CHAPTER ONE
—JASMINE"To Alpha Hades, and his beloved Luna, Jasmine."
While the toast sounds pleasant and well-intentioned, it feels like a bunch of empty harsh words to me.
Today marks three years of my marriage with Hades, the all-rounder powerful Alpha of the Silvermist pack, my husband—My mate.
To the public eyes, we’re this perfect couple.
The couple everyone wants to be like.
But behind the curtains, I am nothing to Hades, just an orphan who he was forced to marry by the Council, which felt like the most difficult task he had to complete.
He just needs me to be the perfect Luna by his side. and this wedding anniversary dinner is only playing a part in deceiving public eyes and ears.
"Look at how happy Luna is now. Who would have thought that she was a dirty and lowly omega before?"I hear someone mumble behind me.
These words sting me. It turns out that in people’s eyes, I am just a lowly and pitiful omega wearing Luna's clothing.
"Yes. If I were Alpha, I would never agree to marry such a useless orphan. Our Alpha is too generous and great. I completely admire him."
Although it is harsh, I have to admit that what they’re saying is right. Of course, Hades didn't want to marry me, marry such a shame. But he took this as an opportunity to establish a positive image of himself.
An Alpha who is broad-minded, has no prejudice, and loves every member of the pack.
And I became a tool to set off his greatness.
What's even more tragic is that even though I clearly know that all of Hades's tenderness towards me is just a show, I’m still hopelessly obsessed with this fake bond and hopelessly in love with him.
"At that time, Alpha was still with the daughter of the former Beta. What was her name, Alison? They were a perfect match and we all believed they were meant to be together. Who knew that fate would play such a big joke on them?"
How they mention the name I least want to hear in my life.
"Yes! Alison! Oh my dear Miss Alison Welsh. She is so perfect, beautiful, kind and energetic. I had the honour of chatting with her before. She came to our hospital to give us gifts, and I told her that I hope she and Alpha can have a baby soon. Alpha must have mustered up a lot of courage to choose this Luna. If it were me, I would never give up perfect Alison."
Well, compared to Alison, I am nothing but a joke.
This name hurts me deeply, constantly reminding me how ridiculous I am.
No one could bear to give up Alison and marry me, but Hades did it. Because he is great, generous, and selfless.
I try not to pay anymore attention to guests' cruel discussions and turn my attention to Hades.
"A toast." Hades begins with a smile that instantly cheers everyone.
His cheeks are slightly flushed and his dark brown eyes are warm.
So warm, that any sane woman would like to be buried in them.
Hades continues. "I want to make a toast to my lovely wife Jasmine,"
His simple words send multiple wishful eyes at me.
"To three years of wholesomeness with Jasmine, My amazing wife, and more years to come. I asked for a partner and the moon goddess gave me all three in one. A wife, a mate and a best friend. I would never trade her for another."
Hades turns to me and ends his speech with a dashing smile thrown at me.
Just as I think the moment has passed, the guests around the table erupt in a chorus of catcalls and cheers, urging Hades and I to kiss.
My heart skips a beat as the room falls silent, all eyes fixed on us, and I feel a flush rise to my cheeks.
Hades turns to me, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
I know he doesn’t fancy me and I get this feeling he won’t do it.
He has never kissed me.
In a move that catches me completely off guard, he slowly wraps his arms around me. My heart races as our faces draw closer, and before I can even process what's happening, his lips press against mine in a soft, sweet kiss.
As he kisses me, I feel a flutter in my heart, a flutter of warmth and anxiety. I’ve always craved for this and now that it is happening, I can’t get a grip.
As I try to balance my hands on his shoulders, I impulsively throw my arms around him, forgetting the glass of wine still clutched in my hand.
The crimson liquid spills all over his crisp white shirt, which breaks our kiss and I gasp in horror.
I expect the worst expression from Hades, but instead, he just laughs and gestures towards everyone who looks frightened.
"Please, do not let this little incident be a bother. I’ll wipe this off like it never happened" Hades says with a smile, and the table sweeps with ease among the guests.
"I’ll come with you to wipe it off" I offer and Hades just nods at me before trailing to the restroom, where I follow behind him.
In the restroom, I try to help him clean up the stain, but he shoves me away where my hand grazes across the wall, his expression darkening.
"How dare you embarrass me in front of all those people," he growls, his voice low and menacing.
I gulp.
How the sweetness of his mouth from earlier has turned venomous, leaving me breathless.
I feel unsettled.
