And every time, after he abandoned me for her, he would send roses. A pathetic attempt to smooth over the cracks, to placate me just enough to keep me in line. And like a fool, I had always accepted them, sinking deeper into the illusion that maybe, just maybe, things would get better.
But now, staring at those messages, I felt nothing but exhaustion. I was tired of pretending, tired of fighting for a mateship that had been doomed from the start.
I had forgiven him too many times, always thinking I could save us. But I was done. This time, I was truly done.
Days had passed, and the weight of my decision lingered like a heavy fog. As Luna, I still performed my duties. The Shadowveil Pack was mine by title, but in truth, it was a pack where I was merely a ghost—a Luna in name only, while the true throne was occupied by another.
Stepping out of my office in the evening, the familiar sight of Alpha Haynes standing outside caught my eye. He was dressed impeccably in a suit, his handsome face framed by the setting sun, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the confident set of his shoulders.
But despite his striking appearance, my heart remained untouched, my wolf silent and unmoved. Since the moment we first met, I felt the mate pull but my wolf was adamant about it. My wolf had been eerily quiet, almost reluctant. Perhaps she had known what kind of life awaited us, had I only listened more closely to her instincts.
I kept walking, pretending not to see him, hoping he would just let me be. But Haynes, ever persistent, quickly fell into step beside me. "It's Beta Ark's birthday today," he said, his voice even. "There's a dinner. Let's celebrate with him."
I stopped in my tracks, turning to face him. His expression was unreadable, as always. "Sure," I replied. We walked together in silence.
The night air was crisp, and as the wind picked up, a faint scent reached my nose—jasmine. The familiar floral fragrance clung to the air around Haynes, almost as if it were part of him. My heart clenched in recognition. It was Leila’s scent.
On a whim, I asked, "Do you like the smell of jasmine?"
Haynes’s eyes flickered, a brief moment of surprise flashing across his face. "It's okay," he said nonchalantly.
"Really?" I mused aloud. "Then why have I always smelled this scent on you before?"