Chapter 2

The days leading up to the wedding blurred into chaos. Flowers. Seating arrangements. The Luna ceremony rehearsal. I threw myself into every detail, hoping the frenzy would drown out my doubts.

I told myself it was fine. That Jay’s occasional distracted glances and absentminded smiles didn’t mean anything. That his late nights in his study were just wedding stress.

Then, one afternoon, we received a shipment of wedding souvenirs—delicate, hand-painted glass favors engraved with our initials.

I picked up one of the boxes and frowned. The packaging was careless, the wrappings half-done. One of the glass favors tumbled out, landing in my palm.

It was beautiful, no doubt. But as I stared at the etched initials—*K&E*—my breath caught in my throat.

*K&E.*

Not *Jay and Me.*

Jay and Linda.

My fingers tightened around the fragile glass as the truth crashed over me.

This wasn’t an accident. It was a sign.

And in that moment, the delicate favor shattered between my fingers, sharp edges cutting into my palm. But I barely felt the pain.

Because the real wound was deeper.

It had been there all along.

By the time I decided to request a return for the souvenirs, the merchant’s stubbornness had worn me down. After what felt like hours of fruitless arguing, I gave up. The souvenirs were coming home with me—packed or not.

It was nearly 3 AM by the time I finally sat down to finish wrapping them. My muscles ached, my eyelids were heavy, and exhaustion tugged at me like a relentless tide. Still, I pushed through.

Alpha Jay wasn’t back yet. He’d gone to another pack for an event, and his flight had landed hours ago. Just as I reached for my phone to check on him, the front door unlocked with a soft click.

He walked in carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers and a box of gifts, his presence warm but strangely heavy. He greeted me as he always did, with a soft kiss on the cheek.

“Selina,” he began, his voice gentle but tinged with something somber. “Thank you for staying with me all these years.”

My heart tightened. I knew where this was going.

When Jay graduated, he had a wild, impossible dream. He didn’t want to follow the Red River Pack’s traditional path. Instead, he wanted to forge his own. No one believed in him—not his family, not his friends.

Except me.

I defied my parents, sold the shops and houses under my name, and handed over every penny of my dowry to help him build his dream. I gave up everything for him, believing he was worth it.

Time proved me right. Jay transformed the Red River Pack into a powerhouse, admired across the Mississippi River territory. Young, successful, and driven—he became everything he’d ever wanted to be.

But now, standing before me with that bouquet, he looked like a man ready to sever ties.

“I’m moving out,” he said, his tone calm yet resolute. “I don’t want to carry regrets. You wouldn’t want me to still think about someone else after we’re married, would you? If I don’t succeed, I’ll let her go completely. I’ll dedicate myself to you for the rest of my life.”

His eyes were red, his voice thick with emotion. It should have moved me. It should have made me feel closer to him.

Instead, all I felt was the hollow ache in my chest.

How could I say no?

I had always known where I stood in Jay’s heart—second place, behind Linda.

On my eighteenth birthday, when I shifted for the first time, I begged the Moon Goddess for a miracle. I prayed Jay would be my destined mate. But fate had other plans.

The Moon Goddess chose Linda Manwaring for him—a picture-perfect beauty adored by everyone. At the mate ceremony, they were the golden couple, basking in admiration, while I endured the searing pain of rejection alone.

Then, Linda left.

And I saw my chance.

I pursued Jay relentlessly, ignoring the whispers and judgment. I believed love could be earned through effort alone.

From the start, he had been honest.

“I still love Linda,” he’d told me. “If that bothers you, you shouldn’t be with me.”

I thought I could wait. I thought time would fix everything.

But now, as he stood before me, asking for my permission to chase after her, I realized how naive I’d been.

“Okay,” I said quietly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside. “Go.”

Jay studied my face for a moment before smiling.

“Thank you for understanding me,” he said.

Then, without hesitation, he turned away, packing his things with an eagerness that made my heart crack. Minutes later, he drove off into the night, leaving behind only the faint scent of his cologne and the echoes of my own foolishness.

I glanced at the wedding souvenirs scattered across the floor—once a symbol of hope, now a cruel joke.

What a waste. They’d never be sent out.

My eyes fell on the bouquet he’d brought. Among the petals, I noticed a small card tucked away. Curiosity prickled, and I hesitated before flipping it over.

Linda, long time no see. I hope you’re doing well.

The name hit me like a punch to the gut.

So, he’d bought two bouquets—one for me and one for her. And in his rush, he’d grabbed the wrong one.

How fitting.

Without a second thought, I tossed the bouquet into the trash.

Later that night, my phone buzzed with a message from my mother.

The flight is booked for a week from now. You’ve been with the Red River Pack for so many years—use this time to say goodbye.

I stared at the screen for a long moment before typing a single word.

Okay.

While Jay chased his past, I spent my days letting go of mine. I had dinner with friends, revisited familiar places, and wandered the packlands that had once felt like home.

Every evening, his calls came in like clockwork.

“Selina, what are you up to? I miss you.”

“Nothing much,” I replied, my voice steady. “Just packing up at home.”