Chapter 3

After a month of recovery in the infirmary, it was Royce who came to pick Julia up.

Julia's friends and family crowded the room, their eyes widening with excitement the moment Royce arrived.

"It's the Alpha of Ashenfang Pack!"

"He must really care about Julia if he's here this early."

"When will Julia become his Luna? I can't wait!"

Julia blushed while telling them to stop talking. Then she glanced at Royce and whispered, "Royce already has a Luna. Don't say that, or she'll get mad at me again."

A werewolf scoffed. "Julia, you're too kind. If it weren't for her getting in the way, you would've been our Luna long ago. Royce loves you the most. She's the intruder.

"She's been targeting you for so long. Why hasn't she given up yet? She's petty and unfit to be Luna!"

Listening to them, I felt nothing but absurdity.

It was Royce who first found me, knowing we were mates. He requested to mark me and pleaded with me to be his Luna.

If I made a mistake, it was loving Royce.

And yet, the person who should have set the record straight—Royce—said nothing. He let them slander me while he busied himself packing Julia's things, trying to appear reliable.

But he had never handled anything for me. After the marking ceremony, he always claimed to love me, but his actions never showed it.

I told myself he would protect me when I was in danger. Now, I realized he wouldn't.

He was the danger.

"Alpha Royce, Julia has refused to mark with anyone all these years. You know who she's been waiting for, don't you?"

The werewolf winked at Royce, practically begging to witness them mark each other right then and there.

Royce didn't answer. But I knew he agreed deep down. He just wouldn't say it out loud.

He took Julia back to his private quarters.

At some point, he had acquired multiple residences throughout the territory—places I had never stepped foot in. Every time we argued, he would slam the door and go there.

Yet, Julia walked in so naturally as if she belonged there.

He always bent his rules for her. She was his true love, and I should have seen it sooner.

While he was fixing the bed, Julia walked over and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She pressed her cheek against his back, clinging to him like a lover in the heat of passion.

Did they even remember that I was his Luna?

He hesitated, shifting forward slightly as if to avoid her.

But Julia tightened her arms and spoke softly in a voice laced with delicate sorrow, "Royce, I know you've always held it against me that I left back then, but I had no choice. You know my mother was sick. The old Alpha threatened me with her life, and I was forced to obey.

"Even then, I refused to mark with him. My heart has always belonged to you. Please forgive me."

With the perfect touch of tragedy, she painted herself as the most unfortunate werewolf alive—kind and brave, yet plagued by suffering.

Was that why he could never let her go?

Royce chuckled and answered calmly, "Oh? I thought you left because the neighboring Alpha was stronger than me. You never even thought to ask for my help—you just left."

Julia stiffened. But she was clever. She knew if she shifted the topic to me, he wouldn't press her any further, for his impatience with me was already obvious to everyone.

Her voice trembled just enough as she whispered, "I see. So that's what you think of me. You hate me, so you let Diana bully me.

"Even when she tried to secretly contact rogue wolves to assault me—even when she hid the medicine while I was sick, hoping I'd die—you didn't care, did you?

"If this is your way of punishing me, then congratulations! It's working. My heart hurts so much I can hardly breathe."

Lies. She told countless lies.

I spent all my time handling Luna's duties in the pack and had no way or funds to contact rogue wolves. And I didn't hand over the medicine for one simple reason—I needed the cure to survive, too. I wasn't selfless enough to die just to save her.

None of her claims had any proof. A simple investigation would have cleared my name. But Royce believed every word.

And he certainly didn't ignore Julia. The moment he heard about my so-called crimes, he immediately called for a public trial. He declared me venomous, wicked, and guilty of unforgivable sins before the entire pack consisting of Betas and Omegas.

Then, he went even further to contact the rogue wolves. He watched as they dragged me into the dark, empty forest. He watched as they tore at me and humiliated me. He looked down at my undressed, battered wolf form and sneered.

He pointed at my scars and said, "These are proof of your treachery. If you ever harm Julia again, I'll make sure everyone knows what you've done."

I lay there on the ground, screaming in desperation, insisting I had never done any of it.

"Alpha Royce, why are you doing this to me?"

He ignored my words as if they were air. He didn't believe me and only wanted to punish me.

He never told Julia what he had done to me, which was why she could still play the victim.

I didn't understand his intentions. Was he trying to be some silent guardian, standing behind Julia like a noble protector?

But what I understood even less was, if he never loved me, then why did he mark me?