The End of Us, The Start of Me

Eventually, Celeste had enough.

“Then what is it, Leo? Because it certainly looks like an affair to me.”

Leo’s gaze turned sharp when Celeste said that.

He quickly grabbed his wife’s wrist as he stepped closer and used his Alpha voice, “Watch your tone, Celeste. I’m your Alpha, not just your mate.”

The reminder stung. Despite the heavy pressure Celeste had because of the Alpha voice, she was surprised to find herself unwilling to bend to his Alpha voice. Instead, there was something inside her that felt different.

‘Is this Elia?’ she thought to herself.

“And I’m your Luna, but that doesn’t seem to mean anything to you,” she eventually said.

Then, Celeste realized that it wasn’t her wolf at all. It was her own voice. How could she do that?

After that, silence hung heavy between them. Celeste could feel her hands shaking, so she clenched them to steady herself. That was it. She was done with this.

Meanwhile, Leo just stared at his mate. But he couldn’t read her eyes as they were unreadable. Then, he took a step back. Nevertheless, Celeste could see a dismissive look crossing his face.

‘As expected, he would dismiss my feelings again,’ she told herself.

“You’re overthinking things,” Leo said, his voice colder than before.

He continued to talk, “Violet has been a part of my life since before you even joined this pack.”

“Yes, she is. But I’m your fated mate,” Celeste replied, fighting to keep her voice steady.

Then she continued, “I thought that would mean something to you.”

However, Leo scoffed as he said mockingly, “Don’t be so dramatic, Celeste. You’re acting like I’ve betrayed you.”

“If you’re not, why can’t you reassure me, Leo?” Celeste demanded despite her voice trembling as she tried to calm herelf.

“Why can’t you just say that you’ll choose me over her when your actions in fact has shown me that you will choose her over me again and again?” she asked him again.

As Celeste expected, Leo was silent. However, his silence hurt more than any words he could have said. The truth was there. And it crushed her.

“Forget it,” Celeste whispered, turning back to the window.

“Go back to Violet if that’s what you want,” she continued as she turned her head, avoiding him as she held back her tears.

“Celeste, don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have time for this. I have a pack to run,” he said, sounding frustrated.

“You’re right,” Celeste replied quietly.

She continued to talk, “You do. And I have a baby to think about.”

At her words, Leo looked surprised as he repeated, “A … a baby?”

“Yes. Our baby, Leo,” she confirmed what he just repeated, placing a protective hand over her stomach.

For a while, Leo stared at Celeste. He seemed to be stunned, but then his expression softened. When Celeste saw that, she thought for a moment that she saw a glimmer of the man she had once loved. Unfortunately, that hope faded as quickly as it came.

“A baby,” Leo repeated with a hollow voice, devoid of happiness.

However, he quickly covered it by saying, “That’s … that’s wonderful news, Celeste.”

“Is it?” Celeste asked, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

She continued, “Because it seems like you’re more concerned with Violet than with us.”

Leo looked away, guilt flashing across his face again. Celeste knew that. Leo never said anything about it, but that silence told her everything she needed to know.

He started to talk, “Celeste, I-”

“I think it’s time for me to rest. Goodnight, Leo,” Celeste said as she cut him off.

Without waiting for his response, Celeste walked to the bed and lay down on our bed that he rarely visited. At this point, she didn’t even bother to look at the Alpha. She clearly could hear him sighing, but the man didn’t try to approach her or say anything else.

After a moment, Celeste heard the door close softly, leaving her alone with the crushing weight of his betrayal. Then, she smelled something familiar that crushed me even more. Violet’s scent.

Elia was growling inside Celeste as the wolf said, ‘How can he betray us again and again, Celeste! He doesn’t deserve to be our fated mate!’

What Elia said rang true to Celeste’s heart. She had enough. She was tired of being treated like a second fiddle when she was actually Leo’s Luna.

From that every moment, Celeste knew exactly what she had to do.

‘Let’s sever our mating bond for good, Alpha,’ she told herself before she closed her eyes.