"Don’t overthink it, Talia," Dad said gently, adjusting the strap of his bag as he stood by the door. "Lucian’s an Alpha. He’s got responsibilities, and those don’t leave much room for… distractions. You’ll understand once you’re mated."

I clenched my jaw, biting back the urge to argue. This was probably the fifth time he’d said something like that this month, as if Lucian’s distance was something I just had to excuse.

He pulled his coat tighter, his movements slower than usual. I hated how tired he looked—like life had been chipping away at him bit by bit.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" he said, his voice cracking just a little. "And don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re too much."

"I’ll try," I murmured, my throat thick.

Two months ago, things had been so different. Dad was my rock, always steady, always strong. But since Mom died, it felt like that strength was slipping away.

He gave me one last look, his eyes full of things he wasn’t saying, before heading out. I stood by the door, watching his car disappear down the forest road, his aftershave lingering faintly in the air. My chest ached, caught between wanting to run after him and the weight of staying here.

By the time I walked back into the Silverclaw Packhouse, the sky outside was a deep orange. Inside, the living room was dim, the only light coming from Lucian’s tablet. He was sprawled out on the couch, one hand holding it while the other lazily scrolled through his phone.

"Hey!" I said, setting my keys on the counter.

"Hey," he replied without looking up.

I hovered in the doorway, waiting for him to ask about Dad or even notice the date. But the silence dragged on, broken only by the quiet hum of his device.

"How was the patrol?" I asked finally.

"Same as usual," he said, not even glancing up.

I nodded, holding back a sigh. "Did you check on the western border thing?"

That got him to look up, though only for a second. "Not yet. Selene handled it."

My stomach twisted. Selene. The new pack member, his childhood crush who seemed to get all his attention these days.

Lucian didn’t notice—or didn’t care. He chuckled at something on his screen, the sound making my chest tighten.

I walked past him into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of his phone as I passed. My heart sank. Selene’s name was right at the top of a text thread.

Her latest message was glowing on the screen: "Hope you liked the cookies. I can bring more tomorrow if you want."

"Are you serious?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Lucian glanced up, frowning. "What?"

"You’re texting her again?"

He rolled his eyes. "Talia, she’s a packmate. It’s not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" I snapped. "She’s been here two weeks, and you’re already spending more time with her than me!"

His face hardened. "You’re overreacting. She’s new. I’m just being friendly."

"Right. She's new and she's your damn childhood crush!" I said bitterly. "Because being Alpha means making everyone feel welcome except your mate."

Lucian sighed and stood, walking toward me. "You’re being unfair. You know how much pressure I’m under."

"And what about me?" I shot back. "I’m your mate, Lucian! Or does that not matter anymore?"

"Of course it does," he said, his tone sharper now. "But you knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to this. I can’t drop everything every time you need reassurance."

His words hit like a punch to the gut. "You didn’t even ask about my Dad," I said, my voice shaking.

Lucian’s jaw tightened. "I figured you’d tell me if there was something I needed to know."

"He’s struggling," I said, my voice breaking. "And I’m trying to hold everything together, but you’re not even here anymore."

"I’m here," he argued, gesturing around.

"No," I said, my voice firm. "You’re wherever ‘she’ is."

His phone buzzed on the counter, and we both glanced at it.

Selene’s name flashed again.

That’s when my eyes caught Lucian’s leather jacket draped over the chair, something glinting in the soft light. My brows furrowed as I stepped closer, spotting the engraving on the inside tag.

‘LM&ST.’

Lucian Mcelvani and Selene Tramp.

My breath hitched. That wasn’t right! This jacket— our anniversary gift—was supposed to have our initials. I’d paid extra to have ‘L&T’ inscribed, triple-checking the order to make sure it was perfect! So why the hell were hers there instead of mine?!

What the!

I held it up, turning it over as though it would somehow explain itself. My heart raced as I walked into the living room where Lucian sat, scrolling on his phone.

“Lucian!” I called, holding up the jacket.

He barely glanced up. “Yeah?”

“Why does this have HER initials on it?” My voice wavered despite my effort to stay calm.

He frowned, setting his phone down. “What are you talking about?”

“This jacket!” I said, stepping closer. “The initials. LM and ST! That’s Selene’s.”

