He bought me a gift

For seven years I was bound to Leon Maddox, Alpha of the Stormclaw Pack, he finally brought me flowers for the first time. A sea of incredible moonlight celestial lily , rare in our lands, alongside an ornate box of ceremonial silks meant to mark my birthday. I was swept by a strange joy that perhaps he’d finally acknowledged me. I posted a small photo of the celestial lily in our pack's message board, only to see Elara, his “ideal mate,” comment right below:

“Too bad, Some she-wolves can only be satisfied with the scraps I leave behind”

That comment shattered the illusion. The celestial lily weren’t meant for me—they were hers. It wasn’t long before I learned that Leon had bought a hidden mansion for Elara, tucked just below our pack's house. I couldn’t ignore it any longer, I gathered those flowers he sent me and made my way down to confront him.

There they were, sharing a candlelit feast beneath the stars, Leon’s hand resting easily on hers. He barely glanced at me before his usual scorn surfaced. “Don’t you have anything better to do than stalk, Celeste? Elara and I are discussing important matters for the pack.” His voice was laced with irritation, as if I were an unwelcome intruder.

In the past, I would have argued, pushed for some small scrap of truth. Instead this time, something inside me had already gone quiet. I tossed the celestial lily between them, my engagement band following right after. I said softly, “I hope you both find happiness.”

The ring rolled to a stop at his feet. He didn’t even pick it up. Instead, Leon sneered, grinding the ring beneath his heel. “If you want to be with me, Celeste, you’ll have to get over this ridiculous jealousy,” he muttered, as if I were a burden he was forced to bear. “Now, go back to the den and stop disturbing us.”

“I see then, you don't even care about me, “, I said morosely.

“Well then good luck to you both”, I turned to leave, his familiar voice faded, and I felt a certain calm settle over me.

I returned to my quarters and loogged into the pack’s message group and posted a single, decisive statement:

Leon Maddox is free to pursue his “ideal mate,” Elara. I’m done.

Almost instantly, Leon sent a new message, as though he’d sensed my announcement:

[It’s all a misunderstanding, Celeste. Elara is just a fellow warrior I’m training.]

Yeah right.

Then he shifted the blame onto me:

[Celeste, not everything revolves around you. I didn’t say anything when you spent time with male warriors at the last pack gathering.]

It was only moments before my mother messaged, her anger palpable even through text.

She chastised me, saying I was disgracing the family and demanded that I apologize to Leon. She even threatened to disown me if I let go of such a powerful bond.

I sighed, knowing fully well that nothing I said would change her mind. Since my father’s death, my mother had always pushed for me to pursue the alliance with Leon, imagining it would bring her pride and security.

Looking back, I understood now that I’d been drawn to Leon’s charm, to the careful, poised way he seemed to care for others. But after years of cold indifference and unspoken cruelty, I saw him for what he truly was.

His gentleness was reserved for Elara; his kindness only a mask he wore before others. When he looked at me, all that was left was contempt.

He was a master manipulator, skilled at making me look irrational and overly emotional in front of the pack, always smiling calmly while I broke apart. They saw me as unworthy, unable to hold myself together.

he’d miscalculated this time.

Never again

A heart that has gone numb does not stir to the same game twice.

That night, Leon returned to my quarters, carrying a half-wilted bundle of flowers. He smirked, tossing them carelessly on the table in front of me. “So you’re still sulking, aren't you?” His voice dripped with impatience. “

I went out of my way to get these, you’d better start appreciating the gifts I bring.”

I stared at the bundle of bruised petals. How many times did I watch other wolves exchange gifts, simple tokens of affection, walking hand in hand through our territory with eyes full of warmth? I’d hinted to Leon for years about wanting a small show of love, only to be met with disdain.

“If I’d known you were this needy,” he’d snapped once, “I’d have thought twice before taking you as my mate, you’re unworthy of an Alpha’s time, maybe you’d understand if you spent more time contributing to the pack instead of dwelling on childish fantasies.”

He was the one who’d persuaded me to stay by his side, to dedicate my time to pack duties rather than seeking purpose elsewhere. And yet, in his eyes, I was nothing more than a servant, while I scrimped for the simplest kindness from him, he was lavishing Elara with anything she asked for.

It was only hours ago that I’d seen their private mansion—lavish with decorations, draped in luxury furs, rose petals lining the floor, Elara posted about their moonlit bath, laughing and frolicking together beneath the stars, after ruining those celestial lily , they’d salvaged what few remained and sent them up to me like discarded leftovers.

