Chapter 4

Elaine ran—ran as though the very air around her was suffocating, as though the walls of her world were caving in. She didn’t care where her feet carried her. She only knew she had to escape. Away from their voices, away from their justifications, away from the betrayal that had shattered everything she believed in. Her lungs burned, her chest heaved, but she didn’t stop until the familiar sound of rushing water reached her ears. Her sanctuary. The waterfall stood tall and untamed near the border of the territory, its steady roar drowning out the noise of the world. It was her safe place, the one corner of the packlands where no one followed, no one demanded, no one judged. She stumbled toward it, her knees finally giving out beneath her as she collapsed onto the damp earth. Her hands dug into the soil, her body shaking violently, and at last, she let it out. A raw, broken scream tore from her throat, echoing across the rocks and mingling with the thunder of the falls. She screamed again, louder, until her voice cracked, until it felt like the sound itself might rip her apart. Tears she had held back in that suffocating room now poured freely, unstoppable, spilling down her cheeks as relentlessly as the waterfall before her. The rushing water became the only witness to her pain, its endless cascade mirroring the endless ache in her heart. She wept for everything she had lost. She wept for her family. The bond that had always defined her, the protectiveness of her father who once promised to keep her safe, the warmth of her mother who used to be her comfort, and the unconditional love of her sister who had always been her best friend. That bond was gone, severed cleanly and without mercy. What remained was only betrayal, duty spoken in cold voices, and the realization that her family had chosen the pack over her. She wept for Michael—her mate. The man who was supposed to be her forever, her partner, her other half given by the Goddess herself. She wept for the stolen future she had once dared to dream of: the companionship, the partnership, the nights of laughter, and the pups she imagined they would raise together. All of it, ripped away before it could even begin. Her wolf howled inside her, keening with agony, mourning their mate in a voice that resonated deep into her bones. The sound was so piercing it nearly brought Elaine to her knees all over again. 'He did not abandon us,' her wolf whispered desperately. 'His wolf still wants us. It was Michael who chose this, not his wolf.' But the words brought no comfort. They only deepened the wound. If it was Michael, the man, the leader, who made the choice, then it meant he had looked at her and decided she was not enough. Not even worth fighting for. She remembered last night. The fire in his eyes when they had discovered they were mates, the heat of his touch, the way their bodies had fit together like they were meant to. For a moment, she had believed in it, in them. But now she understood the truth. That was why he had not marked her. That was why he had held back, why something had felt restrained even in their passion. He had already chosen Kathy. He had already decided to betray her. A sob shook her shoulders. He hadn’t just rejected her. He had used her. Used her body, her heart, her trust, knowing full well he had no intention of staying. She had given him everything, and still it wasn’t enough. And worst of all, everyone in that room had agreed. Her father. Her mother. Her sister. The Alpha. The Luna. All of them had stood by silently, justifying it, as though her pain was a fair price for the sake of the pack. Her chest heaved, her breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. She curled forward, clutching her stomach as though she could physically hold herself together, as though her body might unravel completely if she let go. But slowly—so slowly—the tears began to dry. The waterfall still roared, steady and indifferent, as if reminding her that the world would not stop for her pain. The night deepened around her, stars beginning to glimmer faintly above the trees. She forced herself to sit straighter, though her body still trembled. She could not stay here, drowning in grief. If she remained in the pack house, surrounded by their lies and betrayal, she would wither. She would break beyond repair. No, she needed a plan. Her mind began to turn, shaky at first, but with growing determination. She could not live another day under the same roof as the Beta family. Every glance, every whispered word would suffocate her further. She could not watch Michael parade around with her sister, pretending nothing had happened. She would not survive it. But she could not leave the pack entirely. Not yet. Not until after the mating ceremony. They would force her to attend. She knew it, and if she vanished before, they would hunt her down. But afterward… afterward she could leave, and she would never return. There was no one here worth staying for anymore. Her mind drifted to a place she had once heard about, a half-forgotten structure at the far edge of the border. A house where wolves awaiting punishment used to be kept, abandoned now, its walls left to the wild. No one went there anymore. That was where she would go. A month. That was all she had to endure. A month hidden away, alone, far from the eyes of those who betrayed her. There, she wouldn’t have to plaster a smile, wouldn’t have to choke down her grief. She could be herself. Broken. Angry. Free. The only time she would need to pretend was when the Alpha summoned her presence. She would make those appearances minimal, bear them in silence, and then vanish again. But that would require preparation. She would have to resign her position as the Beta’s secretary. The thought stung. It was the only role that had once made her feel useful, important. But she could no longer serve them, not after what they had done. Hours slipped by as she sat at her sanctuary, the waterfall’s endless rhythm anchoring her as she pieced together the fragments of her plan. Only when the moon stood high and the night was thick around her did she notice how much time had passed. The world was quiet now, save for the water and the faint whisper of wind in the trees. Through the bond, she felt the faint pressure of her family’s voices. Beta Richard, her mother Lucille, even Kathy, all trying to reach her, asking if she was safe. But her mind was locked down, sealed. She would not let them in. Not tonight. Tonight was for mourning. Tonight was for her grief. Tomorrow… tomorrow she would be stronger.