Chapter 2

Emma.

“Thanks for giving me all your stuff, Rae. Your time, your place in the pack… for him, I’ll take good care of him too.”

I just stared at it. My blood didn't even boil—it went cold.

I thought about that damn Lego model.

The one he mentioned offhand once during our night runs, how he used to build it as a kid when his parents were still alive. I went on Amazon, paid a fortune to find the exact limited-edition set.

Spent three weeks building it by hand. Got a cut on my palm from a stupid sharp piece and didn’t even care.

He loved it. Said it was the best gift anyone had ever given him.

But the next time I saw it?

It was on Emma’s shelf.

She said he lent it to her.

I didn’t say a word.

I could still remember that day. The look on his face when I gave it to him.

And now it felt like everything I touched just slid into her hands.

My chest tightened. Not anger—just this quiet, hollow ache. Like I was slowly erasing myself from his life, and he didn’t even notice.

And then came the mountain.That stupid Pack bonding hike.

He asked me to come. Said it’d be good for my instincts.

Emma, of course, tagged along.

Halfway up, she sidled next to me, acting all tired and clumsy. I knew something was off, but I didn’t expect it.

She “stumbled.” Crashed right into me.

Next thing I knew, I was rolling down the slope, rocks tearing through my sleeves, pain blooming down my right side.

I groaned, tried to sit up—and there she was. Smiling. Leaning down like she cared.

She whispered:

“You think he’ll believe you over me? He already chose.”

When Logan came running up the path, she was crying like she broke every bone in her body.

“I didn’t mean to, Rae must’ve been tired, I just reached out to help her...”

She even made her voice shake.

I looked at him, waiting—begging—for a hint of doubt.

He didn’t ask about my bleeding arm. Didn’t ask if I could even walk.

He picked her up. Turned to me and said:

“Stop being dramatic, Rae.”

I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood.

That was two weeks ago. And ever since, every day felt like I was walking out of my own life, step by step, watching someone else step into it.

Now?

I’m three days from being gone.

I was about to call the driver, my phone rang.

It was him.

His voice, as always, warm and calm.

“Rae, I’m sorry.”

For a second, I thought he meant it and he actually want to be with me. That he was finally apologizing for leaving me at the bonding registry, for letting our pack elders wait while he disappeared without a trace.

I opened my mouth to speak—

And then I heard her.

Emma’s soft, sugary tone bleeding through the line.

“Rae-sis, I’m really sorry… I-I didn’t mean to damage your Wedding dress…”

She even threw in a sob. “It just tore when I was trying it on. I didn't mean it, I swear…”

And then Logan, gently soothing her, like it was nothing.

“It’s okay. Don’t cry. Rae isn’t the type to get upset over this.”

Then, finally, he turned his attention back to me.

“Anyway, Rae. The ceremony's off for now. I’ll take you to pick out a better Wedding dress later. Something new, something just for you.”

I didn’t say anything.