Chapter 4

Chapter 4

TESSALYN’S POV

The drive home was a blur. I stared blankly from the backseat window, watching buildings whip past me. From the front, Lucas kept glancing at me with  unbridled concern.

But how could I meet his eyes when he’d always known?

Selin and Kaan were childhood lovers, and the entire pack knew. Except me.

My fingers dug into my palm, and I rested my forehead on the cool windowpane, blinking back tears.

My chest still felt hollow by the time the car pulled into the pack house driveway.

“Luna,“ Lucas started with concern. “Should I— “ 

But I was already out of the car and into the house before he could say another word.

The sensor lights came on automatically, heralding what was supposed to be mine and Kaan’s welcome back to the house. 

There were balloons and decorations and the tons of rose petals I’d insisted Marie use. Even the air still smelled like roast— Kaan’s favorite.

Just one of the dishes I'd painstakingly perfected over weeks. Cake, candles, everything stared back at me. Almost mocking as I walked into the house alone.

I made it three steps before my legs lost strength and I crumbled. Air suddenly felt precious as I beat at my chest, forcing myself to breathe. 

"No," I wheezed, fighting as my eyes burned. 

I was strong. In the rogue border, I’d gone through worse growing up. I wouldn’t break. I– I wouldn’t—

​​The bag I’d been clutching so tightly slipped from my hands, spilling. And at the sight of my ultrasound scan, a sob broke. 

I slapped a hand over my mouth, but another followed. And another until no matter how much I fought. My entire body convulsed with broken sobs.

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

The night we celebrated the biggest miracle of our dreams. Me, Kaan. Dancing in the candlelight as we exchanged baby names for our pup.

But now, as my heavy sobs reverberated through the silent house, I felt utterly defeated.

Growing up an omega rogue taught me not to trust anyone. Somehow Kaan had made me forget. 

“Foolish.” I chuckled bitterly as I stood to my feet and walked to the dining.

I’d been blinded. Fully trusting that Kaan’s heart belonged to me alone.

But after  the way he looked at Selin tonight and everything I now knew about their past. How could I still believe that?

Kaan loved Selin as much as he loved me. If not more.

My eyes still burned as I picked each dish and dumped them in the trash. But my hands were steady. 

Just then, the front door clicked open and I turned my head in time to see Kaan stagger in.

He reeked of alcohol. 

The sharp smoky smell of whisky permeated the air as he walked a few steps in and froze.

Realization flash across his face as he took in the anniversary balloons and the cake I was in the middle of trashing. 

"Ah, this is why you’ve been throwing a tantrum all evening, isn't it?" Kaan sighed, taking more steps toward me. “If you wanted to eat out, you could have just said so.”

I didn’t respond, and he just waved his hand dismissively. “Alright. Lucas can book another restaurant for tomorrow.”

Tomorrow.

I stared at him as a deep ache spread in my chest.  

He still didn't get it. 

I was the only one who remembered that today was our anniversary.

A bitter smile spread on my lips as I pushed past him without a word picking up a cloth to wipe down the kitchen counter.

Kaan followed me with a frown. "What, are you still punishing me?" 

I didn’t respond, then he hissed. "Seriously, Tessa. Just because I was a little close to Selin tonight? Be reasonable. She just lost her husband in battle. As her family—"

"Is she really just your brother’s widow, Kaan?" I cut him off, my voice sharpening as I turned to face him. 

"Or is she the first love you've never actually been able to forget?"

The temperature in the room dropped instantly, and Kaan’s expression hardened. “Watch your tone, Tessa. I’m still your Alpha."

“Right.” I scoffed and turned, but he was faster. Grabbing my arm and pushing my back against the wall.

"You are the Luna of this pack,” Kaan growled, his eyes flashing gold. “Selin is my brother’s grieving widow. As my wife, I expect you to have more grace and be more understanding!”

He never answered if she was his first love or not. 

But I simply didn't have the strength to fight anymore. 

“Kaan.” My voice was small, barely audible as I asked. "If that's truly how you feel... if you never moved on... why didn't you just reject me for Selin when the pack elders pushed against the wedding? Why did you marry me at all?"

