Forging a Path Without You

At the victory banquet, I stood on the outskirts of the crowd and watched as Derrick Caldwell basked in the admiration of the pack.

We had been mates for eight years. And yet, the Luna standing beside him was his childhood sweetheart, Lilith Sterling, instead of me.

The two of them were inseparable, and they seemed destined for each other.

A warrior asked curiously, "Alpha Derrick, I heard you had a mate of eight years. Is that the one standing next to you?"

Lilith only lowered her head shyly upon hearing the question. "That's Alpha Derrick's private matter. He isn't ready to make it public yet."

Immediately, murmurs spread through the crowd. Everyone took her silence as confirmation that she was Derrick's mate.

Someone laughed and teased, "Since our Luna is so shy, let's just pretend we don't know anything!"

Derrick smiled slightly. "Lilith is a newly appointed minister under my command. Show her the respect she deserves."

The crowd erupted into laughter, and the atmosphere by the bonfire grew even livelier.

Only my good friend, Allison Whitmore, leaned in close and whispered, "Talia, is this part of your plan? Are you going to surprise them all later?"

I didn't answer.

My heart ached.

Derrick and I had been together for years, yet he had never once acknowledged our mate bond in front of the pack. Whenever people questioned our relationship, he was always quick to dismiss it as if it was something shameful.

But today, when it came to rumors about him and Lilith, he neither confirmed nor denied them.

When he stepped away to the restroom, I quietly intercepted him, demanding to know why he still refused to acknowledge me.

His expression twisted with irritation. "Do you know what people say about me? They said that I'm the only Alpha in the Argentmoon Federation who wasn't born a noble.

"You may have helped me claim the title of Alpha, but your background is too lowly. You can't compare to Lilith's prestigious bloodline.

"If they find out my mate is a rogue-born omega, they'll look down on me even more.

"As my mate, you need to be understanding. Letting them assume Lilith is my mate isn't a big deal. It makes me appear more noble in their eyes."

I knew Lilith was his first love and the one who had once saved him when he was nothing but a struggling warrior.

But for eight years, I had fought alongside him, shedding blood in battle and helping him rise to the position of Alpha.

I thought I should have earned his respect at the very least.

And yet, now, he refused to acknowledge my existence—using my background as an excuse.

"In fact, Talia Smith contributed a lot in helping us conquer the two snow mountains this time," Lilith suddenly spoke up.

"Though she doesn't know much about combat, she was always assisting from the sidelines. Now, let's have her come up and say a few words!"

Her words brought the entire gathering to a halt. The warriors exchanged confused glances, struggling to recall who Talia Smith even was.

Then, sharp voices of doubt rang out through the silence. "Talia Smith? Isn't she just Alpha Derrick's maid? What contributions could she possibly have made?"

"What could an omega who can't even draw a bow possibly do?"

Some even openly mocked me. "What is a maid doing at a celebration like this? Is she afraid of being outshone by Lilith and trying to steal attention for herself?"

Derrick frowned and raised a hand to silence the crowd. "Enough. Talia isn't used to being in the spotlight. Let's continue the celebration."

Scornful, dismissive, mocking gazes surged toward me like an unstoppable tide.