Chapter 3
I stared
at the message, my pulse quickening. How had he found out so quickly? Dad
must have contacted him immediately after our call.
Caelan was nine years
older than me, and I''d known him since childhood. Back then, he was just
the future king who visited our pack regularly. He''d always been
protective, treating me like a precious little sister who needed constant
watching over. I''d never been able to see him as anything more than that
gentle, overbearing big brother figure – which had been part of why I''d
run from the arranged marriage in the first place.
I typed back quickly:
*"Caelan, don''t come here. Let me handle things myself first."*
His
response was immediate: *"You''ve had three years to ''handle things.''
Time''s up."*
As the Lycan King ruling over thirteen major pack territories,
he was used to his orders being followed without question. At thirty-four,
he''d held the crown for four years, and every Alpha in the region answered
to him.
Most people were terrified of him, but I''d never been afraid.
Caelan had always been indulgent with me, giving in to my unreasonable
demands since we were children.
While everyone else addressed him as "Your
Majesty," I''d never used the formal title. Dad had scolded me for it once,
but Caelan just ruffled my hair and said I could call him by his name.
*"I''ll come back on my own. I promise. Just give me a few days."*
A longer
pause this time, then: *"Alright. If you need help, just say it.
Goodnight, Sabi."*
That night, Darrell didn''t come home. I lay awake
staring at the ceiling, my wolf Esme restless beneath my skin. She''d never
liked how Darrell treated us, always pushing me to be stronger, more
assertive. Now she seemed pleased that we were finally leaving this
mockery of a relationship behind.
The shrill ring of my phone dragged me
from sleep. I fumbled for it on the nightstand, squinting at the caller
ID. Emily Torres.
Hello? My voice came out hoarse.
"Sable! Thank god you
picked up. Emily''s voice carried a note of sadness I''d never heard "
before. "I''m having a farewell party tonight. I''m moving to Silver Creek
tomorrow to start a new life with my mate."
I sat up straighter. "What?
You''re leaving?"
Yeah, this is my last night with the pack. She paused.
"Look, I know we don''t hang out much, but you''ve always been kind to me.
You never looked down on me for being just a regular pack member. Would
you... would you come tonight? To send me off?"
The request caught me off
guard. Emily was right – we''d never been close friends, but she''d never
joined in when other pack members mocked my "orphan" status or whispered
about how I didn''t belong.
Of course I''ll come.
"Really? Thank you, Sable.
It means more than you know."
After hanging up, I dragged myself to the
bathroom. The house felt eerily quiet – Darrell''s side of the bed was
still empty, untouched since yesterday. He''d spent the night with Camila,
probably making up for years of separation in the most intimate way
possible.
I splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the mental
images. *Stop torturing yourself*.
Tonight would be Emily''s farewell party.
I should get her a proper gift.
And for myself.
***
I stood outside Cartier,
my newly unfrozen bank card heavy in my wallet. Dad had reinstated my
access to the Crawford pack funds the moment I''d called him.
For three
years, I''d dressed like a mouse. Darrell''s friends constantly made snide
comments about how I "didn''t look like Luna material." They weren''t wrong
– I''d been hiding, playing small, trying not to take up space.
*Fuck
that.*
Inside the boutique, I selected a black cocktail dress that hugged
every curve. The price tag made the saleswoman''s eyes widen, but I didn''t
flinch.
I''ll also need shoes to match.
She led me to a locked display
case. "These just arrived yesterday. Louboutin limited edition – only two
pairs."
The shoes were stunning. Midnight blue with a subtle shimmer,
they''d cost most people''s annual salary.
I''ll take them.
As she wrapped my
purchases, I wandered to the jewelry section. A delicate platinum bracelet
caught my eye – perfect for Emily.
***
The Hawthorne pack hall buzzed with
conversation when I arrived. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over the
gathered wolves, all dressed in their finest. I''d beaten most of the crowd
here.
Emily spotted me immediately and rushed over, her face lighting up.
Sable! You look absolutely stunning. She pulled me into a tight hug.
I
handed her the jewelry box. "A little something for your new adventure."
Her eyes filled with tears when she opened it. "It''s beautiful. Thank
you."
We chatted about her mate and new pack for a few minutes. The
conversation felt easy, natural. For a moment, I almost forgot about the
mess waiting for me at home.
Then the room fell silent.
I turned toward the
entrance and felt my heart stop. Darrell stood in the doorway, his arm
casually draped around a woman I recognized instantly.
Camila Ross.
She was
beautiful in that effortless way some women possessed. Golden hair fell in
perfect waves over her shoulders, and her emerald eyes sparkled as she
whispered something in Darrell''s ear. Her deep blue dress showcased her
generous cleavage, and she moved with the confidence of someone who''d
never doubted her place in the world.
But what made my blood freeze wasn''t
her beauty.
It was the shoes.
Identical blue Louboutin heels. The same
limited edition pair I was wearing.
Darrell''s eyes found mine across the
room. His face went ashen, then flushed red. He jerked his arm away from
Camila so quickly she stumbled.
Sable. His voice cracked slightly. "What
are you doing here? Who invited you?"
The panic in his tone was
unmistakable. Around us, conversations resumed in hushed whispers.
I forced
a bright smile. "It''s Emily''s farewell party and she''s my friend – why
wouldn''t I come to support a friend?"
"You should have told me you were
coming. His eyes darted between me and Camila. ""I thought you didn''t like "
these kinds of events."
*Translation: You weren''t supposed to be here while
I parade my real girlfriend around.*
