Chapter 2

The sound of the door unlocking snapped me out of my daze.

"Elena?" Dominic walked in, his suit jacket draped over his arm. "Why are the lights off?"

"I drove past that bakery and picked up those macarons you like."

I looked at the pretty pastries, but my gaze glued itself to his shirt collar.

A smear of lipstick sat right on the fabric, mocking me, bright as fresh blood.

Taking the box, I let out a soft laugh.

"What's funny?" Dominic asked.

"Nothing. Just feeling like... I'm pretty redundant right now."

He frowned, about to say something, when his phone screen lit up.

Without me realizing it, his wallpaper had already been changed to a photo of Selina.

It wasn't me.

My hand shook, and the pastries crashed to the floor.

Dominic quickly locked his phone.

Assuming I hadn't seen it, he asked, "Beta Mark told me you went to my penthouse today?"

I didn't answer.

He continued, "That's where I handle Pack affairs. It's dangerous. I told you before, don't go there. Also, Selina is moving into the manor the day after tomorrow."

I gave a bitter smile. I really was pathetic.

To think I actually expected him to feel guilty.

"The master suite is spacious, which makes it easier to treat her curse," he said casually, adjusting his cufflinks. "You can move to the guest room for now."

Seeing my silence, he took it as consent.

"Also, there's a charity gala next week. I'm auctioning off a few pieces, and I'll send you the catalog later."

"Selina wants to go, and she mentioned wanting to borrow one of your gowns..."

"She can have them all," I cut him off, looking up with an empty smile. "The sick person comes first."

His expression froze for a second.

Then, looking relieved, he leaned in to kiss me.

I turned my head away, and his lips brushed against empty air.

"Elena," he sighed, irritated. "Are you still sulking?"

"Everything I'm doing is for you," he rubbed his temples. "Do you really want to watch your family fall apart?"

"Shouldn't you be grateful for what I'm sacrificing?"

What a magnificent sacrifice.

Sacrificing your chance to officially mark your true love?

Or sacrificing another night of passion in your penthouse?

"Right," I replied numbly. "You're totally right."

Those words appeased him. His expression relaxed, and he turned toward the bathroom, satisfied.

The sound of running water started, and his phone lit up again.

Staring at the glowing screen, I reached out as if possessed.

Messages from Selina popped up one after another:

[Alpha Dominic, my dying wish is to go on a grand honeymoon across the territories with you.]

[Look, I planned the whole itinerary myself~]

I tapped into the file and scrolled through page after page.

Yachting off the coast of Greece.

Skiing in the Swiss Alps.

Chasing the Northern Lights in the Arctic.

Every single one was a place he once promised to take me, but never did...

All these years, I was nothing more than a cheap substitute.

Every time he looked at me, every time he pinned me to the bed, he was probably picturing Selina.

My mind drifted back to our rushed Mate Ceremony. Wearing a bridesmaid dress, dragged to the sacred moonlight altar. In front of the entire Pack, he bit down on the back of my neck—the sharp, scorching pain nearly made me scream, which was supposedly what a marking bite felt like. But afterward, only a faint, shallow mark remained. It never radiated warmth, nor did it carry the fabled sensation of two souls locking together.

He told me it was because of my unique body.

And I believed him.

I wore the ring meant for Selina. We never even had a honeymoon.

He just made grand promises that he would make it up to me with a lavish ceremony later.

Those promises were brought up again and again, only to be shelved every time.

Yet now, he was ready to abandon all Pack duties just to take Selina on her dream getaway.

When Dominic walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist, I was cleaning up the kitchen.

"Elena!" He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. "Leave that for the staff. Didn't you text me earlier saying you had a huge surprise for me?"

The corner of my mouth twitched. My hand instinctively touched my stomach. "I lied."