Chapter 1 Chapter 1

The night I have my bonding ceremony with the Alpha, Walter Zimmer, he gets drunk even though he usually never touches any alcohol. Just as I'm at a loss for what to do, my best friend, Rose Larson, sends me a message detailing how to take care of a drunken werewolf. Despite feeling doubtful, I do as she suggests, and Walter truly does fall asleep peacefully. Just as I'm about to thank Rose, Walter suddenly hugs me from behind. His hot breath brushes against my neck as he murmurs a sentence that utterly breaks my heart. "Rose, you're the one I wanted to mark…" My world crumbles around me, but that's not all. His shirt slips down his shoulder when he moves, revealing the rose tattooed right over his heart. My mind goes blank, and all I can do is stare at the tattoo. I refuse to believe what I'm seeing. I've known Rose for 20 years, and she's my closest friend. As it turns out, Walter didn't get drunk because he was overjoyed about becoming my mate. He simply used the alcohol to drown his sorrows over not being able to take the she-wolf he wanted as his Luna. In that moment, our newly formed mate bond seems like nothing but a joke. Since that's the case, I decide to give up my position as the Luna and let them be together. However, after I leave, Walter loses control and shifts into his wolf. He then claws the rose tattoo to shreds. "Lily, I was mistaken. You're the Luna I truly love. Please, give me another chance to love you again…" ... 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.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Beside me, Walter's breathing was even as he slept deeply. He had one arm wrapped around my waist possessively, as though it belonged there. Yet, all I felt was a burning heat where his skin touched mine. It was so hot that I wanted nothing more than to escape. My entire body was as stiff as a rock as I slowly extricated myself from his grip. Only when my back bumped into the chilly wall of the room did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. I couldn't sleep at all. Everything I had learned tonight raged through my mind chaotically. Just as I thought I would be tormented by these emotions the entire night, my phone suddenly lit up. At this point, I didn't even need to glance at it to know it was Rose. As expected, she had sent me a message. "Lily, Walter didn't get angry at you because of me, did he? He's always had a short fuse, so don't take it to heart. If he dares to bully you, just tell me, and I'll punish him for you." On the surface, it may have seemed like she was expressing her concern for me, yet the implied meaning behind those words was a harsh slap to the face. Why did she think she had to "punish" Walter when he was my mate? If she truly only had my best interests at heart, then why would she have chatted with my mate for so long on our honeymoon night? I told myself to stop thinking about it. Instead of making wild guesses, it was more practical to personally verify whether there truly was something going on between them. Turning on my side, I rested my head on Walter's shoulder to make it look like I was curled up in his loving embrace. Then, I took a photo and sent it to Rose with the message, "No. Why would he get angry at me? Thanks for the concern, though. We're utterly exhausted and are getting ready to sleep now. After all, we have to get up early tomorrow morning to get that tattoo on his chest removed." The moment I sent that, Rose, who always replied instantly, was surprisingly silent. I instantly felt a wave of guilt wash over me. Had I gone overboard with that message? She was my best friend, and I trusted her more than anyone else. If there really was something going on between her and Walter, I would've learned of it long ago, right? At the very least, she hadn't said anything. Maybe there really wasn't anything off about their relationship. Slowly exhaling at that thought, I finally felt a sense of calm. I had known Rose since we were nine, and we had grown up together. She came from a poor family and constantly had to go without food. So, she was as thin as a stick—so much so that it looked like even the slightest gust of wind could knock her over. Nevertheless, she would always share half of her meager piece of bread with me, and whenever I was bullied by other pups, she would stand protectively in front of me, shielding me with her frail body. In return, I treated her like my own sister, gave her my pretty dresses, toys, and snacks, and even shared my parents' love with her. She would always look up at me, her eyes gleaming with gratitude. Eventually, I started thinking of her as family, even though we shared no blood ties. My thoughts drifted to a memory of when Rose, Walter, and I had gone on a vacation together. At the time, we were at the beach watching the sunset. Walter had lifted me high into the air while a smiling Rose took a picture of us. Memories of all of these heartwarming moments soothed my doubts, and I told myself I was just overthinking things. Finally feeling at ease, I drifted off to sleep. The next day, Walter and I headed for the most well-known tattoo parlor in the pack. Walter likely thought he had crossed the line last night, so on our way there, he bought me a cup of coffee, which was a rare act from him. He even delayed a pack meeting and told me that he would have lunch with me. "It'll only take an hour to get the tattoo removed, so don't be upset anymore." He patted my head the way one would when appeasing a child. Watching him step into the room for the tattoo removal, I silently sighed in relief. Yet that relief didn't last long. Mere seconds later, he rushed out with a grim expression. My heart abruptly sank to my feet as I asked, "What's wrong?""Rose was in a bad mood and went on a walk in the forest. She was attacked by wild beasts." I became rooted to the spot while my mind went blank. My instincts told me that this definitely wasn't a coincidence. I stopped Walter from leaving and said, "I can handle this matter. You should get the tattoo removed first—""I can get it removed anytime!" He