Lucian stood, running a hand through his hair. “It’s just a mix-up, Talia. I’m sure the engraver messed up! Don’t blow this out of proportion.”

“A mix-up? How does a mix-up like that even happen? Our initials were clear. I sent them myself!”

He sighed, his irritation showing. “I don’t know, Talia. Maybe it was a mistake. I’ll deal with it.”

“When? Because this—this isn’t just some mistake, Lucian. It’s—”

“Talia,” he interrupted, his tone sharp now. “It’s a fucking jacket. Let it go.”

I stared at him, disbelief and hurt crashing over me like a wave. Fucking jacket?

“You don’t even care, do you?”

“I said I’d handle it!” he snapped, grabbing the jacket from my hands. “Stop making everything about her. You’re being ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? Woah! So I'm ridiculous here?” My voice cracked, but I refused to back down. “Lucian, you’ve been distant for weeks, and now this shows up? And you want me to believe it’s nothing?”

He rolled his eyes, already walking toward the door. “I’ve got a patrol tonight. Don’t wait up.”

And just like that, he was gone.

When the door clicked shut, I felt the tears sting my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Instead, I grabbed my phone and dialed the engraving shop.

“Hi. I ordered a customized jacket recently, but there’s been a mistake with the engraving. The initials are wrong.”

“Oh no, I’m so sorry about that! Can I get your name and the order number?”

I gave her the details, pacing as I waited.

“Hmm,” she said after a moment. “It looks like the initials were updated shortly after the order was placed. I can send over the request receipt if you’d like.”

“Please do.”

Minutes later, the email arrived. My heart sank as I opened the file. The receipt clearly showed Lucian’s signature authorizing the change. There was no denying it.

***

The next morning, I tried to focus on something else—my dress fitting. Lucian had promised to come, but after last night, I wasn’t exactly hopeful.

When his black truck finally pulled up to the house, a flicker of relief settled over me. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all. I climbed into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt as Lucian started the engine.

We drove in silence for a while before he turned onto a different road. I frowned and glanced at him. “Where are we going?”

“Just a quick stop,” he said casually, keeping his eyes on the road.

A few minutes later, we pulled up in front of a sleek, modern house. My stomach twisted when Selene walked out, wearing a bold red outfit that clung to her like a second skin. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she made her way toward us.

I turned to Lucian, confused. “Why is Selene coming with us?”

“She’s helping you pick your dress,” Lucian said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I stared at him. “What? Why would I need her help? I didn’t ask for this.”

“She’s got good taste,” he said with a shrug. “Figured it couldn’t hurt.”

Before I could respond, Lucian rolled down the window, and Selene leaned in with a bright, fake smile. “Good morning! Ready for the day?”

I clenched my hands in my lap, waiting for Lucian to put her in her place, but instead, he smiled back. “Of course. Hop in.”

Selene walked around to the passenger door, pausing when she saw me. “Oh,” she said, her tone overly sweet. “Talia, would you mind moving to the back? I really hate sitting in the backseat.”

I froze, glancing at Lucian, silently pleading with him to say no. He didn’t. He just nodded. “Yeah, Talia, can you? Selene doesn’t like the back.”

My chest tightened, but I swallowed my pride. “Sure.”

Selene gave me a sugary smile as I climbed out. “Thanks so much,” she said, slipping into the seat like she belonged there.

I got into the back, staring out the window and trying to keep my emotions in check.

As we drove, Lucian and Selene chatted like old friends, her laughter ringing through the truck. I sat there, my nails digging into my palms, wishing I could be anywhere else.

At one point, Selene gasped and turned up the radio. “Oh, I loveee this song! It’s so perfect for a wedding! Talia, you have to use it for your first dance!”

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my seat. “This song? You’re joking, right?”

“What’s wrong with it? It’s romantic, and everyone loves it.”

I snorted. “Yeah, maybe if you’re stuck in a cheesy rom-com. But for my wedding? Hard pass.”

Selene turned to Lucian, her lip trembling like she was one step away from full-blown tears. “I was just trying to help,” she said softly, her voice shaking. “I thought it’d be nice…”

Lucian shot me a look through the rearview mirror, his expression sharp. “Talia, was that really necessary?”

