Alexandra

It was the day of our mating ceremony. Though I had doubts about Aidan and Brooke, I still convinced myself that things would change once the ceremony was done, I thought as I stood in front of the mirror dressed to impress my soon-to-be mate.

I felt butterflies in my stomach, but my inner wolf kept telling me that it wasn't out of happiness. Maddened by her assumption, I blocked her out and went on with the preparation, but as I waited where everyone was gathered, Aidan was nowhere to be found.

"Where is he?" I asked beta Marcus and Gamma Lilith, who could only shrug.

"We hadn't seen him since last night, he's also radio silent when we try to mind link him," his beta answered.

I looked nervously through the crowd unable to think straight. At first, I kept telling myself that he was just going to be late and that something important must've come up, but when I noticed that Brooke was also not where she was supposed to be, my stomach churned.

Yes, I was jumping to conclusions, but what were the odds of them not being here at the same time? The entire pack waited patiently for any sign of their alpha for what felt like years, and when he finally showed up, he was dressed as he was the last time I saw him.

"What's going on?" I asked the moment he was standing in front of me.

He raised his hand to silence me and stood in front of our pack. I looked between him and Brooke questioningly but otherwise waited like everyone else for Aidan to speak.

"Thank you all for gathering," he began, his voice loud and proud.

Silence fell upon us, each of us holding our breaths for what Aidan was going to say next.

"I'm afraid that there will be no mating ceremony today."

Loud gasps rang throughout the entire venue, including mine.

"What? What's going on Aiden?" I questioned, almost at the brink of humiliation.

"Brooke was just attacked by a rogue on the way here. Luckily, I was there to protect her. She was wounded badly," Aidan explained, addressing the pack and not me.

Whispers and chatters quickly erupted at his revelation, causing everyone to immediately forget what the occasion was supposed to be about.

I looked at Brooke from head to toe and noticed that she only had a scratch on her right arm. There were no other wounds I could see. If she was badly wounded, most of her injuries would still be a bit visible, just like the one on her arm.

"With that said, I need everyone to make sure that no other intruders are around our territory right now!" He ordered and, in an instant, everyone dispersed to follow his command.

"What are you doing? You didn't have to cancel the ceremony just like that!" I protested.

"You’re selfish, Alexandra. You care more about our mating ceremony than the safety of our pack!"

The weight of his accusation crushed me. I understood how important the pack was, but I had been waiting for this day. Our mating ceremony was supposed to be the moment that tied us together. The most important part of our union.

"Brooke isn’t the only one who matters," I uttered, trying to mask my hurt with anger.

I didn’t want to seem weak. I needed him to see that I wasn’t going to back down, so Aidan’s face twisted in frustration.

"You don’t understand! She's one of us now. We have to protect our own."

I didn't believe for one second that this was about protecting our pack. We had been attacked many times before, but he never asked everyone to go around the territory this quickly.

"Fine. There will be no ceremony at all," I snapped, trying to keep my voice steady.

Aidan’s expression shifted from anger to shock as soon as he heard what I said. "Have you gone mad?"

I shrugged in response before turning my back on them.

"You think this is easy for me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm torn between my duty to the pack and my duty to you."

I whirled, glaring at him for even thinking that I was only a duty to him. The look on my face must've been alarming because it caused Brooke to shrink behind Aidan. I wanted to hurl insults at them and throw punches, but I also knew that it wasn't the right thing to do at this point.

The silence stretched between us as Aidan studied my demeanor. His features suddenly softened when he realized that I was trying my damnest to keep it together.

"I will fix this. We'll have the ceremony in a few days. I'll make sure of it," he said as if his word was sealed.

But could I believe him? The question lingered in the air.

Alexandra

The next day, Aidan promised that he would stay home, so when night came and he announced he had to take care of business, the alarm bells in my head started ringing. When he didn't share the details as to what business he needed to take care of, I didn’t ask.

Once he left, I paced back and forth, waiting for the sound of his footsteps to dull. When I was sure that it was safe, I wore the coat Nancy gave me with another wolf's scent to mask my own scent and slipped out the door with my heart pounding.

I wasn’t sure what I expected to find, but my instincts kicked in that he wasn’t heading to the pack house, so I knew I had to follow him. I trailed behind him, keeping my distance. I watched as he ran through our quiet neighborhood, turning down the farthest street away from our home. My nerves tangled as we neared a newly built modest home. It didn’t belong to anyone I knew, so why would he be here?

My breath caught in my throat as I watched Aidan walk up to the house, this time, holding a red rose, the same kind he usually brought home to me. My heart broke with each step he took toward the house. I could feel anger rising in my bones because, obviously, this wasn't about an important pack business.

