Chapter 1

Three seconds after the account closure notice went out, our five-person group chat exploded.

Adrian, Cedar Ridge’s future Alpha, was the first to call.

“Nora, what exactly are you trying to do?”

I steadied my trembling hand and continued checking exhibition-hall measurements.

“I’m closing an account that stopped meaning anything a long time ago.”

“Who said it stopped meaning anything?”

“The balance is zero. We saved for four years, and we never took the graduation trip.” My throat tightened. “Then you spent it on Sienna without asking me. When did our travel fund become her personal account?”

The other end went silent for several seconds.

Then Sienna spoke tearfully. “Have you always believed I didn’t deserve to return to Cedar Ridge? If you resent my years as a rogue, say so. Don’t humiliate me like this.”

My brother immediately took the phone from her.

Mason would be Adrian’s Beta one day. Right now, he was speaking for everyone except me.

“We all put money into that account. You had no right to close it yourself.”

“That’s why I only closed it. I didn’t ask anyone to repay me.” I tightened my grip on my pen and forced my voice to remain steady. “Isn’t that dignified enough?”

Caleb, our future Delta, gave a cold laugh.

“You’re only upset because Adrian opened a studio for Sienna.”

Adrian’s voice followed.

“Restore the account. The studio just opened, and she still needs to purchase materials for several pack ceremonies.”

He sounded entitled. In our year together, he had never fought for anything I wanted with such certainty.

“Adrian,” I said, “I spent four years saving for our graduation trip. I never agreed to pay for Sienna’s studio.”

He was silent for two seconds. When he answered, his voice was even harder.

“Nora, you have a family, a career, and a secure place in the pack. Sienna lost years of her life. What is wrong with letting her have something for once?”

I bit my lip and swallowed the question that nearly escaped.

“If you want to keep granting her wishes, open another account.”

Sienna sent three hundred dollars to the group with the note: [What I owe Nora.] Mason told her to take it back, Caleb mocked me for humiliating a newly returned wolf, and Adrian canceled it.

Then he sent me a private message.

[Satisfied now?]

I stared at the screen. Tears fell without warning, landing on my plans and blurring a small patch of ink.

That afternoon, the children’s starlight installation I had designed was selected as the final proposal at our product presentation. My supervisor praised me in front of the entire team.

I hurriedly wiped the moisture from the corners of my eyes.

For the first time, I received sincere applause without them beside me.

After the meeting, Adrian came to pick me up.

Suppressing one last foolish hope, I approached his SUV. Flower buckets filled the passenger seat; wrapping paper and toolboxes covered the back.

Adrian was fastening the passenger seat belt around the buckets.

“Sit in the back. Sienna has a mate-marking ceremony to prepare tonight, and these containers need to reach the studio immediately.”

I looked at the narrow space left between the boxes. There was not even one full seat.

“No, thank you.”

Adrian looked up. “You can’t squeeze in for ten minutes?”

Pointing at the passenger seat, I forced myself to ask, “Why can’t the buckets go in the back?”

His brows drew together. “They’re custom ceramics. If they break, it will affect Sienna’s first pack order. Nora, stop looking for reasons to create trouble.”

His wolf did not stir at my distress. He saw nothing wrong with asking his girlfriend to fold herself between piles of wrapping paper. I no longer had the strength to argue.

“Then go without me.”

Sienna ran out carrying yellowing lisianthus. “Nora, take these as my apology.”

Mason called impatiently from inside the SUV. “She came out here to make peace. That’s enough, Nora.”

I did not take the flowers.

I walked toward the light rail. My reflection had red-rimmed eyes, and wiping them only made the tears come faster.

Not long afterward, a photograph appeared in the group chat.

Sienna sat in the passenger seat with an immaculate bouquet of white roses in her arms. Adrian was bent over her, fastening her seat belt.

Her caption read: [At least someone will never let me suffer.]

I stared at the word never.

My fingers gradually turned cold.

Then I left the five-person group chat.