Always Us Never Them Meaning

No one knew that I was the Thorn pack’s head Alpha’s soulmate. He and Carol, who had been best friends since they were kids, were very close. Everyone in the pack thought they were soulmates while I was just a mistress threatening their bond. To protect Carol’s reputation, Barnett lied to the pack, claiming Carol was carrying his pup. This made our child illegitimate. When I confronted him in pain, demanding why, he explained, “Carol is known for her gentle and quiet nature. If our packmates knew she was pregnant without a mate, they would shame her. She's too fragile to go through all this.” For the first time, I looked at the man I thought was my mate and questioned if the Moon Goddess had made a mistake. Later on, while Barnett was away gathering herbs for Carol, the elders forced me to terminate my pregnancy, branding our pup as a disgrace to the Thorn pack. By the time Barnett returned, our pup was gone, and so was I.

When my son asked me about his father while crying once again, I pointed at the television. Samuel Shaw, who had just made it into the top three of the wealth rankings, was being interviewed. He said he had achieved fame and success, and the person he hated most was his childhood sweetheart and ex-wife. “She abandoned me when I was gravely ill, all for the sake of money. But it was that very betrayal that pushed me to rise from the ashes in my darkest hour.” The reporters grew excited and suggested contacting me on the spot. "She must be filled with regret, begging Mr. Shaw to take her back!" My phone rang right then. I answered and immediately asked for money. "Samuel, my son is sick. Could you lend me sixty thousand dollars?" He abruptly hung up the phone and said with a cold laugh, "Knowing she's living so miserably gives me peace of mind." Looking at the kidney failure report in my hand, I silently wept. Six years ago, I secretly donated one of my kidneys to Samuel. Now, his son was suffering from the same disease and didn't have much time left.

My husband is known as a ruthless CEO, but somehow, he is tender and warm with me. I'm passionate about art restoration, especially antique paintings, so he transforms his private collection room into a professional-grade studio just for me. He even brings in top experts to mentor me. Once, I spent three sleepless nights restoring a rare 12th-century painting. He ends up buying the entire museum that the painting belongs to, just so I can study it without restrictions. To marry me, he goes head-to-head with his powerful family, even stages a hunger strike, until they finally give in. At our engagement party, he gets down on one knee in front of everyone and says, "Ash, you deserve nothing but the best in this world." The ring he designs himself has an engraving on the inside that says, "Art brought us together, love holds us forever." Everyone says Vincent Hawthorn loves me like a maniac, and I believe it—until I restore one of his late mother's paintings…

My wife, Sarah, died unexpectedly. My in-laws made an absurd request. "Why not have Stella play both roles? After all, Luke can't be without a mother." My brother-in-law, Greg, yelled at me, calling me shameless, and stormed out in anger. I looked at my sister-in-law, Stella, who looked exactly like my late wife. I could hardly conceal my grief. I was about to urge them to abandon their ridiculous idea, when I accidentally overheard a conversation between her and her parents. "It was Stella who died, so why did you lie and claim it was you?" Sarah sighed. "I love Greg. I staged my death so I could be with him legitimately. As for asking me to play both roles, don't even bring it up again. As for Michael, I have already given him a child and a respectable marriage. I owe him nothing." Turning around, I saw Luke with reddened eyes, asking me softly, "Daddy, does that mean that Mommy no longer wants us?" I bent down and pulled him into my arms, forcing myself to soothe him. "Your Aunt Stella wants to protect the person that she loves. We shouldn't bother her. It's time for us to prepare a new life."

On the day my twin sister, Alexia Cavanaugh, and I turn 22, I collapse and find out that I have late-stage cancer. Ignoring the doctor's advice to be admitted, I walk out of the hospital. All I want is to spend one final birthday with my family without a single worry. But when I arrive at the party, a server stops me at the door and tells me the venue has been reserved exclusively for Alexia. Outsiders aren't allowed in. Through the glass, I watch as my brother holds a cake and my father places a birthday hat on Alexia's head. Even my boyfriend is there, smiling as Alexia makes a wish. I stand there for half an hour, gripping my phone, before my boyfriend finally answers my call. "I was just at the hospital. I—" He cuts me off. "Ophelia, you've always been healthy. It's Lexi's birthday today. We should talk later." Isn't today my birthday too? My mother died giving birth to me. The doctor later explained that I deprived Alexia of nutrients before birth, which left her frail from the start. And just like that, everyone decided I should always step aside for my twin, who was born five minutes before me. I ball up the report with my cancer diagnosis and toss it in the trash. I'm done letting their favoritism hurt me. I've never received their love anyway, so I choose to leave for good.

