Chapter 4

I had met Damian at a Northern Coalition summit.

I was sixteen then, a year into being poisoned, weighing 180 pounds, and my dormant wolf was nowhere to be found.

The teenagers in the Blackwood Pack called me "the broken wolf." They whispered that my early shifting at age fourteen was just a fluke.

The elders didn't say it to my face, but they would lower their voices and sigh whenever I walked past at family gatherings.

Once, during a pack trial run, I finished dead last, panting so hard I almost fainted.

The boy I had a crush on back then, Tyler, stood at the finish line and stepped back in disgust.

"Don't lean on me," he sneered. "You can’t even shift. Who’s going to catch you if you fall?"

Everyone laughed.

That night, I locked myself in my room, refusing to speak to anyone.

Damian was the one who added me on Snapchat that night.

Having heard about my situation, he sent me several encouraging messages.

"Your voice is so beautiful. You don't sound like someone who’s sick at all."

After that, we stayed in touch.

Whenever other wolves mocked me, he would publicly defend me.

"Being poisoned isn't her fault. Why are you guys taking your anger out on a girl?"

He was always there to comfort me when I was down.

"Who says you have to shift to be amazing? I think you’re adorable just the way you are."

"Kira, no matter what you look like, I will always be on your side."

I believed him.

Because of his words, I felt, for the first time, that I was worthy of being loved.

Until eight months ago, when my healer informed him that my wolf might never wake up.

After that day, he became noticeably cold.

Our daily conversations dwindled to polite, distant greetings.

When I asked him what was wrong, he claimed he was under intense pressure from the Frostmane elders.

Now I realized it was all a lie.

He had simply confirmed that I was a lost cause.

But he didn't break off the engagement right away.

Because the Blackwood Pack still held immense power in the North, and my dad was still helping him secure his position.

He couldn't bear to lose a useful pawn.

So, he waited until the eve of the Lunar Gala, using a cold rejection letter to cast me aside once he no longer needed us.

My phone rang again.

This time, I picked up.

Damian’s voice was filled with impatience.

"What are you doing, playing damsel in distress with Ellis in the group chat?"

"He simply said a word of truth. How is that playing damsel?"

"Why would a guy like Ellis defend a broken Alpha heir for no reason?" Damian sneered. "Don't think your pretty voice will make him act like a hero. Ellis doesn't even care about his own pack's affairs. You’re just making a fool of yourself."

I remained quiet for two seconds.

"So, you think I’m not good enough for you?"

"That's not what I said."

"Then why did you bet fifty thousand dollars that I wouldn't dare to show up?"

He choked on his words.

After a long pause, he sighed in irritation.

"Fine. You want the truth? I know your actual condition, Kira."

"Engagement is one thing, but reality is another."

"Don't blame me. What Alpha would marry a mate who can’t even shift?"

"I didn't make the official reason public. I was trying to save you some dignity."

I gripped my phone, the remaining warmth in my heart finally turning to ice.

"Then thank you so much for being such a gentleman."

Damian didn't catch my sarcasm and softened his tone.

"Don't come tomorrow. I’ll refund your plane ticket."

"Serena will be there. Standing next to her will only make you look worse."

I asked slowly, "Are you and Serena close?"

There was a sudden silence on the other end.

"Don't overthink it. There's nothing between us."

I smiled.

It looked like tomorrow's Lunar Gala was going to be much more entertaining than I thought.