DAHLIA’S POV

I smiled weakly, trying to play it off. "Oh, I actually just arrived! I was just trying to bring the cake in, and it slipped out of my hands. Silly me, I guess I'm still a little clumsy from being in the hospital."

Tristan rushed to my side, helping me gather the battered cake. "Oh, you're already discharged from the hospital?"

I gave a stiff nod. "Yeah, I healed fast."

Kaylee sauntered over, giving me a once-over. "Aw, our little Dee has always been such a klutz," she teased, shaking her head. "Glad you're alive, though."

Tristan smiled and patted me on the back. "Yeah, I’m relieved you’re better. Don't worry about the cake. I would have eaten it, but I'm full. I'll just put it in the freezer for later."

I stood up, brushing off my hands. "What were you guys celebrating?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Tristan’s amber eyes lit up. "Oh, nothing much. We just landed a major deal at the company. Everyone's already leaving, though."

One by one, the rest of the guests started to filter out until it was just Tristan, Kaylee, and me left.

Kaylee lingered a bit, giving me a death stare before finally heading out the door.

I wished I could claw those eyes of hers out and pull out her stupid hair extensions.

Tristan let out a sigh, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "Whew, what a day, huh? I'm beat." He turned to me, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Hey, would you mind doing me a favor and giving me a little massage now that it’s just me and you? My back's been killing me from sitting at the desk all day."

Before, I would have blushed at the request, thinking he enjoyed having my hands on him.

But now, I knew he was only using me.

Even my mere touches were super relaxing, thanks to my gift.

I wanted to scrunch up my face in disgust, but instead I gave a thin-lipped smile. "Of course. Come on, have a seat, and I'll work my magic."

He sat down, and I began to massage his shoulders.

It wasn’t long before my eyes drifted to the hickey on the base of his neck.

I knew Kaylee must have put it there.

I pointed to the mark, asking what it was casually.

Tristan's eyes widened, and he quickly clasped his hand over the mark. "Oh, uh, yeah, I got stung by a bee, but I’m better now." He chuckled nervously, avoiding my gaze.

I raised an eyebrow, thinking what a dumb excuse.

I knew a hickey when I saw one.

But I pretended to believe him. "Oh, it must hurt so bad."

He stood up, looking uncomfortable. "Yeah, I think I'll go take a shower now. I'll see you soon."

I faked another smile as he kissed my forehead gently and left the room.

My eyes fell on his phone, which he had left behind on the couch.

Picking it up, I tried to open it but quickly realized he changed his password.

After five frustrated guesses, the phone finally unlocked when I used Kaylee's birthday.

It stung that she was the key, but what I uncovered next hurt even more.

First, there was the documentation of the extravagant mansion he had purchased for Kaylee on the French Riviera—a private beach, a helipad, the works.

I felt sick to my stomach, realizing that he had been pouring his resources into this lavish hideaway, all while keeping up with the charade of our relationship.

And then, there were the receipts of the rare, limited-edition sports car that I had been dropping hints about for years.

He always said it was too expensive, and he would get me a cheaper one when we were legally bonded.

When I saw the exact car with Kaylee, she claimed that someone "special" had gifted it to her. Now, I knew the truth—Tristan was that someone who bought it for her.

My eyes then landed on the pictures of her wearing the priceless antique necklace that Tristan had always said he was saving for his future wife.

It was given by his grandmother.

I remembered now how she had been flaunting it on her social media, and I had foolishly assumed it was just another of her materialistic indulgences.

The screen lit up with a new message confirming their tickets to an all-expenses-paid trip to the Maldives, where they would be spending the next few days together.

Oh wow.

So what was going to happen to our supposed engagement party tomorrow now that these tickets were available?

Just as I was about to drop the phone in disgust, it beeped with a new message from Kaylee.

I couldn't resist the urge to see what she had sent.

It was a couple of sexy photos meant for Tristan's eyes only. "I thought you should see how the sexy lingerie you bought for me fits," she captioned it. "You should be taking it off me right now, wink wink."

I couldn't take it anymore. I dropped the phone and burst into sobs, covering my mouth to stifle the sound.

My heart was aching so bad, and I begged my wolf to take my pain away, but she could only whine in sympathy. Tristan had really hurt us.

Just then, I heard him coming from the room. I quickly wiped away my tears and tried to compose myself. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing my red eyes.

"Something just got into my eye," I lied, hoping I was convincing enough.

He didn't seem to suspect anything, and he casually draped an arm over my shoulder, suggesting that we get some sleep.

But sleep was the furthest thing from my mind as we lay together in his bed with the soft feather sheets.

My heart was heavy with grief and anger. Even being in such close proximity with him felt suffocating now.

By morning, the space next to me had grown cold, and Tristan was gone.

His assistant, Nicolas, a beta, came to inform me that the engagement was being postponed.

He also told me that Tristan had traveled for an Alpha conference that was very important.

I knew it was a bloody lie—he was in the Maldives with Kaylee.

