The next morning, I catch up to talk to him before he leaves for their honeymoon.

"Alpha. I am not here to beg anymore. I just need one favor for my wolf. I need to talk to Atlas," I say, and he nods without a thought.

Seconds later, his eyes start glowing bright yellow, almost golden.

'To what do I owe the pleasure?' he says, his voice deep and thunderous.

'I want to know if you are aware of his rejection,' I say.

'Yes, little mate. I am already bonded to Sansa, and I love her. I am sorry this had to happen. Tell Averia I am really sorry,' he says, and something in me dies.

'Okay. Can I speak to Zander now?' I say, and he nods. A few seconds later, Zander comes back.

"Do you have your answer now?" he says softly.

"Yes," I let out a breath and look him straight in the eyes.

"I, Serene Gun, accept your rejection," I say, and he stumbles back a little.

He looks at me in shock and surprise, as if he didn't expect me to accept it.

I turn and walk away from him and everything that has to do with him.

.

They left for their honeymoon, and I returned to my routine.

I grow thinner and weaker with each passing day, and Mom is beginning to worry.

I always tell her I am fine, but I know deep down she can feel my pain.

Today, she sent me on an errand. She asked me to pick up my dad's birthday cake from the pack house.

I can't believe two months have already passed, and Dad is celebrating his birthday again.

Crystal will be back today with "exciting news," as Mom said.

This place is awfully quiet today; most of the time, the pack house is noisy as hell.

I picked up my dad's cake and made my way out but stopped in my tracks when I saw Beta Darius entering the house.

"Serene. What a lovely surprise," he says with an awfully wide smile.

"Beta Darius. I was just on my way out. I came to pick up my dad's gift."

"Oh, you can't just leave like that. Come on, let's have a drink," he says, stepping closer to me.

"I... I don't think that is a good idea. My mom is waiting for me," I tell him.

"Oh, it's just a drink, Serene. I don't bite," he says softly, and I sigh.

"Okay, fine, but only one," I say, and he nods.

He leads the way into the pack bar and goes behind the counter.

"What can I get you, my lady?" he smiles.

"A shot of tequila, raw," I say, sitting on the stool.

"Wow... anything the matter?" he asks.

"Just life," I shrug.

He turns to face me a few seconds later and hands over the shot to me.

"Tell me about it," he raises his glass, and so do I.

I take the shot in one go.

"Want another?" he asks, and I nodded.

Before I realized it, I was on my fourth shot and drunk out of my mind.

"Serene, has anyone told you how beautiful you are? Those pretty brown eyes are just like the earth," he says.

Okay, this is my clue to leave.

I need to mind-link my brother to come pick me up.

"I... I... I think I should... leave," I slur my words and hiccup.

"Not yet, Serene. You know, you really fascinate me. I really fancy you; you've been on my mind lately, with those soft pink lips..." he says, his fingers trailing my bottom lip.

I swing my head to the side and try to stand up but lose my balance and almost fall down, but he holds me against him.

I can feel his groin against me.

"Please let me go. My mom is waiting for me," I beg.

"I can't do that. I really need to feel you against me," he says and kisses my neck.

I try to hit him, but he is stronger and bigger than me.

An idea comes into my head.

"Don't even try to mind-link anyone. It isn't going to work. The drink you just had shut off all your senses. You are mine tonight, Serene," he says, and now I break down in tears.

"Please, please, please, don't do this to me. I am begging you," I plead.

But everything falls on deaf ears when I feel him rip off my shirt.

He pushes me onto the floor and continues his assault.

I try to fight; I really do, but it is all in vain.

That day, he took away my innocence, my dignity, my pride.

I lost myself that day.

.

"Are you okay Serene?"my brother asks for second time today.

"Yes I am fine"I tell him quietly.

"Are you sure? Something is off with you"he says looking at me skeptically.

"I am fine"I say and he kept quiet and we continue to finish the decorations.

Minutes later the house was full with guests and friends.

My sister and Zander had arrived and they looked so happy and cozy.

I smile sadly, I am going to really miss them once I am out of this place.

I hope mom and dad will forgive me for being a disappointment.

"We have an announcement. Everyone please gather around"dad announces.

Everyone moved forward,but I remained behind.

My nightmare was with them,he stood there as if he wasn't a monster.

"Thank you all for making it to my birthday party. As much as it is my birthday, I like to announce this: I got the greatest gift today. My daughter and her husband, Alpha Zander, are expecting their first child, my first grandchild and the future alpha of this pack," my dad says happily.

That was it for me. I had enough reason to go on with my decision. No one will miss me. My family is happy without me.

I smile sadly and slowly retreat back to my room.

I take a pen and paper and write an apology letter for my parents and brother.

I pack up a few things and my savings. I jump through my window and run through the woods.

Once I can't feel the connection with my family anymore, I stop.

'We'll be okay, Ria. No one can hurt us again,' I tell my wolf.

'Okay,' she says weakly.

"I, Serene Gun, daughter of Beta Zack Gun, cut ties off with

the White Moon Pack," I say and feel all links with the pack break.

I shift into my wolf form and run into the woods.

I hope a better life awaits me.

