I left the pack after my Alpha and my best friend betrayed me. My best friend, Sophia, had been set up by her horrible ex-mate. Stripped of everything and exiled from her Pack, I didn’t hesitate to bring her into my home. I took her out to clear her head, drank with her until we were wasted, and even handed her my credit card so she could buy whatever she wanted. My boyfriend—who also happened to be my Alpha, Alexander—constantly frowned at this. “Emily, you’re my Beta, not Sophia’s personal bodyguard. She’s weak and useless. She deserved to be kicked out.” For the first time, I snapped at my Alpha: “She is my best friend. Back at the Werewolf Academy, when everyone laughed at me for being a wolf-less freak, she was the only one who stood by me. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today. So please, show her some respect.” Later, I went away on a long-term mission. I FaceTimed Sophia every day, watching her slowly step out of the shadows and start a new job and life. Until three months later, when I walked through the front door carrying my luggage, only to see Sophia lying on my sofa, while Alexander was smoothly feeding her strawberries.
For a moment, there was a deathly silence in the room. My inner wolf howled, wanting to lung forward and tear the scene in front of me to shreds. But I just gripped the strap of my travel bag tightly, standing frozen in place. The only sound was the laughter from a reality show playing on the TV. Sophia was the first to react. She scrambled off the sofa and walked toward me, her face pale. “Emily… when did you get back? Why didn’t you tell us? We… I could have picked you up.” Alexander stood quietly behind her, saying nothing. Sophia forced a tense smile. “You must be tired. Let me get you some water.” With that, she turned in a panic and grabbed a glass from the coffee table. In her clumsiness, she knocked over the pitcher, spilling water all over the floor. Alexander frowned and pulled out some paper towels to clean it up. “Stop messing around. You don’t know how to do this kind of work.” Though his voice was scolding, the tenderness in his tone was undeniable. The last shred of hope in my heart vanished. My grip on my bag tightened, leaving deep red marks on my palm. “When did this start?” Sophia gasped, reflexively turning her head to look at Alexander. But he remained perfectly calm, stepping in front of her to shield her with his broad shoulders. “It has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.” His tone was flat, as if he were simply talking about the weather. With every word he spoke, the pain in my chest deepened. My fated mate—the one who was supposed to have the deepest bond with me—was now standing in front of me, protecting another woman. And that woman was my best friend. I stood there, stiff as a board, listening to his humiliating excuses. Alexander had always been cold and detached. He made decisions for the Pack with ruthless efficiency. Outsiders always said he was hard to approach, and that I was the only one who could ever bring out his emotions. I used to think I was his only exception. Until this moment, when he stood on the opposite side of me, using the coldest words to completely shut me out. Sophia panicked. “No… Emily, let me explain, it’s not what you think…” I stood there in silence. She stammered for a long time but couldn’t come up with a single logical explanation. I couldn’t help but let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Can’t you at least make up a decent lie?” Sophia’s face grew even paler. Alexander took her shaking hands in his and said in a deep voice, “It’s fine. I’ll handle this, okay?” He stepped forward and took my luggage. “Emily, let’s talk outside.” I looked at his face. In just three months, he had become so foreign to me. Suppressing the burning tears in my eyes, my voice trembled slightly. “Alexander, this is my house. And you’re asking me to leave?” He fell silent for a brief second, then spoke with a hint of pleading in his voice. “Emily, I’m begging you. She caught a cold yesterday. Let her get some rest, okay?” I clutched my chest. There was no physical wound, yet the pain was so intense I felt like I was dying. Alexander grabbed his coat from the back of the chair and whispered gently to Sophia, “Go to sleep. I’ll handle the rest. I’ll bring you back some seafood chowder from downtown later.” I slammed the door and ran out, refusing to let them see my face covered in tears. In the hotel suite, Alexander sat on a distant sofa, keeping a polite, cold distance. After a quiet moment, he spoke in a low voice. “It’s my fault. You can have whatever compensation you want.” “I fell for her first. Don’t blame her.” I dug my fingernails into my palms and took a deep breath. “Why?” Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose. “Emily, you’re smart, calm, and strong. But Sophia is different. Without me, she won’t survive.” Looking at his face through the dim light, I found it utterly hilarious. Before, when Sophia was just my best friend, Alexander looked down on her completely. He used to say she was weak, useless, a spoiled Beta’s daughter who had no connection to the real world—a parasite who could only live off others. Three months ago, when I had to leave as a Beta to handle a major negotiation at the Werewolf Summit, I had begged him to occasionally help her if she needed anything. Back then, he had playfully kissed my cheek. “Emily, you haven’t even let me mark you yet, and you’re already making me do your family chores. You’re leaving me with such a mess, you’ll have to make it up to me.” I had stood on my tiptoes to kiss him back, promising him that as soon as the territory negotiations were over, we would hold our formal mate ceremony. Now, just three months later, everything had changed.
