Chapter 3

I hesitated, my pen hovering over the signature line of the mate bond dissolution agreement.

Before I could sign, Lucas suddenly knocked on the door, his voice sharp with irritation. "Why didn't you make breakfast today?

"I swear, I've spoiled you too much. Now, you don't even cook breakfast. What do you even contribute to this family?"

With a single sentence, my mate dismissed every sacrifice I had made for this household.

He was tired of me, yet he still craved my cooking.

No—because he thought I was the cheapest maid.

A bitter laugh slipped past my lips as I pressed the pen down and signed my name.

After Lucas left, I went to meet Ms. Murphy. On my way, I ran into Amy, who was watering the flowers in front of her house.

She greeted me with her usual cheerfulness. "Mrs. Howl, did you and Mr. Howl fight? He stormed out this morning, looking furious. He'd even asked me for a sandwich."

Amy was wearing a thin-strapped top, her shoulders marked with faint bruises—the kind only a mate's teeth could leave. Around her neck hung a 30-carat ruby, the fiery red stone catching the sunlight.

The brilliance of it burned my eyes. My voice wavered. "That's…"

Amy took a slow step toward me. "It was a gift from my mate. He said I just turned 20, and nothing suits me better than a dazzling gemstone like this."

I cursed my werewolf senses. I could smell Lucas all over her—thick and overpowering—a scent of passion I hadn't smelled in years.

My wolf growled deep inside me, furious.

So, he had betrayed me after all.

Amy tilted her head in concern. "Mrs. Howl, your eyes are all puffy from crying. You look awful. A lot of she-wolves in the pack have a crush on Mr. Howl. You should take better care of yourself."

I studied the young she-wolf in front of me.

She was beautiful—there was no denying that. But so was I, once.

If Lucas could betray me for her beauty, he could just as easily betray her for someone else.

I asked, "And you? Do you love Lucas? If you do, he's all yours."

She only smiled, saying nothing.

Then, I left to meet Ms. Murphy.

Ms. Murphy frowned the moment she saw me. "My dear, why do you look so exhausted? Let me guess—Lucas doesn't spend a single dime on you, does he?"

I froze.

Lucas never really spent money on me.

Money was never an issue for him, but he kept a tight rein on my spending. After all, he had an entire pack to take care of.

Lately, he had even asked me for money, saying the pack was at war. I had willingly given it to him, relieved that I could support him when he needed it most.

But now, the realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Every penny I had saved had gone straight to Amy.

The villa she lived in, her sports car, and the 30-carat ruby around her neck had all been paid for with my savings.

Everything reminded me that I was no longer worthy of his love.

Ms. Murphy sighed, cupping my face gently. "You do realize Wolfen Kingdom is a major city, right? You can't show up looking like this. It'd be an embarrassment to me! Come on, we're going shopping."

For years, I had been drowning in Lucas' love, forgetting myself in the process.

I bought new clothes, skincare products, makeup, and jewelry. I treated myself to a deep treatment at the salon, and I even booked a workout session with a personal trainer.

Then Lucas mindlinked me. "Why are you spending so much? Do you have any idea how tight the pack's finances are?"

I shot back, "You told me to."

I wanted to ask if he'd been as concerned about spending when it was for Amy.

"Did you forget? Two weeks ago, at the dinner table, I asked if anything interesting was happening in the pack. You snapped at me and told me not to interrupt while you were mindlinking someone else.

"You said if I had nothing better to do, I should go out and take care of my tired face and out-of-shape body!"

Lucas was silent for a long time. "Did I really say that? You must've remembered wrong. You've always been beautiful. You don't need to waste money on all this."

I knew he was just trying to make me stop spending. I brushed him off and continued shopping.

That night, I returned home late. Before I even stepped inside, I heard Lucas complaining. "Where were you? Why are you back so late? We've been waiting for you. We're starving."

Waiting?

Or waiting for me to make dinner?

I ignored him and pushed the door open.

Lucas froze the moment he saw me. His eyes widened in surprise. "You look beautiful tonight."

I glanced past him, catching my reflection in the mirror. No wonder he was stunned. Even I barely recognized myself.

The she-wolf staring back at me was nothing like the one he had neglected. Her makeup was flawless, her dress sleek and elegant, hiding the scars and imperfections on her body.

I had almost forgotten—I once was brilliant like a diamond.

Lucas stepped forward, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His voice dropped, thick with desire.

"Is this because of what I said last night? Let me make it up to you tonight."