Chapter 5

**********Alex's POV********* In my office, Gage sat across from me, looking surprised and concerned. He then blurted out, "Dude, I can't believe Erika actually rejected you in front of everyone. That was intense!" I lean back in my chair, trying to maintain a cool and collected facade. "Relax. Erika was just throwing a tantrum. You know how she can be sometimes." Gage raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced by my nonchalant response. "But, Alex, it seemed like more than just a tantrum. She seemed really serious about ending things with you. Are you sure you're not underestimating her feelings?" I shrug, trying to downplay the situation. "Look, Gage, I know Erika better than anyone. She's always been a bit dramatic, especially when things don't go her way. And she might be a bit mad because I nearly choked her and made her apologize to Seren, but trust me, this is just another one of her phases. She'll come around eventually." Gage leaned forward, his voice filled with genuine concern. "I don't know, man. This feels different." Just as Gage finished his statement, a knock came at the door immediately and we both shifted our attentions to the door. That must be Erika. I knew she would be ok in no time, like I told Gage. "Come in" Gage Called and the door was pushed open. In walked a maid with her head bowed as she stood before us. "Greetings, Alpha Alex and Beta Gage." She greeted and I just leaned back into her seat. "Why are you here?" I asked. She hesitated and began fidgeting with her clothes. "Are you here to take your clothes off?" Gage suddenly asked as he took a sip of his wine. I almost chuckled but I had to look serious before them. "No, no sir. I'm here for something else" "Which is?" I asked this time. "Alpha Alex, Luna Erika has left the pack" The maid said and I froze. It took me roughly 2 minutes to process her words. Erika left the pack? Gage turned to give me that knowing look of his and I glared at him. He turned to look at the maid and stretched out his hand to give the cup back to her. "Thanks for the information, please take this back to the kitchen and don't come back till we call for you" He said and the maid nodded, before scurrying away. Gage then turned back to me again and smiled. "Alex, Erika left the pack" He purposely repeated and I had the urge to hurl something at him. "So?" I asked instead, seeming unfazed. "I'm telling you your mate left the pack and all you could say is so?" Gage asked in disbelief. What was he expecting me to do? Go after her? Oh please, I'm the Alpha and not some dog who follow a woman around. "Erika is such a child, she is just throwing a tantrum. She'll return when no one says a word to her" I said tiredly and took up a project I left pending for weeks. "Alex can you hear yourself?!" Gage yelled and my wolf growled as well. "Keep it down, will you?" "How can I do that when you don't even act like you're sane?!" I rolled my eyes at him, "I am sane, Gage. You just don't understand Erika" I tell him and focused on the paper in hand again. "So what if she doesn't return as you said?" Gage asked and I was so tempted to send him out of my office. How could he be such a pest in another man's issues. My lips curled into a smirk as I sneered," A poor orphan, fatefully bound to me. Does she truly believe that abandoning the sanctuary of the Bloodmoon Pack will offer her solace? She deluded herself if she thinks the streets will be kind to her, far from the luxury she's grown accustomed to within this walls" Gage just gave me a bewildered look and I smiled. I stood up to my feet and strolled towards him, patting his shoulders softly. "Erika is a gold digger who found her way into being a Luna of this pack through the moon goddess. I'm even surprised how she matched me up with a lowlife instead of someone like Seren. Speaking of Seren, I have to go check on her, she must be awake" I matched towards the door when Gage suddenly called out to stop me again. "Alex, you're seriously not going to look for Erika?" I groaned in anger and turned to look at him in annoyance. "She will return on her own" i said and pulled the door open to leave. "You really have to go look for Erika" I heard my wolf, Elijah spoke in my mind and I rolled my eyes. "You too? Weren't you there when she rejected us?" I asked him. "That was because you treated her wrongly!" Elijah growled. "What wrong did I do?" I asked. "You asked her to kneel before that cunning woman and apologize. You even almost killed her!" I chuckled at his words. "Firstly, Erika had to apologize and secondly, she was very annoying and disobedient, so I was carried away by my anger and choked her" I replied as I got closer to Seren's door. "Now be good, Elijah. Erika will return when she's done wandering the entire city without any help." Elijah let out a frustrated groan, clearly angered by my decision of not looking for her. But I didn't let his annoyance get to me. I knew that deep down, he would come to terms with it soon. After all, Erika's actions were her own choice, and we couldn't force her to stay if she didn't want to. As I reflected on Erika's behavior, a mix of frustration and disappointment washed over me. She could be so cunning and manipulative, always playing her own game. It wasn't enough for her to simply be jealous of Seren; she had even tried to kill her. Now, she had taken it a step further by leaving, likely to make herself look pitiful in front of my subjects. Erika was being pretentious and she was always seeking attention and sympathy, using any means necessary to achieve her desired image. But deep down, I knew that her actions would only lead to more complications and challenges for herself.