swiftly cut me off, his voice thick with anxiety and impatience. "Let's go quickly! Right now!" If this had been the past, I would've certainly been even more anxious than he was. But now, I merely stared at him and said firmly, "No. She's my best friend, so it's enough that I visit her. There's no need for you to bother yourself." Time seemed to come to a halt. Walter gritted his teeth, and I could see the frustration and worry in his eyes. "Lily, are you serious right now? Don't you have even the slightest bit of sympathy? She's your best friend, yet you don't seem to care about her life at all! "Or do you think this tattoo is more important than her safety? If that's the case, then I'll just cut it out right now! Would that satisfy you?" With that said, Walter snatched up a knife from a nearby workstation. He didn't even hesitate as he pressed the sharp tip to the rose tattoo on his chest. Right before the blade was about to sink into his flesh, my heart clenched fiercely, and I relented. "There's no need for that. Just go." Upon hearing that, he instantly tossed the knife to the ground and strode away. The tattoo artist stood awkwardly to one side, shooting me a sympathetic look. But I acted as though nothing had happened and calmly pushed the door open to leave. At some point, it had started to rain heavily. I hadn't brought an umbrella, so I was immediately soaked to the bone. When I finally got home, I sneezed a few times and felt my stomach roiling. Before I even got a chance to change out of my wet clothes, I received a message from Rose. Upon tapping on the message, I saw that it was a photo of Walter sprawled by her bedside, fast asleep. Though he appeared exhausted, there was a relaxed look on his face. I could practically hear the smug triumph in her gloating words. "So sorry for borrowing him again, Lily. He's worn out now because he was busy running around for me. Oh, right—he didn't manage to get the rose tattoo on his chest removed, did he? What a pity." In that moment, I couldn't even bring myself to feel angry. I stared at my own reflection in the screen, noting the blank look in my eyes and the pitiful pallor of my skin. It was as though I had finally realized just how big of a joke I was. In this war for love, I had lost—completely and utterly. Then again, this also meant that I no longer had to constantly grapple with the anxiety and uncertainty of losing it all. As I soaked in the bathtub, letting the warm water numb me, I kept hoping that this was all a dream, that I would wake up to find that Rose was still my best friend and Walter, my beloved mate… The urgent ringing of my phone snapped me awake. Reaching out to grab my phone, I checked the name on the screen. It was Rose.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I accepted the call and heard Rose's usual warm, enthusiastic voice over the line. "Lily, Walter was so tired that he fell asleep, so he won't be going back tonight. You don't have to worry. Listen, he's even talking in his sleep." Following that, I heard Walter mumbling, "Rose, don't be scared. I'm right here…" It felt like a large hand had clamped around my heart and squeezed tightly. The agony made me feel as though I were suffocating, and I hurriedly ended the call. However, in the next second, my phone chimed. Rose had sent me another photo. In the photo, Walter was lying on his side on the bed, while Rose was curled up against him like a docile kitten. She was even using his arm as a pillow. Without a doubt, this position was almost exactly like the one in the photo I had sent her last night. But what truly shattered me was the sight of the moonstone necklace around her neck. That necklace was a Zimmer family heirloom that symbolized the Luna. It was said to bring good luck and help calm the mind. I distinctly remembered Walter gifting it to me when he first marked me, but now, it seemed that he had stealthily snuck it out and given it to Rose to comfort her. My vision went dark as my phone slipped from my fingers, dropping to the carpet. It took me a while before I managed to regain my composure and pick up my phone. Then, I started to contact the pack elders. I wanted to break my mate bond with Walter. I had barely stood up when an intense wave of nausea crashed over me. Rushing toward the toilet, I practically puked my guts out. When it was finally over, I used the wall to shakily stand up. Suddenly, a terrifying thought occurred to me, sending the alarm bells blaring in my mind. I searched frantically through the drawers and cabinets before I finally found a pregnancy test kit. My hands shook as I followed the instructions. When two red lines appeared, my very last wall of defense crumbled to dust. It was positive. I was pregnant with Walter's pup. I returned to bed and lay there in a daze, unaware of how much time passed. At last, as dawn peeked over the horizon, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, Walter had already returned. He had tidied up the living room and was currently cooking breakfast in the kitchen, as though everything that happened yesterday was nothing to be bothered about. All these years, he had looked after me in this manner. He cared for me so meticulously that I had been tricked into thinking that he actually loved me. Yet in the end, all these romantic and touching gestures were nothing more than pretty lies. While frying me an egg, he spoke up with furrowed brows. "Rose has always been quite pitiful since she was young. You already have everything you could possibly want, so why can't you let her have her way more often? Must you always have it out against her?" He couldn't sound any more accusing if he tried. He made it seem like I was narrow-minded and mistreating Rose. I didn't have the energy to argue with him, so I silently headed back to our room to pack my luggage. After I was done, I headed to the dining room again. Walter set the table with the breakfast he had made before beginning to lecture me like a pup. "Lily, stop being so impulsive and childish. We already agreed to try for a pup, so you're going to be a mother soon. You