The wife he gave away

Untitled EpisodeChapter7

The fire called anger

"Why?"

The word slipped out before I could stop it.

My voice sounded strange to my own ears. Thin. Broken. Like it belonged to someone else.

I stared at the path Dominic had disappeared down only moments ago. My mate. My husband. The man I'd spent years loving. The man who had just kissed another woman right in front of me.

"Why?" I whispered again. My throat burned. My chest hurt real bad. Everything hurt. "Why did he choose to break my heart?"

The question hung in the cold night air. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The forest was quiet now, too quiet.

Dominic was gone. Valeria was gone. But somehow, their betrayal still felt alive around me.

I could still see them. Still hear them laughing. Still see the way she touched his face. Still see the way he smiled at her.

That smile hurt the most.

It was not because he smiled. It was basically because I couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled like that at me.

Beside me, Alpha Alaric remained silent.

I wasn't sure if he didn't know what to say or simply understood that there was nothing anyone could say.

Eventually he spoke. "It wasn't your fault."

I laughed. The sound came out bitter and painful.

"Isn't it?"

His eyes shifted toward me. "No."

I shook my head. "You don't know that."

His expression didn't change. "I know enough."

"No, Alpha. You don't."

The words came out sharper than intended, but I didn't care.

Tonight, I didn't care about rank. I didn't care about the rules or who made them. I didn't care about the consequences of whatever I was going to do.

All I cared about was the fact that my entire marriage suddenly felt like a joke.

My eyes burned. "I cooked for him."

The words escaped before I could stop them.

"I washed his clothes."

Alpha Alaric remained silent.

"I stayed awake whenever he got sick."

My voice trembled.

"I supported him when he wanted to move up in the pack."

I laughed again.

That wasn't funny.

"When everyone else doubted him, I stood beside him."

The memories came one after another, too fast, too painful.

"I skipped things I wanted because we couldn't afford them."

My hands clenched.

"I stopped thinking about myself years ago."

The tears started falling again.

"I gave everything to that man."

My voice cracked.

"Everything."

The word echoed through the darkness. And suddenly, I couldn't stop talking. Maybe because I had spent too many years keeping things inside. Maybe because the dam had finally broken.

"I remember when he first became Beta."

I swallowed hard.

"He was terrified."

A small smile appeared despite everything.

"He thought he wasn't good enough."

Alpha Alaric listened quietly.

"He stayed awake for three nights preparing for his first council meeting."

I wiped my face.

"I stayed awake with him."

My chest tightened.

"I made coffee."

Another memory.

"I helped him organize his notes."

Another.

"I encouraged him."

Another.

"I believed in him."

The tears wouldn't stop.

"But apparently that wasn't enough."

For what felt like eternity, silence followed.

The words lingered between us. It was heavy, painful and real. My breathing became uneven. The anger I'd been holding back all night suddenly surged forward… hot, violent and dangerous.

My head snapped toward the direction Dominic had gone. "I'm going to confront him."

The decision came instantly. Like lightning. Like instinct. I turned. Ready to leave. Ready to demand answers. Ready to scream. Ready to make him look me in the eye and explain why.

Why wasn't I enough?

Why did he betray me?

Why did he destroy our family?

Why?

I took two steps. Then a hand wrapped around my wrist.

I froze.

Slowly, I looked down.

Alpha Alaric.

His grip wasn't painful, but it was firm, strong and unmovable.

I stared at him, stunned.

"What are you doing?"

His expression remained calm. "Sit down."

For a second, I genuinely wondered if I'd heard him correctly. "What?"

"Sit," he said again.

I blinked, then stared, then blinked again.

Had the man lost his mind?

My entire life was falling apart. My husband had just been caught cheating. And Alpha Alaric wanted me to sit down?

I let out an incredulous laugh. "Are you serious, alpha?"

"Yes."

I stared harder. He looked serious… annoyingly serious.

"I am not sitting down."

