The pictures were too bold and clear to be fake.

A circle of people I recognize. A club party. A betrayal!

Their grins shot through the photograph, almost taunting...no, murdering.

Demetrius and my cousin, whom was married to my ex boyfriend, Jeremiah!

Why the heck are they together?

"Why? The eyes are old now and can no longer recognize the truth?" Laila mocked me.

She had been so against Demetrius.

I had wondered what the problem was.

She was more like a mood swing, trying to indicate the times to be sad, happy, accept and reject but that wasn't a choice for her to make!

Demetrius was cool, that I know.

He loved me..that I know.

But, but..

The wailing of the alarm blared across the room and I looked around, seeing the blinking of red light!

"Exit, exit! Everyone in the pack house or near is required to exit!

A fire outbreak...exit!"

My eyes shot back to the picture.

I couldn't care about being consumed by the fire, but the painful wake of an heartbreak has proved to be more bitter.

His friends I recognized surround them, and I saw his secretary in a corner, at the tip of the picture, her two fingers on her glasses - she must have been adjusting them and they probably didn't know when their picture was taken!

My eyes felt on the tape I had found in the file.

In the chaos going on about a fire breaking out, I stumbled into the bedroom and inserted it in a computer.

It was an audio, and my world shattered after hearing the conversations between Demetrius and a lady's voice which I recognized to be Riley - my cousin's voice.

"It's sad to leave, Riley. Why not spend an extra hour here? I miss holding you every night." Demetrius whined.

My chest fastened together like seatbelt and I let's out a narrow sigh, facepalming my face in anger...no, maybe disappointment?

I couldn't pin down what exactly I was feeling !

"You have to go back to the pack and ensure you keep my sister sailing on the ship that never existed with you. We have to keep our relationship secret, uhm?"

"Why did you have to marry Jeremiah in the first place! It's hard pretending to love her because of you."

Riley's deep chuckle riled out of the audio.

"Come on, you didn't professed your love on time. It was when you proposed to Marie did i meet you again after years of attending highschool together."

The door to the room swung opened abruptly and my heart leapt in anxiety when Demetrius stormed in.

Afraid of him finding out that I had caught up to his scheme, I pulled the USB out and drop it in my pocket.

"There's fire, Marie! Do you want to get yourself killed!?" His voice sounded furious as he pulled me up and tried to take me out of the building.

At the same time, the alarm stops and an apology came in.

Demetrius hands went in his hair as he sat on the couch's arm, before they came back running down his face in frustration.

"Why didn't you run, Marie?! Why?! What..what

what if there was fire, what would have happened if I hadn't gotten here on time?!" His eyes held unmistakable sorrow that I wanted to doubt all I had heard and seen moments ago.

I am just a means to get close to Riley, am I not?

My teeth gummed together before water began flowing out my eyes.

I sobbed hard.

Not this betrayal again!

Demetrius was threw off guard as he watches me in disbelief.

He eventually stood up, coming to me.

"O..okay, okay, I am sorry.. I just didn't want to lose you. I'm sorry, okay? I promise, I will..I will..oh, I'm..

Alright, I'm the stupid one for scolding you. You're alive and that's all, hm?" He wiped my tears so tenderly with his thumb, pressing his lips together with a sorry look etched between his full brows.

He pulls me in a hug and pat my hair.

"I promise, I will never say or do what will break your heart again.

You probably knew there wasn't a fire so you didn't fret which is fine, as panicking could have led you to a great injury... Your senses were sharp, very wise..my dear." He coos in my ears.

No!

I am the dumbest person alive not to have noticed all these while with him!

Not going to allow myself to be unaware and stupid further, I made a decision to leave right there.

We slept together that night, with me nestled in his arms.

Seconds after getting in bed, I could hear his soft snore behind my ears.

I tried to think about my next move but my memory was too vague.

The scenario was unexpected.

It is just two days away to our wedding, for goddess' sake!

When I couldn't reach an end in my thinking, I accepted the night and just slept.

The next morning, I couldn't feel his presence behind me and I knew he'd left.

I stood up and browsed for the best place to move to base on my current financial status.

I settled with a small city in Australia.

I read that it was surrounded by nature and right now, I need time away from humans.

Their deceptions was killing me and I don't think I could ever trust a soul again.

I picked up the phone lying on his side of the bed.

"How could he be so forgetful?" I scoffed.

"Not as if it's your concern anymore" Laila huffed.

Right!

"Let's peek through it." Her curiousness coursed through my veins and I found the phone clamped in between my palms.

"Laila." I groaned and heard her giggle.

I strike a finger behind it at the round spot waiting for it to unlock but the phone kept vibrating with *mismatched fingerprint* written on its screen in red.

Surprised, I turned the phone around to examine it and saw it was different.

I scoffed. No wonder it wouldn't unlock.

Is..this his secret phone?

And he dared forget it?

I tried different dates - my birthday, the date of our first kiss, his birthday, when I accepted his love, but none worked !

"You might be stupid but he's the most lose - headed person ever!

Try something related to Riley! That bitch..." Laila's anger simmered.

I followed her advice, pretending not to have heard her insult me, and oh, I shouldn't even be shocked!

Riley's birthday was indeed the passcode!

I opened it and found it almost dry, having few apps on it - message box, call, documents holder, Instagram, camera and gallery and few others.

I went to the message box and Riley's profile popped up.

She is the only one he has been chatting with.

My breaths became snatched as I read through their messages, their promises to meet on fixed dates... The documents of the expensive things he was buying for her.

Recently, he bought a whole yacht for her and an estate!

My heart broke into pieces when I saw the next document where he made her his successor after his death - his properties, everything was going to go to her?

