Spoiled by my Ex's Uncle 3

All I know was that my heart was in pain, immense pain that I had no recollection of how I went back to my room, or how I managed to make it through the night. By the time morning came, the sun filtered through the slightly opened curtains, peeping in soft golden lights across the room, a huge contrast to what my heart was feeling. 

The spot beside me on the bed, where Matt should have been, was cold and empty. I felt none of the warmth I’d once enjoyed waking up beside him.

He hadn’t returned early last night, and even when he finally did, I couldn’t find peace, couldn’t sleep. His words from when he left echoed in my mind, his flimsy excuses taunting me.

He had told me his great uncle, Sebastian Salvatore, would be in town soon to expand his business. In Matt’s world, that meant he needed to be on his best behavior to get on the man’s good side. He mentioned needing to ensure everything was perfect for the meeting.

But after what I’d discovered, I knew it was a lie. He left to see her—Faye.

Now that I thought about it, maybe he met her all those times he claimed to be going out for work. He probably just wanted more time with his lover while I played the perfect fiancée, clueless and devoted, thinking he was pursuing his dreams. All the while, he had been pursuing something else, someone else.

The truth shattered me more than I wanted to admit. The very thought of it churned my stomach. The worst part was knowing he’d been taking my blood, draining me like some danm vampire, only to give it to her.

When would it end? Would he keep going until I dropped dead? Would he be satisfied then? Perhaps he’d wanted me dead all along.

A tool—that’s all I was to him. Not even a person, much less a wolf.

And yet, pathetically enough, I couldn’t bring myself to confront him. I didn’t know why. I wanted to—I really did. But for some reason, as I watched him get ready and leave, I could only sit there, doing nothing. Even when he leaned down to kiss my cheek goodbye, it felt like nothing more than an act he’d perfected over the past two years. It felt hollow, a robotic gesture, not an act of love.

I hated it. I hated everything that had led to this. I hated that I could only sit and watch as it crumbled. I hated that I still couldn’t face him.

More than anything, though, I hated how much I loved him, and how that love had left me feeling so betrayed, so broken-hearted. When the door finally clicked shut behind him, I released a shaky breath, my shoulders slumping and my knees weakening. If I had been standing, I might have fallen.

My mind raced, replaying everything that had happened over the past two years, every lie I’d believed, every sacrifice I’d made. The silence in the house felt oppressive, my mind looping through the betrayal, the anger, the disbelief.

How had I let it come to this? How had I allowed myself to be deceived for so long?!

To think that I’d been giving him my blood all this time, believing he was doing it for my sake, only to find out I was nothing more than a fool in his eyes—and in hers. How long had he been with her? Was she the reason he got with me in the first place? Was I the other woman here, or was she?

The more I thought about it, the more suffocated I felt. I desperately needed an escape. I needed to get out, to talk to someone—anyone—to lift some of this weight off my shoulders.

Without a second thought, I reached for my phone and dialed the one person I could count on: my best friend, Gracie. She was the only person in the pack who genuinely understood me, who had ever been kind to me.

She picked up on the second ring, her cheerful voice flooding the receiver, instantly calming some of the storm inside me. “Hey, baby girl!” she greeted, as upbeat as ever. “What’s up?”

My heart hammered in my che-st, my voice thick as I tried to speak. “Gracie,” I croaked, hating how weak I sounded. Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back. “Can we go out tonight?” I cleared my throat, hoping my voice would steady. “I just… I need to get out of here, please.”

There was a pause on her end, a beat, then another. Gracie knew me well enough to sense something was wrong. Her voice softened, and I could practically see the frown on her face. “What happened, Leila?” Her cheerfulness had vanished, replaced by a fierce, protective tone that nearly brought me to tears again. “Did Matt do something?” It sounded like a question, but we both knew it wasn’t.

Gracie had never liked Matt, even before I joined the pack. No surprise she guessed he was the cause of my distress.

I hesitated, unsure how much to say. Finally, I decided against explaining over the phone. “Not now,” I said, shaking my head, even though she couldn’t see me. I gripped the phone tightly, my heart aching. “I’ll explain everything when we meet. Can we go to the club later? I need to clear my mind.”

“Of course, babe, of course,” she said gently. “I’ve got your back, always. I’ll pick you up around six. Is that good for you?”

“Yeah,” I managed, swallowing a lump in my throat. “Six is good.” It would give her time to finish work, and it worked well enough for me, too.

Some of the weight pressing on me eased at the thought of spending time with her. It had been weeks since I last saw her, and it felt like forever. I needed some girl time, desperately.

After a few more words, I hung up and collapsed back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Tonight, I thought. I’d let it all out tonight, even if only for a little while.

Maybe Gracie would have an idea—a way out—because I certainly couldn’t think straight. But deep down, I knew my time with Matt was over.

It had to be, one way or another. Now, it was just a matter of when.

Now my priority was to start planning my leaving.