The moment I unlock Cole's phone, my last shred of hope crumbles.

I stare at his lock screen wallpaper, frozen. It's blurry, like a cropped chunk of a graduation group photo. The she-wolf in it has a bright ponytail and a smile that lights up the frame. Her eyes? They're practically mine-seven or eight parts the same.

Of course they are. She's my half-sister, after all. Same mom, different dad.

My trembling fingers hover over the screen, ready to shut it off, when a notification pings. A message pops up in a group chat, and my blood runs cold.

"Yo, Cole just called Lauren 'Alexis' while hugging her. Nearly gave me a heart attack. Good thing I played it off, 'cause if Lauren finds out Cole's only with her to mess with Alexis, she'd probably lose it-crying, screaming, the whole deal."

"Gotta hand it to Cole, though. Dude's so gone for Alexis he's willing to stomach sleeping with an older she-wolf. How long's he gonna keep this up? Wasn't it supposed to be a quick fling?"

"Say what you want, Lauren's a bit older, sure, but her looks and figure? Top-tier. If Cole ever gets bored, can I call dibs?"

The group chat's a cesspool of vile comments about me. My hands shake so hard I can barely hold the phone. I try to exit the chat, but then someone drops a private photo into the group, followed by a voice message.

"Since you're all so curious about her figure, here's a little something to feast your eyes on."

The chat explodes.

"Holy-talk about spicy! But come on, you're gonna tease us with a blurred-out version? Be a wolf and share the real deal!"

"Seconded, drop the uncensored pic! Gotta say, Lauren seems all prim and proper, but damn, she's wild in bed. No wonder Cole's stuck around five years. That look on her face? I'm losing it."

"Go beg Cole for the original. I only got this censored one 'cause he didn't want to 'taint my eyes' when I bugged him for it."

"Cole's too real. Alexis, come on, let our boy make it official already. You know how much he loves you. Why keep testing him? If it wasn't for screwing with Lauren, you think he'd even glance her way?"

The words blur as my head buzzes, drowning out everything. I thought Cole was just using me as a stand-in for Alexis. But this? He's been plotting to destroy me for her. Those secret photos and videos of me, snapped without my knowledge, were just tools to keep Alexis entertained.

Why?

Alexis is the pup born from my mom's affair. My mom ditched my sick dad, abandoned me, and bound herself to another wolf. Yet somehow, everyone's on Alexis's side, tearing me apart.

I haven't done anything wrong.

My heart throbs with a dull ache. Tears spill over, and I swipe them away, grabbing my own phone to record the screen. Scrolling through the chat history, I see it's all there-months of them scheming to mess with me. Late-night calls to pick up Cole, only to get harassed by goons they set up. Getting him drunk during my cycle just to watch me grit my teeth and take shots for him while I'm in pain.

Every memory stabs like a boomerang, slicing deeper into my heart. I bite my lip so hard it bleeds, stifling the sobs clawing at my throat.

When I exit the chat, I spot Alexis's name pinned at the top. Her contact is labeled "Future Mate." Below it, my chat sits with a little "Do Not Disturb" icon.

I don't have time to dwell on it. All I want is to delete those stolen photos and videos. I scour every app, every folder, but find nothing. I tell myself maybe it's just that one picture.

Setting the phone back on the nightstand, a hollow chill settles in my chest. No wonder he kept dodging when I wanted to tell Brooke about us after things felt solid. What I thought was love was just me being a desperate placeholder.

My phone rings, shattering the silence of the night. I slap my hand over the speaker and slip out to the living room balcony to answer.

My boss's voice crackles through. "Lauren, you thought about that offer? The branch office needs wolves like you. It's a tough gig starting out, but you're more than capable of running the show as manager."

"Michael, I'm in," I say, my voice steady despite everything. "Give me three weeks to wrap things up here."

"Atta girl, Lauren! The pack's got high hopes for you. Keep it up," Michael says, his enthusiasm practically buzzing through the phone.

I mumble a quick thanks and hang up, then dial another number without thinking. It picks up almost instantly.

"Lauren? What's got you calling me out of the blue?" My dad's warm, familiar voice hits me like a lifeline.

I choke up, unable to speak for a moment. He prods gently, worry creeping into his tone, and I force myself to sound light. "Just wanted to tell you I got a promotion, Dad. But it means moving to Norlan Town. Come with me, okay?"

He chuckles, relieved. "These old bones aren't up for that kind of move. New pack's pricey, pup. Take care of yourself. My illness. I'm just living day by day."

"Dad!" I cut him off, my voice sharp. "We got through the worst of it. I'm earning now. Once we find a kidney match, you'll be fine. I'm counting on you to walk me down the aisle when I form my sacred bond."

He goes quiet, then sighs. "Lauren, when do I get to meet this mate of yours?"

He's scared he won't live to see me bound, scared I'm with the wrong wolf. But he doesn't say it. He knows I've been carrying too much already.

"Soon," I say, forcing a smile into my voice. "This weekend. I'll bring him to meet you."

Dad's voice lights up, and I can hear the grin in it. We hang up, and I head to the guest room, collapsing into sleep just before dawn.

