Grace

"God, I am tired."

Filling the entry of our last buyer, I saved the file and finally shut my computer. With Christmas around the corner, my shift ended at 10 p.m. today. The reason was that people came in large droves turning the shop into a fish market. I and Rachel were both having a hard time handling them.

Getting up, I hurriedly packed my stuff. Just the thought of returning home turned my cheeks on fire.

Today, he'll be back. My best friend and true love, Felix Hughes. We practically grew up together. Me and Felix were both omegas of the Dark Moon Pack, the most powerful and oldest pack of the Brimstone Mountains. Dark Moon was considered to be the originator of the werewolf clan but despite being the ultimate rulers, there was a yawning gap between the ruling families and the people at the grassroots level, in short people like me. The Alpha of the pack was one crazy bastard Damon Hunt, who held the purest and deepest hatred for omegas. That psychopath had wiped out a major portion of omega families by falsely accusing them of crimes they never did. That's why not many omegas are left in the pack. But like all other monsters, Damon too had reasons to justify his monstrous deeds.

His wife was unfaithful.

As it is said, the devil was also an Angel. There was a time in our pack when wolves weren't divided based on rank. Damon was very kind-hearted and loved his wife, Elisa. But Elisa's heart beat for his best friend Ronald, who was an omega. Ronald and Damon were like brothers so Damon never judged his closeness with Elisa but they took advantage of it. Even after having a child with the Alpha, Elisa ran away with Ronald. That night Damon cried for the first and last time.

A major portion of our pack sympathized with him but I don't because every coin has two sides. Damon didn't love his wife instead he was insanely obsessed with her.

If he was so good then why did his wife leave him in the first place? I don't know why this question never bothers people because they blindly trust him and curse the Luna.

My mother worked for Elisa. Even though it was restricted to gossip about the noble family, she used to tell me and Dad how Damon used to keep so many tabs on Elisa. His love was unconditional but highly insecure because he never let Elisa come near to other men except Ronald. To keep his image, he showed people how much he adores Luna but only her maids knew how he used to threaten them to report every single detail of Luna. Any sane person wouldn't call this normal. Elisa was tired of his restrictions so she used to share her grief with Ronald who also supported her and was there for her whenever she needed him. He even tried multiple times to make Damon understand but that bonehead would justify it by saying it was his concern for her.

But his stubbornness brought the two love birds together and with time their bond grew much stronger which made them prioritize their love over loyalty.

Damon turned rabid. Elisa and Ronald turned him into a standing joke in front of the whole world. Ronald and he were called brothers from different mothers, that much faith he had in him but Ronald not only cheated him but also snatched his life from him. His image was vandalized and so was his reputation. So Damon decided to punish Elisa's staff first. He didn't give them a chance to explain and killed them including my mother.

That man isn't liable for sympathy. His wife cheated on him so why is he making everyone hate the omega? We aren't welcome in our own pack.

Because of his cruelty, the few families that somehow managed to survive decided to leave the Brimstone Mountains immediately. That freak was determined to wipe out our whole existence. After months of traveling, we finally stopped in Riverdale, a small town, and decided to settle there. Since then, we've been living here away from those maniacs. Unfortunately, we couldn't risk exposing ourselves so we embraced human life.

Coming back to the present, I work as an accountant in Elegance Porium. Felix is my childhood friend and also my mate. We both went to the same school, and college and even kicked off our career together. Felix works as a Data operator in Trek Corporation.

His obsession with his job sometimes gets on my nerves. Felix told me once that his job is everything for him. His hunger for fame and power sometimes irks me but I respect that because he has really faced so many hardships in his life.

Recently, Felix got the best performer award last week from his company, and as a reward, he was given free tickets to visit Paris. He insisted on taking me with him but I had to decline his offer because unlike him, my Boss wasn't very fond of me. I was well aware that she would never give me leave so it was useless persuading her. So, Felix had to go alone but today he will be returning, and I am so excited.

"Grace, you want me to drop you to the airport?" Rachel shouted as she trotted to me while zipping her purse.

