I watched Matteo and Sabrina walk away, and a sharp ache pierced through my chest. After leaving his office, other pack members rushed over to help treat my wounds.

Someone grumbled, "Sabrina knew that mountain was dangerous and still sent you there. She clearly did it on purpose."

Another chimed in, "She just wants to get Alpha Matteo's attention."

I did not say anything, but my heart felt inexplicably bitter.

At last month's gala, the Alpha from the most powerful pack in the north showed interest in me, offering three years' worth of supplies in exchange for me becoming his lover.

Matteo refused without hesitation.

Even when the other Alpha raised it to five years' worth of supplies, Matteo did not budge and actually fought him right there. He was willing to cut ties with that pack entirely just to protect me.

At that moment, I thought maybe Matteo had finally fallen for me.

Nonetheless, a bed partner was ultimately just a bed partner. No matter how hard I tried, his heart would always lean toward Sabrina.

Her barely scratched skin mattered more to him than all my wounds combined.

I worked tirelessly for Matteo, constantly expanding pack territory and establishing partnerships with other packs. However, in his eyes, I was nothing compared to Sabrina.

A suffocating feeling overwhelmed me, and the heartache made it impossible to breathe.

By the time I finished organizing everything, it was already dark. Just as I was about to call a cab home with my exhausted body, I received a call from Matteo.

"Bring me the allergy medicine from my desk drawer."

I returned to the office and took the medicine. Then, I grabbed a cab and headed straight for Matteo’s mansion at top speed.

It had only been three days since I was last there, yet I almost did not recognize the place.

The entrance was filled with blue moon roses, and all the furniture inside had been changed to soft blue. Every antique painting in the mansion had been replaced with pearls, gemstones, designer bags, and cosmetics.

I could immediately tell that it was all for Sabrina.

With the allergy medicine in hand, I walked to the master bedroom at the far end and knocked on the door.

After a moment, Matteo opened it. He froze when he saw my swollen, injured body and asked, "You got poisoned by wolfsbane?"

I said nothing.

"Did you go to the hospital?"

I shook my head.

His expression darkened, and for once, his tone softened. "I'll give you a few days off. Rest at home for a while and come back to work next week..."

"No. After this month ends..."

I was about to tell him that I would be resigning soon, but before I could finish, Sabrina's voice drifted out from inside the room.

"Matteo, what's taking you so long?"

The words stuck in my throat, and I swallowed them back down.

Instead, I said, "Go. Don't keep her waiting too long."

However, Matteo did not leave right away. Instead, he handed me a credit card.

"Take this. Use it to plan a welcome party for Sabrina in a few days."

I nodded, took the card, and left the mansion.

The moment I closed the door, I heard Sabrina's dissatisfied complaint. "What took you so long? You better not have been distracted by some vixen."

"How could I? I only have eyes for you."

She huffed. "You're such a sweet talker!"

No matter how much Sabrina teased or scolded him, Matteo never got angry. He only smiled and comforted her with the gentlest tone.

I had once tried joking around with Matteo, but he only gave me a stern glare and warned, "The next time you act so casual, I won't be so kind."

Back then, I thought it was just his serious nature, but I realized it was simply because I was not the person he loved.

After leaving Matteo's home, I went to the hospital to get an antidote serum. Only then did the swelling on my body finally go down.

After resting at home for a few days, I received the party plan from Matteo.

The location was Moonlight Forest, supposedly where he first met Sabrina, and every detail, from the desserts and flowers to the patterns on the plates, had strict requirements.

The timeline was tight and the workload was heavy. I spent three days running around frantically to prepare everything.

Three days later, Sabrina's welcome party officially began.

She appeared before everyone in an expensive haute couture gown. Guests immediately swarmed around her, flattering and fawning over her as everyone regarded her as the next Luna.

Sabrina smiled smugly like she already owned the title.

Someone said, "Sabrina is still as beautiful as she was back then! No wonder the Alpha dotes on her so much. Anyone would be unable to forget someone so gorgeous."

