When I woke up, the first thing I saw was the ceiling.

My throat was raw, my chest tight, the faint scent of antiseptic doing nothing to erase the memory of smoke clawing its way down my lungs.

The nurse came in, checked my IV, and smiled faintly.

"Mild carbon monoxide poisoning. You're lucky someone saved you in time. It could have been worse. You also have a sprain. Good thing it didn't break the bone. But you'll have to rest for three days."

I was lucky?

I sneered internally.

If I had truly been lucky, Kael would have been here. He would have been the one who saved me, not some random passerby.

He would have held my hand, told me I scared him, that he thought he'd lost me in the fire.

Instead, there was only the hollow realization that I hadn't even crossed his mind when it mattered most.

Because of course, he would have saved Lyandra first.

Even if I was his fiancée, he would always choose her, no matter what.

I suddenly felt like I was just a joke.

Three days in the hospital passed with no visitors. Not Kael. Not Draven. Not even some half-hearted pack member sent out of politeness.

I began to wonder if they even knew I was safe from the fire. Perhaps they didn't even know whether I had died.

I told myself not to be surprised. It was easier than letting hope gut me again.

The morning I was finally cleared to leave, I sat on the bed scrolling through my phone while waiting for the nurse to sign my release papers.

That was when the headline stopped me cold.

"Alpha Kael's Quick-Thinking Saves Lyandra From Blaze."

I didn't even have to click it to know. But I did anyway.

The video opened with Lyandra. Her hair perfectly tousled, cheeks flushed, wrapped in Kael's jacket like the most treasured thing in the world.

Kael stood beside her, one arm draped protectively over her shoulders, speaking into the reporter's mic with that calm, steady tone everyone admired him for.

"She could have died," he said, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity I had never seen turned on me. "Thankfully, I was there. The people were panicking and she could have been trampled. Good thing I made it in time."

The crowd murmured their sympathy and admiration. They looked like a perfect couple, a Prince Charming saving his Damsel in distress.

Then the reporter asked, "We've heard your fiancée was also inside, and we were told she was the first one to notice the fire and warn everyone. How is she?"

Kael blinked, as though the question had caught him off guard.

"She's fine," he said without hesitation. His certainty was almost insulting.

"That's good. We would like to talk to her for an interview."

"Just search around. You'll see her."

The reporter tilted her head, as if confused. "That's odd. We didn't see her among the evacuees."

Something in Kael's expression shifted. The faint crease between his brows deepened. His shoulders stiffened.

"What? Are you saying…" His voice sharpened mid-sentence. "She's not around? How could that be…?"

The feed cut there.

I didn't watch the rest. I didn't care to see if he went looking. The fact that he could stand there, confident I was "fine" without ever having laid eyes on me, told me everything I needed to know.

It was never me he feared losing.

I locked my phone and stood, grabbing the bag of belongings the hospital had returned to me. I didn't go home. I didn't even think about where to go next until the cab driver asked for an address.

The words came out without hesitation. "The bridal shop."

The woman behind the counter recognized me instantly.

"Serena! Here for your final fitting?"

I met her bright tone with a flat stare. "No. I'm cancelling the wedding."

Her smile faltered. "Oh… but isn't it in three days? Why?"

I could only laugh mockingly. "I don't know."

I was no longer even sure if I was the bride at this point.

Her eyes softened in understanding. She didn't press. "I'll get the paperwork."

She led me to a small waiting area and set a neat stack of forms on the table. The pen felt heavy in my hand, every stroke of my signature cutting another thread between Kael and me.

I thought I'd feel lighter. I didn't.

Halfway through signing, I heard a familiar laugh.

I looked up. The curtain to the fitting area slid open.

And there she was.

Lyandra. Wearing my wedding gown.

The ivory silk clung to her as though it had been crafted for her alone. The veil I had once imagined trailing behind me framed her face like a halo. She twirled slowly, the hem brushing the floor, catching the light like ripples of water.

Beside her stood Kael, watching her with a look I had never been given. Draven leaned against the wall, smirking like this was just another casual afternoon.

Lyandra's eyes found mine first. Surprise flashed across her features, perfectly performed.

But beneath it, I caught a flicker of satisfaction.

"Serena, you're actually here—"

"Ma'am, here are the papers you needed to sign for the cancellation of the wedding."

