I should have known he would react this way - more concerned about not being informed earlier than showing any genuine concern for my well-being.

His assistant, Joe, tried to defend himself, explaining that Kieran had specifically told him not to report my personal matters.

I wasn't surprised by Kieran's behavior, to be honest. I had grown all too accustomed to his indifference towards me over the years. I couldn't help but recall the last time he had visited my mother, who was terminally ill with cancer.

It was his birthday and we all agreed to celebrate it at home. My mom had cooked all of his favorite meals, hoping to celebrate with him, but he didn’t even come on time. We waited for hours and when he eventually showed up, he left abruptly, taking a call from Nina, and never returned. Even the gifts she had gotten for him, he didn’t even bother to open them.

My poor mother had been absolutely devastated by Kieran's callous actions, but she had hidden her tears and sadness, not wanting to upset me further. I had felt so sorry for her, and had even considered breaking things off with Kieran then and there. But I had ultimately decided to stay, because I truly believed I had no one else.

Now, as I stood facing Kieran, I felt a whirlwind of emotions - sadness, anger, and a strange sense of relief. Sensing that he was losing me, Kieran suddenly panicked and promised to make amends. He even offered to marry me the very next day, but I swiftly refused.

“No, why are you talking about a wedding so suddenly? I thought you were forcing me to kneel down and beg your Nina?”

“I didn’t know that your mom was gone and I know it was her wish to see us married and for you to be finally happy,” Kieran explained.

In that moment, I realized just how exhausted I had become from years of being in this toxic relationship with him.

I had endured his infidelity, his emotional abuse, and his utter neglect, all the while clinging to the faint hope that he would somehow change. But the truth was, he had never made a single effort to be a better partner, a better friend, or even a decent human being.

As I looked into his eyes, I saw that he knew that he was on the verge of losing me, and he was willing to do whatever it took to prevent that from happening. But this time, I was done. I had reached the end of my rope, and I wasn't going to let him manipulate me anymore.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and then I spoke. "Kieran, I can't do this anymore. I've spent far too long trying to make this work, trying to be the person you want me to be. But I realize now that I'm not the one who needs to change. You are."

He opened his mouth, no doubt to try and sweet-talk his way out of this, but I held up my hand, cutting him short.

"No, let me finish. You've had so many chances, and you've squandered every single one of them. You've hurt me, you've hurt my mother, and you've made it clear time and time again that I'm not a priority in your life."

I was done being the weak, submissive girlfriend who let Kieran walk all over her. "I deserve better than this, Kieran. I deserve someone who will love me, who will support me, who will be there for me no matter what,”

“Stop with all these speeches,” he said with a deep sigh. “Just let me make it up to you,”

“Kieran, can you stop!. "I heard Nina’s voice suddenly. She looked so irritated that he was begging me.

“Don’t pay any attention to Selena's little outburst. She's just putting on a show, you know. Trying to manipulate you into feeling sorry for her."

I fhad to resist the urge to march over and slap that smug look right off her face.

"That's not true, Kieran," I said angrily. "I'm not trying to manipulate you or make you feel sorry for me. I'm honestly done with you and I’m leaving.”

With that I pulled my suitcase out of the house ignoring Kieran calling after me.

I wiped the flour from my hands, surveying the mess I had made in the kitchen. Baking had always been a way to channel my restless energy into something productive. The sweet, buttery scent of freshly baked cookies was already making my mouth water.

As I began cleaning up the countertops, a sharp knock at the door startled me. I paused, my brow creasing. Who on earth could that be?

Since I moved out of Kieran’s house, no one knew the address to my new house. I didn’t move into my mother’s house because I knew he was going to find me there easily.

Drying my hands on a dish towel, I made my way to the front of the house, my socked feet padding softly against the hardwood floors.

Peering through the peephole, I was surprised to find Tristan, one of Kieran's trusted omegas, standing on my doorstep. What was he doing here? I drew in a sharp breath before pulling the door open.

"Tristan," I greeted, my voice cautious. "What are you doing here?"

He offered me a tentative smile. "Selena, I have a delivery for you. From Alpha Kieran."

My heart sank at the mention of Kieran's name. The memory of our last heated conversation still stung and I didn’t want anything to do with him ever again.

