I even considered blocking him because he was blowing up my phone with stupid texts earlier that morning. He was staring at me now as if he could see right through me and it made me somewhat uncomfortable.

"Kieran, please," I said, my voice trembling with my best efforts to sound firm. "I've already told you, we are not together anymore and I have no intention of celebrating anything with you."

He arched a brow, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. "Selena, why must you be so stubborn?" he murmured, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. "I've made it abundantly clear that you're mine, and I have no plans to let you go."

I tensed, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. "That's where you're wrong," I retorted, "You don't get to decide that for me. I'm my own person, and I won't be bound to you or anyone else against my will."

Kieran's grip on my cheek tightened ever so slightly, a subtle warning. "Against your will?" he echoed, his voice low and dangerous. "Darling, I think you forget – we're still mates and you’re not going anywhere."

"We are over and I do not want anything to do with you. Aren’t you smart enough to understand that Mr Alpha?"

He was confidently going on about this mate thing because he thought that I would never reject him but that was where was wrong. I couldn’t wait to end his delusions on the cruelest way possible.

His hold on my cheek loosened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by a cold, calculating expression that sent a chill down my spine.

"Is that so?" he murmured in a deceptively calm tone. "Well, then, I suppose I'll have to change your mind.But now, we have something more important to tackle."

Before I could react, he pulled away, turning his attention to the limo parked just beyond the threshold of my door. "Joe," he called out to his assistant in that authoritative tone of his and ordered him to bring out some package of some sort.

I watched as Joe hurried over with a black box clutched in his hands. My stomach twisted with unease as Kieran turned back to me, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.

"Selena, my love," he purred, "I have something for you."

"Kieran, I already told you – I don't want anything from you," I protested, my voice laced with frustration. "Why can't you just accept that and leave me alone?"

His smile only widened, his gaze not even breaking for a second. "Oh, but you haven't even seen what I've brought you. I'm sure once you lay your eyes on it, you'll change your mind."

With a nod, he gestured to his assistant Joe and the package was thrust into my hands. I stared down at it, and clearly told him that I didn’t want it.

"Didn't I make it clear yesterday that I'm not accepting any of your gifts?" I asked in irritation.

"Ah, yes, the wedding dress. I still have that carefully kept for you but right now you have to focus on this. It is something different entirely, trust me."

I eyed him warily, my grip on the package tightening. "What is it, then?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me despite my better judgment.

"Why, it's a dress, of course," Kieran replied, sounding so proud of himself. He got me another dress?

"A custom-made gown, all the way from Turkey. I had it specially commissioned for you, to wear to my mother's birthday party tonight." he added.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Your mother's birthday party? For goodness sake, I already told you that I'm not going to be attending any of your family events."

His smile faltered, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. "Selena, don't be ridiculous," he chided, his voice taking on a hint of steel. "Of course you're coming. You're my mate, and it's only right that you be there to celebrate with us."

I shook my head, resisting the urge to throw the offending package back in his face. " I have no intention of going to your mother's party," I retorted, my voice rising with frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you that before it sinks in?

"Okay now, you're being unreasonable," he said, his tone clipped. "This dress is a gift, and I expect you to accept it and wear it tonight. It's the least you can do, after everything I've done for you."

I scoffed, the absurdity of his demand nearly overwhelming me. "Everything you've done for me?" I echoed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You’ve done nothing but make my life a living hell. I'm not going to wear some fancy dress to your family's party just because you demand it."

His jaw tightened, and I could see that his temper was beginning to flare. "Selena, you're being incredibly stubborn," he growled, his fingers flexing as if he were itching to grab me.

"Newsflash, I didn't speak Spanish when I wrote that message to you. I meant every word – I want nothing to do with you, your pack, or your family members."

He wasn’t still getting what I was saying. I didn’t even know if he was deaf or just trying to be difficult as usual.

"You don't mean that. All the pack members will be there, important high-profile people. And it's my mother's birthday – you can't honestly expect me to attend without my mate by my side."

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "When my own mother was dying, where were you, Kieran?" I snapped.

He was nowhere to be found, too busy with his pack duties and his precious Nina to even spare a thought for me.

"That's why I'm trying to make it up to you,” he pleaded. “Let me shower you with love and make you happy."

I yanked my hand away, glaring at him. "By forcing me to go to your mother's birthday party?" I hissed, my temper flaring. "Kieran, that's not making up for anything. That's just you trying to control me, like you always have."

His eyebrows drew together, and he shook his head. "No, no, that's not what I mean at all," he rushed to explain. "I just want you there with me, to celebrate with our pack. Please, Selena, reconsider. Come to the party with me."

