Chapter 2

I sent the divorce papers to the Alpha Council by email. For the first time in months, I could breathe properly.

My mind went back to when I first met Marcus Stone.

I was seventeen. My wolf was new and wild. I couldn't control her yet. During pack training, I ran into a trap made of silver wire. The metal was about to cut into my skin when Marcus found me. He pulled me out just in time.

My wolf went crazy for him right away. We looked at each other for what felt like hours. Then I did something bold. I kissed him.

He didn't move for a second. Then he laughed quietly. "Little one, you don't know how to do that yet."

He put his hand on my neck and showed me how to kiss properly. My heart beat so fast I thought it might stop.

That kiss felt like it went on forever. I couldn't breathe. Even now, it seems like something I dreamed up.

I woke up with my face wet from tears.

Morning light came through my window. I lay there for a long time before I called my dad.

"Dad, I sent in the divorce papers." My voice sounded rough. "When the Council says yes, I'll come home to you and Mom."

"Did that Stone boy hurt you?" Dad's voice got loud and angry. "You come home right now. I'm a strong Alpha. I can keep my daughter safe."

"No," I said, looking outside. "I just don't love him anymore."

Really, Marcus didn't love me. And I would never love him again.

I didn't say that out loud. The words stayed stuck in my throat like broken glass.

After I hung up, someone sent me a friend request. I don't know why, but I said yes.

Right away, they sent me a video file.

The video showed Marcus in bed. The expensive shirt I made him by hand was ripped up. A button was missing. There were bite marks on his neck. His eyes were closed and he was saying a name. "Rose, don't leave me again."

After the video, a photo and long message came.

"Hi, I'm Rose. Marcus's real love. I left five years ago, but you can see he still wants me. He remembers everything I like. He breaks his own rules for me. He won't eat with you in front of other people, right? He told me he would only do that with one person in his whole life. Me."

"We look the same, don't we? You're just someone to fill my place. Marcus only kept you because you were pregnant. But I'm back now."

I read the whole message. My heart hurt so much I couldn't feel anything else.

I only wrote back: "What do you want?"

She didn't answer for a while. When she did:

"I want you to leave him. He loves me. He's going to wake up soon. I bet you one thing - if I ask him to, he'll spend all his time with me. He won't even call you."

I didn't write back.

Ten minutes later, Marcus texted me:

"Baby, there's fighting at the border. I have to patrol for a few days. Call my assistant if you need anything. Take care of yourself and our baby."

I looked at my phone and started laughing. Tears ran down my face while I laughed.

For seven days, Marcus didn't call or text me once.

But Rose never stopped sending messages.

"Serena, I know you like fireworks. Sorry you missed the special ones Marcus lit for me today."

"He wanted to fly me somewhere to see pretty lights, but I said no. So he got rid of the expensive plane. I guess you can't use it anymore."

"Marcus showed me how to catch white rabbits in the snow. We danced together on a frozen pond. He carried me when we jumped over rocks." The message kept going. "He took you to these same places when he was pretending to love you."

I stared at all her messages. I realized the fireworks, the plane, the trip - none of it was really for me.

The snow fields, the pond, the rocks - I never liked those places. I just pretended to be happy. These were all places Rose loved first.

"Serena, so what if you're his wife? The Alpha loves me, not you. His heart belongs to me."

"Sorry you have to stay home alone while you're pregnant. After your baby comes, at least you'll have something to keep you busy. Then you won't be so lonely."

I read every message she sent. I never answered back. But they made me more sure that leaving was right.

On the seventh night after Marcus left, I started packing my things.

The matching jewelry he gave me, the gifts from every holiday - everything that meant we were supposed to be together forever - I threw it all in the fire.

When Marcus came home, covered in dirt from traveling, half the house was empty.

He looked shocked. "Baby, what are you doing?"

I didn't look at him. "Nothing much. Just getting rid of old stuff."

Marcus didn't seem worried. "You shouldn't do work like that. The servants can do it. I'll get you more help tomorrow." He smiled and gave me a fancy bag. It had cookies from the bakery I liked.

I mentioned wanting them once. He remembered. Still being nice and caring. But it just made me sick.

"Baby." He put his arms around me. His big hand touched my stomach. "Have you been feeling sick? You have a doctor visit tomorrow. I'll come with you."

"No," I said, pulling away. "You don't need to anymore."

Marcus finally noticed something was wrong. "What do you mean I don't need to? Are you feeling bad?"

One of the servants said, "The Luna hasn't been eating much. She barely touched her food all week."

Marcus started taking off his tie. "What do you want to eat? I'll go buy food and cook for you. Please, eat something."

As he walked away, he told the servants, "Watch her carefully. Don't let her get hurt or fall down."

The servants whispered to each other. "The Alpha is so good to the Luna."

"When you look for a husband, find an older man who knows how to take care of you."

I listened to them talk. I almost wanted to laugh at how wrong they were.

I used to think I had found the perfect love story.

Now I knew it was all just a game where I was pretending to be someone else.