Chapter 3

Over the next few days, I packed my things.

At some point, the bedroom door opened behind me. Alaric wrapped his arms around me from behind and whispered, "I shouldn't have snapped at you last time. Just let me finish up some work, and then I'll file my own paperwork to leave the pack."

"Don't worry. I'd never abandon you."

His voice was soft, but someone else's perfume was all over his clothes, and it made my stomach turn.

I pulled free from his grip and brushed off my sleeve, like I'd touched something filthy.

Alaric's jaw tightened.

I placed the last piece of clothing into my suitcase and looked around the room — the house I had lived in for five years. Every corner held a memory of us.

Against my better judgment, I gave him one last chance. "Becoming Alpha is every male wolf's dream. Would you really give that up for me?"

Something flickered across Alaric's face. He was quiet for a long time before he spoke. "The truth is, I —"

His phone rang before he could finish. Alaric answered, and Vivienne's sobbing poured through the speaker.

He panicked instantly. Still murmuring reassurances into the phone, he grabbed his jacket and bolted out the door without a single word of explanation.

I listened to his footsteps fade down the hall and shook my head with a bitter smile.

I was a fool for holding on to even a shred of hope.

Maybe it was knowing this was my last night in this house, but I slept deeply — dreamless, undisturbed.

The next morning, my phone woke me with a barrage of notifications.

A message from Vivienne. A hotel booking confirmation — a couples' getaway to Moon Forest with Alaric, two months from now.

So his plans for the future had never included me.

Beneath the screenshot, Vivienne had added a message: "Omg Sophie, sorry — that wasn't meant for you lol. Don't get the wrong idea!"

I took a steadying breath and pushed the bitterness down. Then I remembered — there was one thing left to do.

I gathered every item Alaric had ever given me: the necklace from our anniversary, the ring from my birthday, and every love letter I had written for him — years' worth, stuffed into shoeboxes.

Things I had once treasured more than anything in the world — I burned them all.

Watching the black smoke curl into the sky, I felt lighter than I had in years.

Three hours until my flight.

I arrived at the airport early.

Just before boarding, Alaric called.

"Sophie, I can't come with you."

I had expected this, but hearing him say it still sent a jolt through my chest.

His voice was grave. "Vivienne's been poisoned with wolfsbane. She's in the hospital. I can't just leave her."

I almost laughed. He couldn't even come up with a believable excuse.

"Got it." My voice was flat.

Just as I was about to hang up, Alaric cut in. "You know exactly what you did."

I blinked. "What are you talking about?"

His tone turned hard. "We found a letter at Vivienne's place. It spelled out, clear as day, that you drove her to this."

"Sophie, I thought you were just jealous. I didn't realize you were cruel enough to try to kill her."

"If you apologize to her, I might still forgive you. But you need to spend some time away reflecting on what you've done. Otherwise, don't expect me to honor what we had."

My ear was ringing from his ranting. I hung up, blocked his number, and deleted the contact in one smooth motion.

The plane landed at my pack's airstrip. Waiting for me on the tarmac were my parents — and a stranger I had never met.

"Sophie, this is Dorian."

The name stopped me cold. He was the older brother Alaric had always talked about — the true heir to the Alpha title.

When I had first come to Alaric's pack, Dorian had been away, training at another pack. Our paths had never crossed.

I hadn't expected that the man I was arranged to mate with would be him.

Dorian stepped forward and took my suitcase, smiling warmly. "Hi. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Dorian."

Before I could respond, a phone rang.

An unknown number.

I answered cautiously. Alaric's frantic voice came through the line.

"Sophie, why did you change your flight?"

"And what's this about an alliance marriage in the news?"

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