"Back in school, Alpha Matteo rejected the only daughter of Silver Coast Pack's Alpha. Later, he got punished by the old Alpha for three straight days. He did all that just for Sabrina," another added.

"Everyone in the pack knows the Alpha only has eyes for Sabrina. Look at all those gems on her dress... Each one is priceless! Only Sabrina could make the Alpha put in this much effort."

I stood in the corner silently listening, not saying a word.

Soon, Sabrina walked over smugly, her eyes full of disdain as she spat, "So you're the one who organized this party for me? No wonder it's so sloppy. You didn't even lay down a carpet for me. My feet are killing me from walking on this hard marble in heels."

I kept my head down, forcing myself to stay calm. "Please wait a moment. I'll have someone prepare one right away."

Just as I was about to make the call, Sabrina suddenly stopped me. "I can't wait for the carpet. How about this? Tear off part of your dress and lay it under my feet. Then, I'll forgive you."

I would never agree to such an outrageous demand.

My dress was sewn by my mother and was the only keepsake she had left me. There was no way I would let Sabrina trample on it like that.

Seeing me stay silent, Sabrina's expression immediately darkened.

When Matteo noticed Sabrina was unhappy, he rushed over to ask what was wrong.

She grumbled, "Matteo, there's no carpet on this floor, and it's hurting my feet. I just asked her to let me use her dress as a cushion, and she refused. Is she still holding a grudge from last time?"

Matteo looked at me coldly. "It was your job to make sure everything was ready. Sabrina’s feet wouldn’t hurt if you had done it right. It’s just a dress. After the party, I’ll buy you a new one."

My heart turned completely cold. Matteo knew how much the dress meant to me, yet he was still willing to force me to destroy Mom's keepsake for Sabrina's sake.

The surrounding guests started whispering among themselves.

"That Beta really thinks she's something special, daring to refuse Sabrina's request."

Another said, "Exactly. Sabrina's the future Luna, while she's just a Beta. Who does she think she is?"

The mocking voices cut through me like knives.

I clenched my fists and looked up at Matteo, tears shimmering in my eyes. "You know exactly what this dress means to me."

Matteo met my gaze, and his heart trembled, his expression softening slightly.

However, just as he was about to speak, Sabrina stumbled into his arms and whimpered, "Matteo, my feet hurt so much."

Seeing her tears, Matteo hardened his tone.

"Alyssa, it's just a dress. I'll order the most exclusive piece from a luxury boutique for you later. Just bear with it for tonight."

"Absolutely not!"

I turned to leave, but the guards blocked my path. Then, Matteo grabbed my dress and ripped off the hem.

My heart shattered along with the ripping sound, and I silently apologized to Mom.

After that, he placed the torn fabric at Sabrina's feet. Only then did she flash a smile, pulling over a chair to sit down, her high heels planted firmly on my dress.

I held back my tears and glared at Matteo. "Alpha, may I leave now?"

He frowned at me and waved for the guards to stand down.

However, Sabrina was adamant about making things hard for me.

She gasped and exclaimed, "My ring is missing! Alyssa must have stolen it."

She pulled at Matteo's sleeve pitifully and pouted, "Don't let her leave. She was the only one with me just now."

I retorted, "Sabrina, stop making false accusations."

Matteo looked at Sabrina's aggrieved face, then at me.

The doubt on his face deepened as he said, "Maybe you just dropped it somewhere. Let's not jump to conclusions."

Sabrina stomped her foot and shoved Matteo's arm away. "Matteo, you're actually defending her?! You gave me that ring. Of course, I'm upset!"

I asked coldly, "Do you have any proof I took it?"

Sabrina huffed. "That's easy."

With that, she called the guards. As they blocked my path once more, she commanded, "Have them search you. If the ring is on you, that proves you took it."

Several burly guards approached me, grabbed my arms, and pressed me to the ground. A sense of danger washed over me as panic seized my chest, and I struggled desperately.

"It wasn't me! I didn't take her ring!"

However, no one seemed to hear my cry for help. They pinned me down and reached for my dress, ready to tear it off.

