What He Lost – 1

Sebastian’s POV

“How dare you?” Thea’s voice rang with a fury I’d never heard from her before.

Lyra smirked dismissively, as if she had better things to do. “It’s not my fault the brat wasn’t watching where she was going. She almost spilled juice on my dress. This is a limited-edition Hermès, and that little mongrel nearly ruined it.”

Thea and Lyra had always been at odds. Back when Thea was still in school, Lyra had made it her mission to ensure everyone isolated her. She and her little followers had placed dead rats in her locker, thrown her books and bag in trash cans, and generally made sure her life was miserable. Lyra later became the mate and Luna of the Ravenoak Pack Alpha, but clearly her character hadn’t changed over the years.

The little girl peeked out from behind Thea’s dress, her eyes wide with fear. Barely five years old, with dark curls and a pink dress, she clutched at Thea like she was her only protection.

I found myself involuntarily imagining a little girl with my green eyes and Thea’s honey-colored hair.

I froze in my seat. Where the fuck had that thought come from? I shook my head, trying to clear it, and refocused on Thea. It looked like she was finally about to put Lyra in her place.

“Are you kidding me? That’s a stupid fucking reason to hurt a child, especially when we’re here today because of these children,” Thea chastised, her brows furrowed in anger, yet even then she looked beautiful.

“It’s not a stupid reason,” Lyra stomped her foot like a petulant child. “I’m not going to let some orphan who doesn’t know anything about status ruin a dress worth more than she’ll see in her entire pathetic life.”

Shocked gasps filled the room. Lyra turned, realizing she now had an audience, and they weren’t pleased with her remarks.

“I didn’t mean it like that…” she quickly tried to salvage her image, noticing the angry looks around her.

“You know what? Get the fuck out. Given your attitude toward these children, I don’t see why you need to be here,” Thea said, gesturing to a security guard by the door.

“What? You’re kicking me out?” Lyra stammered.

Thea just rolled her eyes. “Obviously.”

“You can’t do this. I’ve donated a lot of money to this stupid foundation. You can’t just throw me out like this.”

A sly grin spread across Thea’s face. She then called over Fiona, who quickly checked her tablet. “One million dollars,” Fiona reported.

“See, this foundation doesn’t need people like you. People who are so full of themselves they think we can’t function without their money.” Then she turned to Lyra and ordered: “Transfer it back to her account.”

Everyone watched in amazement. Nobody spoke, nobody moved.

When Fiona confirmed it was done, Thea turned to Lyra. “Now get the fuck out of my gala. You’re banned from any future events held by me or my foundation.”

The security guard dragged the cursing Lyra out. Thea’s voice carried throughout the entire room: “Does anyone else share Lyra’s views? We’re here because of these children, and I’ll deal with anyone who thinks they can abuse them.”

She looked like an avenging angel ready to strike down anyone who dared disrespect the children.

When no one spoke, she smiled and walked toward the balcony. “Well then, sorry for the interruption, and I hope you all have a great time.”

Aurora said something to me, but I ignored her. My focus was entirely on my former Luna.

I stood up, pushing my chair back, and left. Aurora called my name, but I didn’t look back. I strode toward where Thea had gone, and soon I was outside the room.

She stood on the balcony, her face turned toward the now-darkening sky, her hair dancing in the breeze.

Now that I was here, I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t spoken to Thea since that day at her house. All my texts and calls over the past two weeks had gone unanswered.

I stepped forward. My footsteps must have alerted her, because she half- turned. When she saw it was only me, her body tensed.

“What do you want, Sebastian?” she sighed, sounding tired.

I moved closer until I was standing beside her.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was confused. She had been my wife, yet she never mentioned any of this.

“Tell you what?”

“Everything… the Dawnhaven Foundation, and the fact that you’re not actually broke. Why let us all look down on you?”

What He Lost – 2

She let out a humorless laugh, then turned to face me fully. “When should I have told you? You barely wanted to be in my presence, even making sure we didn’t spend too much time together.”

