Chapter 3

Everyone holding a drink turned to look at me at once.

Warren's hand shook nervously, and his glass slipped from his fingers and shattered across the floor.

Kayson turned at the sound. "Serena? What are you doing here?"

I let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you at some pack feast? Or are you going to say I showed up at the wrong time?"

Kayson panicked and hurried toward me. "No. We were supposed to go to the feast, but something came up, and we changed the plan."

He reached out and grabbed my hand. "Since you're here, stay and have dinner with us."

I immediately shook his hand off and looked at him calmly.

A flicker of unease crossed his eyes as he cautiously tried to explain, "You heard all that? Everything they said was nonsense."

He lowered his voice. "Don't overthink it. Once I finish dealing with the pack affairs I'm handling, I'll apply to register you again. We'll hold the ceremony too."

I was silent for a moment, then swept my gaze across everyone in the room. "Whatever. I shouldn't have come here tonight. I won't bother you anymore. Please, carry on with your dinner."

I didn't ask him why he'd registered Lyanna or force him to explain himself in front of everyone either.

Because I'd already heard more than enough. I was leaving tonight.

The moment I turned around, Lyanna rushed toward me and blocked the exit. "Serena, please don't leave. None of this has anything to do with Kayson. He only agreed to register a mate bond with me because he felt sorry for me. I have no one and nowhere to go.

"You can do whatever you want to me. Just don't be angry with Kayson, okay? Please. I'm begging you."

I frowned instinctively. With just a few words, she'd completely absolved herself, making me the unreasonable one if I kept pushing the issue.

"Let go."

But she only tightened her grip, even pretending to sink to her knees. "I won't, unless you forgive me, okay? I promise I won't compete with you for Kayson..."

I finally couldn't take it anymore and let out a cold laugh. "Lyanna, are you done pretending?"

"You knew perfectly well he's my fated mate, yet you kept getting close to him again and again. And now you're standing in front of me asking me to forgive you?"

Lyanna cried even harder.

Kayson's expression immediately darkened. "Enough! Serena, watch what you say. Whatever the problem is, we'll discuss it when we get home. Don't make a scene like this in front of everyone."

I looked at the way he stood protectively in front of Lyanna, and the last bit of hope I had disappeared.

I yanked my hand free.

The next second, Lyanna suddenly cried out and stumbled backward, accidentally hitting the liquor cabinet behind her.

Warren shouted, "Get out of the way! The cabinet's going to fall!"

"Watch out!" Kayson yelled and rushed forward to shield Lyanna.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to get away.

The cabinet slammed into my back. Pain exploded through me.

The bottles inside shattered across the floor, and the crimson liquor quickly spread through the blood pooling beneath me.

I forced myself to look up through the pain, only to see Kayson holding Lyanna with concern written all over his face.

He shouted angrily, "Serena, are you crazy? She was only trying to make peace between us, and you actually dared to hurt her!"

Everyone turned to look at me. Not one person came over. There was no concern in their eyes, only ridicule.

I endured the pain and staggered toward the exit, tears burning in my eyes.

"Stop." Kayson's voice was sharp. "Who said you could leave? Apologize!"

I stared at him in disbelief, the anger in my chest rising until it burned in my throat. "She knew I was your fated mate and still kept getting between us. And now I'm the one who hurt her? What right does a woman who destroys someone else's relationship have to demand an apology from me?"

I was so agitated that the wound on my back tore open again, forcing a sharp breath from me.

Before I could react, a slap landed across my face.

I covered my cheek. "You hit me?"

"So what if I did? You're crazy! Lyanna was trying to help you out of the goodness of her heart, and instead of being grateful, you insulted her? If you ask me, that liquor cabinet falling on you today was karma."

My heart sank completely, and I let out a bitter laugh. "If she were really being kind, she wouldn't have gotten pregnant with your pup. How dare you two stand here and condemn me like you're in the right?"

Kayson was furious now. He began listing everything he'd done for me, one thing after another.

"Serena, don't forget what you are. You were barely of age when you followed me to this pack. All these years, I gave you a place to live. I supported you. I gave you the life you have now.

"What would you have left if you left me?"