This story was about my bitter and sweet love story. My bitter-sweet love story began when I was twelve years old. I had a huge crush on my neighbor, Dean Samaniego. He's tall, handsome, and smart but a little bit aloof, especially to me. He always ignored me though we were just neighbors. After six long years of having a crush on Dean, I finally decided to give up my feelings for him. The fact finally hits on me, that no matter what I did he's not going to like me back. We moved to another city after a tragedy falls on my family. Since then, Dean and I have never met again. But after ten long years, we finally meet each other. He is now a lawyer, a well-known and successful public defender while I'm just a small coffee shop owner. After I met him again I realized that I still liked him a lot, but I found out that he's already engaged to someone else. Is this a second chance that God gave me to pursue Dean again or a second chance for me to feel the heartache that I once was felt before?

He went blank in an instance. Seeing her walk towards his table makes him gone crazy. He wants to deny it but, he misses her. The exact same feeling he has for her six years ago. All kinds of emotions were crawling inside him, hatred, longing and fear, all mixed in one. She’s still the same exact person I used to know, the person I used to love. “Please be seated” she said, as she helps herself to sit. “… it’s been a while, how have you been A-chi?” she asks casually. “ Well as you can see, I’m all good until you come back… Tell me, kaya ka ba bumalik kasi wala ka na namang choice.” I can’t suppress sarcasm. “I may be that special to you, but I suggest you forget about the past, that would be better.” she said, as she sips from her glass. “Tell me, how am I suppose to forget when it was actually part of the reason why we were here, right now. Wow! I didn’t know you have the guts.” I said mockingly. “It was just a formality…” “O’o para sayo, kasi hindi ka nasaktan, hindi ka naiwan, hindi ikaw ang naka-miss limang taon sa buhay ng anak mo! And just so you know, I already have a fiancé.” I said in anger. “Do you love her?” I ask seriously. “Were you asking me that, because you were still confident na may feelings parin ako sayo?” I ask, because I found her unbelievable. “ If you were confident about yourself, you will give me an answer not a question. The fact that you ask me that, means you were shaken.” She said with a straight eye. “ You were still heartless!” I can not help to comment.

My blood ran cold. Not just because of the words, they’d done worse than the scheme. They mocked me. Rewrote my pain as a punchline. Danced on the grave of my dignity like it was confetti. I staggered back from the door, suddenly aware of how my hands were trembling. Of how my chest rose and fell like I was still being dragged underwater. I could still feel it, the betrayal. The nights I cried myself sick. The baby. The blood. The gaslighting. The cold stares. The silence. No, this wasn’t just a memory. It was a resurrection. I pressed my hand to my chest, grounding myself. This body? This moment? It was mine now. Not theirs. Not his. If this was a curse, I’d break it. If this was a second chance? I’d weaponize it. Let them laugh. Let them bask in their borrowed joy. Because from this moment on, I’m not playing the quiet, obedient pawn. I’m the storm they tried to silence. The reckoning wrapped in silk and scars. They don’t deserve peace. Not after what they did to me. I’ll make them feel it. The same agony, the same betrayal. No, worse. Double. And the Kensingtons? Oh, they won’t be spared either. Their blood's just as soaked in my suffering. I lived by their rules in my last life. In this one? They live by mine. And mercy? Yeah, I left that behind in the last timeline.

Matteo Romano is trapped under the shadow of his ruthless father and his forbidden love for Dominic Cortez—his father’s trusted lawyer. Their love for each other burns with passion, yet every of their secret touches screams danger with threats and betrayal. What would you do if your freedom—and your love—were sold to the most ruthless man in Italy? “You must marry her!” Dante Romano groaned. Dante, his father, insists he must marry the girl he bought in; her presence threatens everything Matteo and Dominic have been building for years. Built in lies, betrayal, and deadly obsession, Matteo and Dominic must fight for their love—or surrender it to the Don’s dark desires.

I'm the most overlooked Omega in the pack, yet I somehow end up as Alpha Blake Cartman's fated mate. Because of my low status, he never allows me to appear at any events we're supposed to attend together. I plan 18 grand events for him, and he doesn't even let me show up for our anniversary. Then comes the 19th time, when he finally agrees to let me attend. I'm over the moon. I get dressed up, ready for the night, only to see Wendy Lowe—another Omega—already standing by his side. They stand there arm in arm, looking deeply in love, while the memory video I've worked so hard to put together has been replaced with clips of the two of them acting all sweet with each other. With his arm around Wendy, Blake looks at me with nothing but disgust. "My Luna needs the pack's full approval," he says. "You were never officially acknowledged as Luna anyway. Wendy earned their acceptance long before you. Starting today, she's taking your place." Everyone who knows me in the pack is watching, waiting for me to break down and lose it. But I don't scream or cry. I'm not even angry. In fact, I feel like I can finally breathe now. Because in just three days, the three-year mating contract between me and Blake will officially come to an end.