I had to confirm if the delivery was actually for me and asked Tristan with a skeptical look on my face.

Tristan nodded, holding out a neatly wrapped parcel telling me he was asked to bring it to me personally.

I eyed the package warily, debating whether to even take it. The last thing I wanted was another reminder of Kieran and his grand, sweeping gestures. Still, my curiosity got the better of me. Reaching out, I grasped the box, feeling its weight in my hands.

"What is it?" I asked, turning it over.

Tristan shrugged. "I'm not sure. Alpha Kieran didn't share the contents with me."

I let out a soft sigh, my fingers tracing the neat edges of the wrapping. Part of me wanted to refuse the gift outright, to send Tristan back empty-handed. But the other part - the part that still yearned for Kieran's affection, urged me to see what was inside. It wasn’t going to kill anyone if I just checked it.

I turned the box over in my hands, and with a small shrug unwrapped it.

As the layers of tissue paper fell away, I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds. It was the most breathtaking wedding dress I had ever seen. My fingers traced the soft fabric carefully as I lifted the gown from the box, completely awestruck. There were a pair of shoes too that probably cost like a million bucks.

In that moment, my phone began to ring. I glanced down to see Kieran's name flashing on the screen.

Swallowing hard, I answered the call.

"Kieran? Did you...did you send me this?" I asked,barely hearing my own voice.

Years ago, months ago and even weeks ago I would have been super excited to see this sweet gesture coming from him but not anymore. In our previous wedding, he hadn’t even bothered to accompany me to the dress fitting or any of the bridal shopping because his heart wasn’t in it. Even when I said I wanted a lace wedding dress, he didn’t seem to care. When I got to the shop he directed me to and I couldn’t find the one I really wanted, he barked at me over the phone to just pick any dress and stop making a big deal out of it.

And now, he was suddenly getting me an expensive dress out of the blue?

"Selena!" Kieran's voice rang out, sounding almost giddy."You got the package! Do you love it? I picked it out especially for you."

I stared at the dress, my heart pounding. "Kieran, ....l don't understand. What is the meaning of this?"

"Why, it's your wedding dress, my dear!" Kieran exclaimed joyfully. "I wanted everything to be perfect for our special day. I spent time searching for the perfect dress. I know how much you've always loved lace, and the shoes will complement it beautifully."

"Kieran, I think there's been a mistake," I said, my voice strained. "I don’t think this package belongs to me."

"What do you mean? Of course it's for you, my darling. You're my bride-to-be, after all."

I scoffed.

"Your bride-to-be? I think you have the wrong woman. I'm not marrying you."

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before he continued, "But Selena, we discussed this. I proposed to you, and you accepted."

"No, Kieran," I said firmly. "I did no such thing. I practically begged you to marry me before now and you left me on the altar and now you think getting me a wedding dress would fix everything? Give it to Nina, it would fit her perfectly."

The previous wedding dress, I had already burnt it so that I wasn’t reminded of how he humiliated me that day. Now I wasn’t going to take another one from him.

"Selena, please," Kieran begged. "Just try it on, see how beautiful you'll look. I know it will fit perfectly."

"I don't want to try it on!" I snapped, my grip tightening on the phone. "I'm not your bride, and I'm not accepting this gift. Please, just leave me alone."

Before Kieran could respond, I ended the call, exhaling loudly.

Tristan stood nearby, looking utterly bewildered by the exchange.

I let out a shaky breath, thrusting the package back into his hands. "Take this back to Kieran," I said, my voice tight. "I don't want it."

Tristan hesitated, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Selena, are you sure? Alpha Kieran seemed quite insistent-"

"I don't care what Kieran wants," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "This dress is not for me, and I will not be his bride. Now, please, take it and get out."

Tristan opened his mouth to protest, but I didn't give him the chance. Stepping back, I slammed the door in his face, cutting off any further discussion.

The next evening, a new email notification pulled my gaze away from my laptop screen, where I had been reviewing my cover letter one last time before hitting send. My heart raced as I saw that the sender of the email was the prestigious tech company I had applied to just a week ago. I had already resigned from Kieran’s company and I knew I had to get a job elsewhere and fast. So I decided to apply in all the big companies hoping to get a chance to shine.

