Looking at myself one last time in the mirror, I turned to my friend Anita with a smile on my face, but my happiness didn’t mirror hers, as she had a frown on her face.

“Please, don’t tell me it's bad news. Today is my mating ceremony.” Anita slowly nodded at my words.I watched as she clenched her phone, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“You might want to see this.” She said, handing me her phone.

The bold headline striking me like a lightning bolt:

“Alpha Darius Announces His Wedding to Selene Darkmoor.”

The phone nearly slipped from my grasp. My hands trembled, fury and disbelief bubbling beneath the surface. “This… this must be a joke,” I whispered, but Anita’s silence told me otherwise.

Without another word, I rushed from the room, heart pounding, claws threatening to burst from my fingertips. The mating ceremony, the one meant for me and Darius, was already underway. I didn’t stop running until I reached the grand hall, pushing through the crowd. The scent of pine and frost filled the air—a scent I used to love because it reminded me of him.

And there he was. On stage. Kissing her.

Applause echoed through the room, but I barely heard it over the roaring in my ears. My knees locked, my vision blurred with tears, yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the betrayal unfolding before me. My mate. My Darius. With her.

I didn’t cry or cause a scene. Instead, I quietly sought him out, desperate for an explanation. But I was told that he had just left.

My heart broke under the weight of betrayal, but I pushed the pain aside. I needed answers. Desperation made me search the crowd, but whispers told me Darius was already gone.

Outside the hall, I saw him by his car, helping Selene into the passenger seat. His arm around her felt like a dagger to my chest. Anger and heartbreak surged as I called his name, but the roar of his engine drowned my voice. The car sped off before I could reach them.

A cab idled nearby, and without thinking, I jumped in, ordering the driver to follow. Though hesitant, he must have heard the desperation in my voice. We raced after them, but Darius's car sped ahead, weaving through traffic. My pulse matched the rhythm of the engine as I begged the driver to go faster.

Then everything changed. Blinding light filled my vision, and a deafening crash jolted me forward. The cab spun wildly, tumbling over a guardrail before plunging into freezing water. The impact knocked the air from my lungs as icy water rushed in. Pain flared in my chest, and blood trickled down my forehead.

I turned to the driver, but he wasn’t moving. Panic clawed at me, but I forced myself to focus. I tried mindlinking Darius, but silence met my calls for help. Tears blurred my vision as the water rose, leaving me gasping for air.

Spotting the shattered window, I fought against the crushing pressure of the water, clawing my way through the jagged opening. Pain barely registered as I focused on escaping. The car sank deeper, the light above fading. My body screamed for air, but I pushed on, breaking free into the icy void.

I grabbed the driver’s door, hoping to pull him out, but my strength was gone. With no choice, I kicked toward the surface, lungs burning as I swam upward. The night sky greeted me at last as I gasped for air. Waves battered me, but I stayed afloat, clinging to life.

Just as exhaustion took over, I saw someone swimming toward me. “Save the driver,” I muttered before darkness claimed me.

Still in shock, I left the hospital, my mind heavy with unanswered questions.

It had been a week since the accident, and Darius had not once reached out. Not a single call or message to ask where I was or if I was even alive. The silence from him hurt more than the wounds I was recovering from.

Tears welled up in my eyes, burning as they spilled onto my cheeks. The doctor had warned me to avoid stress and crying to help my brain heal after the surgery, but how could I stop? They said it was a miracle I had survived, especially when the driver, who had fewer injuries than me, had died.

Sitting on a bench outside the hospital, I clutched my phone tightly. I tried calling Darius, hoping he would come and pick me up. After what happened, the thought of getting into another public car made my stomach churn with fear. The accident had left me with a phobia I couldn’t shake.

As the phone rang and rang, unanswered, a pit of dread formed in my stomach.

My fingers trembled as I tried mindlinking him, ignoring the pounding headache that flared up as I strained my already fragile mind. But the link remained blocked. He had shut me out.

Just as I was about to call my assistant, an anonymous message popped up on my screen. It came with pictures, a voice note, and links.

My heart pounded as I hesitated, unsure whether to open it. A mix of dread and curiosity pushed me to click on the first image.

The photos sent my world crashing down.

Selene and Darius kissing passionately, locked in an embrace that spoke of more than just betrayal. Another picture showed them in bed, sheets tangled around their bodies. The final image was from the mating ceremony– the ceremony that was supposed to be for us, for me., where they kissed on stage as if declaring their love to the world.

My hands shook uncontrollably as I stared at the images. My wolf stirred angrily within me, growling and clawing to get out.

The betrayal stung like a thousand needles piercing my heart. Eight years of love and loyalty shattered in an instant.

With trembling fingers, I opened the voice note. A voice inside me urged me to listen, even as fear threatened to stop me.

