Chapter 1

I agreed to drop out of the Alpha King’s summer boot camp for my bullied childhood friend.

But the day before signing the confirmation papers, I changed my mind.

At the rest area, his friends were laughing and teasing him. "Man, you really played the long game just to get rid of Grace, huh?"

"You guys grew up together. Are you really okay with letting her drop out alone?"

Ethan’s voice was completely indifferent. "It’s just a year of training. It’s no big deal."

"Besides, she follows me around all day. It’s annoying as hell. This is actually perfect."

I stood outside the door for a long time before I finally turned around and walked away.

But on my dropout application form, I didn't sign to leave. Instead, I transferred myself from the Alpha King’s Basic Boot Camp to the Heir’s Advanced Elite Training.

Ethan seemed to have forgotten one thing.

He and I were never on the same level. He was the dirt, and I was the sky.

The moment I heard those words, it felt like a hard punch straight to my face.

For the past month, Ethan had been targeted and jumped by wolves from other packs in the camp.

The first time was in the cafeteria. Someone dumped a tray of food right over his head in front of everyone.

The second time was on the training field. They broke his bones on purpose, and it took him two whole days to heal.

Every single time, I was the one who rushed in to shield him. The worst time, I ended up with three broken ribs and couldn’t even get out of bed for twenty-four hours.

Unable to watch him suffer anymore, I suggested we drop out together.

At that time, Ethan had just walked out of the infirmary, his face still covered in bruises. He grabbed my hand, his voice trembling.

"Grace, I really can't take this anymore."

Ethan and I grew up together in neighboring packs. Because our families were close, we had been running and playing together since we were pups. For over a decade, we were inseparable.

And deep down, I was secretly in love with him.

So, in a fit of impulse, I promised him, "Don't be afraid. Wherever you go, I’ll go with you."

But now, I finally realized it was all a show. He had orchestrated the attacks just to get me to leave.

I couldn't help but wonder—did Ethan really hate me that much?

Inside the rest area, the conversation continued. "But man, Grace is seriously loyal to you."

"If you make her drop out for you, aren't you worried she’ll fall for someone else?"

"Her?"

Ethan let out a mocking laugh.

"She literally took hits from other packs for me. She was covered in blood and still didn't back down. You really think she’d change her mind about me?"

Someone chimed in, "What if? Grace is not someone to be messed with."

Ethan’s voice was lazy and arrogant. "There is no 'what if.' There are so many Alpha heirs in this camp, and she hasn't looked at a single one of them."

His tone was filled with pure contempt.

"She’s like a lost puppy following me around. It’s suffocating."

Laughter erupted in the room. It felt like a physical slap across my face.

*I want to tear him apart,* my inner wolf snarled.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying hard to calm the beast inside.

Another guy laughed.

"Honestly, it’s my first time seeing someone push away a girl who’s so obsessed with him. Boss move."

"But if you don't like her clinging to you, why didn't you just say so? Grace doesn't seem like the type to beg."

Ethan let out an annoyed sigh. "Grace is too proud. If I told her the truth, do you think she’d just let go?"

He paused, his voice softening slightly. "Besides, Lily feels uncomfortable whenever Grace is around. She only feels safe when it’s just the two of us."

"For Lily's sake, I have to make Grace make some sacrifices."

The moment he said that, everything clicked.

Looking back at the timeline, Ethan decided to "get attacked" exactly one week after Lily joined the camp.

One of his friends laughed and nudged him. "You slick bastard. She just got here and you already marked your territory?"

"But yeah, Lily is definitely the cute, fragile type. Any guy would want to protect her."

"Unlike Grace, who walks around with a resting bitch face all day, like everyone owes her money. Who cares if she’s pretty?"

The degrading comments about me kept coming, like a rising tide.

And Ethan, the boy I had loved for years, did nothing to stop them. He didn’t argue. In fact, he agreed with them.

Standing outside the door, my heart sank to the freezing depths of the ocean.

*I’m going to rip his throat out right now,* my wolf growled.

For a split second, I wanted to kick the door open and storm in.

I wanted to scream at him: *When you watched me take those beatings for you, did you feel even a shred of guilt?*

I wanted to ask: *All these years we spent together, what did they mean to you?*

But then, I remembered my mom’s words: *Never waste your energy on trash.*

She was right.

I didn’t kick the door.

But I didn't walk away quietly either.

I took a deep breath and spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone inside to hear:

"Ethan, I heard everything."

The room went dead silent instantly.

Without waiting for his reaction, I turned on my heel and walked away.