5

Sophia

I decided to take a break from the madness of marriage. Mom and Dad were constantly pressuring me. They had a specific idea of how marriage should be, and Bright and I didn’t meet their expectations.

Bright didn’t pressure me, but my family pressured him. Since we married, my brother has given him too many responsibilities in the pack. I think James wanted to separate Bright from me. I didn’t care, but my brother treated Bright unfairly. Anyway, I know James was trying to protect me from Bright. Since we married, Bright has had to be careful with his affairs. I didn’t mind that at all. I was more relaxed if someone can grab him from me.

But faking it was exhausting. My parents constantly invited us to dinner to analyze us. It was stupid.

I could barely focus on the conversation with my friends. Comments from the streets reached my ears.

“Did you hear? Bright gave up his destined mate to be with Sophia. He’s in love with her and loves her. Who would give up their destined mate if they were not in love? It’s so sweet,” one girl commented in secret.

I felt a lump in my throat.

Bright didn’t sacrifice his bond for love. He did it for convenience. We made a deal. We would each continue with our lives. He could sleep with any woman he wanted. And Bright didn’t miss the opportunity to do so. But I didn’t find anyone else. Dante was still on my mind. 

The sound of the phone interrupted my thoughts. Bright’s name appeared on the screen.

“Sophia, I need you. My father is on his way to the villa. I want you to come.”

“What? Why? I’m busy.”

“There’s too much clothing from my lovers in the house, and I don’t want my father to see it,” he said urgently.

I sighed.

I lost count of how many times I helped Bright with his lovers. He had asked me the same thing before. But every time I arrived, the villa was empty. No women, no clothes.

Why was he insisting I go?

“You need to be careful. The employees in the house will notice what you’re doing.”

“I gave them the day off, just like I do every time I have encounters with women, Sophia. Relax. No one will notice. I want you to come,” he repeated.

“I’m tired of your games,” I responded.

“It’s part of our deal. I can do whatever I want.”

“Next time it’ll be your problem, Bright.”

“You’re my wife, and this is a marriage of convenience. It’s your problem too.”

Idiot.

“I’m coming.”

I had no other choice. I resigned myself.

I said goodbye to my friends. Bright had the right to sleep with women. The number didn’t matter. But he had to be responsible. His problems became my problems. It wasn’t fair.

I walked to Bright’s villa.

Since I married Bright, life has changed. Nothing is the same. The streets seem to be the same as always. But something inside me has changed.

I crossed the park, and my eyes stopped on two people. I stopped dead in my tracks. My heart raced, and my hands trembled. I felt a mix of emotions: sadness, anger, resentment, and love. My heart shrank.

It was Dante.

I hadn’t seen him in a while. Exactly three months. All the love I had felt over the years was still present in my heart. It was stupid to love someone who chose another person. Bright was right, but I don’t know how to stop feeling.

Dante was walking through the park with his destined mate. The girl took Dante’s hand, and he looked at her with something strange in his eyes. I don’t know how happy they were together. But she was Dante’s wife. And I was Bright’s wife.

Dante noticed my gaze and looked at me. Time stopped. My breath was cut short suddenly. Memories flooded me, and my eyes welled up with tears. Dante and I made so many plans in the past. Or maybe it was me who made them, and he simply pretended to care. But he didn’t care about anything.

Bright and I weren’t really together, but he sacrificed his bond for me. I did it for Dante, but he would never do it for me.

I turned my gaze away. I walked away. Being near Dante was dangerous for my heart. It didn’t make sense to stay here.

I arrived at Bright’s villa.

“Where are all your lovers, Bright?” I asked sarcastically.

“Maybe they left.”

“I don’t have time for your jokes, Bright," I complained.

“There’s something important I need to tell you,” his tone grew serious.

Bright looked worried and tense. Something was going on.

I furrowed my brows.

“What’s going on?”

He squinted his eyes.

“No, what’s wrong with you? Were you crying, Sophia?”

Shit.

I rubbed my neck nervously. I looked away.

“No.”

“I’ve been with you for a month, and I know when you’re lying. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing, Bright.”

“Is it about Dante?” He narrowed his gaze. “Are you still thinking about him?” He smiled as if he couldn’t believe it.

I crossed my arms.

“No, Bright, because I have feelings for someone. But you wouldn’t understand. You have no idea how hard it is to love someone who doesn’t love you back.”

“Who says I don’t know?” he responded, irritated. He took a step forward.

I stayed silent, watching him closely. Bright had something strange in his eyes. I couldn’t decipher it. But Bright loving someone was something I couldn’t imagine.

“Why did I come here, Bright?” I changed the subject.

“Werewolves have gone missing,” he replied in a low voice. I noticed the urgency in his eyes. His irritation disappeared.

“What? Missing? I don’t understand.”

“You heard me. We have to be careful. We don’t know what’s going on. The packs are investigating, but there are no traces or clues. These are huge losses for the packs.”

“Has anyone from ours gone missing?”

“Not yet, but we can’t sit idly by.”

I swallowed hard.

This wasn’t good news. The pack was part of my family. We were all in danger. If the packs in the city were on alert, the threat was big.

“I have to go to the border. We need help. We have reinforcements, but I need to go lead them. It’s dangerous, but it’s my duty. There will be a meeting between packs.”

I felt a pang of worry. Bright was arrogant and unbearable. But I didn’t want him to get hurt. Or disappear.

I remembered Dante in the park. I think I noticed worry on his face. And was Dante’s pack in danger? Did someone from his pack go missing?

“Okay. I’ll go with you, Bright.”

“No, you’re not going with me,” he forbade. I didn’t need his permission.

“What? Why? I can go with you.”

“It’s dangerous. I’ll take care of it. I want you to stay here until the crisis abates.”

“I can help,” I offered.

I didn’t want to sit by and do nothing. Dante might went there. If something bad happened to him, I didn’t know what I would do. Of course I didn’t want anyone to hurt Bright or my brother.

“Don’t be afraid. I won’t let you be a widow. We don’t need your help.” He wore that smile again.

“I don’t need your permission,” I challenged. “If you didn’t need my help, you wouldn’t be looking for reinforcements. I have two useful hands. Let me use them.”

“No,” he spoke seriously. 

I narrowed my eyes.

“Stay here and wait for me” he suddenly drag me to his arms and kissed me.

I pushed him away “Bright!”

He left. 

I stay there, seeing him leaving. I felt guilty somehow. I shook that feeling out my mind and made a decision.