He Shattered Our Bond Until Rejection Set Me Free

The next morning, Caleb left eagerly, Fernanda by his side, her head held high as if she had already claimed her place as his Luna. I stood in the doorway, my chest tight, knowing what I had to do.

"Alpha John wants us to visit him today," I called out, my voice steady despite the ache in my heart.

Caleb froze, his broad shoulders tensing beneath his tailored suit. He turned slowly, his amber eyes flashing with anger. "What is it, Mina?" he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Did you run to the old man again to complain? Too bad, Mina. Ever since my mother died, I haven’t had a father. You think buttering him up will bring you closer to me?"

His gaze bore into me, and I felt the weight of his Alpha aura pressing down, making it hard to breathe. His expression twisted with contempt. "Every time I see you, it makes me sick!"

He stepped forward, his towering frame looming over me, and seized my chin with a grip that was both firm and unsettling. His fingers dug into my skin, and I could feel the strength in his hands, the strength of a future Alpha.

"Mina, you really are just like your shameless mother! Always wanting things that aren’t yours! But I’m not my father—I won’t fall for it!"

Tears sprang to my eyes, spilling onto his hand. Caleb recoiled as if burned and turned to leave. Desperate, I added, "The Healer said Alpha John’s cancer has spread. He only has a few days left."

Caleb didn’t even pause. "Save your tears, Mina. Tell the old man I won’t even look at him, dead or alive!"

I reached out to stop him, pleading, "Just this once, Caleb, please, for the sake of the ten years we’ve shared..."

He erupted before I could finish, roughly grasping my throat. His Alpha tone was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "What bond do we have, Mina? The bond of your mother seducing my father, or of you shamelessly crawling into my bed?"

I shook my head, crying, "No, it’s not true, it’s not."

Fernanda sauntered over, her lips curled in a smug smile. She linked arms with Caleb, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Oh, Mina, love can’t be forced. Caleb will never love someone like you."

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately right in front of me, his Alpha aura flaring with possessiveness. "Of course, my darling. You’re the only one I love."

He slammed the door on his way out, the sound echoing through the grand halls of the Silver Moon Packhouse.

I stumbled to the bathroom, my eyes puffy and the bruises on my neck alarmingly visible. I took out my makeup, calmly covering each damning mark, as I had done for five long years. Painting an illusion of peace, both on my face and my bond.

In the afternoon, I composed myself. Makeup is a magical thing; no one could see that behind my rosy cheeks was a heart ready to give out. I returned alone to the old house, the place that had once been my sanctuary.

The pack’s butler, an Omega who had served the Tran family for decades, opened the door for me. His expression was cold, but I didn’t blame him. I was no longer the girl they had once welcomed with open arms.

I made my way to the bedroom, where Alpha John lay surrounded by the incessant beeping of machines, his breaths long but weak. This was the man who had taken a young, orphaned me into his home, who had given me a place in the Silver Moon Pack, now nearing the end of his life.

Seeing me, he beckoned me over with a frail hand. I fought back the tears threatening to spill.

"Did Caleb upset you again?" he asked softly, his voice a shadow of the commanding Alpha he once was.

I shook my head, brushing away my tears as I lied, "No, Alpha John, it’s just the wind outside making my eyes water. Caleb’s been good to me."

He sighed deeply, his chest rising and falling with effort. "Mina, I wonder if bringing you into our pack was a mistake. Perhaps you’d have been better off without us."

I shook my head again, forcing a smile. "You’ve been so good to me, Alpha John. Caleb too. I’m happy."

He looked at me intently, his gaze piercing through my facade. He handed me an envelope, stopping me from opening it.

"Mina, open it after I’m gone."

I stayed at the house that afternoon, in the place that had been my sanctuary in my youth. Perhaps I hadn’t slept well the night before, as I soon drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep, the envelope clutched tightly in my hand.