Keep Your Sorry, Ex-I've Already Married the Alpha Protector

SERAPHINA'S POV

"Yes! Harder!"

"You like that, don't you, you little wench?"

"Yes! Goddess, Yes! More! More!"

The woman's saccharine moan slipped through the crack of the study door.

My footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

My brother-in-law Ray's funeral wasn't even over yet. The mansion was still packed with mourners, pack members, and business associates paying their respects.

And somehow, in the middle of all this, someone was having sex.

At first, I almost laughed.

Honestly, my first thought was that some distant relative had gotten a little too drunk and a little too bold. If I'd had the energy, I probably would've posted an anonymous story about it on Reddit.

But after three straight days of hosting guests following the devastating news delivered by my mother-in-law-the former Luna of the Thornley Pack-I was exhausted.

All I wanted was to find an empty room and sleep.

I was about to walk away.

Then I heard a name that turned my blood to ice.

"Caspian..."

My husband.

My breath caught instantly.

Fina, my wolf, jolted awake inside me, releasing a furious growl.

Slowly, I stepped closer to the door.

And then-

I saw something I would never forget for the rest of my life.

My sister-in-law, Rose, was bent over the desk.

Her black mourning dress had been shoved up around her waist.

The flash of a red thong beneath it stabbed at my eyes.

And my so-called husband, Caspian Thornley, was kneeling between her legs.

His hands gripped her hips.

His face buried between her thighs.

A hungry groan escaped him.

He looked like a devoted worshipper.

Or a starving addict finally getting his next fix.

"Caspian..." Rose moaned.

"Doesn't your wife satisfy you?"

A low laugh escaped him.

I'd never heard that sound before.

Deep.

Sexy.

Filled with desire.

"My wife?" he scoffed.

"I've never touched her."

The world tilted.

Five years.

For five entire years.

Everyone blamed me.

Everyone whispered that I couldn't give him an heir.

Everyone assumed I was the reason our marriage remained childless.

And now my husband was admitting to another woman that he had never slept with me.

The worst part?

He wasn't lying.

Not once.

Not a single time.

Since the day I married him at eighteen, he had never marked me.

Never claimed me.

Never made love to me.

Every excuse had sounded reasonable.

You're too young.

I'm willing to wait.

I don't want to rush you.

And like an idiot, I'd believed him.

Inside my head, Fina snarled.

"I told you so."

"Then why marry her?" Rose asked.

Her painted red toes brushed against my husband's chest.

The sight made me sick.

I wanted that answer too.

Five years ago, he had pursued me.

He had courted me.

He had proposed.

He had asked me to become his chosen mate.

How dare he betray me?

"Go in there!" Fina hissed.

"Rip her mouth apart! Slap him!"

I almost did.

I almost kicked the door open.

Almost.

But I forced Fina back.

Forced myself to think.

If I stormed in now, what would happen?

They'd be embarrassed.

Maybe.

But I'd be the one thrown out of the pack.

They'd make sure of it.

For years I'd endured the title of "the barren Luna."

One accusation.

One fabricated story.

And I'd lose everything in front of the Pack Council.

No.

I refused to leave with nothing.

For five years I'd helped run this pack.

I had poured my education, my strategies, and my knowledge into its growth.

When Caspian became Alpha, he wasn't even expected to inherit.

His older brother had always been the obvious successor.

I was the one who helped modernize the pack's finances.

I was the one who negotiated contracts.

I was the one who strengthened alliances behind the scenes.

And now that his brother was dead...

Did Caspian think he could inherit the pack, the company, and the widow?

My stomach twisted.

No.

I wouldn't make it that easy for him.

The betrayal lodged in my throat like a peach pit.

The first spark of revenge ignited inside me.

Step one:

Get my phone.

Get evidence.

Destroy him.

Five years ago, I'd insisted on marrying Caspian.

I promised my adoptive family I'd be happy.

My adoptive family had wealth beyond imagination.

But love?

That was another matter.

Their pack dominated Washington and controlled enormous economic influence across North America.

My grandmother ruled it with an iron fist.

Her strength made the pack powerful.

