I shoved the blanket away and got up before walking to the window. I scanned the ground below. Nothing unusual, just an ordinary day. “Who’s the visiting Alpha?”
“Alpha Jacob.”
A growl rumbled in my chest before I turned around, my eyes dilating. “Who the hell allowed him entrance into my territory? Did you? I’m going to rip your head off.”
“I did. And before you start throwing a tantrum, go fix yourself and face him. We’re lucky this Alpha didn’t give us shit like all the other Alphas when you suddenly decided to cut off ties with every pack around outside of the treaty agreement dates!”
My eyes squinted, but I tried to control myself. My Beta’s jaw was twitching, and his hands were already coiled into fists. He was controlling his outburst. Maybe I would push him a little more, and maybe he would throw that punch I’d been wanting to have to numb me from all the pain I felt inside.
Three months.
It had been three months since she left me, and the pain still felt like it was just yesterday. My mate. She broke me in a way no one else ever did. Not even my mother or Andrea broke me this way.
And I still couldn’t forget her.
I slept with her in my arms, hoping for a brighter tomorrow, only to find her gone when I opened my eyes. I tried to scent her so I could follow her trail, but the rain made it harder for me.
She left me, and I was left with no information about her—no clues, no names.
All I knew was that she carried my mark and that for the last three months, she had not kissed or been intimate with anyone. It was the only thing that kept me hopeful. But every day, that hope was slowly dying.
I didn’t know how many times I went back to the cave to check if she had come back. Two full moons, I went around and scouted for her, but Hunter couldn’t find her. I spent the first month visiting Darvin’s territory almost every day, hoping to catch a whiff of her, but there was nothing.
I finally gave up—not just on her. I gave up on life and on being an Alpha. I cut alliances with all the others and let my pack stand alone. I was only waiting for someone to challenge me to take over.
I also asked my Beta to challenge me for the title because I knew I would easily let him win, but he took it as a joke and moved on. I didn’t know how to tell him I didn’t want this anymore. I was tired.
I felt completely worthless, unworthy of being loved, and unworthy of being an Alpha.
This might be my karma for pushing myself onto Andrea—the price I had to pay for taking someone else’s mate. In the end, my own mate refused to claim me.
I felt a fabric touch my back, and it snapped me out of my thoughts. My Beta threw my clothes on me.
“Shower and go to your office. Don’t make me put clothes on you, or I swear to the Goddess I’ll cut off your balls and throw them to the rogues. I’m your Beta, not your babysitter.”
I didn’t say anything and simply picked up the clothes before heading to my bathroom. As much as I didn’t want to face anyone, I also knew Jacob would never take no for an answer. I didn’t need an additional headache. My Beta alone was already too much.
After I showered and put on decent clothes, I headed downstairs. As soon as I entered my office, my Beta and Gamma stood up from their seats and acknowledged my presence while I stayed rooted by the door.
I nodded at them before darting my eyes to the cocky Alpha sitting comfortably on the couch in my office with a glass of whiskey in his hand.
“Isn’t it too early for a drink?” I told him sarcastically as I strode inside my office towards my office chair, my eyes flying to the clock overhead. It was almost noontime.
“You shouldn’t worry about me. I can perfectly function as an Alpha even with alcohol in my system. You, on the other hand…” He chuckled before setting his glass on the table beside him.
My brow raised as I waited for him to continue, but he just kept smirking, which irked me more.
“Leave us,” I ordered in a cold tone. Both my Beta and Gamma left the room without any more words.
“What do you want? I don’t want to renew any alliances with your pack.” I told him straight to the point, leaning my back against my chair before closing my eyes. I should be sleeping instead of looking at his fucking face.
“Who said I want an alliance with your pack? You’re just going to be a liability for me.”
Cocky bastard.
“So why did you bother to come here?”
“I want to check how you’ve been doing.”
