I felt as if the ground had slipped beneath my feet. It would have been better if I had buried myself before seeing this.

"So-Sophia?"

Bruce looked stunned when he saw me.

What would he think? He would keep cheating on me, and I could not get to know about it?

"How could you?" I took a step back. I felt heavy in my chest.

The person I most trusted betrayed me!

I had always wished to spend the rest of my life with him. I thought I was a lucky girl to have him, but what did I get in return?

Cheating?

"Sophia, whatever you are thinking, nothing is like that,baby."

Bruce attempted to approach me. But I stopped him by lifting my hand. I shook my head. I felt like passing out.

I turned my head toward Luisa. Her head was down. How could she have done that? Wasn't she my best friend?

"And you?" I muttered to her.

She looked at me and shook her head.

She forgot she was wrapped in a blanket.

Her blanket had fallen from her chest.

A few marks on her naked body became visible in front of my eyes.

When I saw that, I almost fell to the floor.

I was speechless. How could they play dirty with me?

"Sophia, I am sorry. Please forgive me, baby."

Bruce came close and held my hand. I felt disgusted when he touched me.

I yanked my hand out of his grasp and slapped him.

"How long?" I asked.

He was silent. Why? Why was he so quiet right now? It had been two years since we had been in a relationship. He

promised me to be a loyal man. He vowed to me that he would mark me and make me his mate.

A few years ago, I went to the pack house with my brother when he wasn't yet the Gamma. That time, I met Bruce. He began to show up at my school to meet me. We began dating a few months later.

He had already rejected his mate at that time. He told me that he had rejected his mate because she had cheated on him.

But what exactly was he doing now?

"I ASKED HOW LONG???" I yelled at him.

He remained silent, not even making eye contact.

I went to Luisa. "You, tell me. How long have you been doing this behind my back with him?"

I wanted to hear for myself how long they had made a fool out of me.

"O-One year." She replied as she turned away from me.

I bit my lips, almost bleeding. I could not take more stabs in my heart.

"I didn't want to do that, Sophia. I only love you." I heard Bruce.

Did he still have the courage to speak?

I scoffed at him. After what he did, he had the audacity to say that?

"Why did you cheat on me?"

"You never let me touch you. I am an Alpha. I have some desires that I need to fulfill. So I had to go another route."

"I-I was waiting to turn eighteen. I wanted to become your mate and wife.

Before doing anything, I wanted to give our relationship a name. I have never considered another man. I was saving

myself just for you. But couldn't you wait for me? Not even another year? You started cheating on me after only one year of our relationship?"

I tightened my fists to stop crying. I took a deep breath.

"Everything is over. The relationship between us is over." I told Bruce.

I looked at Luisa, whom I used to call my best friend. "Don't come in front of me again."

She did not try to justify herself, as if she had nothing to say.

I turned around to leave. I ran downstairs while crying.

"SOPHIA"

Bruce rushed down the stairs and

grabbed my arm.

"Don't touch me."

"How dare you say that you broke up with me? You can't go anyway. No one will accept you. Everyone knows that you are my girlfriend. You are a weak Omega.

No one will make you his wife but a plaything. You should be relieved that I am still in love with you. So just forget everything and pretend you haven't seen anything."

I stared at him. How could a man be so shameless? I wanted to slap myself for falling for him. His words made me even more despised.

I pushed him hard.

"You don't have to think about me. Go play with your Luisa like you have been doing all these times."

Saying that, I walked out of the house.

My legs felt shaky. I had no idea where to go. What should I do now? What would I do with this betrayal in my life?

How would I explain Bruce to my mother and brother? I promised to introduce him to them soon. My brother appeared to be very knowledgeable about people.

He had warned me about Bruce before, but I never paid attention to his words.

How stupid I was!

I made my way to the road. I didn't have the strength to wait for a cab. My thoughts were jumbled.

Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday.

Fate really gave me a great present!

I thought they were preparing something for my birthday, but little did I know they had been cheating on me for a long time.

Why did all of this happen to me? I was a simple girl who was happy with her small family. Why did he come and break me so badly?

He called me a weak omega! He thought about me like this all the time?

I walked like a crazy woman to the road.

I had no idea where I was or how long I had been walking.

