Chapter 2

The party was held in the grand hall of Timber Ridge. A monthly formal dinner where high-ranking bloodlines and regular pack members mingled over drinks. It was my very first time attending such an event as Ethan's girlfriend.

The hall was massive. Crystal chandeliers illuminated historic oil paintings of the pack line. The long banquet tables were loaded with gourmet food, fine silverware gleaming under the chandeliers. Everyone was dressed to the nines—women dripping in diamonds, men wearing watches that cost fortunes.

Sitting beside Ethan, I felt completely out of place.

That was the night Vanessa showed up.

She was an heiress from the Hart family, a highborn noble who grew up alongside Ethan. Her wolf was named Viper—a name that suited her to perfection.

Holding a glass of red wine, she glided over and looked me up and down. Then she smirked and turned to Ethan.

"Ethan, aren't you going to introduce us?"

Ethan took my hand. "This is Sophia, my girlfriend."

Vanessa arched an eyebrow. "Oh, Sophia. You know, I heard you and Jason are pretty close?"

Every set of eyes at the table locked onto me. Inside my head, Ember's ears pinned back defensively.

Vanessa feigned shock, pressing a hand against her lips. "Oops, did I get that wrong?"

I froze, instinctively looking at Ethan.

He was leaning back against his chair, idly flicking a lighter. He didn't say a word. He didn't even look at me.

I forced myself to speak. "We're just in the same pack. We've run into each other a couple of times, that's all."

"Just run into each other?" Vanessa's smile turned sly. "Funny. I heard Jason used to pursue you."

My fingers curled into tight fists. Ember growled in my chest.

"That's completely false. You heard wrong, Vanessa."

"Is that so?" Vanessa shrugged. "Maybe my sources were mistaken."

She clinked her glass against Ethan's.

"Still, Ethan, you better keep a tight leash on her. Lowborn wolves these days can be awfully calculating."

Ethan raised his gaze and gave Vanessa a flat, unbothered look.

"That's my business, not yours."

Vanessa gave a careless laugh and walked back to her seat. But as she turned, I caught the smug curl on her lips.

For the rest of the night, I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles.

The ride home was suffocating. Ethan didn't say a single word.

"Ethan," I called softly.

He kept his eyes on the road. "What?"

"Jason and I really aren't close."

Ethan flicked the turn signal and veered into the residential district.

"I know."

His tone was quiet.

At the time, I didn't realize how hollow that sounded.

From that day on, Vanessa started spreading rumors all over the Timber Ridge territory. She claimed I had dated Jason. She called me a gold digger who preyed on pureblood Alphas just to climb the pack hierarchy by birthing pureblood pups.

The gossip made me tremble with rage. My hand shook so badly that my water almost sloshed out of the glass.

What chilled me to the bone, though, was that those rumors reached Ethan.

He changed.

He stopped coming to the library to pick me up. He used to arrive ten minutes early, leaning against the car with a gentle smile waiting for me. Now, he didn't show at all.

His replies grew slower and slower. Instant texts turned into minutes, then stretched into hours.

Whenever we ate together, he would drop Jason's name out of nowhere.

"Jason performed well in training today."

"Jason's leading the border patrol squad next month."

Every time he brought it up, his gaze would bore into me, dissecting my reaction. That look made my stomach knot up. It felt like an interrogation, watching to see if my facade would crack.