The antiseptic smell of the hospital room wrinkled my nose as I regained consciousness. A dull throb pulsed at my temple, and when I reached up, I felt a bandage. Memories before I blacked out rushed back—the ring shopping, Raymond and Giana, the confrontation, and then pain.A soft shuffling sound
Raymond, who had been checking his phone in the corner, finally looked up. "Giana, maybe let the nurse handle that.""I've almost got it," she persisted, pressing her thumb directly against the cut.Pain lanced through my head, and I jerked away involuntarily. "Stop!"Raymond was beside us in an ins
I stared at Kane's outstretched hand, conflicted. His sudden gallantry was jarring compared to his usual playboy demeanor."I'd rather walk," I said coldly, adjusting my hospital bag on my shoulder.Kane arched an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "In your condition? Be reasonable, Aurora."I took a ste
Giana's face crumpled on cue, tears welling in her eyes. "I knew it was a mistake to ask for help," she said, her voice quivering perfectly. "I should just go. I don't want to cause problems between you and Aurora."She started to turn away, a calculated move that worked exactly as intended. Raymond
"I, Raymond, reject you, Aurora, as my fiancée. From this moment on, everyone must stop talking about Aurora as the future Luna."All eyes in the pack turned to us—the once-golden couple—with confusion written across every face.Raymond wasn't finished with his public execution of my heart. For the
I forced myself to pull away from the heartbreaking scene unfolding before me. Their intimate embrace, those words Raymond spoke with such tenderness to Giana—each moment was another dagger in my heart. With tears streaming down my face, I backed away slowly, praying to the Moon Goddess they wouldn'
I flinched but didn't back down. "I'm saying I don't want to marry Raymond."His laugh was cruel and dismissive. "What you want doesn't matter, Aurora. This is about duty, about position, about our family's future."He circled around the desk, his footsteps heavy on the wooden floor. "If Raymond cal
After the banquet, I slipped away from the crowd, desperate for a moment alone. The strange heat coursing through my body had only intensified throughout the evening, making it difficult to think clearly. My skin felt feverish, and my formal engagement dress suddenly seemed too tight, too constricti
Giana's face crumpled on cue, tears welling in her eyes. "I knew it was a mistake to ask for help," she said, her voice quivering perfectly. "I should just go. I don't want to cause problems between you and Aurora."She started to turn away, a calculated move that worked exactly as intended. Raymond
I stared at Kane's outstretched hand, conflicted. His sudden gallantry was jarring compared to his usual playboy demeanor."I'd rather walk," I said coldly, adjusting my hospital bag on my shoulder.Kane arched an eyebrow, his smirk returning. "In your condition? Be reasonable, Aurora."I took a ste
Raymond, who had been checking his phone in the corner, finally looked up. "Giana, maybe let the nurse handle that.""I've almost got it," she persisted, pressing her thumb directly against the cut.Pain lanced through my head, and I jerked away involuntarily. "Stop!"Raymond was beside us in an ins
The antiseptic smell of the hospital room wrinkled my nose as I regained consciousness. A dull throb pulsed at my temple, and when I reached up, I felt a bandage. Memories before I blacked out rushed back—the ring shopping, Raymond and Giana, the confrontation, and then pain.A soft shuffling sound
"Being sized," I lied smoothly. "They had to order it in my size.""But you must have pictures!" She thrust out her hand expectantly.I showed her a stock photo from the jeweler's website, hoping she wouldn't notice."Wow, that's... big," Ethan remarked, eyebrows raised. "Not really your style, is i
The jewelry store sparkled with enough diamonds to ransom a small country. I sat rigidly on a plush velvet chair while Raymond paced in front of the glass cases, his expression distant as if this were just another business transaction."What about this one?" the clerk asked, pulling out a delicate b
"Where we go from here," I repeated flatly. "You mean the contract marriage that will make me a shell while you live happily ever after with Giana?"He winced, but didn't deny it. "I need time, Aurora. Time to secure my position as Alpha. Once I have full control, I can change things, protect Giana
"My fated mate is—""Raymond!" I shouted, leaping to my feet and grabbing his arm. My heart pounded against my ribs like a trapped animal. "Please, not here," I whispered urgently.His eyes met mine, burning with frustration and something that looked almost like hatred. For a terrifying moment, I th
"Who wouldn't want a perfect Luna like Aurora?" Kane casually remarked. Then, turning to me, he added with that infuriating smirk, "Once you become Luna, our packs will have plenty of business to discuss."I watched as Giana's face crumpled, tears welling in her eyes before she burst into sobs. With