It also made the family cold.

To her, usefulness was everything.

Even when I earned perfect grades, she'd find fault in my posture.

My manners.

The way I sat.

The way I spoke.

After discovering my husband's betrayal, I couldn't simply run home like a heartbroken daughter.

Because in her eyes, useless people weren't loved.

I'd spent years trying to prove her wrong.

See?

Someone loves me.

Someone chose me.

At least, that's what I'd believed.

Then a servant found me.

The former Luna wanted both daughters-in-law present to see off the remaining guests.

Before I could say a word, I was dragged back into my duties.

And the nightmare continued.

"Kneel!"

My mother-in-law's voice cracked through the air.

Hours later, after the funeral crowd had finally dispersed, she ordered the guards to force me down at the entrance.

I looked up at her.

She wore black mourning clothes.

Her eyes were swollen and red.

Ray's death had shattered her.

For the first time, she looked old.

"Mother-"

"Don't call me that!" she snapped.

"Five years of marriage and your belly is still flat. You've disgraced the Thornley name."

Her finger nearly struck my face.

Inside me, Fina whimpered.

This time, even she was tired of staying silent.

I bit my lip.

Said nothing.

I'd heard these words for five years.

Then my mother-in-law turned toward Rose.

"And you! Ray only went bungee jumping because of you! You wanted to go! He never would've taken that risk otherwise!"

Rose's face turned pale.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She looked like the perfect grieving widow.

Fragile.

Broken.

Innocent.

But I knew what was hidden beneath that black dress.

A red thong.

The same one my husband had been clawing at only hours earlier.

"If it weren't for this useless barren woman," my mother-in-law shouted, pointing at me, "the Thornley family wouldn't be suffering like this!"

The servants lowered their heads.

No one dared speak.

I almost laughed.

Five years.

Five years of trying to be the perfect Luna.

The perfect wife.

The perfect daughter-in-law.

And my reward?

My husband was sleeping with his brother's widow.

While I knelt in the rain being blamed for not giving him children.

How ridiculous.

"Mom, please."

Caspian's voice snapped me back to reality.

I looked up.

He emerged from the house holding a black umbrella.

And walked directly toward Rose.

"Rose is fragile," he said.

"My brother just died. She shouldn't be kneeling here."

I remained on the ground.

He walked right past me.

Without even looking.

"Caspian..." Rose whispered tearfully.

"Your mother is right. I should kneel."

"No."

His voice softened.

A tenderness I'd never once heard directed at me.

"This wasn't your fault."

Then William ran out of the house.

Rose's five-year-old son threw himself into his grandmother's arms.

"Grandma, Mommy didn't mean it. Daddy loved both you and Mommy. He wouldn't want either of you crying."

Then Rose swayed.

And collapsed.

"Rose!"

Caspian caught her instantly.

The umbrella handle slammed painfully into my shoulder.

He didn't even notice.

"Mom! Rose fainted!"

"She still isn't allowed inside!" the former Luna shouted.

"I'm the Alpha!"

Caspian roared.

His wolf surfaced.

His green eyes flashed with power.

The entire courtyard fell silent.

Finally, his mother relented.

"Fine. Take her inside."

Without hesitation, Caspian lifted Rose into his arms.

She rested her head against his shoulder.

Comfortable.

Intimate.

Familiar.

The picture of a loving couple.

He carried her inside.

William followed.

His mother followed.

The door closed behind them.

And I was left alone in the rain.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

I looked down.

An unfamiliar number.

A single message.

If you ever want to come home...

Call me.

My breathing stopped.

I knew that number.

Even after five years.

I had never forgotten it.

Adam.

At that moment, I made the most reckless decision of my life.

I dialed another number.

The call connected almost immediately.

"Angela."

I stared at the brightly lit house.

My voice sounded broken.

But determined.

"Prepare the divorce papers."

A pause.

Then Angela gasped.

"What?"

I closed my eyes.

This time, there was no hesitation.

"I want a divorce."

SERAPHINA'S POV

The downpour kept intensifying. Standing there, everything suddenly struck me as absurd.