When he walked to the front door, I wanted to scream. I wanted to run to him and ask him what he was doing. But I stayed frozen, rooted to my spot. And when the door opened, Brooke appeared. She looked surprised but pleased to see Aidan there.

I watched as he leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek, and looked at her lovingly. I immediately felt sick. I stood behind the thick trunk of a tree, my heart pounding. Nancy was right, but this was beyond what I had imagined. They were wrapped in each other’s arms, their laughter echoing in the cool night air like lovers lost in their own world.

On instinct, I committed the scene unfolding before me to memory. Aidan leaned in, kissing her softly. It was a kiss that spoke volumes, a language I never wanted to hear. This was a slap in the face. The truth hit me hard.

Aidan had chosen me. He had made a promise. I remembered the nights we shared, the dreams we spoke of. I had forgiven him for posting the ceremony and decided to still show my loyalty. Yet, here he was, betraying me again, and he clearly had no qualms about it.

I wanted to confront him right then, but I knew I had to think this through. Aidan didn’t just break my heart; he shattered our bond. A simple confrontation wouldn't help me at all. At the least, he would just admit that he was seeing Brooke, but that wouldn't be enough for me.

I could feel the weight of the anger in my hand. I could expose him and show everyone who he truly was. But what would that achieve? Would it bring back my trust? Would it fix what was broken? No, I needed something bigger.

I quietly slipped away, my mind racing. I couldn’t let emotions dictate my next move. I wanted to make them pay, but not like this. I felt that it wasn't the right time and place. I had to choose my words and actions carefully as the whole pack was at Aidan's beck and call.

As I ran back home, I could feel my wolf stirring inside, her instincts screaming for justice. At that moment, I knew I had to choose my path. No more hiding. No more watching from the shadows. I was a she-wolf, strong and fierce. I would not be a victim. I would rise from this.

"Hell hath no fury to a woman scorned, Aidan White," I whispered to myself.

Alexandra

I never thought betrayal would taste like ash in my mouth. I sat at our kitchen table, the sunlight streaming through the window, casting long shadows. I stared at the half-empty cup of coffee, the bitterness mirroring my thoughts.

Leaving Aidan behind wasn’t enough. I wanted to disappear completely, like a ghost in the fog. I wanted to hurt him just as much as he hurt me, so I had to craft my plan carefully. I wanted a new identity, a fresh start. I couldn’t just slip away though; I needed to erase every trace of Alexandra Storm.

But I wasn't just going to run away, I wanted to get even. In other words, I wanted to see Aidan and Brooke crumble before me. Once my mind was made up, I invited Nancy and explained my need for anonymity, for a clean slate, which sounded absurd, but essential.

"Are you insane? Why would you do that?" She asked as she wondered if I had gone mad.

"I deserve this Nancy. I did everything for Aidan, putting him above everything else. I saw him and Brooke last night, and you were right, something was going on with them," I admitted.

"I'm so sorry," Nancy whispered, patting my shoulder to give me a bit of comfort. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," was my curt answer. "I want to figuratively cease to exist. You see, going on a rampage isn't going to help me win against Aidan."

"How are you going to do that?" She questioned once more.

I didn't have an exact plan yet as to how I was going to pull off what I wanted to do, but I gave Nancy snippets of my ideas. She understood the urgency and how each detail mattered.

"Okay, then let me help you," she promised after hearing my thoughts.

I spent hours plotting and pacing in the woods where the trees were the only things listening to my secrets. I needed a plan that would draw Aidan's attention away from me, but at the same time have a bit of awareness that something happened.

My first step was to create chaos. I could use the upcoming full moon to my advantage as the pack would be on edge. I could stage an act—something that would lead Aidan to believe it was real. I needed a good diversion so that I could slip away unnoticed.

I'd then leave pieces of evidence that I was truly gone so that none of the pack members would look for me. The thrill of revenge danced in my veins as I knew I could do it. However, I couldn’t leave without making sure that Aidan felt the weight of his actions.

He needed to know the pain of losing me, just as much as the pain he caused me. I was going to make sure that he would regret the day he chose Brooke over me. When the night of the full moon arrived, every pack member basked under the moonlight, taking in the energy the moon goddess was showering.

I stood close to my exit point, waiting for the right moment while keeping my eyes on Aidan, who stood tall in the middle of the crowd, his authoritative presence commanding respect. I inched my way toward my mark but immediately stopped when I saw the flicker of worry in Aiden's eyes as if he felt something was wrong.

For a moment, I pretended to be as immersed as the others with the full moon, but when Aiden's concentration went back to the pack, I took a deep breath, letting the adrenaline surge through me as I told myself that I was ready.

And then it happened.