I sat in the corner of the bar, gripping my glass, staring blankly at the liquid inside. The noise around me seemed to fade, leaving only my breath and the anger building up inside. Suddenly, a man walked up to the bar and sat down.

He looked ordinary, but his eyes were deep, as if he could see through everything. “Looks like you need some relief,” he said, his voice low and straight to the point.

I looked up, noticing that he had no obvious markings, and didn’t carry the scent of any pack. I had no idea who he was, but his presence made me feel strangely at ease.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Luke.” He shrugged, offering a small smile. “I can keep you company and listen if you want to talk.

I instinctively wanted to refuse, but at that moment, I just wanted to forget everything. So, I nodded and silently lifted my glass. “Alright, let’s have a few drinks.”

He didn’t respond immediately, just watched me, seemingly waiting for me to speak. I swallowed the sip of alcohol and forced myself to speak. “Alpha Ryan, I used to think he was my everything. But now, I realize our relationship has completely fallen apart.”

Luke chuckled lightly. “He betrayed you?”

“Betrayed? He and Beta Emily...” I paused, swallowing the bitter words. “Their relationship is driving me insane.”

He looked at me, no sympathy in his eyes, only calm and some unspoken emotion. “Do you want revenge, or do you want to let go?”

I looked down at my glass. “I don’t know.”

“You need to do something,” he said, his voice still calm. “Otherwise, you’ll be stuck here forever.”

I jerked my head up. “What do you mean?”

He smiled slightly. “Get yourself a boyfriend. Make him jealous. Let him know he lost you, and that’s when he’ll realize his mistake.”

I froze. “Are you kidding?”

“No.” He shook his head slightly. “Men are terrified of being abandoned. If you make Alpha Ryan feel that loss, he’ll start to reflect.”

I looked at him, a sense of uncertainty rising in my chest. “Get a boyfriend?” I repeated.

He shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be real. Just make him feel threatened.”

I laughed bitterly, a little sarcasm in my voice. “Easier said than done.”

“What are you going to do then?” he asked.

I fell silent, already considering his suggestion, even though it seemed absurd. I shook my head. “I don’t know. I feel like such a fool, being played with.”

Luke stared at me, his eyes sharp. “Then make a change. Let him know you’re not someone he can take for granted.”

I looked at him, suddenly understanding something. “Can you help me?”

He gave a slight smile. “I will help you, but you have to make the choice.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding. I had no other choice now. “Alright, I agree.”

Just as we were talking, a woman suddenly stormed up to us, her eyes filled with fury. She pointed at Luke. “Luke, what exactly is our relationship?”

Luke furrowed his brow slightly, immediately standing up and putting on an impatient look. “Beta Evelyn, you’re not here again, are you?”

Beta Evelyn glared at him. “What exactly is our relationship? Last night, you said you’d be with me!”

Luke smiled casually, unbothered by her words. “You misunderstood, Beta Evelyn. I already have a wife.” He turned to me. “Luna Julie, this is my wife.”

I froze for a moment, not knowing how to respond to this sudden twist. Beta Evelyn looked at me, her eyes filled with disdain. “You’re the new woman in his life? Don’t you feel stupid? He doesn’t care about you!”

I didn’t say anything, just glared at her coldly. Luke leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Don’t mind her, Luna Julie. She’s just someone who wants to claim me.”

I felt a little confused, but in that moment, I realized I could no longer go back. My marriage had collapsed. All I could do now was move forward. The ridiculous suggestion from Luke had already started to take root in my mind.

At that moment, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Alpha Ryan.

I opened the screen and read his text: “I have an important meeting tonight. Don’t forget. Maybe you should go home and make dinner.”

As I read it, the image of Alpha Ryan and Beta Emily flashed in my mind.

I saw them at the pack’s celebration party, holding each other closely. Alpha Ryan kissed Beta Emily’s forehead, speaking softly to her. She laughed lightly and touched his chest. That scene hit me like a heavy blow.

Their intimacy left me feeling angry and powerless. I grabbed my drink and downed it quickly, trying to numb myself. But the alcohol only temporarily dulled the pain, it couldn’t make me forget them.

The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains, the warm light almost too bright for my aching head. I opened my eyes, the pain almost unbearable. The alcohol from last night still lingered in my system, making me feel nauseous and disoriented.

