I Tore Our Mate Bond, Alpha Craved Me

Chapter 4

Three days later, I had no idea what possessed Declan, but he showed up at the wilderness training site to pick me up and insisted on taking me to an upscale banquet attended by leaders from multiple packs.

We had been married for four years, and this was the first time he had ever been willing to take me to an event like this.

Every year at the New Moon Festival banquet, he took Beatrix and left me at home.

The evening went smoothly, and Declan seemed to be in an excellent mood.

Then Beatrix rushed in with her usual wide-eyed innocence and knocked over a glass of champagne beside an Alpha.

The drink splashed all over him. His face darkened instantly.

My face went pale too. I recognized the werewolf immediately. He was John Carter, the Alpha of Dubios Pack. He had sexually harassed me once when he came to Emberfang Pack to discuss a partnership, and Declan had stepped in before things went further.

Now John glared at Beatrix. "Do you ever watch where you're going?"

Tears sprang to Beatrix's eyes. She looked helplessly at Declan, biting her lower lip without saying a word.

Declan frowned and instinctively moved her behind him.

"She's young and hasn't been around events like this. Let it go."

That weak excuse only made John's expression harden.

He narrowed his eyes at Beatrix. "Fine. Have her wipe my clothes clean and drink with me as an apology. Do that, and I'll let it go."

Beatrix clutched Declan's sleeve, tears pooling in her eyes, yet she still refused to speak.

Declan patted her hand reassuringly. Then, without warning, he looked at me.

"Nyla, drink for Beatrix."

A tremor ran through my whole body. "Why should I?"

Declan frowned as though I were the one being unreasonable.

"Beatrix is young. She hasn't dealt with situations like this before. You're different. You're used to it."

The room fell silent.

Every guest turned to stare at me. The open mockery in their eyes made it obvious that Declan's words had left them thinking I was some paid party girl who made a living drinking with men.

Finally, someone gave Declan a knowing grin. "Wouldn't have guessed she was so experienced at her age. You're a lucky man, Declan."

Another man laughed. "Exactly. You really know how to train a woman, Declan. Even your wife knows how to keep an Alpha happy. We should all learn from you."

The vulgar remarks made the blood drain from my face.

Declan's eyes hardened as if he were about to say something, but Beatrix suddenly clung to his hand and burst into tears.

"Declan, I'm scared..."

All of Declan's attention went to her at once. He pulled Beatrix into his arms and soothed her, completely ignoring John's increasingly lewd stare at me.

At last, Alpha Cain Foster of Pathseekers Pack stepped forward and moved between John and me.

"That's enough."

That was all it took. John immediately toned it down and backed off awkwardly.

Pathseekers Pack was far more powerful than Dubios Pack, and everyone there knew it.

Cain took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders. He gave me a long, meaningful look before saying quietly, "You're still young. Don't waste another day on a marriage this rotten."

His words shattered the last scrap of pride I'd been propping up with denial.

Before leaving the banquet, I looked back at Declan one last time.

The commotion was over. Beatrix had already dropped her fragile act. She stood beside Declan, laughing and talking with the other guests as though nothing had happened.

I gave a cold laugh.

Declan seemed to have forgotten that our mate bond was what suppressed his s*x addiction.

'Once our mate bond is gone and his addiction comes roaring back, will he still be able to laugh like that?'

When I got home, I found two messages from Declan waiting for me.

Declan: Honey, I bought you a new ring. I'll give it to you when I get home.

Declan: I'm sorry about tonight.

I had barely finished reading them when my phone rang. It was the witch.

"I'm at a hotel near your house. When can you come complete the ritual?"

"I'm on my way."

I ended the call, blocked Declan on every platform, left the divorce agreement behind, picked up my luggage, and went to meet the witch.

The mate bond severing ritual was agonizing. But the instant it ended and I knew for certain that the bond was gone, I felt freer than I ever had before.

At that same moment, Declan was onstage at the banquet delivering his closing speech when his s*x addiction suddenly flared, sending a familiar, overwhelming urge through him.