Chapter 3

And there, plain as day, was a bright, bold lipstick mark on Rowan's shirt.

The whole church went dead silent.

I laid his actions bare for everyone, showing that he'd skipped the mating ceremony, abandoned me, and reunited with his first love.

I said, "It seems Rowan and Lucy are meant for each other. Otherwise, he wouldn't have broken our promise. So, I'll step aside and let them have their happiness.

"From today on, I, Anna Hutchinson, am done with Rowan Wells. May he and Lucy be happy together!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar. Every guest was a big shot, and they exchanged glances, already scheming their next move.

With the ceremony called off, there was no reason for anyone to stick around.

After the guests left, my dad hurried off, his face dark. Rowan had just dragged our family's reputation through the mud.

'Rowan's troubles are just getting started. I won't let him off that easy,' I thought.

I found Osiris, the Alpha, and held out the Moonstone in my palm. "You remember what you promised me, right?"

"Of course. I'm not like Rowan. I always keep my word," Osiris replied.

He obviously already knew what happened at the mating ceremony.

He played with the Moonstone, his tone teasing. "Sweetheart, the Luna position will always be yours. So, when do you want to hold the mating ceremony?"

"The sooner, the better. I won't make things easy for them!" I said.

My inner wolf howled, eager for what's to come.

Osiris leaned in and kissed me. "Sweetheart, you look gorgeous when there's fire in your eyes."

I pressed my finger against his solid chest. "Do you like it?"

He bit my lip softly, his voice husky. "I do."

Half a month ago, Rowan and I had a huge fight because of Lucy.

I knew she was returning, but I never expected her to choose the day of my mating ceremony for it.

Rowan was always busy helping Lucy settle in and find a job after she got back. Besides, he was tied up at work. With all that, he barely spent any time with me.

I just couldn't understand why he was so devoted to Lucy, always putting her first.

I felt wronged and angry, and that was how our fight broke out.

Rowan raked his fingers through his hair, clearly annoyed. "I'm already exhausted. Can't you just be a little more mature about this?"

I stared at him in disappointment. "Is it my fault you're so tired? You run yourself ragged for someone who has nothing to do with you, and then you come home and take it out on me?"

"What do you mean she has nothing to do with me? Lucy hasn't been back for a long time, and she barely knows her way around here. What's so wrong with me looking after her?" Rowan shot back.

My eyes were red, and my voice was full of hurt. "So you can just ignore me for her? Sure, she's having a hard time, but can't you see how much I'm hurting too? How long has it been since you spent time with me?"

Rowan just looked even more impatient. "You're way too clingy. Don't you have anything else to do besides hanging around me all day?"

When we first got together, he used to complain that I didn't spend enough time with him. But in just three years, he had become someone else entirely.

I didn't want to keep fighting with him, so I stormed out into the darkness and headed for Omar Forest.

There was a small cabin deep inside, one I'd built from scratch with my own hands.