"I am your alpha, and my word is law. Sit down, Seraphina."

The command carried enough authority to stop even my next sentence. I hated that, especially because a small part of me wanted to obey.

Eventually, after several seconds of glaring at him, I dropped onto a nearby fallen log. Mostly because my legs were shaking anyway.

Alpha Alaric sat on another log opposite me. For a while, neither of us spoke.

The wind moved softly through the trees overhead. Somewhere in the distance, an owl called.

Then finally he spoke.

"When I was younger, my father told me a story."

I frowned. A story? Now? Seriously?

I almost told him exactly what I thought of his timing. Then curiosity got the better of me.

"What story?"

His gaze drifted toward the forest. "There was once a wolf who discovered his mate had betrayed him."

I stiffened immediately.

Of course there was.

"The wolf became angry," he continued.

His voice remained calm. "Very angry."

I folded my arms. "What happened?"

"The wolf wanted revenge."

I said nothing.

"The more he thought about revenge, the angrier he became."

The night seemed quieter now, as if even the forest was listening.

"So he challenged the other man."

I frowned. "And?"

"He won."

I blinked. "That's good."

"No."

My eyebrows pulled together. "No?"

Alpha Alaric shook his head. "He won the fight."

His eyes met mine.

"But he lost everything else."

Something in his voice made me pay closer attention.

"The challenge divided the pack."

I remained silent.

"The dead wolf's family wanted justice."

He continued…

"The betrayed mate wanted more revenge."

His voice lowered.

"Friends chose sides."

The story no longer sounded like a story. It sounded like a warning.

"The anger kept growing."

I swallowed. "And eventually?"

"The wolf became the very thing he hated."

The words settled heavily between us.

I looked away first. For several seconds, neither of us spoke. Then I laughed quietly… a sad laugh this time.

"Alpha, I am confused," I managed to say.

His answer came immediately. "My point is that anger lies."

I frowned. "You speak in riddles, alpha."

He probably enjoyed watching me look confused.

"It convinces you that destruction will make you feel better," he continued.

The forest suddenly felt colder.

"It rarely does."

I looked toward the path Dominic had taken. The anger was still there, burning, waiting, and demanding action. But now, another feeling sat beside it. Exhaustion. Pain. Confusion.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked.

My voice sounded smaller than before.

"I just pretend nothing happened?," I said before he spoke.

"No."

"Then what would you have me do, Alpha Alaric?"

His jaw tightened slightly. The first real emotion I'd seen from him all night.

"You think."

I stared. "Think?"

"Yes."

The answer irritated me.

Of course it did.

Thinking was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted answers. I wanted justice. I wanted Dominic to hurt the way I was hurting.

Alpha Alaric seemed to read every one of those thoughts. Because his next words hit harder than anything else he'd said.

"You don't have all the information."

I froze. "What?"

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"The conversation we heard tonight wasn't normal."

I thought about it… about the confidence… about the plans… about the secrets. Slowly, unwillingly, I realized he was right.

Something else was happening. Something bigger. Something hidden.

The realization made my stomach twist. I hated it… because it meant I couldn't simply confront Dominic.

Not yet.

Not if I wanted the truth.

I looked back at Alpha Alaric. His expression remained calm and controlled… far calmer than mine.

Then again, maybe he was just better at hiding things.

"What should I do?" I asked quietly.

His answer came without hesitation.

"Nothing."

I stared. "What?"

"Go home."

The suggestion sounded ridiculous. "That's your advice?"

"Yes."

I shook my head and stood again, frustration boiling over.

"No. I'm confronting him."

Alpha Alaric rose to his feet as well, his eyes locked onto mine.

The air between us suddenly felt heavier. More serious. More dangerous.

"Don't."

The word wasn't loud, but it stopped me anyway.

I swallowed. "Why?"

For the first time all night, something dark flickered across his face… something haunted… something painful.

His gaze held mine, steady and unwavering. And then he answered.

"Because it'll destroy you."