For years, I never thought Benedict would betray me.
The moment I saw him in bed with another she-wolf, it felt like a thousand knives had torn through my chest. My mate. My Alpha. The one I had given my heart, my trust, my loyalty. And here he was, tangled in the arms of another, the scent of their betrayal thick in the air.
My best friend, Jane, had been the first to notice my silence. She sat across from me in the dimly lit bar, her green eyes filled with concern. "Are you sure there's no misunderstanding? I mean, Benedict loves you. He wouldn’t—"
I let out a hollow laugh, the sound foreign to my own ears. "I saw it with my own eyes, Jane. His hands on her, his scent all over her. There’s no misunderstanding here."
Silence fell between us, broken only by the sound of my glass clinking against the wooden table. I took another shot of whiskey, the burn doing nothing to numb the ache inside me.
Jane frowned and reached out, snatching the glass from my grip. "Drowning yourself in alcohol won’t fix this, Felicia. What are you going to do now?"
I leaned back against the booth, staring at the ceiling as my vision blurred. "Leave him. There’s nothing left to fight for. Every time I think about what I saw, I feel sick."
Jane’s lips parted, but she hesitated before speaking. "Felicia, you’re Luna. If you leave him, you’ll lose everything. Your title, your place in the pack..."
"He already took everything from me," I whispered. "He took my pride, my love, my trust. What’s a title compared to that?
Jane reached for my hand and squeezed it gently. "You don’t have to decide everything tonight. Let’s get you out of here first."
I shook my head. "I can’t go back to that house. Not to our bed. Not to the scent of him still lingering in the sheets."
Jane sighed before pulling out her phone. "Fine. I’ll book a hotel. You need rest."
After a few minutes, she put her phone down and turned to me. "Room’s ready. Let’s get you there."
The drive to the hotel was quiet. The storm outside had slowed, the roads slick with rain. My thoughts swirled, tangled in memories, our first run together as mates, the way he had held me under the stars, the promises he had whispered against my skin. Lies. All of it.
When we arrived, Jane pulled up in front of the entrance and turned to me. "Are you sure you don’t want me to take you up?"
I mustered a small smile. "I’ll be fine. Go home and rest."
She hesitated before nodding. "Call me if you need anything."
I stepped out of the car, flashing the room key before heading inside. The moment I entered the lobby, exhaustion weighed heavily on me. The elevator ride was a blur. My mind was fogged, my body sluggish from the alcohol.
I reached my floor and walked down the hallway, my vision swimming as I tried to read the numbers. Room 1823. I swiped the key card, but the door didn’t unlock. Frowning, I tried again. Still nothing.
Before I could knock, the door suddenly swung open, and a strong hand yanked me inside.
"What the—?"
The door slammed shut, plunging the room into darkness. A deep, growling voice filled the space between us. "You walked into the wrong room, little wolf."
My breath hitched as a familiar scent filled my nose—smoke and cedarwood, intoxicating and dangerous. My stomach twisted. I knew this scent.
Then I felt him—his presence overwhelming, his body heat rolling off in waves as he pinned me against the door. His breath ghosted over my skin, making my wolf stir in unease and something else I refused to name.
"Let me go," I said, my voice firm despite the alcohol dulling my senses.
He chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "You're in my territory now, Felicia. Shouldn’t you be more careful where you wander?"
I stiffened, my fingers curling into fists. I recognized the voice now. Elias Blackwood. The Alpha of the neighboring pack. Ruthless, cunning, and the last person I wanted to see tonight.
The dim glow from the city lights filtered through the curtains, casting shadows across his sharp features. His dark hair was tousled, his golden eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
I swallowed hard. "I made a mistake. Just let me leave."
He tilted his head, as if studying me. "Benedict doesn’t deserve you."
My heart lurched. "How do you—"
"News travels fast, Luna." His voice dripped with something I couldn’t place. "Or should I say, former Luna?"
Anger flared inside me. "I didn’t come here for this. I don’t need your pity, Elias."
"Good." He stepped back, giving me just enough space to breathe. "Because I don’t offer pity. I offer revenge."
I blinked. "What?"
A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Benedict betrayed you. You could run and hide. Or... You could make him regret it."
My pulse pounded in my ears. "And how exactly would I do that?"
Elias leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "By making the whole world see that he lost something he can never get back. By standing by my side instead."
I let out a breathless laugh. "You want me to be your pawn in some power play?
He shrugged. "Call it what you want. But if you think for a second that Benedict won’t come crawling back the moment, he realizes what he’s lost, you don’t know him as well as you think."
His words sent a sharp pang through my chest. I clenched my fists. "And if I say no?"
Elias stepped back; his expression unreadable. "Then you walk out that door and disappear. Live in exile while Benedict moves on without a second thought. But if you want a real chance at making him suffer the way he made you suffer... You know where to find me."
Silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken emotions. My wolf stirred, sensing the weight of the choice before me.
For years, I lived for Benedict, believing we were meant to rule together. But now, that future has been shattered.
Maybe it was time to write a new one. I took a deep breath and looked Elias in the eye. "Fine. I’ll hear you out."
A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips. "Good girl."
And just like that, my fate took a new turn.
