Chapter 4

My eyes fluttered open to the sterile white of the infirmary.

The clock on the wall ticked mercilessly.

Five hours. That’s all I had left.

And there, beside me—Alice.

My once-best friend, now clutching my hand like it was the only thing tethering me to this world. Her sobs came in jagged gasps, tears streaking her face.

The irony wasn’t lost on me.

Years ago, she’d begged me not to mate with Luke.

"He’ll destroy you," she’d warned. But I’d been blind, cutting her off for daring to question my choice.

And now?

Now, as death crept in, she was the only one left at my side.

"Emma…"

Alice’s voice broke.

"What did they do to you?"

Her fingers trembled against my wrist.

"Your wolf—they say her organs are failing. How could Luke let this happen?"

I tried to speak, but my breath came in shallow rasps.

"Alice…" I managed, "When I’m gone… just… make sure I have a quiet place to rest."

My strength failed. I collapsed back, my chest heaving.

Wordlessly, Alice reached for my bag, pulling out the documents. She didn’t need to ask—she already knew.

One hour.

The world blurred at the edges.

Then, my phone lit up in Alice’s hand. Three messages from Fiona:

【Congratulations, Emma—you’ve officially lost everything to me. Was it worth it?】

【Did you really think they’d choose you? You were never family. Just a placeholder.】

【Disappear already. The world won’t miss a loser like you.】

Alice’s grip on my hand tightened. For the first time in years, I didn’t feel alone.

I closed my eyes, Fiona’s face flashing in my mind—my greatest mistake.

The memory burned like poison:

That rainy night years ago, when I found her—a starving orphan, shivering by the trash bins.

My foolish kindness made me bring her home. I begged my parents to feed her. I made Kane buy her new clothes.

And what did it earn me?

Within weeks, she had stolen my room, my family, my life.

My parents doted on her while criticizing me.

Kane remembered her birthday but forgot mine—even though they were just one day apart.

My belongings became hers.

My love, her trophy.

Fiona’s whisper still haunted me:

"Why should you have everything when I had nothing?"

"I’ll take it all—your family, your wealth, your future. I’ll never go back to being that starving rogue again."

I had believed, naively, that one day my family would see through her lies. That they’d realize I was the one who truly loved them.

But I was wrong.

Every time I spoke the truth, they accused me of jealousy, pettiness, cruelty.

Luke and Jim—my own mate and son—chose her too.

So I accepted it. I was the one who didn’t belong.

Ten minutes left.

My vision darkened. My breath grew shallow.

Then—the phone rang.

Alice answered, but my mother’s voice cut through before I could speak:

"Emma, buy a mango cake on your way home. Fiona’s discharging from the infirmary tomorrow."

Kane’s voice, cold and dismissive, followed:

"I’ve cleared out your room. You agreed to give it to Fiona. Don’t forget to take your things."

Click.

Even now—at my deathbed—they only cared about her.

Alice wept beside me, her words lost in the void.

Then, my wolf smiled—her voice soft, comforting.

"We’re going home now… where there’s no more pain."

And at 8:00 PM, Emma took her last breath.

Age 27.