I looked at the bouquet, barely held together, and kicked it to the side, I fixed my gaze on Leon, my voice low but firm. “I don’t keep second-hand gifts, Leon, and I don’t want a second-hand mate, either.”

Leon Maddox’s face darkened immediately on hearing my words,“Celeste, what right do you have to speak to me like this? Don’t forget, you’re living in my territory; I’m the one supporting you…”

I wanted to retort. In the seven years we’d been bound together, we always split our resources equally, even after abandoning my previous life, I’d relied on my own savings. Before I could say, the oven beeped. I was too weary to engage in a battle of wills, so I slipped on gloves and retrieved the cake.

Leon furrowed his brows as he stared at the cake, then softened his tone. “Is today… your birthday?”

Today marked my 30th year—a pivotal moment in a wolf's life, and also the seventh anniversary of my bond with Leon. I had spent the day painstakingly crafting the cake by hand, yearning to celebrate our connection after he finished work.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, he took the initiative to find candles and set them on the cake for me. He hurriedly said, “I’ve been really busy with pack duties lately but I’ll make it up to you I promise, how about this afternoon I take you out to choose a new, larger engagement ring huh?”

He sat down in front of me, his usual charming demeanor returning. “Celeste, there’s no need to be envious of Elara, we only just had a brief fling when we were younger, that’s in the past now, we’ve moved on.”

Did they really?

I remembered a moment from when we newly started dating, overhearing a conversation he had with his pack brothers.

They questioned why he was with me. He’d replied, “Anyone is fine, as long as it’s not Elara.”

I was naive and stupid back then, believing that our love was strong enough could conquer everything. Now, I recognized my folly.

I made one mistake after another, and it was time to break free before I’d lost everything.

“No need. You go ahead; I’ll handle this myself.” I said coldly

Leon was stunned for a moment, he’d grown accustomed to my complianceafter years of my silent submission.

He mistook my refusal as forgiveness and smiled as he lit the candles. “Make a wish,” he said.

Every year, my wish had been for happiness and love with Leon, for us to remain united forever. This time, I silently wished: “I want to be happy and free from Leon forever.”

I opened my eyes, ready to blow out the candles, only to find he'd already disappeared. The cake, which had taken me six hours to create, lay shattered on the floor. In his haste, he knocked it over and failed to close the door behind him.

I shook my head at his antics and began cleaning the mess, when I was done,I checked my phone.

Elara had posted a new update: [I’m such a little clumsy girl; I bumped into the cabinet while walking. Luckily, my Alpha is always there to protect me.]

In the comments, Leon—who had ignored my pleas even when I’d been injured—wrote: [Whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you.]

The guts of them both

I liked the post.

Moments later, I received a message from Leon: [Elara hurt her foot, I’m taking her to the healer. Come over and clean up her house and make some broth to bring to the healer. No ginger please.]

Everything suddenly became clear to me, Leon had no dietary restrictions, yet every time I added ginger to a dish, he would explode with rage, calling me a useless fool who couldn’t do anything right.

It wasn’t that he detested ginger; it was Elara who did.

I considered ignoring his message, but then decided against it.

Leon was holding Elara close, speaking softly to her when I came downstairs, his expression hardened on seeing me.“Why are you so late? If Elara’s treatment gets delayed…”

Elara gently tugged at his sleeve, her voice sweet. “Leon, I’m fine don’t blame Celeste because of me, I know she’s never liked me.”

She's right about that

Leon scowled at me. “Enough, Celeste, clean this place up throughly, I refuse to be with a jealous woman who can’t do anything right!” With that, he strode off, cradling Elara in his arms.

I watched their retreating figures in tears whispering, “I wouldn’t bond with a shameless, unfaithful wolf either.”

After they left, I surveyed the room. The bathroom was a mess, filled with water and in the trash, I found two used condoms.

A wave of nausea swept over me, no wonder Leon had been working late; he spent his time with Elara before returning to me.

I glanced around Elara’s lair, cluttered with luxury items and expensive perfumes, a few days ago, I asked Leon for a dress I'd seen and liked as a birthday gift. He’d looked at me with disdain, saying, “Thirty years old and you still want to celebrate? Trying to act young? Disgusting. Just stay home and tend to your duties. No amount of finery will change the fact that you’re no longer a pup.”

I would never be a young pup again that I'm aware of. But Leon had no shortage of young she-wolves around him, Elara, his so-called “ideal woman,” was merely his latest preference at the moment.

I took a deep breath and began photographing everything in the room. Then, I went upstairs to gather my belongings.

