Kael barely spared me a glance the entire time, his indifference as sharp and cold as a winter wind in the packlands. It was obvious he was still irritated that I chose work over attending his precious Selara’s celebration.

The irony of it almost made me laugh—how could he possibly be upset with me when he had spent months making me feel like I did not belong by his side?

Of course, Selara had to step in and play the gentle mediator.

“Kael, Railey had a job to do tonight, so you shouldn’t be upset with her,” she said softly, her voice laced with that perfectly rehearsed concern, as though she truly cared about our bond.

Then she turned her attention to me, her smile sweet and flawless. “It’s actually a good thing she’s here working as the photographer for my event. Why don’t you both take a picture together too, like the rest of our guests?”

My grip tightened around my camera.

It was a performance. A carefully staged act meant to make it seem like she was bringing us closer, when in reality, she wanted to place me in the center of a humiliation I could not escape.

At that moment, I stood there in my simple shirt and faded jeans, my plain clothes making me look painfully out of place among the elegantly dressed wolves gathered in the hall.

Meanwhile, Selara shone like the Luna of the night in her designer gown, styled to perfection, her presence commanding the entire room. Kael, dressed in a tailored suit that marked his status as a future Alpha, looked like he belonged right at her side.

Before I could refuse, Selara had already taken my camera from my hands with a playful laugh.

“Come on, just one shot,” she insisted lightly.

I stepped beside Kael, my body stiff, and the moment Selara lifted the camera, the murmurs began to ripple through the crowd like gossip carried on the wind.

“Kael must be ashamed to have Railey as his mate.”

“Obviously he prefers Selara.”

“Did you see their Bali pictures? He kissed her like she already belonged to him.”

“Well, if I had someone as stunning and seductive as Selara, I’d choose her too.”

Soft laughter followed those whispers, each cruel word pricking into my skin like silver needles.

Kael remained silent. He did not say a single word to defend me.

I stepped forward, taking my camera back from Selara, my face carefully blank. “This is your celebration, Selara. You should be the one in the spotlight.”

I lifted the camera slightly. “Just tell me if there’s anything else you want me to capture.”

My voice was steady, stripped of all emotion.

Selara tilted her head, as if trying to read what lay beneath my calm expression, but before she could say anything, the grand doors opened.

Kael’s parents had arrived.

They entered the hall with effortless elegance, their presence immediately drawing attention as they approached Selara’s parents and greeted them warmly, as though they were already one family.

Selara’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

She looked back at me with a bright smile. “Then take a photo of Kael and me with our parents, okay?”

Kael did not hesitate for even a second. He stepped beside Selara and wrapped his arm around her waist as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Their parents stood beside them, all of them forming a picture-perfect family.

I raised my camera.

Through the lens, I saw everything clearly—the way Selara leaned into Kael, the ease with which he accepted her closeness, the proud smiles of their parents who looked at them as though they were already bound as mates.

And in that moment, it struck me…

It had always been this way.

I had always been the outsider.

When the photo session ended, Selara walked toward me again, pulling out her phone to show proof of the partial payment she had already sent, her smile knowing and controlled.

“The rest of your payment will be transferred after I review the final photos,” she said lightly, though there was a sharp edge hidden beneath her tone.

Then she added, as if it had just slipped her mind, “Oh, and originally I only booked you until the main celebration ended, but since Kael’s parents are here, we’re having another small gathering afterward. Stay a little longer, okay?”

She smiled wider. “Don’t worry. I’ll include an extra bonus for you.”

There was amusement dancing in her eyes, as if she was aware of something I had yet to discover.

I simply nodded and turned back to my work, focusing on my camera.

But because I kept following Selara to capture candid moments, I inevitably overheard the conversation between our parents.

And that was when my heart shattered completely.

They were discussing Kael and Selara’s mating bond. Not just that—they openly announced that Selara’s birthday celebration had now become the day of their engagement.

My hands tightened around the camera, trembling slightly as I pressed the shutter. I forced myself to keep working, to stay professional, even as everything inside me collapsed.

Around me, the crowd erupted in cheers. Some guests clapped excitedly while others shouted in delight, “Kiss! Kiss!”

