hapter 5
The shock on their faces was undeniable.
“I should‘ ve known…” I said, my voice shaking with fury as the betrayal settled in.
“Good asset, huh?” I spat, bitterness coating every word. Without waiting for an answer, I stormed over to grab my purse. “I should‘ ve known… none of you were ever genuinely nice to me, right from the
start!”
“Wait, Lyka! You didn’t hear the whole conversation!” Nickle‘ s voice was frantic, eyes wide with panic.,
“I don’ t give a damn about the whole conversation!” I snapped. My hands shook as I dug through my purse, pulling out the engagement ring Ralph had given me–the one I’d kept like some goddamn
treasure.
I slammed it down on the table, the metallic clink sounding like a final blow. “I was just too fucking blind and ‘loyal‘ to see you were using me for your own gain.”
“Lyka, calm down!” Ralph stood up, grabbing my wrist. “You‘ re jumping to conclusions! You need to listen to our side!”
“Oh, really?” I yanked my hand away, my voice trembling with fury. “Like when I ‘jumped to conclusions‘ after I saw you sticking your dick inside of her last week? Both of you, moaning like you didn’t have a care in the world?” I pointed straight at Tina. Their stunned faces only fueled my rage. “Tell me, Ralph, what conclusion should I have come to?”
“Lyka, I’m so sorry!” Tina‘ s voice wavered as she stepped forward, hands trembling. “It was my fault. I was in heat, and Ralph was around me. I shouldn’t have-”
“Oh, fuck that!” I cut her off, my voice seething with venom. “But you did it anyway. In HIS house. In OUR bed. You knew I lived there. How fucking stupid do you think I am?”
I turned to Ralph, my heart growing colder by the second. “We‘ re done.” My voice was icy now, cutting through the chaos. “Since we never consummated our mate bond, I’m breaking it right here. An Alpha like you won’t feel a damn thing, right?”
“Lyka, wait-”
But I was beyond waiting. “In the name of the Moon Goddess and the Fates, I, Lyka of Wolfheim, sever my mate bond with Ralph of Wolfheim!”
The words ripped through me like shards of glass, and I felt something inside me shatter. The pain hit me all at once–burning, searing through my body. I stumbled, barely holding myself together as my
whole world seemed to crumble.
Hell, no one ever told me that breaking a mate bond would be this painful!
Next, I heard Ralph groan in agony and collapse, but I couldn’t afford to care. Not now. Not ever.
I bolted for the door, my legs shaking but carrying me forward. I had to get out, had to escape. Outside, I spotted a row of green cabs and threw myself into the first one I saw. “Get me out of here,” I gasped. “Twilight Apartments. Tower 2.”
The driver hesitated, glancing back. “But that’s far, miss, are you‘
“I don‘ t care how far it is!” I snarled, barely holding back a sob. “I’ll pay whatever the fuck it costs! Just drive!”
[Multiple missed calls from ‘Ralph‘, ‘Portia‘
12 unread messages]
‘Chief Rein‘]
“By the Fates…” I groaned as I stirred from my bed, dropping my phone beside me.
I felt like shit. My whole body ached, as if I’d been hit with my heat cycle… minus the unbearable horniness, thank the Goddess. But that relief didn’t last long–I still had to deal with Portia and Chief Rein.
With a sigh, I skipped past Ralph’s TalkaTo messages and opened Portia’s chat.
Portia:
[Girl, are you back yet? How’s the interview coverage?]
Girl, where are you?]
Lyka. Call me as soon as you see this.]
I pressed the call button next to her name.
“Lyka! Thank the Goddess! I heard you were at Flame Steak when a commotion broke out. Did that fiancé of yours hurt you? Are you okay?”
“I’m… fine,” I croaked, my throat dry. Portia meant well, but her high–pitched voice made my head
throb.
“No shit you‘ re not fine! Where are you?” she practically yelled.
“I’m at my apartment, Portia,” I groaned. “Please… stop shouting. I–I went straight home. I think my heat‘ s messing with me. I’m sorry I didn’t contact you or the Chief.”
“Holy fuck, Lyka…” Portia let out a deep sigh before her tone softened. “Alright, I’ll talk to Chief Rein for you. You don‘ t need to worry about the interview coverage–James can handle it.”
Guilt gnawed at me. “I’m sorry. I’ll get back as soon as I’ve recovered.”
“No. You stay at the apartment until you‘ re fully recovered, okay? I’ll arrange your part of the work for your heat period and sent it to you by email. I’ll talk to Chief Rein first.
“Thank you,” I mumbled before the call ended.
I sent a quick text to Chief Rein, using the same excuse I gave Portia and apologizing for not contacting him sooner.
That left me with Ralph’s messages.
From the preview under his chat, I could see: [Lyka, I’ll fix my mistakes. Please…]
If I had the energy, I would‘ ve scoffed at his message. But even the thought of him drained me. The betrayal still swirling inside me, mixing with the hollow ache where our mate bond used to be. Without hesitation, I blocked his account and deleted the entire chat log.
I was done.
Now alone, the discomfort hit me all at once–my body felt sticky, my muscles aching with every step as I dragged myself toward the bathroom.
The next few moments blurred together. I couldn‘ t even remember if I stripped off my clothes before turning on the shower or after. It didn’t matter.
00
All I knew was that another crushing wave of sadness settled on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I slumped down on the cold bathroom tile, the water pouring over me, mixing with the tears I didn’t even try to stop.
The sound of the shower brought back memories I’d buried deep–the time Tina found me in the girls‘ shower room back at the school gym. I was a mess then, too, crying alone after someone had sabotaged my locker. My school uniform had been ruined, drenched in bright, splattered paint, and my science project was completely destroyed.
“Thank the Goddess you‘ re okay!” Tina had burst into the shower cubicle, sliding the curtain aside, panic in her eyes.
She knelt beside me with a towel in hand and wrapped me in it, gently helping me stand. “Tell me who did this to you, she demanded, her voice filled with concern.
I wailed then, thinking her words were so sincere. And the next day, Ralph and Nickle had seemed just as furious.
The girls I suspected–along with some boys I hadn‘ t expected–were dragged to their knees behind the gym, their faces flushed with guilt. Ralph and Nickle had rounded them up like wolves on the
hunt.
“Apologize to her!” Ralph had shouted, his voice echoing off the gym walls.
“If you bastards think you can bully our Lyka and get away with it, you‘ re SO mistaken,” Nickle had added, eyes burning with anger.ENS
Back then, I believed they truly cared about me. But now, sitting alone and drenched in this shower, I couldn’t help but question everything.
Had they really been my friends just to use me? To gain something from me?
Why would they go to such lengths to earn my trust if that was all I ever meant to them?
It just didn’t make sense.
Suddenly, Nickle’s words from earlier replayed in my mind, stabbing at the fragile remnants of heart:
my
“That Lyka is useless! Does she really think she can just sit here and eat without being useful to us?”
My breath hitched, and I sank deeper into the water, feeling the weight of those words crushing me all over again.
Why were they so cruel?
