The door was slightly ajar, and I could hear muffled voices—soft murmurs punctuated by low laughter. My steps faltered, a cold dread creeping up my spine. I wasn’t supposed to be here. Daniel had dismissed me earlier, claiming he needed time to strategize alone.
But something about his tone, the way he avoided my gaze, had unsettled me. Against my better judgment, I had followed my instincts. And now, standing here with my hand hovering over the door, I wished I hadn’t.
I pushed the door open slowly, the hinges creaking in protest. At first, the scene didn’t register. The office was dimly lit, a single lamp casting a warm glow across the room. Suki’s back was to me, her hair spilling over her shoulders in perfect waves. She was perched on the edge of Daniel’s desk, but she wasn’t just sitting.
His hands were on her.
My breath hitched as the truth slammed into me like a physical blow. His hands gripped her thighs, pulling her closer. Her dress was hiked up scandalously high, and his shirt was half-unbuttoned, his chest rising and falling with the kind of urgency I hadn’t seen from him in years.
Suki’s melodic voice broke through the pounding in my ears, but this time it wasn’t sweet or firm—it was breathless. Intimate.
“Daniel,” she murmured, her tone a mix of pleading and desire.
He responded, but I couldn’t make out the words. My vision blurred, my stomach twisting into knots.
I didn’t even realize I’d pushed the door fully open until they both froze. Daniel’s head snapped up, his expression a mixture of shock and guilt. Suki turned slowly, her face pale but her eyes defiant, as if daring me to say something.
“Isolde,” Daniel started, his voice hoarse, but I raised a hand to cut him off.
“Don’t,” I said, my voice trembling but firm. “Don’t you dare.”
Suki adjusted her dress, her movements slow and calculated. She didn’t even bother to apologize. Instead, she smirked—a subtle, infuriating curve of her lips that made my blood boil.
“I thought you were busy strategizing alone,” I said, my gaze locking onto Daniel. My voice was eerily calm, even as the rage bubbled beneath the surface.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” he stammered, stepping away from her.
I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and hollow. “Oh, really? Then by all means, explain it to me.”
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. And in that silence, something inside me broke completely. Not the love I once felt for him—that had been dying for a long time—but the last shred of hope that he could ever redeem himself.
I turned on my heel without another word, slamming the door behind me. The sound echoed through the hallway, but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the reality of what I’d just seen—or the realization that I would never forgive him.
The sound of the door slamming behind me still echoed in my ears as I stormed down the corridor, my breath coming in sharp bursts. My mind raced, a whirlwind of anger, humiliation, and despair. By the time I reached the cool night air outside, I was trembling, the weight of what I’d just seen pressing down on me.
I fumbled for my phone, my hands shaking as I scrolled through the contacts. There was only one person I wanted to talk to right now—one person who had always been in my corner. Selene.
Selene and I had been inseparable as pups, growing up in neighboring packs. Where I was quiet and cautious, she was fierce and unyielding—a natural-born leader. It came as no surprise when she became Alpha of her pack after her father’s death. Even now, years later, her name commanded respect.
The line rang twice before her familiar, no-nonsense voice answered.
“Isolde?” she said, her tone immediately shifting to concern. “What’s wrong?”
Hearing her voice was like a dam breaking. My shoulders sagged, and a sob tore from my throat before I could stop it.
“Selene,” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. “I—I can’t do this anymore.”
“What happened?” she demanded, her tone sharp now, protective. “Are you hurt? Did someone—”
“It’s Daniel,” I interrupted, the name tasting like ash on my tongue. “I caught him. With Suki.”
For a moment, there was silence on the other end, the kind that felt heavier than words. Then came the growl—a low, dangerous sound that sent a chill down my spine.
“That bastard,” Selene spat. “I should’ve ripped his throat out the first time I met him.”
I let out a weak laugh, though it sounded more like a sob. “You always hated him.”
“And I was right to,” she snapped. “He never deserved you, Isolde. Never.”
I sank onto a bench, the cold metal biting through my jeans. “It’s not just this, Selene. It’s everything. The lies, the betrayal, the way he’s made me feel so…small.” My voice broke, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to keep it together.
“You’re not small,” Selene said fiercely. “He’s the weak one. Only a pathetic excuse for an Alpha would tear down his Luna to make himself feel bigger.”
Her words, while comforting, only made the ache in my chest worse. “I don’t know what to do,” I admitted, my voice barely audible. “I feel like I’ve lost everything.”
“You haven’t lost me,” she said firmly. “And you haven’t lost yourself, Isolde. You’re stronger than this. Stronger than him.”
I closed my eyes, letting her words wash over me. For the first time in hours, I felt a flicker of something other than despair.
“Come to me,” Selene said after a pause. “Leave his pack and come to mine. You’ll be safe here, and you’ll have the space to figure out your next steps.”
I hesitated, the thought of leaving everything I’d known both terrifying and liberating.
“You don’t have to decide now,” she added gently. “But whatever you choose, know that I’m here for you. Always.”
A smile appeared across my face as I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Thank you, Selene. For everything.”
“Thank me when you’re here,” she said, her voice softening. “And Isolde? Don’t let him win.”
I ended the call, clutching the phone to my chest.
It was time to leave.
