Fleeing From The Heartless Alpha

The next morning, Damian had a whole caravan of gifts loaded up for the Westbrook pack's old den-fancy stuff, the kind that screams thought and effort. His assistant, Eric, a lanky wolf with a nervous grin, handed me the list. "Amelia, Damian said he's worried you'll get hassled without him. He'll race back right after Hazel's pack-wide tour wraps."

Damian's always been thoughtful like that, doting on me, making me feel like his one and only. Problem is, I'm spoiled rotten by him-and now I know I'm not the only she-wolf in his heart. If it's not just me, I don't want it.

His mother, Juliana, saw right through the gesture. Her golden eyes narrowed as she cornered me in the den's grand hall, her voice dripping venom. "Using my son's gifts to win favor? Clever move, Amelia. I never should've let you stay. You've dragged Damian's name through the mud for years!"

Without Damian there to shield me, Juliana let loose, her words sharp as claws. "You schemed your way into his bed, and what? Two years, and no pups? Step aside, girl. Damian's young-he can't waste his life on a she-wolf who can't bear his line. The Westbrook pack's legacy won't die with you!"

Her words should've cut deep, but my heart was already numb, a cold, heavy thing in my chest. When she finally ran out of steam, I looked her dead in the eye. "Juliana, you're right."

Then I hit her with the truth, each word a blow. "Damian and I aren't bound. That match you arranged for me years ago? If they're still willing, I'm in. From now on, I'm just Damian's sister-nothing more."

Juliana's jaw dropped, her mind reeling from the bombshell. But she recovered fast, her lips curling into a smug grin. This was her shot to restore the Westbrook pack's honor, and she wasn't about to let it slip. "I'll make the call," she said, already scheming.

As I left the old den, my phone pinged with a verification request. I had a hunch who it was. I hit accept.

Sure enough, a photo popped up: a she-wolf cradling a bouquet of white gillyflowers, her face eerily like mine, all shy and flirty in a pink ballet skirt. The caption read, "He sent these."

Just three words, but they burned like acid in my chest. Gillyflowers mean true, unchanging love. Back when I graduated, Damian had fought through a crowd to hand me a bouquet just like that. That night, petals scattered across our bed as he kissed every inch of me, his voice rough with promise. "Amelia, gillyflowers are for you alone. No one else gets my heart."

I'd given myself to him completely, lost in a night I'd never forget. He planted a field of gillyflowers in my soul-only to rip them out himself.

Damian, how could you be so cruel?

Another message flashed: "Dare to come?"

It was pure provocation, dripping with triumph. I waved off Eric's offer to drive me and hailed a cab instead. I needed to end this. I needed to carve Damian's name out of my heart for good.

The private lounge was buzzing when I got there, laughter and clinking glasses spilling out. I froze at the door, catching snippets of conversation.

"Damian, that necklace on Hazel's neck-your doing, right? Collector's edition! Didn't it come with matching earrings? Why's she not wearing them?" some wolf teased.

"She didn't like them," Damian replied, his voice soft, indulgent, like he was talking about a treasured pup.

My heart seized. The star-blue earrings he tried to give me yesterday? They were Hazel's rejects. Discards he thought I'd be grateful for.

Another voice chimed in, all smirky. "Hazel's got those dainty little ears, perfect for earrings."

Hazel giggled, covering her ears. "No way!"

"Really?" Damian leaned in, one hand brushing her hair aside to toy with her earlobe, the other resting on her waist. His voice was warm, teasing. "Soft as hell. Gorgeous."

Hazel's cheeks flushed, and she swatted him playfully. "Damian!"

The room erupted in laughter. "Hazel's blushing!"

"Shy, huh?" Damian flicked her nose with a grin. "Big day-tour's over. What reward do you want?"

I couldn't move, couldn't push the door open. My lungs burned, the air thinning with every joking word from inside. I clapped a hand over my left ear, trying to block it all out, but then I saw it: Hazel, egged on by the crowd, leaned in and kissed Damian's lips.

"I want this reward," she purred, her lips moving against his.

"Kissing your mate's no reward," Damian shot back, then cupped the back of her head and pulled her into a deep, hungry kiss.

The room exploded in cheers, clapping so loud it could've brought the roof down. I stood there, torn to shreds, piece by piece. The wolf who once swore he'd die for me was now pouring his love into another she-wolf, loud and proud for all to see.

My phone buzzed. Juliana. "One month from now, the Lowe pack's eldest will take you to Helmont Town. Sort things with Damian-don't mess up my bond with my son."

"Fine," I typed back, my fingers shaking.