Chapter 1

Lucas had me kidnapped and my arm shattered just so his childhood sweetheart could become Chief Healer. When he arrived with the rescue team, I learned the truth about everything.

When I saw Lucas leading the rescue team, hope rekindled in my eyes.

I screamed for help with all my might, wanting Lucas to save me from this hell.

But he stopped ten yards away from us.

"Susan, these rogues are cunning. I'm worried this is a trap. Just hold on a little longer. Once we figure out our strategy, we'll come save you."

The look I gave him was filled with despair.

At that moment, a large hammer slammed viciously into my arm, and I passed out from the pain.

When I woke again, I was locked in a cold, damp warehouse. Outside, I could hear the rescue team captain's voice.

"Alpha, let's storm in first thing tomorrow morning and rescue the Luna. The longer we wait, the worse her injuries will get. She could even die."

Lucas shook his head. "No, it's not time yet. Werewolves have strong healing abilities. I need to make sure her arm is permanently disabled. Only then can I rest assured she won't compete with Kira for the Chief Healer position."

The rescue team captain sounded conflicted. "Either way, Susan is the pack's Luna. If she finds out that you’re willing to shatter her arm for Kira's sake, she'll hate you forever."

Lucas sighed helplessly. "I have no choice. Kira is just a weak Omega. She needs this position. But Susan still has me. I'll take care of her."

Their voices faded into the distance, and my heart plunged into an icy abyss.

The pain in my body couldn't compare to even a tenth of the pain from being betrayed by my mate.

I couldn't believe that the wolf who had sworn to love me forever was the one truly responsible for destroying my future and nearly killing me.

I thought back to the days before going to support the border, when Lucas had urged me to give my position to Kira.

So even then, Lucas knew that whoever went to support the border would get the Chief Healer position. That's why he wanted to send his childhood sweetheart to the border.

But Kira found the conditions there too harsh and refused to go no matter what, so Lucas came up with a different strategy.

My heart turned cold, and I finally accepted the fact that Lucas never loved me at all.

Tears slid down from the corners of my eyes. In this filthy, stinking warehouse, I cried all the tears of my lifetime.

Lucas led the rescue team back once more. This time they fought with the rogue wolves.

The scene was intense, but I knew it was just a performance put on for me.

Lucas swung his silver blade at the rogues, shouting to me as he fought. "Susan, wait for me! I'm coming to save you!"

This time I stopped resisting and resigned myself to being tormented by those rogues.

Lucas's display of fighting desperately for me moved many people. They all thought he loved me deeply.

Even I couldn't tell whether his feelings for me were genuine or just an act.

The very person who caused my suffering was pretending to risk his life for me.

It was truly disgusting.

The guard captain couldn't stand watching anymore and said to Lucas, "Alpha, we can't delay any longer. Luna can't hold on."

Before he could finish, Lucas shot him a fierce glare, and he immediately fell silent.

I closed my eyes in despair, calmly waiting for death to arrive.

In my dazed state, I had a nightmare.

To be accurate, it wasn't a dream—it was the scene of my torture from a few days ago replaying in my mind.

I knelt on the ground, tears streaming down my face, begging them, "I'll give you whatever money you want. Please, just let me go."

But those rogues remained unmoved, viciously slashing my face with their claws. My body was tortured until there was barely a patch of intact skin left.

"Such a pretty face. It'd be a shame if it got scarred up."

The wolves mocked me.

Their claws tore through my skin again and again, broke my bones, and beat my stomach viciously.

Their vicious faces lingered in my mind for a long time.

I woke with a start, gasping for breath.

After I calmed down, I realized I was in a hospital.

Outside the empty hospital room, I could hear the voices of a doctor and Lucas.