I thought he would notice. I thought he would ask why I was packing, why I was leaving. But instead, he turned a blind eye.
The door opened, and Ingrid stepped inside.
"Magnus, there's an urgent meeting with your father," she said, but her eyes flickered toward me, full of meaning.
My fists tightened at the sight of them together. They had been betraying me for so long—laughing behind my back, sharing moments I had once believed were meant for me.
Magnus looked at me briefly. "I'll be back later, okay? Wait for me."
I nodded, but I had no intention of waiting for him ever again.
As soon as the door closed behind them, I resumed packing, faster this time.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Asher’s number.
"Brother," I said, my voice steady, "come pick me up tonight. I'm leaving the Shadow Pack."
"Are you sure about your decision, Astrid? This is your last chance. If you betray us again, I won’t help you anymore," Asher said seriously.
He was surprised by my decision since I had always refused his requests to leave the Shadow Pack.
"Yes, I've thought this through carefully," I replied, my voice firm. I was resolute in my decision, and I wasn’t going to back down. There was no reason for me to stay by Magnus’s side if the one he truly loved was Ingrid.
When I first joined their pack, I knew Alpha Magnus had feelings for Ingrid, but she had rejected him because she was engaged to another Alpha. I had only been his last resort.
I had truly believed Magnus loved me. I couldn’t forget how he fought for me, how he accepted me into their pack, despite the fact that I came from the Crimson Pack—the very pack that had once destroyed their lives.
"I don't care where you come from, Astrid. I love you for who you are."
Those were the sweetest words I had ever heard from him.
For a time, I had been the happiest person in the world, pouring all my love into Magnus. But deep down, something had always felt off—an unexplainable worry I had ignored. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but it was a warning. A sign that my heart was bound to be shattered.
I foolishly believed in a fairytale romance when, in reality, my mate was nothing more than a cheater.
"How could you not realize Magnus was cheating? Are you really that blind, Astrid?" Asher pressed.
"I trusted him," I cried. "I thought he was different."