Chapter 3

LYNEXIA

What Dimitri and I share true love. It is rare a time for wolves to be fortunate enough to meet their fated mate. Most wolves have to settle with their chosen mate whom they may eventually grow to love or not. But for Dimitri and I, it isn't the case.

We are each other's first love. We are each other's fated mate. Our love story seems ripped out of a fairytale.

Everyone basks in the glow of how special our love is. How a love story like ours only exists every hundred years, how we are destined to live eternity with each other.

Did we though?

No. We didn't.

A few days after the wedding night, I was kidnapped. I, with so some girls were taken as captives by the Barbarians. They are called the Barbarians because of how vicious they are but they are known as the Blackstalker pack.

Surprisingly, I was released and brought back to the Shadow pack. Since then things haven't been the same between me and Dimitri.

Dimitri has become very distant. At first, I thought it was just a phase we would get through but with every day that passes, and every night we spend apart from each other, I highly doubt things will go back to the way that were

Dimitri has become colder than the Arctic. He won't speak a word with me nor will he spend a minute in the same room with me. I am too scared to confront him, too scared to face what we have finally become so I do nothing, hoping that someday things will go back to the way they are.

But even I know that is just a delusion. A carefully created illusion to grasp unto for my dear life.

I still wake up every day to make a meal for him and when he doesn't come, I tell myself, it is probably just work. I stay up all night waiting for me, only for him to come home utterly drunk. I still perform every single ritual we do together in hopes that he will come around.

This night, I am sitting at the edge of the window while I stare outside of the window as the rain pours out.

Dimitri always comes home late, but not this late. It's past three in the morning, and worry gnaws at me like a persistent ache. I nibble at my fingers as anxiety twists my insides. I just hope he's okay.

Finally, his car pulled into the driveway, and I let out a sigh of relief. He steps out of the car, swaying drunkenly, but this time, he isn't alone. He's with three other men whose faces I don't recognize.

I stride purposefully towards the door, bracing myself for the impending confrontation, though every fiber of my being screams it's a terrible idea. My steps falter as Dimitri saunters into the house. His laughter abruptly ceases as his gaze meets mine. The tension in his jaw speaks volumes as if my mere presence irritates him beyond measure.

"Why are you so late?"

He dismisses the two men accompanying him with a wave of his hand. "Head upstairs, guys. I'll catch up shortly."

The warmth in his expression vanishes the moment he turns to face me. "I don't owe you any explanations about my whereabouts."

I swallow back the sting of his words. "I'm your wife. You owe me at least that much."

"Wife?" His tone drips with disdain. "You consider yourself my wife?"

"Then what am I to you?" I wrap my arms around myself, desperate to hold myself together.

He lets out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Look, Lynexia, don't start. It's late, and I'm exhausted."

"No, I need to start this conversation. Maybe it's time we address the elephant in the room," I say, my heart pounding in my chest.

I despise the way Dimitri looks at me, the harshness in his voice, the way his presence seems to sear my skin.

"Enlighten me, please," he mocks, gesturing towards me with a dismissive flick of his hand.

Tears well in my eyes as I speak. "You have suddenly become distant ever since I came back. We barely see each other even though we live in the same house. You barely talk to me. You look at me like I am gum stuck under your boots. You treat me like..." My voice breaks disallowing me from completing my sentence.

"It is just up in your head. I have not become any of those." His tone is flat as if he can't wait to be out of my sight.

"Don't gaslight me. I can see the difference. You're not the man I fell in love with, the man I grew to love. You've changed, Dimitri. Why?" The anguish in my voice hangs heavy in the air.

My body trembles with tears of despair begging to let out.

"Look. I don't have time for your bullshit right now, Lyn. Let's do this when I am in a better headspace." He shoos me away, walking up the stairs.

I catch up to him, grabbing his wrist. "No, tell me. What's going on?"

"Let me go," he seethes through clenched teeth, his gaze fixed anywhere but on me.

"Why can't you meet my eyes? Why do I feel like you're repulsed by me?" I demand, the ache in my heart echoing in my words.

A flicker of something passes through his eyes, and for a moment, I dare to hope he'll open up before he retreats into a mask of emotionlessness.

"Let me go,"

"No,"

He sighs heavily before wrenching his hand away with so much force that I lose my footing and crash to the ground. I groan in pain, but Dimitri doesn't even flinch as his eyes briefly widen.

"You should've left me alone when I told you to," he states coldly before ascending the stairs.

As he disappears from view, I collapse into a loud sob, my heart breaking with each convulsion. Slowly, I gather myself from the floor, dragging myself towards my room.

Our rooms are adjacent to each other so I'm forced to endure the sound of strangers he brought home discussing about me endlessly. They paint me as the villain, unfit to be by his side, unworthy of being his Luna. They say I'm tainted.

I drown in sorrow and despair, questioning why I deserve this after enduring so much with the Barbarians. Coming home was meant to bring solace, but instead, it only compounds my pain.

I cry until there are no tears left to shed. My head throbs and my heart twists in an endless cycle of agony