I turned toward the voice and recognized one of Kael and Selara’s friends from Bali—the same wolves who had mocked me behind my back, who had celebrated Selara as though she was already the Luna of Kael’s pack.

Selara blushed, lowering her gaze with a soft laugh. “Everyone, don’t tease us like that. Our parents are right here.”

But Kael only tightened his arm around her waist and leaned closer, his voice playful as he murmured, “Why not, my love?”

The cheers grew louder. Some guests covered their eyes in mock embarrassment, while others tapped their glasses against the tables, urging them on. Their parents simply laughed, clearly pleased by how perfect the two of them looked together.

And then it happened.

With a shy giggle, Selara leaned in—and right there, in front of everyone, Kael kissed her.

It was not a brief, harmless peck.

It was deep, lingering, and intimate.

And the crowd roared in approval.

To celebrate them, everyone raised their glasses in a toast.

So did I.

I walked toward the towering pyramid of wine glasses arranged on the table. Instead of taking one from the top like everyone else, I reached into the middle and pulled one free.

The entire structure collapsed instantly.

Glass shattered across the floor, fragments scattering in every direction as gasps filled the hall.

I did not even flinch.

Raising my glass calmly, I let a faint, knowing smile curve my lips.

“Congratulations,” I said coolly. “Two shameless wolves—what a perfect pair.”

Then I drank the entire glass in one swallow, set it down, turned my back, and walked out of the celebration without another glance.

---

When I returned home, Kael was already waiting—and he exploded the moment I stepped inside.

“What the hell was that, Railey?” he shouted, his face flushed with anger, his Alpha aura pressing down heavily. “Do you have any idea how humiliating you made me look in front of everyone tonight?”

I let out a cold, humorless laugh. “Really? And you kissing your so-called childhood sweetheart right in front of me wasn’t humiliating at all?”

Kael dragged a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply. “It was just an act, Railey. Our families are close, and our packs are tied through business. We had to play along for them.”

I scoffed and folded my arms, tilting my head slightly. “An act?”

I met his eyes directly, my voice turning sharp.

“Then explain this to me, Kael.”

His jaw clenched. “Explain what?”

I held his gaze, my tone cutting through the tension like a blade.

“Then why did you lie about the Bali trip?”

“You seriously want to bring this up again?” Kael snapped, the frustration in his voice raw and dangerous, the way an Alpha snarls when another wolf challenges him. “Fine. If it bothers you so much, I’ll tell Selara to take down the post. Satisfied now?”

I let out a quiet, bitter laugh that barely rose above a whisper. He still didn’t understand.

“It’s not about the post, Kael,” I said, my voice steady on the surface, though beneath it, my chest burned with anger and betrayal. “It’s about why you lied. It’s not about meeting Selara, not about kissing her… or even sleeping with her.”

“Oh, now I get it,” Kael interrupted, smirking like he’d just solved some riddle. “You’re jealous. That’s all this is about, right?”

He folded his arms, his posture casual, but his tone was sharp, almost mocking. “Now it makes sense why you’ve been avoiding me this past week. Jealousy of Selara. Typical.”

I had always avoided conflict, always told myself to be patient, understanding—the good mate who didn’t overreact. But ever since he broke his promise on my graduation day, a crack had formed inside me, growing steadily until it finally split wide open.

“What if I am jealous?” I shot back, my words slicing through the tension, my chest tight with fury and heartbreak. “Are you finally going to do something about it? Are you going to stay away from her?”

“No, right?” I pressed on, my voice cracking but refusing to weaken. “You never even met your so-called client in Bali, did you? You lied. Work was just an excuse for a vacation, a reason to be with Selara.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks before I could stop them. I didn’t fight them—they were a small release, a bitter acknowledgement of everything I’d held inside.

“So… I think it’s better if we end this,” I whispered, my voice barely recognizable even to me. “Besides, our packs don’t even know about us properly. And soon, you’ll be bound to your perfect mate anyway.”

Kael’s face went pale, the first real crack of panic appearing in his amber eyes. He stepped toward me, desperation in every motion.

“No! Railey, don’t say that,” he pleaded, hands gripping my shoulders firmly, voice breaking. “I can’t live without you. Don’t leave me, please.”

