99 Times for Alpha's Bestie

Chapter 2 This Time, His Sweet Talk Won't Work

My mind was made up before he finally came to our room.

This wasn't like my previous impulsive threats in an attempt to get him to see the mistakes he was continuously making in our bond.

This time, I was genuinely determined to leave.

Three years of mateship flashed through my mind. I had lost count of how many times Liam had prioritized Breanne over my feelings or dismissed me because his mother said so.

Who was his mate, and who was just a friend? I could no longer answer that question, and I was tired of trying to defend us.

We weren’t bonded. Not the way the typical Alpha and mate were. It was usual for an Alpha never to leave his Luna’s side. She was his number one priority, even though the pack came second. The Alpha's mate was the heart of the pack and respected as an equal, but I was neither of those things. I haven’t been from the start. Breanne, even though she was briefly sent away, was still respected and noticed more than I could even hope for.

If someone kept treating you in ways you disliked, it was because you allowed it.

I had let it slide every other time. But today, Liam had crossed my final line.

This day was our third anniversary. I didn’t care that he forgot my birthday, dinners, or events we planned together. I did, however, care about this milestone moment.

A promise he made was long forgotten.

This was that tipping point for my patience.

“Really, Claire? You are threatening to reject our mate bond again? Don't say that every time you're upset, sweetheart. I was wrong about today. I'll make it up to you tomorrow."

My eyes showed no emotion. “Don't bother. Not everything can be made up, and you can only backburner your mate for so long before she grows tired of being at the bottom of the priorities, Liam.”

"Of course, this can be fixed. There's always next year. We will have a pup by then, and you will have long forgotten this little hiccup and tantrum."

Liam pushed me down onto the sofa, kissing my face tenderly. With my hands pinned above my head, I wasn’t able to push him off.

He expected the topic of having pups would appease me and calm my boiling anger. I had had enough of his nonsense and non-committal ways.

I stared blankly at the ceiling as tears unexpectedly rolled down my cheeks. I lay like a dead weight.

In the past, whenever we would fight or I would throw a tantrum, as Liam would title it, all he would do was use the mate bond against me. His kisses, his touch, his desires would wear me down, and I would accept his hollowed words of apology and his flashy gifts as though they meant something more than pacifying childish behaviour, in his mind.

But this time, even though he held me down and I couldn’t resist, I was also not participating or encouraging him to continue. He was so self-absorbed that he couldn’t even realize that I wasn’t a willing participant. I was motionless, soundless, non-responsive.

As Liam kept kissing me, his hands touched every part of my bruised body, utterly unaware of the pain he was inflicting both physically and emotionally.

I felt his body suddenly freeze at the sound of a whimpered sob that slipped out of me. He looked out with hooded eyes, which quickly sobered and turned serious when he saw the tears in my eyes.

His expression was frozen in panic. "Baby, why are you crying?" He quickly turned on the light. "Wait—you seemed off when you came home. Did something happen?"

Finally, he remembered, but the damage between us was already done.

My heart twisted, wishing that it didn’t take crying while he wanted s*x to cover his mistakes for him to notice something was wrong. At the thought of how much distance was between us, more tears fell.

Under the light, Liam finally saw the slight swelling on my face, the scratches on my arms and body, and the deep gash on my right leg with dried blood.

His pupils contracted. "What happened?"

I could sense his wolf stirring under the surface. It was clear that someone had hurt me, but they were only now realizing it.

Just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang.

I looked at the screen and rolled my eyes. Of course, it was Breanne.

Liam sighed and offered a small apologetic smile before he answered in front of me. "Breanne, what's wrong?"

"Liam, I think I ate something bad. My stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?" Breanne's sugary voice came through.

Liam automatically started to agree. I could see his eyes widen with panic at the thought that she was in pain. But right before he responded, he looked at me and my reddened, tear-filled eyes.

"It's late. Claire and I are already in bed. Ask Mom if there's any medicine at home."

Stephanie's sharp voice interrupted, "Liam, come now! This isn't ordinary pain. It could be appendicitis! She's pale as a ghost!"

Liam's brow furrowed. "Fine. I'm coming."

My heart sank like a stone. I shook my head in disbelief and turned away, refusing to meet his eyes. Yet again, I was pushed aside.

Liam dressed quickly but hesitated at the door. After a long moment, he took my hand. "You're hurt too. Come with me, we'll get you checked at the hospital."

That single word, "too", cut like a knife.

I laughed dryly. "No need. Go ahead, play hero for another woman. If your mate's pain is less important than staying and understanding what happened, then your friend who has a stomach ache, don’t bother dragging me around like an accessory with false concern. I'd rather be alone."

Liam stiffened. He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone kept ringing insistently.

Finally, he sighed and pressed his black card into my hand.

"Buy whatever you want. Consider it an apology."

The door slammed shut.

I weighed the card in my palm and smiled bitterly. Liam only ever had two ways to appease me—s*x or money.

It used to work. I fooled myself into believing it meant he cared, that he wasn’t good with expressing emotions, but I saw it for what it was now.

This time, his sweet talk won't work.

I walked to the closet and in the back corner, I pulled out my old suitcase. Inside was the most valuable thing I owned. My freedom. It was an official Rejection agreement signed the night before our mating.

Back then, Liam had insisted on accepting our mate bond despite his family's objections. Afraid of being trapped in a toxic pack and mating, I had made him sign this; if I ever wanted to break the bond, he had to agree unconditionally.

I thought we’d never need it. Liam had probably forgotten it existed.

But I hadn't.

During one fight, I had even consulted a lawyer who confirmed its validity. I could file for an official rejection of the bond with just this document and 30 days cooling-off period. Since he had already signed it, there was no need for Liam's consent for me to file it now. The Elders within the Council would perform the rejection ceremony within their own chambers. There was no need for either of us to be present. That was typically why Alphas refrained from preemptively signing these types of contracts. It relinquished control without their knowledge.

Now was the time.