Just now in front of the guest, he was this perfect devoted husband pretending to adore his Luna. Now he’s as bitter as a gull. His eyes blazing with anger and irritation.
"I’m sorry" I apologise gently.
"Sorry? Sorry doesn’t cut it for such an important occasion Jasmine. Always use that little brain of yours" He snarls.
"I’ll wipe the stain off immediately" I rush my words and start to wipe his shirt with my handkerchief but he catches my hand and pulls me close.
With his towering height, he looks down at me, his eyes glinting with mockery.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He asks.
I gawk at him. "What?"
"Do not lie. You’ve been longing for it for three years. I bet, a kiss that would make you knock another wine out" He takes a step closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well tonight’s your lucky night, I'll satisfy you once and for all."
My heart skips a beat as he leans in, his lips inches from mine.
Whatever is going on, I don’t want him to stop.
I close my eyes, anticipation building, my lips quivering for his lip, but nothing happens.
No kisses.
Instead, he bursts out laughing, his voice gleaming with amusement.
I open my eyes and my heart falls into my stomach.
"Get a grip"
As he seethes with anger, shoving me away, and causing me to stumble backward, where my back collides with the bathroom door.
My hand scrapes against the doorknob, causing a stinging burn that spreads across my skin.
"You're so gullible. You really thought I would kiss you?" he taunts, his voice dripping with condescension. "This is why I’ll keep reminding you to use that head of yours Jasmine. Never forget who you are."
I'm mute, unable to voice my thoughts, and instead, I'm trapped, listening to his mocks, my heart searing with pain.
My gullibility is nothing more than a source of entertainment for him. What a heartless man.
All I ever want is even the tiniest bit of attention from him, but all I get is this?
"You" He scoffs. "Know how to read a room and don’t make a fool out of yourself"
My stomach feels pinched and my heart slowly shreds into pieces, with tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
His laughter is still echoing in my mind, a cruel reminder of my vulnerability.
He continues talking, shattering my world completely.
"Do not dare to dream that you can do silly things like this Jasmine. I do not fancy you and you know that so well, I never will, not when Alison has returned. Get ready."
And with that, he leaves the bathroom.
My legs go weak and my breath hitches.
Alison?
Alison Welsh!!?
JASMINE—“Alison has returned.”Banging my brush on the bed, I catch my breath. My efforts to calm down are fruitless... At risk of losing control.I sigh deeply.I've been nervous since Hades and I's wedding anniversary night a few days ago. Every time I hear Hades’ voice say her name in my mind, my heart races and shuts down, making it impossible to think.My heart skips a beat as her blond flowing hair appears in my mental screen and almost makes me break down.Alison. The one who Hades truly loves. The woman I can never compete with.The woman I can never be.She was the reason he was happy during our anniversary night. Because she has returned.How foolish I was to not read into him. The sound of the doorbell takes me off my feet and my head snaps towards the door like I’ve been called.My personal maid, Enora, tries to beat me to the door but I tell her to halt.I silently pray it is Hades, because I want him home. He has not come home for three days for some business he h
—JASMINE Sometimes I wonder if I was only born into this world to become a shadow of my own reflection.I may be the silvermist Luna, but I don’t feel like it.I am not competent enough for it.If the entire pack members are to find out that their Luna isn’t just an omega, but also a wolf-less weakling. If anyone finds any slight flaw within me. I’ll be ridiculed for life.But how could anyone not, when I was born to be flawed.I may be married to my mate, but I am standing here, watching Hades show more affection to Alison than he has ever done to me.The pain in my chest is fierce but I don’t let it override my thoughts and I just carefully break their bonding with careful words.“Such beautiful bracelet” I pick it up with a smile.My actions and words give Alison and Hades room to stop touching each other and realize I am also in the room.“Thank you” Alison is calm with her words. “I got it on my way here? Would you like one too?” She smiles sweetly.“Oh no, thank you. You’r
JASMINE—Hades's eyes, already dark and piercing, seem to deepen to an almost blackened intensity, as if the very mention of my words has summoned a shadowy storm within him. His eyebrows furrow, knitting together in a fierce scowl, as if I've uttered a blasphemy that offends the very fabric of his being.“What did you say?” His voice is thick, raspy and livid.My tears are heavy and my entire body is shaking, but I do not fail to repeat myself.“I said. I want a divorce”I'm exhausted, drained from feeling unloved and unwanted. I release him and myself from this loveless bond. He's free to choose another Luna, one who can stand by his side with genuine devotion, one with a wolf and not as weak as me. I no longer care. This marriage has been a sham, a constant reminder of his unfulfilled desires. Let him be with the woman who truly holds his heart, the one he needs and loves in return. I'm done living a lie.Hades takes a step forward, still looking at me like I am uttering non
