Chapter 3

I remembered that one time Nancy had taunted me, asking which of us truly mattered more to Maverick and Luca. I had finally received my answer.

Nancy said, "You should go check on Mira. What if something really happened to her? You don't have to worry about me. I'm really fine, Maverick and Luca."

She was worried that they wouldn't believe her, so she tried to get up and walk a few steps to show them that she was truly fine.

Yet, as soon as she got up, Maverick and Luca held her down on the chair from either side.

"How is this 'fine'? Your knee injury has almost healed, and now it's bleeding again. Mira's been locked up for days already, so waiting a little longer won't hurt. She can't really escape from the sealed chamber anyway."

Nancy said, "You shouldn't hold it against Mira. She's only acting out because she cares deeply about you two."

Maverick sighed heavily. "If only Mira were half as sensible as you. I honestly have no idea how she became so jealous and unreasonable."

I lost it the moment I heard that. I roared with laughter, my voice echoing through the whole room. I couldn't believe that he would label me as jealous and unreasonable.

I had spent my life being obedient—doing everything they asked of me and following every order they gave me. I had never once complained about how difficult or exhausting the training was when they had raised me to be a warrior from a young age. They even used to praise me whenever I performed well.

Everything changed once Nancy was adopted into our pack.

I genuinely treated her like a real sister at the very beginning. I stayed by her bedside all night long when she first came and suffered from nightmares. I went to the kitchen specifically to make the dishes she liked from back home when she couldn't get used to the food here.

Every good intention of mine somehow became warped through Nancy's telling.

Nancy yawned the very next day, saying, "Mira was so thoughtful. She kept talking to me the whole night. I really wanted to sleep, but I didn't have the heart to interrupt her."

She held her stomach after eating the dishes I made, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Mira's cooking is really good. I always end up going to the bathroom afterward, though. I guess my stomach is just really sensitive."

It could be considered an accident the first time and a coincidence the second time. It was considered a pattern the third time—and suddenly, it turned into intentional malice on my part.

Maverick and Luca both looked grim after hearing that, their expressions turning colder by the second.

I tried to explain that I hadn't done anything, but Nancy chimed right in. "Please don't be mad at Mira. It was honestly probably my own fault. I'm sorry for being such a burden…"

Nancy's actions only reinforced Maverick and Luca's negative opinion of me.

It was only after all that that I realized her true intentions. She was jealous of me and was trying to replace me.

I was worn out from all the constant arguments and accusations, so I had already decided to leave the pack before Nancy's "locked in the room" accident. I no longer cared about being the Alpha King's sister or the Alpha's betrothed mate.

I just wanted to live a happy, peaceful life, even if it meant becoming a Rogue without a pack. I never got the chance to do that, though.

I still had no idea how she had ended up locked in her room or how the key to her room ended up on me. I only knew that the very person behind all my agony was standing right there, putting on an act and pretending to defend me.

Nancy said, "I'm begging you—please just go check on Mira. I don't think I could live with the guilt if something really happened to her. You guys need to stop spoiling me—once Mira gets out, I'm going to have to give all this back to her. It'll really break my heart, though. If only I were born into the pack…"

Upon seeing Nancy tear up so pitifully, Maverick and Luca felt terrible inside.

Maverick quickly reassured her, saying gently, "You're so silly. You deserve all of this, Nancy."

Luca gently patted her shoulder. "You're a hundred times better than she is, so you deserve every bit of this."

Maverick suggested, "We don't feel comfortable leaving you here by yourself anyway, so if we're going to check on her, let's all go together, Nancy."

I remembered that the last time I saw Maverick and Luca before I died, they were both furious and disappointed with me. I couldn't help but wonder what their expressions would be when they opened that sealed chamber's door.

Would they be shocked? Would they regret it? Would they be sad? Or would they just let out a long sigh of relief, thinking they had finally gotten rid of a nuisance?

A disgusting stench hung throughout the entire hallway when they finally reached the sealed chamber.

Everything about the situation was clearly wrong, but they still stood at the door arrogantly, without the slightest hint of panic in their expressions.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Have you thought it over? Are you ready to admit your mistake? If you insist on holding out, I'll send someone in to drag you out later. You'd better not expect me to be this accommodating when that happens, Mira."

I felt a wave of bitterness washing over me as I heard them demand an answer from me. I was already dead, so even if I had wanted to back down, I no longer had the chance to do so.

They completely lost their patience when no answer came after all that waiting. "Go open the door and drag her out."

Upon hearing that, the guards instantly carried out the order, not daring to delay for even a moment. They stumbled heavily as soon as they stepped through the door. They had actually tripped over my lifeless body—the one that had already decomposed beyond recognition.