Spiraling heartbreak

Alessandro,

She walked towards Alexander, wearing the same smile she used to give me. That hug, that kiss... But,

Was it all...?

I couldn't bring myself to stand still. I felt the ground beneath me crumbling like fragile frost on a lake.

The glass of wine dropped from my hand, yet it didn't stop me from recalling every single moment of happiness we had shared.

Evelyn was Beta Graham's daughter. We used to play together. First, we were friends. Soon, we both knew we weren't just friends—we were something more.

We held hands under the moonlight, jokingly praying to the Moon Goddess to make us mates. We shared our first kiss, our first everything under that moonlight. We thought we knew what we wanted in life.

When we didn’t turn out to be each other’s mates, we promised it wouldn’t affect us. I started working on my business, ready to give her the life she wanted.

I turned out to have the strongest Alpha wolf, which damaged the already fragile relationship I had with my parents even more.

She was there, constantly supporting me, telling me she would always be by my side.

We let our wolves go wild—running through the woods, sometimes locking each other in the dungeon like sinful criminals who couldn’t bear to be apart.

She promised she would love me despite everything. That she would reject her mate. That she would be chosen by me and bear my mark.

But she didn’t let me mark her when we were teenagers. She wanted to wait until we turned eighteen.

I thought it would be perfect. Magical. We would go to prom. We would enjoy every annual New Moon celebration where the Moon Goddess bestowed her blessing.

However, that day never came. Soon, we hit adulthood. I was pressured to give up the throne and hand it over to my brother. Although I had no interest in the Alpha position, I didn’t care.

But soon after the declaration that my brother would be the future Alpha, her attitude began to shift.

At the time, I didn’t think much of it. We went to two different universities. I studied business; she studied fashion design.

Our relationship barely survived on phone calls and occasional, short meetings because she was so busy with her career.

At that time, she didn’t give me a reason to doubt. She had the same scent. Now I wonder if that was her real scent. She laughed, said she loved me—without hesitation.

Time went by like a boring math book. Two years passed. My business started to take off. She would call occasionally. Sometimes she would make excuses.

And then, on a Friday night, while I was busy with work and a client meeting, I got a message.

She said it was urgent. I dropped everything—including the meeting—to call her. I was ready to do anything to help her.

But her words were exactly this: “Sorry, Alessandro. I know it’s been a while, and our relationship has been weak. But I couldn’t say anything about the situation we were in.”

I didn’t understand what she meant. She had messaged me just three days earlier, saying she’d meet me at the upcoming New Moon celebration.

But now, her words were smooth... and cruel. “If there’s another life, I want to be born as your mate. But this time, I have to choose my own mate. He’s a Beta from another pack, and… I realized the mate bond isn’t just a word. It’s a connection so strong that I can’t stay away.”

It took me three months to recover. In those months, I forgot how to sleep, how to eat, how to... function.

All I knew was I needed her beside me to exist. I needed her—the woman I had loved unconditionally, selflessly. When she said the mate bond was undeniable, I was scared. What if I couldn’t protect the love I had for her? What if I had to give her up for my own mate?

I needed her—or anyone who could imitate her, trick my desperate heart into thinking she was still there.

I was addicted to her. I loved her—fucking loved her—selflessly.

I thought she had married some Beta from another pack. I thought she was long gone. But who knew\... the person I loved for years was nothing but a cheater.

It felt like a sharp slap to my face. Fucking hell. I felt a strong urge to punch my brother and demand an explanation from her.

My blood boiled, my jaw clenched, and my fists tightened around the railing.

The glass shattered into pieces. But the noise didn’t reach anyone.

The pain was unbearable, like a ticking time bomb strapped to my chest, threatening to explode with the next breath.

My chest tightened. My breathing grew ragged. My knees buckled.

Before I could collapse, a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders.

“Take slow breaths, Mr. Simmons. It’s alright!”

I turned. My face was pale—blue, even. I hadn’t realized I was holding my breath. No wonder my body was failing.

Mauve Scarlet. The woman I had neglected and tormented looked even paler than I did.

Was she... worried about me?

“It’s fine. Just breathe. How about we go to our room? They won’t notice anyway,” she said quietly, knowing that my family wouldn’t care if I disappeared right now.

“Yes. Let’s go,” I replied, tasting bitterness in my mouth. My wolf, Kyde, was silent—as if he refused to acknowledge the pain.

I took another glance at Evelyn. She was beaming, smiling, occasionally kissing Alexander. She looked neither regretful nor guilty—just proud of her shameless betrayal.

“Ms. Scarlet,” I said, stopping her before she entered the suite. “Maybe... you can stay in a separate room tonight. I need some space.”

I tried to control my voice, but she flinched like I had shoved her. She bit her bottom lip... that pitiful expression again.

“Will you really be alright?” she asked, her voice hesitant.

I scoffed. Was she pitying me? Why would she care when our marriage was just a contract? I was sure she was laughing inside—at the pathetic loser who kept her around as a replacement for the woman who betrayed him.

“Why? Are you going to serve me? Tell me! Can you make me feel better? I’ll increase your payment. Make me feel better!” I pinned her against the wall, pressing my weight into her.

My mind was foggy. My heart was bleeding. I felt mocked—humiliated. I hated everything. Everyone. Kyde was slowly stirring, his rage heating my skull.

She struggled to break free, but it made me laugh.

“Shouldn’t you be happy? A human with no background, an abusive father who abandoned you, being treated like royalty? You should thank me—with your body!”

“Stop! You’re hurting me!” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’m hurt too! Look at me—I’m hurt too! Why can’t you see that I’m broken?” I cupped her face, forcing her to meet my gaze.

“Isn’t everyone selfish? Once your job is done, you’re ready to leave!”

“You... I think you’re drunk,” she whispered, struggling.

“So what? You’re my wife. You’re responsible for taking care of me.” I bit her collarbone. As expected—no scent. Just branded cologne.

“Please stop! You’re hurting me!” she hissed, pushing me away and running into a room.

I smirked, my eyes glistening with a golden flame. But then, something else struck me. Kyde grew alert.

Did we smell our scent on her?