CHAPTER 1

 

“Happy Birthday, my dearest Harold,” I whispered to myself, practicing the line I would say as I clutched the gift tighter. A luxury watch, engraved with my hubby’s name. 

Today was the birthday of my husband, Harold Gutcheri, the alpha of the Clawstone pack, a famous pack here in Nebraska. I remembered the time when I was told by my beta father that I would become the next Luna of the pack once Harold ascends the position of the Alpha.

It was a quick wedding that took off between our families, and even our mating ceremony happened not before long. It was just that, every single time we make love, nothing passionate ever comes out of it. Harold always ends up reaching his climax quickly before I could even cum. 

There are moments when I question myself if I was even good enough for my husband, which was why right now, I want to try and persuade him to make love with me again after I give him his birthday gift.

Elation came within me as I returned to our house with the small box in my hands, my heart heavy with dread but wrapped in a forced optimism. It was his birthday—a day that, for any other mate, would have been a celebration of love and unity. 

It wasn’t even before long when I arrived and quickly stepped through the grand entrance, the scent of freshly polished wood and burning fire filling the air, a stark contrast to the chill settling in my chest.

However, as I made my way upstairs, something stopped me dead in my tracks. There was a faint coupled laughter. Although it was faint, I couldn’t be unmistakable that my husband was not alone. What seemed to horrified me was that it was a high-pitched giggle, filled with a kind of shamelessness that made my skin crawl. 

Eventually, my gut twisted, and a cold sweat formed at the back of my neck realizing that my dear husband was inside his study with another woman–his mistress.

“Leonor, you’re fucking hot,” I heard Harold said between breaths, his voice deep with lust and so much obsession to whoever that bitch he was talking with.

Hearing them made me froze, my hand tightly clutched on the railing, it was so tight that I could see how my knuckles turned white. I know I shouldn’t even listening to this, that I should just turn around and leave, like pretend I hadn’t heard anything at all. 

But fuck it! My legs suddenly refused to move, and the conversation drifted into my ears in a more clearer manner that tormented me more.

“But I hate you, you know that?” Leonor purred, “You promised me that once become the Alpha, you would throw that pathetic excuse of a Luna out. I’m everything she’s not, Harold. She’s boring, and pathetically not skilled in bed. I bet she couldn’t even make you feel aroused at all. And Oh well, I don’t even want to go start talking about how she’s like in bed.”

A hot flush crept up my neck as they laughed. Suddenly, my entire body trembled with rage and at the same time, even humiliation for what she had just said. How could that bitch say such things about me?

“I know. Elisse was just a tool to begin with, Leonor,” Harold replied, his voice casual, and devious. “I’ve told you, my father, the late Alpha Victor, needed to see that I could keep a mate and be responsible for the pack. And you know, Elisse was just convenient for that. But I don’t need her now anymore since I’m already the Alpha. I only needed you, Leonor.”

My heart abruptly felt like it just shattered into a thousand pieces, each fragment cutting deeper than within me, wounding me severly.

What my husband just said made me reflect that this was my role to his life all along. A pawn in his twisted game of proving himself suited to be an Alpha of the Clawstone pack.

Harold had just used me. I was mated to him as a form of challenge. And it made me feel sick, my stomach twisting as their words continued to rip through within me.

“Your wife is actually so naive,” Leonor laughed again, her voice dripping with condescension. 

“Actually, earlier today, She was asking if I’d be home for dinner? Like some kind of devoted little housewife. She’s totally pathetic.” Harold even added before the continue to laugh again. 

Thier laughters were like ghost that echoed to haunt me.

“And above all that, I know she can’t even satisfy you,” Leonor’s voice dropped to a low, sultry whisper, “Unlike me who could. Her body’s nothing like mine. I bet she couldn’t even give you any boner, Harold. She doesn’t know how to please you, does she?”

Harold groaned. “She doesn’t. Not like you do. I couldn’t get aroused even if I see her naked unlike when I see you now, Leonor.”

That was it. My blood boiled and the humiliation I got churned into a firestorm of rage. And without thinking a second, I quickly pushed the bedroom door open as my heart pounded with anger. 

“Happy birthday, my dearest husband,” I spat, my voice laced with venom.

