Adrian looked at me with a complex expression, and then his gaze fell on the luggage I was packing.

"I'm planning to take Sophia to the southern territories first. You don't need to pack."

I did not stop packing and just nodded lightly. He seemed uncomfortable with my cold attitude and looked uneasy.

"What's wrong with you? You seem like a completely different person."

My hands paused momentarily as I forced a strained smile. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just packing some things. After you leave White Moon Pack, I'm moving back to the Harrington residence."

After our parents died, Sophia and I had lived with the Northgates. Our original home had been sitting empty all this time.

He breathed a sigh of relief and explained, "It's not that I don't want you to come to the southern territories. It's just that Sophia has never seen the southern scenery and wants to pay a visit. I'll come back for you in a few months."

I nodded absentmindedly. In my previous life, he never came back for me — not for ten whole years. He only returned, heartbroken, after Sophia mated with an Alpha from a southern pack.

Adrian stole glances at me, clearly uncomfortable with my silence.

"You've always said you wanted to take some wedding photos. Let's go take them tomorrow," he said suddenly, breaking the awkward atmosphere in the room.

I looked up in surprise, then refused. "Forget it. Don't waste the money."

I was planning to buy some supplies for college tomorrow. I did not have time for such meaningless activities.

Adrian frowned in displeasure. "I can afford wedding photos, Elena. You don't need to be so frugal."

Just then, Sophia walked in, linking her arm intimately with Adrian's. "What are you talking about? Taking photos? I want to take pretty pictures too!"

Adrian smiled and patted her head. "Sure. We'll all go together tomorrow."

I wanted to refuse again, but Adrian cut me off firmly. "Nothing is more important than taking mate photos. It's decided!"

Sophia fanned the flames from the side. "Elena, you're not refusing just because of me, are you?"

I did not want to argue with them, so I reluctantly agreed.

Early the next morning, I heard Sophia's cheerful laughter. She was wearing the beautiful wedding dress I had bought, chattering nonstop while leaning against Adrian.

Adrian wore a handsome suit, smiling as he looked down at her, his eyes unable to hide the gentle adoration he felt. The two of them looked like a perfectly matched couple in love.

I turned to look at the calendar on the wall. The circled numbers reminded me that there were only two more days before I could leave.

In two days, I could completely escape this miserable life.

I waited silently by the door. It took them quite a while before they finally came out, taking their sweet time.

Adrian carefully adjusted the wrinkles in Sophia's dress train. I smiled bitterly and looked away.

What had made me believe that after becoming mates with Adrian, he would treat me with the same tenderness? This special treatment was reserved only for Sophia.

While I was lost in thought, Adrian approached me with a red face, holding out a ring set with moonstone.

"My lieutenant said this symbolizes the mate bond. I bought you one."

I stared blankly at the ring. In my previous life, I had never received such a symbolic gift.

When Sophia saw the ring Adrian gave me, her expression changed, and she said pitifully, "What a big moonstone! It's so beautiful… I want one too!"

I generously handed the ring to her. "If you like it, you can have it."

Adrian's face darkened immediately. "Don't be ridiculous! That's our mate ring!"

Sophia snatched the ring and put it on directly, showing off by wiggling her finger proudly.

Adrian looked completely helpless and could only nod indulgently. He then said to me guiltily, "I'll buy you a new one next time."

I nodded indifferently. He had never kept a single promise he had made to me, but what did it matter anymore?

I no longer cared about any of this.

Adrian had hired a professional photographer and we left the pack to take photos at the most scenic spot by the forest edge.

Sophia, wearing the wedding dress, took many photos with Adrian. The photographer kept praising how well-coordinated they were and how beautiful the pictures turned out.

"I haven't seen such a well-matched couple in a long time," the photographer praised.

It was only then that Adrian realized what was happening. He pulled me, who was dressed in regular clothes, to his side and introduced me to the photographer. "Sorry. She's actually my mate. Could you please take some mate photos of us?"

The photographer froze in place, too embarrassed to even look at me.

He raised his camera, but immediately lowered it again, his face red as he stammered an apology, "I'm sorry, the memory card's full."

This was probably the most awkward experience of his entire career.

I consoled him understandingly, "It's okay. It doesn't matter whether I have photos taken or not."

Adrian's expression was grim, but he said nothing. On the way back, he handed me a train ticket.

"This is a train ticket to the southern territories. I don't mean to abandon you. It's just that we need to go settle in first, then have you join us later."

The ticket was for four days from now, but the train journey from White Moon Pack to the southern territories took three days and two nights, and he had not even bothered to buy me a ticket with a seat.

Moreover, each warrior in the unit only had one companion slot. Even if I went to the southern territories, I would not have anywhere to stay.

However, I did not ask any questions and silently accepted the train ticket.

As Adrian saw me take the ticket, his expression softened. "Don't worry. Even though you won't be living with me, you're different from Sophia. She's just like my sister, but you're my only mate. I'll treat you well from now on."

My expression softened slightly, and my heart felt bittersweet. In my previous life, I had never heard him speak such gentle words to me.

Just as I was about to respond, Adrian's face suddenly changed, and he looked toward the forest with alarm.

A large pack of rogue wolves was charging toward us aggressively. They bared their gleaming white fangs and their powerful paws left deep holes in the ground with every step.

"Oh no, the leader is a rogue alpha! Run!"

The photographer cried out in terror, grabbing his equipment and running toward the pack.

I was startled. This fierce wolf pack had appeared in my previous life too, but later, several nearby packs had joined forces to drive them deep into the forest.

Why were they appearing so early this time?

While I was distracted, my foot suddenly stung with pain. Even while fleeing for her life, Sophia had not forgotten to trip me. She then ran off screaming for Adrian's help.

I fell hard to the ground. The rogue wolf pack was already catching up behind me — I could even hear their deep growls.

I reached out toward Adrian in terror, but in the blink of an eye, Adrian had scooped up Sophia. They had escaped the wolves' encirclement in a few swift movements.

My heart sank. Just as I opened my mouth to call for help, sharp pain shot through my back.

Several rogue wolves surrounded me, tearing and biting. Their razor-sharp claws left deep gashes across my body.

The pain made my vision go dark as I desperately screamed Adrian's name.

My gaze pierced through the wolf pack and landed on Adrian in the distance. He was holding Sophia, standing in a safe place far from the wolves, completely oblivious to my situation.

Sophia was pale with fright, trembling as she buried herself in Adrian's embrace. Adrian looked down at her comfortingly, his eyes full of concern.

His entire heart was with Sophia. He did not care about my predicament at all.

So this was what he meant by "treating me well from now on."

I smiled bitterly and completely gave up struggling, allowing the wolf pack to drag me into the forest.