Chapter 1

Before my boyfriend, August Cadwell, marked me, we went to register our mate bond at the Pack Affairs Department.

Without a word of explanation, he unexpectedly had someone throw me out of the office.

Then he walked in with his childhood sweetheart. He didn’t even blink when he saw me sitting there on the ground, shaking with disbelief.

"Hailey's pup needs to be part of the Aurelis pack. The best and quickest method is for her to register a mate bond with a werewolf from the Aurelis pack. As soon as we sever the mate bond, I'll form a mate bond with you."

Everyone assumed the lovesick version of me would wait just one more month for him. After all, I'd already waited seven long years.

But that night, I did something unexpected too. I accepted my parents' arranged mate bond and quietly left for the Lymerian pack, disappearing from his life entirely.

Three years later, I returned to my original pack to visit my family. My mate, Ryder Weyland, was now the lycan chairman. Because of an urgent council meeting, he arranged for someone to collect me from the airport.

I never imagined that “someone” would be August. The moment he spotted me, his eyes immediately landed on the sparkling bracelet on my wrist.

"Isn't this a knockoff of the bracelet Ryder Weyland, the lycan chairman, spent two million dollars on for his mate? Didn't expect you to turn this vain after just a few years.

"You've caused enough chaos, haven't you? It's time to return. Hailey's pup is now of school age. You can take on the responsibility of pick-ups and drop-offs."

I gently ran my fingers over the bracelet on my wrist.

Little did he know that this was the cheapest one Ryder had ever given me.

...

As I walked into the arrivals hall, I noticed someone holding a sign that read "Mrs. Weyland". I approached and froze.

It was August Cadwell, my ex-boyfriend—the one I hadn't seen in three years.

Three years of silence. No calls. No messages. No apology or explanation.

Now here he stood, one arm draped casually around Hailey Reed. Behind them clustered a group of preening sycophants, gathered like flies at the arrival gate.

One of them spotted me and smirked. "Well, well, August... Isn't that your shadow? What was her name again? Sophia something?"

August's eyes widened, startled—but the mask slipped back into place quickly. His mouth curled into a slow, mocking smile. "Told you. She'd come crawling back eventually."

The group tittered. "Sophia Miller vanished without a word back then. Now that August is a Beta of the Aurelis Pack, she must've realized she made the wrong call. She probably cried into her pillow every night."

Another voice chimed in. "But Sophia, if you're going to fake a casual run-in, at least dress the part, yeah? What are you wearing? Even my grandma wouldn't be caught dead in that."

"Don't tell me you couldn't even afford a decent outfit after leaving August. That's rough. Looks like you've really hit rock bottom."

What none of them knew was that my clothes had been custom-designed, chosen by someone my mate, Ryder Weyland, hired, with my pregnancy in mind—every thread tailored for comfort.

During my pregnancy, I had grown used to going without makeup. Yet to them, I was still the she-wolf in thick lipstick, trying to catch August's eye.

Three years ago, I walked away from August.

I had bonded with a werewolf who saw me for who I was and loved me, not as a trophy, but as a mate. That werewolf was Ryder Weyland, also known as the lycan chairman. Clearly, the "Mrs. Weyland" they'd all been waiting for was me. But not one of them had realized it yet.

Seeing that I hadn't spoken, someone who once knew me fairly well tried to ease the tension. "Sophia, it's good you're back. Actually, August has been looking for you all these years. He's asked around, like, everywhere."

Instantly, August's smile stiffened.

Trying to cover up the awkward moment, he gave a dismissive shrug and said, "Hailey's pup is starting school soon. You'll take care of the drop-offs and pick-ups."

He was still as arrogant and self-important as ever. But I was no longer the woman who used to bend over backwards to accommodate him. Looking at him now, I felt nothing but a bone-deep disgust.

I was seconds away from telling them exactly who I was when Hailey cut in.

"Sophia, don't be mad at August. He's only doing this for your own good. You've been gone for three years. Who knows what kind of low-level job you've been doing out there?

"And now, look at you, showing up in that shabby look… Even if he wants you as his personal assistant, you'd reflect poorly on him. But don't worry. Just take care of my son, and no one will look down on you."

Three years had passed, and Hailey was still as smug and self-absorbed as ever.

I simply raised a brow, my hands settling over my belly. I didn't speak. I wanted to see how deep their delusions ran.

However, August misread my silence. He thought I was heartbroken, jealous, or perhaps even angry.

His low, mocking laugh confirmed it.

"Come on. She clearly failed out there and came slinking back with her tail between her legs. She should be grateful I'm even offering her a job.

"Just take care of the pup and stop stirring trouble. Know your place.

"Don't worry, I'll let you stay close like you want. There's a spare room for the caretaker. You can live there."

As soon as he finished, the crowd erupted in mean-spirited laughter.

"Sophia, look how kind August is to you. He's worried you've been suffering out there, so he's taking care of your meals and housing.

"All he's asking is that you help Hailey look after the pup. Compared to whatever miserable life you've been living, isn't this a huge step up? You should be thanking him."

Hailey brushed her hand over her diamond earrings and added sweetly in feigned kindness, "Don't worry, Sophia. If my son misbehaves or causes you trouble, I'll discipline him on your behalf. I won't let you be treated unfairly."

August glanced sideways at me with a sneer. "She's got nothing to complain about. She ran off over some minor issue, and now that she's come crawling back, it's only fair she eats a little dirt."

I frowned. I still couldn't believe he saw forming a mate bond with Hailey as a minor issue.

So the August who once loved me… was truly gone.

Gone was the werewolf who, wounded and bleeding, carried my injured body across half the pack lands. The werewolf who had nothing, yet still swore he'd give me the world.

Now, all I saw was a hollow werewolf with a puffed-up title and nothing real to show for it.

But that was just as well. That chapter had ended long ago. There was no need to open it again.

After all, I was about to have my second pup.