CHAPTER 1 - A Substitute

Scarlet’s POV

“So, Caspian, now that your Luna is back, what are you gonna do with the step-sister you’ve been fooling around with?” I froze before I could even knock at the door. His words felt like a bucket of ice poured on my soul. I knew that voice, it was one of Caspian’s friends…

It’s been five years since I became Caspian’s girlfriend—but only in secret.

‘In secret’, yet little did I know I was their topic of discussion when he was with his friend—speaking of me like I was a laughing stock, used to pleasure him.

I was a fool.

Alpha Caspian was my brother’s best friend and the Alpha of Hawthorn Pack, I met him at my brother’s graduation, and since then, I knew I was in love, and we’ve been planning to get married.

Or that’s what I thought…

I didn’t hear a reply from Caspian, yet the chuckles of his friends already gave me an idea of what he thought. But I was hoping, I wasn’t right.

“Well, Scarlet was just a substitute, her wolf was weak far different from her brother who possessed a raw power that despite not carrying their step-father’s blood, was acknowledged to lead the pack. Scarlet was the runt of the litter. Unlike Sarah who is an Alpha bloodline.”

A third chimed in, sounding too pleased with himself, “But Sarah deserves a little payback, she left Caspian without a word, and for years. Using Scarlet would be fun to irritate her, don’t you think?”

The next day, Caspian met me at the pack’s welcome celebration for Sarah. Still, I believed the words he had spoken to me in the past years, and his promise that he would marry me.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he placed a kiss on my cheek as his hands slid around my waist, pulling me closer, feeling the warmth from his body.

As we watched the live band playing, his lips remained lingering at the side of my head as if nothing had ever changed. And for tonight, I let it, to be in his arms, to feel his affection.

Sarah entered the room with all the grace of a queen reclaiming her throne.

Caspian’s hold on me loosened almost instantly. His entire body went rigid, and I felt his attention snapping away from me like a broken thread.

Then as Sarah’s gaze fell on us, her tears began to fall, and she spun around, running out of the celebration. Without a word, Caspian let go of me, his hands slipping from my waist so suddenly.

“Sarah!” he called, and shoved past me, so forceful that I stumbled backward. I bumped into a passing waiter, sending a tray of hot soup and appetizers flying.

The searing heat of the spilled soup splashed across my arm and chest, burning through the thin fabric of my dress. I gasped, the pain slicing through me, and stumbled again, my vision blurring with tears.

Caspian did not even look back. He was gone, chasing after Sarah like she was his entire world.

I swallowed down the bitter taste of shame, ignoring the sting of burns and the ache in my chest. Somehow, I managed to gather myself, muttering apologies to the waiter, before slipping out of the celebration.

I returned to our apartment and changed my clothes until I found myself standing in front of his office. The one room he never let me enter. He always had an excuse. But tonight, I couldn’t stop myself. I pushed the door open and scanned his shelves, but what drew my attention was his laptop monitor, left on, showing his display picture.

It was a picture of Caspian and Sarah. They looked happy, young, and utterly perfect together. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders, and his smile was wide and genuine in a way I hadn’t seen in years.

The sight of it stole the breath from my lungs. My knees nearly buckled, and my heart felt as if it had turned to ash, crumbling under the weight of betrayal.

I backed out of the office, shutting the door behind me with a trembling hand. My vision blurred, but I managed to find my phone. Without thinking, I dialed the number I hadn’t used in ages.

“George,” I said. My brother, George, had been my protector when we were younger, the one constant in my life, sadly, he had been away for long, making alliances around the world.

“Scarlet? You called, is everything okay?”

I took a shaky breath, fighting to keep my composure. “I’ve made up my mind,” I whispered, “About the arranged mate bond. I agree. I’ll do it.”

“Why now? Did something happen?”

“I just… I realized there’s no point in waiting for something that was never meant to be. Set it up. The sooner we secure the alliance, the better.”

A long pause, then a resigned sigh. “All right,” he said softly. “I’ll make the arrangements. Do you wanna meet him first?”

“No, it’s fine, I trust you, and Mom’s judgment. Just… make it happen, please.”

“Okay. I’ll take care of everything… Anyway, I heard Sarah’s back already, Caspian must be thrilled. His Luna’s back,” George chuckled.

I see… George knew about them that’s why Caspian made me keep our relationship a secret. Was I the only one who never knew they had been together?

“Yeah, she’s back,” I replied.

“You should invite Caspian to attend with Sarah at your engagement party,” he suggested, and I frowned, the bitter thought clouding me.

“He doesn’t have to be there.”

