A Broken Kitten Figurine, A Broken Unborn Pup Chapter 08

A Broken Kitten Figurine, A Broken Unborn Pup Chapter 08

The lips hovering over my neck froze instantly.

Blake went perfectly still for a long beat before slowly lifting his head.

He stared down at me in the darkness. Then, he took a few slow steps back, leaning heavily against the opposite wall.

He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and struck a flame.

When he spoke again, his voice had recovered its absolute sobriety. “I thought you knew me better than that, Tessa. I do not submit to threats.”

The gray smoke billowed between us, obscuring his sharp features and leaving him looking entirely cold and detached.

“I am completely serious.” I replied.

His fingers twitched slightly against the cigarette. “Your reason?”

Before I could answer, Blake’s phone broke the silence, its screen illuminating the dark room.

The caller ID flashed: Wendy.

The expression on Blake’s face smoothed into absolute indifference. He picked up.

“Blake, you need to come over right now,” Wendy’s voice commanded through the speaker, leaving no room for argument. “Zoe’s school requires a family video submission tomorrow. It has to feature both parents, and they’re broadcasting it to the entire class.”

Blake took a drag of his cigarette. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

Wendy let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Am I interrupting quality time with your precious Luna? Fine, don’t come. Let every pup in the kindergarten know that Zoe is an Alpha heir abandoned by her own father. Let them laugh at her.”

Blake didn’t offer a rebuttal. “I’m on my way.”

He cut the call, stepping right past me to grab the doorknob.

“Blake,” I called out to his retreating back. “That is the reason.”

“The exact reason I want to dissolve this bond.”

He turned back, his tone sharp with defensive annoyance. “Did you not know I had a pup when you agreed to mate with me?”

With one final, icy look, he pulled the door shut and vanished into the night.

I stood alone by the door of the massive, empty Pack House, remaining in the exact position he had left me in.

The only illumination in the grand hall was a few strands of pale moonlight bleeding through the high windows.

This scene was entirely familiar.

Every month, Zoe would spend a few days at Wendy’s house. And without fail, Wendy would invent flawless, unarguable crises to drag Blake over as well.

Every single time, I would be left behind in this echoing house, where the silence was so loud I could hear the rhythm of my own breathing.

He genuinely believed I was bitter about Zoe.

But the reality that was slowly suffocating me was his endless, unbreakable tether to Wendy.

They had legally dissolved their bond, yet they retained that ghost of telepathic frequency unique to fated mates.

Blake possessed an incurable seed of guilt toward Wendy. And because he could never bring himself to deny her, he abandoned me time and time again.

Blake didn’t return that night.

My inner wolf didn’t succumb to her usual pacing agony.

I didn’t waste a single second wondering where he slept or what he was doing with Wendy.

The next morning, both he and Wendy arrived at the Pack Administration Office together.

My pulse didn’t skip a single beat.

The surrounding desks immediately erupted into low whispers.

“Did they spend the night together?”

“The Former Luna is definitely moving back in.”

“Place your bets, guys. How long until Alpha Blake officially announces their reconciliation?”

“I bet a week.”

“Two weeks max.”

Tina, a coworker who was genuinely close to me, nudged my shoulder. “Tessa, what’s your bet?”

A small smile touched my lips. “I really don’t know.”

“Oh, come on, just guess! It’s just for fun!” the others pressed, dragging me into their circle.

I thought about it logically.

Filing for a mate bond dissolution required at least a month of processing through the Elder Council. For Blake and Wendy to fully rekindle their relationship, it would likely take another month or two of focused effort.

“Three months,” I stated casually.

The second the words left my mouth, the laughter around the desks died instantly.

A voice coated in pure ice drifted down from above us. “Are all of you completely devoid of work today?”