True to his word, Adrian commissioned the pack's finest artist to paint their portrait, right there in the pack shrine, with a crowd of media covering the event.

"Vivian is stunning—no wonder the Alpha chose her."

"She's the daughter of the Oceanridge Pack Alpha, you know. A real heiress. She and Adrian are a perfect match."

Camera flashes lit up Vivian's face as she basked in the attention. Adrian had one arm around her waist, his expression radiating pure joy—a look I'd never seen in eight years together. Genuine, unguarded happiness. And that blank space on the wall had finally found its owner.

Later, while Vivian was admiring the finished portrait, she noticed me collecting my things.

"Serena, come help me—does this painting look a little crooked?"

She beckoned me like a servant. I ignored her and kept walking.

Undeterred, she raised her voice so everyone could hear. "Serena, I'm sorry—I don't know what I did to offend you. Why are you being so cold? Is it because I stole your Alpha?"

The media swarmed, cameras swinging toward me like silver blades.

Vivian let the tears flow, the picture of wounded innocence. "Adrian loves me. Please stop throwing yourself at him."

My head buzzed. My voice trembled. "If you're going to make accusations, bring proof. Who's throwing herself at anyone?"

But no one was going to believe an orphan over an heiress. No matter what I said, the rumors crashed over me like a flood.

"So Serena and the Alpha had something going on?"

"She's just an orphan. As if she'd catch the Alpha's eye. She's obviously delusional—chasing after him like some stalker."

"Quick, get this on camera! This'll be front-page news tomorrow."

Flashes exploded in my face. I shielded my eyes and tried to run, but Vivian grabbed my arm. She leaned in, her voice a whisper meant only for me.

"How does it feel? Having everything taken from you? Remember this—this is what happens when you try to compete with me."

Then she spun me around, blocking the cameras, and shoved her wine glass into my hand. "Serena! What are you doing? Why are you grabbing my wine?"

She seized my wrist and flung it toward the wall. Red wine splashed across the portrait—right over Vivian's face. She fell to the ground for good measure.

The room erupted. Everyone stared at the ruined painting.

Vivian's eyes glistened. "That painting—it was a precious memento between Adrian and me. Why would you destroy it? I know you still want him, but he chose me. Can't you just let us be?"

I kept my voice steady. "Vivian, why don't we check the security footage and see what really happened?"

She stamped her heel. "Everyone here saw it with their own eyes! Are you saying they're all lying? I had no idea your jealousy ran this deep—destroying our portrait like this."

The crowd murmured and whispered. "We all saw it. Serena pushed her and threw the wine."

Not because they'd actually seen it. But between an heiress and an orphan, they'd always believe the heiress. When power and money were on the line, truth didn't matter.

The commotion drew Adrian. He pushed through the crowd, saw Vivian on the floor, and his face went dark. He rushed to her, shoving me aside to gather her in his arms.

The force of his push slammed me against the staircase railing. My lower back hit hard enough to make me gasp. The bracelet on my wrist shattered on the floor.

Adrian heard my cry and glanced back. He saw the broken pieces. That bracelet—he'd gotten it for me at the Moon Tree in Moonlight Forest when we first started dating, a charm for protection. He'd knelt before me that day, placed it on my wrist, and looked up with eyes full of devotion.

"Serena, your safety matters more to me than my own life. If anyone tries to hurt you, they'll have to step over my dead body first."

Eight years later, his oath still echoed in my ears. The man who'd sworn to protect me was now the one cutting deepest.

Something shifted behind his eyes when he saw the bracelet—old memories surfacing. But after a moment of visible struggle, he chose Vivian. He wiped her tears with heartbreaking tenderness.

"Vivian. Don't cry. I'll have a better one painted for you tomorrow."

Then he turned to me, his gaze ice-cold. "Apologize to Vivian."

My throat burned. I forced the words out. "Adrian... it wasn't me."

He looked at me with disappointment. "Everyone saw you do it. What's the point of denying it? Just admit you were wrong and apologize. Vivian's generous—she'll forgive you."

The crowd grew. Reporters shoved microphones in my face.

"Serena, is your relationship with Adrian really what Vivian described?"

"Did you destroy the painting out of jealousy?"

"Is it true you've been stalking the Alpha?"

Camera flashes blinded me. I stumbled backward. "It wasn't me! Vivian threw the wine herself!"

Adrian's expression darkened further. He moved close and dropped his voice so only I could hear. "I know you're upset, but didn't we agree? Once the deal goes through, I'll cut things off with her. Can't you even wait that long?"

"Everyone's watching. Stop embarrassing yourself and just apologize."

My fists clenched. Red-eyed, I stared up at him and ground out every syllable. "I. Didn't. Do it. Check the cameras if you don't believe me."

I was done with Adrian. I didn't care which she-wolf he ran around with or who he made Luna. But he didn't get to smear my name. He didn't get to crush my dignity.

