Begging me to Come Back? No Way!

Days had passed, and the weight of my decision lingered like a heavy fog. As Luna, I still performed my duties. The Shadowveil Pack was mine by title, but in truth, it was a pack where I was merely a ghost—a Luna in name only, while the true throne was occupied by another.

Stepping out of my office in the evening, the familiar sight of Alpha Haynes standing outside caught my eye. He was dressed impeccably in a suit, his handsome face framed by the setting sun, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the confident set of his shoulders.

But despite his striking appearance, my heart remained untouched, my wolf silent and unmoved. Since the moment we first met, I felt the mate pull but my wolf was adamant about it. My wolf had been eerily quiet, almost reluctant. Perhaps she had known what kind of life awaited us, had I only listened more closely to her instincts.

I kept walking, pretending not to see him, hoping he would just let me be. But Haynes, ever persistent, quickly fell into step beside me. "It's Beta Ark's birthday today," he said, his voice even. "There's a dinner. Let's celebrate with him."

I stopped in my tracks, turning to face him. His expression was unreadable, as always. "Sure," I replied. We walked together in silence.

The night air was crisp, and as the wind picked up, a faint scent reached my nose—jasmine. The familiar floral fragrance clung to the air around Haynes, almost as if it were part of him. My heart clenched in recognition. It was Leila’s scent.

On a whim, I asked, "Do you like the smell of jasmine?"

Haynes’s eyes flickered, a brief moment of surprise flashing across his face. "It's okay," he said nonchalantly.

"Really?" I mused aloud. "Then why have I always smelled this scent on you before?"

He didn’t respond, and I didn’t push the matter further. There was no point. His silence told me everything I needed to know.

When we arrived at the villa where Beta Ark’s celebration was taking place, the warmth and light spilling from the windows did nothing to thaw the chill in my heart. The hall was filled with pack members and elders, all laughing and talking as they awaited our arrival. Leila was among them, her face lighting up in surprise when she saw us enter together.

"Good evening, Alpha Haynes, Luna Aeliana," she greeted us, her voice sugary sweet. "We’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

I forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "I’m sorry. I came in a hurry and didn’t bring a gift," I said, turning to Beta Ark.

Meanwhile, Beta Ark, ever the charmer, waved off my apology.

"I’ve given him a gift on your behalf," Haynes interjected smoothly before Ark could respond. "You don’t need to feel sorry."

His hand lightly grasped mine as he led me to the table. The remaining two seats were placed opposite each other, a detail I couldn’t help but notice. It felt like a setup, a subtle jab at my position.

I released his hand and walked straight to the seat opposite him, my movements deliberate. I could feel the eyes of the pack members on me, their judgment heavy in the air.

I knew what the pack members and the elders were thinking.

The elders—they never approved of Alpha Haynes and me being together and were always cold to me. It was because my pack, the Bloodmoon Pack, even though we were mated, never really approved of any alliance with the Shadowveil Pack. The Elders took it by heart while I understood my Alpha father because, for so long, our pack remained unaffiliated with outside packs; not even the Alpha King managed to get us on his side because we remained neutral throughout the years.

Before, I wanted to get along with the Elders, and I would give them gifts I carefully selected for every holiday.

But I've never seen anyone really use the things I gave them. They probably didn't want to accept me from the bottom of their hearts. I was too naive to see such an obvious thing until now.

Alpha Haynes’s expression tightened slightly, but he said nothing, simply taking the seat next to Leila as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The tension at the table was evident, though Haynes seemed oblivious, engaging in light conversation as though everything was perfectly normal. He peeled shrimp without pause, placing each piece on a plate in front of Leila. It was a simple act, but one that felt like a dagger to my chest.

Haynes had never been one for seafood unless someone peeled it for him. It was a quirk of his—he found it too troublesome to do it himself. And yet here he was, meticulously peeling an entire plate for Leila without a second thought. The sight made my stomach churn.

Beta Ark, ever the observer, noticed the tension. He leaned over, nudging Haynes with a sly grin. "Don’t favor one over the other, Alpha. Peel some shrimp for your Luna too."

His words were meant to be a joke, but I knew better. He was mocking me, making light of my humiliation. Haynes seemed to realize this, glancing at the empty plate in front of me. "Order another plate," he said, his tone clipped.

"No," I replied, taking a sip of my drink to mask the bitterness rising in my throat. "I don’t like shrimp."

Haynes raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard by my refusal. "How about pasta then?"

"I don’t like it."

"Dessert?"

"I don’t like it either."

His surprise was evident now as if he had never truly considered my preferences before. Meeting his gaze, I calmly took a napkin, wiping my mouth before adding, "I don’t like anything you said."

There was a brief, stunned silence at the table before Leila spoke up, her voice laced with feigned concern. "Aeliana, are you angry? Why don’t you eat this plate of shrimp? Please don’t be angry with Alpha Haynes."