My Ascent, Your Descent

"Milly, Andy still doesn't know you're my daughter, does he? Tell him, and he'll choose you." My father's voice came from the other end of the call.

But just thinking of Andy in bed with another she-wolf made me sick. "No, father. I'm breaking up with him. I'll settle everything within a week."

My father, the Lycan King William Gomez, sounded overjoyed with my decision. "The council elders have already finished drafting the succession announcement ages ago. Once you come home, you can take over and become the new Lycan Queen at any time."

That night, Andy still did not come home. I was used to it by now already.

-

The next morning, I submitted my request to leave the pack to the Council of Elders after I got out of bed.

A few warriors I was close to asked why I was leaving so suddenly.

"Aren't you an orphan? Did you find your family?" A warrior asked.

"Maybe she's some Alpha's long-lost daughter, haha!" Another warrior laughed.

Everyone teased me all at once, and I simply smiled and nodded. "That's right. I'm going home to take over a pack."

My friends all burst out laughing because they all thought I was joking.

When I reached home, Andy happened to be home as well. He froze when he saw me packing. "Why are you packing so much? Where are you going?"

I shook my head and did not explain.

Andy walked over with a look of concern on his face. "What's wrong? Are you upset? Did someone bully you?"

Looking at Andy's familiar face, I gave him a faint smile. "It's nothing. I'm just a little tired and I want to rest for a while and go somewhere."

Andy relaxed after he heard what I had to say and smiled. "I told you a long time ago. If you want anything, just tell me. You don't have to work so hard."

Looking straight into his eyes, I earnestly said, "Andy, I'm not some useless woman who needs to be taken care of by someone else."

Andy froze. "Useless? Why would you think that? You're my mate…"

I smiled bitterly.

A mate who had never been mate bonded with?

But I did not want to keep arguing with him, so I changed the subject. "Why did you come back so suddenly today? Aren't you very busy?"

Andy had been using the alliance discussions with other packs as an excuse to stay away for long stretches of time lately. I had almost gotten used to it. He then put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his embrace. "I had some time, so I wanted to come back and keep you company."

Once upon a time, the warmth in his eyes would have moved me deeply. But now, the lingering scent of a she-wolf desire on him made me nauseated.

As an Alpha, he had once endured the Council of Elders and his parents' disapproval just to keep an "orphan" like me by his side.

I used to feel sorry for him, so I was always thinking about what I could do for him.

But now, I understood everything.

Has he really been so busy with pack affairs lately? Or had he been busy sleeping with another she-wolf? He had even gotten her pregnant with his pup. There were countless questions I wanted to ask of him, but I did not as I pushed them down.

The photo of us on the table suddenly looked so glaring.

Whatever. There was no point anymore. Father had already arranged my return home. I needed to make preparations to leave now.

I looked at Andy and said, "Since you're back, why don't you give me a hand cleaning up our room? A lot of useless things have been piled up and keeping them here only takes up space."

"Sure. Whatever you say." Andy said with a smile. He rolled up his sleeves and picked up the broom from the corner. But as I pulled out more and more things, he started to frown. He had realized the trash I wanted to throw away was full of our memories.

For example, the wolf fang necklace he had given me on our first date. Then, there was the ring he had polished himself and given me on our third anniversary, with both our initials engraved inside. There were also wooden figures we had carved of each other. There were also the love letters we had written to each other over the past five years.

He watched me throw them into the trash without hesitation and the smile finally slipped from his face. His expression turned serious. "Why are you throwing these away all of a sudden? Even our old letters? "Milly, what's wrong with you? Did you hear something outside?"

I turned to look at him. "Then what do you think I should have heard?"

I tried to find even a trace of guilt in his eyes.

Unfortunately, he simply looked away.

As he moved a few more things, he said, "I've been busy discussing the alliance with the other packs lately, so there may be some bad rumors going around. But you only need to remember one thing... the person I love is you."

I forced a smile, but I felt nothing but grief.

I even wanted to tell him I was the Lycan King's heir just a moment ago. But his lies left my heart completely cold.