Beta Nathan and I are finally getting married after seven years.

He’s my brother’s right-hand Beta and I’m his Alpha’s only sister.

‘Are you sure he’s only attending a party?’ my wolf asked. ‘Maybe he’s there to see his ex-girlfriend—'

“No,” I replied with a firm voice, my trembling hands resting atop the steering wheel.

I stopped the car right in front of where the pack party he’s saying was being held.

“Beta Nathan, your lovely ex-girlfriend is back. Are you sure you’re not going to dump the Alpha’s little sister?”

Glancing at the attendees, my big brother was nowhere to be found.

I swallowed when Nathan didn’t reply right away.

“You know,” his other friend cleared his throat. “We’re impressed how bold you are, brother. That’s the Alpha’s sister you’re about to marry—the White Woods Pack’s princess! Now that your ex, Shannon, is back...you’ve grown bored of her?”

Beta Nathan growled. “Shannon suddenly left me back then. She deserved to be replaced by someone as noble as Alpha Jackson’s sister!”

The atmosphere grew even more tense with his answer. Silence stretched on for a few more minutes but I still didn’t let them know I was here.

“Do you still love Shannon?” the friend who first asked him about dumping me asked again. “Do you love, Morganne?”

But Beta Nathan only shook his head.

And I don’t know which question that shaking of his head refers to.

***

“Let’s go to Shannon’s welcome party, babe.”

His bizarre request woke me up as early as six in the morning the next day.

Before I could answer, he’s already dragging me to the car, telling me to just change in the backseat as we drove to the venue.

That’s how ecstatic he is about her return.

When we arrived at the party, it's like the Spring Moon Festival that our pack holds annually: flowers and bright colors were everywhere, and the delicious smell of food filled the air.

To be honest, it's like Shannon is more of the pack princess than me.

“I helped prepare for this welcome party, babe. You know how Shannon is very particular at parties and special occasions.”

My fiance is smiling all the time our eyes are roving in the magnificence of the venue and he's squeezing my hand tighter than usual.

A blonde woman in a red glittery dress, her long legs were emphasized with the great slit on the front, strutted towards us.

“Who is she, Nathan?” Her eyebrows arched as she sat beside him. “Her face looks familiar but I can't remember where I saw her. Is she your new girlfriend?”

As I lifted my eyes to hers, Shannon’s eyes oozed with jealousy and it bore a hole through my soul.

She scanned me from head to toe, from my flowing black hair to the long-sleeved cocktail dress I was wearing to my high heels.

Beta Nathan froze at the question. He glanced back at me, his eyes shifting as if remembering he brought me with him. “Yeah—No. The Alpha's little sister here, also my 'little sister', had quite a rough night yesterday so I brought her with me to cheer her up.”

I can't help but glare at Nathan, but my hard expression quickly melted away to irritation when I found out my Beta's eyes were wholly fixated on Shannon's chest during the entire conversation.

“I'm Morganne White. Alpha Jackson White's only sister.” I stretched out a hand to shake for formality purposes but she quickly grabbed two champagne glasses, holding them in each of her hands.

“As much as I'd like to shake your hand, both of my hands are occupied,” her lips split somewhere between a smirk and a grin. “I'm Shannon Price, Beta Nathan's ex-girlfriend.”

'Oh really? That's how she introduces herself? As someone's ex-girlfriend?!' my wolf mumbled but I immediately shushed her up.

Beta Nathan blushed in the corner of my eyes.

From the moment Nathan decided not to go public with our relationship because I’m the Alpha’s only sister, he always introduced me as his little sister—someone he was helping to look after. Someone he cared for but not always his top priority.

Only his closest friends knew of our true relationship. And my Alpha brother.

“Right, babe.” Nathan kissed me on the cheeks before I could refuse. “Shannon's my ex-girlfriend.”

'Babe? Did the Beta forget he introduced us as his little sister—’

My wolf immediately silenced when Nathan's hand slid from the surface of my back to the curve of my waist.

I sat on the other side of Nathan. And there was nothing I could do when Beta Nathan showered me with more kisses on my temple, at the crook of my neck, and at the back of my hand in front of Shannon.

