Chapter 2

My gaze landed on the diamond ring on her finger. It hit me like a bucket of ice water.

Damien had an identical men's ring. Mine was a matching bracelet from the same collection. He'd told me the set only came in a men's ring and a women's bracelet — he kept the ring and gave me the bracelet, a symbol that we'd always be together.

I'd been so happy. I wore that bracelet every single day.

I never imagined the wolf he truly wanted was someone else.

To Damien, both I and that bracelet were just accessories — disposable props he could brush off whenever he pleased.

Rage boiled over, and I let out a laugh.

My eyes locked onto Vivienne's bare neck, and my voice turned ice-cold.

"Every wolf in this pack knows the Luna's name is Aria. And I just heard him call you Vivienne..."

"There's no mark on your neck. You don't even bear his claim, yet you parade around calling yourself his mate. A dirty little secret hiding in the shadows has no business running her mouth in front of me."

Vivienne hadn't expected me to see right through her. She glared at me viciously.

"So what if I'm the other woman? Aria was just lucky enough to meet Damien first. Even if she's been marked, I'm the only one he loves!"

Right on cue, her phone rang. She threw me a smug look.

"See? Damien can't stand to be away from me for even a second."

"Just you wait — I'll have him teach you both a lesson!"

She switched to a simpering, girlish voice.

"Damien, baby~ I'm at the rose garden on the back hill."

"Two low-ranking Omegas insulted me and mocked me for not bearing your mark. You have to stand up for me~"

"Oh, and when are you going to issue the order making the rose garden restricted? I've already decorated everything for us, waiting for you to come try it out..."

Whatever Damien said on the other end made her blush and giggle.

After hanging up, she looked at us — triumph laced with cruelty.

"Damien said he's coming to deal with you personally. Start thinking about your last words."

Bitterness rose in my throat.

I thought of how Damien used to gaze at me with those adoring eyes, and I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

Nancy saw my expression and understood everything instantly.

Her eyes blazed red.

"That bastard isn't worth a fraction of his father. He's turned out just like his worthless grandfather!"

"Does he really think being Alpha means he can do whatever he wants?"

Damien's father had loved Nancy dearly, but had been killed by his own father's mistress and illegitimate son.

That was why Nancy despised unfaithful wolves with every fiber of her being — and despised the she-wolves willing to be their mistresses.

Though Nancy had been gradually stepping back, Damien was still young. Most pack affairs were still in her hands.

And my father was the pack's most respected Chief Elder.

I was almost looking forward to seeing Damien's face when he arrived.

Just then, Nancy's breathing suddenly grew ragged. Her body burned with fever, and she clutched herself in agony.

I rushed to check on her and discovered she'd been poisoned with wolfsbane.

I scooped her up, desperate to get her back for treatment, but Vivienne signaled Cain. Before I could react, his claws sent me crashing to the ground.

Nancy rolled toward the slope.

She was about to go over the edge. Without thinking, I threw myself after her and caught her just in time.

Vivienne was doubled over laughing.

"Weren't you two acting tough just a minute ago? Look at you now — pathetic. You don't even look like werewolves. More like a pair of stray dogs!"

"Cain, beat them. Don't stop until Damien gets here."

Cain ripped a vine from a tree and brought it down across my back.

The pain nearly knocked me unconscious. Every ounce of willpower I had went into not letting go.

He glanced at Vivienne for approval.

"Don't worry — I'll take good care of them."

"Just put in a good word for me with the Alpha."

Then he stomped down on my hand and ground his heel into it.

I looked at Nancy's worsening color and forced the words through my teeth.

"She's dying. Her body can't take it — the wolfsbane will kill her!"

"If she actually dies, not even Damien can protect you from the Elder Council!"

"And when Damien gets here and sees this — do you think he'll let it slide?"

Cain glanced nervously at Vivienne.

"Vivienne, maybe we should stop?"

She scoffed.

"Scared? These low-ranking Omegas are experts at playing the victim. A little wolfsbane won't kill her — she was just climbing the mountain fine a minute ago."

"Go throw a lynx at the old wolf. Watch her jump right up."