The ring was a gift from Alpha Max, given on a day when he had knelt on one knee, looking up at me with a nervous intensity. His dark eyes held nothing but me, and his voice trembled, "Elyse, would you spend the rest of our lives together? I, Max Harrison, Alpha of the Harrison Pack, accept you, Elyse Garza, as my mate. I love you so much; I can't imagine mating with anyone else."
Those words had felt like a dream, and anyone thinking rationally might have doubted them. Yet, I chose to believe.
The excitement I once felt was now met with heartbreak. I regained my composure and left the room. My finger was bare, marked only by a faint band where the ring had been, while the exquisite ring sat untouched on the bathroom sink.
It wasn't until ten that night that Alpha Max hurriedly opened the door. As soon as he entered, he knelt before me, who was seated on the couch. Before I could react, he slid the ring I had left behind back onto my finger. He held my hand and looked up at me tenderly.
"Sweetheart, did you lose the ring and not even realize it? You really should be more careful. This is our mating symbol."
The affection in his eyes was unchanged, but for me, the feelings from those days were now irrevocably tainted.
Instead of answering his question, I asked, "Where were you today?"
I fixed my eyes on his, catching a fleeting hint of guilt. It disappeared almost instantly as he replied, "I had some pack matters to take care of. By the time I got back to the office, you were already gone."
Hearing this, I felt a deep fatigue and turned my attention to the television without a word.
Alpha Max assumed my silence was due to annoyance at being left uninformed and coaxed me gently, "Darling, how about we go to the countryside tomorrow for some fresh air? You've always wanted to, and the healer did say you should get more sunlight."
I remained noncommittal to his offer, too weary of his deceit. I just wanted to wait for the right moment to leave.
The next day, Alpha Max took me to a horse stable in the countryside. Upon arrival, I discovered Rebecca Phillips was there. It was my first time meeting Rebecca, whom I had only heard about from others. Rebecca's elegance suggested she was from a powerful Alpha family, and standing next to Alpha Max, they made quite the pair.
Bitterness surged within me. I thought that with Rebecca present, Alpha Max would ignore me, but to my surprise, he kept me close. "Elyse, come, I'll teach you how to ride a horse," he said, acting as if Rebecca was invisible.
He helped me choose a gentle horse and guided me closely. My interest in riding soon dispelled my earlier feelings. After about half an hour, I said I was tired, and Alpha Max immediately stopped to take me back to rest. We had barely sat down when I saw Rebecca leaving. A few minutes later, Alpha Max said, "Elyse, wait here a moment; I'll get you some coffee."
The care with which Alpha Max attended to me stirred my heart momentarily, but it swiftly calmed when he walked a few meters away. Quietly, I stood and followed him.
I discreetly trailed him to a quiet spot where Rebecca was already waiting. As soon as she saw Alpha Max, Rebecca rushed to him. Alpha Max caught her and frowned, "Didn't I say we should pretend not to know each other until after the mating ceremony? If Elyse makes a scene, it won't be good for either of our packs."
He had indeed mentioned this before. Rebecca, however, pouted, "I just wanted to see you. Besides, she hasn't noticed, has she?"
'She' obviously referred to me. As soon as Rebecca finished speaking, I watched Alpha Max's frown soften, and he appeared resigned before they kissed, completely oblivious to their surroundings.
Witnessing this, I felt as if my heart was being torn apart. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms without my realizing. The sound of their kiss echoed in my ears, but I refused to continue torturing myself by listening further. My steps were unsteady as I headed back to the rest area.
Half an hour later, Alpha Max returned with coffee, placing it before me with an apologetic tone, "Darling, I had to take a call, so it took a while. You weren't waiting too long, were you?"
Hearing him call me 'darling' brought back the image of their recent kiss, and I felt a wave of nausea. I sipped the coffee to quell my disgust.
Alpha Max noticed the bruising on my palm immediately, taking my hand in concern, "What happened here?"
Only then did I realize my palm was bruised from my own grip. Surprised, I subtly withdrew my hand and casually deflected, "Must have been from holding the reins too tightly."
Alpha Max insisted on treating my hand, but I didn't want him to touch me anymore and pulled away again, saying, "No need. I'll go ride."
Seeing Alpha Max's intention to follow, I quickly added, "I want to ride alone."
He didn't press further.
