The Repayment
I am Ella Collins, the mate of the Darkshadow Pack's Alpha. Our pack was the strongest in Nomerika.
Everyone knew Darkshadow was the top pack in the entire region. They had swallowed up countless smaller packs and made plenty of enemies along the way.
After Adam marked me, he took me to every pack banquet and ceremony.
He even introduced me to allied packs, proudly telling them I was his beloved mate.
Everyone believed he loved me deeply.
I believed it too.
I was completely immersed in that love.
However, I overheard him talking to his Beta one day.
"There are so many packs that hate me. They'd tear me apart if they had the chance.
"If I don't claim Ella and make her look like the one I love most, they'll target my real weakness—Amy."
His words struck me like lightning.
I finally learned the truth.
I was nothing but a carefully chosen decoy.
I was Adam's shield, designed to protect the woman he truly loved.
I had foolishly mistaken his attention for affection and his betrayal for love.
When I finally left Adam and disappeared into the distance…
That was when he began to regret everything.