As soon as Nicolas left, I grabbed my phone and began frantically booking a flight to New Orleans. I needed to get away from this place fast.

DAHLIA

I settled on the bed, my laptop open in front of me as I tried to book a flight to New Orleans.

But every airline I checked had no available tickets from my location.

I let out a frustrated sigh and rubbed my temples. Why was this happening now, of all times?

I was going to have to wait a few days before I could even book a flight, and that sucked real bad.

I thought about booking a flight somewhere else, but my heart wasn't in it.

New Orleans had always been my dream destination, the place I had always wanted to visit. I couldn't settle for anywhere else.

Closing my laptop, I hugged myself, feeling empty and hollow inside.

It all made sense now—the reason why Tristan had never marked me as his true mate, the way he had always made excuses and put it off.

He had never seen me as his Luna, his rightful partner. In his eyes, Kaylee was the one who deserved that honor.

Of course it had to be her. She was a strong she-wolf, bold and beautiful.

And she was the legitimate daughter of our father, whereas I was just the illegitimate child born by a maid.

My father had never extended his love to me, even though he knew of my existence.

But when he found out about my healing abilities, he welcomed me with open arms.

Kaylee and her mother, however, had made my life a living hell, especially after my mother died of a rare cancer.

And now, to add insult to injury, Tristan had chosen Kaylee over me, his own mate.

As the day wore on, I couldn't help but torture myself by scrolling through Kaylee's social media.

There were videos of her enjoying the beach in the Maldives, wearing a bikini and flaunting her diamond ring.

She posted a picture of a man's hand on her waist, holding her while she showed off her ring.

The picture was cropped, but I could recognize the arms of Tristan even in my dreams.

The comments flooded in, congratulating her on her engagement.

"Wow, your engagement ring must cost my entire house and all my properties!" one person gushed.

"It glitters just like you!" another exclaimed.

"Did you just get engaged, Kaylee? Wow! Who is the lucky man? Congratulations! Is it Alpha Tristan? It has to be since you both are so close!"

I felt sick to my stomach knowing that the engagement ring was the same one Tristan had given me, but mine was a lower quality.

It wasn't anything special after all, and neither was I. I was just a fool, taken in by Tristan's lies and deception.

Three days flew by quickly, and Tristan had the decency to finally come home.

I stood in the living room, my arms crossed as I watched him walk in with Kaylee trailing behind him, carrying a small suitcase.

I raised an eyebrow, my mind racing with questions.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to sound calm. "What's Kaylee doing here with a bag?"

Tristan cleared his throat, casting a sideways glance at Kaylee. "Oh, I hope you don't mind, but Kaylee's house is undergoing renovations right now, and she needed a place to stay for the next few days. I hope she can crash here."

I scoffed in disbelief. "What happened to Dad’s house, Kaylee? Couldn't you go there?"

She whined, her voice grating on my nerves. "You are not even married to Tristan yet, and you're so stingy with him. It's Tristan's house, and if he says I'm welcome, then I am."

I rolled my eyes, my patience wearing thin. "You haven't answered the question. Why couldn’t you stay at Dad’s house?"

She gave a dismissive shrug of her shoulders, inspecting her brightly red-colored nails. "Dad and my mom are out of town right now, and there's no way I could stay in that big house all by myself. I need company."

I raised an eyebrow, not willing to let her off the hook. "What happened to hotels? You could find a small room."

Tristan stepped in, his voice firm. "Why are you being difficult, Dahlia? She's your sister, and you should learn to make sacrifices and accommodate her."

I felt a surge of anger, but I bit back my retort. "Fine. Whatever."

Tristan nodded, his expression satisfied. "Good. There's a pack celebration tonight, and you need to get ready to be present."

I had just booked my flight to New Orleans, and the last thing I wanted was to be stuck at some packed event, pretending to be the perfect mate while my heart was shattering into a million pieces.

"I'm not really in the mood to go," I said with a slight frown.

Tristan's expression turned stern. "As future Luna, you have to be present, and you have to be on time. It's your duty."

Begrudgingly, I agreed, knowing I had no other choice. When I finally got glammed up and came downstairs, I caught Tristan gazing at Kaylee, his eyes filled with a tenderness that I had never seen directed at me.

I heard him tell her how breathtaking she looked.

He cleared his throat when he saw me, his expression awkward. "You look good too, Dahlia."

I muttered my thanks, feeling out of place as we all went outside.

But just as I settled into the front seat of the car, Kaylee's phone vibrated, and her face fell.

She started pouting like a stupid fish, her lower lip jutting out in a pathetic way.

"What's wrong?" Tristan asked, his brows creasing in concern.

"I have an appointment," she groaned. "They need me for my dress fitting as one of the bridesmaids for the wedding. It’s important, and I really have to go, like, right now."

Tristan looked between us, his expression indecisive. "Okay, the best way to solve this is for me to drop Kaylee off first since it’s in a different location. Then I’ll come to the meeting with her afterwards."

