Briana’s POV

Thirty years old today and the sixth anniversary since I was bound to Alpha Kaden, a mate who neither loved me nor let me go. I stood in front of the mirror, the reflection staring back at me, reminding me that I wasn’t the girl of my youth.

I had grown tired, my eyes heavy from years of being invisible to the man fate had cruelly bound me to. I had tried to love him over the years but it was difficult for him to return the love.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the hall, then it was followed by a sharp knock at the door. I straightened my back, instinctively pulling myself together. The door opened without my invitation, and Kaden’s Beta, Damian, walked in with a box in his hands.

“Alpha asked me to deliver this to you,” Damian said, avoiding eye contact as he set the box down on the table.

I stared at it, confusion swirling in my chest. A gift? After six years of nothing, not even a kind word, why now? I hesitated but eventually reached for the box.

When I opened it, inside was a delicate necklace, its design intricate and beautiful. For a brief, fleeting moment, my heart warmed. Maybe Kaden had finally remembered my birthday. Maybe he…

Damian cleared his throat, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I should go,” he muttered before quickly leaving the room.

I frowned, watching his hurried retreat. Something about his demeanor made me nervous. It was obvious that he was hiding something, but my focus was on the cake I had made for Alpha Kaden and me to celebrate when he returned from the pack’s company.

After sitting for hours in the room alone, I decided to take a walk around the pack, probably to get fresh air. As I walked through the hallway, some of the maids in the pack house kept on staring at me, until I overheard a conversation between two maids. “Vivian didn’t want the necklace,” one of them said, her voice dripping with amusement. “I guess Alpha Kaden decided to give it to Briana instead.”

“Did I hear you say Vivian?” I asked, seeking the attention of the two maids. They didn’t give a reply, instead, they tried to run away but I quickly called them back. “Is the Alpha seeing Vivian?” I asked again.

They stared at each other for a few seconds until one of them nodded. “He got her a house too, but please don’t mention it to anyone that we told you about it.” The other maid added before they left.

The words hit me like a slap, the joy I felt earlier turned to sadness and the humiliation was unbearable because it seemed everyone was aware except me. The gift that brightened my face earlier wasn’t for me, it was Vivian, his ex-girlfriend.

“Did he have to send a rejected gift to me?” I exclaimed and stormed out of the pack house. As I walked through the Pathway, I quickly remembered his discussion with his beta, the same words he said to Damian that morning. “I want that house completely furnished.”

I sighed and walked back to my room, I gently placed the Jewelry back in the box and stormed out of the room. I headed straight to the house I heard them talking about. My wolf tried to stop me from seeing my mate with his mistress but I couldn’t help it, I wanted to see them. I wanted to be sure.

After a five-minute walk, I finally arrived at the house, and without a knock, I pushed the door open, and the sight before me made me boil. Kaden and Vivian were having dinner together, under a dim candlelight.

They were laughing, sharing wine, and acting as if they were the only two people in the world.

“Kaden!” I yelled, my voice trembling with fury.

He looked up, startled, but his expression quickly changed into annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” I repeated, my voice rising. “I thought you were done with her? What is she even doing here?”

Kaden sighed, brushing his hand through his golden hair as if this were all just an inconvenience. “You’re being dramatic, Briana. This is just a business meeting.”

“A business meeting?” I laughed bitterly. “While you’re sharing wine and laughing like lovers?”

Vivian smirked, clearly enjoying the show, and that made my rage boil over. “There is no point having this discussion here, and I came to return this too.” I snapped, gesturing to the gift box in my hand, and threw it onto the floor. “You can keep your secondhand gift,” I spat. “And your lies.”

Kaden didn’t say a word, instead, he stood up and picked the gift from the floor but before he could sit down, I removed the engagement ring from my finger and tossed it on the floor. “I am done, Kaden.”

His face was filled with shock and surprise, but before he could respond, I left the house, my heart was pounding with anger and heartbreak. I didn’t expect he would return to Vivian, his ideal woman.

“Briana!” He chased after me. “You dare walk out on me?”

Briana’s POV

The silence in the house was deafening. But I felt better there, the comfort of being alone was far better than keeping Kaden at my side. The humiliation I got from him with Vivian, his ideal woman, I was just fooled all along. I only wish I could ask for the moon goddess to give me another mate.

I quickly reached out to my phone and dialed my mother’s number. “Hello, Mother,” I muttered immediately after she picked up the phone.