need to grow up and be more mature." At the mention of pups, I subconsciously looked down at my abdomen, feeling my heart break even further. Would my pup have a blissful and happy life if they were born into such a family? In the past, I wouldn't have hesitated to say "yes". But now? I wasn't so sure anymore. Before I could respond, the doorbell suddenly rang. Shooting me a glance, Walter smiled and said, "Have you forgotten? Today is your birthday, so Rose specifically bought you a cake." With that, he rushed over to open the door. Rose stood in the doorway, looking all pitiful with her arm wrapped in bandages after the wild beast attack yesterday. "Happy birthday, Lily!" she said in a saccharine sweet voice that utterly disgusted me. I honestly wondered just how shameless she could be to show up in front of me now and wish me happy birthday after everything she had done. Not bothering to answer her, I silently turned away. I didn't want to look at her pretentious face for even a moment longer. The atmosphere grew awkward at my silence. Immediately, Rose's eyes reddened as she lowered her head in an aggrieved manner. She sounded like she was about to cry as she asked Walter, "Walter, does Lily not want me here? Maybe I should leave..." Hearing that, Walter quickly moved to stop her before leveling me with a cold gaze. "Rose only went into the forest because she was upset about your harsh words. Despite that, she didn't blame you and even brought you cake to celebrate your birthday. Yet, you're giving her such attitude? How could you be so inconsiderate?" Once again, he was telling me to be considerate. Just how considerate did I have to be to be able to accept their betrayal and even smile at the very people who had deceived me? Suddenly, I found all of it pointless. I turned to return to the dining table. As I passed by Rose, I caught the triumphant look that flashed in her eyes. Walter placed the biggest slice of cake before me. Just like he did the many times he had angered me in the past, he was using gifts or food to appease me and defuse my bad mood. I numbly took a few bites, but my body abruptly started itching badly. I could also feel my throat closing up. Realizing something, I dropped my fork to the floor and stared intently at Rose. "Is there mango in the cake?" With an innocent expression on her face, she replied, "Yeah, why? Fruits make cakes taste so much better." I was allergic to mangoes, a fact that anyone close to me knew. So how could she possibly be unaware? All the minute details I had previously deliberately ignored suddenly flooded my mind. At my graduation ceremony, Rose had accidentally broken the zipper to my dress. When I had to undergo training before becoming the next Luna, she gifted me a pair of sports shoes that chafed badly at my feet. As it turned out, those were careless mistakes. She had intentionally done it to humiliate me at important events. Not only was she trying to snatch my mate, but she also wanted to ruin me. I couldn't help but think of my unborn pup. At last, I couldn't stand it anymore and stood up, tears streaming down my face. My voice shook as I pointed at the door and said, "Get out. I don't want to see you anymore." Rose took a step back, staring at me in shock and disbelief. In contrast, Walter had a stony expression on his face as he moved to stand protectively in front of her. "This is my house. You have no right to chase anyone out!" My heart sank when I heard him say this was his house. Back when we were still deeply in love, he had promised that this place would be our safe harbor, our home. Now that we were arguing, it was suddenly just his home. I should've realized long ago that I never truly belonged here. Nonetheless, I had no energy to spare arguing with him. My throat constricted more and more, as though a hand were choking me, and I struggled to breathe. My skin itched terribly, driving me insane as I scratched at my neck and arms. My vision spun and gradually began to darken as I ran out of air. I knew I had to find the allergy medication. Otherwise, I really would die right here. I rushed toward the medicine cabinet, stumbling, and crashed straight into it due to my rapidly depleting energy. The medicine scattered to the floor. Seeing that, Walter finally seemed to take pity on me and subconsciously moved forward to help, but Rose grabbed him. "Walter, I've known Lily since we were young, and she's never been allergic to mangoes. Could it be that she doesn't want me here and is deliberately putting on an act to make me leave?" She sounded like she was on the verge of tears, making her appear innocent and aggrieved. When Walter heard that, he crossed his arms over his chest and said to me coldly, "Then continue with your act. I'd like to see how long you can keep it up." In that instant, all my love, indignation, and hurt turned to ashes. All I knew was that I was about to die. Thankfully, right before I suffocated to death, I found the bottle of allergy medication. Using the last of my strength, I opened the bottle and poured the pills into my mouth, swallowing them without any water. At long last, the suffocating feeling gradually eased. Fresh air surged into my lungs, making me violently cough. I pushed myself up from the ground and slowly lifted my head, only to see that Walter was still shielding Rose behind him. A bubble of laughter burst from my lips as I laughed at the utterly ridiculous situation and how foolish I had been all these years. I no longer bothered arguing, nor did I try to explain anything. I simply got to my feet using the wall as support and left that oppressive house without looking back. Originally, I had planned to tell Walter about my pregnancy, but there was no point now. I thought I heard him calling out my name anxiously. Nonetheless, I refused to turn back. Why would he possibly want me to stay? My leaving was the best thing that could happen to him. "Goodbye, my Alpha. This will be the last time I address you like this. Let all those promises of forever get scattered away by the wind. I will never love you again," I thought.