The next day, the sun glaringly pierced through the curtains. She couldn't remember when she had fallen asleep the night before, but as far as she recalled, she dozed off in the woods after crying the entire night.
But now…
She looked around and saw that she was back in the Alpha suite, she was baffled but she picked up a familiar scent.
Lemon and honey, she instantly knew who had brought her back. "Gamma Levi."
A smile spread on her lips, but her eyes looked dull and lifeless, it wasn't the first time Gamma Levi brought her back to her room, she often fell asleep in her Luna office when she was too busy to come back to her room to rest and would sometimes pass out, out of exhaustion.
Although she knew that Gamma Levi was looking out for her, she felt more pain in her heart, because it shouldn't be his responsibility to care for her, it should be her mate's…
Sadness spread to her heart.
Giggles-
A distinct giggle coming out from outside the ajar window caught her attention as she slowly stood up from her bed.
"Zion! This place is amazingly beautiful!" Claire giggled as she held onto Zion's arms playfully, Zion too looked worried but indulgent as he guided her to walk slowly on the stone path, coming from the side where Addison's flower garden was built, the garden she built and shaped with her own hands throughout the years.
"As long as you are happy, I'll always accompany you as much as you like." Zion's magnetic and deep chuckle tickled Addison's ears, it was gentle and warm.
Addison stared blankly out the window at Zion and Claire, one was looking dashingly handsome, tall and strong with his healthy honey-colored skin, midnight black hair, and striking emerald eyes, his chiseled features made his handsome face look rugged yet regal.
Beside him, Claire was like a breath of spring—full of life, radiant and captivating. Her golden locks fluttered in the gentle breeze, and her honey-brown eyes sparkled as she smiled under the sun. Together, they looked effortlessly perfect.
She didn't know how long she'd been watching them, but suddenly, Zion seemed to sense her gaze and looked up toward the fourth floor's alpha suite. His cold, piercing eyes met hers, and the warmth he'd shown moments before was gone, replaced by a searing hatred and even disgust. He made no attempt to hide his emotions, his lips curling into a snarl as he continued to glare at her.
"Zion, is everything alright?" Claire asked gently, placing her hand on his chest in an attempt to calm him. Zion held her hand, his fingers tightening around hers, but his gaze never wavered from Addison. With one last look of disdain, his voice slipped menacingly into Addison's mind through their mind link, dripping with contempt.
"Don't even think about trying anything while I'm here. Just stay silent and act like you don't exist," Zion's voice growled menacingly through the mind link, his tone laced with warning.
With a final glare, he snapped his head away, the dark aura that had seeped out of him at the sight of Addison vanishing as quickly as it came. Turning back to Claire, his expression softened, his gaze now filled with an apologetic whimper.
"I'm sorry, Claire. I lost my temper—I didn't mean to scare you or the pup," Zion said gently, still holding Claire's hand as his fingers brushed soothingly over her hair. His touch softened her startled expression, his focus entirely on her, unbothered by Addison's lingering gaze from the window above.
Addison only realized her cheeks were wet when tears dripped onto her hand resting on the window sill. The sharp contrast in Zion's treatment of her compared to Claire stung too deeply to hide; it felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest and torn apart before her eyes. She kept her sobs silent, forcing herself to remain quiet, afraid to further provoke her mate's anger.
Just as Zion had demanded, Addison stayed silent, immersing herself in her work, too afraid to leave her office, fearing she'd overhear or see something that would break her even further.
The pain of her heart being shattered repeatedly by her own mate was nearly unbearable. She considered leaving, but even though their bond felt incomplete, the mate pull was still there, a powerful force she couldn't simply ignore or turn off.
She couldn't understand how Zion seemed unaffected by her, while she herself struggled to resist the pull of their bond. It was like a bee drawn irresistibly to a flower. If she let her guard down, she feared she'd find herself gazing at Zion like a love-struck fool, only to annoy him further.
It had been a week since Zion and the warriors returned, but not once had he come to find her. Not a single day had he left Claire's side, tending to her with unwavering care.
Every attempt Addison made to approach Zion was met with harsh criticism, even in front of the pack, no mercy was given. To prevent herself from succumbing to the pull of the mate bond, she retreated into her office, hiding like a coward, trying to protect herself from the pain.
'Maybe his hatred for me, his disgust, is strong enough to make him override his feelings. Even the mate bond... can't reach him.' Addison thought, a weak whimper escaping her lips as a sharp pang of sadness pierced her heart at the very thought of it.
A knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Come in."
"Luna Addison, the Alpha invites you to join him for dinner in the dining hall." The omega who entered bowed respectfully, though she kept her gaze averted. Addison barely noticed, too caught up in the fact that her mate had actually invited her to eat with him.
"Did he say anything else?"
"H-he said… you should wear something nice."
Addison's heart skipped a beat, almost bursting out of her chest at the implication. She had heard that no matter how much mates tried to stay apart, they would always be drawn together.
'Is this his way of making peace with me?' she wondered, a glimmer of hope rising in her chest. But as the evening wore on, she would come to wish that she had paid closer attention to the way she was informed.
If only she had, she thought, maybe she wouldn't have suffered as much.