“The Alpha's little sister and I are also engaged. We'll be married before everyone knows it.”

I can't help but half-smirked and half-grinned to her way too even though a deep part of me screams that he's only using me to ignite that flame of jealousy in Shannon's heart.

Beta Nathan kept on lying but never managed to master it nor remember his own lies.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Shannon held up a hand.

“Excuse me,” then Shannon dragged herself out of our sight.

Nathan pushed me aside and rushed after his ex-girlfriend in panic. Her running away from him is probably a signal for him to start his chase-after-her mission. “Shannon, wait!”

“Nathan!” I called after him, but my voice only echoed in the air. I was left sitting there at the table all by myself, looking like the dumb fiancee who doesn’t know what the fuck is going on.

Nathan once told me that Shannon easily got jealous and would always tend to cry every time he saw her with another woman.

That’s also maybe the reason why she left him, according to my fiance, because Nathan is friendly towards females and Shannon doesn’t like that.

She wants to be the only woman in his life. The only woman he'll look at, he'll touch and kiss and smell.

“Miss, your arm!” An Omega waitress shrieked.

My mind was too focused on both of them that I didn’t noticed the bowl of soup burned my arm when Beta Nathan stood abruptly and chased after Shannon.

When I wiped myself clean, I returned home alone. My heart cracked last night because of the shaking of his head as his answer, and now it has become utterly broken because of what happened.

I video-called my brother who was on another pack for business, crying.

“Alpha, I’ve thought about the arranged marriage you mentioned...” I paused to take a deep breath, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. “I’m now agreeing to marry Alpha Gerald of the Black Stone Pack!”

Even my brother on the other line inhaled a sharp breath. “That’s so random, Mor. What happened? Did Beta Nathan cheat on you?”

“Uhmmm...” I hesitated. But my Alpha, my older brother, seemed to already guessed correctly just by my tone and quiet sobs. “Not really.”

He chuckled. “That’s the reason why Nathan is no longer my right-hand Beta really. Though since he came from a prestigious Beta family, he remains as a White Woods Pack’s Beta.”

With my brother’s explanation, I know he’s not only concerned for me. He’s also worried for the pack now that I decided to marry another Alpha from another pack even when I’m engaged to a Beta from our pack.

Well, not anymore.

“Does your decision have to do with Shannon Price’s return? I’ve heard about it and I’m kind of glad I’m not around to see the drama unfolds. You know how that woman likes to stir drama wherever she goes.”

I forced a smile, despite the bitterness rising in my throat. “Maybe. But...this is my decision. I’ve just figured it out and remember Mother and Father’s late wishes to be in alliance with the Black Stone Pack. I’m going to get married this year anyway, so does it matter if it’s not to Beta Nathan?”

“You’ve been with him for seven years, Morganne. I think it does matter,” he breathed.

I sighed, “Not anymore, Alpha. I’ve decided I will prioritize my pack over my own heart.”

Perhaps my lie is too fake to be believed but...it does kind of not make Beta Nathan look like a jerk even if he is. Imagine the pack princess breaking the engagement with her pack’s Beta because she’d rather marry another Alpha for the future of the pack is more decent—rather than me telling everyone I’m leaving Nathan because he’s wooing his ex again.

When I cleared my throat, only then did my brother let out a relieved sigh. “Okay. I’ll inform Alpha Gerald of your decisions right away. In fact, I’m in the Black Stone Pack, little sister.”

I gasped. “I thought you’re in the Red Creek Pack?”

He only laughed. “If your decision is final, I’ll also call Beta Nathan—”

“No.” I lowered my gaze to hide the pain in my eyes. “Please don’t. I haven't broken up with him yet. I should be the one to tell him.”

Just as I muttered those words, I heard the sound of my bedroom door unlocking.

“Broke up with whom?”

I gasped. I couldn’t do anything as I looked up to meet Beta Nathan’s narrowed eyes.

“To you!” I shrieked, but Nathan only raised an eyebrow and quickly pulled me into his embrace, laughing.

“Joke time is over, babe. Come here,” he whispered.

But my video call is still ongoing with my brother, and when Nathan kissed me forcefully on the lips, I accidentally clicked the hung-up button.