"Yes please, Rach. Wait, I'll bring my coat."

*****

Rachel left after dropping me off. She insisted on staying but it was already so late so I told her to leave. Moreover, Felix will be coming so it's obvious that I won't be going alone.

Standing in the crowd, I anxiously waited for him to show up.

"Shit, I forgot a bouquet. Damn, I came empty hands to receive him."

This is not how I had planned but I am sure Felix would understand. He always does.

My eyes sparkled when his smell hit my nostrils. Not able to resist any longer, I dashed to jump into his arms when my whole world crashed in the blink of an eye.

"W-Who's she?"

I watched the couple in a daze who emerged from the crowd with their fingers intertwined.

He came back with a girl?

Blinking my tears which I didn't notice were running down my cheeks, I saw Felix coming towards me while laughing with a girl who looked no less than a model. Her hourglass figure cladded in branded clothes, her silky locks bouncing in her air, and those diamond studs were marvelous. The same goes for Felix too. Today his crisp cross-check shirt, slacks, and sports shoes were nowhere in sight. He looked handsome in that leather jacket and ripped jeans. His high black boots and the silver piercing in his left ear made him look hot but it didn't flutter my heart. The duo looked like a power couple who made everyone's heads turn but all I felt was pain. An unbearable pain.

This is wrong. I shouldn't judge him like that. My love isn't that weak.

Hurriedly, I cleared my tears with the back of my palm and took a deep breath before confronting him. My presence interrupted their chitchat as Felix removed his gaze from that supermodel. But the moment his eyes landed on me; his face morphed into shock.

"Gracie?" He mumbled, his eyes widening as if he didn't expect me here.

Now I grew more suspicious because he was behaving weirdly. Still, I flashed him a smile and was about to speak when that blonde interrupted.

"Who's she, love?"

Love?

LOVE???

That’s it.

I lost my cool at her endearment. How dare she call my mate love?

I instantly shot her a glare and took a threatening step in her direction when Felix gripped my arm, stopping me.

"Sophie, will you wait here for a while?" He said and gestured her to stay which she surprisingly obeyed. Nodding her head, that witch looked at me with judging eyes while I was dragged away by Felix.

"Leave my hand," I shouted and yanked away his arm as Felix took me to a corner.

"Gracie, please. Just listen to me." Felix tried to calm me down as he held my shoulders but was startled when I raised my hand in front of his face.

"I bet no word leaving your mouth could justify your actions. Your betrayal is your decision, Felix. You chose to cheat on your mate and that's the bloody truth." I screamed in his face. Felix clenched his jaw and lowered his gaze. His silence was my answer that further tore my heart into pieces.

A chuckle escaped my mouth. Yes, I laughed, laughed at myself, at my foolishness for putting so much trust in this man.

"I wouldn't cry Felix because you have always made your point clear. It was me who never took it seriously. You really can go to any limit to get the upper hand. Sophie is your door to money and fame, isn't it?"

Felix shot his head and glowered at me. He was clearly offended as I ridiculed him.

"You’re damn right Gracie and you know what? I don't regret it. If you had been this rich, I would have never left you. Don't you even think of comparing yourself to Sophie!! And when you're already accepting your mistake then I don't think there is any need to clarify. I am not bound to you, Gracie. It's my life, my choice."

"BUT I WAS YOUR MATE, BASTARD!!"

I couldn't tolerate his nonsense anymore and slapped him hard. Grabbing his collar, I threw a hard punch in his face making him stumble back. Felix spat blood and looked at me in shock.

"You... You aren't the Felix I knew. Or maybe I never knew you. I fell in love with your facade when in reality you're just a leech, a greedy money sucker."

Snarling, I wrenched the promise ring out of my finger he gave it to me and threw it on his face.

"Don't you ever show me your face, cheater? You're dead to me from now on."

I shouted like a mad woman and ran away from there. Felix stayed rooted on the spot but soon I heard him calling me from behind.

What more is even left to hear?

I paid no heed to him and continued running on the road while sobbing out loud.