Chapter 1

It wasn't until my phone chimed that I snapped back to my senses.

It was a long voice message from Rose. Her voice was sweet and filled with concern, and she spoke about Walter so familiarly that I found it utterly unbearable.

"Lily, is Walter alright? You know he has gastric issues, so remember not to let him sleep on an empty stomach. You have to make him something to eat. If I remember correctly, the cabinet in your kitchen should have—"

A loud ringing filled my ears, and I didn't hear the rest of the message.

Rose had always been so thoughtful and caring—almost perfectly so.

Whenever Walter had to stay back late in the pack headquarters to handle pack matters, she always made sure I delivered him his favorite supper on time.

Whenever I had an argument with Walter, she would be the first to call and try to mediate. She would say in an infinitely gentle tone, "Walter is the Alpha of the pack, so we need to be more considerate of him."

In fact, when Walter marked me, she had smiled even more brilliantly than I had. "Lily, you finally found your fated mate. I'm so happy for you!"

There had been many times when I had thought myself fortunate for having a best friend who truly cared for me so deeply and was so protective of me.

However, now, all those thoughtful and caring instances had become shards of glass that pierced deep into my heart, making it ache with every beat.

A wave of sheer humiliation and hurt threatened to engulf me when I realized how I had been played for a fool.

When I didn't respond to the message, Rose quickly called me, but I didn't answer. Nonetheless, the phone kept on ringing.

Only then did I realize that underneath Rose's seemingly lively and eager personality was actually an obsessiveness—she was relentlessly stubborn and wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted.

This time, I refused to let her have her way and rejected the call.

Yet, merely two seconds later, Walter's phone started ringing. The ringtone was the specific one set for Rose's number.

Walter, who had fallen asleep again due to his drunkenness, immediately reacted. His hand instinctively fumbled to grab his phone, and through squinted eyes, he tapped away at his phone with practiced ease.

In that brief instant before his phone was unlocked, I had caught a glimpse of his lock screen—it was a photo of Rose.

As my breathing hitched, I told myself to clear my mind.

Walter accepted the call, but after glancing at me, he turned onto his side. When he spoke, it was in a gentle tone I had never heard before. "Don't worry. I'm already home."

I couldn't hear what Rose said on the other end of the line, but I did notice the way Walter's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. Soon, an indulgent smile formed on his lips.

There he was, talking to another she-wolf in such an intimate manner on our marital bed and in front of his actual Luna.

The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they seemed to have completely forgotten their respective identities. One had forgotten that he had just finished his bonding ceremony, while the other had forgotten that tonight was supposed to be her best friend's honeymoon night.

It wasn't until the clock on the wall struck midnight that Walter finally hung up. The look of gentle amusement on his face had yet to fade, and it was clear he was still savoring the phone call.

When he finally turned to look at me, there was no hint of the guilt and unease I had expected to see in his gaze. Instead, it was filled with blame.

"Why didn't you accept her call? It's already the middle of the night. Were you trying to make her worry the entire night just because of your little tantrum?"

I could hear my heart shattering into a million pieces.

"I'm sorry, but… what did you say?" My voice was so soft that it was practically a whisper.

Walter frowned even harder, not even bothering to hide the impatience on his face. "Lily, don't be so childish. Rose just wanted to help. When did you become so hard to get along with?"

He was always so self-righteous when he used that commanding tone to speak up for others, but he had never considered my feelings.

Or perhaps he just didn't care.

I could only stare at him blankly. In that instance, the werewolf I had loved for so many years suddenly seemed like a total stranger to me.

Maybe my silence unsettled him, or maybe he realized that he had gone too far. Either way, the frustrated expression on his face froze briefly before it shifted to one of discomfort, and he reached out to pull me to him. It was as though he wanted to make up for his earlier loss of composure.

"That's enough, babe. I had a bit too much to drink just now. Let's end this matter here."

Deftly avoiding his outstretched hand, I tried my best to hold back my tears as I pointed at the tattoo on his chest. "Then what about that rose? Did you also have a bit too much to drink and accidentally get that tattooed on you?"

Immediately, Walter's gaze darkened, and the atmosphere around us grew tense.

"It's just a tattoo of a flower. Is there really a need for this overdramatic reaction?"

He gave me an icy look, his eyes filled with warning, as though telling me that I would be crossing the line if I asked any more questions.

As he hugged me from behind, his arms seemed to constrict around me like steel bands. His warm breath tickled my ear, yet his voice was frosty as he said, "Lily, I already said to end this matter. I don't want to get into a fight with you on our honeymoon night. I'll go get the tattoo removed tomorrow, alright? Now, stop talking and sleep."

I shut my eyes, worried that my tears would slip out before I could stop them if I was even just a second slower.

My body shivered in Walter's embrace, not because I was cold, but because I could no longer ignore the truth before me.