Too Late To Want His Moonlight Back

5

Delilah leaned forward as far as the ropes around her wrists allowed. She looked at Melena desperately.

"Please," she whispered. "You have to call Mark."

Melena frowned. "This is crazy."

"Tell him you've been kidnapped. Tell him they want one million dollars." Delilah's voice cracked as another tear rolled down her cheek. "I need to know who he'll choose. I need to know if he'll finally choose me."

Melena stared at her, wondering if she'd gone crazy. Earlier, she'd felt sorry for her, but now... she wasn't so sure. Delilah seemed like a dishonest person. But again, if Melena wanted to get out of here, she'd have to play along.

"Fine," she said. "I'll do it."

Relief flooded Delilah's face. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," Melena replied with a sigh. "I'm only doing this because I'd like to leave before I die of secondhand stupidity."

One of the men pulled a cheap burner phone from his jacket, dialed Mark's number, and shoved it into Melena's hand.

The sandy-haired Alpha crouched in front of her. His pheromones hit her instantly, carrying the crisp scent of whiskey and cold pine after rain. The rich scent wrapped around her senses, making her pulse skip for the briefest moment before it abruptly faded. Her gaze caught the dark suppressant patch adhered to the side of his neck. He was probably in rut. Without the patch, his pheromones would've been overwhelming. Even suppressed, they carried enough weight to tell her exactly what he was. A first-class Alpha…far more powerful than Mark, who was only a second-class Alpha.

"When he answers, I want you to sound very terrified."

The phone rang only once before the call connected.

"Hello?" Mark's familiar voice echoed through the speaker.

Melena swallowed hard. For a brief moment, she almost forgot the kidnapping was fake.

"Mark..." Her voice trembled naturally. "Oh Goddess... they grabbed me."

"Lena?"

"I'm tied up somewhere. I don't know where I am." She let panic creep into her voice. "They said they want one million dollars. Please... they're going to kill me."

Mark went silent for a heartbeat before his voice cracked. "What? Lena, where are you? Are you hurt? Stay calm, okay? Just stay calm. I'm coming. Whatever they want, I'll fix it."

Melena's chest tightened despite herself. He sounded genuinely terrified, but then again, he'd sounded sincere plenty of times before. She knew better than to trust his voice.

The sandy-haired Alpha took the phone from her and held it to his ear."We'll send the address," he said coldly. "One million dollars. No police. Come alone. If you don't, your girlfriend pays the price."

He ended the call without waiting for a response.

Silence settled over the basement.

Melena leaned her head against the pillar and let out a quiet breath. That had easily been the strangest phone call she'd ever made.

They waited in silence for Mark to arrive.

It didn't take long before hurried footsteps thundered down the stairs. The basement door slammed open, bouncing against the wall as Mark rushed inside with a black duffel bag slung over one shoulder. His blond hair was a mess, his breathing uneven, and his blue eyes frantically searched the room until they landed on Melena and Delilah, both tied to concrete pillars.

He froze.

The color drained from his face as his gaze bounced between them.

"Lena? Delilah? What the hell is going on?"

Melena watched him quietly. He had actually come alone, just like they demanded. No police. No backup. Just a bag full of money. Maybe he wasn't completely heartless after all.

The sandy-haired Alpha stepped in front of him. "Glad you made it."

"I brought the money," Mark said, tightening his grip on the duffel bag. "Now let them go."

The Alpha folded his arms. "Not yet."

Mark frowned. "What do you mean, not yet?"

"It's simple. You only get to save one of them."

Mark stared at him in disbelief. "What?"

"You heard me. Pick one."

"I brought the money!"

"And you did exactly what we asked."

"Then let them both go!"

The Alpha shrugged. "I changed my mind."

"What kind of sick game is this?"

"The only one we're playing."

Mark's breathing became uneven as panic filled the room with the sharp scent of cedar and citrus. His eyes shifted to Melena, then Delilah, then back again as if he couldn't force himself to make a choice.

