Be Alpha's Mate Again?

On my birthday, my mate set off fireworks that lit up the night, but not for me—for his so-called “childhood friend,” Elize. Someone recorded it, and soon the clip spread like wildfire. People cheered for them as if they were the destined pair, unaware of what I felt.

Some pack members teased me, asking, “So, how does it feel to watch?”

I replied, holding back the pain, “I saw it, and nothing special. What more is there to say?” The laughter, the bright sparks, and all the praise felt like salt in a wound. As I sat alone, the celebrations around me felt hollow, my heart sinking with each burst of light in the sky.