He caressed my hair. “Why are you breaking up with me? Have we not shared enough nights, hmm?”

I stomped my foot when I pushed him and escaped from his hold. “IT’S SHANNON!”

Nathan only slipped his hand into his pockets. “What about her?”

“You—” Never mind, he’s going to deny it anyway. “Where were you after Shannon's welcome party?”

“I was at my friend’s house. You know, at Michael’s.”

I almost snorted and laughed at his answer but I just schooled a neutral face. “Michael’s?”

He nodded.

But I knew where he'd gone to: the red lipstick stain on his white shirt collar says it all.

“Babe, Morganne...” His warm breath tickled against my neck. But our once sweet intimacy to one another that used to made my heart race now only made me feel...uncomfortable.

My body suddenly ached and I didn’t know where the pain really came from, whether it’s from the burn on my arm or being too tired to keep up with Nathan’s lies. The pain was so sharp that it brought tears to my eyes again.

I rarely cry in front of Nathan, and now that I do...

Nathan panicked as soon as he saw my tears. It seemed like he had completely forgotten what had happened at Shannon’s welcome party. I almost did too, but the memory of him rushing after her reminded me how the piping hot soup came to burn half of my arm.

I remained silent, unsure whether I should tell him and shatter his mask of feigned affection or just quietly scratch its pain and itchiness. “You’ve been with Shannon, haven’t you?”

But he completely ignored my question and chuckled, more like to himself. “Look at you—you’re already old now but still afraid of just a little pain. You’re always crying—” He paused when he lifted up the sleeve of my sweater. He cursed at the sight of it. “Oh, Morganne...what would you do without me?”

He left my side and immediately rushed to get first aid.

Silence made me more uncomfortable knowing that he cheated on me but still kind of cared about me. “But Nathan, I don’t want you anymore. I don’t want this fake love anymore!”

“Stop uttering words you don't know the meaning of, Morganne.” He said nothing about my confession and only cleaned the burn in my arms and helped me climb to bed to sleep.

***

That night, I couldn’t sleep well. I woke up covered in sweat just as dawn was breaking.

He saw my struggles and Nathan pulled me out of bed. “Let’s go to the pack’s hospital, you’re not looking well.” He touched my forehead. “And you also seemed to have a fever.”

I shook my head. “I’ll call my brother first—”

“Fuck your brother!” He snatched my phone and it landed on the pillow. “Can’t you see you’re in pain right now?” Concern twinkled in his eyes. I heaved a deep sigh as he said, “I’ll drive you to the pack’s hospital right now.”

I grumbled, trying to push him away. But he just clicked his tongue and leaned in to kiss me. All of a sudden, my sleepiness vanished. I almost slapped him, but I thankfully managed to hold myself back from my palm landing on his cheeks.

“It was just a quick kiss, babe.” I rolled my eyes at him. He poked my shoulder playfully. “Are you awake now, my Sleeping Beauty?”

I turned away, wiping my mouth in disgust. “I’m hungry, Nathan.”

“Then let’s go to the pack’s hospital. I’ll buy you a sandwich on the way there.”

***

Arriving at the White Woods Pack’s hospital, we unexpectedly ran into Shannon.

And as expected, my Beta Nathan who had been gentle just moments before he saw her, instantly gasped. Forgetting I was beside him, he rushed over to Shannon, “What happened, Shan?”

The bitch who left him and was now back in his life smiled at him, looking past him toward me as if I was barely there.

Nathan even forgot that I’m hungry and his promise to buy me a sandwich is as good as a lie.

“It’s just a sprained ankle,” she sweetly replied.

“I see. My little sister here had quite of a burn on her arm so I brought her in for a check-up too.”

“You mean your fiancee?” Shannon scoffed, her face bright with a smirk.

She walked away from us before Nathan could say more.

Seeing her walking away with difficulty, my fiance didn’t think twice about scooping her up in his arms. He left me there standing, and I was forced to lean on the wall to refrain my body from collapsing to the floor.

“Let me help you,” he offered. Nathan turned to where I am. “Morganne, wait here for me.”

I blinked. And just like yesterday at Shannon’s welcome party, I was left all by myself again.