Marked by Loss Chapter 01

Marked by Loss Chapter 01

It had been three years since I broke the mate bond when I ran into my former Alpha mate at a coffee shop.

He was there to buy dessert for his son, the heir of the pack.

When he saw me, he froze for a moment, then pushed a slice of cake toward me.

“Get one for Harper, too. She loves strawberry cake.”

I pushed the cake back.

“No, I’m good, Alpha Landon. Funny, you’ve never been this generous before.”

Landon’s expression darkened, his brows knitting together.

“Why are you still dwelling on the past?”

“Harper is innocent. Are you really going to deny her even a piece of cake?”

I only looked at him coldly and said nothing.

His gaze swept over me from head to toe.

When he noticed my plain clothes and the rough skin on the back of my hands, a mocking smile crept onto his face.

“I never should have agreed to let Harper stay with you.”

“She must be suffering, stuck in this kind of life with you.”

I said, my voice calm and cold, “That’s not your concern, Alpha Landon. We’re strangers now. Stay out of it.”

His face hardened. He looked like he wanted to say more, but in the end, he fell silent. After a long pause, he turned and walked away.

My coworker, Tessa, caught the scent of gossip and hurried over, eyes full of curiosity.

“That guy just now looked like the Alpha of the Darkstone Pack. I heard he was deeply devoted to his former Luna.”

I let out a cold laugh.

“If he were really so devoted, why would he break the mate bond and kick her out of the pack?”

Seeing my disbelief, Tessa tried to argue her point.

“He went against his family and the entire pack for her. A single strike from the silver whip could kill or cripple any wolf, yet he endured twenty-three lashes, his back torn and bleeding, barely clinging to life—all just to make her his Luna.”

“He gave up the future he was destined for as an Alpha and lived with her in the slums for six long years.”

“I heard he even bought a planet and named it after their daughter.”

“Isn’t that devotion?”

I clenched my fists, forcing down the hatred surging inside me.

“He played poor in front of his mate for six years. He lied to his mate, making her sell blood to pay off debts that didn’t even exist.”

“Their daughter needed five hundred thousand for surgery. That’s nothing to him, not even the cost of one drink. And he still refused.”

“He even broke his mate’s legs for the sake of his mistress.”

“What kind of devotion is that?”

Tessa’s eyes widened gradually. “You…”

My face remained calm.

“That’s right. I’m his ex-mate. The former Luna.”

Tessa immediately fell silent.

After a moment, she hesitated, then couldn’t help asking, “Then the child…”

I didn’t answer.

Slowly, I pushed my wheelchair out.

Tessa seemed to catch on. Her eyes softened, and she didn’t ask anything else.

After work, I took the strawberry cake I’d made and headed to the pack cemetery, pushing my wheelchair through the snow.

The snow came down harder, and the wind cut across my face.

I stopped in front of the grave, gently wiped the headstone clean, and set the cake before it.

Then I spoke softly, “Harper, Mommy’s here.”