I fell silent, my wolf, Skylar's voice echoing in my mind.

"Don't fall for his charm, Selena. Stand your ground."

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my chin, meeting his expectant gaze. "Okay fine then. You can go wait in the car while I get ready."

His face lit up and he smiled widely, reaching out to cup my cheek. "That's my girl. I knew you'd come around."

I resisted the urge to recoil from his touch, instead offering him a tight-lipped smile. "Just go wait in the car, Kieran,"

As he turned and made his way back to the waiting limo, I let out a shaky breath, and got back into the house.

"What are you doing, Selena?" Skylar's voice echoed in my mind in a concerned tone.

I assured my wolf that I got it under control. With quick light steps, I made my way to my bedroom.

After a long while, I stood before the mirror, scrutinizing my reflection with a critical eye. The short, scarlet dress hugged my curves in all the right places, accentuating my hourglass figure. Of course I wasn’t going to be wearing the gift Kieran brought me.

With a steady hand, I applied my makeup, painting my lips with a deep crimson hue that complemented the fiery tone of the fabric.

I was aware Kieran was waiting for me outside, no doubt growing impatient, but I couldn't afford to rush. Everything had to be perfect – the makeup, the hair, the outfit – if I was to pull off this deception without a hitch.

I had my black hair curled with a curling iron in loose waves and held it in place with pins.By the time I was done, it was exactly time for Kieran's mother's birthday party. In fact, we were even fifteen minutes late.

"Perfect," I thought to myself, grabbing my purse and the package containing the dress Kieran had gifted me.

As I stepped outside, I spotted Kieran leaning against the car, scrolling through his phone. The moment he heard my approach, he turned, his expression shifting from one of impatience to surprise as he took in my appearance. I couldn't help but feel a thrill of satisfaction at the way his eyes widened, his gaze sweeping over my form.

"Selena?" he breathed, pushing himself off the car and striding towards me. "What – what is the meaning of this? What the heck are you wearing?"

I didn't answer, instead keeping my expression neutral as I walked straight up to him. Without a word, I held out the package, letting it drop from my hands and into the large, dirty trash bin that sat at the curb.

His pupils seemed to shrink, his jaw tightening with rage. "What the hell did you do that for?" he growled, his voice laced with fury. "Do you have any idea how much that dress cost?"

I smiled coldly, unconcerned by his outburst. "I didn't tell you to get me a stupid dress, Kieran," I replied, my tone dripping with disdain. "From now on, you can direct all your little gifts to your mistress, Nina."

Kieran's expression morphed into one of exasperation, and he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Nina is not my mistress, for crying out loud!" he exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch.

I simply shrugged,staring at him deep in the eye. "I don't care what she is to you. I'm done with you wasting my time."

I turned to leave, but he reached out and grabbed my arm, yanking me back. "Oh, no, you don't," he snarled, his grip tight. "I've been standing here waiting for more than an hour, and I'm already late to my own mother's birthday party. You're not just going to walk away like nothing happened."

I snatched my arm away from his grasp in irritation. "You're one stubborn alpha, aren't you, Kieran?" I hissed.

"Didn't I tell you to sit and wait in your car? Why did you have to stand out here like a lovesick puppy?"

Kieran's expression darkened, and I could see the vein in his forehead throbbing with barely contained rage. "Because I was waiting for you, Selena," he snarled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "And now you've just wasted an hour of my time, not to mention ruined a perfectly good dress that I had specially made for you."

I let out a derisive laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "Kieran, I never asked you to get me that dress. And I certainly didn't agree to come to your mother's party, no matter how much you begged."

His eyes turned darker. "My mother doesn't tolerate tardiness, and because of your little stunt, I’m fucking late. Go inside and change to something else so you can look presentable for the party. That dress is way too short and I can’t have other men ogling at my property."

Kieran still thought I was his property and that infuriated me more than anything else. There he was, trying to control what I wore again just like he had been doing for five solid years! I had to resist the urge to give him a neat slap on his face to remind him I wasn’t obeying any of his shitty orders ever again. But he was an Alpha, and way stronger than me. If he hurt me, it could take a while before my wolf healed me.

I stared at him with a cold expression. "No. I'm not going anywhere with you and I’m definitely not changing my dress. Now, you have to reject me from your pack officially. Reject me right now!"

All the years Kieran and I had been together, he never thought of marking me to officially be his Luna. That only meant one thing, he never wanted me to be his Luna. Maybe he thought I wasn’t good enough because I was a lowly omega. Maybe he preferred Nina who was the daughter of a Lycan even though she was an orphan. Every time I had asked him why he never marked me and when he was, he kept on giving excuses and told me instead that he would mark me officially on our wedding night. But I was still the one pleading for a wedding to actually take place.

