Bound by betrayal: the Alpha's fall to BOUND BY BETRAYAL

Chapter 1: The Broken Relationship

On the day I learned of Mario's treachery, the sky was a gloomy gray, as if the whole earth was lamenting my heartbreak. One of those days when you feel little in some manner, as if nature somehow reflected the feelings you were trying so hard to suppress. Cloudy skies, however, could never have prepared me for what I saw that night.

Alpha Mario, my partner and everything, was snuggled into someone else's arms, her golden hair cascading over his wide chest like a nighttime sunbeam.

In a single, horrible moment, my air was stolen from me, and I staggered back. Outside his home, standing in the shadows, I thought this would be a nice surprise, an opportunity to spend some time together in peace and quiet, away from the pack's relentless demands. And then this.

I wanted to shout, to break the silence with my suffering. A darker, deeper part, however, just wanted to go away, as if fading would make this suffering end. I felt stuck there instead, like a prey animal caught in the predator's stare.

"Rosie?"

I turned in surprise at the quiet voice and saw Orson, the pack's physician, standing a short distance away. Like he knew precisely what had just torn through my soul, he stared at me with a mixture of warmth and sorrow. Maybe he did, as his eyes strayed passed me and fell on the action outside the window. He clinched his jaw and his gaze hardened.

"No, I didn't I was unaware. My statements were so full of incredulity that they were hardly audible above a whisper. Orson took a step toward me as if his very existence might protect me from the pain that was leaking into my bones.

"You didn't need to witness that." Each statement was consoling in its own way, and his voice was steady and quiet. Please allow me to take you out of here, Rosie.

But I was immobile. Something inside of me began to unwind, like a string that had been tugged too tight for too long. At last, my eyes snapped out of the window and into Orson's. "What made him do this?" Orson seemed to comprehend the fractured query, which was spoken into nothingness.

It may have been better if he didn't respond. No explanation was enough to defend Mario's actions. Rather, Orson extended his arm to grasp my hand, his touch light but reassuring, as if he were tying me to the actual world. He had a firm, warm hand. Well-known.

With a gentle "Come on," he led me out of the home without waiting for my answer, bringing me closer to a terrible, bitter clarity with each step, removing me from the mist of incredulity.

Memories of Mario's assurances, his promises, and the times he hugged me close and murmured that I was the only one he would ever desire swirled through my head as we walked. They are all lies. I felt a void that seemed to never be filled as the weight of his treachery descended into my chest.

I was numb when we arrived to my cabin, which was on the border of the pack's domain. With an inscrutable look, Orson stayed at the entrance. It dawned on me that he was waiting for me to decide whether I wanted companionship or to suffer in alone. It was odd to see him in this state of uncertainty. Orson was usually the one with the solutions.

I responded, "Stay," before I could question myself. Even though my voice sounded little, Orson didn't hesitate. He entered, silently shutting the door behind him.

Taking in the jumbled books and mismatched furnishings that had been my tiny universe ever before Mario had become Alpha, he surveyed the cabin. I had imagined that this cabin would become our home and that we would fill it with love, secrets, and laughter. The echo of unfulfilled promises, however, was all that was left of it.

Orson made tea in the kitchen, his moves precise and methodical, as if he had done it a thousand times. The room smelled like chamomile, a tenuous solace from the chaos inside of me. His fingertips brushed mine as he finally gave me a cup. It was just a quick contact, but I could feel the warmth anchoring me.

He was watching me, looking, waiting for something, as I took a drink. I raised my head to face his steadfast, unblinking eyes.

"Orson," I began in a hoarse whisper. "What would he do?"

Anger pierced his normally composed expression as he put down his own cup. "Mario is an idiot, Rosie. He is not worthy. He forced himself to swallow. Tension caused his knuckles to turn white as his hands closed tighter around the cup. "He is more than a fool if he is unable to see what he has in you. He's blind.

He reminded me that Mario's treachery did not define me, and something in his words resonated with me. The Alpha's mate wasn't all that I was. I was Rosie; I had the strength to endure this suffering and emerge stronger.

Orson leaned over and put his palm over mine as if he could read my mind. "You'll overcome this, Rosie. You'll emerge from it even more resilient.

I nodded as the truth of what he had spoken began to seep in. However, as the numbness started to melt, a rising feeling of determination replaced it.

Mario's treachery wouldn't define who I am. He wouldn't cause me to break down. I was more than his abandoned lover, more than a heart in ruins hungry for crumbs.

However, as the silence descended over us, a faint knock reverberated around the cabin.

Orson and I looked at one other, the tension growing. I gripped my cup, my pulse racing, as he stood up, his stance defensive, heading for the door.

With a creak, the door opened and Mario appeared, his face a mask of rage and near despair. His eyes went to me after focusing on Orson, sparking with envy as he saw how close we were.

"Rosie," he murmured in a low, menacing voice. "I need to speak with you."

With a stubbornness I had never experienced before, I raised my chin and looked him in the eye. "We are at a loss for words."

However, Mario moved forward with his hand on the doorframe and his eyes becoming gloomy. "You are not allowed to make that decision."

Orson's posture became defensive as his body stiffened. "I believe she just did,"

As Mario's jaw tightened and his eyes darted between us, I briefly saw a vulnerable emotion underneath his rage: fear. However, he swiftly suppressed it, his voice becoming icy.

"You are mine, Rosie. And don't even consider the possibility that I'll give up what is rightfully mine.

I drew a trembling breath, my heart thumping, and I refused to turn away from him. "You lost me the moment you decided on her."

I stood my position, but his expression stiffened. The lady who had waited for him like a shadow on the edge of his existence and who had loved him without question was no longer me. I had given him my heart and was done waiting for him to break it.

However, the expression in his eyes made it clear to me that Mario wasn't finished with me. Not yet.