Agony fell short; she was shattered.
Charlotte, a werewolf, endured relentless abuse, leaving her utterly fractured. Austin, her supposed mate, subjected her to constant mistreatment and even infidelity.
In a daring escape, she fled, only to encount...
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The next morning, I awoke with heavy bags under my eyes, the result of a sleepless night spent rehearsing what I needed to say. I hoped that I wouldn't falter and that I could remain firm in my decision.
Summoning my courage, I opened my bedroom door, greeted by John's voice. "Charlotte, Leon is waiting for you at the dining table," he informed me.
I took a deep breath and made my way to the dining table. Leon gestured for me to sit in the chair beside him, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
"I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now," I began, hoping he would listen before reacting. "I appreciate all that you've done for me, building my confidence and taking care of me."
"It's been a transformative time with you, and I've come to a realization – we're not a good match," I confessed.
"What do you mean?" Leon responded with anger simmering in his voice.
I couldn't hold back my frustration. "You said all those kind things, promising not to hurt me like Austin did, and then you threw me into a dungeon!" I exclaimed.
"I had no choice; I was trying to protect you," he retorted defensively.
"I don't want to argue," I sighed. "I just want to share my decision. I'm leaving, and I appreciate everything you've done for me over these past few months."
"No! You can't leave. You're the Luna, and I love you. Can't we work this out?" Leon pleaded, gripping my hand tightly.
"Leon, not everything that's broken can be fixed. My heart is weary, and I'm exhausted. I just want a peaceful life," I replied softly.
"I can give you a peaceful life, Charlotte. Please don't leave. Forgive me, and we can start over," he implored.
"Love isn't something you can just declare. If you truly loved me, there wouldn't be a need to say it because I'd feel it," I stated firmly.
"I've made my decision, and no one can change my mind," I declared as I stood and headed back to my room.
With my thoughts finally spoken aloud, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. But I wanted to leave him a letter, a more detailed explanation of my feelings.
I hastily packed my belongings, throwing my clothes and personal items into my suitcase. Grabbing a pen and paper, I began to write.
Just as I was engrossed in my writing, there was a knock on my door. A young woman stood there, the witch I had called for earlier.
"Luna, I'm the witch you summoned," she announced.
"Please, break the bond between me and the Alpha," I requested.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "You want to break the mate bond?" she asked, taken aback.
"Yes," I replied firmly.
As she began chanting, a heaviness settled over my heart. The pain grew with each passing moment as she severed the mate bond. My wolf protested internally, but eventually, the pain subsided, and the bond was broken.
I hadn't told anyone about my departure except for Leon, but I suspected John overheard and might inform Lily.
Sitting on my bed, I pondered where to go next. The call of the forest seemed to beckon me. I didn't mind being a rogue; I was confident in my abilities.
Just then, Lily burst into my room. "Why are you leaving? Please don't go," she implored.
"I'm sorry, Lily, but we can still meet up sometime," I replied sadly.
Lily had been a steadfast friend during my time here, and I couldn't thank her enough for her support. I embraced her tightly, my gaze shifting to the clock.
Grabbing my suitcase, I made my way to the door. It was time for me to officially leave the pack behind.
John and Lily were there to bid me farewell, their best wishes and Lily's tears accompanying my departure.
"Leon is in his room; he felt the bond break and is still very upset," John informed me.
Breaking the mate bond came with a rule – when one party originally did not belong to the pack, they had to leave. Leon couldn't stop me; it was the pack's tradition.
"Give this to him," I told John, handing him the letter I had written.
"Thank you both for everything. We'll meet again someday," I smiled.
As I stepped through the door, the brilliant golden sun greeted me, casting its radiant glow across the sky. The contents of the letter echoed in my mind.
Dear Leon,
If I ever decide to give up on you, you need to understand how much that took out of me. I'm the type who gave endless chances, until it struck me what a fool I was.
You said you loved me. But you didn't fight for me.
You said you will never hurt me. But you hurt me emotionally and physically.
I gave you endless chances, and yet you took them for granted.
You have your reasons to lock me up in the dungeon, but have you ever thought, what if I don't really care if I was killed by the council?
At least I knew you believed in me, that you tried your best to fight for me.
But it hurts so much that you didn't even try and gave in, thinking that you were protecting me. But you weren't.
So if I finally decided to give up on you, please understand that it took everything that was left inside of me to leave you alone.
I wished I could just go back to the day I met you and just ran away. Because, honestly it would have saved so much hurt and pain.
It broke my heart. But it opened my eyes.
I thought you could piece me back together but perhaps this whole time, I was piecing myself back.
When I was younger, having a mate felt like the most wonderful thing, but I realized that now I had to leave to find the happiness that no mate could give me.
Don't bother finding me because it doesn't matter anymore.
Thank you for making me grow as a person and I wish you all the best for your future.
Charlotte
There was nothing I regretted in that letter – it held all the truths I had held within me. We had started with a simple hello, but it ended with a complicated goodbye. No more tears, because I hadn't lost him – he had lost me.
The end. If you have read till here, thank you for the support and love.
There's still a small chapter about what I want to tell you all, so stay tuned.
