Chapter 1

It was Raven's wedding ceremony, and all our former classmates had gathered in the grand hall.

During dinner, I noticed two seats across from me were still empty.

"Don't you know? Draven graduated and just came back from Werewolf University in California."

"Wow…" gasped a few wolves.

Then suddenly, I felt multiple pairs of eyes land on me.

Just at that moment, the doors swung open.

The man I hadn't seen in seven years stepped inside.

He walked straight over—

and sat down right across from me.

When our eyes met, it felt like something struck me right in the chest.

"Bella, what have you been doing all these years? You look... older. Kind of lifeless."

Someone burst into laughter, quickly covering her mouth with a fake apology.

"Haha, don't take it personally. Honestly, we didn't even recognize you when you first came in."

"And those glasses—where on earth did you find them? They're hideous."

"Well, she never looked that great to begin with. Without makeup or accessories, she just looks... awkward."

I bit my lip to hide the embarrassment burning through me.

I dared to glance up—he was staring at me.

His gaze was cold and distant.

My heart trembled. I immediately lowered my head.

Eventually, the conversation shifted.

"So, what were you doing overseas these past seven years?"

He gave a faint smile, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

"When did you come back?"

Everyone at the table seemed to speak over one another, eager to get his attention.

Then one question silenced the entire hall.

"Did you meet any beautiful she-wolves overseas? I heard the ones there are super hot."

At those words, the glass in his hand paused midair.

The entire room fell into an uneasy hush, as if they could hear his wolf growling beneath the surface.

He slowly set his glass down.

A strange smirk tugged at the corner of his lips—distant, unreadable.

"You'll know when you go there yourself," he said calmly.

But they weren't done trying to humiliate me.

"Bella, you never answered us. What exactly have you been doing all these years?"

The she-wolf who asked was the same one who used to fawn over Draven back then.

And now, she was clearly enjoying the show.

I didn't want to answer.

But clearly, no one was going to drop the question.

"I... I worked in a library. Mostly organizing books."

That sentence barely left my mouth before the entire table sighed.

"A library? Haha, no wonder she looks so dull and lifeless."

"Yeah, reading all day must have ruined her eyesight. Look at those thick glasses."

Their laughter echoed around me. I didn't argue.

Some of them were Alphas from other packs—I couldn't afford to offend them.

So I kept my head lowered, silent.

"No wonder she looks like such a nerd. Studying is probably the only thing she's ever done."

Then someone chuckled and turned to Draven.

"Draven, I've been dying to ask you something for years. What on earth made you fall for her in the first place?"

That question pierced straight through me.

It felt like my heart was bleeding.

Still, no one stopped.

Not until Kelvin—my former partner—finally snapped.

"That's enough. Why are you still making fun of her? Isn't one joke more than enough?"

I froze. My body stiffened, and I could feel my wolf sobbing quietly inside me.

I couldn't stay there any longer.

I muttered an excuse and hurried toward the restroom.

Even then, their whispers followed behind me.

"Ugh, sitting next to her feels like I'll catch her dumbness."

"Draven, you're lucky you never claimed her."

"Who would want a washed-out, boring she-wolf like her? She's disgusting."

.....

In the restroom, I turned the faucet on full blast.

The sound of rushing water was the only thing loud enough to mask the sound of my sobs.

I couldn't stop the tears. They just kept falling, so I kept splashing cold water on my face, over and over.

When the redness in my eyes faded a little, I looked up at the mirror.

Without my thick glasses, my own reflection was just a blur.

Seven years ago, a fire damaged my wolf. My sight was permanently injured after that night.

If I didn't wear my glasses, the world was nothing but shadows and fog.

When I stepped out of the restroom, I heard voices a few meters behind me.

Two men were standing with their backs to me, unaware I was there.

"Draven, have you really forgotten Bella? It's been seven years."

Through my blurry vision, all I could make out was a small flicker of light—

a faint glow burning between his fingers.

"There's nothing you can't forget in seven years."

He let out a dry laugh.

"Honestly, looking at her now—there's nothing special about her."

"If today were the first time I met her, I wouldn't have even spared her a second glance."

I stood frozen at the corner by the restroom entrance, my legs trembling.

I had to reach out and steady myself against the wall.

He stubbed out the cigarette and pulled out his phone.

A woman's voice came through the speaker—clear, sweet, gentle.

"Draven, I'm here. Come get me."

And that was it.

I didn't cry.

But it felt like something inside my chest had caught fire and was burning uncontrollably.

Without a word, I turned and walked toward the stairs—quietly.

And left the ceremony behind.