Chapter 2

The pain didn't hit me right away. It came in slow, sharp waves.

I wouldn't have been this hurt if it was just a regular betrayal by a pack member.

But Ethan was the one who had crossed the line first.

On the night we decided to drop out together, he had dragged me to the clearing behind the training camp to drink.

The moonlight was beautiful, and the way he looked at me was so gentle.

I had loved him for so long that my brain completely short-circuited.

So, when he leaned in to kiss me, I didn't pull away.

My heart was beating out of my chest. I couldn't help but ask, "Ethan, what are we now?"

Ethan leaned down, kissed me again, and smiled. "Whatever you want us to be."

At that moment, my heart had soared.

I never expected that just two days later, I would hear him shatter my feelings so easily.

I let out a bitter laugh as a tear slipped down my cheek.

So, that kiss was just another lie to get me to leave, wasn’t it?

The wind chimes in my room jingled softly, slowly drying my tears.

My broken heart began to piece itself back together.

Ethan had made a huge mistake.

The Alpha King organized this summer boot camp to pull the young heirs out of their comfortable school environments and put them in real-world scenarios.

It was designed to test their leadership, alliances, and true nature.

But that only applied to the weak pups who hadn't even awakened their wolves yet.

I had awakened my inner wolf when I was sixteen. I was supposed to be in the Heir’s Advanced Elite Training from the start.

I was supposed to be learning pack diplomacy and territory management.

The dropout form in my hand was smudged by my tears, the ink bleeding into an ugly mess.

But that was fine. I could just get a clean one.

The Miller Pack never ran out of backup plans.

I reprinted the form. Before filling out the program section, I called my mom.

"Mom, which heir training program did you want me to join?"

"Yes, I’m going alone."

The wind chimes in my room rang clearly, as if celebrating my decision.

I closed my eyes. This time, Ethan’s face didn't pop up in my mind.

Instead, I saw a man who looked slightly like Ethan, but was far more handsome and commanding. He had smiled at me two years ago and said with absolute certainty:

"Grace, sooner or later, you'll leave Ethan and choose me."

Back then, I thought he was joking.

But now, I whispered in my mind:

*Ethan, I’m officially done with you.*

After signing the new form, I let out a long sigh of relief. My heart was finally at peace.

Suddenly, there was a knock on my door.

I froze. I lived alone in this house, and the only person who knew the passcode was...

I opened the door, and sure enough, Ethan was standing there.

He spoke in his usual gentle tone. "Grace, you didn’t come to say goodbye to the guys. I was worried about you."

I kept my voice as flat as possible. "I’m not feeling well, so I stayed in."

I was about to shut the door when I caught sight of a figure hiding behind him.

Lily was standing half a step behind Ethan. She looked sweet and innocent, but her eyes were quickly scanning my face.

The moment our eyes met, she flinched dramatically and shrank behind Ethan.

Ethan immediately stepped in front of her to shield her.

"Grace, you’re scaring Lily."

There she went again. Lily always acted like I was some big, bad bully out to get her, even though I hadn’t done a single thing.

My face went cold. "I told you before, I don't like strangers in my house."

Ethan frowned, looking annoyed. "Lily isn't a stranger."

"Besides, she only came because she was worried about you."

Before I could fire back, Lily’s eyes welled up with tears.

"Grace, I’m so sorry. I know you look down on me, but I wash myself every day."

She sobbed. "I won't get your house dirty..."

Hearing this, Ethan’s frown deepened. He glared at me. "Grace, Lily might come from a normal family, but she’s not dirt. You don't have to treat her like trash."

"I’m seriously disappointed in you."

Lily gently tugged at Ethan’s sleeve, acting like the bigger person.

"Ethan, it’s fine. Please don't fight with Grace because of me..."

She sniffled, giving him a weak but brave smile. "After all, Grace said you guys grew up together. I can never compete with that kind of bond..."

"What are you talking about? You are one of a kind, Lily," Ethan said, his heart aching as he cupped her face, whispering sweet details to calm her down.

Then, he turned to me, his face as cold as ice. "Lily is upset. I’m taking her home."

"You need to think about your behavior. And don't forget to sign the dropout form tomorrow."

I definitely thought about my behavior—specifically, my terrible taste in men.

Then, I walked over to the keypad and changed my house passcode.

The heavy weight in my chest finally lifted a little.