Delilah suddenly burst into tears. "Mark, please save me. I don't want to die."

Her shoulders shook as she cried, and she rested a trembling hand over her stomach.

"Please... think about our baby."

If Melena hadn't already known this kidnapping was fake, she would have believed every word. Delilah deserved an award for that performance.

The sandy-haired Alpha checked his watch. "You have one minute."

Mark stared at him."One minute?"

"Choose."

Melena shifted against the ropes, trying not to roll her eyes. This whole thing felt like some twisted joke.

Mark stood there frozen, looking from one woman to the other while his grip tightened around the duffel bag.

"Thirty seconds," the Alpha said.

Mark dragged a hand over his face. "No... I can't."

"You can," the Alpha replied calmly. "Twenty seconds."

The basement fell silent. Even the other men stopped joking as everyone waited for Mark's decision.

Melena sighed quietly. Just choose Delilah already. The relationship was over, and she had no intention of taking him back. The sooner he made up his mind, the sooner this nonsense could end.

Mark looked at her one last time, and she saw it all in his eyes…regret, guilt, and an apology that had come far too late.

His shoulders sagged as though something inside him had finally given way. "Delilah."

This time, there was no hesitation.

"I choose Delilah."

Delilah let out a shaky sob as Mark stepped toward her without taking his eyes off her.

"I used to think you were just a substitute," he admitted. "But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you. I can't lose you. I'll take care of you and our baby. I promise."

Melena stayed silent.

The sandy-haired Alpha nodded once."Untie her."

The ropes around Delilah were removed immediately, and Mark was at her side before they even hit the floor.

"Delilah."

Relief slipped through his voice as he pulled her into his arms. He quickly checked her shoulders and arms for injuries before his hands settled protectively around her waist. His eyes dropped to her stomach.

"The baby... is the baby okay?"

Delilah nodded shakily and buried her face against his chest."Yes. I was so scared, Mark."

"I know," he murmured, gently stroking her hair. "It's over now. I've got you. You don't have to be scared anymore."

His pheromones wrapped around her in a protective embrace, replacing the panic that had filled the basement only moments earlier.

Melena watched them in silence, surprised by how little she felt. She had expected jealousy, anger, or heartbreak, but instead there was only a quiet sense of finality. Watching them together felt less like losing someone she loved and more like watching two strangers walk away. Maybe this was how it had always been meant to end.

The sandy-haired Alpha jerked his head toward the stairs."Go."

Mark looked up."What?"

"You got what you came for. Leave."

Another man smirked."Before we change our minds."

Mark didn't argue. Keeping an arm around Delilah's waist, he carefully guided her toward the stairs, supporting her every step as she leaned against him like she barely had the strength to walk.

Oscar-worthy performance, Melena thought.

Halfway to the stairs, Mark stopped and slowly turned around. His eyes met hers, and the guilt on his face was impossible to miss. "I'm... I'm sorry, Lena."

The apology came out barely above a whisper before he looked away again.

Melena simply held his gaze. She didn't cry, yell, or ask him to stay. There was nothing left to say. He had made his choice, and she'd made hers the moment she walked away from that restaurant.

Mark gave one last guilty nod before disappearing upstairs with Delilah. The heavy basement door slammed shut, and silence settled over the room.

Melena let out a quiet breath, but before she could gather her thoughts, the door creaked open again.

Delilah peeked back inside.

Mark had already walked ahead and wasn't looking.

The tears were gone. So was the trembling, frightened Omega from a few moments ago. In her place stood a woman wearing the smallest, most satisfied smile Melena had ever seen.

A chill crawled down Melena's spine as Delilah held her gaze and slowly mouthed. “He chose me.”

Her smile widened. She glanced toward the stairs to make sure Mark wasn't watching, then looked back at Melena and silently formed another sentence. “And I'm not even pregnant.”