004| The Space Between Us

~Elara~

“Luna, the rumors are getting more intense, everyone thinks you are crazy now, what should I do about it?” Mia, my assistant and the only friend I had in the Pack, asked me with a serious look on her face.

I took a deep breathe. “Just let it be, rumors are bound to dissipate quickly.”

Her jaw dropped. “Luna, I…… I don’t think that is a wise idea, that woman is really cunny, I have no doubt she is the one doing all these. Just give me your command and I will have everyone spreading these rumors punished.”

I sighed. As tempting as the idea sounded, I wasn’t sure it was going to solve anything. It had more tendency of making the matter a lot worse than it already was.

Mia sighed when I didn’t respond and ranked her hand through her hair. “On a serious note, Luna, how are you handling it?" Mia’s voice was calm, and I could hear the pity in her voice.  I shook my head. I don’t want anyone’s pity, but Mia was different.

She was in the same predicament as I now was, or even a worse fate.

Her husband found his fated mate, and she was living with her husband and his fated mate.

Her husband, Kyle who was also my husband’s beta, refused to reject his fated because he knew it would weaken his wolf.

He made Mia agree to it, and she has been miserable ever since then, only working herself to stupor.

"You need to be brave, Luna, stand up for yourself. This woman won’t stop until she has ruined your home completely like mine did. My bed has been cold for years now. Now they have pups, and it is almost as if I am not in the picture." She said and sighed deeply.

Even though she claimed she was over him, I could still feel the pain in her voice, see the pain in her eyes.

"We will be fine. I hope he gets to realize his mistakes soon."

Even I didn’t believe my own words, because these past few days, I had been forced to see the possible reality of a future without my mate.  

"How do you manage Mia?" I couldn’t help but ask, she was literally the bravest she wolf I had ever met. She laughed.

"What can I do? At least he claimed his fate, so neither of us feels pain when they are together again. I just find a way to make myself happy with flings and affairs.” She shrugs.

“No one ever really sticks around, and even though they claim to love me, they never try to challenge the Beta. So, I just enjoy the affair and move on," she acted as though she was used to it.

"Does he know?" I asked, and she laughed.

"He doesn't care, Luna. They stop caring and getting jealous once they claim their fated mate. At least yours is a fling, maybe there is hope.”

My heart clenched. A picture of a cold faced Lucien not even reacting when I am with another man, sent a painful feeling through me.

Suddenly, my door was pushed open, hardly. Lucien walked in. He looked…… furious.

“Elara, how could you?”

I was clueless, but his cold cruel question and expression sent hot and cold shivers down my spine.

Mia noticed the tense atmosphere, and quickly excused herself with a curt bow.

As soon as she disappeared from the office, I took a deep breath and turned to face Lucien, who was almost exhaling smoke of fire.

“I don’t know what you mean.” My voice didn’t shake, thank goodness.

His narrowed, as his Adam apple moved, up to down. “Don’t you dare pretend you don’t know what am talking about Elara. I warned you that the next time you try to hurt her, I wouldn’t hesitate but punish you.”

I raised a brow, a scoff escaping my lips despite my shocked state.

“So, this is about Calistra, what other lies is she feeding you this time?” I folded my hands under my chest and stared him down.

“Lies? I saw it with my own eyes. You sent someone to poison her and the person even confessed to it. You dare try to harm the future heir of this Pack Elara.”

I gulped down my own spit. “I did? Well, that’s new. Who is this person I sent to poison her if I may ask?”

Mia hasn’t done anything yet, and she wouldn’t even stoop that low.

“Don’t pretend you know nothing about it, I can’t protect you this time around. You have to be punished for this.”

My jaw dropped. Was this really Lucien or was this an imposter?

I slowly got to my feet, my heart pounding in terrifying speed. “You are going to punish me, for something you have no evidence about, just because some stupid person testified that I sent her. Are you even listening to yourself?”

For a moment, something soft flickered in his eyes, his eyes narrowed. He looked away.

I almost thought that he was going to say something reasonable this time around.

“I have all the evidence I need Elara; everyone knows how crazy you’ve become for these past few days. I think you need time to rest and reflect on your actions as the Luna of this Pack.”

“What does that even mean?” My heart was tightening with every word he said.

“You are temporary dismissed from your office until further notice Elara. Take this time to think about all the wrong you have done, and know your place.”

My heart slammed in my chest. My eyes burned with unshed tears. How could he say something like that to me?

“You don’t have any right, I am as much as the leader of this Pack as you are. You can’t dismiss me from office.” Goddess why does this hurt so much.

His eyes darkened slightly. “I am your Alpha.” I could feel his alpha aura rushing out of him. Even though it was almost pushing me to submission, I held up against it.

“Half this Pack belongs to me; it was a gift my parents gave me before they passed away.” I don’t know why I am reminding him of this, but it clearly made him even more angry.

“It was merged the day we got married. I am the Alpha of this Pack now; you all listen to me.” He drew nearer with every word he said, I subconsciously took a step back. When did he become like this? It felt as though someone was piercing my heart with thousand needles.

Everything felt so choked up, the pain rushing through my veins with every breathe I take.

I walked across from him and ran out of the office. My tears were threatening to fall, and for one thing, I didn’t want him to get a glimpse of my tears.

I don’t know how long I ran, but I shifted to fur and continued running until I was far away from the Pack house, and right on a cliff.

I shifted back to skin, and threw on the cloth I had removed before shifting.

I stared down at the beauty of the greenwood beneath the cliff. The cliff was high up, and for a moment I wondered what would happen if I took one more step forward.

Lucien has never been this mean to me, how could someone change so much just in a couple of weeks?

He had been my first love, my one and only love. And now, I was already struggling for a place in his heart. Maybe Mia was right, maybe there was no hope.

I took another step forward, just one more step. Will it be worth it?

“Hey, if you really are going to jump from there, I think now will be the right time.” A deep male voice echoed from behind me.

I turned sharply, and my jaw dropped. “What the hell?”