“Necessary? She’s trying to hijack my wedding playlist like it’s her ceremony!”

“She’s just being thoughtful. You don’t need to mock her for it.”

Selene sniffled, dabbing at her eyes dramatically. “It’s fine, Lucian. I’ll get over it. I just… I thought it would make her happy.”

“Oh, give me a break!” I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms as I looked out the window.

Lucian sighed, clearly annoyed. “Talia, can you at least try to be a little more considerate? It wouldn’t kill you to be nice.”

I whipped my head around, glaring at him. “Nice? I’ve been nothing but nice while she tries to take over my wedding! But sure, let’s make me the bad guy.”

Selene sniffled again, this time louder, and Lucian’s focus shifted entirely to her.

“Don’t let it get to you,” he said softly. “You were just trying to help.”

I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue, knowing anything else I said would only make things worse. Nothing I said would matter—not when Selene had the power to make even Lucian second-guess himself.

***

The sales assistant greeted us with a bright smile when we walked in, but her eyes immediately darted to Selene, like I wasn’t even there.

“Looking for something special?” she asked, practically glowing.

Selene smirked and waved at me like she was handing me off. “She is. I’m just here for support.”

Support. Right.

I forced a polite smile. “I’m looking for something simple.”

Selene snorted. “Simple is boring! You’re going to be Luna, Talia. You can’t just fade into the background.”

“I don’t need a dress to prove my worth,” I said quietly, stepping past her toward the rows of gowns.

Lucian stayed where he was, his intense gaze following me like he was waiting for a storm to break. But he didn’t say a word.

The assistant eventually brought me a gown—ivory, elegant, understated. Exactly what I wanted. She handed it to me with a warm smile, but before I could thank her, Selene chimed in again.

“I’ll take a look too,” she said, grabbing a sparkly emerald gown off a rack. “Might as well have some fun while we’re here, right?”

I swallowed hard and followed the assistant to the fitting rooms. Once inside, I took a deep breath and stared at the dress in the mirror. It fit perfectly, the simplicity of it grounding me in a way nothing else had today.

When I stepped out, Lucian’s eyes finally landed on me. For a second, I thought I saw something—approval, maybe—but before he could say anything, Selene burst out of her fitting room.

She spun in her shimmering gown like she was on a runway. “Wow! This is it. What do you think, Lucian? Do I look like a Luna or what?”

Lucian’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long.

“You look great, Selene,” he said finally, his voice flat. Then his eyes flicked back to me. “But Talia looks—”

“—plain,” Selene cut in, flashing a smug grin as she adjusted her dress straps. “Talia, don’t you think you should pick something with more... presence? You don’t want everyone forgetting who the ceremony’s about, do you?”

I locked eyes with her. “The people who matter won’t forget.”

Her smirk wavered for a split second, but she quickly covered it, turning her charm back on Lucian.

“You’re no fun,” she teased, nudging him playfully.

I turned and went back into the fitting room without saying anything else. As I slipped out of the gown, I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture. This was the dress. The one that actually felt like me.

When I came back out, Selene was fussing over Lucian, straightening the lapels of a suit she’d somehow talked him into trying on. He looked sharp—too sharp, really—the dark fabric highlighting his powerful frame and making him look every bit the Alpha he was.

“See?” Selene said, laughing as she adjusted his tie. “Doesn’t he look amazing? You’re welcome, Talia. Your Alpha needed a little upgrade too.”

The knot in my chest tightened, but I kept my face neutral. “You’re enjoying yourself, huh?”

She grinned at me. “Someone has to keep things interesting.”

Lucian’s gaze shifted back to me, his brows pulling together slightly. “Are you ready? If you don’t like this boutique, we can go somewhere else.”

I shook my head. “This place is fine. I’ll take the dress I tried on.”

His frown deepened. “Are you sure? You didn’t even try anything else.”

“I’m sure,” I said firmly, holding his gaze.

Lucian opened his mouth like he wanted to argue, but Selene looped her arm through his and pulled his attention back to her.

“You should trust her, Alpha,” she said sweetly, though her smirk ruined the act. “Talia knows what she’s doing.”

I didn’t wait for him to reply, I turned and headed for the door. The truth was, it didn’t matter. We weren’t having a real wedding, so why bother wasting any more time?