He delayed our ceremony seven times, the eighth time I cancelled it

Before I could walk past Albus, he grabbed my hands.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his eyes reflecting momentarily panic.

“To the outhouse. You can ask Celeste to shift to our bedroom. She will be more comfortable there.” I replied, my voice indifferent.

Albus’s eyes darkened. His grip over my wrist tightened to the point of hurting me as he asked, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what you heard!” I spat, my voice gaining volume though I tried my best to be calm.

“For Goddess’s sake, Diana. Can't you be a little kind to Celeste? She has no one to rely on.”

Have I?

I wanted to scream my lungs out but I chose to be silent. There was no need of confronting an Alpha I had already discarded.

“This is why I’m leaving. She needs you, Albus. I don't.” I said, trying not to be sarcastic.

There was a brief moment of silence between us before he said, “You don't need to move out. Celeste will just stay in the guest room.”

“No need.” I refused, “I don't want to run into you and her intimacy and get punished instead. I too have self-esteem to maintain.”

Last time Celeste stayed at our home, Albus sneaked out of our bedroom in the middle of the night. When he didn't come for too long, I followed his scent only to find him sleeping with Celeste instead, both naked.

And his audacity! When I confronted him, I was punished for breaching Alpha’s privacy. My punishment, washing Celeste’s undergarments, even those she had worn while sleeping next to my mate.

“We weren't intimate-” Albus spat, his expression turned distressful.

“My bad! We can’t call it just ‘intimacy’. It was more like you two were resting after f*cking each other hard.”

“You-” he pressed his lips before adding, “Celeste was missing my brother. I and David were twins. My scent is similar to him. So, that's why she felt comfortable around me. I was just helping-”

“Helping her vent out her desire?” I raised my eyebrows, “So, that's what you two do whenever you go ‘comforting’ her?”

“I-”

“Save it, Albus!” He wanted to explain, perhaps one more pathetic excuse. But, I cut him off, “I’m not living under the same room as Celeste. It's no use of asking you to stop Celeste from coming here. So, I’m moving out instead.”

With that, I turned back and left.

I had barely taken three steps toward the stairs when a soft, broken sob echoed from the main door.

"Diana... please, don't leave because of me."

Celeste stood there, leaning heavily against the doorframe. She looked fragile, her eyes rimmed with red and she trembled as if a light breeze might knock her over.

"I heard everything," she whimpered, clutching her chest. "I didn't mean to come between you and Albus. He was just being kind... he knew how much I was hurting. If my presence causes this much trouble, I’ll be the one to leave. I'll go sleep on the streets, I don't care about my health."

Albus’s expression softened instantly. The cold Alpha who had just been gripping my wrist with bruising force was gone, replaced by a man filled with protective instinct.

"Celeste, don't be ridiculous," Albus said, his voice dropping an octave. "You're in no condition to go anywhere."

"No, Albus, Diana is right!" Celeste cried out, moving toward me with her hands outstretched, her movements frantic and clumsy. "Diana, please. Look at me. I’ll do anything. I’ll be your servant, I’ll stay out of your sight—just don't hate Albus for his big heart."

She reached for my arm, her fingers digging into my sleeve. I felt a surge of revulsion and instinctively stepped back, pulling my arm away to avoid her touch.

"Don't touch me, Celeste," I said coldly.

The moment I moved, Celeste’s eyes flickered with something sharp—a flash of calculation that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Instead of simply letting go, she let out a sharp, Piercing shriek. She threw her body backward with theatrical force, slamming her shoulder against the sharp edge of a marble pedestal before collapsing onto the hardwood floor.

Thud.

"Ah! My shoulder!" she gasped, curling into a ball. She began to hyperventilate, her face contorting in simulated agony.

"Celeste!" Albus roared.

He lunged past me, nearly knocking me over in his haste to get to her. He gathered her into his arms, his face pale with fury and worry. Celeste sobbed into his neck, pointing a trembling, accusing finger at me.

"I just... I just wanted to hold her hand and apologize," Celeste choked out, fresh tears streaming down her face. "Why did she push me so hard? I know she is angry, but the baby... what if I had fallen on my stomach?”