My steps became slower as I began to feel the sun, and its intensity nearly drove me insane. I was sweating, crying, and depressed.

I could hear horns behind me.

"Hey, girl! Go die somewhere else. Get out of our path. Our Alpha is getting late."

I was so occupied in my messed-up mind that I could not hear the driver clearly.

When I turned around, I was astounded to see a long line of black cars behind me.

A bulky man emerged from a car that was in the middle of the other cars. Then he opened the back door for someone.

A man in a black suit came out and made his way towards me.

Because of the sunlight and my glossy eyes, I could not see his face.

He took a slow stride forward and came to a halt in front of me. His presence blocked the sunlight from falling on my face.

I blinked to get a better look at him.

It was Bryan Morrison!

How did I end up meeting him twice on the same day?

I was unable to think of what to call him now.

Big brother-in-law? Bryan? Alpha?

He had a frown on his face as he stared at me. He might be wondering why I was in the middle of the road.

"I-I..."

I wanted to tell him about what his brother had done to me, but before I could, I felt unsteady.

Darkness began to descend around me. I felt myself slamming into his hard chest.

His strong arms encircled my waist almost immediately. When he touched me, I felt a strange sensation that I had never felt before.

Before I could comprehend the unfamiliar feeling,

I passed out in his arms.

When I opened my eyes, it was already evening. A few times, I blinked my eyes.

I could see the ceiling of my room.

I sat up and rubbed my forehead. For a minute, I could not understand what had happened.

My thoughts immediately went to the scenario in which Bruce was with Luisa.

At first, I was under the impression that it was a nightmare.

But then I realized what I witnessed today. Bruce cheated on me.

"I will never forgive you, Bruce. I hate you."

I wanted to get out of bed. However, my mind stopped when I thought about how I got back home.

My eyes widened. I covered my mouth with my hands.

I fainted in Alpha's arms!

How? Why??

Did he send me home?

I went downstairs to ask my mother. She was cooking something in the kitchen.

"Mom?"

"Sophia? You woke up?" my mother turned to me and asked.

She cupped my face and said,

"What happened to you, my child? Are you feeling okay now?"

"I am fine, Mom. Who sent me home?"

"Your brother took you back home."

"Brother?" I was confused.

"He said he was going with Alpha to a pack meeting. They were in a hurry. But a girl appeared in front of one of their vehicles, and Alpha went to check for himself. Since Abraham was the Gamma, he also went to check on the situation and make sure everything was in order.

But then he saw you unconscious. He told Alpha that you were his sister and brought you back home."

I lowered my head. "He must be feeling embarrassed because of me."

"No, my child. Why are you saying this?

You are his sister. You are his responsibility."

I nodded my head. My mother told me to eat something, but I refused. I was not in a mood to eat anything. I went back to

my room.

I cried a lot in my room. I tried not to cry out loud because I did not want my mother to be aware of my shattered heart, at least not at this time.

When it was midnight,

My mother and brother came to my room with a birthday cake.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY"

I was stunned by their sudden appearance. I immediately wiped my eyes and tried to hide my face with my hair.

"Sophi,

what happened?" Abraham asked.

"Nothing, Brother."

He placed the cake on the bed and sat beside me. My mother sat on the other side.

"I didn't ask you about today. What happened to you?"

"I was just tired, brother. Nothing else. I am sorry that I wasted your time and embarrassed you."

"No worries, silly girl. This is not something you should cry for." Abraham said, and he patted my head.

"Now, make a wish and cut the cake." My mother told me.

I closed my eyes.

'I don't know what to wish for. From now on, I will follow my fate wherever it may lead me.' I said to myself and blew out the candle.

I cut my birthday cake. I had to smile because I did not want to show my sorrow to my family.

After eating pieces of cake and giving me two envelopes, Abraham and Mother left my room.

I put the envelopes in a drawer. I did not have a mind to open them. They worked hard, and the money in those envelopes was their earnings. How could I always use those without giving them anything in return?

I lay on my bed and tried to fall asleep with a broken heart.

The next day,

I spent the entire day confined to my room. Due to the fact that I did not go out for lunch, my mother brought lunch to my room.

She informed me that I needed to get ready in time because Abraham would send someone to take us to the pack house.

"I don't want to go, Mom," I told her.