Her words were cut off by the staff.

Kael and Draven had noticed me the moment Lyandra looked my way earlier. Kael had opened his mouth to ask about my health when he heard those words.

He frowned. "Whose wedding are you cancelling?"

I didn't answer Kael's question right away.

Instead, I let my lips curve into a slow, deliberate smile, my gaze locking on Lyandra.

"Is that my wedding dress?" I asked.

Her eyes widened with theatrical surprise, then she lowered her gaze and folded her hands like a schoolgirl caught doing naughty things.

"Oh, Serena…" she breathed, soft and syrupy, "I… I didn't know you'd be here for the final fitting."

She glanced down at herself, the ivory gown flowing over her frame as though it had been made for her instead of me. "I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have worn it."

I chuckled, letting the sound carry just enough dryness to sting. "So if I'm not here, it's fine for you to wear it?"

Draven snorted from the corner, arms crossed. "It's just a dress. You're not so stingy you can't let Lyandra check the fit, are you?"

Before I could respond, Lyandra shook her head and bit her lip, playing the guilty one perfectly. "No, no… Draven, she's right. It's not proper. I'll take it off right away."

Her fingers brushed the veil's clasp, trembling in a way that would melt any gullible onlooker's heart.

Draven turned to me sharply. "You hear that? She's trying to be considerate, and you're just standing there. Selfish, Serena. That's what it is."

I hadn't said a single word to him yet. My arms folded loosely, my face calm. If they wanted to perform, I would be their quiet, unwilling audience.

"Enough," Kael cut in, his voice edged with irritation. His frown deepened as his gaze locked on mine. "Answer my question. Whose wedding is getting cancelled?"

The staff beside me turned, waiting for an answer.

"Just checking on last-minute preparations," I said lightly, my smile fixed. I let my eyes drift deliberately over to Lyandra in the gown.

"It's only two days until our wedding. And look at her…" My voice was honeyed, my eyes cold. "She looks stunning. Like a bride."

Kael's jaw twitched, guilt flickering before he quickly smothered it. He stepped closer. "Where have you been these past few days?"

A short laugh escaped me. He didn't even know I'd been in the hospital. Before I could speak, Lyandra's airy voice slid neatly between us.

"She must have been busy preparing for the wedding," she said sweetly, her tone implying I'd been doing nonsensical things.

Draven smirked. "And for what? What's the point of you preparing?"

"Draven," Kael snapped, shooting him a glare. Then he turned back to me. "We're heading to dinner. Come with us."

He didn't wait for my answer, just walked toward the door like I'd follow automatically.

We left the bridal shop in silence, cancellation papers heavy in my lap.

From the passenger seat, Lyandra suddenly gasped in mock surprise. "Ah? But Kael… don't you have your bachelor party tonight?"

Kael blinked, like the thought had just struck him. "That's… tonight?"

Draven laughed. "Been planned for weeks. Don't tell me you forgot."

Kael's eyes met mine briefly, guilt shadowing them. "I guess I did. But Serena…"

"It's fine," I said quietly, saving him the trouble. "Go to your party. It's not every day you're the groom."

"That's true," Lyandra chimed in, her voice lilting. "You should enjoy your last hours as a single man."

Draven chuckled. "Exactly. No need to worry. Bachelor parties are sacred."

Kael gave a small, helpless smile. "Then how about Serena and Lyandra?"

"I have plans," Lyandra interrupted, almost too quickly. "Meeting a relative tonight. She lives along the way, so Kael can drop me off."

I opened my mouth. "Then I—"

Draven's voice cut me off. "This is your stop, Serena."

The car slowed near a nearly deserted street, its only light the flicker of a cab sign. One taxi waited at the far end, headlights slicing through the dark.

"Here's a good place to catch a cab," Draven said.

Kael looked back at me. "The party is on the opposite way. Just ride a taxi to go home."

Lyandra leaned back, offering a dainty wave. "Take care, Serena."

The door clicked open. The night air was sharp and cold, nipping at my skin as I stepped out. My grip on my bag tightened.

The car pulled away, off to drop Lyandra somewhere "safe" while I am left alone in a dark sidewalk.

I stood there until the taxi driver gestured impatiently. Sliding into the back seat, I glanced through the window at the empty road behind me.

None of them had looked back.

