Wolfless Heiress Awakened, He Lost

At the party, my boyfriend Lucas's friend Kyle suddenly mind-linked him. Lucas, when are you and Isabella planning to complete the alliance marriage?

Lucas looked completely casual as he mind-linked back. My parents have already set the date. Two weeks from now.

Kyle glanced at me teasingly. Then what are you going to do with this poor thing who doesn't even have a wolf?

My boyfriend put his arm around me. "I'll give Isabella the Luna position and keep my love for Ellie."

My fingers gripping the glass turned white.

Lucas thought the mind link was private. Since I didn't have my own wolf, he assumed I couldn't hear anything.

He didn't know I was the Alpha King's only daughter. I carried the most ancient Lycan bloodline.

I wouldn't have my own wolf until I turned 22.

A few days ago, my wolf finally awakened.

So I heard everything they said.

I took a deep breath and called my father. "I've awakened. The trial is over."

Eleanor POV

After the party ended, I walked behind everyone else back to the pack.

I hadn't walked far when I heard an unfamiliar voice behind me. "The Alpha King's daughter?"

I turned around. The one calling out to me was an Alpha who had been begging to meet the Alpha King.

I didn't want to expose my identity and was thinking about how to deal with him when one of the brothers following my boyfriend Lucas Vance looked me up and down and let out a scornful laugh.

"The Alpha King's daughter? With that barely detectable scent of hers, she doesn't even have her own wolf. How could she be of the Alpha King's bloodline? What a joke."

As soon as he said this, it immediately triggered a wave of mockery.

They didn't use mind link, but said it out loud directly.

I heard their ridicule but showed no expression on my face.

Instead, Lucas got angry and coldly shot the person a warning look.

The person found it rather boring and restrained himself a bit, no longer mocking so brazenly. After the others received the warning look, their voices gradually died down.

When the voices quieted and that person didn't follow us, I followed behind Lucas as we silently made our way back to our residence.

After we got home, he took off his coat and hung it on the rack before suddenly speaking.

"Honey, I won't bring you to these kinds of internal Pack gatherings anymore."

My expression remained calm as I simply asked, "Do you think I embarrassed you?"

He couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle my hair, but I dodged. He could only helplessly explain.

"What are you thinking? I just don't want you to feel hurt."

"But there's a gap between our statuses. We'll always face this kind of situation eventually. Hasn't your Pack been pressuring you to enter an alliance marriage?" I looked at him, trying to see a trace of guilt in his expression.

But even hearing the words "alliance marriage," Lucas's expression only stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to its usual state.

"Ellie, you just need to know that I'm your fated mate. As for other issues, I'll find a way to resolve them. Our Mate bond is undeniable."

If I hadn't been observing carefully, I really wouldn't have seen anything unusual.

After speaking, Lucas went to the bathroom to wash up. Watching his departing figure, I didn't say anything, but couldn't help thinking.

Was his so-called solution to marry another Alpha's daughter while keeping me, his fated mate, hidden?

In the distance, a notification sound came from the direction of the nightstand. It was Lucas's phone.

He had never hidden his password from me, so I easily unlocked his phone and clicked into the messages. It was from Isabella.

"Lucas, I know she's your fated Mate, but our packs are finalizing the alliance tomorrow. Can you stay at my place tonight?"

Though her words seemed humble, I saw through her intention.

She started by using the two Packs as an excuse, begging him to stay together.

After this, she would continue using this excuse, step by step, escalating further.

But none of this mattered to me anymore. I had already decided to leave.

I set the message back to unread and put the phone back. Before long, Lucas came out after washing up, casually picked up his phone to glance at it, and the next second looked at me apologetically.

"Ellie, something urgent came up at the Pack. I won't be back tonight. Rest well by yourself."

He left in a hurry. He didn't notice my reaction. He didn't notice that I didn't try to stop him this time.

Usually, I would have whined and begged him to stay longer, clinging to him as he walked out.

But not tonight. I just watched his figure disappear.

Lucas had barely left when my phone also received a message.

"With just one word from me, Lucas still came to find me. Tomorrow we'll officially finalize the alliance. Once we complete the ceremony, what will you be? Just a lover who warms his bed?"

Isabella had already added me as a friend and had been sending me all kinds of provocative photos these past few days.