Alexander stood up, pursing his lips with a complicated expression. “I’m sorry. I can compensate you. You can still remain the Beta of the pack. I’ll give you full authority over the guard units and the pack’s funds.” “I only have one request. You’re very important to Sophia. She doesn’t want to lose you as a friend.” I looked up at him, as if I had just heard the biggest joke in the world. Laughter bubbled up through my tears. Three months ago, I was the one asking him to take care of my best friend. Three months later, I was the one being asked to play nice. My voice shook slightly. “Alexander, do you two really not realize how disgusting you are?” “What makes you think Emily Carter is just going to let you walk all over her? I will expose what you did to the entire Pack. If you’re bold enough to do it, you should be bold enough to face the consequences.” Alexander stepped back, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Emily, don’t throw a tantrum. You started as the daughter of an ordinary werewolf and worked your way up to where you are today. It wasn’t easy. Don’t ruin your life over a moment of impulse.” Hearing his warning tone, I couldn’t help but shiver. Alexander looked down at me, completely adopting the posture of a superior Alpha. People always said Alexander was cold and ruthless. I used to disagree. But now, I finally realized the rumors were true. He had only given his warmth to me in the past. Now, he was giving it to someone else. “I’m going back. She won’t sleep well if I’m not there.” “I’ll move her out tomorrow. I’m sorry you have to stay here tonight.” The door clicked shut. I finally collapsed onto the pillows and sobbed. Outside the window was the bustling city skyline. I had rushed home after a long journey, only to be tossed into a cold hotel room. A few hundred yards away, the two most important people in my life were sleeping together in my house, in my bed. How pathetic. The next day, I hid my swollen eyes behind sunglasses and parked my car outside a local bakery. Sophia, wearing her uniform, looked up. Her eyes lit up for a second before she cast them down in shame. She brought me a cup of coffee and sat down across from me. With a strained smile, she spoke cautiously. “Emily, I know you’re mad at me. I’m so sorry. I know how good you’ve been to me. I owe you so much over the years…” “Look, I have a job now. I will pay you back everything I owe you…” I couldn’t help but sneer, looking at her. She was just a pastry chef, yet she was wearing designer jewelry worth tens of thousands of dollars. “Pay me back? With this job?” Sophia froze. After graduation, she had married early and became a housewife. Her ex-husband had treated her well and tolerated all her tantrums. Combined with my unconditional indulgence, Sophia’s life had been smooth sailing. Until six months ago, when her husband cheated on her with another Alpha’s daughter. She was quickly rejected and thrown out of the house. If I hadn’t gotten there in time, she would have ended up on the streets. She wanted to start a new life, but having spent years as a spoiled Luna, she had never handled a single pack affair. She was completely out of touch with society. She couldn’t serve as a pack warrior, and she couldn’t even handle a normal job. Luckily, she liked baking, so she applied to be a pastry chef here. I didn’t say anything. I just waved my hand. The store manager walked over respectfully and stood before me. “Beta Carter, welcome.” Sophia’s face turned pale, her eyes widening. I took off my sunglasses and said flatly, “After your rejection, you had a breakdown until you said you wanted a job to start over.” “Sophia, you’re not an idiot. Did you seriously never wonder why, after failing so many interviews, you suddenly landed a job at this exact bakery? Why would they hire a pastry chef with zero experience?” “I gave you my whole heart, and this is how you repay me?” Sophia’s eyelashes fluttered as tears began to stream down her face. Her voice shook violently. “I didn’t know… I didn’t know…” She suddenly grabbed my hand. “But he is good to me. He loves me. Emily, you’re so strong. You can survive without anyone, but I can’t.” “You said it yourself—everything you have can be shared with me. I don’t want anything else. I just want him. Please?” I stared at her quietly. We had known each other since we were three. Twenty-five years of friendship, completely distorted in an instant. “Since we were kids, I would give you whatever you asked for.” “But Sophia, taking things without asking is called stealing.”
