Maple
My Alpha mate, Leon Worth, brought a breathtaking mermaid into our estate. He named her Nerissa and tended to her every need with painstaking care.
That day, the moment Leon stepped out, Nerissa walked right up to me—and placed my Luna Crown on her own head, right in front of my face.
"Leon and I have known each other for six months now. He promised me with his own mouth—he'd take care of me for life." She traced a finger along the crown's rim, her smile poised. "I've made up my mind—I'm willing to drink the potion for him. I'll give up my tail. Delores, step aside and hand over the Luna position. It'll save everyone the humiliation in the end."
I didn't argue with her. I just waited for Leon to come back and explain.
But when he finally returned, he didn't even bother to take that crown off Nerissa's head. He left me standing there like I didn't exist, while he knelt beside her, gently cleaning her scales, his voice low and tender—like he was handling something fragile, something precious:
"Just three more days. I'll get you a better heated pool."
The way he looked at her—I'd seen that look for seven years. Now, it belonged to someone else.
I turned and walked away. I didn't look back.
My flight had barely broken through the clouds when my phone lit up. A message from Leon flashed across the screen:
"Delores, don't go. I did all of this—to save you!"