I jolted in surprise, ending the call, when Caspian spoke, “Who are you talking to?”

“It was George,” I replied.

As he neared me, I could smell the scent of another she-wolf clinging onto him, it was Sarah’s favorite perfume mixed with her natural scent.

How close they had to be for her scent to be rubbed on him, and the hickey just below his earlobe…

My eyes burned with tears at the betrayal that I hoped wasn’t true. But the evidence was all in front of me, how could I deny it?

Caspian’s expression darkened grabbing my hand gently as he scanned the burn. “What happened?” he demanded, his voice shaking with concern as he rolled up my sleeve. “How did you get burned? Why didn’t you say anything?”

His panic was convincing, but I’d heard too much. Seen too much. I stayed silent, unwilling to point out his empty concern, and watched the mask he wore so well start to slip.

CHAPTER 2 - Girlfriend In Secret

Scarlet’s POV

“Hey, don’t cry now. I’ll get the first aid kit,” Caspian remarked and disappeared for a minute. But I was not crying because of the burn, but because of what he did. The pain here in my chest was far worse than this physical burn that could be tended immediately. But my heart… how could I heal this one?

When he returned, he was already carrying the kit and began applying cream on my arm. He was gentle, like he had always been. He was a prince charming of any woman.

Only if I hadn’t learned the truth.

“I was just away for a while and you already burned yourself. You should be careful next time, yeah? ‘I’ll be getting busy soon. So, I won’t always be around to watch out for you,” he reminded me, knowing that I’m clumsy and before, he had always been there to catch me whenever I fell, stumble, or broke something. I had relied on him so much that I didn’t even know how to care for my wound since he had always done it for me in the past years.

‘But I’m done. I’m not willing to play the princess in distress anymore, saved by a king who had been waiting for his queen.’

I won’t stay in this twisted version of love that clung to lies and half-hearted affections.

That night, I barely slept. Memories of Caspian running after Sarah kept playing on a repeated loop in my mind, like an echo and an old TV that kept on replaying. I woke up drenched in sweat, the dawn light filtering weakly through the curtains. My body ached, and I longed for rest, for the kind of peace I knew I’d never get.

Caspian, as if summoned by some invisible bond, pulled me closer to him, his hands wrapping around my waist, annoyingly gentle yet possessive as he teased, “Come on, lazy bunny,” he teased, his lips brushing against my cheek, a mockery of the warmth I once craved. “Up you go.”

“Leave me alone,” I grumbled, trying to wriggle free, but he only chuckled.

“It’s morning, Scarlet, wake up,” he insisted, pinching my cheek slightly

“It’s the weekend, Caspian. Can’t you let me sleep in?” I groaned, pushing him off on top of me. I would have loved this kind of morning, him— being cuddly and sweet, yet every time he came near me, I was reminded of Sarah’s scent on her, the way her perfume and natural scent clung onto his skin, it was frustrating.

“We need to get your burn treated at the hospital, it is better if a doctor could check it to make sure it will not leave a bad scar,” he uttered and got out of bed but I curled still under the sheets. I was not able to sleep properly last night, so perhaps once he left, I would be able to.

The door clicked shut, I drifted back to sleep.

But, Caspian was persistent in getting me out of bed.

The doctor handed me a new cream and the nurse cleaned my wound and wrapped it with a new bandage.

“Please wait here, miss. I’ll get the bill for you,” the nurse instructed so I waited outside the doctor’s office while Caspian was busy on his phone, typing an email to his Beta.

But just as when I thought the day was getting better since Caspian was not nagging me, Sarah had to appear. I do love my step-sister, but… we never really vibed. She was nice, but what people did not know was that there was a wicked side of her that was hiding behind those sweet smiles. I may still be a kid before, younger than her, but I do remember the times she had locked me up in the basement and made up stories to our parents about how I got there. We were never close so I never knew she and Caspian had been together.

“Sarah,” Caspian uttered, his eyes filled with worry, his phone tucked away in his pocket now as he gave his full attention to the girl he had waited for. “Why are you here? Are you okay?” there was that familiar panic in his voice, showing how much he truly cared for her.

“Yeah, I stepped on a few tiny thorns last night… in the bush… you know,” she replied knowingly, her words implying something, and I saw it in Caspian’s eyes the recognition of what she meant. He was there, with her, wherever that stupid shrubs were. If I would guess it correctly, that was where they had clung onto each other, feeling each other’s bodies.

I shivered in disgust at the thought.

Sarah looked at him with a look of longing that swirled with desire that seemed to hypnotize Caspian, seducing him to a moment of pleasure, and he had already forgotten that I was here, behind him, seated on a chair the nurse instructed me to wait.

