Chapter 2

I had just dried my hands when my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Charles. "Monday morning, I'll take you to seal the mate bond."

I sent back one word. "I know."

Then I went into the bedroom and started packing.

But when I opened the closet, there was something in there that wasn't mine.

It was a revealing dress, crumpled into a ball and shoved in the corner.

I stared at it for a few seconds. My stomach turned.

The bedroom door opened, and Charles walked in.

He saw the red at the corners of my eyes, but he didn't look the least bit flustered. He just took the dress out of my hands.

"One of the guys' mates probably left it here the day of the Alpha meeting. Don't overthink it."

I lowered my eyes. My fingers wouldn't stop shaking.

It wasn't heartbreak. It was disgust.

Charles clearly took my silence the wrong way.

He came over and stroked my hair, the way you'd calm a frightened little animal.

"Lilith, you know what I like most about you?"

I didn't answer.

He didn't wait for me to. "You do as you're told."

Over the years, I had heard those words more times than I could count.

Do as you're told. Be understanding. Be good.

But to Charles, the more understanding I was, the less I needed to be taken care of.

The less I fought for anything, the more he felt it was fine to let me down.

"Annie is in the past."

He went on. "I only let her have the ceremony to make up for what she missed out on back then."

"Don't beat yourself up over this. We'll seal the bond next week. You won't lose anything."

Then he patted my head again, like I was a puppy.

I remembered the year my brother died. After that, our pack fell apart, and all we had left was an alliance with the Shadow Pack, sealed by my engagement to Charles.

I came here hoping his pack could help me rebuild ours. I was afraid for my sister’s safety, so I brought Annie with me.

I never imagined that the one I had worked so hard to protect would be the one to stab me in the back.

Charles’s pack had never truly accepted me. On the training grounds, they tripped me up on purpose and turned my mistakes into jokes.

Once, after training, they cornered me in the equipment room. They shoved me around and pinned me to the floor until I hurt too much to get up.

When Charles found out, all he said was that I shouldn't let little things get to me.

He was always like that. He brought me to his side on a whim, and he tossed me into a corner just as easily.

"All right, it's getting late. Get some rest."

Charles glanced at his phone and turned to leave. "Annie wants to go shopping for some clothes. I promised I'd go with her."

Maybe all the hurt I'd swallowed over the years had finally hit its limit.

Maybe the last bit of hope in me hadn't completely died yet.

Before I knew it, I had reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Can't you stay?"

I just wanted him to stay. Even once. Just once, I wanted to know I wasn't always going to come after Annie.

Charles stopped and looked down at me, a trace of helplessness between his brows.

"I already promised her."

I had heard that one countless times too.

He had promised to train with me. He had promised to stay and practice with me when I couldn't keep going.

He had promised to go with me to honor the family I'd lost. He had promised to go with me to the Moonlight Festival.

But every single time, the moment Annie needed something, he broke his word without a second thought.

And every time, all I could do was tell myself it was okay. He was just busy. He'd make it next time.

"Oh. Okay."

I let go of him. My voice was calm.

For some reason, Charles took my hand again.

He softened his voice to coax me. "When I get back, I'll bring you your favorite dessert."

I looked at him. My eyes stung, but I still smiled and said thank you.

That night, Charles didn't come home.

Early the next morning, Annie posted on Instagram. It was just a selfie of her flashing a victory sign at the camera.

Other people probably thought she was just in a good mood. I knew right away that she'd posted it for me.

Years ago, because of one word from her, Charles had left me alone outside a banquet.

A group of young wolves who had always hated me dragged me into the restroom, pinned me to the cold tile floor, and kicked and punched me.

When I finally managed to get up, Annie was standing in the doorway.

The moment she saw me, she gasped and hurried over, looking frantic with worry.

“Oh my God, what happened to you?” She crouched down beside me, her eyes brimming with tears.

Then she glanced at the others and lowered her voice. “Please don’t blame Charles. He only left because I told him I wasn’t feeling well. I never meant for you to get hurt.”

But the next time, she still called Charles away from me without a second thought.

In the comments, people teased her, asking how her night had gone.

Someone even joked about Charles, asking if he lived up to the rumors.

Annie replied quickly. "Of course. Totally unforgettable."

I scrolled past the comments without a word. I didn't reply, and I didn't confront Charles. I just opened my phone and booked an appointment with a healer.

Since yesterday, big red rashes had been breaking out on my neck and arms. The more I scratched, the worse it itched. There were already a few bloody scratches on my skin.

At first, I thought it was just a reaction to the sleeping herbs from the day of the ceremony.

But after the healer examined me, she told me very seriously that I must never take them again.

"This isn't something to brush off. If you're exposed again, the reaction could be much worse."

The healer gave me an injection and repeated her warning.

"I understand."

I picked up my medicine and had just walked out of the exam room when I saw Charles in the hospital lobby.

He was holding Annie's hand.

He clearly froze when he saw me, but he didn't let go of her. He only frowned and asked, "What happened to you?"

"An allergy."

I thought he would at least ask why, or look at the angry red rash on my neck.

But he just nodded absently. He didn't even notice the medicine in my hand. He turned right back to Annie to explain.

"She tripped while we were shopping. I brought her in to get it looked at."

His voice was full of worry, as if Annie had been seriously hurt.

I glanced down at her knee.

The tiny scrape was barely visible. It had already scabbed over.

Annie gave a little huff and complained on purpose. "It's because you kept messing around next to me! If it weren't for you, I would've been watching where I was going."

Charles laughed softly and coaxed her patiently. "Okay, okay. It's all my fault."

"You can go home now."

Charles finally remembered I was still standing there. He said it like it was nothing.

I nodded and turned toward the hospital exit.

I had only taken a few steps when Annie spoke up behind me. "Charles, look, she's got a rash all over her face and neck. It's not something contagious, is it?"

"You should make her get a full checkup, so it doesn't end up affecting you."

"She's had checkups before," Charles said offhandedly.

"Before is before!" Annie raised her voice, annoyed. "I'm only looking out for you. Why won't you listen?"

Charles let out a small sigh. "Fine. I'll have her checked tomorrow."

He said it so casually, as if I were a pet that needed to be taken in for regular checkups.