Chapter 4

On Friday morning, Sienna poured my black coffee down the sink and replaced it with a hazelnut latte.

After the first sip, I noticed the taste. Then my neck began to itch, and red patches appeared beneath my collar.

“Did you put hazelnut syrup in this?”

Sienna went pale. “Adrian bought it for me. I didn’t know you were allergic.”

Adrian had known for over a decade. He had moved her into my home without telling her.

Mason stepped between us.

“She didn’t know, Nora.”

Caleb took the cup and set it beside the sink. “There’s no point arguing. Get your medicine first.”

Adrian came downstairs and stopped when he saw my neck.

“Was it the syrup?”

“Yes.”

He opened the second kitchen drawer, took out my antihistamine, and filled a glass of water.

“Here.”

I swallowed the tablet. Beside us, Sienna began to cry.

“I was only trying to make her breakfast.”

“You didn’t know,” Adrian told her. “Next time, ask before changing anything.”

He checked his watch and picked up his keys.

At the door, he looked back at me.

“Be home tonight. We’ll talk then.”

I set the glass on the counter.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be here.”

That afternoon, my company held a small farewell party.

My supervisor handed me the children’s starlight project book. “The Harbor City team values you and wants you to lead a new project. Don’t be afraid to start over.”

I held the book tightly. My eyes warmed, but I smiled and nodded.

At seven that evening, I opened my front door.

Warm lights led into a living room filled with hundreds of roses. Even my mother’s rug had vanished beneath petals.

Adrian stood among the flowers in the white shirt I had chosen. Mason and Caleb raised their phones as music began, and Adrian dropped to one knee.

“Nora, I’m sorry.”

He opened a ring box.

“I know I’ve hurt you lately. From now on, I’ll put you first. We can reopen the travel account and take the road trip we never had. Sienna will move out too.”

“After I complete the Alpha succession, we’ll exchange permanent mate marks. Will you formally become my mate and Cedar Ridge’s future Luna?”

He sounded sincere, but a few tender words could no longer soften me.

Mason urged me with a smile, “Say yes.”

Caleb added, “Sienna worked all day arranging these flowers. Don’t disappoint everyone.”

I lowered my gaze.

Sienna’s logo covered the ribbons. Beside Mason’s raised phone stood a promotional sign.

[Official Floral Designer for Cedar Ridge’s Future Alpha Mate Ceremony]

Sienna approached with a white bouquet.

“These are for you, Nora.”

Several petals had browned at the edges. Beneath the fresh ribbon, a paper tag still bore another couple’s names and the date of last Saturday’s ceremony.

I pulled it free.

“These are from your last order?”

Sienna glanced at Adrian. “They were still usable. I changed the wrapping.”

I laid the bouquet beside the promotional sign.

“You brought me leftover flowers and planned to film my proposal for your business?”

Adrian stood.

“The proposal is real. I thought handling it would help her studio. It doesn’t change what I’m asking you.”

“You didn’t ask whether I wanted any of this.”

“Nora, put on the ring first. We can talk about the studio later.”

I stepped away from his hand.

“Do you know why I like white tulips?”

He said nothing.

“What’s my ring size?”

Adrian glanced at Mason.

“A twelve,” my brother said uncertainly.

That was Sienna’s size. She had posted enough jewelry-store photos for everyone to remember it.

Mine was nine.

“The jeweler must have made a mistake,” Adrian said. “I’ll have it resized tomorrow.”

I removed the bracelet he had given me when we started dating and placed it inside his ring box.

“You remembered her size. You remembered what her business needed. You even found a use for the flowers she had left over.”

“Nora—”

“You promised to put me first. Then you asked me to accept all of this before you would listen.”

“Nora, you’re really leaving over this?”

I pulled out my packed suitcase. “I decided long ago. Tonight, I’m taking the last of my hope.”

Mason blocked the door. “Because one ceremony wasn’t exactly as you wanted? When did you become so petty?”

Caleb frowned as well. “Adrian apologized in front of all of us. Calm down. Don’t drag this in front of the Pack Council.”

Sienna stood among the roses with red-rimmed eyes.

“If it matters so much, I can move out and take down all the promotional material. But you can’t embarrass Adrian and the entire pack because of me.”

I offered no further explanation. They still believed I was leaving only to force them to yield.

I opened the door. The night wind swept inside and scattered petals across the floor.

Adrian did not follow. “Let her go. Nora just needs time to calm down.”

Mason did not stop me either. “Her mother’s house is here. Where could she possibly go?”

Caleb checked the time. “She’ll stay out for a few hours and come back.”

Sienna asked quietly, “What should we do with the flowers?”

After several seconds, Adrian replied, “Leave them. We can continue when she returns.”

I wheeled my suitcase into the elevator.

As the doors shut, Adrian remained among the roses, still believing I would turn back.

At eight that night, my car crossed beyond the Cedar Ridge boundary on its way to the airport.

I opened the Pack Council system and reviewed my applications from three days earlier.

[Withdraw from the future Luna training program.]

[Terminate prospective mate status with Alpha heir Adrian Cross.]

[Transfer out of Cedar Ridge Pack.]

All three bore green approval marks. I pressed Confirm.

At the same moment, four phones rang in the flower-filled living room.

[Nora Hale has formally withdrawn from the future Luna candidate list.]

[Her prospective mate arrangement with Adrian Cross is terminated, effective immediately.]

[Her pack-transfer request is now in effect.]

The faint thread of pack awareness belonging to me vanished from their minds.

Adrian’s expression froze. His wolf slammed against the walls of his consciousness and released a nearly panicked growl for the first time.

Mason called and heard only that my phone was off. Caleb ran to the bedroom.

The closet was empty. My papers, computer, designs, and everything my mother left me were gone.

Only the incorrectly sized silk nightgown remained, still wrapped around Sienna’s body.