The Secret Lover CEO Love Story

Isolde Carrington's POV

My fingers trembled as I held the crumpled note, its damning words blurring before my eyes. A mate bond suppression potion. That's all Marcus left behind.

I dropped the note, the parchment fluttering to the floor like the remains of my shattered heart. Marcus and Freya were gone. My mate. My best friend. Gone, together.

My legs moved before my mind could catch up. I stumbled through the corridors of the packhouse, my heels clicking on the polished floors. Each step echoed, a cruel reminder of the emptiness inside me. Servants paused to glance at me, concern etched on their faces, but no one dared speak.

My chest tightened as I reached the front doors. Pushing them open, I stepped onto the wide stone terrace, the crisp night air biting at my skin. The grounds stretched out before me, bathed in the pale glow of the full moon. Somewhere out there, Marcus and Freya were running away together, leaving me behind without a second thought.

"You knew this could happen." My voice was a hoarse whisper, spoken to no one but the wind.

I had always known that Marcus wasn't entirely mine. He had been distant, even after we discovered we were mates. His smiles never reached his eyes. His touch had been cool, calculated, even during the mating ceremony. But I had ignored the warnings, blinded by the mate bond and my desire to be the Luna my pack deserved.

The betrayal felt like a blade to my chest, twisting deeper with every breath.

A low growl broke the stillness, and I turned sharply. My wolf stirred uneasily, her instinct to protect me pushing through my despair. But there was no threat. Just him.

The figure stepped out of the shadows, his golden eyes catching the moonlight. "You shouldn't be out here alone, Isolde," Killian said, his deep voice a mix of concern and irritation.

I stiffened. Killian Vandermere, the enigmatic Omega who had wormed his way into my life- and my bed. For years, he had been my escape, my secret rebellion against the expectations placed on me. He was supposed to be nothing more than a fleeting distraction, but now, standing before me, his presence felt heavier.

"I don't need protection," I snapped, wrapping my arms around myself.

Killian tilted his head, his golden eyes narrowing. "You think I don't know what's happened?"

Of course he knew. The entire pack must know by now. The future Alpha and Luna were supposed to lead together, to strengthen the pack through their bond. Instead, Marcus had chosen Freya, leaving me humiliated and abandoned.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said, my voice colder than I intended.

Killian didn't move. His broad shoulders were tense, his jaw set as he studied me. "They're fools," he said finally, his voice softening. "Marcus and Freya don't deserve your loyalty or your pain."

His words were a balm and a torment. He had always been able to see through me, to pierce the armor I wore so carefully.

"Why are you here, Killian?" I asked, turning to face him fully. "To gloat? To remind me that I'm nothing without a mate?"

A flash of anger crossed his face. "You think I would do that?" He stepped closer, the heat of his body radiating against my chilled skin. "I'm here because you deserve better than this."

My breath caught, and for a moment, I hated him. Hated him for being here, for seeing me at my weakest. But more than that, I hated the way his words made me want to believe him.

"Leave me alone," I whispered, my voice breaking.

Killian's gaze hardened. "If that's what you want," he said, his voice low and steady. "But don't pretend this is the end, Isolde. You're stronger than this."

He turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me alone with my grief.