Chapter 3

The birthday party was in full swing, but the atmosphere felt suffocating. The scent of roasted meat and wine hung thick in the air, mingling with the chatter of pack members. Alpha Jasper, usually composed and distant, was acting strangely attentive. He peeled shrimp for me one by one, placing them on my plate with meticulous care.

The problem? I didn’t even like shrimp.

I forced a smile, but my wolf, stirred uneasily. Why is he acting like this? she muttered in my head. Something’s off.

I agreed, but I didn’t want to dwell on it. I knew Alpha Jasper well. After all, I had secretly admired him for two years. I was all too familiar with his romantic history.

Back in college, Alpha Jasper was the talk of the campus—a star everyone admired. Everyone knew he had a first love, his “white moonlight,” Sienna. They were the picture-perfect couple, a match made in heaven. During their coming-of-age ceremony at 18, they were blessed by the Moon Goddess, affirming them as fated mates. The entire school believed they were destined to end up together.

So did I.

Just when I resolved to let go of my hopeless crush, Alpha Jasper and Sienna broke up, right before graduation.

They had been together for less than a year. The reason? Alpha Jasper was selected to attend an exchange program at the Blood Moon Pack, but Sienna wasn’t willing to do long-distance. What everyone once thought was an unshakable bond crumbled for such a mundane reason.

When I finally had the chance to be with the man of my dreams, it was after graduation.

Time should have erased the remnants of his feelings for her. Their brief relationship hardly qualified as a deep, soul-stirring love—or so I thought.

Until today.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. What I believed may have just been wishful thinking. Perhaps Alpha Jasper never truly let go of Sienna—not even for a moment.

Otherwise, why would he keep trying to mold me into her image? Whenever I strayed from what he considered “her essence,” he would gently but firmly nudge me back into place.

As I glanced across the table at Sienna, a cold weight settled in my chest. She sat effortlessly poised, her golden-brown curls cascading over one shoulder. A Alpha's daughter, she exuded confidence and elegance.

And Jasper used to be her fate mate.

Even now, it felt like a ghost of their mate bond lingered. His fingers twitched when she laughed, his jaw tensed when she spoke. And then there were the little things—the way he had been encouraging me to try a new style, to wear red, to curl my hair.

Like he was trying to mold me into her image.

I clenched my fork, my appetite vanishing. He still wants her.

The thought made my wolf bristle. Let’s walk away before we do something stupid.

I took a deep breath and pushed back my chair. “I need to use the restroom.”

Alpha Jasper wiped his hands and stood. “I’ll go with you.”

Before I could protest, Sienna’s velvety voice cut in. “Can’t bear to be apart, even for a moment? How sweet.”

Her smirk was small but cutting. Alpha Jasper stiffened beside me, his grip on my wrist tightening before he let go. His expression remained impassive, but I could feel the tension crackling between them.

“Go ahead,” he said softly. “I’ll wait for you.”

I left without another word, my heart pounding. Once inside the restroom, I gripped the sink, staring at my reflection.

The girl staring back at me had soft curls framing her face. The deep red lipstick on her lips clashed starkly with her otherwise fresh, understated makeup.

But it was the lipstick Alpha Jasper had chosen. He had wanted to see me wear it.

Suddenly overcome with frustration, I turned on the faucet and furiously scrubbed at my lips, ignoring the way the water smeared my foundation. I didn’t stop even as my lips swelled and my face grew blotchy.

I didn’t care.

When I stepped out, the party was winding down. Pack members filtered out in groups, their laughter fading into the night. I moved toward the main hall, but a low murmur from the side room caught my ear. The door was slightly ajar.

I recognized their voices instantly.

“You used to hate these kinds of events,” Sienna mused. “Now you’re throwing her a party? Even planning to propose? Is this all just to get back at me?”

Alpha Jasper’s reply was quieter, his voice edged with exhaustion. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Sienna chuckled. “Oh, but I think I’ve hit a nerve. Tell me, Jasper—when you close your eyes at night, who do you see?”

Her voice carried a dangerous allure, like a predator playing with its prey.

I didn’t think. I pushed the door open.

The first thing I saw was Sienna grabbing Alpha Jasper’s arm, rising onto her toes, and pressing a kiss to his lips.

The sound of the door startled them both. They turned toward me simultaneously.

I’d never felt more out of place. My hair and dress were still damp from the restroom sink, and my bare face—stripped of makeup—stood in stark contrast to Sienna’s polished perfection.

Alpha Jasper quickly pulled away from her, his expression darkening. Sienna, however, smiled serenely, entirely unfazed.

She leisurely picking up her designer purse. As she walked past me, she leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Your mate seems to have someone else in his heart.”