Chapter 10
Cecilia
There was nothing but heavy silence on the other end of the line.
“It was just the heat of the moment,” Xavier finally said, his voice dropping into that gentle tone he used whenever he was trying to manipulate me. “I didn’t mean to hurt you p>
I hate his false affectionate mask of hypocritical behavior.
“Save it,” I cut him off, each word he spoke making my stomach churn. “Whether you meant it or not doesn’t change the fact that you laid hands on me. The Alpha who swore to protect me became the one who hurt me p>
“Fine, fine, it’s my fault. It’s all my fault,” he growled, his Alpha temperament slipping through his false contrition. “Just tell me where you are! I need to know right now p>
“I already told you, I’ll come back p>
“You will return home tonight,” he demanded, his voice dropping to that dangerous timbre that made most pack members cower, “or I swear I’ll tear this city apart until I find you p>
I could sense his fury building, his control slipping. My body instinctively tensed, remembering all too well how an Alpha’s rage could fill a room.
After a long pause, I finally relented, agreeing to return within the hour.
When he got like this—territorial and frenzied—he was capable of anything. I couldn’t risk him discovering my new apartment. It would be my sanctuary once the divorce papers were signed.
As Harper drove me back to what had once been my home,she gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“This asshole betrays you over and over, yet still acts like he owns you,” she fumed. “That temper, that terrifying need to control everything… Cecilia, when he finds out you tricked him into signing those divorce papers, I’m afraid he might actually kill you p>
I gazed out at the city lights twinkling in the distance, feeling strangely detached from it all. “Maybe I should keep some wolfsbane handy,” I joked darkly. “Poison him before he gets the chance to strangle me p>
The moment I stepped through the door, Xavier rushed toward me like a storm, his face a complex mixture of concern and barely contained anger. The scent of his anxiety hung heavy in the air.
I gave him a cold glance and moved past him to change my shoes, determined to maintain my distance.
As I bent down, a sharp pain shot through my injured back, causing me to wince visibly.
Xavier reached out to steady me, his instinct to protect his mate.
“Don’t touch me!” I hissed, recoiling as though his touch burned my skin. I’d rather endure the pain than feel his hands on me again—the same hands that had been all over Cici earlier today.
Something flickered in Xavier’s eyes—hurt, perhaps, or guilt. Good. Let him suffer a fraction of what I had.
He withdrew his hand and followed me into the living room, pulling out his phone as we walked. “I’ve installed security cameras in the office,” he said, holding the screen up for me to see. “You can check the feed anytime you want. What happened today won’t happen again p>
This caught me off guard. I’d expected him to minimize the situation as he always did when caught in his lies.
I studied the screen thoughtfully. “Afraid I might walk in on another of your intimate moments with your little candy girl? Worried about embarrassing her again p>
Xavier’s jaw tightened. “There’s nothing between us p>
When I raised an eyebrow, he continued, his voice becoming more insistent. “Fine. I admit I find her fun and cute, but I only see her as a little sister. She’s at the company because her father asked me to mentor her p>
He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I once found endearing but now saw as calculated. “We’re signing the contract with Shadow Pack next week. The Whites made this small request—how could I refuse p>
How convenient. He framed it perfectly—she was just a sister figure, a business obligation. Nothing that would justify his allowing her to disrespect his mate, satisfying her every whim at the expense of his wife’s dignity.
When had he become so false? This wasn’t the man whose bond I had accepted years ago.
My eyes locked with his, steady and unflinching. After a moment, I put on a mask of sudden understanding. “Oh, I see. Just a sister, hmm? But didn’t she mention all those nights you spent together? A brother sleeping with his sister—isn’t that called incest in human terms p>
“A child whose impulsiveness you find so fun and cute,” I countered.
Xavier sighed deeply, recognizing he was getting nowhere. “Look, there’s nothing between us. In a few days, you can go on that trip we discussed. When you return, we’ll start trying for a pup. After that, you can settle comfortably into your role as Luna of Blood Moon Pack. I promise, that position will always belong to you p>
I stared at him as a smile slowly formed on my lips, the revelation settling like ice in my veins.
Now I understood.
