Chapter 1 Chapter 1

When Harry Tarrington brought Chloe Finley home, he only said one thing to me. “Chloe just came back and doesn’t have a place to stay. I told her she could stay here for a few days.” I froze for a moment. Although it was supposed to be temporary, this was the first time Harry had ever brought a friend home, and it was a woman. Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly heard the confused voice of his wolf in my head. “Harry, why are you lying to Lianne? You clearly plan for Chloe to live here long-term. And earlier outside, those wolves called Chloe your Luna. Why didn’t you deny it?” I didn’t know what Harry said back to him, but the wolf suddenly let out a sharp cry. “What about the bonding ceremony in three days? Weren’t you planning to propose to Lianne? Why is it Chloe now?” As if lightning had struck me, my body went stiff, my mind blank. Even though I was just an Omega without a wolf, I had a secret—I could hear the voice of Harry’s wolf and had never told anyone about it before. With that ability, I had always gotten along well with Harry, who was usually so silent and reserved. His wolf was lively and talkative. Through its conversations with Harry, I learned what he liked, what he wanted, and how he truly felt. It was from his wolf that I learned Harry loved me. He had even secretly prepared a grand bonding ceremony. I had overheard every detail of the proposal, the date, and the surprise. However, I pretended to know nothing, keeping the joy inside me, waiting patiently for that day to come. Now, his wolf was saying that the ceremony in three days wasn’t meant for me anymore? I steadied myself, forcing my voice not to tremble, and carefully asked, “If it’s just a few days, should I prepare a guest room for her?” Harry went silent for two long seconds before speaking. “Chloe is pregnant. She can’t stay in a poor room. Your room has the best light and ventilation in this estate. You should move out and let Chloe stay there for now.” Chloe clutched her belly, her eyes red as she peeked out from behind him, looking pitiful as if she had just been crying. “Lianne, my mate just passed away. Harry only brought me here out of pity. Please don’t misunderstand.” I said nothing because Harry’s wolf was howling furiously. “Since when did Chloe have a mate? Hasn’t she always been single? Harry, what exactly did you do while I was sealed away for a month? That child in her belly isn’t yours, is it?” My knees buckled, and I barely managed to steady myself by clutching a chair. Almost instinctively, my hand went to my own stomach. This morning, when I’d felt unwell and gone to the hospital, the doctor had smiled and told me I was pregnant with twins—a boy and a girl. I had planned to keep it a secret until the bonding ceremony, when Harry officially claimed me as his mate, but now, it seemed there was no need anymore. I lowered my head as tears blurred my vision. “It’s fine. I’ll pack my things now. From today on, you can stay in my room.” Chloe followed me into the bedroom. She touched one thing and glanced at another, her face full of envy. “These decorations are so beautiful. I just love them.” I forced a small smile. Every one of those items had been gifts from Harry. I had treasured them all, never letting anyone else touch them. I was about to collect them when Harry’s voice came from behind me. “Lianne, don’t bother packing those away. Leave them here for Chloe to enjoy for a while.” My hand froze in midair, and in my ears came the mocking laughter of his wolf. “So soon? You’re already giving gifts meant for your old lover to please your new one? Aren’t you afraid Lianne will be angry?” I shut my eyes tight as tears slid down my cheeks. “Alright. If Chloe likes them, she can have them. They’re hers now.” If he wanted to give them away, I didn’t want them anymore.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

I didn’t know if she did it on purpose, but whenever Harry gave me something, Chloe always showed great interest. She would cling, pout, and wheedle until she got her way, and I never argued. Whatever she wanted, I gave her, including Harry himself. In the end, I decided not to keep anything. I only packed a few changes of clothes and daily necessities before leaving what used to be my room, but now was hers. As I walked past Chloe, she suddenly reached out and pulled a moonstone pendant from my pocket. “No! Not that one!” My face went pale, and I lunged to take it back. I could give her anything, but not that. It was the only keepsake my mother left me, and I treasured it deeply. Normally, I kept it safely tucked away in a small jewelry box, but today, in my rush, I had slipped it into my pocket instead. Chloe let out a small cry, clutching her stomach as if she might fall. “Careful!” Harry shoved past me, striding straight toward Chloe to catch her. I hadn’t expected it, and the impact sent me crashing into the sharp corner of the vanity table. Harry didn’t even notice. His eyes stayed fixed on Chloe’s stomach as he said with a trace of concern, “The doctor said your pregnancy isn’t stable. You need rest. Don’t move around so much.” Ignoring the searing pain in my back, my gaze locked onto the pendant in her hand. My voice trembled as I said, “Ms. Finley, that’s my mother’s keepsake. Please, give it back to me.” Only then did Harry glance at what Chloe was holding. His brow furrowed. “If you like pendants, I’ll buy you a better one at the auction. This one’s too ugly. Give it back to her.” Chloe pouted, hesitating for a long while before finally sighing. “Fine.” She held the pendant loosely between two fingers and extended it toward me. “Here. I don’t want it anymore.” My heart leapt to my throat, and I carefully reached out to take it. However, just as my fingers brushed it, Chloe let go. The pendant slipped past my hand and fell straight to the ground. With a sharp crack, it shattered into two. I froze in place, my mind going blank. Chloe feigned surprise, covering her mouth. “Oh no! I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you weren’t holding it properly.” Then, she tugged at Harry’s sleeve, tears sliding silently down her face. “What should I do? Lianne must hate me now. I swear, I didn’t mean it…” I said nothing. I just stared at the broken pendant on the floor, my eyes hollow and full of despair. Harry pressed his lips together and bent down to pick up the fragments. No matter how carefully he pieced them together, they wouldn’t fit. He sighed softly. “This was Chloe’s fault. I’ll find the best jeweler and have them make an identical one for you. Can you forgive her?” Just as I was about to respond, the wolf at his side yawned, and I heard him say, “Do you even remember what that pendant originally looked like? No? Then how are you going to make an identical one? You liar! Haha, you’ll just find something similar and hand it over, right? And she won’t even know the difference. After all, don’t all pendants look the same?” I fell silent, swallowing down the urge to cry. “It’s fine. Just throw it away. I don’t want it anymore.” Of course, I could recognize it. Every crack and every mark on that pendant was etched clearly in my memory. However, once something was broken, it could never be restored to what it was, no matter how hard he tried. Even if he remade it to look exactly the same, it wouldn’t carry the same meaning, just like my feelings for Harry. Since they couldn’t go back to how they used to be, I might as well let it all go.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

