Chapter 2

My words hit the room like a bomb.

James slammed his foot against the coffee table, kicking it over. He gritted his teeth, glaring at me.

"Is this some kind of sick joke, Emily? Do you think this is funny?"

Ignoring his fury, I poured myself a glass of warm water and sat down on the sofa, completely unfazed.

I looked at his raging expression and said, "I'm not joking. I am getting married, and the groom is definitely not you."

I let out a polite, apologetic laugh.

"We just finalized the date a few days ago, so I hadn't had the chance to tell you all yet. I’m sorry, Patricia. You’ll have to find someone else to plan the ceremony."

I lowered my head, took another sip of water, and turned to my mother.

"Sarah, I wanted you to come with me today so I could let you know. I'll handle the wedding arrangements myself."

The silence in the room was suffocating. My mother's eyes welled with tears, and she was too shocked to speak.

Luna Patricia, sensing the heavy tension, quickly dragged James out of the room.

Before leaving, James shot me a dark, menacing look. "Even if this is true, I will never approve of it."

The moment they left, my mother slammed her hand on the table.

"Emily! I know you have feelings for James, but just because he’s getting mated doesn't mean you should throw your life away in spite! You've never even mentioned having a boyfriend. How on earth do you suddenly have a fiancé?"

I looked at her, my voice incredibly peaceful.

"Ethan proposed to me, Mom. And I said yes."

She froze, completely speechless for a long moment.

"Ethan? Which Ethan?"

"The Ethan from the Academy. The Alpha heir of the Ridgefield Pack. He went back to take over his pack after graduation, but we stayed in touch. And... we discovered we are fated mates."

My mother opened her mouth, closed it, and finally let out a long, helpless sigh.

"I’m not against you finding love, Emily. But you never told me you were seeing anyone. I thought you only had eyes for James... and now you're suddenly getting married?"

I stood up and set my glass down.

As she tried to protest further, I smiled gently. "He’s a good man, Mom. He’s serious about me."

She followed me to the door, her face full of worry.

"Of course he’s serious. You're fated mates. But he's the Alpha of the Ridgefield Pack. If you marry him, you’ll have to leave the Stoneback Pack. Have you spoken to our Alpha about this? Does he know you're leaving?"

My mind drifted back to the moment Ethan proposed to me.

A genuine smile tugged at my lips.

The pull of a fated mate never lies. He was going to be an amazing partner.

The moment I accepted his proposal, he immediately began planning the wedding, making sure every single detail was perfect for me.

"Don't worry, Mom. I've already spoken to the Alpha. He won't stand in the way of a fated mate bond. Besides, with modern transport, I won't be that far from you. I’m heading to the training grounds now."

I packed my things and walked out. Passing by James's private villa, I remembered I still had some belongings left there.

I pushed the door open, only to find the door to my old room wide open.

It was completely empty. All of my belongings had been packed into cardboard boxes and shoved into a dusty corner of the hallway.

I saw the handmade scarf I had knitted for him to keep him warm during the harsh winter. I saw the pack-blessed protection amulet I had walked miles to get for his safety. I saw the first-aid kit I had painstakingly prepared with supplies from the clinic, fearing he would get hurt during training.

All those little things, representing years of my devotion and care, were piled up like trash.

If the person didn't matter to him, then her efforts were nothing but garbage.

Through the half-open door, I saw a brand-new vanity table in the room.

It had an elegant carved wooden mirror, luxury perfumes, and the bedsheets had been changed to a soft, romantic pastel color.

I remembered when I had tried to put a simple throw pillow in his room, and he had thrown it out immediately.

*"If you clutter my room with your trash, people will think this is your bedroom, Emily. Keep your place."*