Chapter 2

At two in the morning, I woke up shivering.

My forehead was burning, and my throat was so dry that I could barely speak.

I fumbled for my phone, intending to call the emergency medical hotline, but my finger accidentally tapped another number.

When the call connected, I spoke groggily.

"Doctor, I have a fever, but there's no fever medicine at home. What should I do?"

The voice that answered was Caleb's.

"Serena?"

I suddenly woke up a little more and looked down at my screen.

I'd called the wrong person.

"Serena, how old are you? Are you seriously still playing these childish jealousy games?"

Caleb's voice was full of impatience.

"I know how healthy you are. You hardly ever catch a cold. And now, suddenly, you have a fever?"

"Is this because I bought Elise hot chocolate today?"

"If you want to lie to get my attention, at least come up with a believable excuse."

I held the phone without saying anything.

The fever made my head pound, and my throat felt so swollen that even explaining myself was difficult.

"Caleb, are you still there?"

Elise's voice came through the phone.

"Yes."

Caleb answered immediately, his tone completely different from the one he'd used with me.

"I'll hang up now. We'll talk later."

The call ended abruptly.

I stared at the dark screen, my eyes stinging from the fever.

In the past, even a single sneeze from me would make Caleb drop whatever he was doing. He wouldn't rest until he was sure I wasn't getting sick.

But now, I was so feverish that I could barely sit up, and he thought I was just pretending to compete for his attention.

The truth was simple.

He just didn't care anymore.

A little while later, my phone lit up again.

Caleb had sent me a message.

【Elise is the one who's actually running a fever. She needs someone to look after her tonight. If you're really feeling unwell, go check the medicine cabinet for something. Stop coming to me for every little thing.】

I pushed myself up against the bed and struggled to stand.

There was no medicine left at home.

I picked up my phone, intending to ask a neighbor for help, when a social media notification suddenly appeared.

Elise had posted a new update.

In the photo, she was sitting on a soft sofa in loose pajamas.

At the edge of the frame, a familiar man's hand was holding out a glass of water for her.

The caption read:

【It's nice having someone by your side when you're sick.】

I stared at the photo for a long time before finally closing the app.

It had always been like this.

As Caleb's childhood friend, Elise somehow managed to leave his presence in every single one of her social media posts.

She never crossed any obvious lines, yet every post carried an unmistakable hint of intimacy.

And somehow, whenever I needed Caleb, she always found a way to keep him by her side.

Caleb always had an excuse.

She was fragile and needed looking after.

She was afraid of the dark and couldn't be left alone.

She had only recently returned to the Pack and still felt insecure.

Every time, I told myself she was just his friend.

Only now did I realize that a woman didn't have to cross any boundaries to be favored again and again.

That night, Caleb never came home.

The next morning, I dragged myself out of bed, my head still heavy and aching, and got ready to head to Blackthorn Pack headquarters.

Today was the selection day for the new Head of Potion Research.

I had spent six months preparing for this position.

From research data on wolf potions to drug resistance analyses across different werewolf bloodlines, and even a three-year development plan, I had scrutinized every detail over and over again.

I had always believed that if my work was good enough, I could earn the position through my own abilities.

Once the competition began, I answered the judges' questions confidently.

All ten judges gave me high scores.

By the time the final rankings were announced, I was firmly in first place.

Just as the representative of the Elders was about to announce the results, the conference room doors suddenly swung open.

Caleb walked in.

He was the Alpha of Blackthorn Pack and the final authority in this selection process.

According to Pack regulations, he had the right to overrule the judges' decisions.

And following right behind him was Elise.

My gaze fell on the employee badge pinned to her chest.

She had joined the research institute less than a month ago and hadn't even completed her probationary period.

She had no business being at a meeting like this.

But Caleb seemed completely oblivious to my stare. He walked straight to the head of the table and took his seat.

"Sorry. Something came up."

He then handed a document to the HR director.

"There's no need to announce the final results just yet. I've made a different arrangement."

The conference room fell silent.

I stared at the document he placed in the center of the table, a sudden sense of unease settling in my chest.

Caleb raised his head, his eyes finally meeting mine.

"Regarding the position of Head of Potion Research, I believe we need to reconsider the candidates."

Behind him, Elise lowered her head, barely concealing the smile tugging at her lips.