How could I go to that house? It was my ex-boyfriend's house. I had no relationship with him now. I did not want to see his face again.

"You have to go. It's Alpha Bryan's engagement ceremony. Your name is clearly stated on the invitation card. You can't deny it, my child. It's a rule." I was an omega. If there was any rule that I breached, I would not be able to survive any royal retribution. Therefore, I had no choice but to consent to going.

I started to get ready in the evening. I wore a simple white dress that my mother bought for me as a birthday present. I put on a pair of white heels.

Then I put on some light makeup and let my hair down.

My mother saw me when I went downstairs.

"You look so beautiful, Sophia."

"Thanks, Mom."

She hugged me and cried. "If your father were here, he would have been happy to see you."

I patted her back. She was right. I was missing my father.

"I am not going with you."

"Why, mother?"

"My back pain returned." She replied with a low chuckle.

"Then I am also not going as well."

"No. You have to go. We talked about this before."

I sighed and told her to take care of herself, then I left my house.

A car was parked outside. The driver came out and opened the back door for me. As soon as I got in, he returned to his seat and started the car.

The car reached the pack house. I got down and called my brother.

He came out to take me inside the house.

He held my hand and headed to the other side.

"Not this side?"

"No, this is the residential area. We are going to the next building, which is a massive hall. That is used for all kinds of events."

I gave him a slight nod and continued going. I was praying not to see Bruce. I did not want to see him and lose my sanity there.

I entered the hall. It was large. The hall was decorated beautifully, just like the pack house I had seen yesterday.

"Stay here and enjoy the party. I have to go somewhere now. I will be back in half an hour. Call me if you get bored," Abraham said to me.

I turned to him. "What are you saying?

What would I do here alone?"

"Just enjoy the engagement ceremony.

Your boyfriend is here too. So I don't think you'll need me here. But don't get too close before our confirmation, okay?" I lowered my head and nodded my head.

If he knew what Bruce had done, he would have been very angry and probably killed him in anger.

After my brother left, I stood in a corner for a while.

looked around and noticed the former Alpha and Luna. They looked delighted.

All the guests were waiting for the ring exchange moment.

Suddenly, my view turned foggy. smelled something I had never smelled before.

It was a mixed smell of rain and forest.

It was a very addictive scent.

I turned my head left and right, then sniffed the air to smell the scent more and more.

My legs began to step forward without my approval. People started to gather around someone or a family. They said now Alpha and the future Luna would exchange rings.

But who could control my wolf?

She disagreed to stop my steps and tried to take over me.

I felt like I would pass out if I could not reach the owner of the scent.

I took another whiff of the air and then proceeded to the direction where the scent was coming from.

I pushed the crowd and took long strides in front of the royal family.

They turned their heads toward me. I could sense Bruce's eyes on me.

However, my eyes were not on him but on someone else.

Someone, that I could not believe it was his scent that pulled me here.

I was unable to think of anything. I moved closer and stopped in front of him.

Everyone started to whisper about why I suddenly went to the couple at the moment of their engagement.

My wolf started to chant, 'Mate. Mate.Mate.'

I was shocked that I found my mate. It was the scent of my mate.

But the owner of the scent was none other than Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha of the Night Shade Pack!

His eyes turned red when they darted at me. He glared at me, showing that he was not pleased to see me or to learn that I was his mate.

My wolf could not take his cold look. I felt my knees tremble upon seeing his fierce eyes.

I fell on my knees in front of him.

I raised my head and looked at him.

My eyes turned ocean blue. Tears streamed out of my eyes.

I could not stop myself from calling him in front of everyone.

"Mate"

The moment I called him 'Mate,' I was greeted by a loud growl that caused my heart to quiver. It sounded like an enraged growl.

The only way I could stop myself from moving was to close my eyes.

Many members of the pack who did not hold a very powerful rank began to fall to their knees. They could not take Alpha's growl. It was not something that they were able to withstand with their strength.

It was Bryan's cold voice that prompted me to open my eyes when he said,

"Raise."

I thought he was talking to me. So I opened my eyes slowly. But I was wrong.

He was looking at other people. Because when he growled, every pack member submitted to him.

My fear prevented me from getting to my feet. I had no idea what to do as I was lost in my situation.

