3. Severing ties

I stroll through the nearly deserted hallways of my workplace. I had created my own fashion brand; Crystal designs from the start with my best friend, Cassandra. Crystal designs had been thriving. It had been in the top five lists of fashion brands. It was collapsing now.

Trevor had delivered on his threat to ruin me. Mags and gossip blogs had trampled my name into the muck. I was portrayed as the bad guy.

The nasty bitch who had gotten in the way of former love. The deceitful wife who failed to free the man who had lost interest in her. The bittersweet and depressed woman who would not let go.

I've received derogatory remarks. I've experienced cyberbullying. It has been said of me that I am worse than Satan himself. My once positive reputation in human society has been ruined. The vast majority of Lycans and humans no longer wish to be connected to me.

Investors have left us. We are losing personnel and seeing a sharp decline in profits. Wishing no more to work for a monster such as myself.

Alia was the angel, and I was the devil. Rather than the other way around, I was the one attempting to separate them. Although I detested everything that was going on, I felt powerless to stop it.

The same as the previous days. I cannot make out where my secretary has gone. It seems to me that she was also on the verge of leaving the company.

I enter my workplace and immediately stop. In my office stands a man I've only ever seen in magazines. He moves around the place as if he owns it. As though it were his own private playground.

Ares Davani is a man of great strength. In the world of Lycans and humans alike. He is known as the unofficial supreme Alpha. He was someone whose stories could give you nightmares, with a wolf that is only fit to be called a beast. He used to be Alia's roommate.

"Mr. Davani, how may I help you?" I query him after finding my voice.

He takes a while to respond. Just looks at me with those emerald green eyes with golden yellow depths, as though his Lycan side were always on edge. As though he could see the anguish that was destroying my insides.

He is quite tall, perhaps seven feet or more thick, ink black hair. Even if he's dressed in a suit. He's still fit beneath it, you can tell.

He exudes heat in every way. Regretfully, my heart won't ever feel complete again. It will never be able to beat for another. I had had enough of men.

"My son speaks of you all the time." His voice was deep and velvety, "I had to come and see what was so special about you."

I stood there, just staring at him. I had no idea what to say. "I want to know what you want with him. What are your intentions?"

He gets so close that I can feel his body heat. Magenta perks up for a bit before retreating to the back of my mind

"I have no reason to have I'll intentions towards your sin. He's a good kid and he cheered me up when I was feeling down." I murmur. I have to tip my head back just to be able to look at him.

"I will tear you to pieces if I discover that you are exploiting him as payback for his horrible mother." With a voice that is getting alarmingly low, he threatens, "that there won't be anything left of you to bury. So that better be all, Blondie."

*****

The beast everyone talks about is visible to me. Hiding just behind those mesmerizing emerald green eyes. I was not terrified, even though I should have been.

Something about him and his child pulled me in.

"I would never be able to do that. Even though I hate Alia, I would never hurt a defenseless child in retribution."

He looks at me with that peculiar expression all the time. As though trying to see deep within me. To discover every one of my secrets.

Giving one final warning, he leaves. He took his commanding presence with him. As soon as he leaves, the space feels vacant.

I resume my work. Attempting to concentrate even though I knew it would be futile.

Trevor stormed into my office many hours later. He was enraged beyond measure and exhaled fire.

"Haven't you done enough damage, Adrianna? Stay very far away from my parents, please. His voice is angry and full of contempt. "He yelled, "I won't let you stick your filthy claws into them. I have no idea what you've told them to despise Alia to such an extent."

I laugh. "I doubt that I can control them in any way. They despise her for what she did to you, Trevor. Can't you see? She's here to ruin you again and you're letting her."

He gives me a glance. His eyes were filled with hate. How come hate has replaced all love? I just don't fucking get it.

"Please sign the darn documents and give my family some space. It would do me a lot of good if you just died and ceased to exist."

I'm even more broken by his statements. I fear that we may never be able to get past this, leaving Magenta and me both damaged.

He's ready to walk away when I stop him.

I cry out, "Hold on," but it only sounds like a whimper. "Please be sincere with me. Have you ever truly loved me? Did you truly love me over our eight years together, or was it all just pretend?

