Five years ago, my best friend Ada saw how I had been pining for Theo for eight years.
On the full moon night when we turned eighteen, when our wolves first recognized each other as mates, she slipped an enhanced pheromone elixir into my wine.
I was horrified when she locked me in Theo’s room. “Sarah, what the hell are you doing?”
Sarah leaned against the door, smiling. “I’ve known for years. Theo loves you, too. He responds to your scent. He’s just too proud to admit it. Last full moon when he shifted, I heard him howl your name.”
I tried to protest, but smelling Theo’s scent made me feel like I’m on fire.
Sarah’s laugh echoed through the door. “Enjoy your night, sweetie.” Then I heard the lock click.
That night, Theo claimed me like he was possessed. The way he touched me, held me, marked me – I thought it meant he’d always wanted me too.
When we woke up the next morning, Theo’s voice was cold as ice: “I’ll take responsibility. We’ll hold the marking ceremony next week.”
I thought it was just his way of showing affection. I thought our happy life was about to begin.
But at the ceremony celebration, I overheard him talking to his fellow Beta wolves.
“Theo, you’re being too harsh on yourself. She’s a talented healer, beautiful, and she obviously loves you. Plus, you’re true mates. Why not just accept it?”
Theo’s laugh was bitter as he took a drink. I watched from around the corner as he pulled out a sanitizing wipe and cleaned his hands – the hands that had just touched me during the ceremony.
“I did feel something for her at first. But now? Finding out she’s the kind of Omega who would drug herself with pheromone enhancers just to trap a mate?”
He shook his head in disgust. “Every time I think about how she threw herself at me that night, how she used chemicals to force a mating… it makes my skin crawl.”
“An Omega who would stoop that low isn’t worthy of being a Beta’s mate. Much less mine.”
