Chapter 1

Monica laughed awkwardly and changed the subject, raising her glass to toast everyone as she asked whether there were any job openings in Silvermoon Pack.

“I’ve forgotten about what happened in the past.”

“Starting today, I’m officially moving to Silvermoon Pack. If there’s a suitable position available, I’d really appreciate it if you kept me in mind.”

She went around promoting herself like a salesperson, doing her best to sell her skills, and looked rather desperate.

Edward didn’t look up, but the knuckles of his right hand, the one holding his glass, turned slightly white.

Just as Monica handed him her résumé, he turned to me and placed some venison on my plate.

“I’m sorry, but I honestly can’t think of any suitable position for you in the pack.”

Monica froze on the spot, her face burning red with embarrassment.

I stared at Edward without touching my food.

He had always known that I hated the taste of venison.

So, in the very moment he served me that dish, who had he really been thinking about?

When the gathering ended, a torrential downpour began outside.

Monica couldn’t get a cab and paced back and forth anxiously.

The werewolves who had attended the gathering with us were too intimidated by Edward’s attitude to help her.

I glanced back, and Monica looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Should we help her?”

“No. You can’t afford to catch a chill. Get in the car.”

Edward pulled my coat closer around me, every bit the thoughtful mate.

But I knew his heart was no longer with me. Without even realizing it, he tilted his umbrella toward Monica, completely oblivious to the fact that half my shoulder was getting soaked in the rain.

When we got home, I sat silently on the sofa, rubbing my hair dry with a towel.

Sensing something was off with me, Edward took the towel from my hands and offered an explanation.

“I had no idea she was going to show up. Besides, it’s been so long that I’d forgotten she even existed.”

“Don’t be so sensitive, Catherine. I’m going to take a shower. When I’m done, we’ll pick out our outfits for the mate ceremony together.”

He was still as considerate and gentle as ever, as though Monica meant absolutely nothing to him.

That was until I asked one of Edward’s friends to send me Monica’s social media profile.

I opened her feed and saw that her latest post had been made just five minutes earlier.

“Today is my lucky day! I couldn’t get a cab no matter how hard I tried, but then a car heading in the same direction as me suddenly showed up! I didn’t get a single drop of rain on me!”

The car in the photo belonged to Beta David. He had always been arrogant, so without an order from Edward, why would he willingly act as someone’s chauffeur?

I locked my screen, picked up the towel, and continued rubbing my rain-soaked hair dry.

By the time Edward came out, I had already chosen an outfit.

He reached over and tapped the upper-left corner of the catalog.

“I remember you like red.”

For three years, he had bought me nothing but red clothes and accessories, even though white was the color I truly loved.

“I want this one.”

“Trust me. Red suits you better.”

I snapped the catalog shut and demanded coldly, “Does it suit me, or does it suit Monica?”

Edward froze, then a trace of anger slowly appeared on his face.

“Catherine, I’ve already told you that I don’t even remember her anymore!”

“If you don’t remember her, then why are you still keeping her note?”

“I’ll tear it up right now, all right? Then maybe you’ll finally stop suspecting me of something.”

He snatched up his pocket watch and tore the note to shreds right in front of me.

“Are you happy now?!”

It was the first time Edward had ever shouted at me.

I stared at him, feeling as though something inside me had shattered.

“Fine.”

His expression softened, and he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly.

“Catherine, we’re the ones the Moon Goddess chose for each other. Stop doubting me. You’ve had a long day, too. Let’s get some sleep.”

Once we were in bed, Edward quickly fell asleep, but I couldn’t sleep no matter how hard I tried.

Edward’s phone screen lit up with a new email reply.

“Thank you for offering me the position. I’ll be able to start work tomorrow...”

The sender’s name was Monica.