Despite the fact I was completely terrified of the response, I wanted to know. I'm hoping that at some point, he did love me. That at least he'd given me some thought. that he had found satisfaction in me. I needed it, but his response could destroy me.

He lets out a sigh and responds. "I don't believe so. My heart was always Alia's, and it never really belonged to you. I want to be with the only woman I've ever loved, so let's simply end this charade of a mating and she can peacefully own what belongs to her. It was never yours to begin with. Eight years is a very long time.

He walks away without saying anything else. It felt like he was leaving my life as he walked out the door.

I drop to my knees. My heart is hurting and tightening. I feel as though my soul has been split in two. I was never loved by him. Not even once. He was basically using me. He used me.

This information hurts more than anything. "Maggi, stop it. I beg you, please, take away my suffering."

She responds in a similarly broken tone. "If only I could, my dear human."

I was lying on the floor for an unknown amount of time when I heard her. "Adri."

When I look up, Cassandra, my best friend, is waiting at the entrance. She kneels next to me in a matter of seconds.

"Oh Adri, what has happened to you?"

And it only takes that for me to give up. I launch myself towards her. At last, a loud cry escapes me from the depths of my tormented spirit, and I finally shatter. I released the wrath, hurt, rage, and fury I had been holding inside.

The river bursts, releasing the tears I've been keeping in. I weep bitterly to the moon goddess. Sob over the dreadful treatment I've received. I am in excruciating anguish because of her. At the fractures I was certain could never be repaired in my wounded heart.

I feel empty by the time I'm through. Like there's a void where my soul was once.

I whimpered, the struggle utterly gone from me. "I apologize Maggie, but this is the only thing I can think of."

"I know." Whimpering, she withdraws to the recesses of our consciousness, uttering the words, "Do whatever it takes to preserve what's left of us."

I turn to look at Cassandra and croak out the words that stab me deep. "I'm tired and I'm done."

She merely nods without speaking. She wraps her arms around me, holding me close while she sheds tears.

*******

A few days later

I look in the mirror at myself and I'm amazed at the woman I see. She seemed worn out and dejected. She had pale skin, sparse hair, and dark circles under her eyes. The clothes she wore made her appear as though she was thrown inside, and she has lost weight. She appears to be a pale reflection of herself.

I shut my eyes. I'm hoping they will be clear when I open them up again, but that doesn't happen. The agony persists. Flowing still in their depths. lurking around the edges.

After inhaling deeply, I exit the restroom. I stand in what I have been referring to as my room. Funny how things can shift so drastically in a matter of months. How drastically things may turn bad in your life.

I look it over to make sure I haven't forgotten anything significant. I have everything I own packed. The remaining items Trevor provided me were either given out or burned. I've taken everything. Leaving no trace that I ever resided here.

"Magenta, are you prepared?" I gently ask my wolf.

"Yes." She answers, scarcely raising her voice above a whisper, "As prepared as I can possibly be."

She feels hurt and is becoming more and more withdrawn every day. I had to keep her from fading. I can't handle anything without her

I head directly to the airport when I leave. Everything is in order. I had signed the papers of divorce already. Additionally, I had custody papers drafted by my lawyer. giving Trevor complete custody of Cara.

Making the decision had shattered us. But we were certain that Cara would never voluntarily decide to live with us. She would only grow to detest us if we forced her.

I was clueless as to our destination. All we had to do was get away from it all. where our losses aren't continually brought to mind.

Where we stood aside, uninvited, we were unable to watch Trevor and Cara happy. Every day felt like we were getting closer to death, so we had to leave.

We had the impression that we were getting closer to being engulfed by the surrounding darkness every day.

"Maggie?" I called to her. She was essential to this next phase.

"Love, I'm here. "Go for it, let go," she prods me. granting me the necessary strength.

"I, Adrianna Wilson, sever my connection with White Moon Pack and Alpha Trevor Esteban. I hereby proclaim myself to be a lone wolf without a pack.

I can feel the pack link in my head starting to fade as soon as I finish those sentences. The constant buzzing in the back of my mind had stopped.

My cheek is wet with tears. As the pack connection disappears entirely.

I acknowledge that I have just cut off all communication with Trevor and my daughter, Cara.

I was really alone now. Magenta and I only had each other.