Escaping the Alpha’s Sacred Lies

The day I turned sixteen, my childhood friend, the one who had promised to claim me as his mate the moment we both came of age, stood before the entire Griffin Pack and declared Jenna Dean as his chosen Luna. Jenna, the pretentious heiress of the Lycan Kingdom, with her golden hair and perfect smile, was everything I wasn’t. And there I stood, in the shadow of her radiance, feeling the weight of my own inadequacy.

But then, Axton Griffin, the Alpha of the Griffin Pack—a man revered for his wisdom and strength—stepped forward. His towering frame, muscles rippling beneath his tailored suit, commanded the attention of everyone in the grand hall. He looked at me, his dark eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place, and confessed his love with a grandeur that left me breathless.

For five years, he treated me with a tenderness that felt almost too good to be true. His touch was gentle, his words sweet, and his devotion unwavering. I believed him. I believed in us. Until the day I overheard a conversation between him and his Beta, Emerie.

“Alpha,” Emerie said, her voice low but clear, “now that Jenna’s become the Lycan Princess, do you still need to keep up the charade with Sylvia?”

Axton’s response was cold, detached. “Since I can’t have Jenna, it doesn’t matter anymore. Plus, as long as I’m here, Sylvia won’t disrupt Jenna’s happiness.”

The words hit me like a blow to the chest. I stumbled back, my heart pounding in my ears. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, a sound of pure anguish. I had been a fool. A pawn in his game to protect Jenna.

I retreated to our chambers, my hands trembling as I opened the sacred texts Axton always kept by his side. Each page was inscribed with Jenna’s name, prayers and blessings meant for her, not me.

“May Jenna be freed from obsession; may her soul be at peace.”

“May Jenna attain all she desires, and may her love be unwavering.”

...

“Jenna, though fate hasn’t united us in this life, may I hold your hand in the next.”

The illusion of our marriage shattered in that instant. I couldn’t stay. I wouldn’t. I devised a plan, a false identity, and a staged disappearance. From now on, we wouldn’t have to meet again for an eternity.

Once the final arrangements were set for the faked death, I hung up the phone. In two more days, I would vanish forever as they wished. At that moment, a faint scent of coffee wafted in from outside. I instinctively looked up to find Axton standing in the doorway.

He crossed the room in a few strides, his presence overwhelming as always. He embraced me gently, his voice soft, “Who were you just talking to?”

“Nothing important, just something about the gallery,” I replied, trying to sound casual.

He kissed the top of my head and murmured, “Why so busy lately? Tonight, I’ll whip