First

Tatum didn’t return for the rest of that night.

Leila stares outside the car window as she makes her way to Tatum’s father’s house, seeing a bunch of kids engaged in a fierce water gun fight and she smiles as a distant memory comes to her mind of her and Tatum always being a team at this sport when they were younger.

Sometimes, she wishes Carmela never got the phoenix mark because that is when everything changed, when Tatum’s attention shifted from her as a friend to Carmela as his future Luna, only for her to discover as puberty hit her that those fun moments as kids had sown a deep seed of affection for him in her little heart.

She hardly sees Tatum now, he doesn’t even come home some nights and it hurts because she knows exactly where he is and why and tomorrow, Carmela will move in permanently with them so whatever they get up to will be right under her nose.

Carmela’s panic attacks have gotten worse instead of better and the Alpha of the Blood Oak Pack is the only one that can calm her or so he says.

A single teardrop rolls down the corner of Leila’s eyes as the gate to the old Alpha’s house comes into view. This will probably be her last visit to him as his daughter in law, Alpha Darren is quite fond of her and Leila respects him a lot.

He is the reason she is such a good Luna, always giving her good and timely advice but that relationship is about to be lost to her, along with her marriage. She has to give the divorce papers to Tatum soon, to save her dignity, whatever little she has left but it is easier said than done.

She loves him.

She has loved him since she started growing breasts and it’s not so easy to let go.

A black Mercedes Sedan speeds past her vehicle and she looks ahead at it, recognising it all too well, it is Tatum’s vehicle. She had texted him early this morning that she will be visiting his father at noon and he did not reply but he

Cape 14

seems he made time to join her.

A sudden warmth fills her heart, at least she would get to spend some time with him today even if it is their last moments.

Once her car reaches the entrance, Leila immediately steps out of the car, just as Tatum steps out of his car and Leila’s heart pounds as she walks over to the strikingly handsome Alpha.

“You could have just replied that you were coming,” She said with a gentle smile, locking her arms around Tatum’s elbow, breathing his soothing scent that calms her raging heart.

“Leila, I never got-”

“Let’s go inside,” She cuts him off, pulling him along when the sound of a car door opening makes her turn and immediately, she pulls away from Tatum, feeling like she had just been punched in the gut.

“Hi Leila,” Carmela smiles at her, walking over to them.

“Hi,” Leila replies like a robot, glancing at Tatum and not even bothering to smile, finding it incredibly hard to hide her emotions.

How foolish of her to think he came here for her when it is obvious he brought Carmela to seek the blessings of his father for their union.

“I wanted to see the old Alpha and Tatum volunteered to bring me himself, you should help me thank your husband, he has been very generous,” Camela says with a cheeky and innocent smile, her arms replacing Leila’s around Tatum’s elbow.

“Yeah,” Leila replies wryly, turning and walking ahead before any of them see her eyes that are going wet. A sinking feeling settles in her gut and her heart aching like it is being stabbed with a thousand fiery arrows.

“You know, I’ve been thinking Leila, how are you the Alpha’s second chance mate if you don’t have a wolf?” Carmela catches up with Leila, Tatum by her side.

Leila freezes, glancing at Tatum who pulls away from Carmela and walks ahead of them when she expects him to come to her rescue.

い

You know it doesn’t really matter, you can’t be lying to the pack about

something like that but goddess forbid someone finds out their Luna has no wolt Carmela gasps, that will be disastious”

Leila’s eyes widen at Carmela’s words, anxiety and fear grating on her nerves. it Carmela wasn’t a friend, she would have thought her words sounded more ke a threat than a concer

“They don’t have to worry about me Leila replies in a sullen tone

They don’t have to worry about her, thanks to the woman standing in front of her, soon she will be their Luna and not a wolfless one like her but the Luna who bears the mark of the phoenix

“But I worry Leila, I worry that you may be weak and strained, being Luna without your wolf to draw strength from must be exhausting.

“Weak?” Leila snaps, suddenly feeling attacked by Carmela, her tone becoming

ster

“Wolf or no wolf, I draw strength from the mark of MY Alpha,” Leila bares her neck to show Tatum’s shining wolf mark. “The Luna cannot be weak”

Tatum halts surprisingly and his cool grey eyes meets Leila’s eyes and she quickly looks down, realising she had let her jealousy ship.

She cannot keep doing this, she has to give him the papers tonight.