Bree

I woke up with a pounding headache and my eyes adjusting to the bright fluorescent lights. My pulse raced as I sensed something wasn't right.

“Bree,” Rosa’s gentle voice pulled me from the haze.

I turned to see her sitting by my bedside, her face pale and full of worry. Rosa, our pack's head healer, was known for her calm demeanor, so seeing her like this sent chills down my spine.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice weak and raspy.

She hesitated but her eyes drifted down to my wrist. I slowly followed her gaze and froze. The mark that plagued me for years was back, twisting around my skin like a chain, faint but visible.

“No,” I whispered, yanking my arm away as if that could make it disappear.

Rosa exhaled a shaky breath as her trembling hands touched my arms.

"It's back, Bree. The curse has returned."

Her words pierced through me, and suddenly, the room felt smaller. Memories flashed back in my head, vivid and cruel. I was just a child lost in the woods when I found a witch. She was injured and weak, surrounded by a group of rogues. Without thinking, I defended her by screaming and throwing stones at the rogues until they fled.

"You are kind, child. But this kindness will come at a cost. And when you get betrayed, it will return," she warned.

And she was right; the mark appeared that very night. Years later, when I mated with Alpha Kyle, it vanished just as suddenly.

"Why now?" I asked Rosa.

She looked at me with sadness and pity in her eyes.

"It's possible that... the mate bond is broken."

My heart sank. How could that be? The mate bond was supposed to be unbreakable. In denial and desperation, I left without listening to Rosa's advice. All I could think about were her words: "You have ten days to live."

As I entered the packhouse, immediately something felt off. Everything was quiet, too quiet for a bustling werewolf pack. But as I made my way upstairs, I heard a soft, feminine laugh echoing through the halls from my bedroom. I followed the sound, and it grew louder and louder; then I heard a low, husky voice joining in - Kyle's voice.

I froze outside of the door, my shaking hand on the doorknob. My heart pounded as I struggled with the urge to turn back and pretend, I hadn't heard anything. But I couldn't resist. I pushed the door lightly, ensuring it wouldn't make a sound. And there they were - Janice's naked body tangled with Kyle's, his hands roaming over her skin and his mouth tracing kisses on her breasts.

I stumbled back, gasping in disbelief. It wasn't some cosmic accident that brought back the curse; it was Kyle breaking our mate bond. I couldn't believe he would do this to me.

Desperate to escape, I ran downstairs with tears clouding my vision. My legs carried me to the rose garden, a place that used to bring me joy. Now, they mocked me. Every flower reminded me of the promises he broke. The smell of roses only fueled my anger, and I couldn't stand being there any longer. I stormed back into the house and encountered two omegas returning from the laundry room. They immediately bowed and greeted me.

"Clear out the entire rose garden. Not a single rose should be left by morning," I commanded without hesitation.

One of them hesitated, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"But Luna, they..."

"Just do it," I snapped, cutting her off.

The omegas nodded and quickly went to carry out my orders. Destroying the roses wouldn't erase Kyle's betrayal or break the curse, but it was a start.

When I returned to my room a few minutes later, it was empty and tidy. I sank onto my bed, feeling the throbbing pain in my wrist where the mark glowed in the dim light. Only ten days left to live - a constant reminder of the cruel fate that awaited me. But I refused to let this curse destroy me without a fight. And everyone who had hurt me should pay for their actions.

Kyle

The morning light seeping through the window did little to warm the icy tension in the room. Bree’s movements were stiff as she placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of me without even a glance.

“Good morning,” I said hesitantly.

“Morning,” she replied, lacking its usual softness.

"Did you not sleep well?"

She shrugged, leaning against the counter with her coffee.

"Not really."

Her indifference was like a knife twisting deeper with each passing moment. Bree wasn't just upset - she was distant and unreachable.

I poked at my food with my fork, losing my appetite quickly.

"Something's bothering you. You know you can talk to me, right?"

This time, she met my gaze with a coldness that sent shivers down my spine.

"Can I?"

It sounded like a challenge, but before I could respond, she turned and left the room with unanswered questions.

Later that morning, I went outside to clear my head. The rose garden had always been Bree's sanctuary, our haven when the responsibilities of being pack leaders became too much. But as I stepped onto the patio, I froze.

It was gone.

The roses, once vibrant reds and whites had been ripped out, and the soil lay barren and raw as if someone had taken the heart of the garden away overnight.

"What the hell..." I muttered.

Two omegas were nearby, sweeping up the last remnants of petals and leaves. They stiffened as I approached.

"What happened here?" I demanded; my tone harsher than intended.

One of them hesitated, glancing nervously at the other.

"Luna's orders," she blurted.

I was stunned.

"Bree ordered this?"

"Yes, Alpha. Last night. She said everything had to be gone by morning."

My jaw tightened as I scanned the desolate garden. Bree loved this place. It was where we shared some of our most intimate moments - our first kiss, whispered confessions, stolen glances. Now, it looked as empty as her eyes had this morning.

"Why would she do this?" I muttered to myself, more than to the omegas.

They didn't answer, and I didn't push them further.

I found Bree in the kitchen again, her back to me as she washed a coffee mug in the sink.

