Chapter 1

"Get lost." That was basically the only thing Lucas Everett ever said to me since I met him.

I'd always chalked it up to him being the brooding, anti-social type. I didn't take it to heart.

But the night before our wedding, I accidentally overheard him recording a lullaby for his personal assistant, Lila Lawson.

At the end, he murmured, his voice low and warm with unfamiliar tenderness, "Sweet dreams, my little wolf."

I felt like my world was crashing down. I marched toward his study, ready to have it out with him.

Before I could get a word in, he snapped, "Get lost!"

This time, I didn't argue. Instead, I turned around and walked away. He had no clue that I was gone for good.

*****

I finished packing and lugged my suitcase out of the room, only to run into Lucas. He was stepping out of his study to grab some water.

He noticed me carrying my suitcase, but he barely glanced at me, his eyes sliding over me coldly.

When he finished his water, he finally bothered to look my way, his voice dripping with condescension. "Why did you come to my study? Something you needed?"

My fingers trembled at his words. So he knew I'd been looking for him for a reason, and he'd coldly told me to "get lost" anyway.

I said, "It's nothing. I only wanted to let you know I made your favorite beef jerky this afternoon. You—"

His phone rang and interrupted me. He gave me a flat look and answered it.

Lila's voice chirped through the speaker. "Alpha, I got the lullaby. It's so sweet. Thank you."

Lucas, usually stone-faced, actually smiled without realizing it. "I'm glad you like it. Get some rest, okay? Make sure you're ready for work tomorrow."

His coddling another woman like that finally made me understand: he had all the patience in the world as long as it wasn't for me.

The bitterness burned in my chest, but I still couldn't stop myself. "The jerky's in the fridge. Don't forget to eat it."

He didn't respond. Instead, he glanced down and told Lila, "The bakery on the corner is closed tomorrow. Don't make a wasted trip."

Hearing him say the kind of considerate things he'd never once said to me, I stood there frozen, trembling.

All those years of being pushed aside and the constant rejection hit me at once. My chest tightened so hard that it felt like I couldn't pull in a breath.

I dug my nails into my palms, my voice shaking. "Lucas."

He ignored me, still locked in his own little world with her.

"Lucas, we're done," I said, my voice cracking. "I'll handle canceling the wedding planner. My parents will return all the gifts. You're free now. Be with whoever you want. I—"

He cut me off, his brows knitting together in pure irritation. "Serena, keep it down. You're way too noisy."

That one sentence cut deeper than any blade.

Growing up, I was the fool who couldn't take a hint. Every time I tried to play with him, he'd act like I was invisible. And despite all his coldness, every day, I'd follow him around, grinning like an idiot.

Back then, he always said, "Serena, you're so loud," or, "Serena, can you get lost?"

My mom always told me that if I treated others with sincerity, they'd treat me the same way.

So, I never took his insults to heart. I thought if I kept trying, he'd eventually see me.

When we finished the academy, he'd suddenly said, "Serena, I don't want to waste time on dating games. If you like me, we might as well be together."

No romance, no flowers, and no grand gesture. And I, being the fool, said yes. I thought his love was all I needed.

But it wasn't any different afterwards. Sharing my day and talking about the little things was always an annoyance to him. It had only ever devolved from "Can you get lost?" to a cold, heartless "Get lost."

"Fine," I said, my eyes stinging. I bit my lip hard, holding back the sob. "I won't bother you again. And I'm done loving you, too."

Right then, Lila's voice piped up through the phone again. "Alpha, listen. There are fireworks outside my place. They're gorgeous."

Lucas's expression softened again, his voice dropping into a gentle, helpless tone. "I hear them. Enjoy the show, but get to bed afterward."

I let out a shaky, self-deprecating laugh and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I gripped my suitcase and walked toward the door without looking back.

As the door was closing, he suddenly asked, "Serena, what did you just say?"