Chapter 2

　　Sophia

　　I barely left my room except when absolutely necessary.

　　Every corner of Moonvale seemed determined to remind me of what I had lost. Everywhere I went, people talked excitedly about Kael and Olivia's upcoming Mating Ceremony. Some praised how perfect they looked together. Others called them a match blessed by fate.

　　Each word felt like salt rubbed into an open wound.

　　Most of the time, I sat on my bed staring at nothing. I barely ate. I barely slept. The future I had spent years dreaming about had disappeared overnight, leaving behind a hollow emptiness that made it difficult to care about anything at all.

　　The morning after I discovered the affair, my mother entered my room without waiting for permission.

　　When she saw me sitting motionless by the window, she frowned. "You're still crying over this?"

　　I slowly turned toward her. Still? As if one night should have been enough to recover from losing everything.

　　"What do you want me to do?" I asked quietly. "Congratulate them?"

　　My mother's expression hardened. "Olivia found her happiness. You should be happy for your sister instead of feeling sorry for yourself."

　　A bitter laugh escaped me. The sound surprised even me.

　　"Feeling sorry for myself?" I repeated. "Kael cheated on me with her."

　　"Because they are mates."

　　The words hit harder than a slap.

　　My mother folded her arms across her chest. "Honestly, Sophia, this is why you've always struggled. Olivia knows how to accept reality. You cling to things that aren't meant for you."

　　I stared at her and somewhere deep inside, another piece of me broke.

　　By the following morning, my father was no better.

　　"You've embarrassed this family enough," he said coldly during breakfast. "People are already talking about your behavior."

　　I looked at him numbly. "My behavior?"

　　"Yes. Locking yourself in your room and refusing to support your sister. Do you realize how selfish that makes you look?"

　　I almost laughed. Instead, I simply lowered my gaze back to my untouched food. There was no point arguing because neither of them cared how badly I was hurting.

　　By the morning of my eighteenth birthday, I felt completely empty.

　　The Mating Ceremony was scheduled for that evening.

　　The day I had once counted down to with excitement had become something I dreaded with every part of my being.

　　As I sat alone in my bedroom staring blankly out the window, I realized I no longer had the energy to cry. I no longer had the strength to be angry.

　　All that remained was exhaustion… And, I no longer could see a future waiting for me beyond tomorrow.

　　Then, a knock sounded at my door. I ignored it, but it continued. Whoever stood outside clearly had no intention of leaving.

　　Annoyed, I got up and yanked the door open. The words of protest died instantly.

　　My best friend stood in the hallway wearing an enormous grin. Behind her stood several familiar faces from school.

　　For a moment, I simply stared at them. "Elsa, what are you doing here?"

　　"What does it look like?" Elsa asked. "We're kidnapping you."

　　"I don't want to go anywhere."

　　Elsa rolled her eyes dramatically. "That wasn't a suggestion."

　　I couldn't help noticing the determination in her expression.

　　Elsa crossed her arms. "You've spent two days hiding in here. You've cried enough tears to fill a lake. If I leave you alone any longer, you'll probably start writing poetry."

　　Despite everything, a reluctant smile tugged at my lips.

　　Elsa immediately pointed at me. "There. That's proof you still remember how to smile."

　　I shook my head. "You don't understand."

　　"I understand perfectly," she replied, her voice softening. "Your heart is broken. Anyone would be devastated after what happened."

　　The warmth in her words almost made me cry again. Unlike everyone else, Elsa wasn't trying to minimize my pain. She simply understood.

　　Stepping forward, she gently squeezed my hand. "Come celebrate your birthday with people who actually care about you."

　　The lump in my throat grew. I looked at the small group gathered behind her. Every one of them had come for me. That realization made my chest ache.

　　After several seconds, I finally nodded. "Okay."

　　Elsa's grin immediately returned. "Good. Because I already paid for everything."

　　Several hours later, we arrived at the largest hotel in Moonvale. The celebration wasn't extravagant, but it was perfect.

　　I ate cake. I listened to ridiculous stories from our school years. And, slowly, the crushing weight inside my chest began to ease.

　　At one point, Elsa leaned closer and nudged my shoulder. "There's one more thing you should try before we leave."

　　I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What?"

　　"The hot springs."

　　I blinked. "The hot springs?"

　　She nodded enthusiastically. "This hotel is famous for them. People come from other packs just to visit."

　　One of our friends immediately agreed. "They really are amazing."

　　"Trust me," Elsa added. "You need something relaxing after everything you've been through."

　　When multiple people began encouraging me, I finally gave in.

　　Elsa pointed toward the hallway leading deeper into the resort. "Go. Relax. Forget your problems for an hour."

　　That sounded impossible.

　　Still, I found myself making my way toward the private VIP section a few minutes later.

　　The attendant directed me toward one of the secluded pools, and before long, I found myself standing alone inside a beautifully designed hot spring area.

　　For the first time all day, I felt completely alone.

　　I slowly untied the robe around my waist and stepped closer to the edge of the pool completely naked.

　　That was when I froze.

　　Through the thick steam rising from the water, I noticed the faint outline of someone standing on the opposite side.

　　A man.

　　My eyes widened and heat instantly rushed to my face. "Oh my Goddess."

　　Mortification swept through me. I must have entered the wrong pool.

　　Spinning around immediately, I kept my back firmly turned toward the stranger.

　　"I-I'm so sorry," I blurted out. "I didn't realize someone was already here. I'll leave immediately."

　　Before I could take another step, my wolf suddenly stirred inside me. The reaction was so abrupt that it stopped me cold.

　　Slowly, I turned my head toward the silhouette hidden behind the steam.

　　"Mate..." my wolf whispered.