The night was over and I was on the way home, and I hesitated for a long time before finally sending a message to Alpha Elias, the man I had been bound to for years but had never truly reached.

[Alpha... Can we pretend last night never happened? I was drunk and confused.]

Silence. The message sat there, unanswered.

I frowned and sent another one.

A red exclamation mark appeared in front of it.

[Felicia, we had a deal. Don't forget that.]

My chest tightened. Oh no, I almost forgot—I made a deal with my husband's stepbrother. This can't be happening. I was so drunk last night that I couldn't think straight. Damn, this is a mess.

By the time I reached my small home at the outskirts of the pack territory, the sun was already creeping over the horizon.

The moment I stepped inside, I froze. Benedict was sitting in the shadows, his golden eyes burning into mine.

He had not slept. His body was tense, jaw locked, fingers curled into fists against his knees.

"Felicia." His voice was low, strained. "Where were you last night? I called you over a dozen times!"

I moved past him, barely sparing him a glance.

"You can disappear all night, but I can’t?" My voice was cold, void of the warmth I had once offered him so freely.

Benedict flinched. I had never spoken to him like this before. We had been together for years, and in all that time, I had never once raised my voice at him. But now? I wanted to rip him apart.

I saw the shift in his expression, the flicker of guilt.

"You know, don’t you?"

His voice was too calm, too resigned. As if he had expected this moment to come.

Something inside me snapped. I swung my bag at him, my hands trembling with fury.

"How could you?!" My voice cracked as the words tore from my throat. "If you didn’t love me anymore, you could have let me go! But instead, you betrayed me!"

The image of him with her with another she-wolf tangled in his arms; their scents intertwined—flashed before my eyes. It shattered everything I thought I knew. Everything I thought we had.

Benedict caught my wrist, pulling me toward him. "Felicia, I’m sorry."

I wrenched away, tears burning down my cheeks. "Don’t touch me with your filthy hands!"

He clenched his jaw. "It was a mistake."

"A mistake?" I laughed bitterly. "Then tell me, Benedict—if I did the same thing, if I let another man touch me and called it an accident, would you forgive me?"

His eyes darkened. A dangerous glint replaced the guilt.

"If you did, I’d kill him."

A chill ran down my spine.

He knew. He knew betrayal was unforgivable, yet he still betrayed me.

I took a deep breath and steadied myself. "Do you remember what I told you when you first claimed me?"

Benedict’s expression faltered. "Felicia—"

"I told you if you ever betrayed me, I wouldn’t fight for you. I would walk away."

Panic flashed in his eyes. "I won’t let you go."

I wiped my tears away and met his gaze with nothing but loathing. "It doesn’t matter what you want. I’ve already made my decision. We’re done."

I turned and walked away, ignoring the sound of his sharp intake of breath.

Upstairs, I locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion sinking deep into my bones.

The scent of last night still clung to my skin. My stomach churned.

Stripping out of my clothes, I stepped into the shower and scrubbed until my skin burned, until I could no longer feel the remnants of that night clinging to me.

But even then, I couldn’t erase the memories. The touch of a man who was not my mate. The ghost of his breath on my skin. The whispered words I wasn’t supposed to hear.

By the time I emerged from the bathroom, my hair still damp, Benedict was waiting for me. His eyes dragged over me, dark with something unreadable.

"Felicia..."

I ignored him and reached for my clothes. Before I could react, his arms wrapped around me from behind, his grip unyielding.

"Let me go." My voice was sharp, warning him.

"Don’t push me away," he whispered into my ear. "We can fix this. We can start over. We can have a child—"

Rage flooded my veins. I shoved him back with all the strength I had. "Are you insane?"

His face twisted with frustration. "You always wanted a pup, didn’t you? We can still—"

"Not with you."

The words struck him like a blade. His body went rigid.

Then, something in him snapped.

He lunged. I barely had time to react before he pinned me down, his weight crushing against me.

"Say that again," he growled, his breath hot against my skin.

I met his gaze without fear. "I would rather die than carry your child."

His expression darkened. And then his lips crashed onto mine in a desperate, punishing kiss.

I fought. Clawed. Bit. I was no weak she-wolf, and I would never let him take what wasn’t his.

Even if it meant tearing him apart.

I froze in place, my entire body going rigid as his grip tightened around my waist. My wolf snarled in protest, but it wasn’t strong enough to break free from him.

The scent of another woman still clung to him. The memory of him with her last night—her lips on his, the way he held her—made my stomach churn with disgust.

“Let go,” I ground out, my voice sharp, laced with fury.