For years I'd followed her every instruction, trying to be the perfect, obedient wife. But why on earth should I be kneeling now?

I forced myself off the ground. Sharp pain shot through my knees and my legs wobbled beneath me, but I got to my feet.

Without looking back, I headed for the car in the courtyard. Minutes later I was driving away from the estate, going directly to the apartment I'd kept from before the marriage.

I hadn't visited in ages, though I'd maintained it all along. After marrying into the Thornley Pack, this place became my occasional refuge when I needed solitude.

The moment I got inside, I went straight for the shower. Hot water cascaded over me, yet cold tremors ran through my entire body.

Afterwards I collapsed onto the bed in my bathrobe, feeling progressively worse as shivers overtook me.

Probably running a fever, but I couldn't bring myself to move. All I wanted was to lie there and think about nothing.

Someone rang the doorbell.

Dragging myself up, I peered through the peephole. Angela stood outside in casual clothes, clutching a folder.

"Jesus, what happened to you?" She burst out the second she walked in. "Your face is burning red. Are you running a fever?"

"Probably." My voice came out scratchy. "You brought the papers?"

"Yeah, I've got them." She guided me to the sofa and pressed her palm against my forehead. "You're burning up. Let me get you something for this first."

After digging through my medicine cabinet, she emerged with fever medication and a thermometer. The reading showed 39.2 degrees Celsius.

"Were you out in that rain?" Angela handed me pills and water.

"Yeah. Spent some time kneeling in it." I swallowed the medicine, my tone flat, as though discussing a stranger's experience.

"Wait, kneeling?" Angela's voice jumped an octave. "Did those Thornley pack people do this to you?"

A coughing fit hit me before I gave her the condensed version of everything. As I described Caspian carrying Rose inside, him walking right past me without a single glance, and me kneeling alone while rain poured down, Angela's expression darkened progressively.

"That absolute bastard!" She slammed her palm on the coffee table. "I knew Caspian Thornley was garbage!"

"You know, I used to think pretty highly of myself." A bitter laugh escaped me. "Convinced myself Caspian just had a low sex drive and that I was fine with platonic love. Five whole years... I really kept telling myself that."

"And then?" Angela prompted.

"Turns out he's been sleeping around this whole time." My voice went cold. "Under Rose's black funeral dress, she had on red lingerie. They were in the study together. He was on his knees in front of her..."

I couldn't continue. That image made me physically sick every time it surfaced.

"God, that's disgusting!" Angela swore openly. "They were screwing around during his brother's funeral? Are they even human?"

She paced the living room, seething. Watching Angela's face flush red and the veins bulge in her neck, I found myself growing calmer instead.

"That's exactly why I need this divorce," I said.

She stopped pacing and dropped down in front of me, grabbing my hand. "Absolutely, you're divorcing him! That piece of shit doesn't deserve you. You know what? Once you're free, I'm introducing you to incredible men. Alphas even, if those are who you want. Your pick! I promise every single one will be a hundred times better than Caspian Thornley!"

Her excitement built as she talked. She slapped her thigh. "Since that cheating bastard already crossed the line, why wait? Let's do this now! I'll set up some dates immediately so Caspian Thornley sees he's not the only one who can play games!"

She reached for her phone.

"Hold on." I caught her hand. "Angela, I need to be completely done with this rotten marriage before starting anything new."

Something like sympathy flickered in her eyes. "Even now you're still following the rules."

"It's not about rules," I said, shaking my head. "I just don't want any more entanglement. I want out cleanly, without giving him ammunition or excuses."

She considered this, then nodded. "You're right. We'll divorce legally so he can't say a damn word."

She passed me the folder. "Look through this and tell me if anything needs adjusting."

I scanned through, finding nothing out of place. "I think I'm good," I said, handing back the file to her.

She took the file, but worry lined her forehead, cresting the lines deeper.

"What?" I asked weakly.

"You know, you can get him to sign the divorce paper. But will he agree to sever the mating bond that binds you to him?" She asked.

I thought for a second. "He will have no choice," I said with determination. "He will want to be with Rose."

We talked a while longer, but seeing how terrible I looked, Angela decided to leave.

