I was feeling down, so I knew that going for a run would do me good.

I made my way out of the house and started shifting into my wolf form.

As soon as I was fully shifted, I raced into the woods beside the pack house.

I howled, feeling excited as I ran faster. I had a power of fast speed so I was running very fast.

I felt peace as the wind brushed through my fur and my feet directed me to wherever the wind called me as it whistles in my ears.

However, my peace was disturbed when I heard a growl.

I stopped running and looked around to find out where the growl came from.

Five wolves walked out of the bushes and surrounded me.

I didn't recognize any of them, so I knew that they weren't our pack members and from the feral look in their eyes, I could tell that they were rogues.

One of them shifted into his human form and growled at me again. He looked rough with his hair and beard looking unruly.

“Come with us quietly or we'll kill you right here.” He grunted as he glared at me.

Did they want to drag me away from the pack territory to rape and kill me so that the Alpha wouldn't come after them?

Well, from how Blake's been behaving, I doubt he would go after them once he finds out they attacked me.

I shifted into my human form and growled, “I'm not going anywhere with you. Leave me alone or I'll make you regret trying to kidnap me.”

I heard some rogues eat other werewolves, so maybe they also wanted to eat me.

I shuddered at the thought and shook my head. I would never let them defeat me.

“Then we'll kill you right here!” He yelled and quickly shifted back to his wolf form.

They attacked me all at the same time and I was prepared.

I stretched my hands out and used my mind powers to make them feel the force of the air around them hit them, so they all fall back on the ground.

It gave me enough time to shift into my wolf and before I knew it, two of them got up and jumped on me.

One bit down on my hind leg while the other bit down on my shoulder.

I shifted into my human form as I summoned my mind power of control and my eyes glowed golden. I stared into the eyes of the wolf that bit my shoulder and his eyes started flowing golden too.

“Get off me.” I said the command in a low tone of voice.

He got off me and I commanded one again, “Fight him until he runs away.”

He moaned in response and turned to the wolf still biting my leg. He growled at him, making him let go of my leg and look up then he pushed him off me and started fighting him.

My mother came from a strong line of ancient werewolves that had magic in their blood, so that was how I was able to have such powers unlike most werewolves.

The rest of the wolves growled and rushed to attack me, but I stared into the eyes of one as I whispered the command, “Stop them and protect me.”

He jumped in front of me, stopping them from getting to me and growled at them.

They looked confused, but they growled back.

I looked into the eyes of another of rogue wolf and commanded, “Leave.”

He turned and ran away.

When the one that I haven't used mind control on saw that, he jumped on the one protecting me and they started fighting.

They didn't stop fighting until the one that wasn't being controlled got up and ran away.

The one that bit my leg also got up and ran away.

The remaining two that were being controlled by me shifted into their human form, looking as rough as the other one that I saw in his human form.

“It is done, mistress.” They both reported at the same time.

“Good. Now, leave the pack territory.” I commanded as my eyes glowed a brighter golden.

“Yes, mistress.” They both answered and shifted into their wolf form then raw away.

“That was close.” I muttered to myself and glanced down at my leg to see that it has already healed.

Only the blood remained. I would have to wash it away once I get home.

I shifted back to my wolf form and ran back home.

Blake walked into the house, holding a torn piece of his love letters while I was sitting peacefully on the couch and watching TV.

With his voice dripping with disdain, he said, "You can't even make a simple cup of tea? Are you still angry? I wrote you those love letters you've always wanted. Now stop being dramatic." He flung the crumpled letters at my feet.

I'd often admire women carrying handwritten love letters, their smiles betraying a deep contentment. I confided in Blake, sharing my longing for such gestures, but he'd brush it off, his dismissive nature a stark contrast to the love I craved.

He lashed out, "I regret ever getting involved with someone as shallow as you. You contribute nothing, but laziness, spending your days vegging out on the couch, glued to TV. Do you even deserve any luxury?"

His hypocritical words cut deep. The same man who seduced me to stop working in the pack office with promises of a lifelong bond now branded me sluggish and loving luxury too much.

His true intentions were now obvious; I was merely a servant, not a mate. He couldn't give me even a heartfelt word or modest gift yet he gave Hailey a car, love letters, and jewelry.

After I came back from my run, I scrolled through Facebook and came across Hailey's video.

They had a candle light dinner as he read love poetry to her and they grinned as they stared into each other's eyes.