I knew the consequences of the actions I was about to take was going to be severe but I didn’t care. If he officially rejected me from his pack, it meant that I was going to be a rogue and if that was the case I was going to be in danger. Which pack was going to take in a lowly rogue who was abandoned by her Alpha fiancé on the altar? But this was the only way I was going to be free from his clutches and it was a risk I was willing to take. If I died, so be it. I was an orphan and there was nothing I was living for in this world anyway.

"Reject you?" he echoed, his face scrunched up in concentration. "Selena, do you even understand what you're saying? If I reject you, you'll become a bloody rogue. Others will find out, and you'll be in a hot mess!"

I clicked my head to the other side, stubbornly. "I don't care. As long as I'm away from you, I'll take my chances."

I could see the hurt and anger in his eyes as i turned to look at him again. "Do you hate me that much?" he rasped, his hands clenching into tight fists.

I took a deep breath, knowing that my next words would only serve to infuriate him further. "Yes.You've never been anything but a cage to me and I’m done being your prisoner."

Kieran's expression twisted with rage, and I knew that I had pushed him to the edge. He let out a loud roar, his alpha power emanating from him in waves.

"Very well, if that is what you truly desire, then so be it."

He straightened his posture, his shoulders squared as he fixed me with an unwavering stare. "I, Alpha Kieran Hawthorne of the Lunar Pack, hereby reject you, Selena Winters, from my pack.You have lost all pack rights and you’re no longer a member."

The words hit me like a physical blow, the severed bond between us tearing at my very soul. I gasped, hugging myself as the pain threatened to overwhelm me, quickly ratcheting up and spreading throughout my body. It was as if a part of me had been ripped away, leaving behind a gaping, aching void.

Kieran watched with his expression cold and unforgiving, as I struggled to keep my composure. I could feel Skylar's presence in my mind, her own sorrow and anguish mirroring my own.

"Selena, I'm so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to ease your pain." she said to me telepathically.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to let the tears fall. I had made my choice, and I would not back down, no matter the cost.

I gripped my car keys tightly in my hand, the cool metal biting into my skin as I turned to face the perplexed and angry Kieran. Without a word, I started walking towards my car, my head held high even though my legs shook slightly in my heels.

Kieran's voice rang out, sharp and demanding. "And just where the hell do you think you're going now?"

I paused, turning to face him with a defiant smile. "None of your business.You should go and have a great night with your pack and your mom’s party."

I could see the anger flaring in his eyes, the vein in his forehead throbbing with barely contained rage. But I didn't care. With a final, satisfied smile, I turned and continued towards my car, the sound of my heels clicking against the pavement the only sound that broke the tense silence. As I slipped behind the wheel and gunned the engine, I could feel Skylar's presence in my mind.

"You did it, Selena!"she exclaimed, her voice filled with pride. "You put the big bad alpha in his place tonight."

I couldn't help but laugh, the adrenaline coursing through my veins making me giddy with excitement.The pain I was feeling minutes ago was already gone now.

"I can't believe I actually did that!" I exclaimed, my grip firm on the steering wheel as I drove through the winding roads.

My wolf further asked me where I was going to now. Maybe I was going to go have the time of my life in one of the swankiest clubs in town. It had been ages I had been able to let loose and have some real fun. Kieran didn’t even allow me step foot in any club but yet, he always took Nina so they could unwind.

Finally, I pulled up to the club, the pounding music and the scent of alcohol and bodies already in the air.

The building was a towering, glass-and-steel structure, with bold neon colors.

As I approached the club, I couldn't help but notice the way the people around me were staring, their gazes lingering on my curves.I started wondering if what I wore was too revealing. Or maybe they were just perverts ogling at me.

With a toss of my hair, I confidently made my way through the crowd, my hips swaying with each step.

As I approached the bar, I suddenly felt my heel get stuck on the uneven floor, and I found myself reaching out, desperate for something to hold onto. To my horror, my hand landed directly on the groin of a stranger standing nearby.

"Easy there, darling," a deep, masculine voice rumbled, and I felt a large hand wrap around my wrist, gently guiding my hand away.

Mortified, I pulled my hand back, my face burning with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—"

The words died on my lips as I finally looked up, my gaze locking with a pair of piercing blue eyes. I held my breath unknowingly as I recognized the face of the man standing before me – Alpha Ryker Dale, the CEO of a billion-dollar company and Kieran's bitter rival.

My wolf growled in my head, skipping around happily,

"MATE!"

He was my mate? How was that even possible?