Goodbye Alpha, I'm Done - Chapter 20: Chapter 20

I wiped the flour from my hands, surveying the mess I had made in the kitchen. Baking had always been a way to channel my restless energy into something productive. The sweet, buttery scent of freshly baked cookies was already making my mouth water.
As I began cleaning up the countertops, a sharp knock at the door startled me. I paused, my brow creasing. Who on earth could that be?
Since I moved out of Kieran’s house, no one knew the address to my new house. I didn’t move into my mother’s house because I knew he was going to find me there easily.
Drying my hands on a dish towel, I made my way to the front of the house, my socked feet padding softly against the hardwood floors.
Peering through the peephole, I was surprised to find Tristan, one of Kieran's trusted omegas, standing on my doorstep. What was he doing here? I drew in a sharp breath before pulling the door open.
"Tristan," I greeted, my voice cautious. "What are you doing here?"
He offered me a tentative smile. "Selena, I have a delivery for you. From Alpha Kieran."
My heart sank at the mention of Kieran's name. The memory of our last heated conversation still stung and I didn’t want anything to do with him ever again.
I had to confirm if the delivery was actually for me and asked Tristan with a skeptical look on my face.
Tristan nodded, holding out a neatly wrapped parcel telling me he was asked to bring it to me personally.
I eyed the package warily, debating whether to even take it. The last thing I wanted was another reminder of Kieran and his grand, sweeping gestures. Still, my curiosity got the better of me. Reaching out, I grasped the box, feeling its weight in my hands.
"What is it?" I asked, turning it over.
Tristan shrugged. "I'm not sure. Alpha Kieran didn't share the contents with me."
I let out a soft sigh, my fingers tracing the neat edges of the wrapping. Part of me wanted to refuse the gift outright, to send Tristan back empty-handed. But the other part - the part that still yearned for Kieran's affection, urged me to see what was inside. It wasn’t going to kill anyone if I just checked it.
I turned the box over in my hands, and with a small shrug unwrapped it.
As the layers of tissue paper fell away, I forgot how to breathe for a few seconds. It was the most breathtaking wedding dress I had ever seen. My fingers traced the soft fabric carefully as I lifted the gown from the box, completely awestruck. There were a pair of shoes too that probably cost like a million bucks.
In that moment, my phone began to ring. I glanced down to see Kieran's name flashing on the screen.
Swallowing hard, I answered the call.
"Kieran? Did you...did you send me this?" I asked,barely hearing my own voice.
Years ago, months ago and even weeks ago I would have been super excited to see this sweet gesture coming from him but not anymore. In our previous wedding, he hadn’t even bothered to accompany me to the dress fitting or any of the bridal shopping because his heart wasn’t in it. Even when I said I wanted a lace wedding dress, he didn’t seem to care. When I got to the shop he directed me to and I couldn’t find the one I really wanted, he barked at me over the phone to just pick any dress and stop making a big deal out of it.
And now, he was suddenly getting me an expensive dress out of the blue?
"Selena!" Kieran's voice rang out, sounding almost giddy."You got the package! Do you love it? I picked it out especially for you."
I stared at the dress, my heart pounding. "Kieran, ....l don't understand. What is the meaning of this?"
"Why, it's your wedding dress, my dear!" Kieran exclaimed joyfully. "I wanted everything to be perfect for our special day. I spent time searching for the perfect dress. I know how much you've always loved lace, and the shoes will complement it beautifully."
"Kieran, I think there's been a mistake," I said, my voice strained. "I don’t think this package belongs to me."
"What do you mean? Of course it's for you, my darling. You're my bride-to-be, after all."
I scoffed.
"Your bride-to-be? I think you have the wrong woman. I'm not marrying you."
There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line before he continued, "But Selena, we discussed this. I proposed to you, and you accepted."
"No, Kieran," I said firmly. "I did no such thing. I practically begged you to marry me before now and you left me on the altar and now you think getting me a wedding dress would fix everything? Give it to Nina, it would fit her perfectly."
The previous wedding dress, I had already burnt it so that I wasn’t reminded of how he humiliated me that day. Now I wasn’t going to take another one from him.
"Selena, please," Kieran begged. "Just try it on, see how beautiful you'll look. I know it will fit perfectly."
"I don't want to try it on!" I snapped, my grip tightening on the phone. "I'm not your bride, and I'm not accepting this gift. Please, just leave me alone."
Before Kieran could respond, I ended the call, exhaling loudly.
Tristan stood nearby, looking utterly bewildered by the exchange.
I let out a shaky breath, thrusting the package back into his hands. "Take this back to Kieran," I said, my voice tight. "I don't want it."
Tristan hesitated, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Selena, are you sure? Alpha Kieran seemed quite insistent-"
"I don't care what Kieran wants," I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "This dress is not for me, and I will not be his bride. Now, please, take it and get out."
Tristan opened his mouth to protest, but I didn't give him the chance. Stepping back, I slammed the door in his face, cutting off any further discussion.
The next evening, a new email notification pulled my gaze away from my laptop screen, where I had been reviewing my cover letter one last time before hitting send. My heart raced as I saw that the sender of the email was the prestigious tech company I had applied to just a week ago. I had already resigned from Kieran’s company and I knew I had to get a job elsewhere and fast. So I decided to apply in all the big companies hoping to get a chance to shine.
With a deep, steadying breath, I clicked on the message, my fingers trembling slightly.
"Dear Selena,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for an interview with our firm. We were impressed by your impressive credentials and believe you would be an excellent addition to our team.
Please come to our office at 8 AM sharp tomorrow morning for a formal interview. We look forward to meeting with you in person.
Sincerely,
The Hiring Team"
I stared at the words, barely able to process the surge of emotions that hit me. Excitement, relief, and a touch of nervous anticipation all mingled together in a dizzying swirl. Oh thank the moon goddess for such an opportunity!
For years, I had lived in Kieran's shadow, following his lead and bending to his will. But not anymore. This job, this opportunity, it was my ticket to independence. No more would I be seen as just the Alpha's mate, destined to serve at his beck and call. I was Selena, a capable and driven woman, and I was about to take the city by storm.
Pushing away from my desk, I strode to the kitchen to go grab a bottle of wine. I rarely drank anything because Kieran forbade it but tonight I was going to celebrate it all by myself.
My gaze landed on the bottle of merlot sitting in the bar nearby, and without a second thought, I snatched it up, twisting the cap open.
As I poured the deep, ruby liquid into a crystal glass, a sudden, insistent knock at the door drew my attention, causing me to nearly spill the wine. I set the glass down and made my way to the entryway, wondering who could be there at this hour.
The moment I opened the door, a man I didn't expect appeared in front of me.