Chapter 2

*No... That's not what happened!*

I wept, shaking my head violently.

*Mom, the day you almost died, I had no idea! Sarah texted me from James's phone telling me you were completely fine and resting! That was the only reason I went to celebrate my best friend's birthday!*

Sarah sighed softly and wiped her tears.

"Emily hates me. I know that. Maybe it's best if I leave the pack. Tell her to come back. As long as she's here, I'll stay out of sight so she won't be upset."

"Stay right where you are," Margaret said, gently stopping Sarah before turning a harsh glare on Beta Wilson. "Michael is right. In this house, my goddaughter matters far more than my rebellious daughter. If she refuses to return today, she will never be Robert's daughter again!"

A sharp, phantom agony tore through my chest. I clutched the gaping wound where my heart used to beat and gritted my teeth.

*Don't worry, Mother. I don't want to be your daughter anymore either. Didn't I carve it in blood before I died?*

*In my next life, I will never be an Alpha's daughter.*

Sarah didn't show up for dinner that evening. James was away at a pack council meeting. Michael had planned to leave, but after a moment's hesitation, he carried a dinner tray up the stairs and knocked on Sarah's bedroom door.

"Michael?" I whispered in disbelief. "Michael, stay away from her!"

My ghostly hands tried to drag him back, but they swept uselessly through his shoulders. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

Sarah was sitting on the edge of the bed, gently rubbing her tear-streaked eyes. She didn't look up, but Michael hesitated before sitting beside her.

"If only I had seen her true colors sooner, I never would have taken her side, doubted you, or let her bully you."

I froze. *Michael... what are you talking about?!*

Sarah looked at him with rimmed eyes and offered a fragile smile.

"It's fine. It's only natural for Emily to look down on me. I'm just an outsider with no noble bloodline. Being targeted by her is nothing new."

She paused, her gaze flickering across Michael's tense jawline before she lowered her voice.

"She's a spoiled Alpha's daughter. It shouldn't surprise anyone that she reached out to rogues to get rid of me. Her ex-boyfriend Kevin... you know, that rogue ringleader. She never truly cut ties with him. To them, eliminating an eyesore like me is as easy as snapping their fingers. Don't be too hard on her."

My soul trembled violently.

*I... reached out to rogues to kill her?*

Kevin. My ex-boyfriend.

We had dated for less than three days back when I was young and stupid. At the time, I had no clue he led the most notorious rogue band in the territory. The moment I found out, I ran and blocked him everywhere.

I never imagined Sarah would spin such a venomous lie using his name.

Michael clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. Watching his hardened face, I realized this wasn't the first time he had heard this lie. Suddenly, everything clicked. I finally understood why his gaze had grown so cold and contemptuous toward me over the past months. Every time I had desperately tried to ask what went wrong, all I received was disgust.

So that was why.

I closed my eyes as bitter tears streamed down my face.

"I'm sorry..." Michael lowered his head, resting his elbows on his knees. "If I had opened my eyes earlier instead of defending Emily while she humiliated you... you wouldn't have suffered so much."

I gritted my teeth to keep my phantom body from collapsing.

Michael looked up, his own eyes burning red.

"Thank the Goddess you met James. And Robert and Margaret treat you like their own. I can't imagine how much regret I would feel if my blind defense of Emily had pushed you over the edge."

A subtle flush crept up Sarah's cheeks.