Chapter 1

Millie POV

My spirit lifted, carried by an invisible force, drifting toward Greyson.

He stood at the edge of the ceremonial ground, a ring box clenched tightly in his hand.

He checked his watch again and again. Each look sharpened the tension in his expression.

He sent another voice message to me.

"Millie, you're not sulking over last night again, are you?"

"You wanted a marking ceremony, and I made it happen. So when are you coming here?"

The Beta hurried over, speaking in a low voice.

"Alpha, we've searched every place she usually goes. There's no sign of her."

"What about her phone?"

"We tried different numbers, none of them answered."

I hovered just behind him, a bitter smile ghosting my lips.

Greyson... I'm in the storage room.

I'm already dead. Of course I can't answer the phone.

But he couldn't hear me.

"Keep searching," he ordered, dismissing the Beta .

Eliza approached, carrying a gift box, her tone soft and honeyed.

"Congratulations on your marking ceremony, Greyson."

He forced a stiff nod towards her, his smile tight and artificial.

Eliza glanced around. "Millie isn't here yet?"

Greyson turned his gaze aside.

"She'll come. She's been waiting for this ceremony for too long."

Eliza reached up, brushing a speck of non-existent dust from his collar.

"Could it be that... I upset her last night?"

Greyson's eyes darkened. "Don't overthink it, Eliza. No matter what happens, my priority will always be protecting you and the pup."

I drifted down. My already cold heart sank into an even deeper freeze.

Yesterday, at the pup's birthday party, Eliza had pointed at a bleeding scratch on the pup's leg.

She'd accused me of doing it on purpose, with my claws.

That memory, sharp and splintered, lodged itself in my chest, refusing to fade.

But today was supposed to be my marking ceremony, the day I had waited for two long years.

I woke early and got ready long before I needed to.

I slipped into my wedding dress, meticulously applied my makeup, and felt my mood finally lift.

Just as I stepped toward my car, another vehicle came slammed into me, hard.

The impact threw me to the ground.

And pain tore through my body like wildfire, spreading to every nerve, every breath.

Before I could even understand what was happening, someone yanked me up and shoved me into the rear compartment of the car.

"Get in there, you filthy bitch!"

That voice. I knew it instantly.

Eliza.

I fought past the blinding pain, forcing a strained whisper past my lips.

"What... what are you doing?"

"You don't deserve him!" she spat, her eyes burning with hate. "The one who should be marrying Greyson is me. You don't belong in the Winslet family!"

"Please... just take me to the hospital..." I gasped, every minuscule movement was a fresh spike of agony that threatened to swallow me whole.

"The marking ceremony... it's yours... "

Just let me live. Only then could I see Greyson again.

She slammed the trunk shut and drove away.

After what felt like forever, the car stopped.

Eliza dragged me out and hauled me into a small storage room.

She tossed me onto the cold concrete floor like a sack of unwanted cargo.

"You pathetic Omega," she sneered. "Greyson is mine. You were never worthy of him."

Then she kicked me hard.

I gasped, huge, painful gulps of air.

I was unable to speak a single word.

With the last dregs of my strength, I tightened my grip on my phone.

The screen lit up—

Greyson was calling.

But before I could answer, Eliza laughed and swung her foot again.

The phone flew out of reach, clattering across the floor.

"Now," she said, her tone sweet and venomous, "witness my marking ceremony right here, Millie. And wish me happiness."