Photos of Lucas embracing Isabella, photos of them decorating their new home together...

But strangely, I never felt any pain from betrayal.

Perhaps because they hadn't slept together yet, the Moon Goddess hadn't deemed it his betrayal?

But what was Lucas thinking? Did he try to hide his alliance marriage through this method? He should know he couldn't possibly keep it hidden.

That night, Lucas didn't come back, and I didn't care at all.

After waking up the next day, I simply washed up and went straight to my workplace to submit my resignation.

Unlike Lucas who owned an entire company, without a wolf, I only had a job as a bartender.

But I didn't feel sad.

As a child of the Alpha King, this was a process I had to go through.

Our rule was that all children of the Alpha King must live as ordinary werewolves before awakening their bloodline. Only one could successfully awaken the Lycan bloodline, and only that one could become the Alpha King's heir.

My parents only had me as their child, which meant I would inevitably shift successfully and become the next Alpha King.

I was much luckier than my father. Before shifting, he was nearly killed by his own brother.

The resignation process went smoothly.

The store manager, who had pitied me for not having a wolf and was willing to give me a job, hugged me and wished me a better future.

When I got home, Lucas happened to be there. I told him I'd quit, then continued carrying my box toward the bedroom.

Eleanor POV

Lucas didn't ask much, only saying, "I told you before that you didn't need to keep working. That place has all kinds of trash showing up every day. Ellie, you should know I can provide for you."

He was always like this, thinking I should depend on him for survival rather than finding ways to live on my own.

I shook my head and said word by word, "I'm not anyone's appendage. Especially not an appendage hidden in the shadows."

Lucas paused. "I didn't mean it that way. I mean, we're Mates. You should rely on me."

I didn't want to listen anymore and interrupted him. "Why are you back so early today? All your work handled already?"

As I mentioned before, Lucas owned a company.

And he was a qualified alpha heir. Not only excellent at combat, but also very good at handling business matters.

I had to admit, I learned a lot from him.

But not including how to cheat.

"I've been too busy lately to spend time with you, so today I wanted to make time to be with you." His brow relaxed as he returned to being that considerate boyfriend.

"What do you want to do? Have lunch or watch a movie? Today, whatever you want to do, I'll accompany you."

If it were the old me hearing this, I would probably be deeply moved.

After all, he was the Alpha heir of Sunward Pack and truly had many matters to handle every day. So his willingness to make time to do what I wanted to do could at least prove I occupied a large part of his heart.

But now, looking at him, I couldn't help thinking. Was he really too busy with work, or too busy preparing the Mark ceremony with another woman?

How could he prepare a ceremony with another woman while also coming to coax me, saying the only one he loved was me?

In the end, I still didn't expose his lies.

After all, there were only a few days left. I would naturally disappear completely from his life by then.

Perhaps distance could offset the pain of the Mate Bond, or perhaps there would be another way.

I shook my head, declining his proposal, then thought for a moment and said, "Help me do a deep clean. A lot of things in the apartment are old. There's no point keeping them."

Lucas agreed and helped me clean together.

But by the end of the cleaning, everything I had sorted out were matching couple items we had bought together.

From water bottles to accessories, from clothes to slippers. I threw them all into the trash without hesitation.

The smile on his face gradually stiffened as I threw away more and more couple items. When the last one went into the trash, the panic in his heart could no longer be hidden. "Ellie, did you... find out something?"

"What could I find out? Is there something you're hiding from me?" I raised an eyebrow, looking at Lucas, deflecting his question with one of my own.

He averted his gaze, as if not daring to look me in the eye. After a moment of silence, he still didn't answer directly, only gripping my hand and saying, "Ellie, no matter what happens, just remember that I love you."

I pulled at my lips and said nothing more.

After finishing the deep clean, Lucas still insisted on taking me out on a date. Afraid he'd notice something unusual, I didn't refuse again.

We had dinner, watched a movie, and the car finally stopped at an upscale venue.

A small auction was being held here, with mostly artwork and antiques on sale.

Just as we were about to enter, I saw a woman with exquisite makeup slowly walking toward us.

She was confident and eye-catching, her aura full of aggression.

This probably meant her wolf was equally healthy.

Lucas's expression showed a moment of unnaturalness.

