LOGINROSENTINEMy legs suddenly turned to jelly, so weak I could barely stand, and I found myself slowly sinking down, clutching at my chest as if that would steady my heart. It thudded wildly, loud and desperate, while Alpha Bastian’s words kept echoing in my mind, again and again, like a song stuck on repeat.“What I feel for you isn’t lust—it’s love.”“There’s no way,” I muttered, my voice shaking, the words barely making it past my lips.I just couldn’t believe it.Suddenly, memories flashed in my mind: last night, the moment I hugged Rosalia, the way Alpha Bastian’s expression had tightened when I congratulated them, the way he kept looking at me as if he was holding back a thousand words, the way his gaze lingered, intense and searching.All those moments rushed back, piling up, practically screaming at me to notice, to take a fucking hint.And then, just earlier, the pain in his eyes when I put words into his mouth, the way he looked genuinely wounded by my rejection when he tried t
ROSENTINEThe sun was shining brightly when I woke up, but instead of waking in a good mood, I felt completely drained. Last night felt like a nightmare, and I didn’t want to remember a single part of it.For a while, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the bright morning settle on my skin until I finally sighed and pushed myself upright. My body felt sluggish, every movement slow, but I knew I couldn’t just wallow in bed.Not today.I still needed to check on Hana. She’d gotten hurt last night because of Melissa, and even though the physician said it was only a sprain, omegas like Hana didn’t heal as quickly as Alphas did. It would take time, and I at least wanted to be there for her because I felt like it was my fault that she was hurt.After Hana was treated, Owen had helped her back to her quarters, and we’d agreed to meet for breakfast today. I wanted to talk to him about what happened, about what he intended to do with Melissa and the other maid for hurting Hana in
ROSALIA“Why did you do that?” Bastian’s voice caught up with me the moment we slipped into my room after the banquet.Though there were some interruptions, everything still ended well, and I couldn’t help feeling a bitter sort of satisfaction. Especially knowing how much Rosentine must have reeled after my sudden announcement.The look on her face, even as she tried to hide it, gave me a sense of accomplishment. I hadn’t really planned to go that far, but seeing her struggle to keep herself together… I’d guess it was worth the risk.“What do you mean?” I played dumb, easing myself down onto the bed. Then, I faked a coughing fit, and Bastian immediately poured me a glass of water like an automatic response.After that, he sat right beside me, pressing the glass into my hands before his eyes searched for something I wouldn’t give him. I knew he wanted to talk about this since earlier, but he didn’t want to ruin the banquet or even embarrass me by showing the pack members that he wasn’t
ROSENTINEThe applause, the sudden rush of cheers when my sister made her announcement, it hit me all at once, and for a second, it felt like the room had tilted under my feet.I just stood there, frozen at the corner, watching as they hugged and everyone swarmed around them with their faces bright with happiness. I felt my heart sink into my stomach, the sight making me feel emotions I didn’t know existed.After all, Rosalia claiming she was willing to be Alpha Bastian’s Luna meant they were going to marry each other.I couldn’t help but press my lips together, trying to make my face into something neutral, anything that wouldn’t betray how much the announcement had gutted me. I hated myself for it.I hated that I could only think of how much it hurt when I should have been celebrating for Rosalia.When did I become so bitter and selfish, anyway?It was supposed to be a new beginning for all of us, but I couldn’t dredge up any real happiness, not even for her.“Rosentine.” Owen’s voi
ROSENTINE“Are you nervous?” I asked, voice low, eyes darting sideways to Hana, whose hand pressed against mine as we made our way into the banquet hall. The place was already alive with pack members, and I noticed that some faces were new to my eyes, while others were familiar from around the packhouse.“A little.” Hana’s grip on me only tightened, like she was entering a new world. I was about to whisper something reassuring when Owen’s voice suddenly called me.“Rosentine!” he raised his hand, and I turned on instinct, feeling Hana shrink behind me, her hand almost clinging now. Owen’s gaze then flicked to her, narrowing his eyes. “Who’s that behind you? A friend?”“Huh? No, it’s Hana,” I said, forcing a smile since I could practically feel her discomfort from behind me, where she was hiding. “I dressed her for tonight’s occasion, you see.”Owen leaned in, peering over my shoulder with a quizzical tilt of his head.“Oh, but why are you hiding?” His eyes found Hana, and the sudden a
ROSENTINEThe whole pack house was buzzing with excitement as there would be another banquet later this evening. Everyone was busy, the corridor echoed with footsteps, people shouting instructions, and laughter bubbling as they rushed to finish their tasks. In the middle of it all, I sat alone on my bed with a half-finished knitted sweater on my lap.I had been working on this for days, and every time I thought I’d gotten it right, I’d find a mistake like a missed stitch or a crooked line, and I would end up tugging the yarn loose and starting over, determined to get it just right.After all, this would go with the gifts I wanted to give Rosalia.I knew I should be focusing on the neatness of my stitches, but my mind kept drifting back to last night, causing my heart to race faster and my cheeks to tingle with warmth.Even now, I still couldn’t believe that Alpha Bastian and I had made up and cleared the air between us. The way he gently brushed my cheek, the sincerity in his apolog







