Chapter 3

The Healer gave me a herbal brew to stop the bleeding and applied soothing salves to my wounds. After resting in the recovery room for half a day, I headed back.

The house was dead silent.

Evidently, Alpha James had spent the entire time playing doting mate at Lily’s bedside.

Right on cue, a notification buzzed on my phone.

A video from Lily.

James was wearing an apron, stirring a pot of soup over the stove.

Lily wrote: *Emily Carter, so what if you had a mate ceremony with Jamie? I'm the only one he truly loves.*

I scoffed.

She sent a flurry of intimate photos right after.

I clicked onto her Instagram.

Over the past few days, she had posted constantly—showing off how the revered Pack Alpha catered to her every whim.

The comments were flooded with pack members gushing over how blessed she was.

I screenshot every piece of evidence, saved them to the cloud, and blocked her.

Then I packed my bags and checked into a quiet hotel.

I ran a hot bath and collapsed onto the bed, physically and emotionally drained.

For the next few days, I stayed inside, letting my body recover.

During that time, Beta David blew up my phone. When he realized I wasn't with James, he exploded into a rage.

"If you don't grovel and make Jamie happy, you're no daughter of mine!"

I said calmly, "I'm never getting back together with him."

I hung up and blocked him, too.

When I finally returned to the pack house, the other wolves looked at me with strange, awkward expressions. A young wolf assigned by Beta David hurried over, whispering, "Emily, social media is blowing up! None of us knew you and Alpha James were actual mates…"

"Everyone thought Lily was going to be the Luna."

I pulled out my phone and checked the headlines.

Trending at number one: *[Pack Alpha Abandons Luna at the Altar!]*

I skimmed the article. The media had leaked footage from the mate ceremony, spinning a scandalous story about an Alpha ditching his bride for his mistress.

The pack’s businesses and border alliances were already taking a financial hit.

Right then, James’s call came through. "Emily Carter, fix the media mess right now! What the hell have you been doing all week?!"

Swallowing the chill in my throat, I replied flatly, "These matters belong to the Alpha. Handle them yourself."

In the past, I would have cleaned up his scandals without a word of complaint. But my heart was dead now. What reason did I have to save him?

That evening, James was surprisingly waiting outside the pack hall.

He grabbed my arm and shoved me into the passenger seat of his car before I could pull away.

"What kind of tantrum are you still throwing? Lily almost lost her life and she’s not even holding a grudge, yet you’re still acting petty?"

"You're thirty years old! Who runs away from home at your age?"

"Whatever. I'm taking you to your favorite steakhouse. Drop the attitude."

He tossed a velvet jewelry box into my lap. Inside was a diamond butterfly brooch.

The price tag was still attached, boasting a glaring six-figure sum.

It brought back memories.

Whenever we fought in the past, James would buy me gifts, cook me dinner, or give me a bucket list of things he’d take me to do.

Now, his efforts were nothing more than lazy transactions.

Slapping a price tag on his guilt and expecting me to accept it with gratitude.

Ignoring his arrogant *you-should-know-better* smirk, I tossed the box onto the dashboard.

"I don't want it. Give it to Lily."

"She’s already wearing yesterday's ring on her finger. What’s one more piece of jewelry?"

James’s expression hardened instantly.

I pressed on, "Also, I'm not throwing a tantrum. I’ve made up my mind. Since you two are so desperate to be together, I'll vacate the Luna title. Find some time so we can sign the paperwork and finish this."

How ironic.

When we first registered our union, James used his busy pack schedule as an excuse to dodge holding a proper mate ceremony.

I told him I didn't mind.

Until one night at a pack gathering, I overheard him holding Lily in his arms, boasting to his inner circle:

"I fell out of love with Emily Carter years ago."

"Her mother saved my life, and her father is our Beta. Giving her the Luna title is more than enough compensation."

"My heart belongs solely to Lily."

The crowd cheered as they shared a deep kiss. Outside the door, my heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds.

Our entire marriage was a calculation, an act of charity, a hollow gesture of pity.

Now, I didn't want it anymore. I didn't need it.