Darius’s voice, once warm and familiar, now sounded cold and calculating.

“Aren’t you worried Nia will be upset about this?” someone asked cautiously.

Darius sighed, his tone dismissive. “What choice do I have? If I don’t marry Selene, her family will force her to marry some stranger. I can’t let that happen.”

“But Nia...” the voice persisted. “She’s been with you for years. Doesn’t that matter?”

Darius chuckled—a sound that once comforted me but now felt like a blade twisting in my chest. “Nia’s been mine for eight years. Everyone knows that. What choice does she have but to wait for me?”

His words hit me harder than any physical blow could.

Eight years.

Eight years of love, patience, and unwavering support—and this was how he saw me? As someone who had no other option but to stay?

Tears streamed down my face as my heart broke all over again.

Was it wrong to fall in love? Why did he have to treat me this way?

—

I wasn’t sure how I left the hospital.

My legs felt weak. Every step I took was unsteady, as if the ground might give way beneath me.

My chest felt tight, my breaths shallow.

The confident woman I had always been was gone, replaced by someone fragile and broken.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry until there were no tears left.

Why me? Why did Darius choose to hurt me like this?

Before I knew it, I was standing at a busy crosswalk. My mind was so foggy that I didn’t notice the car speeding toward me until its horn blared loudly. I froze, blinded by the glare of its headlights.

The car screeched to a stop, and the driver stepped out. I thought the driver was coming to lash out at me, but the driver wasn’t a stranger—it was my mom.

“Nia!” she called, her voice filled with worry.

Seeing her, all the pain I had bottled up burst free. The tears I’d been holding back poured out, unstoppable. She rushed to me, pulling me into her arms. I buried my face in her shoulder as sobs wracked my body.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, stroking my hair. “I’ve got you.”

She led me into the car, her arm wrapped protectively around me. I cried the entire way to my parents’ house, the sadness and betrayal too overwhelming to hold in.

By the time my tears finally dried, we were inside. My mom handed me a glass of water and sat beside me, her eyes full of concern.

“Mom,” I said quietly, my voice hoarse from crying. “Does the Cortez family’s proposal still stand?”

Her hands froze mid-movement, the teacup she was holding trembling slightly. “Why are you asking about that?” she asked, her voice cautious.

I hesitated, but I needed to say it. “Darius doesn’t want me. He never did. I want to move on.”

Her face softened, but there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “Nia, this isn’t something you should decide in the heat of the moment. Marriage is a big step, and you’re hurting right now. Don’t rush into this just because of what Darius did.”

“I’m not rushing,” I said, though my voice shook. “You didn’t reject the proposal, Mom. That means you thought Frederick might be good for me. Right now, I trust your judgment more than my own.”

She sighed and placed her hand over mine. “Frederick is a good man, but marriage isn’t just about logic. You need to meet him, talk to him, and see if there’s something there. Are you sure you don’t want to take time for yourself first?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want time. I want to move forward. Please, just make the arrangements.”

Her eyes searched mine, looking for doubt, but I held firm. Finally, she nodded, though her expression remained uneasy.

Later, when I was alone, I checked my phone. There was a message from Darius:

Mating ceremony canceled. Something came up.

I stared at the words, feeling a bitter laugh rise in my throat. Of course, he’d already made his excuses. As if that could erase what I had seen earlier.

It's been a week already, since the entire world had seen the same thing: Darius on one knee, proposing to Selene Darkmoor. The news of their engagement had spread like wildfire. The Nightfang family’s heir was getting married, and the bride wasn’t me—the woman who had been by his side for eight years.

I decided to return back to my apartment. My mom pleaded with me to stay back, worried that I would do something crazy. I had to promise her that I was okay and I didn't have any crazy thoughts. Despite that, my mom, still worried, wanted to follow me as well, but I refused.

I just wanted some alone time to myself, it isn’t something too hard to ask for, right?

When I returned to my apartment, I wasn’t expecting to see him there. But there he was, sitting on my couch, acting like everything was fine.

“Nia,” he said casually, like he hadn’t just destroyed my life.

The sight of him, so calm and unaffected, made my blood boil. How dare he?

The door creaked open, and the dim light from the hallway spilled into the room as I stepped inside. The scent of pine and lavender immediately hit me—a nauseating combination that made my stomach churn.

My wolf stirred uneasily, her claws scraping at the edges of my mind. The perfume clinging to him was Grace’s, unmistakable and infuriating.

“Busy day at work? You’re home late,” Darius said, his voice calm and casual, as if nothing had happened.

My hands clenched into fists, nails biting into my palms. Work? Did he mean the job I’d put aside for our mating ceremony? The same ceremony he canceled without warning, then flaunted his betrayal for the world to see? My heart pounded, anger and disbelief simmering beneath my skin. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to lash out, but I forced myself to stay composed.

