Chapter 2

The ceremony hall fell into chaos. The guests’ whispers felt like sharp needles stabbing into my ears.

Our parents rushed over, completely lost as to what was happening.

Zachary stood to the side, looking helpless, his face flushed red.

"Emily... Sophia, she’s Alpha Daniel’s fated mate. He saved her life last time when she tried to slit her wrists. She’s completely dependent on him. Only Daniel can calm her down... You know how the fated mate bond works. He had no choice. Please, don't blame him..."

Zachary had been with the pack for three years. He had always been respectful, greeting me with a warm smile.

But now, he didn't even have the courage to look me in the eye.

I didn't know how many things he had helped Daniel hide from me, or what kind of mess Daniel had gotten into with that girl, Sophia.

A sharp, stabbing pain spread through my chest. I felt the bitter sting of Daniel's betrayal.

My parents held my hands, frantic.

"What on earth is going on? Isn't he supposed to be completing the ceremony? What kind of emergency could possibly drag him away right now?"

The Elder Alpha, guilt-ridden, tried to mind-link Daniel, only to realize he had blocked the link.

So, he pulled out his phone and dialed Daniel's number, repeating anxiously, "Don't worry, Emily. I’ll call that brat back right now. If he dares ignore me, I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget!"

The ring lay on the red carpet, kicked aside by the bustling crowd. It looked just like my shattered heart.

I stood there frozen, my heavy gown dragging on the floor like a wilted flower after a storm.

I had dreamed of this ceremony a thousand times. I never thought it would end in such humiliation.

An Alpha abandoning his Luna in the middle of a crowded hall for another girl.

For five long hours, we called him a hundred and eight times. Daniel didn't answer once.

I watched my phone screen light up and fade, over and over, until it finally went black.

The sunlight streamed through the windows, casting cold, mocking shadows on my empty ring finger.

The guests gradually dispersed, leaving behind scattered confetti and half-eaten food.

Inside me, my wolf was howling, wanting to tear him apart.

Then she mocked me, blaming me for wasting so much time on him instead of finding my own fated mate.

Suddenly, the world began to spin. The last thing I heard before blacking out was my mother’s panicked scream.

When I opened my eyes again, the scent of herbal medicine filled the air.

The healer saw me waking up and said softly, "You’re eating for two now. You can't let your emotions get the best of you. Take care of yourself."

I stared at the ceiling, tears flowing silently.

Daniel and I grew up together.

From the age of seventeen, when I accepted his token at a pack gathering, to the busy days after he became Alpha when we barely saw each other, to the day of his coronation when he held me with red eyes and whispered, "I will protect the pack, and I will always protect you."

Seven years of memories flashed through my mind like a fast-forwarded movie.

I looked at my parents and Daniel's parents, who couldn't hide their excitement about the baby. I smiled bitterly, tears stinging my eyes.

How was I going to explain to them that this seven-year relationship had reached its end?

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