I stared at her, looking deep into those amber eyes. There was something new there, something that hadn’t been there before. And something was missing, too.

She continued, her gaze drifting to the gardens outside. “Besides, would you have even cared? As far as I know, you weren’t particularly interested in anything concerning me.”

My gaze drifted, watching people come and go in the garden. She was right. I’d been a cold bastard. I’d justified it by telling myself I didn’t need to care about what the woman who’d ruined my life was doing.

I’d resented Thea, and it showed in my attitude toward her over the years. I’d prided myself on being a good man, but looking back, I had to admit I’d been an asshole. So much so that my Luna had kept an entire part of her life secret from me.

“About Aurora…” I wanted to apologize for the cruel things I’d said to her, but she cut me off.

“Don’t worry, I’m not pursuing you, Sebastian, and I don’t plan to interfere between you and Aurora. Rest assured, any love I had for you is dead. You successfully killed it.” She took a deep breath to steady herself. “Loving you was the biggest mistake I ever made, and I don’t intend to continue that mistake.”

My wolf let out a pained whimper, and I could feel it trembling in distress. But damn it, why did hearing those words also feel like someone had taken a sledgehammer to my heart?

“I’ll always be grateful to you for giving me Leo. He’s the only good thing you’ve given me since knowing you. I regret falling in love with you, but I’ll never regret having our son.”

She turned to face the doorway to the room. She smiled, and I turned to see what she was looking at. Her gaze had landed on Kane.

“I’m sorry for the trouble I caused you,” she said, her eyes still fixed on that bastard. “I’m sorry my mistake tore you and Aurora apart. I know no one believes me, especially not you, but I was drunk that night too. Anyway, I wish you happiness in your new relationship.”

As if sensing someone watching him, Kane turned and smiled at Thea.

“I plan to stay out of your life, and I’d like you to do the same. Don’t come to my house, don’t arrange bodyguards for me, don’t call me unless it’s about Leo, and even then, I’d prefer you pass any messages to your lawyer, who can then forward them to mine.” Her gaze remained fixed on Kane.

The way she looked at him told me everything I needed to know about what had happened between them. I didn’t like the uncomfortable feeling it stirred in me.

She finally faced me. “I think that’s all I have to say… goodbye, Sebastian.” Then she began walking toward the door.

Something inside me screamed for her to stop, and I had to clench my fists to fight the inexplicable urge to pull her to me. My wolf suddenly grew agitated, roaring in my mind: “Go after her, you idiot! Don’t let her walk away!” He frantically pounded against my mental barriers, trying to take over and make me chase after Thea.

She paused, then turned back. “One more thing, please assure Aurora that I want nothing to do with you, and speaking of that, you might want to get the truth from her. If you want your relationship to work, then it can’t be built on lies she fabricated just to cause me trouble.”

With that, she walked away.

“Thea…” her name escaped my lips like a plea.

“Move!” my wolf snarled furiously. “Don’t just stand here like a stone statue! She’s ours, not that cop’s!” His howl was filled with urgency and desperation, but my body seemed frozen in place, unable to act.

I watched as Kane met her halfway. Then he took her hand and led her out. I turned forward just in time to see them walk into the garden.

When I saw Kane kiss her, I could barely control myself. I quickly turned away, unable to bear the sight. My heart pounded violently in my chest.

This was what I wanted. For her to move on and leave me and Aurora in peace. I’d gotten what I wanted.

She was moving on. She had a new male. So why did it feel like a massive mistake? Why did it feel like something inside me was dying?

She was supposed to be the wrong woman. Yet now that she was gone, I felt lost.

“She was never the wrong one, you were,” my wolf cried out in rage. “You pushed her away, and now another man is walking into her life.”

I felt a tightness in my chest and, for the first time in days, my wolf and I shared the same emotion–it was the pain of losing something important.