第3章

"Vicky, what did you just buy?!"

"Do you have any idea how hard I'm working out here, and you go and blow that much money all at once?"

"Since when did you get so vain?!"

Alexander's rage crashed over me like a tidal wave.

All this over one set of skincare.

Meanwhile, the gift he was giving Savannah today was an entire house.

My claws had fully shifted out, digging into my palms.

My chest heaved as I swallowed back the bitterness.

"Alexander, the makeup I've been using gives me allergic reactions."

"You never had reactions before!"

He cut me off.

His words sliced through me like a knife.

When the reactions first started, I had told him about it.

But he just brushed me off, saying my skin would build up a tolerance.

After it kept happening, I stopped bringing it up.

"Vicky, if you keep throwing money around like this, when am I ever going to save five hundred thousand? Do you even want to be my mate anymore?!"

There it was again.

Every time I wanted to buy anything, he pulled out the same excuse.

Back then, he was my whole world.

Even when the rest of the pack mocked me for throwing myself at him, I didn't care.

But now, I was done putting up with it.

"You're right, Alexander. I don't want to be your mate anymore."

I hung up before he could respond.

I was panting like a wolf after a fight, gulping down air.

All I could smell was the faint mildew of the basement.

...

Because of the rain, I arrived early at the restaurant Savannah had specified.

The most upscale couples' restaurant downtown, two thousand dollars a head.

I took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Outside the private room, I heard the voices of Alexander's friends.

"Alexander, now that you've proposed to Savannah, what about Vicky?"

Before Alexander could answer, another voice chimed in.

"What's she gonna do? Everyone in the pack knows she's been clinging to Alexander. I've never seen such a shameless she-wolf. As if she'd actually leave him. She'll grit her teeth and deal with it."

"Tch, she's got a decent body though. When you get bored with her, Alexander, pass her our way."

Hearing those filthy words, I still pathetically waited for Alexander to defend me.

But he just sneered.

"Who in this pack doesn't know she already has my mark? Besides me, who would ever want her?"

The room erupted in laughter.

"Exactly! God, that's hilarious. You hire some rogues to jump her, then swoop in and play hero, do a stint in lockup for her while you're actually off traveling the world with Savannah, and she's still loyal to you. That's genius!"

Alexander clicked his tongue.

"If I hadn't knocked her down a few pegs, a she-wolf that proud would never have followed me around like a dog."

I stood frozen in place, struck as if by lightning.

So it was him. It had all been him.