Chapter 1

Juliette POV.

"I, Sammy Palmer, reject you and sever my ties to you, Juliette Rohan, as my mate once and for all."

My heart ached as I heard him announce this rejection in front of the pack members. It hurt more than anything I could ever feel and it wasn't a dream because I could feel this pain through my heart, as his words sounded like a knife that was so sharp.

My tears fell so hard that my knees wobbled, making me fall to my knees in front of him.

This was sudden even though I had been feeling different about him lately.

I thought he just needed more time with me because of his busy schedule as a Beta in this pack, but it didn't. He even said it all without his trembling voice. He looked like a stranger I just met with a bad nature.

But what made it worse was that today was our second anniversary and I still couldn't believe that his gift was this painful.

Now it felt like I was being humiliated. Being hurt, witnessed, and the center of gossip.

So, should I agree to it? But I also need a reason why he's suddenly like this.

His gaze was even so cold toward me, not looking remorseful or anything like that. Could it be that he doesn't love me anymore?

My throat hurt so much every time I swallowed while crying like this. I was even reluctant to speak.

I finally tried to stand up without anyone to help me, completely alone with tears still flowing, as if I was trash—no one cares.

I swallowed hard before I finally said, "I, Juliette Rohan ... accept your rejection and break my bond with you, Sammy Palmer ... once and for all."

I didn't know what he was feeling and thinking as my voice stuttered and trembled, but it didn't seem to make him feel the slightest bit sorry.

My heart felt like it had been stabbed, hurting but not bleeding.

My body was suddenly so weak at that moment and it felt like nothing was on my side.

He then walked away from me without even looking back at me. But finally, with the little courage I still had left, I tried to chase after him to ask why he broke this mate bond.

"Why, Sam?" I asked, stopping him.

He turned around and looked at me with a cold stare, devoid of any love and even stranger.

"I love another woman and you're no longer in my heart. You no longer attract me in the slightest."

"Who is she? How can you decide unilaterally just because—"

"I've had it with you, Juliette, don't you see and feel how I behave toward you?!"

I was surprised to hear him say such harsh words to me. He never said anything like this to me before, even when we fought, he just chose to keep quiet rather than hurt me. But now ... the Sammy I knew had completely changed and seemed to have disappeared before me.

"I don't expect you to understand because I love that woman more than how I used to be with you."

"But today is our anniversary! How could you, Sam!"

"And it is a gift from me. Remember it."

He walked away after saying that, leaving behind a million, even countless ways he hurt me so much that my body felt like a broken glass bottle that couldn't be fixed anymore.

My cries exploded even more and I couldn't contain this suffocating pain.

I slowly left to calm myself down, because being in the same place as someone I loved but hurt me was very difficult to make me calm down. Even I was sure that I wouldn’t be able to calm down on this day too.

I walked to the cliff, seeing the beauty of nature with tears still flowing like a waterfall.

My body was no longer trembling, but my heart ... It felt unquestionable because I felt broken.

I held the necklace he gave me on the first anniversary that was still hanging around my neck, and I repeatedly breathed in and out as today was a burden to me.

Then suddenly I smelled and felt Damian’s presence which made me turn my head towards him.

Reflexively, he hugged me and I was surprised by the sudden hug he gave me. My whole body was stiff with a heart that really hurt.

"Damian," I said in his arms. "Let me go."

"You don't intend to jump and kill yourself, do you?"

I wanted to laugh but my situation wasn't cooperating. As much as I hurt for Sammy, it didn't make me suicidal, because that would be showing my stupidity.

But I didn't answer him, instead staying silent for a while as his embrace felt warm.

"Now, you can cry in my arms. I know you need someone's shoulder to pour your tears on," he said.

Instantly, I dropped my tears again. Without thinking about who he was and how it could be like this, I cried in his arms.

I cried so hard that I even squeezed his sleeve because the pain was so deep.

Then when I felt that crying couldn't bring everything back, I slowly stopped and pulled myself away from him while wiping away the tears and taking a step back.

"Th-thank you," I said still trembling.

"Feeling better now?"

I nodded with a weak smile. "I didn't see you watching how he dumped me, Damian," I say weakly.

He chuckled and this time I was sure he was going to mock me. "You're too focused on him to feel hurt."

When he came closer again, I felt shocked at being so close. He was not even mocking me ... or was he not going to yet?

I wet my lower lip and looked back at the nature before me. I thought this view was the only thing that could calm me down.

"Take off that necklace," Damian suddenly commanded and I realized that he had been watching me.

"What?"

"I'm not going to repeat it. And I command you as an Alpha to the pack."

I let out a long breath and hesitantly obeyed his orders.

He held out his hand for me to hold the necklace.

It was hard for me to give the necklace to him because it was from Sammy, but I had to obey him.

Damian then pocketed the necklace and looked at me seriously.

"I have something to offer you," he said.

"What kind of offer?"

"Hmm, sounds like it's about revenge but it depends on how you look at it."

I still didn't understand, but I was thrilled that he was going to talk to me about something this serious because he and I hardly ever communicate.

Then suddenly he approached me like this and I didn't even think he would know my whereabouts.

“I thought you came to mock me but why do you want to offer me something?” I said as I was asking.

"I'm not a bullying Alpha, Juliette, and you know that. I came because I knew you needed help indirectly."

"What ... is that?" I asked once more.

"Be my mate, Juliette Rohan.”