told me it was safe to come since it was one of the many properties under his name.

I got there twenty minutes later, and one of his men was already waiting to take me in. Before I stepped out of the car, I checked to see if Damian called but he didn’t…..we haven’t spoken since he left the house in the morning, I even called but he didn’t bother to answer the phone.

“Mr Aiden is waiting for you in the lounge” the man told me with a slight bow. He was a wolf too, I could feel it. He led the way and in a few seconds, I was sizing Aiden up. He looked so different from the man I saw on the television. These past years have done a lot to him. He was much more muscular and more athletic then the last time I saw him. He was clad in a pair of black suit that really looked good on him. His hair was slicked back to perfection. He looked more handsome than the last time I saw him.

“Age has really got nothing on you, huh?” His face broke into a small smile as he hugged me lightly.

“And you too” I returned the compliment, “you look like life has been good to you”

“Hmm….” His eyes travelled over me, “I didn’t expect to meet you this way but it’s still good. You look gorgeous, Selena. How long has it been?”

I smiled at him, “ you clean up well too, Aiden”

He chuckled lightly as he led me to a seat and sat across from me. His eyes were still on me, something was on his mind but I wasn’t here to discuss his issues or his thoughts. Maybe it was selfish but he was the only one who could help me now.

Aiden chuckled again before leaning forward, “champagne?”

“No” I shook my head in the negative, “I am good. I only came to talk to you”

“Typical Selena, always in a haste”

“Yes, I am desperate at this point” I told him.

“Hmmm, let’s hear you then”

“I want to divorce my husband.”

For a moment, even Aiden’s steady gaze faltered.

If he was surprised, he didn’t actually show it but I continued anyways, I just needed to get this out of my system, “a lot has happened in the past two days that has taken its toll on me. My step sister is back and my husband is kissing up to her. He seems to want to be with her and I can’t bear it..I want to leave” I closed my eyes, trying to stop myself from shedding any form of tears, I have done that and it was enough now.

“Hmmm, I see” he picked up the glass of champagne and took a sip, “divorcing him is not hard. You can come to the pack where I belong but you need to cut all ties with your former pack”

“I want to but the former Alpha and Luna won’t let me leave. They won’t let me divorce him”

Aiden went silent, he looked like he was in a deep thought, suddenly his eyes lit up.

“There is another way”

“Tell me” I urged him hastily, desperation spreading across my entire body.

“Deregister your pack household records” he announced.

My eyes widened, a look of surprise spread across my face, “is that even possible?”

“Yes” he answered, “The Werewolf Council has an office in every pack. If someone is close to death or faces a major change, they can apply to cancel their household registration. It’s highly confidential. The only one who cannot deregister is the Alpha. Everyone else can.”

That felt like a low blow. Even though I didn’t have the best experience in my current pack, it was still my home and I have come to love a few people here too. Deregistration would bring a whole lot of chaos to the pack house. At least, I enjoyed a few of my years there.

I sat in silence for a while, I was beginning to feel nauseous again.

“Excuse me” I told him after being quiet for a few minutes, “I would like to use the bathroom”

“Hmm”

I picked up my clutch and made my way towards the restroom. Aiden’s voice was still ringing in my head. Could I bear to do what he asked me? I walked past a room and a familiar voice caught my attention, I knew that voice too well. He was someone who was always around, I wouldn’t mistake that voice for anything.

“Exactly, she actually thought she could replace Kourtney. What a joke. She’s not even one-thousandth of her.” It was the voice of Jackson, Damien’s brother. He didn’t like me and I didn’t care, I didn’t like him either. If he was here, that means all of them could be here too.

Another voice suddenly filtered through my ear, I would be able to identify that voice even if I was in my deepest sleep…Damian.

“Hah. If not for her, I would have recovered on my own. Then I could have married Kourtney long ago. Too bad my parents were fooled by her.”

My world came crashing again. Damian never loved me, he never wanted me. He always wanted her over me. I kind of expected this but I was heartbroken, so heartbroken that I could hear my wolf howl in my head. All I did was help nurse him back to health and this was what he thought about me? I was an obstacle to his love life?

The decision I made three years ago to be with him came staring at me in the face and I could see it mocking me. If only I refused, if only I could change the hands of time, I wouldn’t have agreed to get married to him. Regret enveloped me as I turned back and made my way back to where Aiden was seated.

“You….

“I am willing” I interrupted him, “I am ready to cancel my household record”