“Don’t ask stupid questions.” He sneered, his face the cold mask I was beginning to associate with my husband. “You’re the Luna now, so appreciate it. Not all omega rogues can even dream of standing by my side. You should be thanking me every day for where you are.”

I could only stare.

My brain refusing to connect the words I’d heard with the husband I’d worshipped over the years.

After all I’d done. When I married Kaan, his pack was on the verge of being disbanded. I’d worked myself bloody rebuilding it while he took the credit.

But, after his little pack became a large stronghold, I was suddenly the wolfless orphan who benefited from being Luna?

“I want a divorce.”

“What?” Kaan reared back as though I’d struck him. 

His eyes clearing as he blinked at me in shock. “You really want to end our marriage over a misunderstanding about tonight?”

Before I could respond or pull away, Kaan blocked me with a hand over my head and his mouth crashed down on mine.

The kiss was rough, desperate and demanding. At first, my lips didn’t move. Every instinct screamed at me to pull away. Then his dark, musky Alpha scent mixed with the dormant pull of our mate bond, and my traitorous body responded.

My body melted into him like it always did. My hands moving to his hair when—

Ding-dong.

The sharp, sudden ring of the doorbell cut through the haze like a knife.

The spell broke instantly and I snapped back to reality, shoving against Karan’s chest.

My breathing was still heavy when I pulled open the front door and froze.

Selin.

She stood on the porch looking distressed as she wringed her hands together. "Tessy—oh, thank goodness you're still up. I realized I left my necklace on the guest room vanity, and it was a gift from Henry..."

Before she could finish, Kaan appeared behind me, his expression shifting into immediate concern. "I'll go get it," he said quickly, brushing past me without a second glance at my face.

A vein ticked in my jaw. But I said nothing as she stepped inside, and shut the door behind her.

“Tessy.” Selin started. Her voice soft and innocent but her eyes triumphant as she grabbed my wrist. “I’m sorry about tonight. I- I never expected you to be so insecure about my relationship with Kaan." 

“Insecure?” I repeated. Shocked at her audacity to sprout nonsense to my face.

"You have to understand,” she batted her lashes. “It’s just that— without my husband, I’m so lonely. I— I really don’t want to interfere in your marriage."

Without waiting for a reply, she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small wrapped gift.

“Here.” She chirped, thrusting it at me. "I brought you this. Without a wolf… well you  can’t heal like the rest of us.”

Goddess give me patience. 

In mere seconds, all the exhaustion I’d felt dissipated as blood rushed to my head.

 “I’m sure you struggle with your health.” Selin continued. “So I brought you some high-grade nutritional supplements. I just thought... well, someone with your constitution really needs all the help she can get. I’m sure—“

“Shut up. And stop your stupid games, Selin," I spat out, shoving her gift back at her. "Get out of my house."

Selin flashed me a smile. Then she shoved me and hurled herself backward with a scream.

I sucked in a sharp breath as my hip crashing hard against the cabinet  and pain tore through my bones.

"Ahhh! Oh, my ankle!" Selin shrieked, curling into a tight ball at the foot of the stairs. She’d barely hit the railing but sobbed so bitterly, I froze through my pain.

“What happened?!” Kaan was there in the next instant. Running down the stairs in horror as his eyes took in the scene.

Selin sobbing on the floor holding her ankle, and me standing against the cabinet, breathing heavily.

"Tessa, what the hell did you do?!" He roared, his wolf’s anger bleeding into his voice.

“Me?” I hissed, but the word came out shaky. The metallic scent of blood already filled my nose.

Kaan didn't hesitate for a single second. Sprinting past me and dropping to his knees beside Selin.

"I—I'm so sorry, Alpha," She sobbed into his shoulder. "I only came back to get my necklace... I didn't mean to upset her. I should have known she was already so emotional..."

My vision was fading. Kaan’s voice sounding farther and farther as he roared with disgust. "Was mocking her with words not enough for you anymore? Have you actually sunk so low that you're physically attacking a grieving widow in our own home?!"

I wanted to scream. To yell about  how she was lying. But my body had lost all strength.

Instead I could only bitterly watch as Kaan shifted and scooped Selin up into his arms.

The door banged shut behind both of them and everything went black.