Chapter 3

At the campsite, Alexander, who was probably feeling guilty, went out of his way to fuss over Alice. He kept bringing her drinks, grilling meat for her, and checking if she needed anything.

His friends teased, "Alexander, you're spoiling Alice rotten!"

However, all Alexander did was smile.

As the evening went on, Anna got drunk. Her cheeks flushed a deep red as she clung to him playfully. "Alexander, you've got to take responsibility for kissing me. Yesterday, you even unhooked my bra…"

The whole group fell silent.

The skewer of grilled meat slipped from Alice's hand and hit the ground. "Is that true?"

Alexander's expression soured. "Alice, hear me out..."

However, Alice simply got to her feet and walked away.

He chased after her and grabbed her wrist. "Alice, Anna had an asthma attack yesterday. I had to help her unclasp her bra so I could rub her chest to ease her breathing. I swear I kept my eyes closed the whole time. I didn't cheat on you!"

Alice let out a laugh, but tears rolled down her face anyway. "Don't you have a mate marking rejection disorder? You always said you couldn't have close physical contact with any she-wolf. So why does that not seem to be a problem anymore?"

Alexander went quiet.

Alice yanked her hand free and walked alone into the darkness.

Behind her, Anna called out in a weak voice, "Alexander, I'm allergic to alcohol… I can't breathe…"

Then, Alexander's voice followed. "Hang in there! I'll take you to the pack infirmary right now!"

His footsteps faded into the distance, and Alice was left standing in the darkness, feeling as if the whole world had abandoned her.

When she was ten, a mudslide had trapped her in a cave behind a massive boulder. Alexander had shifted into wolf form, shattered the rock, held her tight, and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

Now, he had left her alone in the wilderness to save another she-wolf.

The mountain road was pitch black. She fell countless times, and her knees ended up torn and bleeding. Her tears had long since dried.

All of a sudden, a snake slithered out from the shrubs and blocked Alice's path. She waved a branch to scare it off, but the snake, agitated, flicked its tongue. Alice stepped back, stumbled over a root, and fell.

The snake slowly moved closer.

Trembling, Alice tried to reach Alexander through the mind-link, but he cut it off. So, she tried again. Still, he cut it off once again. When Alice tried for the third time, he finally responded.

"Alice, can you stop being so petty? Anna's in serious danger. Stop making a scene and just wait in the tent, okay?"

In the background, Alice could hear Anna's voice. "Alexander, my chest hurts… Rub it for me again…"

"Okay."

Then came the rustle of clothing being removed, followed by soft, intimate gasps.

Alice cut the mind-link. In that moment of distraction, pain shot through her ankle. The snake had struck.

Mad with pain and fury, she grabbed a rock and smashed the snake until it was dead. Then, she limped back toward the camp. The moment she saw the glow of the campsite lights, her legs gave out, and she collapsed.

…

When she woke again, she was in the infirmary. Alexander sat by the bed. His eyes were red and swollen, and he looked awfully haggard.

"You're finally awake... The healer said you were bitten by a venomous snake. Thankfully, we got you here just in time. Didn't I tell you to go back to camp? How did you get bitten?"

Seeing how concerned he looked, Alice felt nothing but pure disgust. He was the one who had left her there, and now, he was playing the caring partner?

He reached out to brush her hair back, but she turned her head away. His hand hung awkwardly in the air before he pulled it back.

Then, his communicator lit up. He glanced at it and quickly turned the screen off.

"I'll get you some food."

However, Alice had seen it. It was a photo from Anna—a selfie of herself in lingerie.

Alice got out of bed and followed him.

In Alexander's off-road vehicle parked outside the infirmary, Anna's shirt was unbuttoned, and she was pinned against the seat. Alexander kissed her on the lips, then moved lower. Tangled together, they made lewd sounds that would make anyone blush.

Alice walked up and knocked sharply on the window. "What are the two of you doing?"

They scrambled to put some distance between them. Then, Alexander jumped out and rushed over. "Alice, it's not what you think! Anna was having chest tightness, and I was just helping her relax—"

"Helping her by unbuttoning her shirt? Helping her relax with your mouth?"

A chill swept through Alice. "Anna, my family funded your education. We brought you from that remote pack to the Moonshadow pack so you could learn. And this is how you repay me?"

Anna's eyes welled with tears. "I'm sorry, Alice. I'll return to the remote place I came from tomorrow..."

Alexander pulled Anna behind him and looked at Alice with cold detachment. "That's enough. Yes, your family may have helped her, but that doesn't mean you get to hold it over her head forever. Anna's been through enough."

Alice stared at him as the last flicker of light in her eyes went out. She turned and walked away.

Out of nowhere, headlights suddenly blazed from behind her, and the loud screech of tires could be heard.

"Watch out!" Alexander shouted.

Alice thought he was coming to save her. However, in the very next second, Alexander shoved her aside and lunged toward Anna.

The car screeched to a halt inches from Alice. She hit the ground, her heart pounding. Her arm was scraped raw and bleeding, but no pain could match the pain of betrayal in her chest.

Alexander cradled Anna, who was unharmed, murmuring softly to comfort her. He never even glanced at Alice.

"Hey, young lady, are you alright? You're bleeding a lot. Should I send you to the infirmary?" the wolf warrior who rushed out from the car asked Alice.

Even a complete stranger cared enough to ask, but the man who once swore he'd love her forever didn't look back once.

Alice picked herself up and walked back slowly toward the ward.