Chapter 2

When Trey came out of the room, the rain hadn't stopped.

I had been sitting on the couch in the main hall.

When Trey saw me, he immediately let go of Serana's hand. "Are you here to see me?"

I nodded and made up an excuse. "The rain's too heavy. I was just passing by to take shelter."

My gaze shifted to the wolves behind him, including Beta Jenson Fletcher and Serana. Their expressions were impassive. None of them explained why Serana was there, nor did they show any hint of guilt.

They all knew that when it came to Trey, I would eventually give in.

Trey naturally took my hand and rubbed it between his palms to warm me up from the chill of the rainy night.

"You said you liked that limited edition green crystal bracelet from the neutral zone, right? I made a trip there and forgot to tell you in advance."

"Where's the bracelet?" I asked directly.

His gaze drifted instinctively to Serana. "It had to be custom-made. I altered the design myself, so... you'll probably have to wait until after the ceremony to get it."

I forced a smile but didn't say anything.

As we were waiting for the car, Serana suddenly gasped. Her bracelet had gotten caught on some nearby decoration.

She yanked it hard, and the bracelet snapped. The green crystals scattered across the marble floor.

It was the exact design I liked.

Serana scrambled to pick up the pieces, but a sharp shard cut her finger.

As blood began to trickle out, Trey immediately let go of my hand and rushed over.

"Why are you so careless?"

He quickly pulled out the handkerchief from his pocket and gently wrapped it around her bleeding finger.

That handkerchief had been a gift from me on his coming-of-age day. Trey had never used it, but now it was stained with Serana's blood.

When he noticed that I was watching him, his face flashed with a moment of guilt.

"Leah, I'll take Serana to the healing center to get this bandaged up. I'll be back to pick you up soon."

Before I could respond, he had already carried Serana into the SUV.

Seeing that, Jenson spoke up awkwardly. "Serana helped Alpha Trey before. Don't take it the wrong way, Leah. Should we take you home?"

I shook my head, telling them to go ahead. I just wanted to see if Trey would really come back.

The sky grew darker, and the rain came down harder.

He never showed up, not even when the pack sent people to press me to return.

Once again, he'd broken his promise.

The next morning, Trey rushed into my place. When he saw me sitting at the breakfast table, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Leah. The car had a flat tire shortly after we left, so I couldn't come back to pick you up."

I didn't hear a word of his explanation.

My gaze was fixed on the faint reddish mark on his neck—an unmistakable sign of a she-wolf's claws.

As if determined to tear away the last of the pretense, I reached out to touch that red mark.

But Trey suddenly stepped back and instinctively tugged his collar up higher.

"I got scratched by a branch on the way back," he said calmly, then pressed his lips tight.

I lowered my gaze and dug my nails deep into my palms, using the sharp sting to push back the burning in my eyes.

When Trey lied, the corners of his mouth would tighten ever so slightly. It was a habit he hadn't even realized he had.

He was lying to me.

"Is it serious? Want me to dress it for you?" I asked.

"No need!"

His reaction was so explosive that he practically jumped. He quickly changed the subject. "By the way, didn't you say the veil for the ceremony is missing a main diamond? Let's go to the auction center now and pick one out."

After saying that, Trey walked briskly to the car, turning his back to me as he waited.

I let out a bitter laugh, and tears finally slipped down my cheek.

When I changed clothes and stepped outside, his neck was now fully covered.

The car had barely come to a halt in front of the neutral zone auction center when the sound of a heated argument drifted out from within.

I looked up toward the VIP room on the second floor. Through the glass, I saw Serana's figure.