"What's wrong? Someone you know?"

As my words fell, the woman stopped in front of us with a beaming smile and greeted us. Lucas's introduction came right on cue. "She's my father's friend, the Alpha daughter of Moonclaw Pack, Isabella Anderson."

After a pause, he introduced me. "This is my girlfriend, Eleanor."

The smile on Isabella's face immediately stiffened. A moment later, she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Hello. You smell kind of weak."

I knew what she meant. My wolf hadn't fully awakened yet, and even Lucas hadn't noticed my change.

Isabella naturally also believed I was a useless person without a wolf.

I immediately understood that this encounter wasn't coincidental. Isabella had deliberately come to provoke me.

Was it because she found that provoking me with photos didn't work, so she planned to get close to Lucas to stimulate me instead?

At the auction, Isabella's seat was right next to Lucas.

Unlike her provocations in text messages, in person she was gentle and well-mannered, knowledgeable and cultured.

Learning that Lucas was interested in some ancient artwork, she engaged him in conversation about it. Lucas also shifted from initial resistance to gradually leaning toward her.

It wasn't until I coughed that Lucas seemed to suddenly realize he'd been neglecting me, his girlfriend, for too long.

He quickly took off his coat and draped it over me, his tone gentle. "Ellie, I know you're not interested in these things. If you see anything you like, just bid on it directly."

Before I could respond, whispers from his brothers behind us came through. Though they deliberately lowered their voices, since they were only one row of seats away, I could still hear them clearly.

"Lucas is really good at saving face for her. Even if she were interested, so what? She doesn't understand anything. She probably doesn't even know the history of these things."

"Exactly. This kind of occasion, she's definitely here for the first time."

I knew they were deliberately saying it for me to hear.

I didn't mind. After all, the next time we met, they'd have to stand before me respectfully.

Just then, the previous item's transaction ended, and the next item was brought up.

It was a wolf fang. The host introduced it, saying this wolf fang came from the first Alpha King hundreds of years ago.

That was a powerful alpha who existed in legend, an object of worship and longing for all alphas.

Hearing this introduction, Isabella immediately got excited, raising her bidding paddle. "Lucas, I'll buy this and give it to Alpha Kieran as a New Moon Festival gift!"

When I heard this was the Alpha King's fang, I instinctively looked up at the item on stage. With just one glance, I withdrew my gaze, my voice flat and calm. "This is fake."

The smile on Isabella's face could barely stay up. "How can Miss Eleanor tell?"

"Because the real one hangs around my father's neck and will be passed down to me next."

I meant well, but as soon as I said this, Isabella suddenly laughed out loud, and even the brothers behind Lucas started mocking brazenly.

"Eleanor, if you don't understand, stop pretending. How embarrassing."

"Exactly. Hanging around her father's neck? Does she think that just because she has the last name Windsor, she's related to the Alpha King?"

The group's mocking voices grew louder. Finally, Lucas stopped their ridicule with a cold expression.

He looked at me and held my hand. "Ellie, I know you've been reading some history books lately, but you don't have your own wolf, so naturally you can't sense the werewolf aura. Bella is different. She's very powerful and understands more than you."

He didn't say anything too harsh, but the meaning was clear. He thought I was talking nonsense.

I laughed lightly and said nothing.

In the end, Isabella spent a full hundred million to buy that wolf fang at a high price.

Watching her go to pay, I smiled.

I wondered what Sunward Pack's Alpha would think knowing she spent a hundred million to buy back someone's random tooth.

I didn't stop her or care. I got up and went to the restroom. Just after washing my hands, a familiar voice came from behind me.

"I thought I made myself clear enough. You still won't leave? Do you want to be the mistress that badly?"

So that's it. She came to personally drive me away.

I didn't understand why an alpha's daughter would be willing to have an alliance marriage with Lucas knowing he had a mate.

Did she love Lucas to such a humble degree?

I calmly raised my eyes and turned to look at her. "Miss Anderson, I hope you understand clearly. The one who's been with him for four years and is his fated mate is me. The term 'mistress' is not my turn no matter what, is it?"

Saying this, I prepared to walk past her and leave, but she still wouldn't let me go, continuing to mock coldly.

"Yes, fated mate. But after four years he still hasn't publicly acknowledged your identity. Haven't you wondered why?"

