Before long, the screen lit up, and with a heavy heart, I pressed answer. Valerie’s worried voice came through the phone.

“Sage, you stubborn girl! Why didn’t you tell me about something this big? I just left the healer’s den and saw a message from our packmate saying there’s a viral bathroom video online, and the girl looks just like you. I was planning to mind-link you when you called me.”

Her words brought me to tears, and I sobbed uncontrollably, letting all my grievances and pain pour out.

“Alpha Enoch is unbelievable, Sage. Don’t worry, you’ve got me. Come over and see me.”

After hanging up, Goldie, the driver, handed me a tissue and asked me in a soft voice where I wanted to go. The car had been wandering aimlessly for half an hour.

Just then, Alpha Enoch’s distinctive ringtone sounded.

“Sage, where did you go? I came out of the restroom and couldn’t find you. Something came up last minute, so I changed the flight to tonight. Please come back so we can pack and head to the airport. On second thought, just tell the driver to go straight to the airport; we’ll meet there.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the lump in my throat.

“Yes, Alpha,” I replied, my voice trembling.

Once at the airport, Alpha Enoch hurried over as soon as he saw me, his imposing presence cutting through the crowd like a blade. He pulled me with him to check in for the flight, his grip firm and unyielding.

Even when we finally sat on the plane, I was still in a daze.

I’ve never seen Alpha Enoch, who usually loves to procrastinate, board so quickly, and it’s his first time packing his own luggage. Usually, I’m the one who packs while urging him to hurry up.

It wasn’t until then that Alpha Enoch realized something was wrong and looked at my red, swollen eyes, his brow furrowing slightly.

“What’s the matter, Sage?” he asked, his voice low but tinged with impatience.

I stayed silent.

With concern written all over his face, Alpha Enoch reached out as if to hug me, but I pulled away.

“Sage, what’s gotten into you now? Yes, I promised a week in the French Riviera with you before heading back, but something urgent came up, so we have to return. I’ll take you on another trip next time, okay? Can you stop being so difficult?” He seemed to notice his harsh tone and softened his voice, “Sweetie, please say something, will you? You’re making me worried.”

With a bitter smile, I opened my phone and showed him the bathroom video that had topped the trending list.

Seeing the video, a flicker of guilt passed through Alpha Enoch’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by his usual cool composure.

“It’s just a video, right? I’ve already asked Beta Axel to take care of it. Don’t let it get to you. To me, you’ll always be the best. Ignore what those people online are saying.”

His righteous words made my skin crawl.

I remembered their conversation in the hotel bathroom.

“Bro, the comments on Sage Woods’s bathroom video are all sleazy. She’s such a conservative girl. If she finds out her video is going viral, she’ll lose it.”

Alpha Enoch stayed silent for a while, and then Charlotte’s voice suddenly chimed in.

“Alpha Enoch, it’s my fault. I deserve Sage’s anger. You should have that video taken down. I don’t mind facing a bit of hardship as long as you two are okay.”

Upon hearing Charlotte’s teary voice, Alpha Enoch quickly comforted her.

“Charlotte, you’re too kind-hearted. If Sage dares to call you indiscreet, I’ll make sure everyone online calls her shameless. She brought this on herself, the way she talks.”

There was a time when wearing a knee-length skirt to dinner with packmates would infuriate Alpha Enoch. He thought it was too revealing and didn’t want me being seen by others.

Now, just to appease Charlotte, Alpha Enoch personally released my video for the whole world to see, allowing me to be scorned by strangers.

Our mate bond has turned into a joke, but I’m thankful it’s not too late to realize it. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, her pain mirroring my own, but I pushed her voice away. I couldn’t afford to listen to her now, not when every word from Alpha Enoch felt like a betrayal.

After landing, Alpha Enoch handed his luggage to his Beta, Axel, who had hurried over to pick us up. Enoch told me he wanted to take me to a pack gathering.

I rubbed my temples, exhausted from the hunt. "You go to the gathering yourself. Let Axel take me home."

"Come on, don’t be difficult. Haven’t you always said I never take you to meet the pack? There’s a welcoming ceremony today, and I want you to join me."