I instinctively reached for my phone on the bedside table. When I picked it up, I saw a message from Alpha Ryan: "Tonight’s meeting, don’t forget." A simple text, but it sent a sharp pang through my chest. The emptiness and unease spread in me again.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to dwell on last night. But as I opened my phone to check work emails, my fingers paused on a chat notification. It was from Beta Emily.

My heart skipped a beat, and I couldn’t stop myself from opening the messages.

The conversation was mundane, just everyday pleasantries: "Good night, my love," and "How was the meeting today?" Each message hit me like a blow. I thought their relationship was just a professional one, but now I could see the depth of their connection. Worse still, I found a private video call between them, and the way Alpha Ryan looked at her—gentle, smiling—made my hands tremble.

I realized I could no longer ignore it. Alpha Ryan and Beta Emily were far beyond what I had imagined.

I put the phone down and tried to calm myself, but the anger and unease still churned within me.

When I walked into the kitchen, Alpha Ryan was already there, preparing breakfast. He didn’t seem to notice the turmoil in me. Healer Martha looked up from the stove and softly asked, “Julie, how are you? You seemed a bit upset last night.”

“Fine.” I forced a smile. My mind was elsewhere, consumed by the events with Alpha Ryan and Beta Emily. Last night, Alpha Ryan had once again disappointed me, and Beta Emily, that charming Beta, had claimed everything I thought was mine.

I grabbed a cup of coffee, barely noticing that Healer Martha had placed breakfast in front of me. It was a simple plate of lettuce and a few pepper strips—clearly prepared to fit Beta Emily’s “healthy” diet. I glanced at it, and a wave of frustration hit me. This was all because of her. Even the kitchen was being taken over by her presence, altering my daily life.

“What’s going on, Healer Martha?” I finally asked, my frustration hard to mask. “Is this my breakfast?”

Healer Martha looked nervous, lowering her voice. “Beta Emily said no high-calorie foods. She insists we follow her diet. I told her you have your own meal plan, but Alpha Ryan said I’d lose my job if I didn’t follow her orders.”

I nodded stiffly. Beta Emily had taken over my life piece by piece. First, my husband, and now my kitchen.

“Don’t worry, Healer Martha,” I said with a forced smile, though inside I was burning with anger. “You’re just doing your job.”

I forced myself to swallow the bland food. I had never felt so empty. The betrayal from Alpha Ryan, the control from Beta Emily, was suffocating.

While chewing on the tasteless lettuce, my phone buzzed again. It was a message from Alpha Ryan.

I opened the screen to see a text: “I have an important meeting tonight. Don’t forget. Maybe you should go home and make dinner.”

A chill ran down my spine as I squeezed my phone tighter. I closed it and took a deep breath before replying briefly: “Okay.”

Alpha Ryan, you think everything will be fine, but you don’t know that I’m already planning something. You don’t truly care about me or our marriage; you only see me as a dutiful wife. And Beta Emily, she’s your future. I already know that.

Luke suddenly appeared in my life, giving me a ridiculous yet oddly tempting suggestion: find a boyfriend, make Alpha Ryan jealous, and let him feel the loss of me. I thought it was a ridiculous idea, but now it seems like the only way out.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to push away the chaotic thoughts, when I heard footsteps. Alpha Ryan and Beta Emily walked into the kitchen, hand in hand, smiling too sweetly. Seeing them together made my chest tighten. I forced myself to smile, though my heart was filled with endless pain.

“Good morning, Julie,” Beta Emily greeted, her smile bright. “Last night’s party was so much fun.”

I fought to keep the disgust off my face and replied, “Yes, it was very entertaining.” I looked at her with a cold smile. “By the way, Beta Emily, you really are stunning. No wonder Alpha Ryan gave up on me and chose you.”

She didn’t catch the sarcasm in my voice and smiled brightly. “Thank you, Julie. I’m just doing what’s needed.” She glanced at Alpha Ryan with an expression of victory. “You know, men never appreciate the best woman by their side until she’s gone.”

Her words almost made me stand up, but I knew it wasn’t the right time. I had to keep my composure, even though every part of me was screaming.

“Alpha Ryan, Beta Emily,” I finally said, my voice calm. “I’ve decided to support your decision.” I added softly, “Since you want an ‘open marriage,’ I’ve already found a boyfriend.”

Alpha Ryan froze for a second, clearly surprised by my response. “What did you say?” he asked, his voice tight.

Beta Emily immediately relaxed, as if a burden had been lifted. “That’s great, Julie! Now we can all be free!”

I looked at her coldly, but inside, I was already planning the next steps. I would make them realize that I wasn’t someone to be easily discarded.