I woke up the next day, and Caden hadn’t come home the night before. I wasn’t surprised. After the way he acted at the celebration of the pack that’s been held every year, I didn’t expect him to. But knowing it was coming didn’t make the silence feel any less heavy.

I pushed down the uneasy feeling and got up, wandering into the kitchen. Sunlight poured through the windows, making everything look soft, but it didn’t warm the coldness inside me. My wolf was restless, sensing the tension bubbling below the surface.

As I poured my coffee, my phone buzzed on the counter. I glanced at the screen, and there it was—Elena’s name. My stomach twisted before I even read the message.

“Thanks for lending Caden last night for me. It was fun, ;)”

I clenched my hand around the phone, feeling my claws wanting to come out. My wolf growled, filled with anger. Fuck. But I knew Elena was playing her game, teasing me to see how much I could take before I snapped. I don’t even know how she found out about my number.

I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.

I deleted the message and took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I had more important things to think about than Caden and his games with Elena. Today, I had a meeting at the pack house. I had to stay focused.

As I stepped out, I caught a familiar scent in the air. Pine, earth, and Caden’s unmistakable smell mixed with Elena’s floral perfume. The scent hit me hard, making my wolf react. It let out a low snarl, urging me to turn around and confront him, to finally demand answers.

But I pushed those thoughts down, forcing myself to stay on task. I had to be strong. If I let my emotions take over now, Elena would win.

By the time I got to the pack house, I had pushed everything to the back of my mind. The meeting with Draven, the Beta, was too important to let personal issues interfere. Caden should’ve been the one handling this, but he was too busy with Elena. So, all the responsibilities of the pack fell to the second-in-command and me. I walked into the room, greeted by Draven’s sharp amber eyes. The negotiations started smoothly, and for a while, I believed I could hold it together.

Then my phone buzzed again. This time, it was Caden’s name on the screen.

I stared at it, debating. My thumb hovered over the screen, but before I could answer, Draven spoke, his deep voice cutting through my hesitation.

"Is everything alright, Seraphine?" His gaze was steady, assessing.

I forced a smile and silenced the phone. "Nothing."

He nodded, though his eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary. He could sense it—the storm inside me that I was barely keeping in check. After all, he was second in command of this pack.

I somehow made it through the rest of the meeting, but it all felt like a blur. When I got home, Caden was already there, sprawled on the couch like nothing had happened—like he hadn’t done anything malicious with Elena last night. The house reeked of cigarette smoke, and my wolf recoiled at the stench.

"Where were you?" Caden asked casually, not even looking up from his phone.

I narrowed my eyes, feeling my anger simmering just below the surface. "I had pack business. Where were you?"

He finally looked up, his eyes meeting mine with a dark edge. "Out. Why?"

A bitter laugh escaped me, surprising even myself. "Out with Elena instead of doing your responsibility, I suppose?"

His jaw tightened. "Are we really doing this again, Seraphine?"

I crossed my arms, my heart pounding. "Doing what? Pretending everything’s fine? Pretending I didn’t see her message, or that I don’t smell her on you?"

Caden stood, towering over me, his face hardening. "You’re being paranoid. Elena’s just a friend."

"A friend?" I spat the word, feeling my wolf rising. "Friends don’t send texts like that. Friends don’t cling to you like she does."

His eyes flashed, showing the glint of his wolf, but he kept his voice calm. "Maybe it’s your own insecurities talking. Ever think of that?"

I felt a growl rumble in my chest before I could stop it, and for a moment, my vision blurred as my wolf surged forward. "You don’t get to gaslight me, Caden. I’m not stupid. I know what I smell, I know what I feel. Don’t treat me like I’m imagining this."

Caden’s wolf stirred behind his gaze, but he held it back. "Careful, Seraphine. You don’t want to start something you can’t finish."

The air around us crackled, the energy between us dangerous and primal. My wolf was on edge, pushing me to challenge him and end this facade. But I took a step back, forcing myself to breathe. Not here. Not now.

"I’m done with this conversation," I said, my voice icy. "Do whatever you want with Elena. Just don’t expect me to sit around and wait for you to choose me."

I didn’t wait for him to respond. I turned and headed for the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. My chest felt tight, and my wolf howled in frustration. Before I realized it, I was sobbing, alone in the dark.

How much longer could I hold on?

The moon hung heavy in the night sky, casting a pale glow through the window as I stayed in my bedroom. It took hours to calm down. Then, suddenly, the scent of freshly cooked meat filled the air. Someone’s cooking?