"I'm the Alpha daughter of Moonclaw Pack, he's the Alpha heir of Sunward Pack. Our union benefits both Packs. But you? A werewolf without even a wolf, kicked out by her own father. What about you is worthy of him, worthy of being his future Luna?"

My steps halted. The backstory of being kicked out by my father was something I made up myself, but I really hadn't expected Lucas would tell Isabella this too.

I couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly. If that really were my background, I probably would have been pierced through the heart by this mockery right now.

And the one who handed over this knife was the man who said he would only ever love me.

"Indeed, I'm not worthy." My heart ached, and I looked back at Isabella, the depression in my heart suddenly dissipating. "You two are the perfect match. I wish you'll be together forever."

After speaking, I stepped away and left.

I hadn't walked far when my phone rang. It was my mother calling.

"Ellie, come home quickly. Everyone's waiting for you, and we've prepared a bunch of gifts for you."

"I made you a crystal crown, and your father has already selected your beta for you."

Listening to my mother go on and on about how many gifts the family prepared for my return, I couldn't help but feel helpless. "Mom, I'm coming back to fulfill my duties as heir, not to receive gifts."

As soon as I finished speaking, a familiar voice came from behind me.

"What duties as heir?"

Eleanor POV

My body stiffened. I instinctively hung up the phone, but couldn't help sighing internally. Why did these people all like standing behind others and suddenly speaking up?

I turned around and immediately saw Lucas's not-so-pleasant expression.

After hesitating for a moment, I explained, "It's nothing. Just a former coworker asking what I planned to do after quitting. I joked with them about going home to inherit the family business."

Lucas frowned. Just as he was about to speak, I had already walked several steps away and called back to him. "Aren't you coming? There are still a few items that haven't been displayed yet."

Hearing this, Lucas stopped and nodded, following me.

After returning to the auction venue, Lucas bid high prices on all the remaining jewelry items, had them wrapped, and sent them to my hands.

I looked at the boxes in my hands and said softly, "I don't wear this jewelry."

Lucas smiled and ruffled my hair. "Get used to it gradually. Don't worry about wasting money. I'll buy you diamonds for a lifetime."

I moved my lips but in the end didn't say the rest.

I didn't wear these tens-of-millions jewelry pieces.

Because I didn't need to use them to display my value.

Moreover, my parents had already prepared enough precious jewelry for me.

The auction had ended, and people were gradually leaving. Lucas and our group didn't linger either.

Everyone had driven their own cars, so normally we'd just each go home. But just as we got in the car and before it even started, someone knocked on the passenger window.

The window slowly lowered, revealing Isabella's shy face. Her voice was equally coquettish, completely different from her sharp and mean appearance in the bathroom earlier.

"Lucas, my car broke down. Can you give me a ride home?"

Lucas frowned, about to refuse, but she spoke again. "Alpha Kieran and my father told you to take care of me. You haven't forgotten, right?"

Lucas thought of something, his expression darkening slightly, but he finally agreed.

Seeing him nod directly, her smile became more obvious, and she became even more demanding, looking at me. "But what if I don't want to sit in the back seat?"

Lucas looked at me. Before he could speak, I had already pushed open the car door and got out, directly switching to the back seat.

My movements were so quick that Lucas didn't even react before I was already seated in the back.

His words got stuck in his throat.

He seemed to want to say something but stopped, wanting to say it was just a seat and not to mind it that much. When his gaze swept to the back seat through the rearview mirror, I had already closed my eyes, looking like I wanted to rest.

Just then, Isabella had also gotten in the car. After closing the door and seeing me in the back seat with my eyes closed, a smug smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

She could use a pinched voice to speak in an extremely gentle tone. "Is Eleanor tired? Then let her rest for a while."

Perhaps sensing my unusual behavior, Lucas didn't talk much with Isabella, only nodding before silently starting the car.

I don't know when I actually fell asleep. When I woke up again, the car had already stopped in the garage, and Isabella had long since left.

Lucas touched my face. "You're awake? You were sleeping so soundly I didn't have the heart to wake you."

My consciousness was still a bit unclear. I nodded and opened the car door to get out, not waiting for Lucas as I walked straight toward the front door.

