Rae’s hand clenched her skirt, her eyes shining and her lips humming a tune as she walked toward the Alpha's office.
She couldn’t wait to share the good news with Cassian… He would be so happy for her.
Rae's hand immediately dug into her pocket, feeling the texture of the ring box.
A silly smile appeared on her face as a thought flickered through her mind. Cassian might even propose to her right then and there.
Suddenly, Rae's brows furrowed as she looked around. The atmosphere in the pack seemed completely different.
Unlike the usual bustling atmosphere, the pack seemed unusually quiet, almost deserted. Where was everyone?
Not long after, two maids dressed in black walked toward Rae while balancing a platter containing empty wine glasses.
Rae tapped one of the maids and whispered in confusion, “What’s happening?”
The first maid gasped and sarcastically exclaimed, “Oh dear me. What a clueless Luna to be!” Her eyes fell on Rae’s ear, and her nose flared in disdain. “What’s she asking for? She’s not even wearing a hearing aid. How can she hear? Such an embarrassment.”
Rae froze. So rude.
The second maid, not noticing Rae’s expression, smiled wickedly. She leaned close to Rae’s ear and yelled, “If you want to know what’s happening so badly, then I’ll tell you. Alpha Cassian is holding a return festival for Miss Cindy. A return festival.”
Rae flinched.
The first maid looked at the second maid in disgruntlement and said in a hushed voice, “Alpha said we should keep this a secret. No one should tell Miss Rae about this.”
The second maid shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Why are you so worried? It’s not like the deaf thing can hear us anyway. She’s not even wearing her hearing aid, for Goddess' sake. I don’t know how Alpha managed to stick with her for so long. She’s a deaf woman. A good-for-nothing who thinks she can become our Luna. What a disgrace. It’s embarrassing! I wish she would just leave.”
“Sh. Sh. That’s enough. Someone could hear us.” The first maid quickly grabbed the other maid and pulled her away.
Return festival?
Rae froze, her hand clenching into a fist.
As in... Cindy was back?
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, Cassian was holding a party for her arrival at the pack?
Something sharp seemed to pierce her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
No. No.
She took a deep breath.
That couldn’t be possible. Cassian wouldn’t do that to her.
After all Cindy had done to her. After Cindy had made her lose her wolf and her hearing.
He wouldn’t.
Cassian wouldn’t betray her.
Something had to be wrong.
Or maybe the maids were just trying to hurt her with words, like they had done so many times before.
Still, Rae tried to calm herself down.
If there really was a return festival, then it had to be taking place in the pack hall.
Rae picked up her pace and ran toward the pack hall.
Even from a distance, Rae could feel the shift in the atmosphere.
The atmosphere around the hall was completely different. It was filled with joy.
It was as if the pack were celebrating someone beloved.
Not someone who had tried to kill Rae.
Rae's legs felt as heavy as lead as she walked toward the pack hall.
Under the bright lights, Cindy, dressed in an elegant yellow gown, held the microphone and looked at Cassian with affectionate eyes.
“Thank you, everyone. And most importantly, thank you, Cassian, for holding this party for me. After spending so much time abroad, I've missed my home so much. It’s true what they say—there’s no place like home....”
Someone from the crowd interrupted with a teasing laugh.
“Miss Cindy, I don’t think what you missed is the pack. I think you missed Alpha.”
Cindy blushed and looked at Cassian with eyes full of fondness. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his without warning.
Gasps echoed throughout the pack hall before they were quickly replaced by cheers and excited howls.
Cassian's brows knitted together, yet his hands remained at his sides. Even though he didn’t pull Cindy closer, he didn’t push her away either.
A loud shattering sound rang inside Rae's head, and a burning sensation overwhelmed her mate bond.
Something wet trickled down her cheeks, yet she couldn’t bring herself to wipe it away.
Cassian...
And Cindy?
Today was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
What was happening?
After three years of being labeled a deaf and wolfless omega, Rae had finally regained her hearing.
Even her doctor had called it a miracle—a phenomenon that had never happened before.
Yet just when Rae was about to share the news with her beloved mate, she caught him kissing the woman responsible for her accident in front of the entire pack.