I felt like I was this invisible girl that did not exist.

It was only when the nurse had come to my aid to give the bill that their attention was pointed at me, and Sarah’s eyes widened in surprise, and despite the smile that painted her face, I could see the shift in his eyes, the evident annoyance to see me.

“Scarlet, li’l sis, I didn’t know you were here. Are you okay?” she asked, feigning concern.

“Uh, yes. I just had a burn,” I replied, lifting my arm a little to show her the bandaged area. It was not like she cared or anything. If it was George, I was sure he would be making a big fuss of it.

“Oh,” then her eyes went back to Caspian, then to me, and back to him again which made him utter the same defensive script I had heard so many times.

“I brought her in because she was being stubborn. I was only looking after her. You know, she’s your little sister, and especially George. You know him, he is very protective of Scarlet,” he replied.

Like always, I was his best friend’s little sister that he was ‘only’ looking after as if I was a 5-year-old kid who would get lost without a nanny.

I was not. I was his girlfriend… in secret.

“Alright then, I should go to the doctor,” Sarah said and turned, limping on one foot, and Caspian quickly scooped her up.

“I’ll take you there, you’re hurt,” he said and Sarah smiled in delight, her eyebrows lifting as her eyes widened in gratitude.

Caspian turned to me, with a look of concern, but I knew it was not for me, but for the girl he was carrying in his arms. “Scarlet, you wait for me here, yeah?”

What else could I do but nod?

I watched them turn to another corridor and disappear from my sight. I needed to settle the bill. But the moment I stood from my chair, I felt the world spin and I stumbled back, closing my eyes, the nurse caught me just in time before I fell on the floor.

“Miss, are you okay? Please rest here for a while, I will page the doctor to check you.”

CHAPTER 3 - They Were Never For Me

Scarlet’s POV

It was already dark outside and there was no single message or call from Caspian, and neither did he visit me in my room when I passed out due to fatigue and I woke up with an IV line connected to the back of my hand. The nurse carefully removed it after the IV bag was emptied and said I had to take the prescribed supplements and after settling the bill, I could go.

And since I had no one else with me, I requested the nurse to do it instead, handing her my credit card. As I fixed my hair, I dialed Caspian’s number and after a few rings, he eventually answered.

“Hey, you’re home yeah?” he greeted and I could hear in the background the polite voice that came in to interrupt him, “Here’s your coffee and chamomile tea, sir, ma’am. Enjoy the fireworks!”

Fireworks. The annual festival begins tonight and a fireworks display will commence the celebration. How fun. He was already out there, enjoying a coffee, and the tea must be for Sarah, it was her favorite flavor, and she never drank coffee, she said it was bad for her teeth.

“No, Caspian,” I replied, implying that he had made me wait yet did not return in the end. “I’m still here in the hospital.”

“Why? It’s been hours, Scarlet. You should have gone home without me,” he remarked, sounding surprised as if he never explicitly told me to wait for him. But no, that was not the reason. “Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t come to you right now. I thought you already went home so I thought I should drive Sarah home since the doctor said she should not be straining her foot. You can take a cab, yeah? I might get stuck in traffic if I return to the hospital.”

I sighed at his attempt to cover where they were, “Alright. I’ll take the cab.”

“Take care, Scar—”

I did not let him finish anymore and ended the call. I was fed up with his lies already. He had the audacity to spend time with her, and had fun, while I was passed out, lying on a hospital bed. How nice.

When the bill was settled, I was discharged and I stepped out of the building and sat at the bench. I scrolled through my taxi app and booked a driver, and while waiting for its arrival, the night sky began to turn bright, studded with booming fireworks displaying various shapes and different colors. It was lively, and the people were all smiles, while I sat here, on a cold bench, alone, with an empty heart. With every sparkling cascade, I imagined Caspian and Sarah, likely sitting together under this same sky, sharing whispered words and gentle laughs. The image gnawed at me, so bitter and repulsive.

I spotted the cab and went home.

And that night, Caspian did not come home.

I held the tablet tightly in my hand when a notification popped up while I was reading an article. Seeing Sarah’s name on it, I tapped, and the first thing I saw on the chat box was a photo of her and Caspian. I frowned, immediately closing the app as my heart raced, drumming in my chest as I realized that Caspian’s account was still logged in on my tablet. I was getting an itchy feeling to read through their conversation, but… as I gave it a thought, the proofs were already in front of me, I did not have to snoop on his social media accounts anymore to find out. Digging here would only deepen the wound. Hence, aggressively, I deleted the messaging app, not wanting any of his unfaithfulness to leave a trace in my personal belongings. I was not going to hurt myself more by immersing in a pool of messages. It was already too much, and I knew I did not deserve to be treated this way.

