“No! Stop!”

I wished I didn’t recognize that bone-chilling cry, but I’ve heard it enough to have it horribly ingrained in my head.

The vivid scenarios instantly streamed into my mind at that moment, sending me back to the dream that had been bothering me since three nights ago—the dream that showed how the wedding I had longed for four years became a disaster.

Slowly, I turned around, shell-shocked, moving as if my body weren’t my own. It felt like I was watching the same movie all over again, and this was the part where I saw myself at the altar, locking eyes with Axel’s childhood sweetheart as she scandalously objected to our union while the pack’s warriors tried to drag her out of the temple.

“Axel, you promised you won’t marry her. She doesn’t deserve you!” Jena screamed, desperately trying to break free. “No! Get off me!”

Hearing the exact same words from her mouth had me trembling, scared, and confused. I stumbled back, unable to breathe. I told my friends about these dreams I’d been having, and they said it was just the wedding nerves. I kind of felt relieved to think it might just be a silly dream, but what’s this happening in front of me?

I squeezed onto Axel’s arm to steady myself. The world was suddenly spinning in a haze and I couldn’t tell which was real or fake. Nothing made any sense.

Then, I heard Axel cursing under his breath, which never happened in the dream. My head snapped, looking at him, and I saw the embarrassment, annoyance, and concern he was hiding behind his poker face, but his tender gaze at Jena betrayed him. Seeing that cleared my head like waking up from a wicked spell but to another nightmare.

“You just told me you love me last night. Don’t do this to me, Axel. Please,” Jena begged, bawling.

“Enough, Jena. We’ve already been through this. Diana is my mate, and we are swearing our bond to the moon goddess tonight,” Axel said, making me feel a little guilty. I assumed he was looking out for Jena as usual, but was he actually doing it for me?

My heart fluttered thinking he had finally put me before Jena, but she always had a knack for raining on my parade, and I shouldn’t have had my hopes up.

“No! I’d rather just die than see you marry her!” Jena screamed, slipping away from the warriors and pulling a silver dagger to her neck.

Everyone gasped. The Alpha tried to save his daughter from her stupidity but Axel was faster. In a split second, he left my side and took the dagger from Jena before it dug too deep.

She leaned weakly in his arms, cupping his face while looking as if she was about to die from a mere scrape. Then, after whispering how much she loved him, she fainted.

The temple shook with chaos, and I didn’t know what to do. Axel quickly rushed down the aisle, carrying Jena. I called out to him in panic, but what he did rooted me, frozen in tears at the Altar.

“Not now, Diana. I have to get Jena to the hospital,” he coldly said without looking back.

Axel ran out of the temple with everyone following him, and I was left all alone in that cold temple with nowhere else to go but the empty house he and I had been living in for the past four years.

The silence was crushing, and every dark corner reminded me of our few good memories—each one nicking a piece of my heart.

Axel used to make me believe I meant the world to him, but before we were mates, I was nothing to him, and apparently, I still am.

I was fourteen when I first met Axel. Back then, he and Jena had always been glued together. I was only a background character in their little world, which I destroyed when I became Axel’s mate four years later.

It was unexpected and the pull was overwhelming, but the spark between us died out sooner because there were three of us in this relationship. All this time, I thought Jenna kept stealing Alex’s attention from me, but after what happened earlier, it was obvious that I had always been the third wheel. I came in between the two who were clearly into each other because of our damn fate.

I dropped to my knees, defeated, wailing in grief for my broken heart. However, my entire body was suddenly tormented with a different kind of pain. A weird burning sensation exploded in my chest and rapidly coursed through my veins. It felt as if my flesh was being charred with molten lava and was so excruciating I was rolling on the floor screaming until the intense pain knocked me out cold.

I woke up the following day sprawled on the floor, surrounded by rubble and in a tattered ceremonial gown. Darkness was slowly creeping back into the house as the sun set, but even with less light, I could see the kind of mess the house turned into. It looked as if a wild animal stormed in and thrashed everything.

I didn't know what happened after I passed out, but the gaping void in my chest told me everything I needed to know. Axel had bonded with someone else and my wolf went berserk.

Knowing that was devastating, yet I couldn’t even cry about it. I felt so hollow, dead despite being alive.