A pack member whom Rae recognized as one of Cindy's childhood friends teased, “Alpha Cassian, you and Miss Cindy should just get together already. Don’t you both look lovely, like a beloved couple blessed by the Moon Goddess? Miss Cindy is sensible and smart, and Alpha is wise. Under both of your rule, our pack will flourish.”
Cindy’s cheeks flushed, and she pulled away from Cassian. She shot the person a playful glare, yet her eyes were filled with hope.
“Shut up, Maddie.”
Cassian looked around the pack hall and cleared his throat. His blue eyes flashed with authority, and the hall immediately fell silent.
“Today’s festival is being held to welcome Cindy. After spending several years abroad, it won’t be easy for her to adjust to the pack's rules. Guide her.”
Rae felt as though a noose had tightened around her neck.
It hurt.
It felt as if she couldn't breathe.
Dismissive.
He didn’t clarify.
Neither did he chide Cindy for kissing him in front of the pack despite knowing he already had a mate.
He simply accepted it and made Rae look like a fool.
And there was Cindy...
Grinning as though she had won it all.
Thinking back on it now, hadn't she?
Three years ago, during the annual festival, Rae and Cassian met for the first time. It was there they discovered they were fated mates, their bond approved by the Moon Goddess.
However, Cindy, who had a massive crush on Cassian, refused to accept reality. She chased after him relentlessly, doing everything she could to get his attention.
Yet every attempt ended in rejection.
Furious, Cindy had sent rogues after Rae to trap and kill her in the forest.
Then she caused a fire to cover up her tracks.
Unfortunately for Cindy...
Rae survived.
Although Rae survived, the trauma was so severe that she lost both her hearing and her wolf. She had then spent the first three months confined to bed.
The incident infuriated the pack members, who all demanded justice.
Knowing that the punishment for murder was death, Cindy had cried before fleeing abroad.
Rae had tried to take comfort in one thing.
Cassian had stayed by her side and done everything he could to help her recover. He had treated her well and had never mocked her, not even once.
That had to be true love.
Yet the sight before her made her heart burn with both rage and pain.
Her mate bond twisted painfully inside her.
Before Rae could stop herself, she spoke sarcastically,
“Alpha Cassian, three years ago, Cindy tried to kill me before escaping abroad... Now that she has returned, isn’t she supposed to face the punishment she deserves?”
The entire pack hall fell silent.
Cindy's hand dug into her palm, and her smile faltered.
Cassian frowned before replying,
“Cindy was young and lacked awareness. It’s not a big deal. We've all been young before. Everyone makes mistakes, and she has already learned her lesson...”
Only then did Cassian turn toward the direction of the voice.
His eyes widened.
His entire body tensed.
What was Rae doing here?
How much had she seen...
Or heard?
His gaze landed on her ear, and he quietly sighed in relief when he noticed she wasn't wearing her hearing aid.
A cold pressure radiated from him as his eyes swept across the pack hall.
“Who told Rae about this and brought her here? Didn't I warn everyone that Rae is in a frail condition and that no one should disturb her?”
Cindy took a deep breath before slipping her arm around Cassian's as though she were his rightful Luna.
“Cassian, calm down. I trust our pack members. They wouldn't betray the pack for an outsider.”
She smiled sweetly.
“Besides, Rae could have simply been taking a walk and stumbled upon us. Or maybe she smelled you and came over because she missed you so much.”
She giggled.
“It’s not a big deal anyway. It’s been years. I also want to see my deaf and wolfless sister-in-law. After all this time, how’s her hearing? Or can she still not hear a thing?”
Even though Cindy’s voice sounded sweet and gentle, all Rae heard was ridicule.
She had even gone as far as calling Rae an outsider.
Yet Cassian said nothing.
Not to mention how he had defended Cindy earlier...
Brushing off Rae's accident as though it were nothing.
Cassian looked at Cindy.
“Cindy...”
“Cassian, relax. Why are you so worked up? We did nothing wrong.”
She walked toward Rae.
“The wolf is gone, and the woman is deaf. No matter what I say, she won’t hear.”
Cindy stopped in front of Rae, a pompous smile curling onto her lips.
