I was sure Lilith had seen me standing at the door but she didn't care. In fact, she smirked at me before deepening the kiss, as though she were marking her territory. She was claiming Lucas as hers, right in front of me.

I stood there frozen, cold sweat clinging to my back as the truth finally sank in. Then I turned around and left.

Back at the house, I drifted through the rooms like a ghost. I couldn't even name what I was feeling, betrayal? Grief? It was something I should have seen coming, and yet it still gutted me. I had truly loved Lucas.

And now it hurts like my heart was being torn apart piece by piece.

I found the divorce papers and signed them without hesitation.

After that, I began packing. Memories clung to every corner, photos of us together, old gifts, tokens from anniversaries that only I seemed to remember. As I looked at each picture, it hit me just how alone I had been in that relationship.

I was smiling at every single one of them.

Lucas wasn't.

He didn't come home that night.

Morning arrived too quickly. I was still sorting through my things when the front door finally creaked open. Lucas stepped inside and saw me hunched over the cabinet. His expression shifted from surprise to something that almost resembled guilt, as if he had just remembered what last night was supposed to be.

Our anniversary dinner had never happened.

I said nothing. Lucas lingered in the doorway before walking toward me. When he noticed the pile of clothes beside me, he moved as if to help, but I pushed his hand away. He frowned.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just cleaning," I replied. "When I saw the dress Lilith wore the other day, I realized how many clothes I've kept but never worn. Some of them were chewed through, probably rats. Others smelled like urine."

His frown deepened. "Rats? In here?"

"I don't know," I said with a shrug. I pulled out another set of clothes such as dresses, sweaters, jackets. He recognized them instantly. They were all gifts he had given me over the years.

"What are you doing with those?" he asked again.

"I'm going to wash them. Hopefully, they can still be saved. I can't wear them anymore, so I'm planning to donate them."

Lucas blinked. "Why donate them? You can keep them as long as you want."

I shook my head. "There's too much, and they're not being used. Someone else might need them more. Don't worry, since they're from you, I'll make sure they're donated under your name."

He looked as if he was about to argue when the door behind him opened again, and Lilith walked in confidently. She wrinkled her nose dramatically.

"What donation?" she asked, then covered her nose. "Ugh, it smells like rats in here."

Lucas turned to her, his voice softening. "Selene said the cabinet might have rats. She's sorting it out."

Lilith's gaze fell on the pile of clothes, and she immediately recognized them as the gifts Lucas had given me. Her smile stayed sweet, but there was something sharp underneath, hatred and jealousy barely masked.

"I heard you're donating them?" she asked in a syrupy tone.

"Yes," I answered flatly. "I thought—"

"Oh no," she interrupted with a light laugh. "You can't donate those. They've been peed on. What if they're contaminated? Donating them under Lucas's name could reflect badly on him."

Lucas's expression shifted. He took her words to heart and turned to me, face serious. "She's right. It's not worth the risk. Just throw them out."

I said nothing, but something inside me cracked. Those gifts had meant something. I cherished them. Now, he discarded them like trash, because she told him to. And he didn't even hesitate.

Before I could collect myself, Lilith's eyes wandered toward my room.

"Oh, perfect. There's a clean room in the house," she said brightly, stepping forward. "Lucas, can I stay here? The sunlight hits just right, it's perfect."

Lucas glanced toward the room, then nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Sure. If that's what you want."

I stared at them, stunned. Lilith noticed my expression and gave an exaggerated pout, pretending to be concerned.

"Oh… is that your room, Selene?" she asked innocently. "Oops. I didn't mean to assume. It just looked so cozy and neat. But if it's yours, I won't take it."

I didn't respond right away. My brain was still trying to process everything. Then Lucas, as if nothing were wrong, spoke again in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.

"She told me she doesn't have a place to stay yet. She's been staying at a hotel, and you know how expensive that is, so I offered her the room. She'll be more comfortable here."

"Oh, no problem," I said, glancing between the two of them. "Then she can stay in the guest room."

"It's not clean yet," Lucas said. "It might take too long, and she's already tired from the trip. Your room is already in order, so it makes more sense for her to use it for now."

I turned to him, sarcasm lacing my voice. "I can clean the guest room if that's what you want. It won't take long."

Then I looked at Lilith. "Actually, why not just sleep in my husband's room? We're all family, right? You two sharing a bed shouldn't be a problem."