I don't know how long I'm out before a damp sensation on my forehead jolts me awake. My eyes snap open to Cole's familiar jawline and the faint, clean scent of his shower gel. He notices I'm up and leans down, chuckling softly as he goes for my lips.

I jerk my head away.

He pauses, smirking. "What, still shy?"

I shove him back, scrambling for an excuse. "You hungry?"

He doesn't call out my dodge, just props himself up on one elbow, his gaze playful. "Starving," he says, his voice husky from the shower.

"I'll make something." I bolt up, desperate to get away, but he grabs my waist and pulls me back to the bed.

"First, I'm eating you."

Before I can protest, his lips are on mine, his warm breath trailing down my neck, lingering there with a teasing edge. I clamp my lips shut, fighting the nausea rising in my gut. Is this how he is with Alexis? The thought makes my stomach churn.

I shove him off and sprint to the bathroom, heaving into the sink.

Cole's behind me, his expression unreadable in the mirror. "When was your last cycle?"

I freeze, splashing cold water on my face. "My stomach's just been off lately," I lie.

His tense expression softens slightly. "Alright, after breakfast, I'll go with you to see a healer."

I nod, hesitating before I speak again. "This afternoon. can you come with me to see my dad?"

He's leaning against the doorframe, scrolling through his phone, and gives a distracted "Mhm."

His easy agreement catches me off guard, stirring a flicker of something-hope, maybe, or just confusion. True or not, I can't confront him yet. I need Dad to feel at ease.

I head downstairs to the kitchen. By the time I bring out a bowl of noodles, Cole's already dressed and heading for the door.

"Something came up," he says. "Go to the healer on your own. Call me if you need me."

"What about this afternoon-"

"Text me the address."

The door slams shut before I can finish. I sit at the table, picking at the noodles, but my appetite's gone. I push the bowl away and head to the pharmacy downstairs, grabbing a pregnancy test.

When three red lines appear, my face goes ashen.

The phone's ringing snaps me out of my daze. I shove the pregnancy test onto the toilet tank and grab the call.

"Dad?"

"Lauren, I hit the market early and stocked up on groceries. Just come straight over, no need to grab anything."

I frown. "Didn't we agree I'd handle the cooking? You just had dialysis yesterday-you need to rest."

Steven's voice brims with excitement. "My future son-in-mate's coming over for the first time. Gotta do it right. Plus, I'm thrilled."

I don't push back, just mutter, "Fine, wait for me to help," and hang up.

Dad and I spend the afternoon cooking up a storm, filling the table with dishes. But as the food goes cold, Cole's nowhere in sight. My texts to him sink into the void, unanswered.

Dad's face darkens, and I feel the heat of embarrassment. I try to smooth it over, then step onto the balcony to call Cole again.

This time, the phone rings until it finally connects.

"You on your way?" I ask, cutting to the chase. "Dad's been waiting."

There's a pause, then Cole's voice, like he's just remembering. "Sorry, got caught up with pack office training. Lost track of time."

A burst of noise interrupts him-laughter, clinking glasses. Then a voice cuts through, sharp and mocking. "This again? Her sickly dad's just ill, not dead. Does she have to make a big deal out of this dinner?"

The line erupts in laughter. Someone teases, "Alexis, you jealous or what?"

"Jealous? Please," she snaps.

"Oh, come on, you're the queen of playing hard to get. Let Cole off the hook already!" More laughter fades into the background.

Cole must've stepped out to the balcony, because it gets quieter. I hear him light a cigarette, his voice low and rough. "Lauren, I'm new at the pack office. Can't exactly pull rank and bail. Boss says I stay. I'll make it up to Steven another time, alright?"

Boss? I almost laugh. Alexis is his real alpha, isn't she? The loyal wolf at her side.

My grip tightens on the phone. Before I can respond, a distant voice calls out, "Cole, you done? Your turn to play."

A bitter smirk curls my lips. "Got it," I say.

Cole stubs out his cigarette, his tone warm with a lazy grin. "Good girl. Always so understanding. I'll make it up to you tonight."

I hang up and head back to the table, forcing a breezy tone. "Dad, he's stuck at work. Let's eat. I'll heat up the food."

Dad pats my hand, signaling me to sit. "Lauren, I want to see you bound before I'm gone, but not if it means you're settling just to ease my mind. If a bond doesn't bring you joy, I'd rather you stay unbound."

"My pup, you've always got what it takes to start over."

My nose stings, and I duck my head to hide the tears welling up. After a moment, I look up with a shaky smile. "Got it. Geez, Dad, you're getting all sappy on me."

He knows I'm stubborn, always shouldering things alone, never showing weakness. So he lets it slide with a chuckle, and we move on.

We eat, chat, and by the time I'm ready to leave, Dad stuffs my hands with takeout containers-my favorite foods, every one.

Back home, I drop the bags on the table and head upstairs to pack. When I come down with my suitcase, Cole's there, leaning against the kitchen counter with a glass of water, like he never left.

Our eyes lock. He raises a brow, casual as ever, then glances at my suitcase.

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