As they were about to rip off the fabric, Matteo frowned and was ready to stop them. Just then, a servant appeared with Sabrina's ring.

"I found the ring! It fell by the sink in the restroom!"

Matteo exhaled in relief and waved for the guards to back off.

Then, he took the ring and personally placed it on Sabrina's finger, saying gently, "The ring's been found. You can relax now."

Sabrina held the ring under the spotlight, examining it from every angle. Only after confirming it was the one she had lost did her smile return. She looked at me lying on the ground and tugged at Matteo's arm.

"Guess it was the hotel staff’s fault for not bringing it sooner. Poor Alyssa must've been so humiliated for nothing."

Everyone's eyes turned to stare at my disheveled state.

I lay there in front of everyone, hugging myself tightly. My body trembled uncontrollably as I sobbed.

From above, I heard Matteo's reluctant voice. "Take tomorrow off. The dress will be sent to your house."

Matteo brushed off all my humiliation with just one simple sentence. My heart felt like it had been stabbed by a sharp blade. My eyes went blank, my mind completely numb.

I did not know how long I sat on that cold floor until all the guests had left and the hall lights went out, shrouding my body in endless darkness.

Slowly, I snapped back to my senses, pulled myself up, and stumbled out of there.

Outside, rain was pouring down in sheets. I walked along the roadside, letting the rain soak me through completely. I could not tell if the water on my face was rain or tears.

I had no idea where I was going. I just wandered through the endless night, wrapped in the downpour.

Suddenly, a blinding headlight flashed in front of me. The car kept getting closer and closer until I could not keep my eyes open.

As the speeding car came at me, a wild thought suddenly crossed my mind. If I just let it hit me, maybe the pain would finally end.

I did not move, just closed my eyes and waited for the massive impact to shatter me into pieces. However, the expected impact never came.

The car stopped steadily right in front of me, and the window rolled down, revealing Matteo's cold, handsome face.

"Get in."

I did not budge, still dragging my exhausted body through the rain. Matteo's expression was conflicted, and his tone grew heavier.

"Are you trying to torture yourself? Get in the car!"

My feet stopped, and I slowly turned around. The rain had ruined my makeup, and I knew I probably looked horrible.

I replied, "I'm just a Beta. How could I trouble an Alpha to come pick me up?"

Perhaps my words hit a nerve. Matteo's expression grew even more grim as he stepped out into the rain, not caring that his expensive suit was getting drenched, and grabbed my hand tightly.

He said, "I know what happened tonight hurt you deeply."

I looked up at him.

He continued, "I've already lost Sabrina once. I can't lose her a second time. Listen, I have another property under my name. Since you need a place to live right now, consider it my compensation to you."

I did not compromise. I pushed his hand away with all my strength and looked at him coldly.

"I'm just your Beta. Why would you need to compensate me? It was my mistake before, not keeping myself in a Beta's place. From now on, I'll remember my position and won't bother you and Sabrina any longer."

Matteo's face darkened instantly. "Alyssa, are you throwing a tantrum?"

"How would I dare?" I scoffed.

"Everything I've done is just to comfort Sabrina. Don't you know that you're actually..."

Matteo's voice seemed to grow increasingly distant.

My head hurt terribly, and I did not hear a single word after that. My vision blurred, and the world tilted beneath me.

Maybe my emotional outburst had triggered the wolfsbane poison that was still in my blood, because everything started spinning, and my consciousness was fading.

When I opened my eyes again, the sharp scent of herbs filled the air. I lay quietly on the hospital bed with an IV drip in my left hand.

The healer came for rounds and saw that I was awake. He smiled kindly and said, "The Alpha really cares about you. He stayed by your bedside all night, you know."

I stared blankly at the hospital ceiling, feeling pathetic and ridiculed.

Matteo could care about anyone, but that person would never be me.

I used to fantasize about him, thinking he cared about me at least a little bit. Nonetheless, our relationship had been an accident from the start, a beautiful dream I had created for myself.

Since the dream was over, all I wanted was to escape from him and never come back.