Chapter 1

The day I brought a birthday gift to my fated mate, Alpha Floyd, I witnessed him kissing another woman with my own eyes.

I rushed forward to confront him, only to be thrown into the rain and humiliated.

Floyd's sworn enemy, Alpha Isaac, took me away from my pain and kissed my lips, telling me he loved me.

He would never hurt me, he said.

But on my wedding day, I left the werewolf world behind.

Four years later, when the two of them found me, I had become one of the world's top perfumers.

Isaac found me and asked me to come back to him.

But I dismissed him with contempt, because I knew the love he showed me all those years ago was nothing but a lie.

Caroline POV

Seven days. Seven days until I was supposed to marry Isaac, the Alpha of Ironridge Pack.

Everyone said I must have received the Moon Goddess's blessing to go from being Floyd's rejected mate to Isaac's beloved.

Two powerful pack Alphas both involved with me—many people were envious.

Even I believed it myself.

These past few years, Isaac had treasured me like a jewel in his palm.

He was a noble Alpha, yet he would personally deliver hot soup to me on stormy nights, would cancel all his work to keep me company when I was in a bad mood.

He said, "Caroline, I'm going to give you the most magnificent wedding and make everyone shut up."

I believed him.

Until ten minutes ago, when I found a woman's lipstick in his car.

To find out who that lipstick belonged to—and more importantly, whether Isaac was cheating—I specifically extracted the dashcam footage.

I inserted the card and began reading the data.

I quickly found the video.

Isaac had finished work and picked up two friends.

Just as I was about to adjust the playback time, a mocking laugh came through the speakers.

"Isaac, you fooled around with Bethany right there in the car. If Caroline found out, wouldn't she be angry?"

My hand froze on the mouse.

I expected to hear Isaac defend me.

"Angry?"

Isaac's voice was cold, accompanied by the crisp click of a lighter. "Right now all she's thinking about is how to be the most beautiful bride. She doesn't have time to be angry."

My smile froze on my face.

The conversation in the car continued, each word cutting like a knife.

"Is it really worth spending so much on this wedding just to piss off Floyd? What if Caroline really latches onto you? Are you really going to become her mate? But you haven't Marked her in four years, so I guess that's not your plan, right?"

On the screen, Isaac exhaled a ring of smoke that blurred his handsome profile.

But it didn't blur the coldness in his eyes.

"That small price to see Alpha Floyd's shitty expression? This deal is worth it."

He chuckled lightly, as if discussing some worthless object. "On the wedding day, I'm going to announce the game is over in front of everyone. Alpha Floyd's expression will be priceless. After all, no matter what, she was his fated mate. And he still hasn't found a second one."

Malicious laughter erupted from the men in the car.

"What about Caroline after that? So many people know she was abandoned by her fated mate, and then publicly jilted by you. Won't her life be ruined?"

Isaac flicked his cigarette ash, unconcerned.

"Adult games—she's stupid. Who else is to blame?"

The video ended abruptly.

The study fell into a deathly silence.

I sat frozen in my chair, my blood turning to ice.

So these four years of deep affection were just an elaborate, calculated lie.

This was just a game to him, designed to humiliate Floyd, my former mate and Isaac's sworn enemy, by humiliating me.

My stomach churned violently.

I rushed to the bathroom and dry-heaved over the toilet, but nothing came up.

Tears hit the floor. I wiped them away viciously.

Caroline, don't cry.

A scumbag like this isn't worth it.

My wolf was furious, but she calmly reminded me.

I splashed cold water on my face and looked at my pale reflection in the mirror.

Since you want to play something exciting, I'll help you.

I returned to the computer, my hands still trembling, but my eyes had gone cold.

I clipped that five-minute segment of their car conspiracy, along with the earlier footage of Isaac having sex with his mistress Bethany, and backed it all up to the cloud.

Just then, my phone lit up with a message from Isaac:

"Dinner tonight? Wear that red dress—you look stunning in it."

I stared at that familiar profile picture, my fingertips white with pressure.

Finally, I replied:

"Okay."

I put down my phone and walked into the closet.

That red dress hung in the most prominent position—he'd had it flown in from Paris last week.

He said only my skin tone could do justice to that shade of red.

Memory flashed back instantly to that rainy night four years ago.

Floyd suddenly rejected me, breaking my heart. But I loved him, so I wanted to win back his heart.

But when I brought him a birthday gift, I saw him kissing a woman I didn't recognize.

I tried to confront him, but he threw the birthday gift I gave him into the trash and mocked me in front of everyone: "Caroline, can't you understand what I'm saying? Just looking at you makes me sick."

Everyone laughed. I was as pathetic as a clown.

Isaac emerged from the corner, draped his coat over my shoulders, and blocked those humiliating stares.

He also soothed the pain my wolf and I endured.

"Come with me," he said. "I'll take you home."

That night, I thought he was my salvation.

Now I know it was all fake.