In our years together, Leon had only gifted me a few things, fine kitchenware, a robotic cleaning device, and a so-called “master-crafted” knife set. I decided to leave all these behind for him.

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself as I packed my things, Elara’s belongings cluttered the lair, while all I owned could fit into a single suitcase.

After I was done, I called my closest friend, Annabelle, who was far away, after several missed calls she finally answered.

I stifled my tears. “Annabelle, you were right, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have given up my life for Leon, I regret it i should have listened to you when you warnrd me, I'm coming home to you, Anna”

She yelled at me and called me a fool, reminding me that I deserved it, before hanging up. I sat in the emptiness of my room, overwhelmed by sadness.

Flashes of the times she tried to pull me back to reality filled my mind, I recalled the disappointment on her face when she left.

As the tears began to flow, a new message lit up my phone. Annabelle had booked me the first available flight—three days from now, at noon.

The floodgates opened, and the tears poured out—tears for myself and for the seven years I had wasted foolishly in love with a man who didn't care for me a single bit.

Leon didn’t come home that night.

After I refused to cook for Elara, he blocked my number, severing the last thread that bound us. I didn’t bother with the aftermath of his tantrum; instead, I took a trip back to my hometown, hoping to gather fragments of my childhood, a time when life felt more innocent and less entangled in deception.

felt a familiar unease settle in my stomach, as the bus rolled to a stop, I had no idea what Leon had told my mother. The moment I stepped off the bus, I saw her waiting at the door, her eyes scanning the street for Leon, when she realized he hadn’t come with me, her face darkened, like a storm cloud threatening to unleash rain.

“What’s wrong with you? Haven’t you both made up yet?” she asked, her voice strained with a mix of concern and disappointment.

“We're not going to,” I replied, a spark of defiance igniting within me. But the moment the words left my mouth, my mother’s hand flew across my cheek. The slap stung, a sudden heat blooming on my skin, and before I could react, she followed up with furious blows, her rage unrestrained.

“Finding a man as good as him is a blessing you’ve earned over several lifetimes! Can’t you see how lucky you are?” she spat, wielding a wooden stick like a weapon, striking me with a viciousness I hadn’t experienced since childhood. Each hit seemed to echo the disappointment she felt, reverberating in my chest as I fought back tears.

“You listen to me you ungrateful girl!,” she screamed, “I don't care how you do it—begging, getting pregnant—you better find a way to marry Leon! Don’t bother coming back here if you can't!”

The cold wind howled, and rain began to pour, drenching me as I stood there, helpless and heartbroken. My mother stopped only to shove me away, throwing my belongings out into the storm, each item a painful reminder of the life I had lived under her expectations.

I bent down, trying to salvage the scattered memories of my youth, when a Bentley rolled to a stop beside me. Leon emerged, an imposing figure against the downpour, holding an umbrella in one hand and grabbing me with the other, his grip like a vice.

“Celeste, have you finally learned your lesson?” he barked, dragging me into the car. “No one in this world will ever love you except me, be a good girl and come back home, apologize properly to Elara, and you’ll still be the future Mrs. Maddox.”

He threw his coat over my shoulders, the scent of Elara's perfume clinging to the fabric, nauseated me. I turned my head to look out at the rain-soaked streets, feeling utterly numb inside, like a wolf stripped of its pack.

I used to consider Leon my salvation before, confiding my deepest fears and desires to him, now I realized he'd manipulated those very pains to control me, his love twisting into something toxic. He had never been my refuge. If I wanted to escape this nightmare, I had to sever everything single thing binding me to him.

I sat in silence, contemplating my next move, Leon’s phone rang, breaking the tension. “Leon, why aren’t you here yet? Everyone’s waiting for you,” a voice chirped on the line.

“They’re questioning me about the pack's camp retreat, ” Leon replied, irritation lacing his tone. “They want to know how it's going to be this time around according to them, It can’t just be the boss attending while his mate is nowhere to be found, I’m running out of ways to respond to them…”

He shot me an awkward glance, the gears in his mind turning as he realized the optics of leaving me behind wouldn’t be favorable. “Celeste, why don’t you come along to the camp retreat?”

The invitation felt like a cruel twist of fate. In the past, I was never allowed to set foot in his world. Even when I brought him meals, I had to wait outside, a mere shadow of his life. This was an unprecedented ‘gift’—one that I couldn’t refuse.

I took out a tissue to wipe the blood from my forehead, the metallic tang mixed with the rainwater on my skin. I felt the familiar pang of rejection rise within me, but I forced myself to respond slowly, “Okay.”