Chapter 1

My decision surprised my best friend, Sophia. But she noticed that I was feeling really down, and she was worried.

“Emma, have you broken up with Randy?”

“I have. He wants to perform the marking ceremony with Alina. I was abandoned.”

I still did not want to accept the fact that Alina was more important to Randy than I was.

“I told you before that he’s not someone worth committing to! Monica, on the other hand, is a good person.”

Indeed. Everyone knew that my parents had died for Wildfire Pack, which was Randy’s pack. Monica took me in when I became an orphan, and I grew up with Randy.

Monica loved me dearly, and she also knew that I had always loved Randy. Hence, she wanted the two of us to be bonded.

“Randy’s a selfish and irresponsible person! When he confessed to you, he said that you were the most important person to him, but look at him now! Alina showed up, and he broke his promise!” Sophia continued.

When she noticed that my mood got worse, Sophia immediately changed the subject. “But enough about that. It’s all in the past. When do I pick you up? What are your plans? I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”

Before I could answer, Randy suddenly came back with a curious and puzzled expression. “What plans? Emma, you don’t have to worry about my marking ceremony with Alina. I can make my own arrangements.

“Since I’ve already promised my mother to mark you, I’ll carry out my promise. Just wait for me.”

I thought that he returned because Monica had passed away, but by the looks of it, he did not even know that his mother had died.

“Randy, what matters now isn’t who you’re marking. Your mother just passed away at home.”

Randy was taken aback before he earnestly said to me, “Emma, sit down. We need to talk.”

After I sat down, he looked at me sternly. “My mother treated you really kindly, yet you’re cursing her with death just to stop me from marking Alina? That isn’t right.

“From now on, all I need you to do is have a little patience and wait.

“I promise you that after I perform my marking ceremony with Alina, I’ll immediately come back to see you and make arrangements for our own ceremony.

“It’s just a few days. Can’t you just be patient and wait?

“Have some sympathy. Alina’s mother did me a favor, and I’m just fulfilling her wish.”

Then, Randy kissed me on the forehead before grabbing my hand and giving me the most brutal warning in the gentlest voice, “My father passed away when I was young, and my mother brought us up alone. She loves you, and you owe her a huge favor.

“You lost your mother at a young age, so you’ve never felt what it’s like for a child to love their mother. I can forgive you for that, but I can’t accept you being so cruel. Cursing my mother is a horrible thing, and if another person had been here, I would have had to punish you.”

I did not know how to defend myself for a time.

I had told him the truth, but he accused me of cursing Monica.

Was I such a shameless person in his eyes?

The sight of my silence made Randy smirk slightly. He thought I was scared that he would dump me if he decided to take this seriously.

“Once we get through our marking ceremony, I’ll be yours. I promise you that I won’t give Alina anything else aside from that marking ceremony.”

“Okay.” I nodded.

Monica’s funeral was in a few days. Once I was done with preparations, I could tell him; it would not be too late yet.

Randy appeared to be happy and relaxed, to the point that he was going to start whistling. He wanted to say something else, but a car honk interrupted him.

Had the staff from the funeral home come to pick up Monica’s body?