CHAPTER FOUR

SOFIA

"Done with this pack, done with your family's disrespect, done with being treated like an unwanted burden."

"Sofia, you're being dramatic—"

"Am I?" I step closer, and Andrew actually takes a step back. "Your mother just slapped me in your home while accusing me of bringing shame to your pack. Your sister called me a liability and an omega. And you—" My voice breaks slightly. "You stood there and excused it."

"I'm trying to keep the peace—"

"By sacrificing my dignity?" My laugh is bitter. "How convenient that peace always comes at my expense."

"That's not fair," Andrew protests, running a hand through his hair. "You know how difficult things have been lately. The pack is struggling, we need allies—"

"And I'm the sacrifice for those allies?" My voice rises. "Tell me, Andrew, when did Anne become more important than your mate?"

"You're overreacting," Andrew snaps, his shock giving way to anger. "You can't just abandon your duties as Luna because your feelings are hurt."

"My feelings are hurt?" My voice turns deadly quiet. "My feelings are hurt because my mate left me to die?"

"That's not what happened—"

"Then what did happen, Andrew? Because from my perspective, you heard me screaming and ran in the opposite direction."

"Anne has nothing to do with this."

"Doesn't she?" My eyes blaze. "You abandoned me today. Left me to face a rogue alone while you ran to her rescue. Don't you dare tell me she has nothing to do with this."

Andrew's jaw tightens. "I heard her scream first—"

"You heard what you wanted to hear." My voice cracks with pain. "Just like you see what you want to see, hear what you want to hear. When was the last time you looked at me, Andrew? Really looked at me?"

"I look at you every day—"

"No, you look through me. I've become invisible in my own home, unwanted in my own pack." I gesture around the room where his family watches with barely concealed satisfaction. "Your mother hits me, and you call it keeping the peace. Your sister calls me worthless, and you say nothing. What's next? Will you stand by while they throw me out entirely?"

"Nobody's throwing anyone out," Andrew says weakly.

Karen recovers enough to interject. "Good riddance. We never wanted her here anyway."

"Mom," Andrew warns, but his tone lacks conviction.

"Don't 'Mom' me," Karen snaps. "Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you haven't been happier these past few weeks with someone who actually appreciates you."

The words hit their mark. Andrew's face flushes, guilt and anger warring in his expression.

I nod slowly. "There it is. The truth, finally."

"Sofia, that's not—I didn't mean—"

"Yes, you did." My voice is steady now, resolved. "You meant every word, every dismissal, every moment you chose her over me. When did you stop loving me, Andrew?"

The question hangs in the air like a death sentence. Andrew's mouth opens and closes, no words coming.

"Was it gradual?" I continue, my voice growing stronger. "Or did you wake up one morning and realize you'd rather have a different woman in your bed?"

"Sofia, stop—"

"Stop what? Asking the questions you should be asking yourself?" I laugh, the sound sharp and broken. "How long have you been planning this? How long have you been waiting for the right moment to replace me?"

"I never said I wanted to replace you—"

"You didn't have to say it." My voice drops to a whisper. "Every time you look at her instead of me, every time you choose her comfort over mine, every time you let your family treat me like garbage—you're saying it loud and clear."

Andrew's face crumples slightly. "You don't understand the pressure I'm under—"

"The pressure?" My voice rises again. "What about the pressure I'm under? What about being hated by your family, dismissed by your pack, ignored by my own mate? What about the pressure of pretending everything is fine while my world falls apart?"

"I'm trying to hold everything together—"

"By tearing me apart!" The words explode from my chest. "You're destroying me piece by piece, Andrew. And the worst part is, you don't even care."

"I do care, but I have responsibilities—to the pack, to tradition—"

"What about your responsibility to me?" My voice cracks. "What about your duty as my mate?"

"You're being selfish," Andrew fires back, desperation making him cruel. "Think about what this does to the pack's reputation. You're destroying our unity, making us look weak—"

"Selfish?" My voice rises to a near shout. "I'm selfish for wanting basic respect? For expecting my mate to choose me over another woman? You want to talk about making the pack look weak? What's weaker than an Alpha who abandons his mate for political convenience?"

"I never abandoned you—"

"Didn't you?" My voice turns deadly quiet. "If you cared about me at all, you wouldn't have left me alone with that rogue. If you cared, you wouldn't let your mother put her hands on me. If you cared, you would have chosen me."

I head for the stairs again, but Andrew grabs my arm.

"You can't just leave. We're mated. There are procedures, protocols—"

"Procedures?" I stare at him in disbelief. "Is that all I am to you now? A procedure?"

"That's not what I meant—"

"Then what did you mean?" I jerk my arm free. "Because from where I'm standing, it sounds like you're more concerned about paperwork than your mate."

"The Moon Goddess chose us—"

"The Moon Goddess gave us free will, Andrew. And I'm using mine."

"Sofia, please," Andrew's voice cracks. "Don't do this. We can work through this. We can fix things."

"Fix things?" My laugh is hollow. "How do you fix years of neglect? How do you fix the fact that you'd rather comfort another woman than protect your own mate?"

"I made mistakes—"

"You made choices." My voice hardens. "And you chose her. Every single time."

Andrew's face goes pale. "I choose you. I chose you three years ago—"

"And you've regretted it ever since." My smile is sharp with pain. "Don't deny it, Andrew. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me. Disappointment. Regret. Maybe even disgust."

"That's not true—"

"Isn't it?" I step closer, forcing him to meet my gaze. "When was the last time you touched me? Really touched me, not just going through the motions?"

Andrew's silence is answer enough.

"When was the last time you told me you loved me and meant it?"

More silence.

"When was the last time you defended me to your family instead of making excuses for them?"

Andrew looks away, unable to answer.

"That's what I thought." My voice is steady now, resolved. "You want to know what I've learned today, Andrew? I've learned that I deserve better than being someone's burden. I deserve better than being the mistake you're too cowardly to fix."

"Sofia,"

"I deserve better than you."

The words hit like a physical blow. Andrew staggers back, his hand going to his chest.

"So here's what's going to happen," I continue, my voice ringing with newfound authority. "You're going to reject me. Officially. Publicly. Tonight."

"If you're not going to reject me," I continue, my voice growing stronger, "then I'm rejecting you."

Gasps echo through the room. Joan presses a hand to her chest in shock, while Karen's face goes white.

"You can't," Andrew breathes. "Female wolves don't—"

"Don't what?" My smile is razor-sharp. "Don't reject weak mates who abandon them for other women? Don't demand better treatment than being slapped around by their mate's family?"

"The Moon Goddess—"

"Gave me a spine, Andrew. And I'm finally using it."

His eyes widen and for just a moment, he looks like he's seeing me clearly—really seeing the woman who stands before him instead of the broken creature he expects.

"I, Sofia Homes, reject you, Andrew Grafton, as my mate and Alpha."

The words ring with finality, carrying a power that makes every wolf in the room step back. Andrew staggers as if struck, his hand going to his chest.

"Sofia, wait, you don't understand what you're doing—"

"I understand perfectly." I'm already climbing the stairs, my voice carrying back to them. "I'm choosing myself for the first time in three years."