“Briana,” she called out. “I have been hearing some rumors from the pack house…”

I was silent for a few seconds, waiting for her to continue talking but she hesitated too. “It’s the same reason I have called you mother, I can’t handle Alpha Kaden anymore. He is back with his ex-mother, he even got her a house.”

“Now you listen to me, Briana. That’s not enough reason to lose the Alpha to someone else. Alpha Kaden is a good guy for you and I won’t watch you ruin the plans I had with the Alpha King, his father.” My mother yelled.

“I don’t care about the arrangements you made with him, I don’t find my bond with him to be healthy, Mother,” I responded.

“You will stay with Alpha Kaden, and that’s final.” She snapped and hung up the call even before I could open my mouth to reply to her.

I sighed, looking at the cake I had bought myself sitting on the table. The candles were unlit, and so was my spirit.

Six years I had spent as Kaden’s mate, and he had never once remembered my birthday. So why had I thought this year would be different? I glanced at the clock. It was already past 10 PM. Kaden was probably still with Vivian, laughing, celebrating, and living his life as if I didn’t exist.

I sat there, the cake untouched, feeling as if the world had already moved on without me. Suddenly, I heard the front door open, and my body tensed. I didn’t even need to look to know who it was. When I finally did, Kaden stood in the doorway, his usual blank expression plastered on his face. He froze when he saw the cake on the table.

“What’s this?” His voice was flat like nothing had happened earlier.

I clenched my hands in my lap, trying not to let him see how much his presence still affected me. “It’s my birthday,” I said, barely above a whisper.

Kaden’s eyes flickered for a split second, but the moment was gone, replaced by the usual cool aura. “Ah,” he muttered, “I forgot.”

Of course, he forgot. But I wasn’t about to let him see how deeply his neglect hurt me. “It’s fine,” I said quickly, though I could barely believe my own words. It wasn’t fine, but what else was there to say?

He walked past me without a word, heading to our bedroom. I didn’t even have the energy to protest. Minutes later, he came back holding the same gift box I had thrown at him earlier. I didn’t know if I could laugh or cry at how absurd the whole situation was.

“Here,” he said, holding it out to me.

I stared at the necklace, my heart sinking. “What’s this for?” I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief.

“It’s a birthday gift,” Kaden said as if that explained everything.

I wanted to scream at him, to tell him just how ridiculous this whole situation was. Instead, I just stared at the necklace. “You’re giving me this again?” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “After Vivian rejected it?”

Kaden’s face changed into anger, his eyes flashing. “I don’t have anything to do with her, I have told you that before.” He exclaimed, “I am giving it to you now. Take it.”

I shook my head, pushing the gift box away. “I don’t want it.”

Kaden raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed. “You are being ridiculous, Briana. Do you even know the worth of this?”

I could feel my anger boiling in rage, but I managed to keep my voice calm. “It’s a second-hand gift. I am not interested.”

The room went silent. Kaden’s frustration was all over his face, but he didn’t say anything more. He simply placed the box on the table, “Fine,” he muttered. “Do whatever makes you happy.”

I didn’t say a word, instead, I reached out for the small knife, ready to cut the cake but Kaden’s voice came in. “Wait, aren’t you going to make your wish?” He asked.

My hands trembled slightly, as I struggled to say what I already had in mind. I had always wanted to say it to him long ago but the fear of losing him had eaten all over me. But this time, I had nothing left to lose.

“I… I wish to be completely free from you.” I stuttered, my voice shaking with anger.

“What did you just say?” His face darkened at once, his eyes filled with anger.

“You heard me, Kaden.” I chuckled. “I am sick and tired of hiding in your shadows. I wish the moon goddess never made us mate.”

“I won’t accept this from you,” he snapped, a small bitter smirk forming on his lips. “Our mating ceremony is just around the corner and I have invested so much for that, you are not going to ruin it.”

Before I could say a word, he knocked the cake on the floor. “You are ungrateful!” He snapped, his eyes fuming with anger.

I stared at the ruined cake, my chest heaving with emotions I couldn’t even begin to sort through. What was the point of saying anything? He wouldn’t listen. He never did. I didn’t respond. I just sat there, numb and defeated, looking at the mess of my birthday. The mess of my life.

Without another word, Kaden stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

I remained in that spot for the next hour, listening to the tick of the clock until my phone buzzed, startling me off my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, Kaden. I almost didn’t pick up the call but my wolf wouldn’t allow me to ignore a call from my mate, she was eager to hear his voice.

“Come to Vivian’s apartment now, there is an emergency.” He said, his voice calm but commanding.