Royal’s latest distraction was having another meltdown.
He slid the rejection papers across the table, his alpha tone sharp and commanding. “Just sign them, would you? It’s to appease the girl.”
Amaris Freeman, his former Luna, clutched the hem of her vintage dress, her fingers trembling slightly. She nodded quietly, her heart heavy as she signed her name. The bond between them, once strong, now felt like a frayed thread, ready to snap.
As she rose to leave, she overheard the pack members—his Betas and Gammas—teasing him. “Your Luna is way too compliant. Would she still nod if you told her to get the certificate?”
Royal, the Alpha of the Bradley Pack, lit a cigarette with a sly grin, his muscular frame leaning casually against the table. “Want to put money on that?”
Their laughter echoed through the pack hall, a sound that cut through Amaris like a knife. They joked that in a month, at the pack’s sacred grounds, she’d be a teary mess but still go along with it, swapping their mate bond for rejection papers.
Amaris glanced at her phone, her screen lighting up with a message. She typed a quiet reply: “Why don’t you just mate with me?”
“Okay.”
==============================
“Really?” came the almost instant reply.
She shut off her phone, her chest tightening. Inside, the laughter and chatter continued.
“Alright then! If the Luna is that compliant, drinks are on me next month!” one of his Betas said.
“Make it three months,” Royal replied, his voice dripping with amusement.
“Deal, deal, deal!” they laughed, their voices carrying the confidence of wolves who had never known defeat.
Amaris stumbled out of the pack hall as quickly as she could, her head bowed. The oppressive weight of Royal’s alpha aura lingered, even as she put distance between them.
It wasn’t until she stepped outside, into the glaring sunlight of the city, that the tears started to fall. She clutched her phone, her heart aching with the remnants of their bond.
Royal had set his sights on Cataleya Stone, a young Omega barely out of her teenage years. He had set her up in a lavish penthouse in Miami, showering her with designer outfits and luxury. But she refused to let him touch her.
Cataleya lived in a 3,800 square foot penthouse, wrapped in bespoke designer outfits, boldly declaring, “I won’t be the other woman!”
Royal found it all incredibly entertaining.
This was the third time he was pulling a stunt for her.
The first time, he had bragged about his mate bond with Amaris. She had no idea Cataleya even existed back then. Happily, she had posed for countless pictures with him, thrilled when he posted a collage full of them online. Only later did she realize it was set to “Visible to Cataleya only.”
The second time, they had argued, and he had left her stranded on the street. He took pictures of her crying alone and sent them to Cataleya. “See? She just can’t leave me.”
The third time, he wanted a rejection.
Her phone buzzed again. She checked it.
“Really?”
“Are you serious?”
“Amaris Freeman.”
She wiped her tears and let out a small smile. “Yes, really.”