"You had the garden cleared," I said in a low but steady voice.

She didn't turn around.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"They were just roses," she replied casually as if that explained everything.

I moved closer, studying her carefully.

"You've never thought of them as 'just roses.' What changed?"

Bree finally turned to face me, her expression blank except for a flicker of something indistinguishable - pain or anger, perhaps.

"I changed, Kyle. Can't I do that?"

Her tone was sharp and final, like an impenetrable wall between us.

"Bree..."

"I don't want to talk about it," she interrupted, brushing past me with the same cold detachment she'd carried all morning.

I stood there, fists clenched, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Something was wrong.

The rest of the day passed with me doing all of responsibilities and pack duties, but Bree's emotional distance lingered in my mind. By evening, I couldn't shake the feeling that something big had changed between us. When I returned to the house, I saw Bree sitting at the coffee table in the living room. She was engrossed in her calendar, crossing out dates and jotting down notes on the margins.

"What are you planning?" I asked casually, trying not to let my curiosity show.

She froze at the sound of my voice and quickly closed the calendar, avoiding eye contact.

"Just organizing my schedule," she replied without looking up.

I couldn't help but step closer, catching a glimpse of the marked dates with red circles and cryptic notes like "final decision" and "last chance". My heart beat faster as I reached for the calendar, but Bree snapped it shut before I could see anything else.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" she said coolly, standing up and brushing past me.

Her words stung like a slap, and I stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the closed calendar. Bree was planning something she didn't want me to know. And it terrified me.

Bree

I stood in front of the plot, silently observing the digging.

"Are you sure about this spot?" Rosa hesitantly asked.

"It's just dirt," I replied coldly, kicking a clump towards the edge.

"I'd rather be buried here than somewhere I don't belong."

Rosa didn't protest. She wasn't one to argue once I had made up my mind. But the pity in her eyes made my skin crawl.

"Don't tell him. He doesn't deserve to know," I ordered.

Rosa tried to open her mouth, but I silenced it with a glare.

"Promise me."

She reluctantly nodded.

Laughter from a distance broke the moment. My ears focused instinctively on the sound. It's Kyle. And even without turning, I knew who was with him. Janice's light and teasing voice drifted on the gentle breeze. My fists clenched when I turned away from the plot.

"This is done," I muttered, walking toward my car without waiting for Rosa.

Back at our home, every corner flashed with memories, suffocating me. Even the piles of gifts on the dresser taunted me. And in a fit of rage, I yanked the drawer and seized the small jewelry box Kyle had given me last year.

“For the only woman who’ll ever hold my heart,” he’d said when he slipped the necklace around my neck.

Liar.

I sent the box flying across the room and collided with the wall, spilling its contents onto the floor. Next was a framed photo on the mantle. My heart raced as I watched the glass shattered on the floor.

And then I found the pictures.

Tucked under the bed, hidden in an envelope, were photos of Kyle and Janice - smiling, touching, together. Pain and anger threatened to consume me as I stared at the concrete evidence of his betrayal. I chuckled in tears. He didn't even try to hide it.

Now, I am driving and gripping the steering wheel so tight. The headlights cut through the darkness. I'm leaving everything and everyone behind. And I thought I would feel free, but my chest felt empty as if the curse consumed me.

Suddenly, a truck appeared out of nowhere. I slammed on the brakes, tires screeching as our vehicles collided and sent me jolting forward. The sound of metal crunching and glass shattering felt unreal. Pain shot through my body, but all I could hear was the pounding of my heart.

When I finally opened my eyes, everything was tilted. Steam hissed from the car's engine; the accident completely wrecked it. I groaned, trying to move, but my limbs felt heavy and unresponsive.

And then I saw them.

Kyle was crouched on the opposite side of the road, cradling Janice in his arms as if she were the most precious thing in the world. His fingers cupped her face, his voice frantic yet gentle.

"You're okay. I've got you."

He didn't even glance my way.

I laughed bitterly; a raw and broken sound escaped my lips. Of course, I didn't matter. But it still hurt like hell. I cried watching them until I lost consciousness.

The sterile smell of the hospital stung my nose when I awakened. Every breath I took was accompanied by a sharp pain in my ribs, and the bright lights above me made my head throb.

Kyle was sitting in the corner of the room, his head buried in his hands. When he saw I was awake, he quickly stood, his face went pale.

"Bree..."

"Don't," I immediately cut him off.

He flinched, but his desperation only fueled my anger.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean..."

“Didn’t mean what?” I snapped.

“Didn’t mean to sleep with Janice? Didn’t mean to break the bond? Or didn’t mean to leave me bleeding while you played hero to her?”

His mouth opened, but no words came out.

“That’s what I thought.”

I turned and faced the wall. Kyle moved closer, but I held up a hand.

“You’ve done enough, Kyle. Get out.”

“Bree, please..."

“If you don't want to go, I will reject you."

"Bree..."

"I reject you, Kyle, as my mate and Alpha."

"No, Bree..."

"Accept it!"

Kyle stood stunned. It took all my strength to yell and convince him to let me go.

"I said, accept it!"

"I... yes, I accept..."

Kyle turned around, leaving me to cry and grieve finally.