"Selene! What the hell are you trying to imply?" Lucas snapped. "You're acting like this over a room?"

"What?" I shot back, glaring at him. "I'm just offering her suggestions. She seems more eager to sleep beside you than to use my room."

"You—" Lucas raised his hand slightly, as if struggling to hold himself back, but before anything could happen, Lilith threw her arms around him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"It's okay. I'll just stay at the hotel," Lilith said.

"No," Lucas said, his voice lower, colder. He glared at me and said with gritted teeth. "Stop being selfish. Lilith is your sister. Treat her like one."

From the start, I had known Lucas treated anything that involved Lilith differently. He was always careful around her. He never raised his voice. He never said no. Whatever she asked for, she got.

So, when she looked at me with teary eyes and a bright smile before hugging Lucas like they were the only two people in the room, I understood that my silence was all she needed to take over.

"I'm so glad you said yes, Selene!" she said cheerfully, holding him like she already belonged here.

Lucas didn't correct her. He just gave her a small nod and turned away like everything had already been decided. I watched him leave the room, carrying a bag that clearly wasn't his. It had to be Lilith's.

He must've planned to let her stay here all along and didn't even think to ask me.

But I didn't argue. I didn't ask questions. I had already made my decision. I was leaving this house, and this marriage.

Neither one felt like mine anymore.

By the afternoon, everyone in the pack already knew Lilith was back. There was even a formal welcoming party organized at the Red Moon estate. Apparently, the small gathering in our home had just been a warm-up. The real event had already been planned, like everything else in her favor.

I followed behind Lucas and Lilith as we arrived at the estate. The mansion was filled with fresh flowers, silver and red banners, hanging lights, and crystal decorations. Everything shimmered under the chandelier glow.

It was bigger, fancier, and far more extravagant than the anniversary party I had planned just last week.

As we moved through the crowd, I heard people whispering and smiling.

"Is that really Lilith? She looks stunning."

"She doesn't even look like she left. Five years? You'd never guess."

"Lucas and Lilith always looked good together. They just… fit, don't they?"

They didn't notice me. I was right behind them, but I might as well have been invisible.

Someone murmured, "Oh, Selene's here too."

A woman coughed and gave me a polite smile. "Selene. Nice to see you. It's been a while."

"Right. Lucas's wife," another one added, as if trying to remember why I was there.

Then came Lilith's parents, Gregor and Amara, Alphas of the Red Moon Pack. They entered with confident steps and warm smiles only for their daughter.

"Mom! Dad!" Lilith exclaimed, running over to hug her mother tightly.

"My sweet girl," Amara said, kissing her cheek. "Still glowing. Are you sure it's been five years?"

"You should've stayed in touch more," Gregor added, patting her back. "We missed you."

Amara turned to Lucas with a gracious smile. "Thank you for welcoming Lilith home, Lucas. I know how busy things must be."

Lucas nodded. "It's not a problem."

Gregor gestured toward the dining area. "Come now. Everyone's waiting."

I followed them into the banquet hall. At the long table sat Victor and Elaine, Lucas's parents, alongside several elders and ranked members from both Red Moon and Silver Fang.

Victor gave Lilith a warm smile. "So, Lilith, what have you been up to all these years?"

She laughed, settling down beside Lucas. "Nothing too exciting. Just traveling. Figuring things out."

"And now?" asked one of the elders.

"Now, I'm happy," she said, her tone light. "I'm staying with Lucas for a while. It feels like home again."

Elaine looked confused. "You're staying… with Lucas?"

Lilith nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Just until I know what's next. He offered his house."

Elaine looked between Lucas and me. "But... isn't that difficult? He's married."

Lucas leaned back and waved a hand. "It's fine. The house feels more alive with her in it."

"Lilith's always had that spark," Amara said proudly. "She brightens up any room."

Victor smiled politely. "Yes, she's certainly full of energy."

Amara continued, "And since there's still no child in the picture, I don't see why she shouldn't stay. A little joy is always welcome."

Elaine glanced at me. "Selene, dear… are you expecting?"

I froze. "No," I said simply.

The table fell into a brief silence.

Gregor cleared his throat. "It's already been five years, hasn't it? Still no children?"

Lilith tried to speak up. "Maybe Lucas and Selene are just waiting for the right time."

Someone across the table snorted. "At her age? Most already have their second, even third."

