Chapter 2

Hearing that, I said nothing. I quietly hung up the phone.

I tried to sit up, but my head was still spinning and heavy, so I failed.

Tears streamed silently from the corners of my eyes, soaking into my hair and the pillow beneath me.

"Fool," I whispered to myself.

In my memory, even when Alex was seeing other she-wolves, he still cared about me.

If I so much as cut my finger while cooking, he'd scold me for being careless and drag me to the hospital, refusing to relax until the doctor assured him I was fine.

But now?

He didn't even know I was lying in a hospital bed. All he cared about were those three she-wolves.

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I wiped my tears away.

Yes. I should've seen it clearly by now.

He would never stop chasing other she-wolves. And when he got bored of them, he'd just go looking for more, always with the same excuse—"I'm just searching for my true mate."

But not once did he believe that it could be me.

Not once.

"Excuse me, miss. This is for your medical fees. I'm really sorry—I didn't mean to drive the truck that fast.I hope you weren't badly hurt."

A stranger's voice broke into my thoughts. A man stepped inside, holding out an envelope.

"Please accept this. My boss asked me to bring you five hundred dollars as compensation."

He placed it on the table beside my bed and left before I could even react.

I stared at the envelope for a moment, then wordlessly shoved it into my bag.

Closing my eyes again, I let the darkness swallow me.

On the way back to the den, the media was flooded with breaking news:

Alex had hired a legendary werewolf master to design custom Moon Ceremony wedding gowns for the three sisters. The moonstones used for their rings were handpicked by elite werewolf workers who had spent months combing through mountains and forests to craft the sacred gems.

Every newspaper, TV channel, and online platform was broadcasting their fairytale romance.

When I arrived at the gate of our den, I noticed something strange—the passcode had been changed.

I tried entering it several times, but nothing worked.

As I stood there hesitating, unsure whether to knock or leave, the door suddenly swung open.

Jessica appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning against the frame with a mocking smirk.

"Well, well… who's this? You look familiar, but I just can't place the face…"

Before I could respond, Alex rushed out, quickly pulling me to the side and whispering,

"Fiona, please… they're just young and immature. Don't make a scene. Once I bond with them, my wolf's sense will finally awaken. Just bear with it for now, alright?"

I froze.

Behind him, Catherine's voice cut through the air like a knife.

"Oh, is that Fiona? But I thought you two severed your bond? And she's no longer Luna, right? What is she doing back here?"

Then came Alex's words—calm, casual, and heartless:

"Yes, Fiona is no longer my Luna. But she doesn't have anywhere else to go… so I've agreed to let her stay here—as a servant."

I stared at him, stunned, my heart aching with disbelief.

He didn't even look at me. Instead, he gave my arm a slight squeeze, as if to say "Just endure it."

Hearing that, Elsa sauntered over and stood in the middle of the hall, barking orders like she owned the place.

"Go clean up that mess—now!" she snapped, arms crossed smugly over her chest.

I swallowed my humiliation, grinding my teeth behind a forced smile.

Not now, I told myself. Not yet. There are still things I need to retrieve from this place.

I picked up a broom and walked into the hall, only to see piles of trash and discarded boxes scattered around. As I swept the mess into a bin, something caught my eye—something small and broken.

I froze.

A delicate necklace lay among the rubble. The string had snapped, and the tiny pearls were scattered across the floor like forgotten tears. My breath hitched. My lips trembled.

"Why are you just standing there?" Elsa's voice cut through the air. She walked over, looked down at the broken necklace, then casually remarked,

"Oh, that? Alex thought it would match my dress nicely, but I told him it looked too old-fashioned. So I tossed it."

Her eyes sparkled with smug satisfaction, like she knew exactly what she'd done.

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood. My wolf stirred restlessly, claws scratching beneath my skin—but I forced her back.

That necklace… it was my fourteenth birthday gift from my mom. The last one.

She passed away just days later.

All these years, I kept it close—wore it when I missed her, held it when I cried in secret. And now, it had been tossed aside like garbage.

Tears welled up, blurring my vision. I barely noticed Alex entering the room.

Instead of saying anything, he walked over and tossed a thick wad of cash onto the table beside me.

"It's just an old necklace. This should cover it."

My hands trembled. I clutched his sleeve, choking on my sobs.

"Alex… you know what it meant to me. It was from my—"

Before I could finish, he slapped down another pile of bills—this time directly into my face.

"That enough for you? You can buy a dozen more just like it."

The tears kept coming, silent but relentless.

Then his patience snapped.

"God, stop with this pathetic drama! I don't have time for these games!"

And just like that, he turned and walked off, the three she-wolves following close behind, laughing.

I was left alone in the hallway, curled on the floor, arms wrapped tightly around myself—crying until I could no longer breathe.

I quietly went upstairs to my room, but the moment I opened the door, I froze.

My dresses—crumpled.

My shoes—kicked around like garbage.

My books—torn from the shelves, scattered everywhere like they'd been stepped on.

It looked like a storm had swept through my space.

I stood in the doorway for a moment, shaking my head with a bitter sigh.

None of it mattered anymore.

Those things—clothes, shoes, even books—were just objects.

I turned my gaze to the wall.

There, still hanging crookedly, was my mom's photo.

My breath hitched as I stepped forward and carefully took it down. I wiped the dust from the glass with trembling fingers, pressing it to my chest.

"It's okay," I whispered. "As long as this photo is still here."

I sank onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in the frame, drawing comfort from the only piece of her I had left.

Then I noticed something else.

The little cushion by the window—the one where my cat always curled up to sleep—was empty.

My heart dropped.

She was my mother's favorite. Her comfort pet during the worst of her illness.

And after Mom passed, the cat became mine. My only real family.

Where is she?

Suddenly, Jessica's voice echoed in my mind:

"That mangy thing scratched my socks! Stupid cat—should've tossed it out already."

Panic shot through my veins.

I rushed to the hallway and spotted Alex standing just outside the door, pretending not to hear.

"Where's my cat?"

My voice cracked. I stepped toward him, frantic.

"Alex—where is she?"

He didn't answer.

Didn't blink.

Just stood there, cold and unmoved—like a stranger I'd never known.