Chapter 2

As he spoke, Ethan's face naturally filled with arrogance.

He looked down at me.

He seemed entirely certain that I wouldn't leave. He was waiting for me to bow my head and apologize, just like the other ninety-nine times.

"Clara, you'd better think this through. Once you walk out that door, who else would ever want a wolfless girl like you?"

My heart sank. The Ethan standing in front of me felt like a complete stranger.

I couldn't connect him with the passionate, fiercely protective boy from eight years ago.

Tears welled up in my chest. Memories of that sweet boy began to flood my mind.

When I was thirteen, when the other werewolves in the pack bullied me, Ethan was the one who stood up for me. Even when he was badly injured, he dragged me out of the dark.

"Hey, your name is Clara, right? I fell in love with you at first sight. From now on, I'll protect you."

"If anyone messes with you, just say my name. I'll make them regret it!"

When I was fifteen, Ethan, who hated training, started waking up before dawn to run laps just to keep me company. He even stopped going to pack parties.

When I was sixteen, my parents died in a pack conflict. We lost our income, and I had to sneak to the dangerous borders to work odd jobs to survive.

It was sixteen-year-old Ethan who worked right alongside me every single day. He picked me up late at night, often falling asleep on the curb while waiting for me to finish my shift.

On my eighteenth birthday, I finally came of age. But on that very day, I realized something devastating.

Ethan was not my fated mate.

But before I could even say a word, Ethan eagerly kissed my lips, begging and pleading with me to promise we'd be together forever.

"Clara, you have me now. Don't be scared. I will cherish you for the rest of my life."

At that moment, I didn't push him away.

When I was twenty-one, I was brutally attacked and lost my inner wolf. The day I was rescued, Ethan held me and sobbed uncontrollably, swearing to make everyone who hurt me pay.

But ever since he met Nina, everything we had evaporated into thin air.

Ethan started bringing up Nina constantly in our daily conversations.

I didn't even notice when her name began to dominate his vocabulary, or when he stopped coming home.

He started keeping his distance. He began to despise me. He stood by and let others mock me.

A gust of cold wind blew through the open window, snapping me back to reality.

The warmth in my heart died out. The image of the sweet boy in my memory finally faded away.

I looked Ethan straight in the eye and said, word for word:

"Then cancel it. I wish you two a happy life together."

Seeing me turn around to leave, a flash of panic crossed Ethan's eyes. Even his voice carried a hint of desperation.

"Clara, stop right there!"

"You don't even have a wolf! You're just a useless freak. Who else would ever want you?"

Ethan’s voice wasn't loud, but it echoed like thunder in the quiet room.

All the blood drained from my face.

I turned my head, my body trembling with utter disbelief.

My deepest pain, my most humiliating secret, was casually laid bare by Ethan in front of everyone.

Ethan looked slightly panicked for a split second, but he quickly composed himself.

"Clara, be good. Come here and apologize to Nina. I'll pretend this never happened, and our Mate Ceremony will go on as scheduled."

Ethan's voice drifted through the room. The mocking stares of the crowd swept over me like daggers.

Everyone knew I was wolfless.

But in the past, Ethan had never allowed anyone to mention it.

"Tsk, he finally said it. He usually acts so devoted, but deep down, he's just embarrassed that she’s wolfless."

"Exactly. She’s just a useless human. Did she really think Alpha Ethan couldn't live without her?"

The whispering and pointing pressed down on my chest, suffocating me.