My struggles were meaningless. Alpha Benedict was built like stone, and my attempts to free myself were as futile as an ant trying to topple a tree. His grip only tightened, pulling me closer.

The robe I had wrapped around myself after my shower loosened with my movements, slipping from my shoulders. I saw the shift in his gaze, the hunger darkening his eyes. My pulse quickened in warning.

I felt the change in him, the heat radiating from his body pressing into mine. The evidence of his desire was impossible to ignore, and it sent a fresh wave of anger surging through me.

I bit him, hard, tasting blood instantly. His breath hitched, but he didn’t release me. If anything, his grip became even more possessive, his free hand slipping beneath my robe.

My breath caught. I wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

Panic flared inside me, and I struggled harder, pushing at his chest. “Benedict, get out!” I spat.

But he didn’t move, his fingers trailing my skin with infuriating ease. “You need me too, don’t you?” His voice was low, coaxing, as if I had any reason to desire him.

A tremor of rage passed through me. “I hate you,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

That made him stop. Benedict went still; his gaze locked onto mine. Something flickered in his eyes—something like hesitation.

Then, without another word, he released me and stalked toward the door. The slam echoed through the room, shaking the walls. I clutched the robe tightly around myself, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. My hands trembled.

For the next few days, Benedict didn’t return to the packhouse.

I tried calling him. Not because I wanted him back—Goddess, no—but because I needed to make him sign the rejection papers. He ignored every attempt.

By the weekend, I was seated in the living room, submitting applications for work, when the front door opened. The scent of pine and cedar filled the room, unmistakably his.

I looked up. He looked different. More worn. His usual confident stance was still there, but his eyes were shadowed, his jaw tighter than usual.

I forced myself to remain calm, closing my laptop before meeting his gaze head-on. “Since you’re finally back, let’s talk about the divorce agreement.”

Benedict’s expression hardened. “I already told you; I won’t divorce you.”

My fingers curled into fists. “Then why are you here?”

“To remind you that we have a pack gathering tonight.”

I exhaled sharply. Every month, Benedict and I were expected to attend some pack meetings. His relatives despised me. Before, I endured it because I loved him, because I believed he loved me too. But after what I saw, I refused to pretend anymore.

“I’m not going,” I said firmly. “Go without me.”

Benedict’s eyes flashed with impatience. “Stop acting like a kid throwing a tantrum.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “You think this is a tantrum? I just want to be free of you.”

His jaw tightened. “And what will you do then? You don’t have a job. You don’t have a pack. How will you survive? And your grandma’s medical expenses—can you afford them?”

I stiffened.

Benedict took a step closer. “You’re not a naive teenager anymore, Felicia. You’re twenty-eight. You should be mature enough to understand how the world works.”

I gritted my teeth. “If maturity means tolerating your betrayal, then I’d rather be a fool. This is the divorce agreement. Sign it.”

He glanced at the papers in my hand but didn’t take them. Instead, he smirked. “And what is this? You want half of my assets?”

I lifted my chin. “It’s what I deserve.”

His smirk widened. “What exactly have you contributed? This house? My business? I’ve been the one paying your grandma’s hospital bills since we got married.”

I stared at him, unable to believe how easily he dismissed everything I had done. “If I hadn’t agree with this marriage, you never would have secured your position as Alpha of this pack. And you’re the one who insisted I stop working. I had a future, Benedict. A career. I could have made more than you ever spent on me.”

He laughed. “Who do you think would believe that now?”

My nails dug into my palms. I was done. I was done begging for freedom. If he wouldn’t sign, I would take this to the Elders.

I turned to leave, but his hand caught my wrist.

“Go change. We’re leaving for the gathering.”

I yanked my arm free. “I told you, I’m not going.”

His grip returned, firmer this time. “Don’t make me cut off your grandma’s treatment.”

Rage boiled inside me. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He pulled out his phone. “Doctor, I want to halt the payments for—”

I lunged, slapping the phone from his hand. My breath came in ragged gasps, my hands shaking with fury. “You bastard.”

Benedict smirked. “You have two choices, Felicia. Come with me tonight, or find another way to pay for your grandmother’s care.”

I wanted to rip his throat out. My wolf howled in protest, but I knew the truth. He held all the power.

For now. I clenched my jaw, swallowing my pride. “Fine.”

Benedict’s smile was victorious, but I vowed right then—I would not stay trapped forever. One day, I would make him regret ever trying to control me.

Seeing the coldness in Benedict’s eyes, I realized just how blind I had been. How could I have ever loved someone like him?

