Betrayed by the One Who Claimed to LoveChapter 1
For five years, I’d been in a secret relationship with Asher, the Gamma of our pack, Crescent Moon, and my older brother’s best friend. As the Beta’s younger sister, I’d grown up surrounded by pack politics, but I wasn’t directly involved. My position as a simple pack member gave me a sense of freedom, one I thought Asher valued.
Asher insisted we keep our relationship hidden to ‘protect my reputation.’ At first, I believed him—he always made it sound noble. But lately, I’d started wondering if there was more to his secrecy than he let on.
That night, I decided to surprise him. I’d overheard he was at a gathering with some of his friends, so I followed the location. As I reached the door of the private room, I froze. Their voices spilled out, loud and careless.
"Hey Asher!" someone snickered, "what’s the plan now that Celeste is back? Still keeping Lois around as your stand-in?"
My heart skipped a beat.
Another voice chimed in, laughter laced with cruelty. "Man, you’ve got guts! Pretending to love Adam’s sister while waiting for your real love to come back. I didn’t think you’d pull it off for five years!"
"Celeste left him high and dry," another friend jeered. "Using Lois as a placeholder was fair game. She deserves it for coming back so suddenly, right?"
The room erupted into laughter, but not a single word of denial came from Asher. Not even a weak attempt to defend me.
I backed away, my stomach twisting. As I walked home, the memories of his tender words and promises felt like ashes in my mouth. He’d always been so careful, so charming. How many of those moments were lies?
The next day, Asher picked me up and took me to a banquet—a surprise celebration for Celeste’s birthday. He acted like nothing had happened, holding my hand and whispering sweet nothings in my ear. But I couldn’t shake the bitterness gnawing at my chest.
When Celeste made her dramatic entrance, Asher’s grip on my hand tightened. She was stunning, glowing with the confidence of someone who knew she had the world in her grasp. When her eyes landed on us—on me and Asher, standing so close together—her expression crumbled.
Tears welled in her eyes, and before anyone could stop her, she turned and ran out of the hall. Asher didn’t hesitate. He pushed me aside like an afterthought and chased after her.