"Rest up and call me if you need anything." At the door she turned back. "And remember, the second you're single again, tell me. I'll have dates lined up immediately!"

"Alright, alright, I hear you." Smiling, I ushered her out.

As I saw Angela into the elevator and turned to close my door, the second elevator suddenly opened.

I froze.

Caspian, Rose, and William stood together inside, looking exactly like a family returning from an outing. William was even holding both Caspian's and Rose's hands, grinning innocently.

I stood there in my doorway, unsure what expression to wear.

"Seraphina," Caspian spoke first, his tone carrying automatic authority, "Perfect timing that you're here."

I said nothing. Just stared at them.

Caspian stepped out, Rose and William following. Rose had changed into a flowing white dress with her hair down, looking delicate and vulnerable.

"Mom's been quite upset lately and doesn't want Rose around," Caspian said casually, like this was perfectly reasonable. "So I'd like to have Rose and William stay here temporarily."

Looking at him, I felt like I was seeing a complete stranger. This man used to be my husband. I thought I'd known him, but clearly I never had.

"Any objections?" Caspian asked, though his tone suggested there was no real choice.

"I..."

"Plus you can practice interacting with children," Caspian continued, even producing a smile. "Preparation for when we have our own."

A cold laugh was all I could manage.

Before, he wouldn't touch me so I couldn't get pregnant. Now I wanted divorce and he'd never have children from me anyway.

Besides, asking me to watch the kid was probably just cover for his affair with Rose. Living under one roof made everything convenient-seeing each other, doing whatever they wanted.

But if he wanted her that much, why wouldn't he just reject me and choose her as his mate instead?

I opened my mouth to refuse, to argue. Then suddenly I understood.

Caspian Thornley needed a wife, which was why he didn't outrightly reject me and even went through the trouble of keeping his extra marital affairs a secret.

First, for business appearances-how could the Thornley Pack's alpha not have a respectable Luna? Second, facing public scrutiny, he couldn't marry Rose, but he could secretly be with her using this façade.

And I made the perfect cover.

If I fought or made scenes now, what would they say? That I had no proof, that I was paranoid, that I couldn't tolerate Rose and her child.

I drew a deep breath and pushed down my rage.

"Fine," I said, my voice surprisingly steady even to my own ears. "They can stay."

Caspian clearly hadn't expected such easy agreement. He paused, then smiled with satisfaction. "I knew you'd be reasonable."

Rose spoke up, her voice soft and fragile. "Thank you, Seraphina. I know this is an imposition, but I truly have nowhere else...

"It's fine," I cut her off. "We're all family."

William clutched Rose's hand while curiously surveying my apartment. The child was adorable, but looking at him now only irritated me.

"William, say hello to Auntie," Rose prompted gently.

"Hello, Auntie," William said in his small voice.

I forced something resembling a smile but didn't respond.

Over the following days I avoided them as much as possible. My fever broke but I remained weak, spending most hours in my room.

The housekeeper Caspian arranged handled Rose and William's daily needs. I felt like an intruder in this space while Rose behaved like the actual mistress, directing the housekeeper constantly.

On the third afternoon, the housekeeper knocked urgently on my door.

"Ma'am, there's been an incident." Her voice carried clear anxiety.

I opened up. "What happened?"

"The young master-I mean, William-he was playing in your room and accidentally broke the photo frame on your desk."

My heart lurched. That frame held the only family photo of me with my parents, taken together before they died.

I rushed to my room. Opening the door, I saw shattered glass and torn photograph pieces scattered across the floor.

The photo had been ripped into several fragments. My father's face, my mother's smile, my childhood self-all torn apart.

My hands shook as fury surged through me.

Just then Rose emerged from another door in my room, William in tow. Seeing me, the child showed no fear. Instead he tilted his face up and announced, "Uncle said he'll take care of me and Mom just like Dad would!"

I stared at him, catching the brief flash of triumph on Rose's face.

This was a provocation.

An absolutely blatant provocation.

SERAPHINA'S POV

I inhaled sharply, fighting to keep my fury from boiling over.

