5

Vanessa’s POV

"Please don't do this to me," I whisper to myself as the door clicks shut, locking me inside with no way out.

Collapsed on the floor of Alpha Alexander’s study, I'm overwhelmed, my thoughts a whirlwind too rapid to grasp. It's all becoming too much for my mental health. I've strived to maintain focus, but it's slipping away.

I fled this pack once before, seeking the peace it couldn't offer. I chased happiness, only to return and find myself ensnared in a bizarre twist of fate I never anticipated. Coming back to Blood Moon was supposed to be a brief visit, not a plunge into chaos.

I have a long list of clients back in Canada, waiting for their tattoos. There's so much waiting for me at home. And I haven't fed my dog, though I left him with my neighbor to care for while I'm away. She's going to start worrying if I don't return soon.

Hours stretch on, and no one enters the room. Humiliated, panicked, and utterly exhausted, I sit immobilized, my gaze fixed blankly on the opposite wall. Powerless, I realize there’s little I can do now with Alpha Alexander so furious. I've never seen him like this before. Sure, he was angry that time Alfie made me cry when we were kids, but nothing like this. Earlier, he was not just a man; he was a monstrous beast, and I found myself holding my breath in his presence.

Sitting naked in the study, I struggle to lift my heavy head and my eyes catch the CCTV camera pointed directly at me. I've always known he has them throughout the house, and they never used to bother me. But today, under its unwavering gaze, I feel an unsettling mix of exposure and defiance.

I realized I need to get dressed; the thought of being watched through that invasive camera, seeing me so broken and vulnerable, compels me to move. Shaking, I attempt to stand, but my legs, weak and unsteady, fail me, and I fall, my knee colliding sharply with the coffee table. A yelp escapes my lips as pain jolts through me, followed by a flood of tears.

Sobbing, I curl into myself on the cold tiled floor where I once played with Alfie and Amelia during happier times. Each breath is a struggle, and the burning at the back of my throat intensifies the feeling of vulnerability. I've never felt so utterly weak and fragile as I do in this moment, utterly alone in the shadowy room.

Feeling utterly helpless and convinced that my life could not sink any lower, a strange sensation crawled over my skin, tightening it uncomfortably and making it difficult to even breathe. I didn't try to stand again. Instead, I drew my knees up to my chest, curling into a small ball, and allowed myself to lower my guard to Evie.

Evie responded not with words but with a warmth that enveloped my mind, offering comfort that felt almost tangible. I could sense her trying to wipe away my tears and embrace me simultaneously, and I surrendered to the consolation. Evie had been my solitary companion since I was eighteen, the one being I could turn to without judgment, long after I realized I couldn't rely on my parents. She was the most steadfast presence in my life, a gift from the Moon Goddess, and in this moment, her support was my only solace.

Evie remained by my side in the human world, fully aware that there was no place for me in the pack after Alfie's rejection. The pack understood the gravity of a mate's rejection; no one would question my departure.

I kept the rejection a secret from my parents, deciding they should hear it from Alfie, or perhaps from Emily, the woman he chose over me—his new mate. The idea of him preferring someone he deemed stronger and more suitable was a sharp pain in my chest.

In Canada, I tried to let go of these hurts, forging real friendships with people who appreciated me for who I was. But now, back in the pack, my life seemed to be spiraling once again. Despite my best efforts, thoughts of Alfie haunted me more often than I cared to admit, even though he was the last person I wanted on my mind.Alfie had broken eighteen years of friendship in one devastating night, his final words searing painfully into my memory. As I grappled with the fallout, Evie’s presence was a quiet comfort, though even she seemed at a loss for words.

After a long silence, Evie finally spoke. "I don't know what to say. I don't even understand what is going on and how things changed so suddenly."

"I don't either, Evie," I admitted quietly in my mind, too exhausted to speak aloud. "This wasn't how things were supposed to be. This is messed up. And very, very messy."

Evie’s anger began to surface, her tone sharp. "I understand. But I never expected this from Alexander of all people. He is the most level-headed male I have ever met. Why would he react like that?"

Her confusion mirrored my own, deepening the mystery of Alexander's uncharacteristic outburst and leaving us both searching for answers amid the chaos.

"I don't know, Evie! It feels like he has a switch that was flicked on earlier. I couldn't even recognize the Alpha I grew up with," I confess, feeling my own anger start to simmer.

"Or maybe he's just grieving his wife? She died just a few days ago, and the pain is still very much fresh," Evie suggested, trying to find a reasonable explanation, though we both doubted this was the case.

Alpha Alexander’s actions weren't those of a grieving man; they were deliberate and cruel. No amount of sorrow could excuse how he treated me—especially not when we were both so far gone under the influence of alcohol. I couldn't recall anything after I pressed that bottle of whiskey to my lips, the night blurring into a haze of shock and confusion. Discovering Alpha Alexander as supposedly my second chance mate had thrown everything into disarray. "Is he even my second chance mate, or is destiny just playing cruel games with me?" I wondered aloud, the question hanging heavily between us.

"That wasn't grieving, Eva! That was pure brutality at its peak. He wanted someone to blame for what we did, and I was the only option," I seethe, my anger boiling over as I refuse to make excuses for Alpha Alexander's behavior. He doesn't deserve any leniency.

"After going to the human world, I've realized that people have walked all over me in this pack, all in the name of forgiveness. But not anymore. I've stopped giving excuses to those who don't deserve it," I declare, my resolve firm. Alpha Alexander wanted to lay blame on me, and he did so without hesitation. I was the convenient scapegoat.

"Yeah, that wasn't grieving. But that wasn't the Alpha Alexander you knew either!" Evie insists, her voice tinged with concern, likely because she believes he's our mate and doesn't want me to harbor resentment.

As much as I wish I could hate Alpha Alexander in this moment, I find myself unable to summon that level of animosity. Despite his actions, some part of me still clings to the hope that there's a reasonable explanation for his behavior—a hope I'm not sure I want to acknowledge.

"He is a great man," Evie acknowledges softly, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Why did you even call him our mate, Evie? Our mate was Alfie, his fucking son who rejected us four years ago. Why?" I question, my voice barely audible as I bury my head between my naked knees.

There's a long pause, and I fear that Evie may have blocked me for asking such a question. But what other choice did I have? I couldn't simply accept her words without processing the implications. Alfie's rejection had left wounds that still hadn't fully healed.

"It's a feeling I got then. I even connected to his wolf at that instant, and he felt the same. Was... was Frida his fated mate?" Evie responds tentatively, her words laden with uncertainty. Our conversations about Blood Moon had ceased long ago, but now this topic resurfaces.

"No, she wasn't. They agreed to mark and marry each other as chosen ones," I confirm, my tone reflecting the weight of the revelation.