When Lucas got out of the car, I had already reached the entrance. He caught up in a few steps and blocked me at the door. "Are you angry? Isabella is really just my father's friend's daughter. Don't mind it."

I hummed in acknowledgment.

Lucas thought I was still angry and pulled me toward him, helplessly coaxing, "Really just my father's friend's daughter. Honey, I only love you. You know that."

After speaking, smelling the rose scent on my body, his Adam's apple moved. He lowered his head to kiss me but was pushed away by me.

Looking at his surprised expression, I went straight through the door.

"I'm not feeling well. I'll rest in my room first."

After speaking, I locked the door directly, completely cutting off Lucas's chance to enter.

The next morning, in the first-floor dining room, I was eating breakfast with Lucas when my phone on the side suddenly rang.

It was a timed alarm I had set some time ago, labeled "Day of Revelation."

Lucas also saw those words.

Before, I had planned to be honest with him about my identity, so I suggested he come home with me to meet my parents. He had agreed.

The two of us looked at each other. I was thinking about how to cancel this meeting when, the next second, his phone also rang.

It was Isabella calling.

I don't know what was said on the other end, but his expression changed slightly. When he approached me again, he apologetically canceled the meeting.

"Ellie, something suddenly came up that I need to handle. Next time I'll accompany you to meet your parents, okay?"

I nodded calmly. "Actually, I also have something to do today."

Not long after Lucas left, I also went out.

I went shopping at the mall and prepared a gift for each of the friends I was about to meet.

They had all helped me when I was hiding my identity and being discriminated against for not having my own wolf.

Some were even human.

When we met at the designated place and everyone opened their packages, they immediately cried out in surprise upon seeing that each box contained a brand new luxury item.

"Ellie, where did you get so many knockoffs? They look so real!"

"They're all real." Seeing their delighted expressions, I couldn't help but laugh and explain. Seeing they all looked unconvinced, I revealed my true identity.

"Actually, what I told you before about my father hating me and kicking me out was fake. My real identity is the Alpha King's daughter. This time I'm saying goodbye to you because I'm going home to fulfill my responsibilities as heir."

Hearing me say this, everyone was first stunned, then shocked, and finally overjoyed.

They exclaimed that I was actually the Alpha King's mysterious heir, their screams almost lifting the ceiling of the entire restaurant.

After celebrating, someone remembered Lucas and quickly asked, "But if you go back, what about Lucas? Does he know your real identity?"

Mentioning Lucas, the smile on my face faded. "He's planning to enter an alliance marriage with someone else."

"How is that possible!" Hearing this, my friends were full of disbelief. "In our eyes, he's a rare devoted rich man. And aren't you two Mates?"

"Three years ago, you mentioned night-blooming cereus. He bought all of it. Just for you."

"Two years ago, you were sick. He dropped a hundred-million-dollar deal. Flew back that night. Stayed awake by your bed until dawn."

"Last year, rogues took you. He took a poisoned blade in your place. Coma for three days. Nearly died."

"Now he's getting married. How could the bride not be you?"

Hearing my friends mention those past events, my heart still felt deeply moved. Back then, Lucas truly loved me to the point where he could give up his life, but now...

I shook my head and smiled lightly.

"He does love me, perhaps also influenced by the Mate Bond. But his Pack thinks my status doesn't match his and is forcing him into an alliance marriage. From what I gather, after the marriage, he probably wants me to be his mistress."

Upon hearing this, my friends went off.

"What? A mistress?!"

"Making the Alpha King's heir a mistress? He's insane!"

"Good! He'll regret this!"

"Exactly. If he found out you left. If he found out your real identity. Wouldn't he lose his mind?"

Just then, Lucas and Isabella walked in from outside. Hearing our conversation, he frowned.

"What real identity?"

Seeing them walk in together, my friends were furious. Before they could say anything, I stopped them.

I looked at the two newcomers, my expression cold. "What are you doing here?"

Lucas shifted uncomfortably, guilt flickering across his face. His eyes darted away.

"Sunward and Moonclaw Packs have a collaboration. We're just here to talk about it."

I laughed. Of course I knew about their "collaboration." An alliance marriage.

Because they needed to discuss their "collaboration," Lucas and Isabella didn't sit with us.

Instead, they sat at a separate table nearby. Not far, just close enough for me to see the intimate interactions between them.