After leaving the master bedroom, I casually picked a guest room to stay in. I didn’t bother unpacking the clothes I had neatly folded. I just left them inside the suitcase because I would be leaving with them soon anyway. I took my ID and went to City Hall to file my withdrawal from the Fangtooth Pack. The clerk told me my application would be approved in three days. By then, I would be officially free from Fangtooth and could leave this place for good. Three days later… Wasn’t that exactly the day Harry and Chloe were holding their bonding ceremony? Up until today, I had always thought that the ceremony was meant for me. My chest tightened, and even breathing felt painful. Because of my injured back, I stopped by the hospital. While I was there, I also asked for a full checkup on the pups in my belly. My back was covered in dark bruises, but thankfully, the babies were unharmed. The doctor looked at the report and nodded with satisfaction. “Both babies are very healthy. Do come back for another checkup next week. You’ll be able to see their ultrasound images then.” I gently caressed my stomach, my expression softening. At least I still had them. Even if I left the place I had called home for so many years, I wouldn’t be alone. When I returned to the estate, the living room couch was already piled high with shopping bags like a mountain. Chloe was pulling Harry along, her face glowing with excitement as she dug through them. When she saw me walk in, she lifted a leather handbag with a smug smile. “Lianne, Harry insisted on buying me all these things. Do you see anything you like? I’ll give you some.” Looking uneasy, Harry said to me, “Chloe has an event coming up in a few days, so she needs a lot of things. I’ll be accompanying her then. After all, she’s pregnant. She needs someone to take care of her.” His wolf let out a mocking laugh. “That’s right. The ceremony is going to be exhausting. She’ll even have to walk through the whole thing in a wedding gown. Oh, by the way, isn’t that gown the one you had made for Lianne? Five tailors, six whole months, and nine hundred ninety-nine moonlight crystals sewn into it. It’s absolutely stunning!” My mind went hazy, and I suddenly remembered what I had once said to Harry. “Harry, the stars at night are so beautiful! It’s a shame we can’t see them in the day. I wish I could keep them all. For our ceremony, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could stitch every star into my gown?” My heart ached, and tears spilled down my cheeks uncontrollably. ‘Harry… so you do remember those words I blurted out. But why would you give something that belonged only to me to someone else?’ Three days later, at dawn, five sleek black cars lined up neatly in front of the hotel. Harry held Chloe’s hand carefully as he helped her into one of them. From the corner of the street, I stood quietly, watching her gown glitter in the sunlight. The fabric swayed slightly with each step, catching the light like flowing starlight. It was breathtaking. As the motorcade pulled away, I grabbed my suitcase and left alone. Inside the car, Harry’s wolf was still growling in his ear. “You’re hopeless, Harry. Hiding this from Lianne? Aren’t you afraid she’ll find out? I can’t imagine how furious she’d be if she knew.” Harry kept his gaze fixed outside the window, answering half-heartedly, “She won’t find out. I’ll keep it from her forever. Once I’ve handled things with Chloe, I’ll give Lianne an even grander, more spectacular ceremony.” Just thinking about me made his features soften, and the corners of his lips curved in a faint smile. “Besides, she loves me too much. Even if she gets angry, as long as I make it up to her, she’ll forgive me.” However, before that smile could fade, his phone began ringing frantically. “Alpha Harry, there’s a riot of rogue wolves at the airport. They’ve taken control of the whole place!” Harry’s brow furrowed sharply. “Send the patrol squads to suppress them. I’ll head over as soon as I’m done here.”“But…” His second-in-command hesitated on the line. “There’s worse news. Someone has reported seeing Lianne at the airport. And… in a live stream just moments ago, she was spotted lying in a pool of blood. I’ll send you the photos right now…”