Ten Years Later

I walk into my kitchen—well, not just my kitchen. I share it with my roommate, Marcus.

We live in a penthouse in the heart of London.

He is also my best friend. He reminds me so much of Tasha. I really miss her,but I couldn't keep in touch with her.

I wonder how she is now. How many children does she have? Did she become the real estate agent she always wanted to be?

So many thoughts, but I shut them off. Thinking about the past brings nothing but pain.

It is my past, and that is where it will remain.

"Good morning, Princess," Marcus’s deep voice says from behind me.

"Good morning, Prince Charming. I am about to make breakfast. Pancakes?" I ask.

"Sure." He smiles and walks over to the coffee machine,but kisses me on the cheek before.

For a British man, he does love coffee more than tea.

"Are you ready for your biggest breakthrough?" he asks.

"More than ready, but a little nervous," I tell him.

"That’s normal. I need to leave very early today to check out the venue before the show starts. Everything has to be perfect—Gary must take the deal," he says with determination.

"Thank you so much. I don’t know what my life would have been like if I hadn’t met you. I love you so much," I say, hugging him tightly.

"You also found me at my weakest point. You pulled me out of the dark pit and brought life back to me. I should be the one grateful," he says, kissing my forehead and hugging me tighter.

It is true. The day I met Marcus, eight years ago, he was on the verge of ending his life.

I saved him that day, and he also saved me.

Marcus is an orphan who has been through hell in life. Moving from one foster home to another, he was abused and mistreated.

The day I found him, he had been robbed by a gang. They took everything—his life savings, all he owned—leaving him with nothing.

I had just arrived in London and was looking for a cheap hotel to stay in when I found him standing on the railing of a bridge.

He jumped off. I jumped after him, rescued him, took him to the hospital, and stayed with him until he woke up. From there, we became inseparable.

We lived in a shelter in London while working and going to school. Sometimes, we slept on empty stomachs as we saved up enough to rent a place and pay our tuition.

Two years later, we were finally able to move into our own small apartment. It wasn’t big, but we made it work. We turned it into our home.

After college, I opened a small clothing shop, and Marcus started promoting it. Month after month, it became popular and well-known.

We were finally able to move into a bigger apartment and open a larger fashion house.

I told Marcus the truth about me and my kind. I warned him to stay away from me during my heat period.

At first, he thought it was ridiculous—until I shifted in front of him and let him talk to Averia, who, I must say, is stronger than ever.

We fought hard through life, battled against the odds, and now we stand at the brink of our biggest breakthrough.

"You saved me, and I am forever grateful," he says.

"You saved me too," I tell him.

I finish breakfast, and we eat together while going through the event lineup for our runway show this evening.

My dream came true—I finally became a designer and a model. Marcus is my manager.

Tonight, I am making my biggest debut, one that will secure me the most significant contract ever with Collen House, a well-known production company.

Looking back at who I was before today, I can say that I am proud of my achievements.

Ten years ago, I left home and became a lone wolf, wandering the streets of New York, homeless and met with countless misfortunes.

I worked from restaurant to restaurant, saving enough to finally leave the USA.

Two years later, I did—and here I am, living my best life.

.

"Miss Gun, over here!" the paparazzi call as cameras click and flashes go off everywhere.

I walk backstage after taking pictures to check on my models.

"Everything is ready, Serene. I’m taking the lead. Good luck," Marcus says and kisses my forehead.

He walks away and takes the stage.

I don’t know what I would do without him.

People think we are dating, but no—we’ve never even tried. He is like an older brother to me, and I am his little sister.

Besides, I know he is secretly seeing the librarian down the street.

Two hours later, the show is finally over, and I am standing with Marcus and the CEO of Collen.

"This is mind-blowing, Miss Gun. I can’t believe I didn’t notice this before. I’ll send over the contract to you, I look forward to working with you," he says, shaking my hand.

"We did it!" I tell Marcus excitedly as soon as the man walks away.

"We need to celebrate. I’ll call Hamson to make a reservation," he says.

"Well, you can call Kiara to join us," I tease, and he chokes on his drink.

I walk away before he can deny it.

.

"Cheers to us,for a good life and an even better one ahead," I say as we toast.

We ended up making a big reservation for everyone to join us.

We drank until dawn before Marcus drove us back to our penthouse.

By "we," I mean Marcus, his little Kiara fling, and me.

She is the only woman who hasn't left him, despite he temper and dismissal ways. She is good woman and I try to convince Marcus to see that,she is the only one who doesn't see me as a threat.

He made sure I was comfortable before leaving me alone in my room.

In the darkness, alone with my nightmares.

"Don’t go there. You are stronger than him now,tronger than any of them. You are safe here. We are safe here. No one can hurt us anymore," Ria says.

"I know."

I woke up extra early today because there was a lot to do at work,hiring and signing new models, photoshoots for Vogue magazine, which came in yesterday, and taking calls from new clients overseas. Not to mention the grand openings of my new shops in France and Italy.

I am so glad we Kiara,she is one of the biggest influencers and she has been helping with our social media promotions.

Marcus was right—this was our biggest breakthrough, and we needed to work hard to keep it going.