For instance, him cutting her steak, her sharing food she liked with him, him handing her napkins, her wiping the corner of his lips...

The two of them went back and forth, making my friends extremely angry.

And I sat in my seat, personally witnessing the pain of my mate's betrayal spreading through my body, to the point where I didn't even have the strength to eat.

But I still tried hard to maintain a calm expression.

Eleanor POV

After we finished eating and my group dispersed, Lucas suggested driving both me and Isabella home.

Perhaps having learned from the passenger seat dispute last time, Lucas was smarter this time. He simply drove the family's extended Rolls-Royce with a driver, so naturally there would be no more fighting over the front seat.

The drive to the Anderson house was smooth. No traffic. No warning.

Then a truck came out of nowhere. Speeding. Out of control. Racing toward them.

The driver instinctively jerked the steering wheel. The two vehicles inevitably crashed together!

As the car windows shattered and I fell toward the other side from the impact, I happened to see Lucas tightly protecting Isabella in his arms.

I was about to dodge when their physical contact made me feel that uncontrollable pain again.

My whole body went limp. In the end, I could only face the flying glass shards directly.

I suddenly remembered the accident my friends had mentioned earlier.

That was in our third year together, when his feelings for me were still at their most intense.

That night I had just finished work and wanted to take a shortcut home. But when I walked into the alley, I was knocked unconscious.

When I woke up, I had already been tied up in an abandoned warehouse.

Those rogues who kidnapped me wanted to use me to threaten Lucas.

They ordered Lucas to come alone. For my safety, Lucas agreed.

It was also in that battle that Lucas, to protect me, turned his back toward the knife coated with wolf poison.

The poison worked quickly. When he was sent to the pack hospital, he was already losing consciousness, his whole body burning hot, his wound festering and turning black.

The doctors tried everything. He struggled on the edge of life and death for three full days. Several times his heartbeat was so weak it nearly stopped. Everyone said he might not make it.

But even so, when he finally escaped death's embrace and weakly opened his eyes, the first words he struggled to ask were:

"Is Ellie okay?"

He had almost died that day, all because he wanted to protect me.

Now, the woman he was shielding with his body.

Wasn't me.

The rear of the extended Rolls-Royce was damaged beyond recognition. It wasn't until everyone got out of the car that Lucas, who had been comforting Isabella's emotions, finally noticed me, who had remained silent the whole time.

My head had been cut by the shattered glass and was bleeding heavily.

Although my healing ability had become powerful after awakening, I still needed to go to the hospital to have the glass shards removed first.

Then, to hide the fact that I had already awakened, I still wrapped my head in bandages.

Lucas looked at the bandages on my head, his face full of guilt.

"Ellie, I'm sorry. I was only thinking that Isabella couldn't get hurt, so I protected her. You can hit me, yell at me, I'll accept it all. Just don't ignore me, okay?"

His attitude of admitting fault was quite sincere.

Only his reason was ridiculous. In his heart, did Isabella, this alpha's daughter, really get hurt more easily than me, a weak person without a wolf?

I lowered my eyes and said nothing. I didn't say I forgave him, nor did I say I didn't. From start to finish, I maintained that expression without any ripples.

Lucas's apologies still didn't stop. He kept saying sorry, then suddenly seemed to remember something, hope flashing in his eyes. "Your birthday is in a few days. Let me give you your gift early, okay? What birthday gift do you want? I'll buy you anything."

Hearing this, I finally raised my eyes to look at him, but my gaze showed no emotion. "Then buy me a plane ticket. To Denver, three days from now."

"What are you going to Denver for?" He was a bit surprised, but soon he provided his own answer. "Want to go mountain climbing and skiing in Colorado? The season seems a bit early still."

I didn't explain, just nodded and hummed in acknowledgment.

Lucas didn't ask further questions. Right in front of me, he pulled out his phone and bought a plane ticket to Denver.

After buying the ticket, he said, "I'm busy with some things during this time and won't have time to accompany you. You go to Denver and have fun first. When I'm free, I'll go with you to Aspen or see Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Buying a plane ticket is too small a birthday gift. Later I'll give you a big surprise."

I shook my head and smiled lightly. "It's not small. Not small at all."

