I watched as he hurried off, already answering the call. He didn’t realize I knew that ringtone—it was the one he set for Serena.

The next morning, preparations for the party began. Pack members bustled around the clearing, setting up decorations and tables. Among them was Serena, directing the workers like it was her own event.

By the time they were done, I noticed something strange—the setup looked awfully familiar. It was almost identical to pack celebration from a few weeks ago, just... simpler.

When the workers left, Serena sauntered over, her smug smile making my blood boil.

“Well, Elara,” she said sweetly, “everyone’s been working so hard to make this perfect for you. What do you think? Does it suit your taste?”

I glanced at her, my eyes landing on the hair ornament she wore. It was mine—one I thought I’d lost months ago. My jaw tightened as I looked back at her, my voice cold.

“A secondhand setup for a secondhand person. Yeah, it suits you perfectly.”

Her smile vanished, replaced by a flicker of anger. Without a word, she grabbed a glass centerpiece and smashed it to the ground. A shard cut her foot, and she let out a pitiful cry.

Before I could react, Damon appeared out of nowhere. His eyes burned with fury as he stormed toward me.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Elara?” he snapped, his voice like a whip. “Serena spent the whole day helping with your party, and this is how you thank her? If you don’t like it, do it yourself!”

I stared at him, stunned, as he scooped Serena into his arms and carried her away. He didn’t even give me a chance to explain.

By the time the sun set, the clearing was empty. No one showed up for the party—not that I expected anyone to. Damon had always been my only friend, and now, even that was gone.

When the cake arrived, I cut a small piece, stuck a candle in it, and made a quiet wish under the moonlight.

“May we never meet again.”

I couldn’t eat the cake because of my allergy, but that didn’t matter. My suitcase was already packed.

On the way to the airport, I sent Damon one final message.

“Let’s end this here. No need to stay in touch.”

No breakup speech, no dramatic farewell. Just the quiet end to a chapter of my life.

As I turned off my phone before boarding, he was already calling me like a madman.