Collen had just started shooting a new blockbuster movie, and thank God my designs were ready to be used.

I took a shower and dressed in a green summer dress and flats.

We were in the middle of spring, and the weather was a little chilly.

I looked out through the glass walls. The clouds were dark and foggy, signaling that it might rain at any moment.

I stepped into the kitchen to see Marcus already up, sorting through some files and papers.

"Good morning, Prince Charming," I said, kissing his cheek and picking up my coffee.

"Morning, Princess. How was your sleep?" he asked.

"The usual," I shrugged, and he sighed.

He knew I didn’t sleep a wink because of my nightmares.

He was about to say something when the doorbell rang.

"Are you expecting anyone?" I asked.

"Nope, Kiara isn't available until Sunday. You?" he said, and I shook my head.

"Wait here. I’ll check it out," he said, standing up.

This place was the safest place ever. No one could trespass without alerting security.

I stood by the table, looking through Marcus’s files when a very familiar scent filled my nostrils.

Honey and wet sand.

I looked outside. Lightning began to strike, yet there was no rain.

Okay, maybe I was just imagining it.

"Honey, can you come here for a second?" Marcus called out. The only reason he called me like that was if a stranger was here.

I placed the files down and walked over to him.

I stopped in my tracks as the scent grew stronger, and with my reflexes, I was in front of Marcus in an instant.

I wasn’t imagining it.

My brother was here.

He stood in front of me, his expression a mix of relief and worry.

"Serene," he whispered, as if he couldn’t believe I was real.

"What are you doing here, Kaden? How did you find me?" I hissed angrily.

"Is that really what you’re asking me after all these years? Do you know how long we’ve been looking for you? How much we’ve tried?" he demanded.

My brother looked older, his long hair tied in a bun.

He was even bigger than I expected.

"I didn’t ask you to search for me, Kaden. How the heck did you find me?" I hissed.

"You’re not really hiding anymore, Serene. You’re a public figure now. Word spreads quickly," he said, his eyes shifting behind me.

"And who is this? He’s in most of your pictures," he asked curiously.

"I am her husband," Marcus said, pulling me closer to his chest.

I gave him a small smile before looking back at my brother, whose face was frozen in shock.

His eyes flickered to my ring finger, and his confusion deepened when he saw nothing there.

"Wife, huh? Does he know who you really are?" Kaden smirked, his eyes beginning to glow.

"Back away, wolf boy. No need to show me your wolf," Marcus smirked back, making Kaden step back in surprise.

"Of course he knows. He’s my husband, after all," I said, resting my head against Marcus’s chest.

"What are you doing here, Kaden?" I asked after a moment.

He sighed, his expression softening.

"The Alpha wants you back home," he said.

"Tell him I said no. I am no longer part of his pack."

"That’s not why I’m here. Mama isn’t well. She’s sick, Serene, and we’re afraid we might lose her. She’s requesting your presence," he said, and my heart clenched.

My papa was sick?

"What… What’s wrong with her?" I asked.

"We don’t… We don’t know," he admitted.

"Mama has become a ghost of herself. A lot has happened since you left, Serene."

My stomach twisted.

"And papa?" I finally asked.

At the mere mention of his name, Kaden’s face broke.

"He’s… he’s dead, Serene. He died in a car accident with another pack warrior,while coming back home from a meeting from the neighboring pack. They both died on the spot. Nothing has been the same since then. That’s why you need to come back, Serene," he said, his eyes pleading.

I stared at him, my heart in turmoil.

"I… I need to think about it," I said in a small voice.

"Think about what, Serene? Papa is dead!. Mama needs you now more than ever. You’ve been selfish long enough, don’t you think?" His words stung like a slap.

"You don’t know what you’re talking about, Kaden. You have no idea what I’ve been through," I hissed.

"Oh? Then tell me what you’ve been through because right now, I don’t see it," he snapped.

I nearly clawed his eyes out.

I had to remind Ria that he was our brother.

"Get out. Get out now," I said, my voice low and dangerous.

"Please, Serene. Come with me before anything else happens," he urged, his tone shifting.

I frowned.

What did he mean by anything else?

No. I wouldn’t fall for his tricks.

"I won’t say it again. Leave!"

"You heard my wife," Marcus said coldly. "Leave before I call security and have you arrested. Believe me, this human world is nothing like the wolf world."

Kaden clenched his jaw, then exhaled sharply.

"Fine. I’m leaving—not because of what you said, but because I did my best to convince you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you," he said, staring into my eyes.

Then, before I could react, he was gone.

How dare they?

After so many years, he had the audacity to come here.

But… Papa is dead. I love my papa, no matter what.

"No. Don’t even think about going back to that place because I won’t let you," Marcus said firmly.

"But… But my papa… My papa is dead Marcus. My papa! I didn't even get to say goodbye. My papa!," I cried into his chest.

"Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. But I won’t let you leave. Not ever," he said protectively.

"Okay, but we need to double security. My brother was here, and I know more will come. Especially him," I said, referring to my nightmare,my monster.

"No one is going to hurt you. Not as long as I’m here," Marcus vowed, pulling me closer.

But I knew…

I knew this wasn’t the end.