Amara chuckled. "If Lilith had married Lucas, we would've had three by now."

"Mom!" Lilith gasped, clearly embarrassed. "That's not something you say out loud."

I didn't say anything. My hands were clenched in my lap. My stomach had started to ache, a dull pain growing deeper with every word. My expression stayed calm, but I could feel my chest tightening.

"I need to excuse myself," I said, rising from the table without waiting for permission.

As I walked away, I heard the sound of glasses clinking and chairs shifting. Conversations resumed as if my presence was something they did not need.

Then, Lucas's voice followed me down the hall.

"Maybe she's barren. I might need to consider someone else for the heir."

He said it so casually. Like it wasn't about me. Like I wasn't even human. Just a failed part of a plan to produce the next Alpha.

And no one said a word.

I stood at the sink, splashing cold water on my face, hoping it would calm the tight knot in my chest. The humiliation I had felt at the dinner table still clung to me. I kept hearing the words, the stares, the silence that followed every cruel remark.

But something else had started growing inside me, something worse.

It began as a dull ache in my lower stomach, but it kept getting sharper. I gripped the edge of the sink just to stay upright. At first, I thought it was just stress or maybe something I had eaten, but the pain kept building. My skin burned, my hands trembled, and something inside me felt wrong.

I turned to leave, thinking I needed to lie down, but when I grabbed the doorknob, it didn't move. I tried again, harder this time, but it still wouldn't budge. That's when I realized that it had been locked from the outside.

A second later, I heard her voice.

"Well, well. Look who's stuck," Lilith said, her tone fake and sweet, like she was savoring the moment. "Poor Selene. Locked away like the pathetic little stray you are."

Each word was soaked in smugness. My skin crawled. I slammed my hand against the door. "Lilith, open the door. Now."

She laughed, not loud or forced, just amused, like this was all a joke to her.

"Why would I do that?" she said. "So, you can go crawling back to my mate? Oh, right… he's your husband now. I keep forgetting."

Pain twisted in my stomach again, sharper than before. I leaned against the wall, pressing a hand to my abdomen.

She kept going. "You really thought he stayed with you out of love? No, sweetie. He stayed because I left. You were convenient. Quiet. Harmless. Easy to forget."

I sank to the floor. My body was giving up.

"He never chose you. Not really," she added. "You were the safe option when I wasn't around. A placeholder. A backup plan. A warm body for cold nights."

I curled in on myself, my forehead against the tile. The pain was blinding now.

"You're not his mate, Selene. You never were. You were just a pause while he waited for me to come back."

I wanted to yell at her, scream something, anything but my mouth was dry, and my lungs barely worked. Then I heard something being dragged across the floor outside. A loud scrape. A heavy thump.

"‘Restricted Area. Do Not Enter,'" she read aloud. I could hear the smile in her voice. "Perfect. Just in case someone gets the idea to come looking for you."

Her heels clicked as she walked away, each step fading until silence returned.

I stayed there, curled up on the cold floor. The pain came in waves, worse each time. I didn't know how much time had passed. Minutes. Hours. My mind drifted. My body shook. At some point, I felt something wet between my legs, and my dress clung to my skin.

Then I heard footsteps. The lock clicked and the door creaked open. Light flooded into the room as a tall figure stepped inside. He wore a black suit and moved with a certain elegance and power. The air shifted the moment he entered.

I smelled pine, leather, and something distinctly wolf. Familiar, but I couldn't place it.

His eyes locked onto mine the second he saw me. And unlike everyone else, he didn't look shocked. He looked furious. He dropped to one knee beside me. His movements were sharp but controlled, like he was holding something back.

"Selene," he said. His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it.

I tried to lift my head to see him clearly, but my vision swam, and my lips barely moved.

"Who...?"

He leaned closer and brushed my damp hair from my forehead. His touch was rough, but careful.

"You shouldn't have been left alone," he murmured, mostly to himself. There was weight in his voice that made my chest tighten. "I should've come sooner."

His gaze dropped to the blood staining my dress. Under the harsh light, his eyes glowed faintly gold, unnatural and full of fury.

He stood and lifted me into his arms. His movements were efficient and steady, making me feel weightless and fragile all at once. My head rested against his chest as he turned toward the door.

And just before the light swallowed us, I heard him speak again and this time, with quiet finality.

"I warned him. I told him what would happen if he ever failed to protect you."