After they left the cabin, I immediately shut the heavy oak door and slid the iron bolt into place. The scent of their presence lingered in the air—wild, sharp, and suffocating. I stripped the sheets from the bed, tossed them into the fire pit, and replaced them with clean linen. Earbuds in, I drowned out the howls of the pack in the distance and fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning, Felix stormed into the clearing where I was chopping wood, his golden eyes flashing with fury.
“What was that last night, Camilla?” he growled, the timber of his voice low enough to send a chill down my spine. “I knocked for ages, yet you didn’t open the door! You knew I’d be forced to stay in the common lodge with her. Are you trying to humiliate me?”
I leaned on the axe, sneering. “Of course, I did it on purpose. I thought I’d give you and Erica a chance to bond. You’re welcome.”
His jaw tightened, his claws curling slightly. “Are you insane, Camilla? Why would I want to bond with Erica? You’re my mate!”
“Oh, so you still remember I’m your mate?” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Funny, because ever since Erica came back to the pack, it’s like I’ve been reduced to a ghost. You all acted like I never existed, I'm done being played like a fiddle.”
Before Felix could reply, Erica appeared, her silver hair glinting in the sunlight. She was the perfect picture of innocence, her expression soft and contrite.
“Please,” she murmured, her voice like honey. “Don’t argue because of me. This was supposed to be a peaceful pack retreat. I’d hate for my presence to cause any tension.”
Felix turned to me, his tone shifting into something sharper. “Look at Erica, Camilla. She’s trying to ease things, unlike you with your endless provocations.”
A snarl bubbled in my throat, but before I could respond, my mother-in-law, joined in, her aura of dominance pressing down on me. “Camilla, your behavior is unacceptable. Locking your mate out? Such defiance is unbecoming for an alpha’s daughter-in-law. But we’ll let it slide this time—pack unity is more important.”
Then Aaron ,my father-in-law, spoke, his tone laced with contempt. “This is why you should’ve been disciplined as a pup. A mate’s role is to respect her bonded, not defy him! Maybe we should remind you what submission looks like.”
Nicole, Felix’s younger sister, snickered. “You’re lucky, sis. With your temper, Felix might just replace you with Erica. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time someone’s lost their bond.”
I caught Erica's gaze, her silver eyes brimming with triumph. She was grinning ear to ear happy with what the statement made by Nicole. I wished I could slap her in the moment she passed that sarcastic comment towards me, but I would let it slide because I had bigger plans for Felix and his ungrateful family.
I was dumbfounded with the same people I spent years of sacrifice for. People I treated like my flesh and blood but what did I get in return? I was treated like an outsider.
Felix ignored my silence, dragging several travel bags toward me. “The pack leaves in an hour. Don’t make us late.”
My mother in law shoved a large duffel into my hands. “You’ll take the land route. It’s safer for someone in your... state. Besides, it’ll give you time to reflect.”
I glanced at the mountain of luggage—eight enormous bags that reeked of privilege—and offered a tight smile. “Of course. I’ll catch up.”
As soon as the pack’s vehicles roared out of sight, I grabbed my phone. A call to a disposal crew later, all the luggage was gone, replaced by the sweet satisfaction of freedom.
When the pack's alpha-worker asked, “Are you sure about this, ma’am? These are valuable.”
“Keep whatever you want,” I replied, my voice cold. “None of it matters anymore.”
Afterward, I called my lawyer, ensuring my escape was clean and final. I booked a solitary cabin deep in the northern forest, far away from Felix, Erica ,and their manipulative pack politics. I
Not long after I settled in, my phone buzzed. It was Felix calling. I knew the reason he was calling and I was ready.
“Camilla, the lodge says they don’t have our reservation. Where’s the confirmation?”
“Oh, that? I canceled it,” I said, my voice calm and at the same time agitated with anger.
There was a pause before his voice erupted in a growl. “Why would you do that? Where are we supposed to stay?”
“Anywhere you want, Felix,” I said coolly. “You’re the alpha, aren’t you?”
“Don’t play games with me, Camilla!” he snarled. “Why cancel the reservation?”
“I’m done with you. With this pack. With all of it.
“Circumstances?” I shot back, incredulous. “You’ve flaunted Erica in front of me for months, let your family humiliate me at every turn, and now you think pack law will fix this? You’re delusional, Felix.”
You’ve made your point. Enough of this rebellion. Pack law dictates that a mate belongs with her bonded—no matter the circumstances.” Felix spoke out in an angry time, he was thinking gaslighting me would make me overturn my decision of leaving him. it was a declaration of my worth.
No longer would I let Felix, Erica, or his family dictate my life. They wanted to play games with dominance and submission? Fine. They could play alone. I was done being a caring daughter in law for a family who never reciprocated my kind gesture.
I hung up and silenced my phone. The distant howls of the pack faded as I shifted into my wolf form, embracing the freedom of the wild. For the first time in years, I felt like a new being. I spent the next few days in quiet bliss. Spending solace like a currency under the moonlight, But peace, as I’d learned, never lasted long.
Suppressing her anger, Camilla inhaled deeply, her nails biting into the soft flesh of her palm. Even in her human form, the wolf within her growled in frustration.
“Fine,” she said through clenched teeth, forcing a tone of calm. “I won’t argue with you this time, Felix. But you better pull your weight. Book the lodge for the rest of the trip, decide on the hiking trails, and secure all the permits in advance.”
Felix’s voice was dismissive. “Got it.” The line went dead before she could say more.
Camilla stared out at the forest bordering her village. The trees swayed under the silvery glow of the full moon, calling to a primal part of her she hadn’t embraced in years. Her pack had warned her about mingling with humans like Felix—selfish, parasitic. But she had ignored them. She thought love could tame her beast and bridge their worlds.
Her phone buzzed again, yanking her from her thoughts.
“Transfer me fifty thousand dollars,” Felix barked. “I’m short on cash.”
Camilla frowned. “What for? You know we’re supposed to save for the cabin renovations.”
“It’s normal to spend money on a trip,” he said, his tone laced with irritation. “Hurry up! I need it now!”
“No,” Camilla snapped. Her canines itched to elongate. “You’ve got some nerve demanding money from me like it’s your birthright. Proud of leeching off your wife, are you?”
Without waiting for a response, she hung up and blocked his number, her claws inadvertently puncturing the phone case.
By morning, the pack’s whispers reached her. Erica the she-wolf Henry had taken as his mistress, flaunted her prize on social media: a gleaming diamond-encrusted collar and a designer bag. The caption read: Spoiled and loved by my favorite human. Thank you, Mr. Theron.
Camilla growled, her body trembling with rage. Henry’s audacity was unrelenting. A man earning a mere three thousand a month had no business gifting such luxuries unless he planned to repay his debts in blood—and Camille had no intention of covering for him.
That evening, Felix called again, his voice sharp. “Where are you? The whole family is waiting for you!”