William still wore that idiotic grin, but Rose had already shifted into her innocent persona, speaking with deliberate softness: "William, stay still. See? You've destroyed Auntie's photograph."

Her eyes betrayed a hidden satisfaction, clearly anticipating my explosion.

Kneeling down, I gathered the fragments slowly. Every piece felt like a blade against my heart. This photograph-the sole one they'd left behind-was the most valuable possession in my entire existence.

"William," I lifted my gaze, smiling, "Have you heard of Santa Claus?"

William's eyes blinked: "Yeah, he delivers gifts."

"True, though he has another role." I moved nearer, dropping my voice to a whisper, "He keeps records of children's wrongdoings. When a child destroys something precious to someone else and refuses to apologize or acknowledge their fault, Santa Claus visits their bedside on Christmas Eve..."

I let the sentence hang, watching William's eyes expand.

"What happens next?" His voice carried a tremor.

"He takes his enormous scissors and clips off the offending hand, feeding it to his reindeer. Those reindeer particularly enjoy naughty children's hands, chomping them with enthusiasm."

I replicated the crunching sound. William's complexion drained of color.

"Furthermore, the child missing their hand will bleed endlessly. Blood will shoot from their wrist, covering everything-bedding, walls, ceiling..."

"Seraphina!" Rose called with warning.

I stood upright, my eyes flickering to the other woman. "That will be Luna Seraphina to you," I hissed at her.

"I am the Luna!" She protested.

"Now that your husband is gone, Caspian is going to be the Alpha. As his wife, that makes me the Luna, not you," I challenged openly.

That took her aback. I watched with sickening satisfaction as she staggered on her feet.

My attention turned back to William and I went on, "You'll never grasp anything again, never touch your toys again, because you'll be handless."

"Waaah-" William crumbled, sobbing loudly, "Mommy! Mommy! I don't want to lose my hands!"

Rose scooped up William immediately, her face hardening: "Seraphina! Terrifying a child like this? He's barely five!"

"Exactly, barely five." I rose to my feet, meeting her stare, "At five, he's already mastered tearing people's photographs. What impressive parenting."

"William simply lacks maturity. Why would you, a grown woman, battle with a small child?" Rose rubbed William's back, her tone accusatory.

"A small child?" I cut her off. "Your son just declared, 'Uncle promised to look after me and Mom the way Dad did.' Who planted that idea? Can a five-year-old truly comprehend such concepts?"

Rose's complexion reddened instantly. Clutching the still-weeping William, she pressed her lips together: "What rubbish are you spouting... William simply misses his father. Caspian is his uncle. What's inappropriate about showing concern for his nephew?"

"You understand perfectly well whether you're being truthful." I held her gaze, enunciating clearly, "Don't assume I'm stupid, Rose. Did you knock before entering my room? Where were you when your son shredded my photograph? What's this performance about being a devoted mother?"

"You..." Words died on her throat, clearly not expecting the sweet Seraphina she knew to suddenly gain a new wing.

I took a step closer to her. "Even if you go about stealing him, I am still always going to be one step ahead of you as his mate. In that, you have a long way to go, ex-Luna," I taunted her. I knew my jab hit home, exactly as I wanted it.

Rose blanched at my words. She pivoted and exited with William, saying, "I refuse to engage with you. When Caspian returns, I'll relay everything."

"Go ahead," I responded icily. "Make sure you mention he should prepare compensation."

I shut the door, pressing against it, my entire frame shaking. Tears finally escaped down my cheeks.

Dad, Mom, forgive me. I failed to safeguard your photograph.

I collected the pieces meticulously, storing them in a container. Perhaps someone could restore it later, perhaps not, but I'd preserve them regardless.

Near 7 p.m., I heard the front door opening.

I recognized Caspian's arrival. Predictably, minutes later, he rapped on my door.

Opening it, I found him standing there, his expression dark.

"What did you inflict on William today?" His tone was accusatory. "Terrifying the child like that, Seraphina, how can you be so cruel?"

I studied him, suddenly finding it laughable. He hadn't even inquired about the reason-just immediately branded me cruel.

"Are you aware of what he did?" I asked.