Soon, I’ll go.

I typed my resignation letter and the following morning, I went straight to the office and handed the resignation letter to the city archive’s administrator.

“Why so sudden, Scarlet?” she asked but there was worry in her face as she took in my stressed look. I was not particularly delighted about leaving the city archive, I built a circle here and I was not ready to suddenly leave them behind.

But I could not stay here any longer, once my brother completed the arrangements with my future fiancee, I would leave.

“It’s just something personal, Madame. I do not want to go but I have to. I am really sorry. It was sudden,” I replied and she nodded lightly as her hand brushed my upper arm, conveying understanding to this sudden resignation.

“It must be very important. But I understand. I know you love your job, and you are not the type of person to suddenly resign if it is not something important,” she said, smiling at me with a look of understanding even though I could not detail her the reason why I was quitting. “Don’t worry, I will process your resignation immediately.”

“Thank you, Madame, for everything,” I bade her my farewell and stepped out of her office. Once I was back in the main archive hall, I looked around.

The main archive hall stretched out before me, a quiet towering space filled with the smell of aged paper and polished wood. Rows of shelves stood like sentinels with their contents meticulously organized having each section brimming with the weight of the city's history.

This was where I felt purposeful. Every file I sorted, every record I preserved— it felt like a small act of immortality, safeguarding the past for the future.

It was hard to let it go.

But I had to.

After leaving the archive, I decided to stop by a pastry shop to buy a cake.

The Victoria’s Pastries was not just any shop— it was the one where Caspian always bought cakes for me. He always brought red velvet, the shop’s specialty, and pride. I did not mind it; I appreciated the thought and enjoyed the cakes with him, even though my favorite flavor had always been caramel.

The shop’s bell jingled as I stepped inside, and the rich aroma of baked goods wrapped around me like a warm blanket— comforting. And after everything that I found out and the decisions I made, I thought I needed something sweet to uplift myself.

The displays were neatly arranged, one side showing an assortment of cakes in various flavors— chocolate, fruit, vanilla. My gaze lingered on the caramel cake, feeling like its golden frosting was calling to me.

Across from it was another display dedicated entirely to red velvet cakes, which the shop was very well known of. The vibrant red color stood out, each cake was decorated with creamy white frosting in different designs. It was clear this was the shop’s pride and joy, and it was said that they have the best red velvet cakes in the State.

The attendant noticed me looking at the red velvet cakes and stepped forward with a smile. “Miss, are you interested in our red velvet collection?” She gestured toward the cabinet with a bright and cheerful expression. “It’s our specialty, you know. Best in the city! Would you like to try one?”

I hesitated, staring at the cakes that Caspian always brought to me. They were good, but I would always prefer a caramel cake.

“No,” I said finally, forcing a polite smile. “It’s not my favorite flavor,” I uttered honestly.

The attendant blinked, her cheer faltering slightly before she nodded. “Of course. What would you like instead?”

I pointed to the caramel cake in the display closest to me. “The six-inch caramel cake, please.”

Her smile returned as she noted my order. “Excellent choice! Please wait a moment while I box it up.”

I stepped aside, letting my eyes wander absently around the shop as I waited. When the bell above the door jingled again, I turned out of instinct, my heart sinking as Sarah walked in.

“Scarlet!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up in surprise. “You’re here! Are you getting a cake?”

“Yes,” I replied curtly, despite the unease churning inside me.

She moved toward the red velvet cabinet, her gaze softening as she admired the cakes. “This shop is my favorite,” she began, her tone laced with nostalgia. “They make the best red velvet cakes. Caspian and I used to come here all the time before I left. It was our little ritual to pick one out together.” She laughed lightly, the sound grating against my ears. “Now that I’m back, I couldn’t resist stopping by again. I miss it.”

I froze in realization as her words hit me like a punch in the gut. Caspian’s red velvet cakes— his gestures of affection, his supposed thoughtfulness— they were not for me. They had never been for me.

They were her favorite, her tradition, her memory. He had been thinking of her, always her.

Always Sarah.

I swallowed hard, forcing a neutral expression. “That’s nice,” I managed, my voice betraying none of the bitterness clawing at my chest.

The attendant returned with my boxed cake, and I accepted it with a nod, clutching the package tightly as I swiped my card for payment. My appetite was gone, but I was not about to let Sarah— or anyone— see just how much her words had shaken me.