Leaving With Our Pup Drove the Alpha Mad

Anna's POV

I had just submitted an application to the Council of Elders to dissolve the mate bond when my mate, Lucas Greyhound, reached out to me through the mind-link.

"Anna, something came up tonight. I won't be coming home."

He spoke in a serious and businesslike tone, just like he had countless times before.

Had I not seen him going to see the witch with his lover, Emily Steelclaw, I probably would still be in the dark even now.

I looked in the mirror and saw that my skin had lost its glow, and my eyes were full of exhaustion.

Lucas loved me, but it seemed he only loved the younger version of me.

"I haven't been able to get it up lately, and it's definitely because you're getting older, Anna. I prefer you when you were young."

A few days ago, because he casually made that disdainful comment, I went to the witch to get a special Rejuvenation shot and had to endure the excruciating pain of having my wolf reconstituted.

Yet not only had he refused to banish Emily and her pup, Kyle Greyhound, but he had also secretly kept the pup and was even raising him right under my nose. He spent less and less time at home, and his attitude toward me grew colder by the day.

I had fallen into deep self-doubt, never once suspecting that he had found someone younger on the side.

"Okay."

Lucas paused for a moment, as if surprised by my indifference. "Why are you—"

I didn't want to hear any more of his nonsense, so I cut off the mind-link and sent him the image I had just captured of him with Emily earlier on.

"See you at the council tomorrow."

With that, I quickly started packing my things.

Lucas, who had just said he wouldn't be coming home tonight, pushed open the front door in less than half an hour.

There was no guilt or panic on his face. The person who had looked so flustered at the marking ceremony seemed to have been left behind in the past.

He casually shifted slightly to the side, and that was when a small figure darted out from behind him.

"Mommy!"

I glared at Lucas. The words I wanted to say were suddenly stuck in my throat.

He grinned roguishly and lifted our son, Leon Greyhound, high into the air. "Leon, how about the three of us go to the Spring Hunting Festival together today?"

"Oh, yes! Yay!"

Lucas had a smile on his face as he looked at me with certainty. I knew he was using Leon to threaten me.

…

Back when I first learned about Emily and Kyle, I had also suggested breaking the bond.

But the moment Leon found out about it, his wolf got extremely agitated. His body convulsed on the floor as he clutched the hem of my clothes desperately.

"Mom… please don't break up with Dad… Please… I'm begging you."

My heart felt as if it had been torn apart by sharp claws when I heard Leon's cries.

Lucas was right to bet on that, because in the end, I had compromised for Leon's sake.

"Okay, Leon."

…

But this time, the moment I opened the front door, I came face to face with Emily. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she was holding the hand of a pup about Leon's age.

Almost instantly, she dropped to her knees right in front of me, looking utterly subservient. "Luna, please, Kyle's wolf is agitated right now. He needs his father's guidance, just this once. I beg you!"

Kyle sobbed pitifully and reached his hand out to Lucas. "Dad! I feel awful… Dad!"

I felt a tight grip on my hand and looked down to see Leon's face turn deathly pale as tears glistened in his eyes. My heart ached for him.

I put my arm around Leon's shoulder and looked at Lucas. "Lucas, you just promised to take Leon to the Spring Hunting Festival. Are you going back on your word?"

I reminded him quietly, without making a scene, that his broken promises were exactly why I was ready to dissolve the mate bond.

This last chance of forgiveness wasn't something I was giving Lucas. It was entirely for Leon's sake. If he chose Emily and Kyle today, it would mean he was giving up on Leon and me.

Emotions surged in Lucas' eyes, but he remained silent for a long time, unable to make a decision.

"Daddy…" Kyle broke the heavy silence, gently tugging at Lucas' clothes, looking pitiful and wronged.

My heart clenched, and I gave Leon a small nudge forward.

But before Leon's hand could even reach him, Lucas had already made his choice. He firmly took Kyle's hand and looked at Leon apologetically.

"Be good, sweetheart. Kyle isn't feeling well today. Daddy will take you to the festival some other day, okay?"

In the end, that was still the choice he made, even knowing that the consequence of that choice was losing us completely.

A buzzing sound filled my head as something inside me finally snapped. The scene before me blurred together with that farce from before.

Leon used to be lively and jovial until that incident happened.

Other pups would point at him behind his back and mock him, each word stabbing him in the heart. "Kyle is older than you, so that makes your mom the homewrecker! Will your dad kick you out one day?"

When Leon heard that, he broke down completely. His wolf got severely upset, and he nearly died from the pain. Lucas and I exhausted ourselves trying to save him.

From then on, he became insecure, quiet, and reserved. My heart ached terribly for him.

Leon needed Lucas. At least for now, he truly did.

"Lucas, if you dare to set foot out that door today, Leon and I will never accept you again!"

I made one last attempt to keep him. Lucas looked at my reddened eyes and began to hesitate.

The next second, Emily scooped Kyle into her arms and ran toward the edge of the forest.

"My poor pup! Your father doesn't want you anymore. He's going to just stand by and watch you die. If that's the case, then I might as well die with you!"

Lucas' eyes widened. He immediately shoved me aside and rushed after Emily into the forest.