He scoffed. "You're saying an heiress would frame you? Or that everyone here is blind?"

His voice dropped again, coaxing. "Serena, just admit it was a mistake. We won't hold it against you. I'll make the reporters delete everything—your reputation stays intact."

Something died in my eyes. I shook my head slowly. "You're right. I was wrong."

But not about this. I was wrong eight years ago, the day I chose him. Wrong to misjudge someone so completely. Wrong to hold on for so long.

But I was awake now. Looking at the man before me, I realized how ordinary he was. My love had been the only thing that made him shine.

Adrian misunderstood. He thought I was confessing. He helped Vivian to her feet, took her hand, and addressed the room.

"My Luna is Vivian—and only Vivian. Serena was my former Beta. Beyond that, we have no connection whatsoever."

Silence.

He turned back to me, casual and dismissive. "If you're upset about losing your position to Vivian, I can arrange another role for you in administration."

Like charity. Like pity.

"No thanks."

I reached up and unclasped the necklace I always wore—a wolf fang pendant. Years ago, Adrian had lost it fighting off rogues to protect me. I'd treasured it, had it set into a necklace, and wore it every day. Among wolves, exchanging fangs was sacred—it meant giving the most important part of yourself to the one you loved. A bond for life.

None of that mattered anymore. I dropped the necklace into the nearest trash can without hesitation.

"The job. Us. It's all over."

I turned and walked away.

Behind me, something flickered in Adrian's eyes—panic, maybe. He took a step after me, then stopped. Too many cameras. Too many witnesses. He pulled his foot back.

Four days until the celebration.

After wrapping up the handover, I went home and packed everything that was mine into a suitcase. Every gift he'd ever given me, every photo we'd taken together—I threw it all into the yard and set it on fire.

The flames roared skyward. Every memory of us turned to ash, dissolving into nothing. Just like what we'd had. In the end, there was nothing left.

The house felt empty. I looked around the bare rooms and felt something in me go quiet.

Late that night, Adrian slipped into my room carrying his usual cloud of perfume. The mattress dipped beside me, and his low voice came from above.

"Serena, I know you're awake. I know you're angry, but will you please just hear me out?"

I kept my eyes shut and said nothing.

He had the nerve to sound hurt. "You know everything I've done has been for the pack. There's a huge project about to break ground but we don't have the funding. As Alpha, the pressure is crushing me. This was my only option."

"On one hand, my pack. On the other, the woman I love. I had to sacrifice personal happiness for the greater good. I didn't have a choice."

He went on and on about how hard things were for him, then pivoted to how deeply he loved me. It was quite the performance. Would've been convincing too, if not for the fresh marks Vivian had left on his neck.

When I still didn't respond, he sighed, left something on the nightstand, and walked out.

Once his footsteps faded, I sat up. A small box—inside, an expensive necklace. This was his pattern. Throw money at everything and assume it would fix things. He never understood that I'd never wanted his money. All I'd ever wanted was his heart.

I tossed the necklace in the trash.

The next morning, he came downstairs to find breakfast already on the table—my plate empty, his untouched. His brow furrowed. I'd always waited for him before eating.

He chalked it up to yesterday's fight, laughed it off, and came up behind me for an embrace. I tilted away. His arms hung in the air, then dropped. Unease crept into his eyes.

He recovered quickly, flashing a grin. "Still upset? I explained everything last night, didn't I?"

"I'm only getting close to her for business. Please don't be angry."

"Okay," I said flatly, without looking up.

My calm unnerved him. He'd expected tears, a fight, drama. Not this. Not indifference.

It should have been a good thing, so why did his heart feel so uneasy?

After a long silence, he seemed to wrestle with something, then spoke. "There's an important reception at the pack shrine tomorrow. Come with me."

My pulse jumped. It was the first time he'd ever invited me to appear in public. I started to speak, but he cut me off.

"Everyone thinks Vivian is my mate now, so when you get there, could you maybe... keep your distance? So no one figures out—"

He trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

I agreed anyway. Not for him. Because I'd left something at that shrine—something I needed to get back. Adrian and I had once buried a prayer charm beneath the tree there, promising to dig it up on the day of our mating ceremony.

That day was never coming.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. That night, he didn't come home—"pack business," he said. But Vivian's feed updated again. Adrian with his head pressed to her belly, her hand holding a medical report.

No caption needed. The message was loud and clear.

My grip on the phone turned my knuckles white. They were having a baby. And mine? My baby hadn't even had the chance to form, to see the world—and had died in agony. I'd buried that child with my own hands. I couldn't even put a name on the headstone. And the father was out celebrating a new baby with another woman.

The grief swallowed me whole. I sank to the floor, covered my face, and wept—not just for the child I'd lost, but for eight wasted years.

When the tears stopped, I dried my face. Eight years to see someone for who they really were. At least I saw it.

After today, I would never cry for anyone again.

I went to the shrine, but the guards stopped me at the entrance.