My Mate Chose Her Over Me

I dragged my weary feet back to the Healer’s quarters, the weight of Rhys’s betrayal pressing heavier on my shoulders with each step. The familiar scent of wolfsbane and herbs usually brought me comfort, but today it only made my stomach churn. The call came through as I sank into my chair, Rhys’s voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Georgina, let it go."

Of course, Lana had complained to him. I leaned back, my fingers gripping the edge of the desk as I spoke with a calm detachment I didn’t feel. "Or what?"

"Your mom taught for her whole life. You wouldn’t want her legacy tarnished at the end, would you?"

His words were calculated, manipulative, and they hit their mark. I let out a heavy sigh, a bitter smile forming on my lips. "You care about her that much?"

Even if it meant dishonoring the one who had saved him, the Omega who had mentored him when his own inner wolf threatened to consume him.

He was quiet for a moment, his voice turning serious. "Yes, I love her."

It felt like my heart was being slowly carved out with a dull knife, each moment of pain spreading through me. I had thought he was just looking for something new, as he always did, never truly loving anyone, not even me. But this time, he really had fallen for someone else.

A wave of rage washed over me, and I yelled, almost hysterically, "Rhys, how can you say you love her? How can you just fall for someone else so easily? How can you throw away the ten years we’ve had together? I can’t let this happen."

Rhys chuckled softly, his tone dismissive. "Georgina, you’re too lonely. Maybe you should find someone else too. Don’t worry, I won’t tell my parents. We’ll just carry on like this, since we can’t exactly sever the bond."

My hand dropped limply, the phone slipping to the floor. Rhys continued talking, but my mind was too overwhelmed to catch any of it. The mate bond between us, once a source of strength, now felt like a chain tightening around my throat.

"Georgina?" His voice echoed faintly from the floor, but I didn’t respond. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration and pain that mirrored my own. I pressed a hand to my chest, as if I could physically ease the ache.

"Let him go," my wolf whispered, her voice soft but firm. "He’s not worth this."

But it wasn’t that simple. Rhys wasn’t just my mate; he was the Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, a position that carried weight and expectation. Severing the bond wasn’t just a personal decision—it was a public one, a declaration that would ripple through the pack like a storm.

I picked up the phone, my voice trembling but clear. "Rhys, if you truly love her, then do it properly. Don’t drag me through this half-hearted charade. I won’t be your hidden mate."

There was silence on the other end, and for a moment, I thought he’d hung up. But then his voice came through, softer now, almost regretful. "Georgina, it’s not that simple. You know how it is. The pack, my position—"

"Don’t," I interrupted, my voice sharp. "Don’t use the pack as an excuse for your cowardice. If you’re going to do this, then do it right. Sever the bond, Rhys. Let me go."

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and final. For a moment, I thought I heard a hitch in his breath, a flicker of the man I once knew. But it was gone as quickly as it came.

"Fine," he said, his tone resigned. "If that’s what you want."

I ended the call before he could say anything else, my hands shaking as I set the phone down. The mate bond pulsed faintly, a reminder of what we’d once had, but I ignored it. It was time to let go, no matter how much it hurt.

The Healer’s quarters felt emptier than ever, the scent of wolfsbane now sharp and bitter in my nose. I stood, my legs unsteady, and walked to the window, staring out at the pack grounds below. The Blue Moon Pack had been my home for so long, but now it felt like a cage.

"Let’s leave," my wolf murmured, her voice echoing my thoughts. "There’s nothing left for us here."

I nodded, a sense of determination settling over me. It was time to move on, to find a new path. Rhys had made his choice, and now I would make mine.