At this point, I didn't know if I could keep the promise I made to my mother.

I slipped off my shoes, trying to steady my breathing. My voice was icy as I asked, “Why are you here?”

He strode toward me, his movements as smooth and confident as ever. But now, those graceful steps felt predatory, like a wolf closing in on vulnerable prey. “I had a business dinner nearby,” he said nonchalantly. “Thought I’d stop by to check on you.”

Check on me? The laugh that bubbled in my throat was bitter and humorless. My mind raced, replaying the images I’d seen earlier. The headlines, the photos, the voice recording—all of it undeniable evidence of his betrayal. Yet here he was, standing before me as if nothing had changed.

My vision blurred with unshed tears, but I blinked them away, refusing to let him see my weakness.

When he got closer, the scent of Grace grew stronger, entwined with his own. My wolf growled, a low rumble that echoed in my chest. She wanted to act, to tear him apart for his lies.

My instincts screamed at me to put distance between us, and I obeyed, taking a step back as he reached for me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked lightly, his tone infuriatingly unaware or deliberately ignorant of the storm brewing within me.

“Nothing,” I replied stiffly. My voice betrayed none of the chaos inside. “Well, you’ve seen me alive and breathing. You can go now.”

His confident smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a soft chuckle. “Nia, I’m sorry about canceling the mating ceremony. I got wind of some news about potential rogue attacks. I didn’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

Lies. His words tasted like ash, leaving a bitter residue in my mouth. I clenched my jaw, swallowing the urge to scream. My wolf’s agitation intensified, her fury boiling over at his blatant deceit. How could he stand there and spew such nonsense when I’d seen the truth with my own eyes?

The image of him on stage with her burned in my mind. The way they kissed, the way he held her, like she was the center of his universe. The audience had applauded, blissfully unaware of the destruction he’d left in his wake.

I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cutting. “Rogues?” I repeated. My voice trembled with suppressed rage. “You canceled the ceremony because of rogues?”

Darius’s brows furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. “Yes,” he said cautiously. “I didn’t want to take any risks with your safety.”

“My safety?” I echoed, my voice rising. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Darius. If you truly cared about my safety, you wouldn’t have…” I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The memory was too raw, too painful.

He stepped closer, his expression softening. “Nia, what’s really bothering you? You’re upset about more than just the ceremony. Did someone say something to you?”

I stared at him, incredulous. Was he truly that dense, or was this another act? My chest tightened, the weight of everything threatening to crush me. A single tear escaped, sliding down my cheek before I could stop it.

Darius’s eyes widened. He reached out, his hand brushing against my face to wipe the tear away. “Nia,” he said softly, his voice tinged with panic. “Why are you crying? Tell me who hurt you. I’ll take care of them.”

The irony of his words stung like a slap. I stepped back, evading his touch. My voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of my anguish. “What if the person who hurt me was you?”

For a moment, he froze. The mask slipped, and I saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual facade of calm control. “Nia, you know I would never…”

My memories of our childhood couldn’t help but surface.

When we were still young, I was one of the pack bullies, but more of the good pack bullies. I hated seeing other people being bullied, so in turn, I bullied the bullies, giving them a taste of their own medicine.

It had always been that way until I met Daruis.

Daruis had seen me bullying a bully once and had confronted me about it and we fought. I ended up getting the most injuries, to which I was taken to the pack doctor, who had to call our parents.

Our families had berated us, to which the misunderstanding we had between us was cleared.

He became my protector and shield, and we always went about doing mischievous things.

He had always been my backer, until Grade 12, when we saved a weak girl from one of the school bullies.

The weak girl was none other than Selene Darkmoor.

Selene had always been weak, to be precise, she was always ill. Every little thing could send her into the hospital.

I had to be careful around her, to avoid impairing her health, but Daruis showed her the most care that it started becoming grating to my eyes, especially since I had fallen in love with Daruis.

I didn’t want to think much about it, since I trusted that Darius wouldn’t leave me for a frail girl. Maybe I had been overconfident.

Slowly, the bond between Darius and me got weak, and I hated it.

My friends warned me but I didn’t take it to heart, but to be cautious, I decided to ask Selene about it, to which when I went to her class, I noticed that she wasn’t around, so I could only wait for her on her seat.

That was when I saw her diary, where she described Daruis as her knight in shining armor and the likes and that she had fallen for him, but that was not the same for Daruis.

According to the diary she had written, it was that she asked Darius out and he rejected her, telling her that he likes me.

I was beyond happy reading that part and didn’t bother to check the rest of the pages, since I was already infringing on her privacy. Maybe, if I had continued to read it, I wouldn’t have found myself in this web of lies and deceit that had been weaved around me by Daruis.