Hours later, the apartment was silent but for the rasp of hangers as I pulled clothes from the closet. Dresses folded into a suitcase. Shoes shoved into the side pocket.

Every zipper that closed sounded like the final page of a chapter.

Halfway through folding a coat, my phone buzzed.

A new post.

Lyandra.

She was clinging to Kael's arm, her cheek pressed to his shoulder, looking intimate.

"He's getting married soon but still makes time for me."

So much for "meeting a relative."

I folded the coat slowly, set it in the suitcase, zipped it shut. Then I pushed it toward the door, leaving the cancellation papers for the wedding neatly on the table behind.

The bachelor's party was meant to wrap up in just a few hours, but somehow Kael had decided to stretch it into another day.

I was sitting at the airport café, sipping the bitter coffee that had gone cold far too quickly, when my phone lit up with a notification.

Out of habit, I tapped it open.

Someone had posted a series of pictures. They were in a club with bright neon lights even though the sun was high outside.

Music pulsed in the background of the short videos, glasses clinking, people laughing.

And there, in several of the pictures, was Kael.

Kael… and Lyandra.

They were standing far too close, heads tilted toward each other, their smiles too intimate for comfort. In one shot, she had her hand on his shoulder, and he wasn't exactly pushing it away.

They looked like a couple.

My lips curled into a faint, humorless smile.

I wasn't surprised.

Disappointed? Yes.

But shocked? Not anymore.

As I scrolled through the images, I found myself remembering how it had all started.

Kael and I had met back in high school. I had been a shy but determined student, focused on grades but willing to try new things.

Lyandra had been my best friend since grade school, though "best friend" felt like a fragile title now.

She had always been… competitive. Jealous, even. It had started with little things like copying my clothes or trying to outshine me in group projects, but I told myself it was harmless.

That was what friends sometimes did. I tolerated it because, deep down, I didn't think she could ever really hurt me.

I met Kael during the school's annual sports fest. He was on the basketball team, all easy charm and quick wit, and I hadn't thought much of him at first.

But somehow, we ended up sitting together during a lunch break, talking about music and favorite movies, laughing like we had known each other for years.

We started dating a year later.

That was when Lyandra began to weave herself into our time together. At first, it seemed harmless.

She would join us for group dinners, help Kael plan little surprises for me. But then, something shifted. The way she looked at him wasn't the way a best friend should look at her best friend's boyfriend.

And every now and then, she would say something sharp and subtle little digs that made me feel like I was the one being unreasonable.

By the time we all reached college, I often found myself in situations where Kael and Draven would look at me as though I were the villain.

As though my discomfort was unjustified.

It was only now, years later, sitting here in this airport, that I could see the truth clearly.

Lyandra had been trying to take everything from me, piece by piece.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my hand to put down the phone. My chest felt tight, but I refused to let it crush me.

It was fine. I told myself I was letting it go. All of it.

My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Mom.

"Are you about to depart?" she asked as soon as I answered.

"Yes," I said, my voice calm, almost detached.

"Good. I'll be waiting here," she replied softly.

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "Alright, Mom. I'll see you soon."

Hanging up, I gathered my things. The boarding call echoed through the airport, and I stood, walking toward the gate.

I didn't look back.

---

The next day, sunlight spilled through thin curtains, casting a sharp glare on Kael's face. He groaned, turning over. His head was pounding, every heartbeat drumming against his skull.

And then he froze.

Lyandra was there, curled up beside him, tangled in the sheets.

She looked peaceful, content even, as though the world outside this room didn't matter.

"What the hell…" he muttered, running a hand down his face. His memory was a blur. The party. The drinks. The club. And then… nothing.

Before he could piece it together, his phone started ringing on the nightstand. The shrill sound made his headache worse.

With a low growl, he grabbed it and answered without checking who it was.

"What?" he snapped, his voice gravelly.

The voice on the other end was just as sharp. "Where the hell are you, Kael?!"

He frowned. "Who's this—?"

"Don't you know the voice of your father? Never mind. The wedding is about to start. You're not here, and the guests are already waiting. When are you coming?"

Kael sat bolt upright, the blood draining from his face.

The wedding.

His wedding.

His stomach lurched, panic clawing up his throat as he hurriedly rushed out to prepare.

"No… no, no. How the hell could I forget my own wedding?"