I stared at her, my wolf stirring under my skin. My eyes flicked to the necklace she wore—a crescent moon pendant encrusted with diamonds. My necklace. The one Nicho had given me on our fifth anniversary but had mysteriously gone missing weeks ago.
“A recycled setup for a recycled person,” I said coldly. “It suits you.”
Her smile faltered, and anger flashed in her eyes. Without another word, she grabbed a crystal ornament from a nearby table and smashed it to the ground. A shard nicked her foot, drawing blood. She gasped dramatically, clutching her ankle.
Before I could react, Nicho stormed into the room, his wolf bristling with rage. “What the hell is going on here?” His sharp gaze landed on Selena’s bleeding foot, then on me.
“She—she did this,” Selena whimpered, tears welling up. “I was only trying to help, and she—”
The slap came before I even registered anything. My head snapped to the side, a sharp sting blooming across my cheek. My wolf growled low in my chest, but I held her back, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.
“Enough!” Nicho roared. “Selena took time out of her day to help with your party, and this is how you repay her? If you don’t like it, then do it yourself!”
He didn’t wait for a response. Scooping Selena into his arms, he carried her out, leaving me standing alone in the wreckage of what was supposed to be my celebration.
That evening, no one showed up for the party. Not that I expected anyone to. Over the years, Nicho had alienated my friends, replacing them with his allies and sycophants. The pack knew better than to cross him—or his new favorite.
I opened the cake box, cutting a small slice despite the fact that I couldn’t eat it. Sticking a single candle into the frosting, I lit it and closed my eyes.
“I wish we never meet again,” I whispered before blowing out the flame.
The next morning, I packed my things. A single suitcase was all I needed to leave behind the life I’d once cherished. On the way to the airport, I sent Nicho a single message:
“Let’s end this here. Don’t contact me again. Never in your miserable life.”
As the plane took off, I turned off my phone, cutting off the incessant calls from Nicho.