I didn't agree to marry him because he is rich, but the thought of this sent shivers down my spine.

I'd been busy looking forward to our marriage when he was meticulously planning a future together with her?

My hands clenched around the phone, my vision shook.

Hot blood rushed in my veins.

The sharp snap of my claws filled my ears as I struggled to stay under control.

I dropped the phone, too angry to continue looking.

"Have a business deal to seal, see ya in the evening!

I did my best to prepare toast bread for you, didn't want to wake you up!

Microwave if you wake up late! No, I'm not judging you for waking up late!" I found a note slapped on the room's door and a scoff left my lips.

Microwave bread?

Is that fvcking possible?!

That asshole!

"Is it not?" Laila's voice came through and I grunts.

"Please, I'd like to be left alone for now." I grimaced and she scoffed.

"I never agreed to this relationship in the first place!" She fired before withdrawing back.

I got dressed and went to work, after throwing the bread in the waste bin.

"Right on time! See me in my office please." The manager chimed when I entered.

I blinked, wondering what the sudden meeting could be about.

"There's a scholarship that wants to sponsor someone from our branch here to the one abroad and right now, you're the only employer I can think of. You work for about two years there and can decide to come back."

"No." My response was abrupt.

His eyes pulled up in surprise before a broken laughter left his lips.

"Do you know what you would be missing? If it's about your marriage, I'm sure Mr Demetrius would understand."

"He wouldn't." I replied, choking on my saliva.

"He won't allow me out of his sight. He is obsessed." I uttered, not having the strength to explain to him that I was going to leave him, and this country.

Definitely not convinced by my reply, he nodded then I excused myself.

I went back home and found Riley and Demetrius in the living room, laughing their stupid asses off.

"Oh! Hi, sister. Your fiancee is so funny!

I dropped by to greet you, how have you been?" I didn't missed the smirk behind her lips.

She raised her finger to remove the eye gunk that was never there, showing off the ring on her finger - the one I had wanted to pick the other day when Demetrius and I went for ring shopping.

He had said it was blank, not good enough for a princess like me and had picked one that looks too flashy which I accepted as a recognition of his true love.

"Poor, poor you with a pure soul, not knowing you're surrounded by evil people!" Laila's words played out in my ears like the Lyrica of a heartbreaking music, its melancholic melodies too strong for me to withstand.

I returned the fake pleasantries and left them, going to the bedroom to spend my last night here in the room.

In the night, his warmness radiated on my cold body.

He played with my ear while I just pretended to be asleep.

On the morning of the next day, I woke up very early.

Demetrius was a tight sleeper. You could move mountains inside the room and plant a time bomb on him without him knowing.

Alphas were always known for their sharp instincts, but not him.

I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew i had to get out of his sight.

When I crossed borders, panic got me as I got ambushed by some rogues.

It took a lot of taking their punches before I could get up and fight.

And quite fortunate; since I was getting help, and unfortunate; the help could jeopardize my escape plan, the pack warriors arrived.

Within minutes, all rogues were taken down.

My eyes doubled as I stared at the dead bodies on the floor, an uncontainable anger building up in my system.

I pant, shut my eyes to steady the blood flowing in my heart but as soon as I heard "Marie" a growl erupted out of my mouth.

Demetrius appeared petrified, staring at my wolf with confusion in his eyes.

My growl had scared away other warriors, but not him. Infact, he seems not to care that I was angry.

"You changed, Marie?!" Now, I get it.

I transformed back to my human form, and Demetrius covered me with his shirt, not wasting a second.

He examined my wounds and his eyes darkened.

His head swept back to the rogues' bodies and if it were possible, the sigh that came out of his mouth would be him breathing out fire.

"Find the sender!" He thundered a command at his men and it was only a moment before the leaves began rustling from their movements in it.

I was rushed back to the pack with a doctor attending to my injuries.

"Why were you out early?" Demetrius questioned cautiously as his eyes scanned my bandaged wounds.

I didn't reply, just look around.

His deep exhale came after a while, "at least the rigorous training helped."

"I am now a complete werewolf," I started all of a sudden.

"What do you feel? If fate want our bond, then our wolf would recognize each other soon." I added.

"What?" He didn't have time to hide the uncomfortable look on his face.

I chuckled dryly.

"Nothing."

He laughs. "Are you still worried about our mates having not responded to each other? Is that why you shifted? Don't force it, Marie..."

My breathings snatched up, and I nodded, swallowing my saliva down - how come I was played twice?

He stayed with me till afternoon before his Beta came to relay a report, which he didn't want to say before me.

"Marie is my fiancee, spit it out." Demetrius snapped at him and I almost broke into a mocking laughter.

"There could be a gathering of the rogues from all over, Alpha. I think they're eyeing our pack. If they can destroy us, then they can take on the world."

Demetrius huffed. "Is that a call to go to war again?"

"Probably so. No negotiations with them. We found out they have taken down small packs."

Demetrius got up from the chair, his jaw clenching

"But they know better not to mess with us!" He fired.

His veins popped out of his muscular arm and I wondered why he was overreacting.

"Because of your erstwhile question." Laila breathed out in my ears.

"Let me ask you, Marie. When you were in my form? How does it feel? You like it? I could come and remain forever if you want. I will grant you access once in a while.

I'll help you wipe out our enemies - This man here and the one married to your cousin." Her words seeped inside my skull.

"What's wrong with you? That's weird" her hunger for blood overwhelmed me and my eyes changed to blood.

Demetrius' beta came in contact with my bloodshot eyes and his mouth opened in shock as he pointed at me.

Usually, werewolves' eyes changes color to black or dark blue.

But mine is red which means

"Witch!!" Laila's voice rang in my ears.