After she tore those love letters apart, he bought love poetry letters from a company that writes and delivers love poetry letters. He gave many to her and then gave only one to me.

I gazed at the love poetry letter in disgust and ripped it to shreds.

I glanced at him as I said in a firm voice, “I wouldn't settle for filthy, worn-out stuff, and I certainly won't settle for filthy, worn-out love.”

As soon as Blake heard my words, his face twisted into a scowl as he growled, “How dare you speak to me like that, Amber?! Remember that I'm your Alpha and your mate, you live in my pack, so I mean everything to you!”

Telling him off was the best option. In the years that we've been together, I've always done my pack duties as Luna and a member of the pack.

Even while I was working at the pack office, I would clean the pack house and do laundry for all pack members living in the pack house on certain days. I never asked him to take me out of doing those duties after I became his Luna mate.

However, I wasn't able to tell him off as the doorbell rang.

I walked over to the front door and pulled it open. The delivery man for Wendy's handed me the white cake box and I closed the door.

Blake looked confused for a second then a thoughtful look showed on his face and he murmured, “Don't tell me today is your birthday.”

It was indeed my birthday and I was turning 34. It was also our 9th mating anniversary, yet he still hasn't marked me. I didn't know why, but now, I suspected that it has something to do with Hailey.

I have spent the whole day sewing a nice dress with the intention of wearing it when Blake took me out for my birthday and our anniversary dinner like we did every year after he came back home from the pack office.

Haunted by regret, Blake took the cake box from my hand then pulled the cake out and set it on the center table as he rushed out, "I've been swamped with trying to keep rogues out of our territory recently. I want to make amends. Why don't we go shopping this evening so that you can select a new diamond mates bracelet?”

I sat down and he followed, sitting beside me on the couch, his loving attitude returning.

“Amber, you don't have to worry about Hailey. I mean, we used to be mates when we were just teenagers, but that was ages ago and I'm over her now.” He added in a soft voice.

Was he really over her?

There was a time when we had just become mates and he introduced me to his family.

I stood up to go to the bathroom and overheard their conversation with my heightened werewolf hearing when I was about to enter the bathroom.

They asked him what happened with Hailey and he replied, “I can be with anyone, just not her.”

I thought that meant he was over her, but I could now see that I was fooling myself.

As I thought about my relationship with Blake, I noticed that it wasn't what I expected it to be.

Agreeing to become Blake's mate has been the worst thing to have ever happened to me and I had to put a stop to this problem.

I glanced at him as I replied in an uncaring tone of voice, “Don’t worry about it. Just go wherever you want to go, you don't need to worry about it.”

A shocked look appeared on Blake's face at my response.

However, after years of me biting my tongue, he had become accustomed to my silence.

It seemed that he believed that I had put what he had done behind us and grinned as he picked up the knife from the table and cut a slice of cake.

“Here, have a bite.” He murmured as he handed me the plate that he had placed the cake on and added a fork on it.

I always tried to stay away from cake and any dessert related food because I wanted Blake's love. But now, I was willing to eat the whole cake because I wanted to live a happy life far away from Blake.

As I made my decision, I took a bite of the cake and savored the taste.

I finished the slice and cut a bigger slice. I was so concentrated on eating the cake that I didn't notice when Blake left.

I looked around and found the dress that I had spent all day sewing had fallen to the ground and had a dirty footprint on it like someone had matched it.

He was trying so hard to get away from me that he had pushed over my dress and stepped on it on his way out.

I picked the dress and placed it in the washing machine.

My phone beeped, indicating a notification coming through. I glanced at the screen to see that it was from Facebook.

Hailey has posted a video, and I clicked on it to see her saying, “Hey, guys! You have no idea what happened today. I’m such a scaredy little cat! I was afraid of a spider. Good thing my savior will always rescue me.”

The video ended and I saw her next post which was tagged in. It was actually Blake's post from his second account which I had no idea he had.

The post was a reply to her post and it was also a video of him saying, “I’ll always rescue you even if it's from fire breathing dragons.”

He never replies to my post even after I posted that I was attacked by rogues.

I commented on the post, [You did good.]

Immediately, he texted me, [ Hailey was traumatized by a spider in her house, so I'm taking her to the pack hospital to see a psychiatrist.

You need to help her, so come over and do her laundry. By the way, make some chicken soup for her and bring it to us at the pack hospital. Remember not to add onions inside the soup.]

That was when it hit me. Blake always liked onions, but whenever I added onions when cooking a meal, he would get angry and curse at me. So he has actually been making me cook for Hailey and not him.

