Chapter 1

I sat on the bench in the Mate Affairs Hall, staring at the reply on my phone.

“Wait for me, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

While I was still in a daze, my mom’s call came through.

“Julie, you and Darius have already signed the contract, right? Come to Luna Bay Hotel. Both families are waiting for dinner.”

Hearing her words, my emotions didn’t even ripple.

“Mom, we didn’t sign it. Becky got injured during the werewolf tournament. He went to the hospital with her.”

I wasn’t devastated. Not anymore. It had happened too many times—I was used to it.

My mom exploded on the other end of the line.

As a woman who had ruled the pack’s business world for years, she hadn’t lost her temper like this in ages.

“Reschedule? He says reschedule and that’s it? All the old families with status are here. So many people, all to watch him play house? If this gets out, does he even think about you—”

She suddenly paused.

As if remembering all the years I had spent clinging and compromising.

Then she sighed.

“Julie, what do you think? Mom will respect your choice.”

The calm mask I had been wearing cracked at those words. I hung up the phone.

All these years, I’d done so many foolish things for Darius, sacrificed so many of my own principles for him.

We had met in college, fallen in love, spent beautiful days as carefree students.

After graduation, with both of our families rooted in the same territory, talks of engagement began. Everything had seemed so perfect.

For a while, I really thought I was the happiest woman alive.

Until Becky appeared.