I felt a sharp sting in my chest, but I refused to show weakness in front of him. Gritting my teeth, I wrenched my wrist free from his grasp, squared my shoulders, and turned toward the stairs.

I had only one thought in my mind—I needed to leave. I needed a plan. My pack was gone, my title stripped, and my mate had betrayed me. But I wouldn’t stay trapped here. I would find a job, save money, and escape this nightmare.

I grabbed a simple dress from my closet and fixed my hair into a loose braid, securing it with the only possession I had left from my mother—a silver hairpin shaped like a crescent moon. I didn’t care about appearances anymore. Once, I had dressed to impress Benedict and his family, hoping to earn a place among them. Now, I had nothing to prove.

When I descended the stairs, Benedict barely spared me a glance. His indifference cut deeper than his cruelty. “Let’s go.”

The car ride to his family estate was silent. I kept my eyes on the passing trees, their towering forms casting long shadows across the road. My wolf stirred within me, restless. I hated being near Benedict.

As we neared the estate, another car—a sleek black Range Rover—roared past and skidded to a stop in front of us. My breath hitched.

I knew that car. My pulse pounded in my ears as the door opened and a tall figure stepped out.

Elias Blackwood.

My mate’s step-brother.

The moment his golden eyes met mine, I froze. My wolf whimpered, caught between fear and something else. Elias had always been unpredictable, his presence both commanding and dangerous. He was the heir who walked away, the Alpha who refused his birthright, the rogue who built an empire in the shadows.

Benedict stiffened beside me. He had always despised Elias, hated that their father once wanted him to lead. But Elias had rejected the pack, choosing exile over submission. Now, he was more powerful than ever, his influence stretching far beyond the pack’s borders.

I kept my head down as he approached, praying he wouldn’t acknowledge me. Benedict wasn’t one for mercy. If he knew the full extent of what had happened between me and Benedict, he might see me as weak. And weak wolves didn’t survive in his world.

“Benedict.” His voice was deep, rough like gravel. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Benedict’s jaw clenched. “It’s a family dinner.”

Elias gaze flickered to me for a second before he turned away. “Right. Enjoy.” He strode past us, his steps unhurried, his posture relaxed. But I knew better. Elias was never relaxed. He was always calculating, always hunting.

I let out a slow breath as he disappeared into the house.

“Don’t talk to him,” Benedict muttered, his grip tightening around the steering wheel. “Stay away from him, Felicia.”

I almost laughed. He had no right to tell me what to do, not after everything he had done. But I bit my tongue. I wasn’t here to fight. I was here to survive.

Inside the estate, the air was thick with tension. The elders were gathered, their gazes flicking between Benedict and Elias. I kept my expression neutral, greeting them with forced politeness.

“Felicia,” Benedict’s grandmother said, her sharp eyes pinning me in place. “You’ve been married for a while now. When can we expect an heir?”

My stomach twisted. I had long since abandoned any hope of a future with Benedict, and the thought of carrying his child made my skin crawl. But I couldn’t say that. Not here. Not yet.

Before I could answer, Elias spoke. “Pressuring her like that is outdated, don’t you think?”

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to him.

Benedict tensed beside me, his hands curling into fists. “This is none of your business.”

Elias smirked, leaning against the fireplace. “Everything about this pack is my business.”

I swallowed hard. Elias’s gaze flickered to me again, and for a moment, I thought I saw something in his expression. Amusement? Curiosity? Pity? I couldn’t tell.

Benedict grabbed my arm, his grip firm. “Come on. Tell them.”

I yanked free. “Don’t touch me.”

A hush fell over the room. The elders exchanged glances, some disapproving, others intrigued. Benedict’s grandmother narrowed her eyes. “Felicia—”

“I’m tired,” I interrupted. “I’ll excuse myself.”

Without waiting for permission, I turned and walked away. I could feel their eyes on me, feel Benedict’s fury burning through my back. But I didn’t care.

As I stepped into the dim hallway, I heard footsteps behind me. A strong hand caught my wrist—not rough like Benedict’s, but firm, steady.

I turned and saw Elias, my heart pounding. His grip was gentle, his eyes unreadable. “You need to leave,” he murmured.

My breath caught. “What?”

“Benedict won’t let you go easily,” he said, his voice low. “If you don’t act now, you’ll never be free.”

I searched his face, trying to understand why he was saying this. Why he cared.

“What do you want from me?” I asked.

His lips curved into a half-smile. “I want you to work for me—it’s your only way to escape him. Trust me, Felicia, this is your way out.”

A shiver ran down my spine.