Chapter 2

Justin’s expression turned grim, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

Usually, it would be my cue to give in.

I would surrender, whispering my love and begging him to stay.

Justin would often sigh, show mercy, and appease me with sweet nothings.

Things were different today, though. All I gave was silence.

I brushed past Justin, moving from room to room to erase myself from his world.

The home was supposed to hold our most beautiful dreams for our future together.

Yet now, I drifted across the rooms like a phantom, numbly packing my things.

I stopped dead in my tracks upon stepping into the master bedroom.

The bed was a wreck, the mattress sunken in places and tainted with unmistakable stains.

That wasn’t what broke me, though.

It was the sweet, thick, aggressive scent of an Omega in heat.

With my stomach churning violently, I covered my mouth and dry-heaved.

It became clear to me now.

They went beyond what could ever be forgiven.

The betrayal began long before tonight, before I could have a talk with Justin.

I was too blind, too devoted, and too stupid to see the truth.

Swallowing the pain, I picked up the pace and pushed myself to finish packing.

All the while, Justin and Marissa sat in the living room, giggling and flirting openly.

Judging by the volume, they wanted me to hear everything.

I tuned them out and sorted my possessions with a straight face.

On my way out, I was even kind enough to close the door for them.

Just before the door shut tight, Justin’s voice slipped through the crack.

“Fay, remember how you promised to do one thing for me, no questions asked?”

I stopped halfway, my hand still on the door.

During the pack’s coming-of-age hunt when I was eighteen, I stumbled and slipped toward a cliff.

It was Justin who grabbed me as if his very life depended on it.

Even when the rock tore into his arm, he held onto me tight and refused to let go.

To spare me from feeling guilty, Justin downplayed the injury.

From that day on, I owed him a favor.

Back then, Justin smiled and said that his only wish was my eternal happiness. He wanted nothing more than to have me by his side.

What would he want now?

I stood there in silence as he spoke matter-of-factly.

“Marissa is craving the berries from the forest south of the pack. Go pick them for her.”

I stared at him and nodded. “Sure.”

The favor I owed him wasn’t for me or him. It was ultimately meant for Marissa.

It was for the best.

As of now, we would be even.

With the weather volatile, it was a blizzard out there.

Braving the raging snow, I drove toward the southern forest.

The wind slashed against the car like blades while snowflakes hammered on the windshield.

Driving long distances in such weather conditions wasn’t my forte, but I didn’t even stop for a minute.

My fingers were frozen stiff, my clothes were soaked through, and my lungs burned.

Eventually, I found the berries.

However, the berries were cold by the time I brought them back.

Marissa took a quick bite, only to spit it out in disgust.

“Ew! It tastes awful when it’s cold.”

Without looking at me, Justin dumped the berries in the trash can and lifted her.

“Come on. I’ll take you to the forest for fresh pickings.”

Justin carried her out to the front passenger seat of my car.

Since his driver was off today, Justin took my car key without even asking.

When his gaze finally fell on me, his eyes reflected annoyance. “Don’t just stand there. Get in.”

After the earlier ordeal, I was too drained to pick a fight with him, so I climbed into the car without another word.

During the drive, the pair in the front messed around without a care.

I put my weight against the car window wearily, overwhelmed by a splitting headache.

Suddenly, a truck skidded on the icy surface, veering out of control toward us.

Justin sprang into action.

He yanked the steering wheel, shifting the crash to my side.

Seconds before impact, Justin dove over and shielded Marissa beneath him.

After a deafening collision, blood ran down my forehead.

Through my blurred vision, I saw Justin jolting out of the car with Marissa in his arms.

He anxiously examined Marissa for injuries, not once casting me a glance.

I smirked helplessly.

My mind drifted to that snowy night when Justin was granted permission to go on his first solo patrol drive. He snuck me along for the ride.

We were in the same situation where the car lost control and rammed into the cliff.

At the time, I was his choice.

Justin lunged toward me, taking the brunt of every shock and wound. He held me close as if the very thought of losing me was unbearable.

This time, he chose to trade my life to keep Marissa safe from harm.

My wolf let out a dying whimper within the depths of my soul.

I lost my consciousness to darkness.

A kind pack member took me to the pack’s infirmary.

During my week-long hospital stay, Justin never came to visit me.

Marissa, on the other hand, took great pains to broadcast her happiness to me through various channels.

“I can’t believe that he chose me in the face of death. Surely, you must be mad.

“He was going to check up on you, but the moment I complained of a headache, he stayed to keep me company.

“Just you wait, Fay. He’s going to be mine through and through.”

After going through the messages, I deleted them all.

I blocked her and Justin across all platforms.

Before, I carried a sliver of hope that we could salvage some sort of friendship due to our history, even after the mate bond was broken.

Now, all I could think of was to disappear from Justin’s life for good.