A loud ring then broke the numbing silence hovering over me. I weakly dug my phone from the rubble and saw Axel calling. He was the least of the people I wanted to talk to right now, so I ignored it, but he got through my head after bombing me with phone calls.

I answered his thirtieth call, putting it on speaker and his blasted voice immediately bounced through the walls, blowing his top off.

“What the heck, Diana? Why did you send Jena that voicemail? Are you throwing a fit because I ignored your calls last night? Jena's already having a hard time! Could you stop being petty and childish for once?”

I scoffed, glancing at the screen, confused on top of being mad.

I had no idea what he was talking about, but looking at the junk around me, I must have done something crazy in delirium.

“Jena’s in a critical condition and the last thing she needs is you being a jerk. You should’ve been more understanding!” Axel went on, and I felt even more numb after hearing all of that crap.

What was there to understand? Her condition sure wasn’t critical when he bonded with her last night.

I looked over the mess that seemed to mirror the chaos of my life and felt tired. I’ve had enough of Axel forcing me to yield to Jena every time.

“So, you called me just to say that?” I asked, devoid of emotions.

“What else do you want me to say, Diana?” Axel became defensive. “I’ve told you like a hundred times. Nothing’s going on between me and Jena. I’m looking after her because she’s the Alpha’s daughter.”

That blatant lie was more painful than the molten lava that tortured me last night.

I didn’t get him. He should’ve rejected me outright if he felt strongly enough toward Jena to bond with her even if they weren’t mates. Why keep me around if he was only going to hurt me?

“Come by the hospital and apologize,” he said and hung up.

I sighed and scrolled through the call registry. Axel was accusing me of something pretty interesting and it had me curious. For once, he wasn’t lying. I did, call him fifty times and then rang up Jena.

I opened the voicemail I sent her and honestly, it was scary.

“Let the stars be my witness, the moon, my judge. I swear to the eternal night sky, you will suffer ten times as much the pain you caused me.”

My voice sounded so feral and malicious that it even made me shiver. However, knowing it terrified that whiny Jena felt great.

After that, I did a lot of thinking, grieving all the love I poured onto Axel who was like a bottomless pit. No matter how much I gave, it would never be enough because I wasn’t who he wanted. On the other hand, he had plenty of love to give when it came to Jena. She even had him at her beck and call no matter the time and occasion. Begging for the love of a man like that only made me pathetic.

I never thought mate bonds would be this terrible. If I knew the goddess would put me through such torment, I would’ve run away at first sight.

“I swear, I’d never go through this again.” I got up, sighing.

That night, I didn’t bother going to the hospital and slept in my room like the dead. When morning came, I headed to the pack mansion to bury my head in the documents at the Alpha’s office and get my mind off this joke. I’ve been his secretary for years, and my work consisted of helping the Beta with documentation and running simple errands.

I walked into the office as usual and went straight to work. However, I didn’t realize that my poor attempt to cope made the others uncomfortable.

That afternoon, Beta Ryker told me Alpha Lycus wanted to see me. I quickly dropped everything and headed for the door, but Beta Ryker stopped me.

“Wait.”

I looked back and waited for an order but I got an apology from someone who hadn’t hurt me one bit.

“I’m sorry about what happened, Diana. Don’t hold back and tell me if you need anything, okay?” Beta Ryker said, and his sincerity made me hate Axel even more.

His uncle wasn’t even at fault but he still had the sense to apologize while Axel had the audacity to yell at me.

I felt my wall crumbling, so before I let myself be vulnerable, I swiftly brushed him off with a nod and marched to the Alpha’s office.

Just as I raised my hand to knock on Alpha Lycus’s door, his gravelly voice echoed in my mind. “Come in.”

Inside, the room was thick with the scent of smoke. He stood by the window, a cigarette in hand, the ember glowing faintly against the dusky light. His sharp gaze was fixed in the garden below, where pups darted about, their laughter carrying through the air.

“Precious, aren’t they?” he said, not turning as the door clicked shut behind me.

I followed his gaze to the children, their giggles infectious as they chased one another in carefree abandon. A small smile tugged at my lips. “They are.”

Then, he turned, his eyes piercing, his next words slicing through the tranquil moment.

“Tell me,” he asked, his tone low but weighty, “would you go to the ends of the earth to protect them?”