With a deep, steadying breath, I clicked on the message, my fingers trembling slightly.

"Dear Selena,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for an interview with our firm. We were impressed by your impressive credentials and believe you would be an excellent addition to our team.

Please come to our office at 8 AM sharp tomorrow morning for a formal interview. We look forward to meeting with you in person.

Sincerely,

The Hiring Team"

I stared at the words, barely able to process the surge of emotions that hit me. Excitement, relief, and a touch of nervous anticipation all mingled together in a dizzying swirl. Oh thank the moon goddess for such an opportunity!

For years, I had lived in Kieran's shadow, following his lead and bending to his will. But not anymore. This job, this opportunity, it was my ticket to independence. No more would I be seen as just the Alpha's mate, destined to serve at his beck and call. I was Selena, a capable and driven woman, and I was about to take the city by storm.

Pushing away from my desk, I strode to the kitchen to go grab a bottle of wine. I rarely drank anything because Kieran forbade it but tonight I was going to celebrate it all by myself.

My gaze landed on the bottle of merlot sitting in the bar nearby, and without a second thought, I snatched it up, twisting the cap open.

As I poured the deep, ruby liquid into a crystal glass, a sudden, insistent knock at the door drew my attention, causing me to nearly spill the wine. I set the glass down and made my way to the entryway, wondering who could be there at this hour.

The moment I opened the door, a man I didn't expect appeared in front of me.

There, standing tall in a dark form fitting suit, was Kieran, his brown eyes piercing into mine. I should have checked the peephole before opening. That way, I wouldn’t have opened the damn door in the first place.

"Kieran," I breathed, my fingers curling around the edge of the door. "What are you doing here?"

He offered me a small smile, his gaze roaming over my body in a way that made my skin crawl. "Selena, my love. I've missed you."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, instead leaning against the doorframe and crossing my arms over my chest. "How did you even find me?" I asked, bypassing his sentimental declaration.

He chuckled, as if the answer should have been obvious. "We're mates, remember? I can always sense where you are, just as you can sense me. It's a bond that can never be broken, no matter how much you may wish it so."

My jaw tightened, and I remembered that we were technically still mates. None of us had rejected each other, which meant we were still linked. I had hoped, foolishly, that in this new apartment, in this fresh start, I might be able to finally free myself from Kieran's all-encompassing presence. I was definitely going to reject him but I was not going to do it where no one was watching. It was going to be out in the public so I could humiliate him just like he had done to me. He needed to have a taste of his own medicine.

"So what do you want from me now?" I asked in an exasperated tone.

Kieran's expression softened, and he took a step closer, his hand reaching out to caress my cheek. I fought the urge to lean into his touch, to allow myself to be drawn back into his orbit. "My darling Selena, I simply can't stay away. Not when I know you're hurting."

I scoffed, pulling away from his gentle touch. Now I was his darling Selena? He always referred to Nina in that manner and not me.

"I'm not hurting, Kieran. I'm free.For the first time in years, I'm finally able to breathe, to live my own life. Can't you understand that?"

He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand, cutting him short. "Look, I don't have time for this right now. I have a lot going on, and the last thing I need is you complicating things further."

He shot me a narrowed gaze, his jaw tightening. "What do you mean, you have a lot going on? What's more important than us?"

He took a step forward, and I instinctively retreated, my back pressing against the door frame. His eyes traveled down the length of my body, and I couldn't help but feel a bit self conscious.

I had chosen to wear a simple, black dress - nothing too fancy, just comfortable lounge wear for a night in. But the way Kieran's gaze lingered made me quite aware of the way the fabric hugged my curves.

"You look breathtaking, Selena," he murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. "Even just sitting at home, you take my breath away."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again, instead fixing him with a pointed stare. "Kieran, I thought I made it clear that I don’t have time for any of this.You need to leave right now."

His expression shifted, but he regained his composure quickly. "Didn't you get my texts?"

I sighed deeply and replied him. "Yes, I got your texts. All twenty of them. Didn’t you get mine where I said I wouldn’t be attending your mother’s birthday party?."