"Rose told me William accidentally damaged your photo frame, but it was purely accidental." Caspian's brow creased. "Did you need to frighten him with such horrifying descriptions? He's experiencing nightmares now, repeatedly screaming about Santa Claus cutting off his hands."

"Accidental?" I laughed bitterly, retrieving the container with the photograph fragments from the drawer and emptying it onto the table before him. "Examine this. Could an accident produce this?"

The fragments spilled out, each torn into minuscule pieces, obviously deliberate.

Caspian froze. He leaned down, inspecting the fragments closely, his expression shifting.

"These are my parents' final photographs." My voice remained level. "They possessed only one family photograph before their deaths, the sole one in existence. Now it's destroyed, Caspian Thornley, tell me, what should I do?"

Caspian stayed silent briefly, then massaged his temples. "I wasn't aware it was this severe... but William is young, he genuinely might not grasp this photograph's significance. How about this-I'll provide compensation. Name your amount."

"Name my amount?" I found it ridiculous. "Caspian Thornley, money can't purchase everything. This photograph holds infinite value for me, understand?"

"I understand, but the photos are destroyed now. What option exists beyond compensation?" His tone carried impatience. "Furthermore, you genuinely did threaten William and those words were excessively harsh."

I drew a deep breath, suddenly realizing discussion was pointless.

"Forget it, I won't debate this." I turned, extracting two documents from the drawer. "Since you mentioned compensation, then sign these."

Caspian accepted the documents, barely glancing before flipping straight to the final page: "What's this? A property compensation agreement?"

"Something like that," I said lightly.

He grabbed a pen, scrawling his name at the first document's end, then seized the second, flipped to the back, and swiftly signed it.

"Satisfied?" He tossed the files back onto the table. "Stop frightening William. He's just a child."

After speaking, he moved to leave.

Right then, I suddenly called out: "Caspian Thornley."

He turned back, his brow wrinkling slightly: "What else?"

I approached him, looking upward. This man had once been my husband, the man I'd believed would accompany me through life.

Just as Caspian began turning, I unexpectedly extended my arms and embraced him. His body went rigid instantly, apparently not anticipating my action.

"Seraphina, you..." His voice sounded somewhat awkward.

I pressed my face against his chest, absorbing his warmth. This might be my final time holding him this way. Five years of marriage, five years together, ending today.

Caspian wavered momentarily, but eventually lifted his hand, gently placing his arm around my waist.

My wolf purred, both of us betraying our emotions despite our anger.

Just then, knocking sounded at the door.

"Caspian?" Rose's voice carried through, tinged with fragility and hesitation. "William can't fall asleep and keeps requesting you to stay with him..."

Caspian's body stiffened again, and immediately after, he pushed me away almost reflexively.

"I'll go check on William." After speaking, he opened the door and exited without even glancing my direction.

Outside, Rose stood clutching William. Seeing Caspian emerge, relief washed across her face: "Caspian, William keeps having nightmares, mentioning Santa Claus..."

Caspian lifted William from her, speaking soothingly, "Everything's fine, Uncle's here. No Santa Claus exists, no monsters..."

He carried William toward the guest room, Rose trailing behind. Rose glanced backward at me, her eyes broadcasting provocation and smugness.

I remained in the doorway, observing the three of them retreating, suddenly feeling tranquil.

I closed the door, returned to the table, and lifted the second document.

Under the weak lighting, the document's first page displayed prominently the words "Divorce Agreement."

Caspian Thornley's signature marked the bottom, his handwriting flowing and casual, as though he'd signed merely a routine document. He likely never imagined he'd just signed not a compensation agreement, but a divorce agreement terminating our five-year marriage.

I stored the documents carefully, placing them in the safe.

According to Pack Union regulations, a 30-day objection window followed signing the divorce agreement. Throughout these thirty days, should Caspian uncover the truth, he could file an objection, rendering the agreement invalid.

Therefore, I'd wait thirty days.

If he didn't discover or object after thirty days, we'd proceed to the next phase, which would simplify the divorce process considerably.

Thirty days, I reminded myself, just endure another thirty days, and I'd be liberated.