Chapter 4

Two full hours passed before Nicholas finally pulled himself away from Chanelle's body.

"Darling, you went overboard," she said, her voice laced with a teasing whine. "I can't even walk now."

Nicholas only chuckled, giving her a light slap on the rear.

"Already worn out? There's still another round tonight. Remember to wear that new lingerie you designed."

Chanelle brushed his cheek playfully with her fingers.

"So, Alpha… does that mean you're satisfied with my sales tactics?"

They lingered in each other's arms for a moment longer before composing themselves—pretending to argue as they stepped out of the office.

Outside, Chanelle slumped over her desk, feigning distress, drawing murmurs of sympathy from her coworkers.

Nicholas, meanwhile, darkened his expression and walked toward the break room.

The moment he saw me, his entire face softened into a smile.

But all I could see was how false it looked.

So this was how it had been all along—how he had kept up his affair with Chanelle for an entire year, right under everyone's nose.

He took my hand and smiled gently. "Feeling bored? Let's go grab some lunch."

In the cafeteria, he pulled out a small gift box from behind his back, almost childishly proud.

"Open it," he said.

But as my eyes caught the faint red mark on his neck—Chanelle's mark—my stomach churned.

"Never mind," I said. "I'll look at it when we get home."

Then Chanelle's voice came from behind me.

"Luna, if you don't want to open it, can I take a look?"

Nicholas's smile faltered instantly.

Chanelle, pretending not to notice, drew out her own gift box.

"My mate keeps giving me these boring presents," she said lightly. "I just want to see if our Alpha's taste is any better. Maybe my mate can learn a thing or two."

Her words were sweet, but her gaze carried a deliberate challenge. After being kept as Nicholas's secret for a year, it seemed she had started eyeing my place as Luna.

Nicholas gave me a small, pleading shake of the head.

I ignored it. Together, Chanelle and I lifted the lids of our boxes.

Inside each was the same red velvet packaging—identical lipsticks.

"Well," Chanelle said with a smile, "what a coincidence."

Nicholas's expression darkened almost instantly.

I handed her my lipstick. "Since it's fate, you can have it."

The lipstick was hers now. And Nicholas—I didn't want him anymore either.

I excused myself, saying I needed some air, and walked out to the car.

I meant to play some music, but accidentally hit the recording app instead.

A werewolf's heavy breathing filled the speakers, followed by a she-wolf's soft moans.

I froze. I remembered when he'd bought me this car—how he'd promised that no other she-wolf would ever sit in it but me.

Yet now, he had done it here. Not once. Not twice.

Over and over again—with her.

In the last recording, he even asked about her skirt.

Chanelle replied nonchalantly, "I must've thrown it in by accident when I was packing your stuff."

It was a flimsy excuse. But instead of calling her out, he pinned her down and took her again.

Something inside me gave out then.

I opened my mind-link and reached out to my father—the Alpha King, Christopher Shoren.

"Dad," I said. "I'm tired. I want to return to the royal capital. Can you give me a new identity? I don't want to be Luna of the Blood Shadow Pack anymore."

Christopher's voice came bright with relief.

"So you've finally come to your senses! Finally ready to take your place as Alpha Queen. None of my other offspring have your strength. I've been so worried about succession—this is wonderful news.

"But Nicholas loves you deeply. Will he really let you go so easily?"

I gave a faint smile. "He doesn't know. Please give me some magic potion to sever our bond secretly. After that, Nicholas and I will never cross paths again."

I had once sworn to the Moon Goddess that if Nicholas ever betrayed me, I would disappear from his world completely.

Now, I intended to keep that vow.

But before I left, I would give him one final parting gift—a gift he would never, ever forget.