Chapter 1

Elder Walter Blankenship looked at me with contempt.

"Serena Patrick, everyone in the pack knows how deeply Kayson Callahan loves Lyanna Lawrence. How could he possibly do anything to betray her?"

He looked me up and down, the corners of his lips curling into a mocking smile. "You're the one who's been in our pack for nearly five years. If I weren't responsible for maintaining the pack records, I doubt I'd even remember your name."

His tone grew stern, carrying a clear warning. "Serena, don't think too highly of yourself. Don't covet something that doesn't belong to you."

My fingers tightened around the hem of my clothes. I forced a bitter smile. "I understand. Thank you, Elder."

After leaving the Council of Elders, I instinctively called Kayson, wanting to ask him what was going on.

The phone rang for a long time before someone finally answered.

However, it was Lyanna's voice on the other end.

"Serena? Kayson's discussing pack affairs with the Council of Elders. If you need something, I can pass it along. But if it's just something trivial, don't bother him. He's been busy enough with the pack lately." Her voice wasn't loud, but every word struck my chest with pain.

Then I faintly heard Kayson's voice from the other end. "Who's calling?"

Lyanna answered with a smile in her voice, "It's nothing. Just someone unimportant. Go on working."

The call ended abruptly.

My tears fell onto my phone, making the screen flicker. When it finally went completely dark, my heart died with it.

From the day Lyanna came to the pack, I had already anticipated this ending.

That day, Lyanna had been wearing a white dress, and Kayson hadn't been able to take his eyes off her.

After that, every one of his principles was broken for Lyanna. She didn't have to follow proper etiquette. She could walk into his office whenever she wanted. He could even give her the most prestigious status.

I'd protested before.

But Kayson had sworn to me, "I'll only ever love you in this life. I won't marry anyone but you, Serena."

Like a fool, I believed him.

For five years, I endured my homesickness and learned to adapt to the rules here. I even kept telling myself that as long as I waited for the Bonding Ceremony, all those years of waiting would be worth it.

But later, he kept Lyanna by his side every moment of every day. He taught her how to hunt, how to identify poisonous plants, and even self-defense.

He told me, "She's a girl. She should learn how to protect herself."

So I watched them spend every day together.

Eventually, everyone in the pack saw how inseparable they were and assumed they were a couple deeply in love.

Yet Kayson kept telling me, "Don't overthink it. I just feel sorry for her."

I looked into his sincere eyes and believed him again.

From then on, I convinced myself to be content as his Shadow Consort. I took care of everything behind the scenes for him, just so he could have peace of mind.

That was when I remembered what my friend, Gillian Price, had warned me the year I followed Kayson here.

"Serena, you're still young. I'm not going to stop you. But remember this. If you spend your whole life depending on someone else, one day you'll lose even the right to choose to leave."

Back then, I'd laughed and told her I trusted him. I thought love could overcome anything.

I endured five long years and did everything I could to earn my place here, yet I still couldn't win even a shred of recognition.

Only now did I finally understand what Gillian had meant.

A tear fell onto my hand, pulling me out of my memories.

Thinking of it, I took out the severance token Kayson had given me five years ago.

Back then, he'd told me, "Serena, this is your way out. If the day ever comes when you want to leave me, just go."

I'd thought I'd never have to use it in my entire life. I never imagined it would come in handy after only five years.

I wiped away my tears and prepared to go home and pack my things.

Just then, Kayson called me back.