Chapter 1: I Just Knew It Was Over

Ariana

Damian’s first love, Lily, suddenly returned to the pack after six long years. But this time, she didn’t come alone; she brought her pup along with her, a child whom I suspected to be my mate’s because of how he dotes on the little boy.

For the past month, Damian had been finding reasons to stay away from home. Most times he’ll call me to say he had urgent pack business and needed to keep traveling from one territory to the other but I wasn’t stupid and I knew quite well he was avoiding me.

However, I still hoped that today would be different because tonight was our three year anniversary.

“Pheewww” I sighed, staring at the already set dinner table.

I couldn’t believe that it was already three years. I mean three whole years since my mating ceremony to the Alpha of my dreams, my mate. It’s been three years and a few months since we found out that the Moon Goddess had bound us as mates but tonight marks it officially three years since our mating ceremony.

I had prepared a candlelit dinner and a small gift, hoping maybe… just maybe he’d come home this time so we could at least celebrate.

But I was terribly wrong because by nine o’clock, I was still alone and the food I prepared had already gone cold.

I sniffled and quickly cleaned my eyes, trying to put myself together in case the moon goddess touched his heart and he decided to come home.

I was about to call him again when I received a mind link from Riley, Damian’s younger sister. Was she close to the house? And why was she mind linking me, I thought to myself.

“Hey,” I whispered.

“Ariana,” she called softly, “check your messages, I sent you something a few minutes ago,” she said, and then the mind link cut.

What was so urgent she had to mindlink me? I didn’t know what to think. Or did something bad happen to Damian and that was why he was yet to be home for the anniversary dinner? I thought to myself and quickly went to search for my phone.

I took a deep breath and then opened our chat expecting to see something harmless but a bile rose in my throat and I immediately dropped the plate in my hand letting it shatter to the floor immediately the image popped on my screen.

A shard scraped my ankle, drawing a thin line of blood, but I could barely feel anything. I cleaned my eyes hoping that my eyes were deceiving me and I was mistaken but when I opened it again the image was staring back at me making me believe it was real.

Riley had sent me a screenshot of Damian’s public post on I*******m. It showed that he had booked out the entire Moonshore Bay, lit up the night sky with fireworks, and celebrated Lily’s birthday with her and their pup.

My hands were shaking as I swiped through the screenshots one by one with tears in my eyes. The beach, the yacht, the fireworks, the bouquets of roses, and finally Damian, smiling proudly, holding the boy in one arm and resting his other hand on Lily’s waist.

My eyes burned with hot tears as I lingered on the photo of him holding Lily’s waist. This damn mate of mine was holding another woman’s waist with our wedding ring still on his finger.

The caption read: “A blueberry cake made with my own hands, for the loves of my life.”

Was he really being serious right now? The loves of his life?? If they were the loves of his life then what does that make me his Luna and fated mate?

My chest tightened painfully and I went to his profile only to see that it was gone and that he had blocked me from it.

Still, I refused to give up because maybe he might have a good explanation so I tried calling him. Once. Twice. Three times.

He didn’t answer and kept hanging up on me.

Then a single message came through:

“Busy.”

One word, cold and detached like I was nothing to him.

Something inside me cracked. I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded against my ribs like it wanted to escape. I clutched the dining table, my body trembling with helpless fury.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh” I screamed, pushing the food and drinks on the table to the floor.

I didn’t care, I grabbed my own hair and broke down crying.

“Ariana, Ariana, Ariana. ... .open the door” I heard someone knocking but I didn’t need to open up to know it was Riley.

A few minutes later she was beside me patting my hair.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have sent it. I just wanted you to see for yourself. If you want I can go to Moonshore and find him right now!” She said.

I shook my head. “No, Riley. I’ll handle this myself.” I replied, cleaning my tears.

My mother was still recovering from her surgery at the hospital and no matter how heartbroken I was right now I knew now was not the time for me to fall apart.

Riley stayed with me till midnight before finally leaving me to think and sulk into the night.

Damian and I had grown up together. Everyone in the pack knew I had loved him since childhood, but they also knew he had never stopped loving Lily, the she-wolf who left him behind.

I, on the other hand, I was so elated when I found out he was my fated mate because I already had a long lasting crush on him.

And I knew he only took me as his Luna out of obligation because as an Alpha, he needed a Luna. But I didn't mind, I believed since he was my mate, if I stayed by his side devotedly he’d one day grow to love me, only that I was terribly wrong.

………………..

For the next three days, I stayed at the hospital caring for my mother. Damian never called, never sent a message. It was as if I’d already been erased from his life.

When my mother’s condition finally stabilized, my father begged me gently to go home and rest and so I went home to rest.

It was a bit late when I got to the house and I was half-asleep when I heard the door creak open. After a short while, I heard the sound of running water in the bathroom.

Moments later, the mattress dipped beside me, and I caught the familiar scent, the one I knew too well, the scent of my mate. Damian, but there was another smell beneath it. A soft, floral note that didn’t belong to me and even my wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, unable to understand why our mate smelled like another.

Before I could react, his arm slid around my waist, pulling me close. His lips brushed my neck, warm and possessive. He slid his hands into my nightwear and fondled my breasts.

For the first time in weeks, he’d come home and normally I should’ve felt relief and be happy but instead, I felt nothing but emptiness.

He kissed my skin again, tracing a path down my shoulder and teasing me with his lips.

Throughout our three years together, the only time Damian ever showed affection was in bed. Every touch had fooled me into believing he might love me even if just a little.

But not tonight.

“Don’t,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He didn’t stop, instead, his lips grew hungrier and his hands rougher.

He used his hands to tease my nipples and he nibbled softly on my ears and I almost melted when the image of him with Lily, the fireworks, the roses, and all flashed in my eyes.

Immediately, a wave of nausea surged up inside me and I pushed him away racing to the bathroom to throw up.

“Are you sick?” Damian asked calmly, joining me in the bathroom only a few seconds later.

“I’m fine,” I replied because I was in fact fine. I was only disgusted by him, by myself, and by the life I’d been clinging to.

I left him there and went to the bedroom and when he came back, he handed me a glass of water and said, “I’ll book a place tomorrow to make up for our anniversary.”

Just like that, no apology and no guilt.

“No need,” I said, staring at him.

He looked a bit confused but I didn’t even bother explaining to him. I mean why should I? He clearly remembered our anniversary yet he didn’t think it was important to celebrate it with me or even acknowledge it yet he spent the entire evening with an ex-girlfriend.

He had even baked a cake for them with his own hands, something he’d never done for me even though I had served him, cared for him, and loved him faithfully for the past three years.

I looked at him and for the first time ever I saw him clearly, not as Damian the man I had been in love with since childhood, or as my fated mate but as a hypocrite which he was.

And just like that, I just knew it was over