Leonor let out a startled and piercing scream, her face was contorted in panic, while my husband’s expression shifted from shock to something darker—like infuriated even. Harold and Leonor eventually sprang apart, and it made me witnessed how their eyes grew wide as they hastily pulled the blanket over their naked bodies. 

“Elisse—” Harold stood before me as he was about to explain, but I wasn’t done.

“Oh, don’t fucking bother,” I raised my hand before him to interrupt whatever he would lie before my face, my voice was toned up yet steady despite the tears that was threatening to spill down from my eyes. “I’ve heard everything clearly from the outside. Everything! To how I’m just your little tool in achieving your goal into becoming the alpha of the Clawstone pack. How I’m pathetic and boring wife, and worst of all,” I sneered, “how I can’t satisfy you in bed.”

I could feel my hands shaking, but as I continue to press on, my anger towards my husband was what pushed me forward. 

“Well, my dear husband, let me just tell you something.” I stepped forward, my voice low and sarcastis. “Just so you know, it wasn’t just you who was the only one unsatisfied here you know. I think I should be the one complaining between us since you’re no more than just a lesser seven minute guy with a tiny wiener. So damn tiny that couldn’t even bring to give me any orgasm.” 

The horrified and humiliated expression on his face was undeniably satisfying, and it gave me a brief moment of pride knowing I was able to get back at him for those harsh words he told his mistress about me. And yet, I wasn’t done. 

“Yes, Harold,” I continued, “you’ve never satisfied me either. Not even once unfortunately. So don’t come clean to your body counts when you’re just as much of a disappointment in bed as you are as a husband.”

Before Harold could even begin to respond, I kicked him squarely in the groin. He doubled over while he gasped from the pain I inflicted. And I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pleasure watching him bellowed in anguish.

“You damn bitch!” he snarled through clenched teeth as he struggled to stand. He then looked at me with his piercing gaze that were filled with rage, and somehow, fear flowed through me. 

Yet that didn’t flinch me a bit and I stood my ground while crossing my arms against my chest. I waited for whatever for his pathetic excuse. And I was right about thinking his true color would really show up.

“You think you can humiliate me like this, Elisse, huh?” he growled with his deep voice that was tinged with danger. “You think you can just walk in here and do this to me…you alpha?”

“Oh, I’m not just trying to walk pass by, my dear,” I said with my sarcastic yet calm tone before I eventually added, “it’s because I’m leaving.”

“Good! Go ahead!” he spat, struggling to his feet. “Go ahead and get the fucking hell out of my house. You have no idea what major relief it would bring me if I wouldn’t even have to see your damn face ever again.”

“Likewise for me, Harold!” I replied back.

“Marrying and turning you as the Luna of my pack was the greatest mistake my late father has ever did during his time.”

Hearing Harold say that straight to my face made me feel like my knees had suddenly weakened. I thought witnessing my husband cheated on me was already enough for the day, however, having to hear him say that straight to my face only shattered my heart completely and left me feeling almost nothing as though I had completely gone numb.

“I really shoul’ve done this long before because imprinting on you was my greatest regret. That’s why now that I am the Apha of this pack house, I Harold Gutcheri reject you, Elisse, as my mate, as my Luna. I fucking reject you.”

And there it was. It was hurtful but at the same time, it was those words I had been trying to anticipate from Harold. Following what he said, everything became awkward between the two of us that no one dare to speak up anything.

It wasn’t until I smirked—a genuine smile for the first time in a while before I bravely and bold answered him. “Thank you,” I whispered, feeling the weight of my shattered bond lifting off my chest. “I accept your rejection, Alpha Harold.”

To which then made me turned on my heel towards the opposite direction from him and walked out of the room without looking back. Well, I knew I don’t even know why I need to. But I could see how Harold’s eyes widened out of shock, that he seemed to have not anticipated I would instantly accept his rejection.

And as I walk away from them, I could still hear the curses and their frantic whispers followed me down the stairs, yet, the have no more meaning to me but noises for now. 

When I got out of the house, the air outside instantly made me felt fresh and anew.

Before going straight to my car, I then quickly threw the birthday gift onto the trash bin as I walked past the cars.

And before completely throwing it away, I even added saying, “Happy fucking birthday, you asshole of a husband.” I said hefore I turned my back at him walk his way out from the house and straight to my car to drive as far away from any of them as I could.