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.

During my time in the hospital, Matteo never once showed up.

His guards would just send me messages from time to time asking about my condition and telling me to rest well.

I was in the hospital for over a week. Once my body was fully recovered, I returned to the company.

During my hospital stay, the pack's gossip about Matteo and Sabrina never stopped.

"Alpha booked out the entire Firefly Park for Sabrina's birthday. The whole pack gets three days off to celebrate."

"Alpha gifted Sabrina his family's heirloom gemstone. Her position as future Luna is practically sealed."

"Sabrina likes the sacred relic from Meadowbrook Pack. Alpha failed to get it for her several times and is rumored to be planning a war to take it."

Countless trending topics flooded in on social media, with new articles breaking every hour. Faced with all that news, I just quietly put down my phone.

At that moment, I realized I could calmly accept Matteo's devotion to Sabrina.

After being discharged, I returned to the company and continued to work diligently as usual. During that time, I tried to avoid direct communication with Matteo, entrusting all pack work to the next Beta.

When I placed the documents he needed on his desk and prepared to leave, Matteo called out to me from behind.

"This afternoon, I'm going on a business trip to Shadowridge Pack. You and Sabrina are coming with me."

My body stiffened. Just as I was about to refuse, Matteo shut his office door. I swallowed my protest and kept silent.

During the afternoon trip, Sabrina kept complaining about the long journey. Even so, Matteo showed no sign of annoyance, just comforting her patiently.

The car stopped at the foot of a mountain where the path was rough and uneven. It was so narrow that it could only fit one person at a time. We had no choice but to get out and hike on foot.

Sabrina threw her bag at me with a disdainful look. "Carry my bag."

We walked a long way, and none of us noticed the danger quietly approaching from behind. The grass by the roadside rustled, and several rogues who had been lurking for a while burst out of the bushes.

"Sabrina, watch out!"

The rogues lunged at us viciously, and Matteo shielded Sabrina behind him, kicking one rogue away.

Another rogue immediately switched targets, thrusting a silver dagger toward me. Trapped in the circle, I could not dodge in time, and the blade plunged deep into my shoulder.

The wounded area burned like flames. As blood kept pouring out, my strength gave way, and I fell to the ground.

The rescue team arrived quickly, and the rogues fled in panic.

In my daze, I heard two urgent voices.

"Alpha, Alyssa was injured by silver. She needs to be rushed to the hospital immediately."

"Save Sabrina first! She's passed out!"

Then, I lost consciousness.

...

In my haze, I heard familiar sobbing sounds. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Penelope's swollen, red eyes.

"Alyssa, I got a call from the hospital saying you were hurt by silver and almost died! I was so scared for you."

It had been a long time since anyone had worried about me. In that instant, all the pain I had been holding back came crashing down.

I could not hold back anymore and cried in Penelope's arms.

We held each other for a long time.

Penelope sat by the bed, preparing some fruit for me while chatting about lighter topics.

"We haven't seen each other much since graduation. How have you been? You're not getting any younger, Alyssa. It's time you dated someone. Once you're better, I'll introduce you to some hot guys so you can take your pick."

I pressed my lips together. "I'm not interested in dating right now."

Penelope handed me the fruit. "That won't do. I showed your photo to people around me, and they're all fighting to have me introduce you to them."

Just as she finished, the door burst open.

Matteo walked in, his face like thunder. "Who gave you permission to do that? Stay away from shady people."

Penelope pouted. "What do you mean by 'shady people'? Those are my friends. Besides, Alyssa is just your Beta. What right do you have to interfere with her love life?"

Hearing that, an inexplicable fire ignited in Matteo's heart, and his words came out in anger.

"I'm your brother, Penelope. When I say no introductions, that's final. Feelings can't be forced, and it's not something you can fix with a setup."

Yes, feelings could not be forced. I finally understood that.

I forced a smile and quickly changed the subject. "Alpha, what brings you here?"

Seeing that I was not in life-threatening danger, Matteo relaxed slightly. He kept avoiding direct eye contact, as if he were guilty of something. The words of concern reached his lips, but after thinking, he swallowed them back down.

Eventually, he said, "Nothing much. Penelope hasn't been home for three days since she's taking care of you. I'm just here to take her home."

"Alright, Matteo, but Alyssa is still weak and needs someone to take care of her. I'll stay with her until tonight."

After Penelope finished speaking, she pushed Matteo out, leaving just the two of us in the room.

She watched his retreating figure and sighed. "He was anxious enough to mobilize the entire pack's blood bank to give you transfusions. Why is his attitude so cold when he sees you?"

My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly came to my senses. After all, I knew that he just did not want to be blamed by the elders for a Beta's death.

My heart was completely numb, and I would not be moved by any bit of his tenderness anymore. During my hospital stay, I occasionally heard the healers discussing in the VIP room upstairs.

"The Alpha really cares about Sabrina. He's mobilized all the nutritionists to prepare meals for her."

"That's not all. The Alpha personally brings her tea and water, and the gifts sent to her room every day are piling up. She's truly the future Luna."

Once, those words would have cut me to the bone. However, they did not stir me at all then. I had finally stopped loving him.