CHAPTER FIVE —HADESAs I gaze at Alison, I'm captivated by how pretty she looks just sleeping. Her peaceful expression and gentle breathing mesmerize me, and I can't help but smile. The stillness of the night envelops us, and I feel an overwhelming desire to simply be beside her, to bask in the warmth of her presence. But I can’t. Even if Alison is the woman that had once shaken my world and still the woman to still shake my world, even if I almost went crazy when she had to leave for her sudden studies— I can’t push past the fact that I am married.Though I don’t understand why Jasmine will suddenly want a divorce but that is never going to happen while I am still alive and breathing.Maybe she doesn’t get my heart racing like Alison does, but she is still doable. After three years of marriage, I've had the privilege of witnessing Jasmine’s exceptional qualities shine through in every aspect of her life. Her clear responsibility, solid loyalty, and remarkable resourcefulness ha
JASMINE—As I slowly open my eyes to see the morning sun that has crept into my room, I am hit with a rush of discomfort. My body feels heavy and sore, as if it has been put through a wringer. With Hades last night. It was worse than a wringer. Every muscle hurts, and my feet feel like heavy weights, weak and unwilling. I try to sit up, but even the slightest movement causes aches throughout my body. Throughout my three years of marriage, all I wanted from Hades was passionate love and more. Yes, I yearned for him as my husband, mate, and man. I've always wanted to have sex with him, but I never imagined it would be as vile and aggressive as it was last night. He had gone against my wishes, against my emotions, to sleep with me.It was horrible, his weight, the force he had used on me. That was no way I imagined sharing an intimate moment with my husband.As the thought of his burning flesh and movement crawls in from last night, flashes across my mind, I shudder.I can still f
—JASMINE“Luna Jasmine is cheating on Alpha Hades? What a slut!”“Luna Jasmine is a cheater?”“Such a disgusting act!”I freeze, my body paralyzed with shock, as if time itself has come to a standstill. My breath catches in my throat, choking me, making my head spin with dizziness. My heart races like a runaway horse, pounding in my chest, threatening to burst free. The grand hall has devolved into chaos. The entire guest is shocked and their murmurs that fill the air are not soft whispers but loud, angry mutterings that are echoing through the place like a rasping sound of hatefulness. “On the outside she seemed so perfect. But on the inside she’s a dirty little slut”“I can’t believe I used to look up to her.”“What a slut”My heart skips a beat when my ears decide to pick more than one person speaking.I look around the grand hall and I am met with a gaze of disgust from the other pack members. They’re not even trying to hide how disgusting they find me. Their once soft eyes
—JASMINE My body feels tight and numb and so is my throat. I haven’t said a word since Hades’ and I left the party. My heart is completely disrupted and I don’t know how to feel. Whatever I feel is beyond sadness and despair. Well, any living Luna in my shoes would have shattered completely if their entire pack members pointed fingers at them and slutshamed her. As we step into Hades’ room, he gently guides me towards his bed and urges my body to take a seat. I take a seat and watch as he moves swiftly around the room before disappearing into the bathroom. He comes out seconds later with a damp towel and as he squats down to match my seated height. He starts to carefully wipe the wine stain on my skin and dress. I flinch when the cold towel touches me, giving away how shocked I still am. Hades pauses to give me a look before continuing with his action. The room is quiet, with just the sound of Hades’ breathing and the towel moving around my dress hovering around the place.
—JASMINE I’ve been stuck under the covers by his side like glue since my bicker with Alison, her crocodile tears still fresh in my mind. Hades has kept me captive, refusing to let me budge an inch.His threat still hangs over me like a dark cloud.I am his and even if I am to die, I’ll die by his hand?The words still make me shudder.The silence between us is oppressive, and it makes my skin crawl.I want to leave this room. But I can’t, not until he agrees to do so.“Stop staring at me and go to bed.. it’s late already, or are you planning to escape me this time?” His voice seethes.“I want to sleep in my own room, on my own bed” I mumble, making a big shift.“I know you’re thinking of nothing but an escape plan”“I’m not. I just want—“You’re staying here tonight. “ His dominating voice covers mine. “And that is final”He gets close to me and brushes the strands of hair that covers my face.“And besides. We’re married, couples share the same fuckin bed” He’s talking about marri