Chapter 2

I frowned and tried to reach Jack through our mind-link.

Before I got a response, a faint, chaotic energy drifted from the stairwell at the end of the hallway. I followed that feeling and walked over.

Under the warm yellow light, Jack held Isabella gently in his arms, tenderly wiping away the tears on her face. Then, as if he had sensed my presence, he immediately cut off our mind-link without hesitation.

The next second, Isabella stood on tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

The scene hit me like a bullet straight to the heart.

"He betrayed us! Kill him! Kill him!" Hannah roared furiously in my mind.

However, I closed the door and fled in panic. My heart pounded violently, only calming down once I returned to the room filled with my own scent.

Tears fell without me realizing.

It seemed I still held out hope for him after all…

…

It wasn't until after midnight that Jack finally returned. When he saw me sitting by the window, he frowned.

"Why aren't you resting yet? You can't stay up late while carrying a pup," he said.

I took a deep breath, my voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor as I said, "Jack, let's go back."

His expression sharpened, and he asked, "Is this about Isabella?"

"Yes." I looked up and met his gaze.

Jack avoided my eyes and softened his tone slightly. "It's dangerous in the forest at night with Rogues around. Let's wait until morning and have a Beta pick us up, okay?"

As I stubbornly insisted on leaving now, I felt the last flicker of hope in my heart slowly die out.

Angered by me, Jack quickly packed his luggage without sparing me a single glance.

Both of us were holding back our frustration, with neither of us speaking again. We had barely reached the entrance when we noticed a group of Internal Affairs officers surrounding Isabella.

Internal Affairs was responsible for overseeing the pack's leadership. If they found misconduct, the punishment could range from a public trial to exile from the pack.

Under the moonlight, Isabella's face was pale and her figure frail.

"Isabella, why were you alone with Alpha Jack late at night?"

"Are you trying to interfere with the Alpha's mate bond?"

"Disrupting a mate bond is a serious offense. Are you ready to face the trial?"

Their questions were as pointed as knives.

Isabella was backed into a corner, biting her lip hard. She looked scared and helpless. Almost instantly, Jack let go of his suitcase, rushed over, and shielded her behind him.

"Isabella is the pack's head warrior. We were discussing border defense matters," he snapped.

I stood there quietly, listening to his righteous speech.

"Any slander against the Alpha's and the head warrior's reputation will be severely punished under pack law. I don't care who sent you to slander us. If it happens again, I won't go easy on you!"

As he spoke, he looked in my direction, his eyes filled with anger and disappointment.

I was somewhat confused. Did he think I had called the Internal Affairs officers?

I stepped forward, ready to explain, but Jack simply helped Isabella into the car and sped off, disappearing into the distance.

While standing alone in the freezing night air, I felt my heart slowly chill along with it.

I watched the taillights vanish around the winding mountain road. After a long, long time, I finally managed a self-deprecating smile.

Slowly, I walked away alone.

…

"Alpha Caught Kissing Pack Warrior on a Snowy Night. Is Crescent Pack's Alliance Facing a Crisis?"

Monica read each word of the headline aloud, then slammed the phone hard onto the table with a loud crash.

"Jack, do you have any idea what you've done?"

Jack, standing tall in the middle of the living room, replied calmly, "I've notified my Beta. The rumors will be gone in 20 minutes."

"Do you think that's what I care about?" Monica was furious. "Gianna is with pup, yet you made her come back all that way alone? What if something happened to her?"

Only then did Jack turn his gaze to me. His throat bobbed slightly, but in the end, he said nothing.

I stared blankly at the news headline on the screen. Every word was like a dull knife, cutting into me piece by piece.

Suddenly, the screen froze, then a new headline popped up—"Jack and Isabella Met at the Border Ten Years Ago".

The image showed a younger version of them posing together next to the pack boundary marker.

Isabella wore a warrior's helmet, her face bright with a smile as she leaned on his shoulder. Jack's arm rested naturally behind her.

I had never once felt that kind of sincere, heartfelt closeness in our relationship.

Suddenly, I found everything laughable. I had actually thought he had changed, that he could love me.

Ignoring the still-arguing pair, I went straight back to my room, with Jack coming in much later after that.

I paid him no mind, keeping my eyes on the news channel. The host was interviewing Isabella, whose clear voice filled the room.

"Border warriors give their youth to protect the pack. Our feelings deserve to be treated with sincerity as well."

Jack reached over awkwardly to turn it off, but I gently pushed his hand away, saying, "Are you not even allowing me to watch the news now? Or is your conscience bothering you?"

He frowned, displeased, and replied stiffly, "The rumors have been suppressed."

"And the source of the rumors?" I looked up at him. "How are you going to handle Isabella?"

Jack avoided my gaze. "She'll be removed from her position as head warrior tomorrow and demoted to a regular warrior."

"Just a demotion?" I let out a soft, bitter laugh. "It seems the crime of interfering with an Alpha's mate bond carries different punishments depending on the person."

"Gianna, that's enough!" Jack's expression darkened, and his Alpha pressure leaked out unintentionally.

All my feelings were lodged in my throat, unable to be suppressed or vented.

How could I forget? He was the Alpha.

…

It was a long time after Jack left before I finally let out a heavy breath.

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. I couldn't let go of my lingering feelings for Jack, but being stuck in a love triangle was truly tormenting.

So, as soon as dawn broke, I went to the old grounds of the Crescent pack.

"Mom, should I break the mate bond?" I whispered to her tombstone.

The wind blew, as though it were my mother sighing.

I gently touched the tombstone. Suddenly, the wolf-fang bracelet that had been on my wrist for a long time snapped, and the fang fell to the ground.

I stared at the cord in disbelief. There was no sign of wear and tear on it at all.

The tightly strung tension in me suddenly began to loosen.

"I've made up my mind, Mom. Thank you."