Chapter 2

"I'm at the airport. Lucy's coming back today. She called me, so I need to pick her up. Sorry," Rowan said.

Rowan ditched me again for Lucy, the one he can never let go of, right on the day of our mating ceremony.

Minute after minute passed, and finally, it was time for the ceremony to begin. But ridiculously, Rowan was nowhere to be found.

The stares and whispers around me made my frustration and anger boil over. "Why did she have to call you? Didn't you tell her today was our mating ceremony?"

Rowan stammered, "I..."

"She's a grown woman. Why does she still need you to pick her up?" I demanded.

He kept making excuses for her. "Lucy's not in good health, and she gets airsick."

I cut him off, my voice icy. "Doesn't she have any family or friends of her own? Are they all dead or what?"

Rowan's voice grew sharp, but he was still defending her. "Enough! Anna, when did you get so mean? How can you just curse people like that?"

"If she doesn't have any family or friends here, then what's the point of coming back? And of all days, she just had to choose today?" I snapped.

Lucy's voice came through, sounding all apologetic but totally fake. "Sorry, Anna. It's all my fault for messing up your mating ceremony. I didn't mean to. I'll let Rowan go back right now."

"Lucy, what are you saying? I can't just leave you here," Rowan replied.

"But—" Lucy protested.

"No buts. Just be good and listen to me," Rowan cut her off, his tone gentle.

I asked him, though it felt more like I was asking myself, "Rowan, do you really think I'll keep chasing you and waiting for you as if you're the only one for me?"

Rowan said, "What else can you do? You're already twenty and still haven't shapeshifted into your wolf form. Who else would even bother with you besides me?

"The mating ceremony's canceled for today. I'll make it up to you when I get back."

All his tenderness was for Lucy. But with me, he was cold and couldn't even hide his impatience.

I thought it was a good thing. Now that I knew what kind of man Rowan was, I wouldn't keep fooling myself.

I hung up and turned to my parents, telling them what had happened.

Rowan might be the Beta, but my pack wasn't going to be pushed around. And right then, Lucy started provoking me again.

She sent me a photo of the two of them, pressed close together. She was holding onto Rowan's arm, her cheek resting on his shoulder, smiling sweetly.

[Did you hear what Rowan just said? You don't even have a wolf form, so you're not good enough for him. Are you really going to cling to him like a lost puppy?

[In his heart, you'll never compare to me. If I can make him ditch you once, I can make him leave you over and over again.

[He belongs to me. Do yourself a favor and walk away. Otherwise...]

I could see the provocation hidden in her words.

Lucy came back just for Rowan, and it was clear he still had feelings for her.

I thought, 'Since that's the case, I'll give them a hand.'

I even made a highlight reel of all my sweetest moments with Rowan, just for the mating ceremony.

But now, I had something way juicier to show.

The next second, Lucy's photo flashed across the projection screen, along with those vicious, taunting texts she'd sent me.