Chapter 2: What a weak werewolf...

Tori’s POV

Hearing it straight from his mouth, I felt my world crash down, but I couldn't even let out a whimper as pain consumed my body.

After being away from each other for a long time, our mate bond was weaker, but even then, I could still feel the pain in my heart as a lone tear fell from my eyes.

However, no one was paying me any attention; even my mate had already turned around in his wolf form as he made his way up.

To make matters worse, the former Luna, who hated me as much as Alpha Carlisle did, strutted toward the pregnant woman with open arms and a welcoming, gentle smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, are you my son's fated mate? Come in! Let Mom escort you inside," the former Luna said excitedly as she gently pulled the woman toward the banquet hall.

Everyone surrounded her, and the woman kept gently stroking her belly while smiling beautifully at everyone.

Her golden locks matched her honey-brown eyes, which seemed to glow in the sun, and everyone adored her even more because of this.

As everyone wanted to be near the woman, they didn't even care if they pushed and shoved me out of the way. Because of this, I fell to the ground, and the gravel embedded itself under my skin, making me wince in pain.

Everyone smelled the metallic scent of blood and momentarily stopped to look at me, but instead of concern, their expressions turned mocking.

"What a weak werewolf."

"How can a weakling like her be a werewolf, let alone a Luna?"

"Do you think she's doing that on purpose to get our attention?"

"Ha! Dream on!"

After a moment, everyone returned to catering to the pregnant woman as the festivities resumed around them. The woman's gaze lingered on my face for a moment before she smiled brightly, a glint of triumph passing through her eyes before she allowed everyone else to guide her, ignoring me as I remained on the ground.

I winced; my knees and palms were scraped, and I could feel the gravel lodged in my skin.

"L-Luna!"

Gamma Sylas's heart nearly leaped from his chest as he saw me lying pitifully on the ground, my wounds healing far too slowly. His expression darkened as he extended his index finger, his nail sharpening into a claw. With slow, deliberate care, he picked out the gravel embedded in my skin, causing fresh blood to seep from the wounds.

I suddenly felt a heavy gaze pressing down on me. Instinctively, I looked up toward the fourth floor of the packhouse only to meet the cold, indifferent eyes of my mate.

For a brief moment, he stared at me, emotionless. Then, without hesitation, he turned away and drew the curtains shut.

He must have thought that the one who got hurt was the woman he brought, I thought, but just the idea of it made my heart constrict with pain. It felt like torture, and my whole body trembled as I sensed pain crawling through me as the mate bond slowly deteriorated.

It didn't have to take physical cheating for the mate bond to decay; without enough emotional and physical connection, it would gradually rot and become torment.

Let alone when a partner physically cheated, it would be severely painful enough to drive someone insane, not to mention possibly causing death, especially if they marked someone while still having a mate bond connection with another person.

For three long years, I was plagued by this pain, and unlike Alpha Carlisle, who could endure it because of his Alpha blood, I wasn't as fortunate. My body was only slightly stronger than that of a human, so this torment almost took my life more than once.

The only person aware of my struggle was Gamma Sylas, and it was only thanks to him that I managed to get through those nights, as it was a Gamma's specialty to heal their Luna.

"L-Luna, don't cry..." Gamma Sylas's gentle voice resonated in my ear.

Unbeknownst to me, I was already shedding tears as I recalled all the suffering I had endured.

Just when I thought I might finally have a chance to start anew upon my mate's return, it turned out that he would bring back a pregnant woman instead.

"Sylas..."

Even before I could say anything, a whimper escaped my lips as I felt my heart constricting again. The familiar torture I experienced almost every day for the last three years I had been mated to Alpha Carlisle.

Gamma Sylas stroked my back to comfort me, but it did little to alleviate my pain. Only after some time did the pain subside, and Sylas finished removing the gravel from under my skin.

As we made our way to the lively banquet hall, everyone was already toasting the pregnant woman, who was only sipping orange juice. Beta Marcus served her with respect and attention while the former Luna chatted with her, holding her hand.

I felt weak from the pain, and with my reddened eyes, I wanted to sit down quickly.

However, the Luna's place beside the Alpha had been given to the pregnant woman.

I bit my lower lip, trying to hold back tears as I made my way to the end of the table. Only Gamma Sylas sat with me while the others ignored me.

I choked back the lump forming in my throat as I could clearly feel like the outsider at the main table who was unwelcome there.

When Carlisle returned, now in his human form and dressed all in black, he entered the hall and noticed me sitting alone. His expression darkened in disapproval, but he merely walked to his seat without a word.

It wasn't clear whether his displeasure was because I was seated at the main table, still near him, or simply because he had to see me there.

What is she trying to pull now? Acting pitiful for sympathy? Carlisle scoffed internally, his gaze narrowing.

But his wolf, Roque, growled in defiance, unsettling him further.

What do you want now, Roque? Carlisle demanded, frustrated as his wolf's mood rippled through him, intensifying his irritation.

But Roque remained silent, only growling in defiance before retreating into the deepest corners of Carlisle's mind.

Carlisle's eyes briefly met mine, and in that fleeting moment, his cold, unfeeling gaze pierced through me, leaving me breathless.

I felt a wave of weakness flood my body as if every ounce of strength had been drained away. My heart clenched painfully. It had been years, yet he still treated me with such coldness, filled with hatred and indifference.

That single, heart-wrenching glance didn't last long, but its impact was enough. His eyes quickly shifted elsewhere, turning to the woman beside his chair.

His eyes softened with warmth as he acknowledged her a stark contrast to the coldness and indifference he had shown me.

The sharp sting of pain struck again, and my eyes blurred with unshed tears, but I refused to let them fall, holding them back with all my will.

I lowered my head to hide the pain in my eyes as I pretended to eat, but my hands were trembling as I clenched my jaw to hold the sob that was about to escape my lips.

Carlisle sank lazily into his chair, his posture relaxed. No sooner had he settled than a fork laden with meat was pushed in his direction.

His eyebrows arched in mild amusement, and for a fleeting moment, his indifferent expression softened. A rare gentleness flickered in his eyes. A warmth that was almost doting.

I caught a glimpse of it from the corner of my eye as I hesitantly lifted my gaze. It was a look I had never seen from him, one I had only heard about from others.

Gamma Sylas, in particular, often spoke of Carlisle's warmth and how the Alpha had been loved by the pack, his charisma and leadership drawing people to him. He was always kind and caring to those around him, but to me, that gentleness had always seemed distant, something I could never quite imagine.

But now, watching the way he interacted with the woman beside him, there was no mistaking it, the tenderness he showed her was so evident, so natural.

His eyes sparkled with amusement and affection, and my heart twisted with pain. It felt as if I were invisible in that moment the Luna who had been overlooked and dismissed.

I, who should be sitting beside my mate, was now left in the background while he openly showered the woman with attention. The cruel contrast felt like a slap to my face in front of everyone.

A tight knot formed in my stomach, a heavy, painful sensation that felt like a punch to the gut, uncomfortable and suffocating. My heart ached with every passing second.

Even Gamma Sylas seemed to hold his breath, his eyes flickering nervously toward the head seat as the scene unfolded before us.

It was clear that everyone around Carlisle was unfazed by the sight, as though they had grown used to it. Laughter filled the air, accompanied by playful teasing directed at the Alpha for being so attentive to the woman.

"Stop just feeding me. How about giving the pup more?" Carlisle teased the woman.

"Are you tired? Would you like to rest in the alpha's suite?" he added, his gentle gaze never leaving her face.

However, I, who overheard his offer, paled and looked up at them.