I remained silent, fixated on their intertwined fingers. A wave of nausea swept over me.

The hospital room was cloaked in an unsettling silence. Suddenly, the phone rang sharply. It was Kasen Ruiz’s phone. As soon as he answered, my father’s voice, filled with fury, boomed through the room.

Unlike the gentle and cautious way he usually spoke to me, my father, Mustafa Sullivan, the Alpha of the Crimson Fang Pack, was a seasoned and commanding leader. His tone was sharp, laced with the unmistakable authority of an Alpha, the kind that made even the strongest wolves bow their heads.

“Beta Kasen,” he began, his voice low and dangerous, “I entrusted my daughter to you, not for her to be neglected.”

The air grew heavier, the weight of my father’s aura pressing down on the room. Kasen stiffened, his grip on Juliet’s hand tightening.

“You accepted the resources I provided, so you must fulfill your responsibilities. If I hear again that my daughter ended up in the hospital alone…” His voice trailed off, the threat hanging in the air like a storm about to break.

“Don’t expect me to be so accommodating.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Even Juliet, a Delta warrior with her own strong aura, seemed to shrink under the intensity of my father’s words.

My father had always been a protector, offering Kasen lucrative projects and opportunities within the pack to secure my future. He had insisted that Kasen treat me well, but now, it seemed, those words had fallen on deaf ears.

Comments scrolled across the screen of my phone, each one a tiny dagger to my already fragile heart.

[Why so high and mighty? Isn’t the supporting character supposed to help the protagonist?]

[Thinking money could secure the protagonist’s future is just wishful thinking.]

[Once the protagonist reaches the top of the pack hierarchy, the supporting character’s family will be left in the dust!]

I clenched my fists, the bitterness rising in my throat. My father, the Alpha, had done everything to ensure Kasen’s loyalty, yet here we were. Kasen, the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack, had once vowed to protect me, to stand by my side as my mate. But now, his words from moments ago kept ringing in my ears. He was weary.

I could still hear the way he had said it, the weariness in his voice as he stood there, Juliet by his side. My wolf stirred weakly in the back of my mind, a soft whimper of pain echoing my own.

I looked at Kasen, his broad frame towering over me, his dark eyes avoiding mine. He had once been my strength, my protector. But now, he felt like a stranger, his loyalty divided, his promises broken.

The room felt colder, the weight of my father’s words still lingering. I knew what was coming, what had to come. But for now, I remained silent, the storm of emotions raging within me, waiting to break.

Kasen’s eyes flickered with unease before he finally relented, his voice heavy with reluctant agreement. “I promise, this is the last time.” From the shadows, Juliet’s piercing gaze locked onto mine, burning with defiance. Hearing Kasen’s words, my father, Alpha Mustafa Sullivan of the Crimson Fang Pack, visibly relaxed, his dominant aura softening just slightly. He smoothed things over with Kasen by offering him a lucrative project—a gesture that would secure Kasen’s position as Beta of the Silver Moon Pack and, by extension, my future. Yet, even with this opportunity, Kasen remained distant. He avoided Juliet’s stare and turned to me, his tone earnest. “If you’re upset, I’ll set boundaries with her. I’ll handle everything through my assistant. Does that sound okay?”

I didn’t respond, but Juliet, who had been so confident in her innocence moments ago, suddenly looked at me with tear-filled eyes, playing the victim. She muttered several apologies before running off. Kasen didn’t chase after her, but his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his inner wolf no doubt wrestling with conflicting instincts.

In silence, he rolled a chair over for me and gently draped his jacket over my shoulders. “Even though it’s spring, there’s still a chill in the air. Be careful not to catch a cold.” He always showed this kind of meticulous care, and despite myself, I felt a small flutter in my chest—a fleeting warmth that was quickly extinguished.

But then I saw the online comments, and a wave of coldness swept over me.

“Poor Kasen, trapped under the antagonist’s thumb.”

“He even had protection ready, but it was all thwarted by the frail girl.”

“If only she realized, Kasen and the protagonist could be happy!”

Tentatively, I reached into Kasen’s pocket and, as expected, found an unopened pack of condoms. Given my health issues and the frailty of my wolf, it had been a long time since we’d been close. The discovery felt like a dagger to the chest, a reminder of how far we’d drifted.

As I continued taking deep breaths, Kasen looked at me, puzzled, asking what was wrong. I simply shook my head calmly, not shedding a tear. It turns out, when your heartache reaches its peak, it leaves you speechless. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a faint echo of the pain I couldn’t voice. But I ignored her, focusing instead on the cold, hard reality before me. Kasen might still be here, but his loyalty—his heart—was no longer mine.

The drive back was suffocating. Kasen Ruiz, the Beta of the Silver Moon Pack, sat beside me, his broad frame filling the seat, his muscular shoulders tense. The silence between us was heavy, uncharacteristic for us. He broke it first, his voice low and accusing, laced with the subtle undertone of an alpha command that made my wolf shrink in submission.

“You ruined my chance to make things right with Juliet,” he said, his tone sharp, the words cutting through the air like a blade.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Juliet Payne, a Delta warrior in his pack, had been the center of his attention for months now, her strength and assertiveness a stark contrast to my frailty. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a fragile echo of my own pain. I wanted to scream at him, to remind him that I was his mate, that he had promised me everything. But I stayed silent, my anger simmering beneath the surface.

My thoughts were interrupted by the soft ping of my phone. I glanced down to see a message from Ramona Robertson, the renowned healer and designer of ceremonial attire for the packs. Her words were gentle, as always, but they pierced my heart like a knife.

“Your wedding dress is finished,” the message read. Attached was a photo of the gown, pristine ivory with a train adorned with diamonds, symbols of eternal love. Tears stung my eyes as I stared at it. The dress was exquisite, a masterpiece fit for a Luna. But the thought of wearing it to marry Kasen now felt like a cruel joke.

I began typing a reply, my fingers trembling slightly. I would buy the dress, I decided, but I would keep it for myself. It was mine, after all, a reminder of what could have been—and what never would be.

Kasen’s voice cut through my thoughts, his tone casual, as if he hadn’t just accused me of ruining his life. “The wedding clothes are ready,” he said, holding up his phone to show me a picture of his custom tuxedo. “Let’s try them on soon.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I reached for the glove compartment, searching for something to distract myself. My fingers brushed against a small box, and I pulled it out, curiosity getting the better of me. Inside was a ring, its design intricate and unique.

Kasen’s expression shifted briefly, a flicker of something I couldn’t place—guilt, perhaps, or regret. But then he smiled, that charming smile that had once made my heart race, and took the ring from the box. He slipped it onto my finger, his touch gentle, his voice soft.

“I know I’ve been absent lately,” he said, his words honeyed, “but we’re meant to spend our lives together. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

The ring was beautiful, unlike anything I’d seen before. But as it settled on my finger, I realized it was too loose, not my size at all. I adjusted it slightly, my gaze catching on two engraved letters: L and Y. Kasen’s initials—and Juliet’s.

My stomach churned, a sickening wave of betrayal crashing over me. From the back of my mind, my wolf let out a low growl, her pain mingling with mine.

Then, the whispers began, voices from the crowd that seemed to echo in my ears.

“Seriously, did she think the ring was meant for her? It was custom-made for his sweetheart.”

“Taking what belongs to someone else’s love, how shameless.”

The words stung, but I held my head high. I had never taken Kasen’s love from anyone. He was the one who had claimed to love me, who had stood before the pack and vowed to be my mate. But now, as I sat beside him, the ring on my finger a cruel reminder of his betrayal, I knew the truth. His love had never been mine to begin with.