By the time Alexander arrived, Sophia was practically on her knees at my feet, crying hysterically. His face darkened instantly. He stormed over, pulled her up, and shielded her behind him. He glared at me, his jaw clenched. “Emily, I told you to come at me if you have a problem. Don’t take it out on her.” “Just name a price for how much she spent of yours over the years. I’ll write you a check right now.” I let out a cold laugh. “Alpha Blake is indeed generous. Too bad what you two owe me can never be paid back in this lifetime.” Alexander’s expression soured, and he was about to retort when Sophia suddenly screamed, “Enough!” Her body shook, but she forced herself to look at me. “Emily, I don’t care if you hate me. I’m not giving him up. From now on, we are even.” She ripped off her apron, grabbed Alexander’s hand, and the two of them walked out without looking back. I sat by the window. Outside, two high school girls in uniforms were sharing an ice cream, laughing and chatting. Suddenly, I felt a cold wetness on my cheek. I reached up and realized I was crying. Sophia and I had met at the Werewolf Academy. We were young werewolves, sharing a dorm room. I was the latest bloomer in the entire academy. While others completed their first shift in their early teens, I couldn’t summon my wolf. If my father hadn’t died saving the Elder Alpha, I wouldn’t have even had the chance to study there. I was a joke to everyone. “The late bloomer,” “the wolf-less freak,” “the dead weight”—they said it to my face and behind my back. They tripped me during training, knocked my tray over at lunch, and threw my belongings out the window at night. I learned not to cry, because crying never brought help. Only Sophia was different. She was a Beta’s daughter, from a high-ranking family, and one of the earliest to shift. She always had plenty of followers, but she chose me. The first time she stood up for me was when a senior Alpha’s son threw my backpack into a mud pit. Sophia walked right up, picked up the bag, wiped it clean, shoved it into my arms, and glared at the boy. “She’s my friend. Touch her again and see what happens.” From then on, she dragged me to train with her, eat with her, and complete missions together. She always said, “You’re just a little slower than the others, but you’ll end up stronger than all of them. I know it.” She would lick her ice cream and pat my shoulder carelessly. “Don’t cry, Emily. I can tell you have the potential to be a warrior. When you become the strongest warrior in the Pack, just remember to buy me the best BBQ.” In my teenage years, Sophia was my first hero. She was the most important person in my life. When I got home, all traces of them were gone. I stared at the empty house, feeling dazed. When I first bought this place, I had set aside a bedroom specifically for Sophia. Alexander had been annoyed back then. I had just smiled and said it was my promise to her. At her wedding, I was her maid of honor. After catching her bouquet, I promised her that as long as I was alive, she would always have a home to return to. But now, the one without a home was me. There were still things Alexander hadn’t packed yet. The medals we won at the academy tournament, Our vacation photos, Our matching toothbrushes in the bathroom, The blanket left on the couch, and the book on the coffee table. Every time I closed my eyes, I could picture them fooling around on this very sofa. I covered my mouth and ran to the bathroom, dry-heaving until my stomach burned. I looked up at my reflection in the mirror—pale, exhausted, and barely recognizable. Alexander was the previous Alpha’s son, and I had once sworn to serve him forever. I had also successfully been chosen by the Elder Alpha to be the next Beta. The day Alexander became Alpha, he confessed his love to me. The usually stoic guy had actually blushed. “Emily, you’re the smartest, toughest girl I’ve ever met. Give me a chance to take care of you.” So, Alexander became both my Alpha and my boyfriend. We carried the Pack’s responsibilities together, learning how to be leaders. He was my partner in battle, my fated mate. Because of him, I had once thought about giving up my dream of becoming the strongest warrior just to be his Luna, helping him manage the pack. I had truly planned to spend the rest of my life with him. I stared at my reflection and clenched my fists. They were once my reason for living, the motivation behind my hard work. Yet, they had dealt me the most fatal blow. Why should I let them get away with it? I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t called in a long time.
Three days after I made that call, Alexander stormed into my office, furious. He slammed the door so hard the walls shook. “Emily, did you go to Sophia’s parents?” “Her mother called her last night and yelled at her for an hour, calling her ungrateful and saying she betrayed you. Sophia cried until she almost fainted. Are you happy now?” I let out a soft chuckle. “If you two were brave enough to do it, why are you scared of people finding out?” Yet, my heart twinged with a bitter ache. I had always remembered how kind Mrs. Evans and her family were to me. Over the years, as I started earning money, I had repaid them tenfold. Mrs. Evans had apologized to me on the phone, sounding incredibly guilty. But the person who actually needed to apologize hadn’t said a word. Alexander took a deep breath, suddenly calming down. “Emily, I’ll give you one last chance. Go apologize to Sophia right now, and I can pretend none of this happened.” I looked at him as if he had lost his mind. “Apologize? I’m not the one who needs to apologize here.” His face darkened. “As of today, you are stripped of your title as Pack Beta.” “I’ll give you three days to think about it. Emily, you’ve always been smart. Don’t make a stupid mistake now.” I watched him walk away, the last ounce of affection in my heart evaporating. When Alexander was good to you, he would give you the entire Pack’s resources. But once he turned on you, he was utterly heartless. He kept his word. My territory duties were reassigned, my security clearance was frozen, and even my house was reclaimed by the pack. But I didn’t beg for mercy. Ten years ago, I was just a wolf-less girl whom everyone called useless, but I fought my way up with my own grit. Ten years later, I could easily do it again. A month later, I received a text from Sophia. [Emily, Alexander and I are holding our formal mate ceremony next month. You are the most important person in my life. I hope to have your blessings. I know I wronged you, but please, just this last time, okay?] I glanced at the screen, put my phone down, and continued packing my bags. I didn’t reply. On the day of the ceremony, I showed up on time. Sophia stood beside Alexander, looking radiant and happy. But when they saw me, both of their faces went pale. The crowded hall fell dead silent. My relationship with Alexander had never been a secret. In just half a year, the future Luna had been replaced. Alexander instinctively stepped in front of Sophia, his eyes guarded. Sophia looked at me, tears welling in her eyes. “Emily… I…” I looked at them and smiled softly. “Don’t be nervous. I promised I wouldn’t miss the most important moment of your lives.” “So today, I brought a gift.” Behind them, the giant screen displaying their sweet pre-wedding video suddenly went black.
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