The Alpha Shared Our Intimacy With the Pack

I set my phone to Do Not Disturb and sank into the couch, unable to sleep all night. The weight of the mate bond still lingered, a dull ache in my chest, though it had been severed. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a quiet echo of the pain I was trying to suppress.

The next day, when Castiel O'Brien showed up at my door, he seemed slightly taken aback by the sight of my red, swollen eyes. But any sign of regret disappeared the moment Bridget Hawkins, trailing behind him, started to speak.

"Hey, Ramona, are you alright?" she asked, her tone dripping with false concern. "Castiel mentioned you wanted to apologize to me for what happened the other day. It's no big deal; we've always been playful like that. Maybe you're just not used to it."

She paused, her lips curling into a sly smile. "But you know, you're no angel either. You and Castiel got pretty rowdy in that video, didn't you? And you call me shameless?"

Castiel shot her a warning look, but Bridget just covered her mouth and shrugged, acting as if she hadn't meant any harm. "Oops! Sorry, Ramona! You won't hold it against me, will you?"

I looked directly at Castiel, thrusting my phone with the video in his face. "Was it you? Why?"

Castiel shrugged it off, his voice cold and detached. "You called Bridget shameless. I was just being fair."

He smirked, his tone mocking. "You shouldn't worry; it's just a video. They can look but not touch, right?"

Even now, Castiel could say such things. My hand swung up, striking him hard across the face and turning his head to the side.

"Ramona, have you lost your mind?" he growled, his alpha aura flaring, though it no longer had the same effect on me.

"Yes, I must have been crazy to be with someone like you for five years," I spat, my voice trembling with anger. "Castiel O'Brien, get out!"

Bridget clung tightly to his arm, her eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Castiel, did I upset her? But she insulted me first, why is she hitting people?"

"You get out too!" I snapped, my voice rising. "If you keep talking, I'll hit you as well!"

She feigned weakness, hiding behind Castiel, who gripped my wrist tightly. "Ramona, stop this nonsense!" he barked, his alpha tone sharp and commanding.

"Bridget cried all day because of what you said. She came to comfort you, and this is how you treat her?" he continued, his voice laced with accusation. "Apologize!"

"Not just to her. You should bring her a coffee to apologize with!" he added, his tone demanding.

Castiel held my hand tightly, refusing to let go. Naturally, I wanted no part in it.

The difference in strength between us was clear as he tried to drag me out. At that moment, I used every ounce of strength to fight back—calling for help loudly and using my nails as a defense.

Soon, the neighbors heard the commotion and rushed out, seeing me being dragged by a tall man, and immediately intervened.

"What are you doing? Let her go!" one of them shouted.

"If you don't, we're calling the police!" another threatened.

Castiel was furious, his alpha aura flaring again. "She's my mate!" he snapped, though the bond between us was already broken.

I struggled violently, taking the chance to kick him hard and finally breaking free.

But before I could regain my balance, Bridget announced loudly, "Ramona, Castiel is doing this for your own good. You're about to be marked; how could you film such videos?"

"Castiel was angry because of your shamelessness!" she added, her voice carrying across the crowd.

Bridget's phone screen openly displayed the video, causing the neighbors to cast sidelong glances my way.

Several men blushed, and a surge of anger filled me. I lunged at her, pulling her hair.

"Yes, I'm shameless and driven mad by this!" I shouted, my voice raw with emotion.

"If you push me this far, we might as well go down together!"

Bridget shrieked, and Castiel, enraged, grabbed my wrist and shoved me aside forcefully.

"Are you insane? You filmed this indecent stuff and blame others?" he snarled, his alpha tone cutting through the air.

I lay on the floor, my forehead hitting the corner of the wall, dizziness overwhelming me as blood smeared my face.

The crowd stepped back, their murmurs filling the air.

I looked up at Castiel, feeling as if my heart was being torn apart.

"Did I film it, Castiel? Tell me, did I?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Castiel froze, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"I..." he started, but his voice trailed off.

"Castiel, I hurt so much!" I cried, my voice breaking.

Bridget clutched her face, weeping theatrically.

That flicker of guilt was gone in an instant, and Castiel's arm went around Bridget as he looked at me coldly. "Ramona, the marking ceremony is off. When you can own up to your mistakes, then we can talk about being mates!"

His words cut deeper than any physical wound, and I felt my wolf whimper in the back of my mind, a quiet echo of the pain that was tearing me apart.