As soon as they heard his command, everyone stood straight. They were so afraid to let out a word.

I always heard about Alpha Bryan's dominance over other Alphas, but today, I actually was witnessing it.

"Bryan," His fiancee, Mila, murmured as she grabbed his arm.

"W-What this crazy girl is saying? She is lying, right?"

I could tell that her eyes were filled with desperation. I hunched my head down and bit my bottom lip. I was able to comprehend the fear that she was experiencing at the possibility of losing her beloved person.

Bryan's beta looked at everyone and announced,

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is a confusion here. We may have faith that Alpha will be able to solve the confusion.

We regret to inform you that the engagement ceremony can't proceed from this point forward. In the future, we will provide you with information regarding it. The royal family will handle the situation from here on out, so you can all leave now."

Every guest except Mila's parents left the pack house.

When Bryan's mother saw everyone had left, she spoke out,

"Sophia, what are you saying? Tell us that you are just kidding, right?"

I raised my head and looked at her. I slowly shook my head in response. It was impossible for me to stop the tears from falling from my eyes.

Her pupils drew together. Bruce took a step back when he heard me.

"What nonsense!" I heard another angry growl coming from Harry Morison, who had previously held the position of head Alpha.

In a furious tone, he said to his son,

"Bryan, say something."

In a state of helplessness, I looked at Bryan. I was the focus of his attention as his eyes turned back to black.

"Bruce," he called out to his brother, pausing for a moment as if he were communicating with him through their mind link.

"Y-Yes, Brother." Bruce let out a shaky tone. He walked to me and grabbed my arm.

I frowned at him. "What are you doing?"

"Let's go from here."

He pulled me up and started to drag me somewhere.

I was powerless. I was at a loss for what course of action to take in that circumstance.

I twisted my head to look at Bryan as Bruce was continuing to drag me.

Bryan appeared to be in a state of rage as he gave me a glare.

I knew he was angry. He did not want me as his mate. In fact, we were not even familiar with one another. Only twice did we meet, and both times, it was in an awkward position.

Furthermore, he was in a relationship with a woman whom he was planning to marry in the near future.

But I was his mate, and he could not deny that.

Was he still planning to continue the engagement?

I could see a middle aged couple, which I assumed was Mila's parents. They were shooting gazes at me. I tried to ignore them.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked bruce.

He did not answer me. I was having a hard time releasing his firm hold on me.

He took me to the residential area. He pulled me to the pack house and headed upstairs.

Upon seeing us, the maids were taken aback.

"Where are you going? Leave me."

He took me to the last room on the left corner.

"It is..."

"My brother's room." He replied and shoved me inside.

I recognized that this was the room I had entered yesterday.

Bruce closed the door behind me and did not lock it, which relieved me.

"Why did you take me here?" I asked him.

"My brother told me to do that."

"He did?" I asked in a lower voice.

Bruce rushed near me and grabbed my arms. He held on with a firm grasp. He was hurting me.

"Is he really your mate? You were lying, right? You just want to destroy my family's reputation to get revenge on me.

Isn't it?"

I pushed him. "What are you saying?"

"What you said in the hall was not true."

He said to me with a confused face.

"Of course, it was true. Do you think I am like you? I can't step down so low like you."

"NO!" He yelled at me.

"This is impossible. You are lying. How can my brother be your mate?"

"I don't know," I mumbled.

I looked around as if I was trying to find the answer within myself.

He grabbed me again. "This is not true.

You, you are mine."

That time, my mind came back to its senses. I looked at him. In this bewilderment, I almost forgot about his betrayal. What he did to me was unforgettable. How could I forget about it in just a moment? He was a vicious man.

"Let me go."

I tried to push him again, but he was an alpha. Not every time I could push him Chapter 5

X

"I don't know," I mumbled.

I looked around as if I was trying to find the answer within myself.

He grabbed me again. "This is not true.

You, you are mine."

That time, my mind came back to its senses. I looked at him. In this

bewilderment, I almost forgot about his betrayal. What he did to me was unforgettable. How could I forget about it in just a moment? He was a vicious man.

"Let me go."

I tried to push him again, but he was an alpha. Not every time I could push him on my own. I did not have that strength.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and I heard a deep voice.

"Leave her."