Chapter 2 Betrayed

(Diane)

So this is how the mate bond feels. 

A rush of energy, a pull like gravity tightening around us, and an almost maddening awareness of him. 

But I wasn’t about to let it sway me. 

Sure, he was ridiculously perfect, but I wasn’t some love-struck fool who’d drop everything at the first spark of fate. I had a life, plans, and a fiancé waiting for me upstairs. 

This bond? It could wait.

Lucian’s gaze held mine, his lips curling into a small, knowing smirk. He held out a room key, his hand brushing mine as he offered it. Sparks shot up my arm at the contact, making me pull back instinctively.

“You’re my mate,” he said, his voice low but full of certainty.  

I raised an eyebrow, forcing myself to stay calm even as my heart raced. 

“Take a number and get in line, sweetheart,” I said coolly, flashing the engagement ring on my finger in front of his gray eyes. “I’m otherwise occupied right now.”  

I let the key slip from my hand, letting it fall to the floor between us before stepping past him toward the elevator.  

As the doors closed behind me, my wolf Nina growled in protest. “Aren’t you even going to consider? He’s your mate, you know.”  

“Of course, I know,” I muttered under my breath. “But I’m not getting involved with anyone from that pack. Mate or not. And don’t you forget, I’m happily engaged, thank you very much.”  

“Yeah, how can I forget? You and Victor ‘happily engaged’ yourselves at least once a day.”  

I rolled my eyes at her snark. “Sorry you have to watch. And might I remind you, Mom and Dad aren’t fated mates, and they’re the happiest couple I’ve ever seen.”  

Her growling softened to a grumble, but she still wasn’t giving up. “That’s different. They’re rare. Most wolves wouldn’t dare defy the bond like that—especially not Lucian’s pack. To them, rejecting a mate bond is unthinkable. Humans are the ones who fall in love, not them.”

I scoffed, my irritation bubbling over. “Yeah, well, maybe that’s why I can’t stand packs like his. They care about nothing but the mate bond. It’s their way of feeling superior to humans—like it makes them better than everyone else just because some mystical force tells them who to be with.” I stabbed the elevator button a little harder than necessary. “Meanwhile, humans—flawed as they are—choose who they love. They *build* something real, not just… fall in line because biology told them to.”  

Nina was quiet for a moment, but I could feel her unease. She didn’t agree, but she wasn’t about to argue, either.  

“And Lucian?” I continued, more to myself now than her. “He might be gorgeous, but I’m not some lovesick pup who’s going to throw away her life because of a *spark*. Love is a choice, not some predestined cage. He can take his pack’s holier-than-thou attitude and keep it. I’ve got a fiancé who actually knows how to build a life with someone, not just claim them because of some cosmic matchmaking service.”  

The elevator dinged, cutting off my rant as the doors slid open to reveal the top floor. My stomach dropped when I stepped out, and my ears perked at the sound of laughter floating down the hallway.  

It was faint, but unmistakable—The muffled sounds of a woman laughing floated through the hallway. My ears perked, catching a familiar voice. 

My Victor’s voice. And someone else’s.  

“Go in!” Nina snapped, fury rising in her voice. “Let me tear them apart!”  

I froze in place, my body stiff as realization sank in. 

No. He wouldn’t.  

The world around me feels distant, like I’m wading through a thick fog. 

I can’t think. Like I’m trapped in a bad dream, unable to wake up.  

“Why aren’t you coming in? Come and join us!” Victor’s voice echoes smoothly through the pack’s mind-link, his tone too casual, too smug.  

The words hit me like a bucket of ice water, sending a cold shock through my veins.

The gall. The nerve. 

My chest tightens as Nina growls, pacing furiously in my mind.

"Go in! Let me get them!" she snaps, her voice filled with an unrelenting rage that burns hotter with every passing second.

My hand trembles as I push open the door. It swings inward, revealing the scene I had desperately hoped wasn’t real.

Victor, my perfect fiancé, lounged shirtless on the edge of the bed, his arm draped lazily around her—Savannah. 

Of all people, her.

Savannah, the daughter of Alpha Bennett, leader of one of the most powerful packs in the region, rivaled only by my pack, Alpha Darius. Her family’s name carries weight—intimidating, commanding, untouchable. 

And now, here she is, draped over Victor like a queen claiming her prize.

Her crimson-painted lips curled into a smug smile as she trailed a manicured finger along Victor's chest. “Oh, hey there,” she purred, completely unbothered. “Took you long enough.”

Victor didn’t even flinch. 

Instead, he stretched like a lazy cat, as if caught napping rather than doing… this. 

His eyes met mine, sharp and unapologetic. “Don’t look so surprised,” he said flatly, like I was the one intruding.

Nina growled, clawing at my insides, demanding to be let loose. “Tear them apart,” she snarled. “Start with her.”

But I stayed frozen, my heart thundering in my chest. “Why?” I managed, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound strong.

“Why?” Victor repeated, standing up and crossing the room toward me like he was proud of himself. “Because you’re nothing more than a pawn, sweetheart. Always have been.”

I flinched at his words, but I wouldn’t let him see me crumble. 

Not here. Not now.

Savannah laughed, a high, grating sound that made Nina snap her teeth. “Oh, honey,” she cooed mockingly. “Did you really think he loved you? You’re just convenient. Until now, that is.”