I wanted to ignore his text, but after pondering on it, I decided to walk down the street to Hailey's house.

When I entered the house, I saw Blake gripping Hailey's hand as he whispered soft murmurs to her.

However, as soon as his gaze landed on me, his expression changed as his face darkened and he growled, “What took you so long to come? If she doesn't see a therapist right away, I don't know how much more traumatized she will become.”

Hailey rubbed his arm softly as she pouted and murmured, “You don't need to worry about me, Blake. Don't let my condition come between the two of you. I know that she's never been fond of me.”

He reprimanded me, “That's it, Amber! Do her laundry and tidy this place up. I can't mark a lazy she-wolf that doesn't know her duties!”

As soon as he said that's he turned around and walked out of the house while pulling Hailey with him as he had her wrap her arm around his shoulders and supported her weight on his side.

I stared at his back as he walked away and muttered to myself, “And I can't let a filthy, unfaithful he-wolf mark me.”

I walked to her bedroom and glanced around the room to look for the laundry.

Two towels that had a man's cum stains laid on the bed.

I felt my heart clench in my chest.

Was this why Blake has now been making excuses about rogue attacks late at night and needing to stay out late to stop them?

So he goes down a few blocks away from us to Hailey's to sleep with her each night before coming back home to me.

I saw her walk-in closet left open and noticed designer clothes along with designer bags and shoes.

A week ago, I had wanted to buy a new scarf to keep me warm during the cold winter, so I told Blake about wanting it as my anniversary gift.

He had narrowed his eyes at me as hate filled them and he yelled, “Nine years together isn't something to be happy about! I haven't even marked you yet for God's sake. Despicable!

Wait until I mark you and then you'll celebrate.

Concentrate on your pack duties instead of thinking of silly things. Celebrating our anniversary wouldn't make me want to mark you any sooner.”

It wouldn't make him want to mark me any sooner and that wouldn't stop him from marking other she-wolves as his either. His ‘ideal mate’ as he had called her, Hailey must be the one that he liked the most.

I mentally prepared myself and pulled my phone out of my hand bag then started making a video of the bedroom.

After that, I walked out of the house and made my way back home. I was going to gather my things and get ready to leave.

Even though Blake and I have been together for nine years, he had only given me two gifts – a hair comb and a set of hair products including shampoo, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, detangling lotion and moisturizer.

I wasn't going to take them with me when he was cheating on me.

It was almost like my relationship with Blake was a joke. My stuff in the house couldn't even fill my suitcase while Hailey's stuff in her house could fill five suitcases.

As soon as I was finished packing, I dialed my close friend, Gina’s number who was in another pack.

She picked up almost instantly and I felt my heart clench with pain as I said, “Gina, I've made a mistake.

Giving up my position as the pack's financial secretary and living my life freely for Blake was the worst decision that I've ever made! I feel remorseful over this decision and I want to transfer to your pack to reunite with you again.”

“You're so dumb for falling for his lies.” She said and hung up the call.

I stared at the wall as I felt my heart break from pain.

I remembered how she had told me countless times how Blake was just playing with my feelings and how a look of disapproval stayed on her face when she left the pack.

My heart broke even more as I remembered the memories and I clutched my chest. I crumbled to the floor as my mood turned dark. That was when my phone beeped.

I got up from the floor on shaky knees and I grabbed my phone from the bed.

I checked the notification to see that it was a message from Gina.

She had sent me the pack transfer form and her pack's location.

She sent another message that read, [The transfer form needs to be filled and signed within a day and sent back for approval. The approval would take only a day.]

That meant that I could leave in two days.

I typed and sent her, [Thank you.]

A laugh tore out from my throat as I felt overwhelmed with joy. I would finally stop wasting my life on Blake and be free.

This called for a run. I wanted to celebrate, so I placed my phone on the bed and made my way to the front door.

As soon as I was out of the house, I shifted into my wolf form and started running into the woods beside the pack house.

I howled, finally feeling free.

The wild animal in me let loose and ran faster.

The full moon loomed above in the sky, lighting my path.

Suddenly, I disappeared from the woods and appeared in front of Hailey's house.

Did I teleport? How did I gain new powers?

I looked into the house’s window and saw her standing in the kitchen in front of the counter and then I saw Blake walk behind her to wrap his arms around her then pull her back to his front.

I had seen enough, so I turned around and ran back home.