Chapter 1

When I saw that I was about to be reassigned to the Emberclaw Pack far to the south, thousands of miles away, I froze in front of the computer.

I had explicitly told Lucas Ashworth that Joey Bellingham was supposed to go on this mission, yet the system now listed me instead. If I hadn't checked the roster in time, I wouldn't have even had a chance to cancel.

I took a deep breath and connected with Lucas through our mind-link.

He replied casually, as if it were nothing. "Oh, that? Lily was just playing around to see if you would notice the change before the transfer deadline. It's still open. Just cancel your application."

Through the link, I sensed his mood. It was light, almost amused, with a faint trace of impatience at my fussing.

I shivered slightly and asked, "Do you think this is just a trivial matter?"

Lucas' patience thinned. "Are you really going to make a big deal out of this? Just cancel the request. Lily was only joking with you."

I stared at the notification, feeling suffocated as if someone were clutching my throat. "What if I hadn't realized it in time? Lily is abusing her role, and I could bring this before the pack elders!"

Lucas snapped, "Scarlet, I can't believe how unreasonable you're getting! It was just a joke, and you want to report Lily? When will you ever cut her some slack?"

His agitation grew as he continued, "I've explained this to you countless times. She's a newly awakened Omega with no one in the pack. As the Alpha, I should be keeping an eye on her. If you want to report her, you might as well report me too!"

Our mind link suddenly disconnected, leaving me paralyzed with shock, as if my blood had turned to ice.

Lucas and I had known each other for seven years and been in love for five. He was my leader and future mate, the one Alpha I could never replace.

I thought back to graduation, when I almost ruined a crucial project, and he stayed up all night helping me correct it. Then my mind went to that year's annual gathering, when a drunken werewolf tried to grope me. He had grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it until it cracked, and radiated his Alpha presence in front of everyone to warn him off.

That night, he gently draped his coat over my shoulders and asked if I would be his Luna.

That happiness had once felt like it would last forever. Everyone had said that we were a perfect match. We had already met each other's parents, and we were on the verge of holding our bonding ceremony. Everything should have gone smoothly.

I stared at the screen, knowing a single click could undo it all, yet his words, "It's just a joke," echoed in my mind.

A wave of deep, crushing fatigue washed over me, leaving me utterly drained.