After My Alpha Called Me Property, I Walked Away

The late afternoon sun slanted through the tall windows of Alpha Sebastian's office, casting long shadows across the polished oak floor. I stood by the window, watching pack members bustle in the courtyard below. Six years. Six years I'd been standing in the shadows of this man's life, waiting for him to acknowledge me as more than just his hidden lover.

Sebastian didn't look up from the treaty documents spread across his mahogany desk. His dark hair fell across his forehead as he reviewed the papers, his expression focused and cold. The Alpha of Silver Moon Pack had always been handsome in that dangerous way—all sharp angles and calculated charm—but today, something in his demeanor made my stomach twist with unease.

"Emily," he said finally, setting down his pen. "I need to discuss something important with you."

I turned from the window, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "What is it?"

"Megan Hill's father requires a show of good faith before signing the alliance treaty." Sebastian leaned back in his leather chair, fingers steepled beneath his chin. His gray eyes—the same shade that had once made me weak at the knees—now regarded me with nothing but calculated interest.

"I don't understand," I said softly, though dread was already building in my chest.

Sebastian sighed, as if explaining something simple to a child. "At the Pack Gathering next week, you'll need to make an announcement."

He slid a folded paper across the desk. My fingers trembled slightly as I picked it up and unfolded it.

"I've prepared a script," he continued, his voice casual. "You'll stand on stage with me and declare that we're merely close friends. That you support my courtship of Megan and wish us well."

The words blurred before my eyes. Six years of devotion reduced to a scripted lie.

"This is for the pack's safety," Sebastian added, his tone hardening slightly. "The treaty will strengthen our borders against the rogues. You understand that, don't you?"

I nodded mechanically, unable to form words as my heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

---

That evening, I stood in our kitchen—a kitchen where I'd prepared countless meals for a man who saw me as nothing but a convenience. The knife in my hand moved mechanically as I chopped vegetables for Sebastian's dinner.

Voices drifted from the hallway outside. Sebastian and his Beta, Marcus, were discussing something in low tones.

"The plan is sound," Sebastian was saying. "Once Emily makes the announcement, Megan's father will have no reason to delay signing."

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Marcus's voice held a note of hesitation. "Emily has been with you for years. Don't you think this is cruel?"

I froze, the knife hovering over the cutting board.

"Cruel?" Sebastian laughed, the sound sharp and dismissive. "Emily will do it. She's too weak to leave, and besides, she has nowhere else to go. She's property, not a partner."

The knife clattered from my hand, striking the tile floor with a metallic