After all, the estate belonging to the Alpha King was in the mountains of the Colorado Plateau. That was my real home.

Lucas, thank you for your gift. Personally sending me home.

Eleanor POV

During the two days I was hospitalized, Lucas seemed to have returned to how he was when we first started dating, caring for me attentively. But the good times didn't last. His attentiveness ended on the day I was discharged.

He said first that the Pack had business and would have the driver take me home. Right after, I received a provocative text from Isabella.

"Sorry, Lucas and I are about to complete the ceremony. He's accompanying me to dinner today, so I'm afraid he doesn't have time to pick you up from the hospital."

I didn't care about this message. I just silently went home and started packing my luggage.

On the day I was leaving, I got up very early.

Seven hours before takeoff, I moved my suitcases out the door one by one, only to run right into Lucas coming back.

Seeing several suitcases piled up at the apartment door, his expression panicked, and an uneasy feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

"What's going on?"

"Didn't I say I was going to Denver to have fun? You even bought me the ticket. Did you forget?" My expression was calm, as if I really was just preparing to go on a short trip.

But my explanation didn't convince him. "Aren't you just going for a day or two? Do you need this much luggage?"

I pulled at my lips. "Bringing a few extra outfits. I want to take lots of photos. Plus, I don't have a wolf. I'm not as physically strong as you all, so of course I need to prepare more things."

My words carried sarcasm, but he didn't seem to hear it.

"But you've never been that into taking photos before. When we traveled together, you never brought this much stuff!" Lucas showed a very uneasy expression. "No! I need to open your suitcases and check properly to see if you're telling the truth!"

Just as he was about to move, he was interrupted by an urgent phone ringtone. It was Isabella calling.

After he answered, I don't know what was said on the other end, but Lucas fell silent for a moment. In the end, he gave up checking my luggage and left first.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind me again.

"Ellie, don't stay too long. Send me your return flight details and I'll pick you up."

I didn't answer.

Because I knew I would never come back.

This meeting was goodbye forever.

Five hours before takeoff, I changed the apartment's door code.

From my birthday to Isabella's birthday. Then I stuck a sticky note on the door.

"After all, this will be Miss Anderson's home from now on. The password should be set to Miss Anderson's birthday."

Three hours before takeoff, I found all the photos of Lucas and me in the apartment, piled them together, and lit them on fire.

Him holding me, kissing under fireworks all over the sky, saying over and over that I was his.

Him proposing to me under the sunset and starry river, vowing to love me for life.

We walked through spring, summer, autumn, and winter together. All four seasons.

Now the memories burned away bit by bit. We were completely over too.

Two hours before takeoff, my body suddenly felt a sharp pain.

I couldn't breathe. My phone dropped to the floor.

After a while, when I finally felt a bit better, I picked up my phone and saw Isabella had sent me a video.

The video seemed to be at a banquet. There were Lucas's brothers, Isabella's friends, and the Alphas of both Packs.

Many people surrounded Lucas and Isabella, these two people of interest, with jeering voices rising one after another.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

"I'm telling you, Lucas, it's only a few days until the ceremony. What are you embarrassed about kissing for! You can't make Miss Anderson make the first move."

Amid the jeering, Isabella closed her eyes with flushed cheeks and leaned toward him. The crowd's screams grew louder, egging Lucas on to kiss her.

Lucas stared intently at the person in front of him. Finally, he closed his eyes, raised his hand to cup the back of her head, and gave her a deep French kiss.

So that's how it was.

The video played over and over. When it played for the seventh time, Isabella's message came through.

"See, Eleanor? Sunward Pack already sees me as their future Luna. A nobody like you without even a wolf. Why would they ever accept you? A Rogue is all you deserve."

"So what if Lucas loves you? I'm getting to him. Slowly. First he met my parents. My friends. Then we moved in together. Today he kissed me. Tell me, if I wanted him in my bed, do you think he'd refuse?"

I didn't reply. I just printed out every nasty message she'd sent over the past few days. Then I stacked them neatly in the empty living room.

One hour before takeoff, I left one final message on that stack of printed papers.

"Lucas, happy wedding. We're over."

Then I dragged my suitcase out of the apartment and took a cab speeding toward the airport.

Lucas, from now on, I'm going back to being the Alpha King's heir.

We're done!