“I know it’s confusing now,” he continued, his hands trembling as they rested on my arms, “but Selara and I only acted for our parents’ sake. The one I care for… the one I truly want… is you. Only you.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, voice softer now, almost fragile. “I’m sorry for missing your graduation. I’m sorry I didn’t go with you to the embassy. I’m sorry for everything, Railey. I know I let you down, but from now on… you’ll be my first thought, my priority. I swear it.”

‘Another empty promise,’ I sneered silently, but then I caught myself. Why was I still angry? In less than three weeks, I would be gone, far from this pack, far from him. Why waste my strength on a wolf who had spent years proving he didn’t deserve me?

So I did what I always did—I forgave him. But this time, it was only a pretense.

Kael sighed with relief, wrapping his arms around me in a warm, deceptive embrace, as if everything were back to normal.

“Then tonight… will we…” he began, hope shining in his golden eyes, “be together again?”

I pulled away immediately. “No.”

Without another word, I turned and retreated to my room, shutting the door behind me. Outside, his low chuckle drifted under the wood, casual and careless.

“Alright, alright. Take your time to think, my wolf,” he called softly.

The next morning, I prepared breakfast and packed a lunch for him, playing the part he always demanded of me. Kael’s expression softened when he saw it, and he grinned, sharp fangs glinting in the morning light.

“Thanks. If this is how it’s going to be, everything will run smoothly between us,” he said, his tone smug but satisfied.

I returned his smile, perfectly practiced, hollow.

I kept up the act for five days, all the while quietly packing my belongings, my heart already halfway across the ocean.

I even attended my friend’s wedding alone. Once I reached the bridal room, I shared my plan with her. She cried and clutched me tightly.

“Don’t cry today—your happiness matters,” I whispered, struggling to hold back my own tears.

She nodded. “Promise me we’ll hang out one last time before you leave for Melbourne.”

“Of course.”

But as I watched my friend walk down the aisle, a strange, sharp pang of jealousy twisted through me. Kael could have been the one by my side if he had honored his promises, if he had shown up for my graduation. But he didn’t.

I shook my head and forced myself back into the celebration, forcing down my feelings.

Later that evening, as I was about to leave the party, my phone rang. It was Selara.

“Railey,” her voice silky and sharp, “Kael’s completely drunk at our friend’s party. Could you pick him up?”

I went—not out of concern, but because this was the final time I would perform the role of the understanding, obedient mate.

As I waited outside the party’s private box, I overheard their conversation clearly.

“So, what happens to Railey if you marry Selara, Kael?” one of his friends asked.

Kael laughed, lazily, the sound carrying the casual cruelty of a wolf who believed everything was his. “Railey? She’s just here to obey me, to be by my side when I want her. Isn’t it amusing, having a little puppy waiting at home?”

Kael’s friends erupted into laughter, their voices carrying a cruel edge that made my blood run cold.

“Right, Selara’s perfect if you want a mate for life,” one of them teased.

“So… when’s the wedding?” another chimed in, grinning like it was already written in stone.

I froze outside the private room, my heart hammering in my chest. Kael had never really seen me as a partner, as someone worthy of care. To him, I had always been convenient—a presence to summon when needed and discard when it suited him.

I refused to step inside. I refused to give him even an inch of my attention anymore.

But as soon as I returned home, my phone buzzed with a notification. Selara had posted photos from the party. One slide showed the two of them laughing together, another captured Kael leaning heavily on her shoulder, drunk and completely at ease with her.

Fury surged through me, sharp and scorching. I packed not just my essentials, but stripped the apartment of every trace of myself. In two weeks, I would be gone, and nothing of me would remain.

Over the next few days, I ignored him entirely. By daylight, I immersed myself in photography, chasing shutter clicks and angles. At night, I lost myself in editing, in the rhythm of my own life—one that didn’t include him. Whether he returned home or remained out with Selara, whether he noticed my absence or not, it didn’t matter to me anymore.

A week before my departure, my room had become nearly empty. If Kael had even the slightest shred of sensitivity, he would have noticed the absence of my presence in the apartment. But I doubted he had.

That evening, I slung my bag over my shoulder, ready to deliver a client’s photo files and meet a friend afterward. Just as my fingers curled around the doorknob, Kael entered, a plastic bag of beer dangling from one hand.

