Chapter 2

2.

"I took it off."

"I made that with my own hands. It's the proof of our bond. Why would you take it off?"

Faye brushed him off. "I haven't been feeling well lately. The size doesn't fit anymore."

Kael's expression eased slightly. He smiled again. "I'll take it to the sanctuary one of these days and have it resized and blessed again."

"We'll see."

"By the way, what's that on the table?"

Kael pointed at the obsidian jewelry box sitting on the desk. A hint of pleasant surprise crossed his face. "Sera, is that a gift for me?"

Faye nodded. "Yes."

Inside that box sat a small, cold lump of silver. Stripped of all spiritual essence. Dead metal.

She had melted their bond token. And placed it inside.

Kael, however, was delighted. "What's the occasion? My Luna voluntarily prepared a gift for me?"

Another vast stretch of Faye's heart went cold.

"Today... is the anniversary of our bond rite."

Kael's face crumpled into an ugly expression.

He scrambled to placate her, almost fawning. "I'm sorry, Sera. Work has been genuinely insane lately. How about we go out tonight? To the Moonlace Lake..."

"No need. I don't have an appetite."

"Then let me take you to the mountaintop to see the stars?"

"I'm tired. I want to sleep."

Kael wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, his voice a plea. "Come on, Sera. We haven't gone on a walk together in so long. Lately, I feel like your bond response has been so cold. Keep this up and I'll start suspecting my Luna's heart has strayed."

My heart has strayed?

Your soul betrayed our bond first.

Your heart left me first.

And this time, I'm permanently withdrawing my bond. And myself. Both. All of it.

On the drive out, Kael took the wheel, talking and laughing the whole way, telling her amusing little stories from the pack.

Faye sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, tuning him out completely.

Because earlier, while fastening her seatbelt, her hand had brushed the crevice of the passenger seat.

She had pulled out a woman's stocking.

It still carried the thick, musky scent of another she-wolf.

She had shoved it right back into the gap.

And acted as if nothing had happened.

She had already decided to leave. She had no desire to argue with him anymore.

Nothing to be gained from it, except a fresh load of useless lies.

If she couldn't get anything, then she didn't want anything.

They reached the lake. Kael got out first and opened her door. "Sera, we're here."

Faye hadn't really wanted to come. But this lake―Moonlace Lake―was where they used to go constantly when their bond was newly forged.

It started here. So it could end here.

"Wow, isn't that Alpha Kael? The one who handcrafted his own bond token!"

"I remember, I remember! The most devoted Alpha in our entire race!"

"He's even shielding his Luna from the car roof so she doesn't bump her head. Oh my god, that's so attentive!"

As they spoke, Kael's phone rang.

He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Sera. Give me a second. Pack business. I'll take this call and be right back."

"Go ahead."

"Wait for me right here. Don't wander off."

The surrounding crowd, naturally, erupted in another wave of sighs.

"The Alpha treats his Luna like a daughter. He's actually afraid she'll get lost."

"Too doting!"

Faye alone stood there, face utterly blank, standing at the lake's edge, gazing out at the moonlit ripples on the dark water.

Just now, when Kael saw the caller ID, the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips had been impossible to suppress.

Doting. Sweet. Laced with a hint of mischief.

Pack business?

She couldn't even be bothered to expose him anymore.

The lakefront was chilly. She decided to head back to the car and wait.

The in-car screen was still on. Kael's social account hadn't been logged out. It was synced with his phone.

Messages were scrolling up, one by one.

The contact on the other end was named [Your Little Wildcat Lila].

Kael: Miss me?

Little Wildcat Lila: Nights without my Alpha feel so empty.

Kael: Little wildcat, I had you seven times today. Still not enough?

Little Wildcat Lila: Not enough. Alpha, I want more.

Kael: Fine. Tomorrow. My office. I'll satisfy you.

Little Wildcat Lila: Heehee. I'll wear black stockings to work tomorrow then.

The chat history that followed was even more revolting.

Filthy words. Graphic flirtation.

Faye felt a wave of cold sweep through her entire body. She shut off the screen.

Her whole body was trembling. She couldn't tell if it was from the cold or from pure rage. Her nails bit deep into her own palms.

Kael returned quickly. About fifteen minutes.

He slid back into the driver's seat, clutching his chest, letting out a heavy breath of relief. "After I hung up the phone, I turned around and you were gone. Scared me to death. Thank the Goddess. You're okay."

Faye couldn't bear to look at his hypocritical face anymore. She stared down at her own hands.

"It was cold outside. I came back to the car."

"Of course, of course. Wherever you like, that's where you should be."

Faye's head snapped up.

After reading their chat history, that phrase hit her with a second, much darker meaning.

Wherever you like. That's where you should be.

The stocking. In the crevice of the passenger seat...

Could it be... they had done it in this seat too?

A violent wave of nausea hit Faye. She shoved the car door open and threw up.