Chapter 3

Samantha’s POV “I’m so glad you’re finally here, Samantha,” Lena called out from the dining as I walked downstairs after I woke up. Surprisingly, Dominic’s back home, seated beside Olivia who was laughing at something he said. They looked more like a family than I ever did with him. “Samantha, come sit,” Lena gestured to the seat across from Dominic. I forced a smile, swallowing the knot in my throat, and took my place at the table. I couldn’t bear to look at Dominic and Olivia, shame and pain coursing through me after what I witnessed in his office. As I settled into my seat, I caught a glimpse of the small band-aid on Olivia’s neck—the same spot where Dominic had been. Her fingers drifted to it, a soft, smug smile playing on her lips, almost as if she wanted me to see it, reminding me of their intimate affair in his office. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from that band-aid, and I felt the sting of betrayal burn deeper. “Are you all right, Samantha?” Lena’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Fine,” I replied quickly, forcing my gaze back to my untouched plate. The food looked appetizing, but my appetite had vanished the moment I saw Olivia. Halfway through breakfast, Dominic glanced over at me with an indifferent stare. He didn’t offer a word, no hint of acknowledgment of what we once shared—or what I thought we did. To him, I was invisible. And I couldn’t ignore the painful truth sinking in: he had already replaced me. Later that morning, I headed to my office, hoping to lose myself with work and divert my thoughts. However, when I looked over the tasks for the day, I noticed that my list was far shorter than usual. Confusion crept in, and I went to find Cora, a trusted gamma who’d been by my side for years. “Cora,” I called, luckily spotting her in the hallway. She turned to my direction, “Yes, Luna?” “I noticed my workload is… lighter than usual,” I began, “Have they reassigned some of my duties?” She scratched the back of her head, an awkward smile tugging at her lips. “Isn’t it nice to have a bit less to do? You deserve it, Samantha. All the work you’ve done these past few years, maybe this is the Alpha’s way of easing your burden.” “Cora,” I pressed, sensing she was keeping something from me. “How long has this been going on?” She shifted, looking at the floor before finally meeting my gaze. “The Alpha has… well, he’s given a lot of your Luna duties to Olivia over the past month.” A sick feeling washed over me. “Since last month?” She nodded, “I’m sorry, Luna. I didn’t think it was my place to say anything.” I clenched my fists, trembling in anger, and pain as I realized, that gradually, I was being replaced. “Thank you, Cora. I… I appreciate your honesty.” Turning on my heel, I marched straight to Dominic’s office. He hadn’t just dismissed me as his wife—he was stripping me of my role as Luna, too. I clenched my fist in fury, my head throbbing trying to contain myself from going out of control. When I reached his office door, Olivia was already there, standing guard as if she had the right to be. She straightened when she saw me, her lips curving into a smug smile. “I’m sorry, Luna, but Dominic’s busy right now,” she said smoothly, blocking my path. “I am still the Luna of this pack,” I uttered firmly, “and you’ll obey me.” I hissed, threatening her, knowing that if Dominic wouldn’t intervene, I could throw her in the dungeon. “Step aside, Olivia.” For a moment, she hesitated, but my authority won out. With a mocking shrug, she moved aside, watching me with a smirk as I opened the door and stepped in. Dominic barely looked up from his paperwork. “What do you need, Samantha?” The casual dismissal in his tone made my stomach twist, but I held my ground. “Why did you reassign my Luna duties to Olivia?” I questioned, fiercely. He’d crossed the line. I already held back from his cheating, and yet he had to meddle with my duties. This, I won’t tolerate. He looked up, removing his eyeglasses and leaning back to his chair. “It’s for your own good, Samantha. You’ve been overworking. Now you’ll have more time to focus on yourself.” “Focus on myself?” I repeated, struggling to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “Is that what you think I want?” His face was impassive, as though my pain was a trivial inconvenience. “It’s done, Samantha. You can rest now, focus on other things.” “What?” I scoffed in disbelief. He didn’t even care to ask me—he just took away the one thing that gave me purpose, that connected me to the pack. He had reduced me to nothing more than a spectator in my own life. And soon, what would I be left with if everything I have and everything that I am was being taken for Olivia? “You didn’t even ask me,” I retorted. “You just… handed it over to her, as if I meant nothing.” “It’s for the best,” he repeated coldly, already turning his attention back to his work. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.” “Dominic, this is not right. I am the Luna!” I argued but he dismissively uttered, “Leave now, I’m busy.” I grunted in frustration and turned without another word, leaving his office, realizing I had no place here—not as his wife, and now, not even as Luna. ~ I went back home, locking myself in the room, and as the door closed, I let the tears fall, and my anger, and pain, all rushed out as I dropped on the floor. I had given him everything—my heart, my loyalty, my life—and he’d discarded it all without a second thought. I loved him, so much, and this is what I get for loving him too much. I should’ve known, I should’ve prepared myself for this pain… but I hoped. I clung to my prayers that someday he would learn to acknowledge me, choose me, and love me. But because of Olivia, he was giving her everything that I own—himself, my position, my honor, and dignity as the Luna of the pack. He might even discard me, soon, to completely vanish from this earth. I cupped my mouth when I suddenly felt nauseous. Immediately, I stumbled into the bathroom, gripping the sink, and supporting myself as I took deep breaths, calming down. My stomach churned, and just as I thought the bile had subsided, I lunged at the toilet and threw up, mostly water and the bagel I had eaten earlier. I sat on the floor, wiping my tears as the nausea lingered, clutching my stomach. The sudden wave of sickness made no sense—why now? I held the toilet bowl as I vomited again, my head spinning, my body heavy with a sickness I couldn’t explain. As I rubbed my temple and instinctively clutched my belly in an attempt to ease the nausea, a shiver ran down my spine. A thought, one I didn’t want to entertain, crept into my mind. No. It can’t be… Taking a deep breath, I moved quickly, packing my things into a duffel bag. This pack, this place—I could no longer call it home. With that realization, I knew I had to leave. With the bag slung over my shoulder, I slipped out of the house and ran, leaving behind everything that had once been my life.