“For example... Rae is a deaf, stupid slut—”
Slap!
Without giving Cindy the chance to finish her degrading sentence, Rae raised her hand and delivered a fierce slap across her face.
Sharp gasps rippled through the pack hall.
Cindy staggered, a bright handprint blooming across her cheek.
She stared at Rae in utter disbelief, both hands flying to her face.
“You... You slapped me?”
She turned toward Cassian and screamed.
“This deaf, wolfless thing actually slapped me! What the hell?”
Rae's fury surged.
She raised her hand to slap Cindy again.
Suddenly, Cassian caught her wrist midair.
The coldness in his eyes made Rae's mate bond twist painfully.
Her heart clenched from the betrayal.
Cassian frowned and barked,
“What the hell is wrong with you, Rae? Why are you acting like a madwoman?”
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration before exhaling.
“Damn it... She can't hear. Cindy, just let it go.”
Cindy lowered her hand and folded her arms. She hissed,
“No. She just humiliated me at my own return festival. I don't deserve this at all. This deaf, wolfless omega needs to apologize. Cassian, make Rae apologize to me. Right now.”
Her tone was dripping with condescension.
Cassian's jaw clenched.
“Cindy.”
Cindy's eyes flashed red.
“Fine. Then we'll just call it even.”
She raised her hand to slap Rae across the face.
Rae's eyes widened. She quickly turned, trying to avoid the slap.
Unfortunately, she couldn't move away completely.
Cindy's claws raked across her cheek, drawing blood.
Rae's hand flew to her cheek as she hissed in pain.
Cassian stiffened, and his nostrils flared.
He shoved Cindy away and roared,
“Cindy, what did you just do?”
“Ahhh!”
Cindy cried out as her back slammed loudly against a chair. She stumbled backward and...
Cassian's eyes widened.
Without thinking, he shoved Rae aside and rushed toward Cindy to catch her.
The force of an Alpha against a wolfless omega wasn't something Rae could withstand.
Her back and head slammed into a pillar, and searing pain shot through her skull.
Her head buzzed.
Before she even had the chance to catch her breath, countless wine glasses came crashing down onto her head and shoulders.
Pain flared across her body as shattered glass dug into her skin, the impact knocking her heavily to the floor.
Rae drew in a shaky breath.
It felt as though her entire body was on fire.
Her tears mixed with the blood and wine trickling down her body.
Yet when she lifted her head, an even more painful sight greeted her.
“Cassian... My back hurts so much.”
Cindy cried, tears rolling down her cheeks as her body trembled.
Cassian let out a sigh of relief.
Carefully, he adjusted himself, making sure not to put any weight on Cindy.
A few drops of wine stained his back.
Yet all his attention remained fixed on the woman in his arms.
“Take a deep breath,” he coaxed softly. “Try to relax. I'll take you to the hospital.”
Cindy snuggled deeper into his embrace.
“Okay... Hurry.”
Tears streamed down Rae's cheeks, yet she couldn't bring herself to wipe them away.
The pain in her mate bond burned even more fiercely than the pain covering her body as she watched Cassian lift Cindy into his arms and head toward the exit.
He had pushed her away. For Cindy.
But he couldn't push Cindy away during the kiss
And now...
He was leaving.
Without even caring about what his actions had done to her. Her hand fell on the ring box in her pocket and she seemed to hear a rip in her heart
“Alpha! Miss Rae is injured!”
The bartender, who had been carrying the tray of wine that shattered over Rae, called out as he struggled to his feet.
Cassian's eyes briefly landed on Rae.
He frowned.
Rae's heart flickered with one last thread of hope as she curled up from the pain.
Maybe...
Maybe he wasn't completely—
“It hurts so much, Cassian!” Cindy wailed. “I think I broke my spine. What if I can't walk anymore?”
Cassian turned to the bartender, his eyes resolute.
“Take care of Rae.”
Without waiting for a reply, he walked out of the pack house.
The last thread of hope in Rae's heart shattered.
A crack formed in her mate bond...
One that could never heal.
Weakness and coldness enveloped her from head to toe.
Just as her vision blurred, a voice echoed through her mind. "Goodbye, mate. It's over."
