“You know what, Shawn? I’ve given you way too much leeway, and now you’ve got your *mate* running circles around me!”
I finally spoke up, no longer holding back. My voice carried the edge of a wolf who had been pushed too far.
There was a pause on the other end of the call before Shawn tried to calm his anger, his Beta aura pressing through the phone like a weight. “Dahlia, what are you talking about? Using such crude language, after all those years of training and discipline your pack instilled in you? Is this what you’ve become, making baseless accusations? I told you I’d spend more time with you next time, so why make such a fuss now? You better be ready for the pack meeting tonight, or we’re finished!”
I clenched my fist, my nails digging into my palm. “Fine, then we’re done. I’ve been wanting to reject this bond for a long time!”
I hadn’t even finished my sentence when I heard Rosalina’s voice calling from the background, sweet and syrupy. “Shawn, Beta Barbara says dinner’s ready.”
Then I heard a tone in Shawn’s voice that I hadn’t heard directed at me in ages—gentle, caring, almost submissive. “Just finishing up. I’ll be right there.”
His tone turned cold again when he spoke to me, the Beta dominance sharpening his words. “What did you say, Dahlia? I didn’t catch that.”
I sneered, my wolf bristling beneath my skin. “Oh, Shawn, it seems you’ve got yourself a new mate. Better hurry up before she gets impatient and disciplines you with her Omega charms.”
“Right, as if it’s just me being petty,” he shot back, his voice rising with anger. “In this pack, the Omegas are always looked down on. As her mentor, isn’t it right for me to stand up for her? Not everyone can be as heartless as you, Dahlia.”
He continued, his voice seething, “If you don’t get back to the den immediately and coordinate with the warriors for tonight’s patrol, don’t blame me if you end up with a ruined reputation in this pack!”
He ended the call after a few more harsh words, his Beta tone lingering in my ears like a command I no longer had to obey.
I was left standing in the cramped phone booth, listening to the dial tone, feeling completely alone. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a reminder of the bond that still tied us together. I’d made a huge mistake. I should have rejected Shawn the moment he grew cold, disregarding my feelings.
I lost the mood for going out and planned to catch a cab back to the hotel. The next moment, my phone buzzed non-stop with messages, all urging me to return to the den. They needed my help urgently for the patrol, yet their tone was far from respectful.
Two days later, I had the rejection papers in hand. I couldn’t care less about the chaos in Shawn’s pack. I deleted all those fair-weather packmates from my contacts and logged into the pack’s internal network to submit my resignation.
Upon logging in, I was greeted by a termination notice, complete with an attachment accusing me of unprofessionalism and poor conduct.
I laughed bitterly. The nerve of these people—throwing me under the bus before even getting to the other side. Shawn really cherished his new Omega.
After taking a couple of days off, I headed straight to the den to collect my things. To my surprise, my face and access card no longer opened the den doors.
Confused, I stood there until someone opened the door from the inside.
“Dahlia, what are you doing here? Hurry to the training grounds! The patrol team has already left!” Rosalina emerged from my office, my watch on her wrist, drinking from my mug, and now giving me orders.
I pushed past her into the den, my wolf snarling softly in warning. “I’m not taking orders from an Omega.”
Inside, I saw my belongings had been cleared out. In the trash was a photo of Shawn and me together, along with a voice recorder and a brooch he had given me.
Yes, Shawn once loved me. Those years of building the pack were the hardest but happiest times we had.
Rosalina, noticing my brief pause, let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh, I forgot to mention. Shawn gave me this office, and I think the cleaners accidentally threw your stuff away.”
She looked at me expectantly, hoping for a meltdown. But instead, I smiled, casting a fleeting glance at the trash can. “Thanks for getting rid of that junk for me, saves me the trouble.”
My wolf growled in approval, and for the first time in weeks, I felt a flicker of my old strength return.