“I…”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. It wasn’t a difficult question. Of course, anyone with a sound mind would say yes, but I know that wasn’t the answer he was looking for.

Alpha Lycus’s gaze softened, his expression painted with a hint of sadness.

“I’ll never forget the day you arrived at Crimson Wolf.” He sighed. “The tragedy of your old pack took every bit of joy from your face, and seeing that was heartbreaking.”

“Alpha, where are you heading with this?” I asked.

Alpha Lycus puffed a cloud of smoke and continued, “What Jena did was terrible, and I know nothing I’ll do would be enough to make up for what had happened, but I’d still want to. You’re like a daughter to me and I wouldn’t want you to suffer,” he said, making it harder for me to respond.

I know he meant well and I have always appreciated him treating me like family after I lost mine, but I’m not dull. Jena was his flesh and blood, and I’m only a mutt he pitied and picked up. So, I wouldn’t decline his kindness even if he did this for Jena.

I thought deeply about what I wanted from this exchange and could only think of freedom.

“I’d like some time away. I’ll settle everything before leaving,” I said, firmly.

Alpha Lycus understood what I meant and nodded. “Alright. I’ve been meaning to send you on vacation, but knowing you, you’d rather work than relax so I’m sending you to an aid mission with Gamma Brandon. You’ll leave next week.”

“Thank you.” I smiled.

He did know me well. Gamma Brandon’s missions took months to complete. This was a perfect opportunity to get away from Axel. I know how greedy he was. He took all he could and played with our hearts. He’d never let me go even if he was secretly bonded with Jena.

Mate bonds were a crazy work of mystery, but I knew about his betrayal thanks to it. Screw the perfect mate image he wanted us to be. I would never sacrifice myself for their happiness.

I went home past the dark, feeling lighter than I was this morning.

The following day, I woke up and got to work like usual. My day was surprisingly going well, until late afternoon when Axel called. I didn’t plan to answer his call but was too preoccupied to check the caller ID when I picked it up.

“You’re off work today, right?” I jumped, hearing his voice. “Jena’s getting discharged today. Come pick us up from the hospital.”

I scoffed, wondering how much of a pushover he saw me as.

“I’m busy doing errands for the Alpha. I don’t have time for detours,” I lied. I was done with those earlier so I’ve got the rest of the day free, but there was no way I would waste my time chauffeuring for them.

“Then, it’s perfect timing. You’ll return to the pack mansion anyway, so come get us on the way,” he shamelessly insisted.

How stubborn. Talking with him gave me headaches.

“I’m not going. Call someone else or take a cab. I don’t care. Figure it out,” I said and hung up.

While grumbling about how my day had just been ruined, a colleague cautiously approached me.

“Diana, wanna grab a few drinks at the pub?”

I used to decline these invitations because I was crazy trying to get Axel’s attention.

But to hell with him! I’m going to enjoy myself tonight!

And I did. It was my first time drinking with friends, so I let loose and got home wasted at midnight.

I entered the house humming, thinking I was alone, but a deep voice scared me sober.

“You’re home pretty late.”

I twirled, looking at the living room. Axel was sitting on the couch with a dark shadow on his face.

He looked angry but I just sneered and kicked off my shoes wherever, then went straight toward my room. Axel suddenly dashed toward me, blocking my way with a slam of his fist on the wall.

“Why are you ignoring me?” he snarled, leaning close.

Having this distance between us used to give me butterflies. Now, I feel like vomiting.

“What’s the matter?” I tauntingly asked and chuckled.

“Diana,” he growled. “You’re too busy to pick us up at the hospital but you got time to get wasted, huh?”

My ears rang. Was he seriously playing the victim here? What was so wrong with me having fun?

I gritted my teeth and was about to argue when his bedroom door opened.

“Goddess, Diana. Did you drink? The alcohol stinks.”

Jena walked out of his room wearing a lacy nightgown.

Her appearance was so unexpected, and the shock cleared my drowsiness away. All of the emotions I bottled were bubbling up.

“Oh, I see why you’re mad. Did I interrupt you two?” I scoffed. “So, which of us is leaving, me or both of you because I’m not interested in hearing you moan?”

Axel got furious, grabbing me by my arm tight. “Will you get your head out of the gutter!” He yelled, and I saw red. My hand swung hard and ripped a slap on his face.