The moment I stepped out, the atmosphere shifted. I froze at what I saw.

Caden’s friends were gathered around the long dining table, laughing and chatting as if everything were perfectly normal. And there she was—Elena. I had been in the room for hours, and this is what I came out to?

When Elena saw me, she smiled with that self-righteous air that always made my wolf growl in frustration. The tension between us was thick, but no one else seemed to notice—or maybe they just didn’t care. It was like I didn’t exist.

“What’s going on here? What are you doing here? And where’s Caden?” I asked, catching everyone’s attention.

Elena stood up, wiping her hands on a napkin, and walked toward me. “Caden just went out to patrol with the pack. Why? You don’t want us to be here? Honestly, Seraphine, how do you expect him to trust you when you keep acting like this?”

Her voice dripped with arrogance, and a few of Caden’s friends nodded in agreement. My blood boiled, but I kept my wolf in check. I didn’t want to fight her here.

“Elena, what position are you in to speak to me like this?” I asked, keeping my tone measured but deadly. “You know very well he has a mate, and yet you never bother to respect that. You’re always hanging around, testing boundaries that don’t belong to you.”

A few of the pack members fell silent, their eyes shifting uncomfortably. They knew I was right, but no one had ever dared to call her out. Not until now. Suddenly, the door opened, and Caden walked in.

“And Caden,” I continued, turning my gaze toward him as he entered.

“What is it this time, Seraphine? I just invited a few of them over. Don’t make this hard for us.” His expression was expectant, as if he were waiting for me to apologize for disrupting their perfect little gathering.

I furrowed my brows, pointing at the food they were preparing. “If you truly cared, you’d know I’m allergic to the food you’re all enjoying right now. The smell of it makes my stomach churn.” And then, I snapped.

“I’ve had enough,” I said, my voice calm yet firm. “Caden, I want to end this.”

“What are you talking about?” Caden walked over quickly, grabbing my arm, his grip tightening. His usual composed expression broke, replaced by something I couldn’t read. “Seraphine, you don’t mean that. We’re mates—bound by the moon goddess. You can’t break this! How dare you?”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “I do mean it. I’ve tried for years to make this work, despite the pack’s whispers, despite Elena always being by your side, despite your loyalty being divided. I’ve given everything to this bond, but it’s clear now—you never truly wanted this. You wanted control, not a mate!”

He faltered, his expression shifting as doubt flickered in his eyes. For the first time, he pulled me closer, but his grip was unsteady, as if he were wrestling with disbelief. His voice dropped to a soft, almost pleading tone, but I could hear the tension beneath it, “Seraphine, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. Can we not complicate things any further?”

I inhaled deeply, memories of all the times I’d waited for him to step up, to put me first, flashing through my mind. But the pain outweighed the hope now.

“Caden, we’re done,” I whispered, my resolve hardening. “I don’t want this anymore. The pack’s respect means nothing when there’s no respect between us.”

He was silent for a moment, his hand trembling as it held onto mine. “Seraphine, that night with Elena... I swear, it was just once. It’s something you shouldn’t make a fuss about.”

I let out a bitter laugh, unable to hold back anymore. “Do you think I didn’t know? That I hadn’t seen the way she looks at you? The way you let her into your life, into our space, for far too long? I let it go, hoping you’d see how much I tried for us. But I was wrong. You’ve already chosen her.” My voice broke, and I looked away because I couldn’t take it anymore.

Caden’s eyes widened as he realized the depth of my pain, but it was too late.

“I wanted us to be more than just a bond formed. I wanted us to be real. But you let her take that from us, and I can’t forgive you for it.”

He stepped back, his hand dropping to his side as the weight of my words sunk in. For the first time, the Alpha looked vulnerable. “I—I don’t know what to say, Seraphine. I’m sorry—”

“It’s not enough,” I replied softly, cutting him off. “I don’t care anymore.”

I turned to leave them, feeling his stare on my back, but I didn’t care. The moment I stepped outside, something caught my attention—Elena was on a call. She glanced to my side, but I quickly pretended not to notice. My wolf stirred, suspicious.

I quietly slipped around the corner, listening to the hushed conversation. What I heard made my heart race.

“Don’t worry, my plan is working,” Elena whispered. “I’ve already torn them apart, and soon Caden will be mine.”

My blood ran cold. What the hell was going on?

Elena let out a low laugh, as if the person on the other end of the call amused her. “I’ll make sure to destroy her.”