Chapter 3

That night, the mansion was empty and terrifyingly quiet.

No one came home. No one even said "Happy Birthday" to me.

I curled up in my leaky attic like a forgotten ghost, listening to the howling wind outside.

I had starved all day, and the agonizing pain in my stomach kept me awake all night.

The next morning, I crept into the kitchen, looking for anything to ease my hunger.

"Hey, Miss Rhea, what do you think you're doing?" The cook spotted me immediately and snatched the piece of meat from my hand.

"I... I just wanted something to eat," I said weakly, clutching my cramping stomach.

"These are imported, premium ingredients. They’re strictly for the Alpha, his brothers, and Miss Chloe. If they find out you ate them..." The cook feigned distress, then grabbed a carton of expired milk from beside the trash can. "If you're really that starving, you can have this."

I didn't drink the milk. I just washed down a painkiller with some tap water and left the house.

I didn't have much time left. I needed to make my final arrangements.

I went to a remote cemetery on the outskirts of the pack’s territory.

The plots here were the cheapest because it was far from the pack—a resting place for exiles and strays.

"You sure you want to buy this plot?" The old caretaker, a one-eyed elderly werewolf, looked at my deathly pale face and frail body. A flash of pity crossed his cloudy eye.

"Yes." I pushed a handful of crumpled, small bills toward him.

It was everything I had.

"Please keep this spot for me. And..." I paused, my voice hoarse but calm, "in three days, if no one finds my body, please come collect it for me."

The old man stared at me in shock, let out a heavy sigh, and finally nodded grimly. "Alright, child. I promise you."

Holding the thin slip of paper that was my plot receipt, I turned and headed back.

Walking past the pack’s training grounds, I stopped.

Through the chain-link fence, I saw Declan training.

Shirtless, muscles bulging, he was punching a heavy bag with dull, rhythmic thuds.

Watching him, my mind drifted back to before I was seven.

Back then, Declan was a hot-blooded, fiercely protective older brother.

He loved hoisting me onto his shoulders and letting me "fly" over his territory. "Look, Rhea! I’m gonna be the strongest warrior in the pack! With me around, no one will ever bully my precious baby sister!"

Now, he really was the strongest Gamma warrior. But not to protect me.

As I was spacing out, Declan noticed me and came storming over.

"What are you doing sneaking around here?"

Faced with his overwhelming aura, instinctual fear made my body tremble. But remembering that I was dying, I clenched my fists and summoned my last shred of courage. "Declan... could you have dinner with me tonight?"

"Dinner?" Declan acted like he’d heard a hilarious joke. He let out a harsh bark of laughter. "What are you plotting now? Last time you played nice and baked cookies for Chloe, she had a severe allergic reaction and almost went into anaphylactic shock! Now you want to buy me dinner? Who are you trying to kill this time?"

"I didn't!" I tried desperately to explain, tears welling in my eyes. "I didn't know back then..."

"Shut up! You vicious monster!"

Declan suddenly exploded in rage and shoved my shoulder hard.

I was already weak, and I hit the ground heavily.

My elbows and knees scraped raw, blood seeping out.

And the cemetery receipt I had been clutching fell into the dirt.

Declan frowned and took a step forward to see what it was.

Just as he reached for it, his phone rang.

It was an exclusive, sweet ringtone.

The violent rage in Declan's eyes melted into absolute adoration.

He stood up and answered it, his voice dripping with affection. "Hey, Chloe, what's up? Oh, you want cake from that bakery on the West Side? Alright, I'm on my way to get it for you."

After hanging up, he looked down at me again.

"Don't let me catch you pulling any more stunts, and don't come near me. Or I swear, I really won't be able to stop myself from snapping your neck!"

With that, he turned on his heel and left without a second glance.

Watching his retreating back, I opened my mouth to say something, but a second later, a tearing, explosive pain erupted in my stomach.

My vision went black, and all sound faded away.

I collapsed and lost consciousness.