The Defiant Omega's Revenge On Her Cheating Alpha

Hallie POV:

I stood before the three-way mirror, the custom gown perfectly outlining my figure. Named "Eternity," it was crafted from layers of silk and lace, with thousands of tiny diamonds scattered across the skirt like a sky full of stars.

My fingertips traced the delicate embroidery at my waist. A blooming white rose, the symbol of my family, the Whitaker Pack.

Seven years.

Seven years of waiting, of preparing, of believing that everything I had sacrificed would lead to this moment, to this dress, to the ceremony that would officially make me the Luna beside his Alpha.

"Miss Whitaker, you look like the Moon Goddess herself," Chloe, the boutique attendant, whispered as she stood beside me. "Alpha Kemp will be speechless when he sees you."

I smiled at my reflection, but my fingers tightened around the edge of the skirt. My fiancé, Judd Kemp, was fifteen minutes late. He had never been late for anything related to our binding ceremony.

Chloe noticed the change in my expression and quickly spoke up. "Alphas are always buried in Pack affairs, especially before such an important ceremony. It only proves how much responsibility he takes for your future."

I lowered my gaze and adjusted the folds of the gown. She was right.

Judd had always been ambitious. Over the years, he had spent countless nights working on the Kemp Pack's expansion. I had watched him build his reputation, believing that one day I would stand beside him as his Luna.

The bell above the shop door rang.

Judd stepped inside, his tall figure filling the doorway. He wore a perfectly fitted suit, his short blond hair catching the light as he walked toward me.

The moment his eyes landed on me, surprise flashed across his face. He quickly covered it with a familiar charming smile and crossed the room. "Sorry, darling. The meeting ran longer than expected."

He pulled me into his arms before I could respond, lowering his head into the crook of my neck. His deep voice brushed against my skin. "You take my breath away."

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself sink into the embrace I had dreamed of for years.

Then my wolf stirred.

A strange scent slipped into my breath. It wasn't Judd's usual cedarwood cologne. It wasn't the familiar scent of anyone from our Pack.

It was another Omega's scent.

Gardenia and musk. Faint, but impossible to ignore. It lingered on the collar of his suit jacket, exactly where another woman would leave her scent after being held in his arms.

My hands slowly fell from his shoulders.

Among werewolves, scent was the mark of the soul. It could not be imitated, and it could not be erased easily. A loyal mate would never carry another person's scent.

I looked at our reflection in the mirror. The perfect couple standing beneath the boutique lights now looked like a cruel joke.

I pushed him away.

The movement was small, but firm enough that Judd immediately noticed.

His brows drew together. Confusion flashed in his eyes before it was replaced by the familiar look he used whenever he thought I was being unreasonable. He lifted his hand and reached toward my hair, his tone gentle in the same way one would calm a restless pet.

"What's wrong? Getting nervous before the ceremony?"

I tilted my head and avoided his touch.

It was the first time I had ever moved away from him.

Judd's hand stopped in midair. The smile disappeared from his face, and the room fell silent.

Chloe stood nearby, nervously twisting her fingers. "Alpha, maybe Miss Whitaker is just tired. The gown is quite heavy."

I didn't answer either of them. My eyes remained fixed on the mirror.

The golden couple everyone admired.

What a ridiculous illusion.

Judd's patience quickly faded. His voice turned colder.

"Hallie, stop this. We still have many details to confirm."

I turned around and looked directly at him. My voice stayed even as I asked the question that had already confirmed everything. "Did you go to the Donovan Pack's territory today?"

For a brief moment, his eyes changed. Only for a second. Then he looked at me calmly again. "Yes. There was a land partnership project. Why?"

Gardenia.

The signature scent of perfumes favored by the women of the Donovan Pack.

The final piece fell into place. I curled my lips into a faint smile. "Nothing. I'm tired. I want to take the dress off."

Before he could say anything, I turned and walked into the dressing room, closing the heavy door behind me and locking it.

Judd's impatient voice came through the door, mixed with Chloe's attempts to calm him down.

I grabbed the gown and pulled it off.

The dress that had carried seven years of my youth, my hopes, and my promise to him. This time, I dropped it onto the floor without hesitation.

My fingers were cold, but steady. I picked up my phone and dialed my younger sister Anna's number, one I had memorized long ago. The call connected almost immediately.

"Hallie?"

I lowered my voice, standing alone in the dressing room with one hand gripping the phone.

"Anna," I whispered, my voice calmer than ever before. "It's over between Judd and me. I want to cancel the binding ceremony."