The Luna position would always be mine, so I was expected to turn a blind eye to his increasingly wild heart and its desires. Why should I accommodate him? He’d betrayed me with Cici—taking vacations together, sleeping together, watching sunrises… He’d slashed my heart to ribbons, and now he expected me to cradle those bloody pieces while bearing his children and growing old by his side?
How cruel and selfish this man had become.
“I love you,” Xavier said, interpreting my smile as forgiveness. He pulled me into his arms before I could resist, holding me with a desperate intensity, as if truly afraid of losing me.
But my heart remained unmoved, a frozen landscape where his warmth could no longer reach.
With each truth I uncovered about him, my resolve to leave only grew stronger.
Xavier helped me upstairs and called the pack doctor to examine my back. Only after confirming there was no bone damage did his tension visibly ease.
When I entered the bathroom, he followed, hovering in the doorway. “Let me help you,” he offered.
“No need,” I replied coldly.
If he dared touch me with the same hands that had caressed another woman, I truly might consider slipping wolfsbane into his morning coffee.
Xavier sensed my continued resistance to his proximity. Frustration flickered across his features, but he knew better than to push me further tonight.
“I’ll wait outside. Call if you need anything p>
“Sure,” I responded with a plastic smile.
Don’t worry, I thought bitterly. I’d rather die from pain than ask for your help.
When I emerged wearing my nightgown, Xavier still stood by the door. The steam from my shower carried my scent toward him—fresh, clean, and distinctly mine. His eyes darkened as they traveled over my exposed shoulders and collarbone, his wolf responding instinctively to its mate.
I moved toward the bed, preparing to sleep, but noticed the hungry look in his eyes. “My back is killing me,” I said flatly. “If you’re hoping for anything physical tonight, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed p>
Xavier wrapped his arms around me from behind, his lips brushing against my shoulder, blocking any escape. “I can be gentle,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin.
“I’m exhausted and in pain. I’m not in the mood!” My voice was sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t bear his touch right now.
Xavier stared at my complete lack of interest, frustration evident in every line of his body. An Alpha werewolf wasn’t accustomed to rejection, especially from his mate.
He released me, his expression unreadable. “Get some rest, then p>
Without another word, he turned and left the room.
Author
The next day, in the most elegant western restaurant near Blood Moon.
“Cecilia, you really decided to leave?” Jasmine asked with red eyes. In the private room, the core members of the project department sat around the dining table, and the atmosphere was particularly heavy. The champagne was not blooming, the red wine was not poured, and the cheerful department gathering in the past was like a farewell ceremony at this moment.
“Yes,” Cecilia raised her wine glass and pretended to be smiling, but there was an indescribable fatigue in her eyes. “I’m sorry to leave everyone like this p>
“But you have paid so much for Blood Moon,” another team leader Tom interrupted eagerly. “We all remember how you worked hard step by step. At first, some people said you depend on relationships, but every project sets a new record in your hands. Even competitors say that Blood Moon has today’s market share because of you p>
“Yes,” Linda of the marketing department held her hand and sighed. “I remember that on the day the project was successful last quarter, you were so excited that you were like a kid, more concerned about the company’s development than Alpha. We all thought… you will soon become the official Luna p>
Before he finished speaking, there was an awkward silence on the dining table. Everyone knows about the woman in the White family, and this topic is now particularly sensitive.
“Don’t mention those,” Cecilia shook her head gently, with relief in her voice. “I have my reasons. If you need help in the future, you can contact me anytime p>
Jasmine could no longer control her sobs, her eyes were blurred: “What should I do if you leave? The lady from White’s house can’t even use Excel p>
“Speaking of this,” Alex of the Human Resources Department seemed to suddenly think of something, and said seriously, “Have you ever thought about the Silver Peak Pack p>
The atmosphere on the dining table suddenly changed, and even the sob stopped.
“I heard that their Alpha son has just returned from Wall Street and is still empty in recruiting talents, especially the chief secretary. The salary is said to be twice as high as Blood Moon p>
“You mean that Sebastian Black?” Linda exclaimed, letting go of Cecilia’s hand. “The business genius, a cold-hearted person, is said to have a particularly strict requirement for his subordinates? The Wall Street Journal said he quadrupled his family’s assets in three years p>
Cecilia’s eyes flashed. Silver Peak Pack, the most prestigious wolf pack in this area… Perhaps, this is another way fate has prepared for her.