Chapter 3

At the alumni event that day, Lucien showed up in a custom-tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled. He looked handsome and charming.

Watching him like that made my chest ache because he didn’t dress up for me. He dressed up for her, Summer.

Not long after Lucien left, I got a call from him.

“Mia,” he said, sounding casual. “I spilled some wine on my suit earlier. Could you bring a clean one to the hotel?”

I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed a fresh suit and rushed over.

When I arrived outside the hotel ballroom, I was just about to knock when I heard the sound of laughter and conversation from inside. Then came the teasing voices of others in the room:

“Lucien, come on. If you still like Summer and she’s back now, why not just break off your mate bond with that Omega already?”

“Exactly. She doesn’t even have an inner wolf. You think she’s with you for love? She’s clearly after your money.”

“That’s right. Back in school, everyone thought you and Summer were endgame. If she hadn’t left back then, you two would probably have pups by now–”

Then, Summer’s voice rang out, sweet, polished, and oh-so-reasonable.

“Don’t say that. Lucien’s mated to Mia right now. If anyone heard you, they’d think I was the homewrecker.

“But Lucien…” she said softly, lifting her gaze to him. “I really want to know. What do you actually feel?”

Everyone went quiet, waiting for Lucien’s answer, and outside the door, I stood frozen, my hand clenched around the suit bag, my palms damp with sweat.

After a long pause, Lucien finally spoke.

“I mated with Mia, and I will take responsibility for that. The past is the past. No matter what, I won’t abandon her.”

I let out a small, bitter laugh.

He wouldn’t leave me, not out of love, but out of duty. However, I never wanted duty; I wanted love.

Still, I didn’t blame him. We both knew I was the one who asked to mate with him in the first place.

A moment later, I heard the professor’s voice from inside. “Remember those letters we wrote to our future selves back in college? Let’s open them up and see how our dreams have held up.”

The group buzzed with excitement as the professor brought out a box, and everyone pulled a letter.

Lucien’s hands landed on one, and he opened it. His expression shifted the moment he saw the handwriting. It was mine.

“I’ve liked Lucien for years,” the letter read. “To get into his orbit, I studied hard and got accepted to Lycan University. He’s a star athlete—strong, brilliant, and admired—while I have no special talents, but I worked hard and made it as captain of the cheer squad, just hoping he might notice me. For a long time, I thought I could only watch him from afar. But then one day, he asked me if I wanted to be his mate. I was so overwhelmed, I couldn’t even speak. In that moment, I felt like the happiest girl in the world. I just wanted time to slow down, so I could stay with him forever…”

Lucien’s expression turned unreadable.

The others crowded around to read the letter, and then the teasing turned into soft awe.

“Wait, Mia had liked Lucien for so long?”

“I always thought she jumped at bonding with him because of his Alpha status or to claim the Luna title, but it seems she really loved him all along.”

I didn’t stick around to hear more. I quietly left the suit at the front desk and walked away. Whatever the reason was that brought me to Lucien, none of it mattered anymore.

…

Back home, I started preparing dinner. It would be our last meal together, so I took my time.

When the final dish was set on the table, I placed the official mate-bond termination certificate right on the desk in his study, where he’d be sure to see it.

Lucien still wasn’t home. I checked the time. If I waited any longer, I’d miss my flight.

I called him again and again, but no one picked up. Just as I was about to hang up, an unknown number lit up on my screen.

I hesitated and then answered.

“Mia,” came Summer’s voice, sharp and mocking. “Lucien doesn’t love you. Why don’t you just leave already? I’m the one he truly loves. You? You don’t even have an inner wolf. What kind of Omega are you to think you deserve him?”

Then, she sent me a photo of Lucien cooking dinner. Tears welled up and slipped down my cheek before I could stop them. In three years, he had never once cooked for me.

So that was what love looked like.

I wiped my tears, hung up, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out the door. I didn’t look back—not at the apartment filled with happy memories that I had clung to for far too long.

At the airport, just before boarding, I got a message from Lucien.

“Mia, work ran late. I’m sorry. I can’t make it home for dinner. I’ll bring home your favorite mango mousse cake, okay?”

I stared at the message for a moment and then typed back:

“There’s no need. Be good to Summer. I wish you both happiness for the rest of your lives.”

With that, I shut off my phone and boarded the flight.

Half an hour later, Lucien was still at dinner with Summer, unaware of my message until his phone rang. It was his assistant.

“Alpha Lucien,” the voice said, tense. “There’s been a plane crash. One of the evening flights just went down.”

Lucien asked, “And what does that have to do with me?”

“The passenger manifest included Luna Mia… She’s dead.”

Lucien shot to his feet.

“What? That’s impossible. Mia’s at home. She couldn’t have flown anywhere!”

“There’s a boarding photo of her. Also, we found your mate-bond termination certificate at your house,” the assistant explained while sending over the photo.