For the first time since that night at the bar, we were face-to-face.

His amber eyes darkened as they settled on me, and a bitter laugh escaped his throat. “Well, well. We finally collide. Even though we share this space, we haven’t crossed paths all week. Not once.”

I didn’t answer. I refused to play his game.

“Haven’t we already forgiven each other a week ago?” he continued, voice sharp and dripping with sarcasm. “You even made me breakfast, like you always do. But after that… nothing. You act like the whole week vanished. How long, Railey? How long are you going to avoid me?”

“I’m busy,” I said flatly, adjusting my bag and preparing to leave.

Before I could step out, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist and yanking me back. My breath caught as he pressed me against the wall, his presence heavy and suffocating.

“Railey,” he murmured, the alcohol heavy on his breath. “If you keep behaving like this… I will end up marrying Selara for real.”

I turned my face to the side, avoiding his heated gaze. My wrist throbbed under his grip, but I refused to show weakness. “Then do it. I don’t care.”

Kael’s eyes darkened further, frustration coiling through his tense posture. “Don’t care?” he growled. “Since when did you stop caring about me? Avoiding me doesn’t prove that you don’t—you’re jealous, and it’s obvious.”

He leaned closer, the menace in his voice sharp as a claw. “Oh, right. I haven’t shown enough of my love for you, have I? Fine. I’ll fix that… so you’ll never dare avoid me again over something so trivial.”

The bag slipped from his hand, spilling beer cans across the floor with a metallic clatter. Before I could react, he seized both my wrists, pressing them above my head against the wall.

“Kael, let go! You’re drunk!” I warned, voice steady, but he ignored me.

His left hand reached for my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. His fingers dug into my skin as he leaned in, claiming my lips in a possessive, bruising kiss.

I struggled, kicking and twisting in his grasp, but my strength was nothing compared to his. For the first time, Kael’s roughness broke through, leaving me shocked and trembling.

“Kael… it hurts,” I sobbed, my voice shaking. “Was your promise not to hurt me… also a lie?”

Something inside him shattered. His body tensed, his drunken haze giving way to the stark clarity of realization. His grip slackened, his breathing erratic, eyes wide as if finally seeing what he had done.

“Railey… I…” he began, voice cracking.

I didn’t let him finish. The moment I was free, I shoved him back and fled the apartment, my heart pounding in my ears.

I caught my reflection in the elevator mirror and froze. My hair was disheveled, my face pale and raw.

“Bastard,” I muttered under my breath, scowling at the reflection of the man I had loved for too long.

Thankfully, meeting my friend afterward eased some of the tension. Her laughter, the warmth of normal conversation, grounded me back in reality. I was genuinely happy for her honeymoon, secure in the knowledge that her joy had nothing to do with Kael.

But my relief was fleeting. One of my clients for the day was… Selara. I couldn’t hold her final photo rolls any longer, so I made my way to meet her.

She greeted me with her trademark easy smile, flipping through the images. “These are really good. You’ve got talent.” She tapped her phone. “Oh, I’ve already transferred the payment, including the bonus.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, ready to leave.

But then she added, casually, yet deliberately: “By the way… since you didn’t pick him up that night, I brought him home. Not yours—mine. We… enjoyed that night together, Railey.”

I froze, eyes narrowing.

Selara tilted her head, watching me with mock sympathy. “That night, when he stayed at my place, he… mistook me for you,” she continued softly, almost tauntingly. “He was… out of control. He seemed desperate for you.”

My body went rigid.

Selara’s sweet smile didn’t falter. “So… I’m sorry, Railey. But an accident happened between us. I hope Kael explained it?”

My heart slowed in my chest, hollow and heavy.

She leaned in, voice dropping to a near whisper. “I know our… arrangement is only for our families’ sake. I know you’re the one he truly loves. But Railey… I saw how much he enjoyed that night. The next morning, he laughed about it, saying it was the most incredible night he’d ever had.”

I swallowed hard, every breath bitter and uneven.

Selara’s eyes gleamed, cruelly triumphant. “So… why don’t you just give up? Your relationship is already crumbling.”

She smiled again, soft and poisonous. “Oh, and one more thing… I want to hire you as my wedding photographer. Awkward, isn’t it, considering you’ll still be dating him by then?”