Chapter 3: The Last Humiliation
But it didn’t end there, i found myself in
front of him.
The ride to the pack retreat was suffocating. Lukas had fallen into his usual silence, his hands gripping the steering wheel as though it might shatter beneath his force. I sat rigidly, staring out at the rain–soaked trees blurring past the window. My wolf paced inside me, restless and simmering with rage.
Celeste’s voice still echoed in my head. Mistress. The audacity of it.
“You’ll need to change before we arrive,” Lukas said, breaking the silence. His tone was curt, as though he were speaking to a subordinate rather than his mate. “There’s a dress in the backseat.”
I turned my head slowly to look at him.
“Celeste‘ s, I assume?”
His jaw tightened, and he didn’t answer.
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That was confirmation enough.
I reached back, my fingers brushing over the expensive silk. It reeked of her perfume -overpowering, sickly sweet, and utterly revolting. “I’m not wearing this,” I said, dropping it onto the floor like the trash it
was.
“Ayla,” Lukas growled, his Alpha dominance bleeding into his tone.
“Don’t make this harder than it needs to
be.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Harder for who? You, Lukas? Or your precious Celeste? Do you think this little display will fool anyone? They already know.”
His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel. “You don‘ t know what you‘ re talking about.”
“Oh, I think I do.” I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “They call her the mistress to her face, don‘ t they? What do they call me behind.
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my back? The joke?”
His silence was deafening.
The packhouse loomed ahead, its towering structure shrouded in mist. The driveway was packed with luxury cars, their owners. mingling under the grand awning, oblivious to the storm raging around them.
Lukas parked near the entrance, turning to me with an expression that teetered. between frustration and desperation.
“Just… stay by my side tonight. Don‘ t cause a scene.”
I smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
He stepped out first, his Alpha persona. snapping into place like a well–worn mask. He strode around to my side, opening the door and offering his hand. I ignored it, stepping out on my own, letting the rain. soak through my clothes.
Whispers followed us as we ascended the steps, their judgmental gazes lingering on my bedraggled appearance. Lukas placed a
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firm hand on my lower back, a possessive gesture meant to silence the rumors. Instead, it only fueled my anger.
The grand hall was a display of opulence and excess, the air thick with the mingling scents of wolves from all corners of the region. Celeste was waiting near the hearth, a glass of wine in hand, her golden hair cascading down her back like a
goddess descended from the heavens. She saw us immediately, her lips curving into a smug smile.
“Ayla,” she purred, stepping forward. “You made it. How… unexpected.”
“Celeste,” I replied, matching her tone. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Her gaze dropped to my rain–soaked jeans and bloody forehead. “Oh dear, you‘ ve had quite the journey. Shall I have someone bring you something more… appropriate?”
“Don’t trouble yourself,” I said,
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brushing past her. “I’m perfectly
comfortable.”
The room fell into a tense hush as I moved deeper into the crowd, Lukas trailing behind me. The pack members parted, their eyes darting between us with poorly concealed curiosity. They were waiting for the show, the inevitable clash.
But I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. Not yet.
The meeting began with the usual formalities–territory disputes, alliance. updates, and endless discussions about rogue sightings. I tuned it out, my attention. drifting to Celeste, who sat across the
room, her eyes fixed on Lukas like a predator watching its prey.
Every touch, every glance they exchanged was a dagger to my chest. But instead of crumbling, I let it fuel me.
When the meeting finally adjourned, the pack mingled once more, their voices a
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cacophony of gossip and laughter. Celeste wasted no time, sidling up to Lukas with a dazzling smile.
“Lukas,” she said, her voice dripping with faux innocence. “There’s a matter I’d like to discuss. Privately.”
His gaze flicked to me, and for a brief moment, I saw hesitation. But it was fleeting. He nodded and followed her toward the private lounge, leaving me alone amidst the sea of judgmental stares.
I didn’t follow. Not immediately. Instead, I let the minutes drag on, joining the crowd, pretending to listen to meaningless. conversations. My wolf itched to confront them, to expose their lies, but I forced her down.
When I finally approached the lounge, the door was ajar. Their voices filtered through, low and intimate.
“You should‘ ve left her,” Celeste was saying. “She doesn’t belong here, Lukas.
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She never did.”
“You think I don‘ t know that?” he
snapped. “Do you have any idea what this is costing me?”
I stepped into the doorway, my heart pounding but my face calm. “Am I interrupting?”
Celeste froze, her eyes widening. Lukas. turned slowly, his expression shifting from anger to something unreadable.
“Ayla,” he began, his voice steady but strained. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because it looks like you‘ re discussing how inconvenient I am for both of you.”
Celeste opened her mouth, but I cut her off. “Save it. I’m not here to argue.” I stepped closer, meeting Lukas‘ gaze. “I just want you to know that this is the last time you’ll humiliate me.”
He frowned. “What are you talking
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about?”
I smiled–a cold, bitter smile. “You‘ 11
see.”
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