Begging For My Love After I Found My True Mate

Olivia’s POV

Axel’s gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding mine entirely. The pain that gripped my chest felt like a sharp blade carving into me. The way he looked at me—or rather, the way he didn’t—was unbearable. It was as if I were nothing more than a stranger standing before him.

I knew why.

It was all because of her.

“Hey, Olivia. It’s been so long,” she said, her voice soft, almost melodic. “How have you been?”

Her beauty was as angelic as ever, with a kind of innocent radiance that I couldn’t help but envy. Bitterness and insecurity surged through me as I tried to muster a polite smile.

“I’m fine,” I replied simply, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me.

My eyes darted toward Axel, desperately searching for his. I wanted to find even a flicker of recognition, some sign that he still cared, but there was nothing. He didn’t even spare me a glance. It was as if I didn’t exist to him anymore.

Without another word, I turned and walked toward Theo’s room. When I found him, I didn’t bother to hide my unease.

“Is it alright if you eat without me tonight?” I asked, my tone curt. “I need to go somewhere.”

Theo frowned, confusion flickering in his eyes. “Where are you going?”

I avoided his gaze, knowing he wouldn’t understand, “I’ll just go to my friend,” I lied.

“You know you can’t share the news about Alyssa’s return with the pack yet,” he reminded me, his tone serious. “She’s the best hunter we’ve ever had. Her disappearance was devastating for everyone. The fact that she’s back—it’s a big deal for us. I thought we’d never see her again. So, let’s wait for my announcement.”

He kept talking, his voice steady and insistent, but his words barely registered. I wasn’t interested in the ceremony or the pack’s plans. I needed to get out of there before the weight of my emotions consumed me.

“I’m leaving,” I said simply, cutting him off mid-sentence as I turned to go.

“Olivia—” Theo’s voice followed me, but I ignored him, closing the door behind me as I stepped into the hallway.

As I walked toward the front door, I passed Axel and Alyssa in the living room. They were seated together, and something about the way they looked so comfortable in each other’s presence made my steps falter.

I stopped, forcing myself to speak. “Theo will handle the dinner. I won’t be joining you.”

Neither of them responded right away, but Axel glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable. That single glance was enough to twist the knife deeper into my chest.

Without waiting for a reply, I turned on my heel and left.

I marched away from our territory, my footsteps echoing my frustration. None of this was fair.

The pain clawed at my chest, raw and relentless. How could he discard me so easily, like I was nothing to him? How could he cast me aside without a second thought? I was the one who stayed by his side when he needed someone the most. I was the one who picked up the pieces when his world fell apart.

I couldn’t stop the memories from flooding back. I remembered the moment vividly, as if it had happened just yesterday. Axel, the Beta of our pack, second only to my brother, the Alpha. Everyone admired him, respected him, looked up to him. But I had seen a side of him that no one else had. I had seen him broken.

That day, he sat before me, his face buried in his hands, his shoulders trembling.

“She left me,” he whispered, his voice cracked and uneven. “I don’t know why she rejected me.”

Tears had streamed down his face, and seeing him like that shattered something inside me. He was supposed to be unshakable, the Beta, the second strongest in the pack. But in that moment, he was just Axel—vulnerable, hurting, and utterly lost.

Without thinking, I reached out to him. “It’s okay,” I murmured, my voice soft, soothing. “I’m here for you, Axel. You’re not alone.”

He looked up at me then, his tear-filled eyes meeting mine. For a moment, the world seemed to still. His expression softened, and before I could fully process what was happening, he leaned forward and kissed me.

The kiss was unexpected, and it left me frozen. But what could I do? I had been madly in love with him for as long as I could remember. And now that Alyssa was gone, he suddenly saw me.

I let him in.

From that day on, we spent so much time together—secretly, of course. My brother could never know. Theo was fiercely protective, and I knew he’d never approve. So, we kept our connection hidden, sneaking away from the pack and the prying eyes of my brother.

But recently, things had changed.

Axel started pulling away.

“Leave me alone!” he said one day, his tone cold and detached. “I don’t want to deal with this right now.”

He pushed me away, over and over, as if everything we had meant nothing to him. As if I meant nothing to him.

I couldn’t understand what I had done wrong. I tried to hold on, tried to make him see that I was still here for him, but he kept shutting me out.

And now I knew why.

It was because of her.

His first love.

The moment she came back, it was like I had never existed. Like all those moments we shared, all the secrets, the kisses, the promises—they all vanished the second she returned.

I shook my head, forcing myself to hold back the tears. I needed to keep it together, stay strong. But before I could get far, I was startled when I felt a hand grip mine. Before I knew it, he had spun me around, pulling me face-to-face with him.

"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded, his voice low and furious. "Huh, Olivia?"

There, standing before me, was Axel—his eyes burning with anger, his grip firm on my arm as if he intended to keep me from running away.