05.

Tessa stumbled back almost immediately. She felt a numbing pain assault her whole body. She screamed out from the pain and squatted in a corner.

Everyone was watching her quietly. But, no one stepped out to console or ease her pain.

Slowly, the assaulting pain began to lessen. Tessa heaved breathlessly feeling more lightweight. She felt as though something had been broken inside her.

The elder officiating the ceremony walked toward her and stopped in front of her. He looked downwards at her and said, "It's your turn to reject the Alpha now."

Tessa nodded, understanding his words. Then, she sat up and looked at Chris. Then, she muttered, "I, Tessa Williams hereby reject Chris Donovan as my mate."

Chris also doubled over feeling the snap of the bond being broken. He squatted on the floor for some time and Mona was beside him, consoling him.

Tessa struggled up the floor. She could feel a sense of emptiness in her heart. It felt numb and discomforting.

The four elders who were seated rose to their feet. The eldest elder brought out a full-shaped moon pendant, which hung from a chain.

He stretched the necklace in the air, giving everyone a clear view. Then, he brought his other hand towards the necklace and broke the moon-shaped pendant into two halves.

‘’Hand me your marital necklace.’’ The Elder stretched his palm towards Chris, who immediately removed the necklace that had a crescent moon-shaped pendant from his neck and handed it to the Elder.

Tessa let out a deep breath as she did the same.

Chris's pendant was broken, followed by hers.

‘’It is done.’’ The elders said in accordance.

The mate bond had been broken.

Tessa felt her legs grow weak.

She felt like if she stayed any longer in a room with her husband and sister, she would throw a tantrum.

Tessa hurried out of the throne room without looking back. She could hear voices as she left. She knew they were discussing her.

Tessa walked through the hallway and hurried into a guest room. Then, she entered and fell on the king-sized bed.

Her marriage had ended.

‘’My marriage has ended…’’ she kept repeating to herself. She was unable to believe what had just happened.

Her hands fell on her stomach as hot tears seeped from her eyes and landed on her dried cheeks.

Her unborn child had no father.

Tessa heard a jum0ble of noise coming from outside the palace. The consistency of the noise made her stand up from her bed and head to the window in the guest room.

Tessa was shocked to see the crowd of people that stood in front of the palace.

Tessa could tell that such a scene only occurred when an important announcement was about to be made.

Suddenly the noise reduced and it completely stopped. Then she heard a familiar voice in the background.

It was Chris's voice. His deep baritone voice had a sense of happiness lingering in it.

Tessa wondered what he could want to announce that made him sound so elated.

‘’Good day, everyone. I have good news for every one of you.’’ Chris announced.

The silence from the crowd could portray their confusion.

Tessa pressed her ear closer to the window as she was equally confused about what he was about to announce.

‘’I am pleased to announce to everyone, that I have a new Luna and mate. Her name is Mona.’’ Chris finally busted the bubbles of everyone.

Tessa was shocked. She could not believe her ear

It had not reached 24 hours since their bond was broken and Chris announced the arrival of another mate without a single thought.

What a shameless man!

The tears in Tessa’s eyes flowed roughly down her face.

She was visibly betrayed.

How could he…

How could her sister…

Tessa had cuddled herself up on her bed. Her pillow and duvet were drenched with tears. Even though she had not thrown a tantrum, she was unable to accept the situation yet. She was unable to process that her husband was cheating on her.

And, that he was gone. He was gone from her side.

Tessa did not realize that she had slept off with tears in her eyes. Until she woke up to the slow moaning sounds coming from what seemed to be her marital bedroom. Her bedroom was right beside the guestroom she was in so she could hear the sounds especially clearly.

Tessa felt another pain assault her. It was blinding and overwhelming. She was unable to breathe for some time and it felt as though something was being pulled out of her roughly.

It was then she realized something. It seemed Chris and Mona had been having sex all these times she occasionally felt pain from time to time. It seemed she was being fooled for a long time.

She felt betrayed and used. Once again, the tears began to flow down from her eyes.

She could not tell if she was the only one hearing their loud moans. But, she could not bear it anymore.

She could not go back to her room. But, she needed to pack up her stuff. Tessa could not take it anymore.

She would not be able to stay in the pack house for another day. She could not endure the pain.

Their loud moans persisted and Tessa was forced to block her ears with the pillow while she cried her eyes out.

She could not tell how long she had been crying. But eventually, she was stopped by Chris's loud voice as he laughed along with her sister. They seemed to pass by the guest room she lay in.

They were done. That was her cue to get her box from the room.

Tessa dried up her face with a towel and hurried to her once matrimonial room. She stuffed a couple of clothes into her box.

When she was sure that she had packed up some necessities, she stared at her once matrimonial bed. She felt a pang in her chest as she looked at the crumpled bedsheets.

She rushed out of the room before fresh tears could resume rushing from her eyes. Then, she remembered something and hurried back into the room. She packed up a couple of dollar notes from their bedside drawer and rushed back out.

Tessa needed to run away from everything.

From Chris. Mona. The pack… everybody.

She needed to get away as far as she could get.

But where could she go to?

Tessa recalled one of the random discussions she had with Chris. She told him that one of the cities she wasn't willing to reside in was New York. Although it was nice to go on vacation there, she couldn't live there.

If he ever needed to search for her, although she knew was impossible. Or, if any of her friends ever organized a search party for her, they would never think of searching New York. It was the best place for her to run off to.

It was midnight, which made it the best time for her to run off without an eye seeing her.

With her single box, a 200-dollar note that she found in the cupboard, and no means of communication with anyone in the pack, Tessa snuck out of the palace and into the woods.

She looked at the pack house when she was across the fence. And, a teardrop slides down her face. She was going to start a new life in New York City. Away from all the pain.