Once, this would have thrilled me. But after seeing their true colors, all I felt was a chill of disgust.

"Alpha Enoch, I said I want to go home. I’m very tired."

Enoch’s face darkened, and without giving me a choice, he shoved me into the car. Axel started to speak up for me, but Enoch fixed him with a steely glare, his alpha tone cutting through the air. Axel quickly handed over the car keys to him and hailed a cab for himself.

The car stopped in front of a grand mansion halfway up the hill, the Silver Crescent Pack’s gathering hall. Enoch dragged me out and led me into the garden, where he immediately let go of my hand upon seeing Charlotte Perry, the Beta from the Crimson Fang Pack.

"Alpha Enoch! You’re here! And this must be Sage. You’re so pretty!" Charlotte greeted me with a sugary smile that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Beta Charlotte, having just returned, you might not know. Sage is quite the pack sensation now. She’s not just pretty. She’s the kind of woman who looks good in clothes and... well, you get the picture," said Hector Reynolds, Enoch’s close friend and a Gamma in our pack. When I first started seeing Enoch, Hector had privately warned me to break up with him, claiming Enoch was Charlotte’s and only dated me because Charlotte was abroad. At the time, I hadn’t taken it seriously.

As soon as he spoke, all eyes began scrutinizing me without shame, their gazes like claws digging into my skin.

Desperate, I looked to Enoch for help. He merely glanced at me indifferently before Charlotte pulled him over to sit with her, handing him a gift box.

"Beta Charlotte, welcome back."

"Oh, Alpha Enoch, I love you so much! I thought Sage wouldn’t let you buy anything for me, but you picked the perfect color. I love it!"

Charlotte opened the gift box to reveal a swimsuit set, then hugged Enoch and kissed him deeply. Enoch embraced her tightly in return, his aura flaring with possessiveness.

They kissed passionately, oblivious to their surroundings, while I stood there like a fool, watching it all unfold.

Pale-faced, I turned to leave, but Hector stepped in my way, his eyes hovering over me, a predatory gleam in his gaze.

"Come on, don’t leave so soon! Alpha Enoch might be ignoring you, but we won’t. Why don’t we have a little kiss too?"

"Get lost."

I shouted, furrowing my brows as Enoch looked up with cold eyes, his alpha tone slicing through the tension.

"Gamma Hector, don’t joke with Sage like that. If she gets upset and leaves, you’ll have me to deal with."

Charlotte stood up and walked over to me, leaning in to whisper in my ear, her voice dripping with venom. "Sage, you’re just a pawn for Alpha Enoch to spite me. He dated you out of anger because of my public relationship. And now, you’re basking in my light but daring to insult me? Do you know why you guys were back from the hunt in just one day?"

"Because I told Alpha Enoch I was coming home today and asked him to bring you back early—and make sure you tagged along. Enjoy the gathering."

With that, Charlotte smiled brightly, took my hand, and gave me a shove. Amid screams, Charlotte fell into the pool with a splash.

Enoch shot to his feet, his aura flaring as he rushed into the pool.

Wet and shivering, Charlotte clung tightly to Enoch’s shirt, staring at me with fear in her eyes.

"Sage, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were still mad over Alpha Enoch buying me that swimsuit. I’ll never dare do it again."

Upon hearing this, Enoch slapped me hard, the sound echoing across the garden, his alpha tone sharp and commanding.

"Sage Woods, do you know Beta Charlotte can’t swim? It’s one thing to insult her, but you dared lay a hand on her."

"Alpha Enoch, don’t waste your breath on someone like her. Let her see what it’s like to drown."

"Yeah, this type of woman needs to be taught a lesson. She knows Beta Charlotte is your true mate and keeps bullying her; she doesn’t care about you at all."

Voices echoed from all directions, their words like claws tearing at my soul.

With each utterance, Enoch’s gaze toward me grew colder, like a specter from the shadows.

Hearing them talk about drowning, a scene from my deepest memories exploded in my mind.

Terrified, I begged and sobbed.

"No, Alpha Enoch! Beta Charlotte fell into the pool on her own! I didn’t push her, I swear!"

Hector and the others advanced, grabbing me and dragging me toward the pool, their grips unyielding.