He turned to me calmly. "Dahlia, why don't you step down from the car and take a cab instead? You can make it to the meeting on time and represent me."

DAHLIA

A cab? Just for that? I felt a sting of hurt and shock, but I managed a weak smile.

"Okay, sure," I said, trying not to let my emotions show.

I opened the door and stepped out of the passenger seat, watching as Tristan and Kaylee drove away.

I thought about not going to the pack meeting, but something inside me pushed me to attend. It was my last time seeing everyone, after all.

As I entered the hall, I was immediately struck by the buzz of conversation and laughter. Scanning the room, I spotted an empty chair at the front.

But it was hard to ignore the whispers and glances from the other pack members. Where was Alpha Tristan? Why wasn't he with his mate?

Just as I was starting to feel like I couldn't take it anymore, Tristan walked in, Kaylee by his side. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to them.

The pack gala began, and we went through the usual motions – food, drinks, and small talk.

But as the night wore on, the conversation turned to the recent poisonings that had been plaguing our pack.

Tristan stood at the front of the room, addressing the gathered werewolves.

"We need to work together to find the culprit and put an end to these attacks,"

Kaylee stood up and approached Tristan with a confident smile.

"Alpha Tristan, may I?" she asked.

Tristan nodded, and she launched into a passionate speech about a new initiative to protect the pack's territory from rival clans.

Her words sounded familiar, too familiar. And then it hit me that she was presenting my idea. The one I had shared with Tristan in private just a few days ago!

My eyes widened as I listened to Kaylee outline the details of "Moonlight Guardians," a task force to protect our territory from external threats.

As Kaylee finished her speech, everyone started cheering and applauding.

Tristan smiled proudly at her.

He never looked at me like that. I felt like I was going to be sick.

As the applause died down, Kaylee turned to me with a smirk. "And, future Luna, what do you have to contribute to the pack?"

I felt my face burning with anger but I said nothing. Everyone started whispering.

But as Kaylee took her seat back, still smirking at me, I couldn't help myself. "Why the hell did you just do that?" I hissed, my voice low and furious.

She just shrugged, her smile growing wider. "It's not my fault you're dumb and can’t come up with wise ideas,"

That was it. I lost control and grabbed her by the hair, pulling her out of her seat.

But before I could do any real damage, she let out an exaggerated yelp, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Dahlia attacked me!" she cried in a shrill voice.

The room turned into chaos, with everyone rushing to intervene.

But before anyone could reach us, an electrical explosion happened right behind us, sending sparks flying everywhere.

I felt a sharp pain in my thigh as my clothes caught fire. Stumbling backwards, I desperately tried to put out the flames.

Someone rushed forward with a fire extinguisher, quickly dousing the fire.

But I already suffered severe burns on my thigh. Kaylee, on the other hand, suffered minor burns on her arm.

As I gasped in pain, Tristan rushed to our side.

But instead of helping me, he demanded that I use my healing powers to save Kaylee.

I was shocked and outraged. "I'm hurt too!" I protested, my voice shaking with pain and anger. "I don't know if I can heal anyone right now!"

But Tristan just glared at me. "You have to try. After all you hurt her in the first place."

I was too weak to resist, and with great effort, I managed to tap into my powers, healing Kaylee's wounds.

But it left my own injuries unattended, and I felt exhausted.

Tristan didn't seem to care, relieved that Kaylee was safe.

Luckily, Naya, my best friend who just arrived rushed to my side.

She helped me to my feet.

"Let's get you out of here," she said in a soft voice.

As we made our way out of the hall, I caught a glimpse of Tristan hugging Kaylee, comforting her.

But I pushed it aside, focusing on my escape.

On our way to the hospital, something inside of me snapped. I turned to Naya, who was driving, and a plan formed in my mind.

"I need your help. I'm going to fake my own death," I said in a determined voice.

Naya’s eyes grew wide as saucers.

"What? Are you serious?" she asked, darting a glance at me.

"Yes, dead ass. I'll compensate you for a brand new car if you drive this one to a cliff and make it look like an accident."

"Dahlia, I don't think that's a good idea!" she exclaimed.

I just smiled, my mind made up. "That's the point. Everyone will think I'm dead, and I'll be free to start a new life."

She looked at me, unsure, but I was her best friend after all.

"Okay, Dahlia," she said finally. "But you have to promise me you'll be careful."

I nodded, and smiled my thanks.

As we reached the cliff, we stepped out. Naya put the car in gear and drove it off the cliff.

I watched as the car exploded in a ball of flames, feeling free.

Naya pulled me into the woods where her old family house was. We needed a place to hide for the mean time.

It was an old, cozy cabin, surrounded by trees and a small stream.

She helped me inside, where we tended to my wounds. Then I was finally strong enough to heal myself.

After two days, we went to the airport, where I had a flight waiting to take me to Paris.

I gave Naya a tight goodbye hug and was ready to start my new life, free from Tristan and Kaylee. I wore a disguise, a wig and sunglasses, and made my way to the plane.