Chapter 4

Back in university, Sienna was just as dazzling and untouchable as Alpha Jasper. The two of them coming together as a couple had been no surprise to anyone. After all, they were blessed by the Moon Goddess, destined for each other.

Sienna was fiery and radiant, effortlessly charming, and bold to a fault. She was the kind of woman who made people stop and stare. Men flocked to her like moths to a flame, and she wasn’t shy about dating—her list of boyfriends could easily fill two hands.

Her relationship with Alpha Jasper, though brief, had been her longest one yet, lasting a whole six months.

When Sienna brushed past me at the party, her perfume lingered in the air—subtle yet unmistakably familiar.

Two months ago, Alpha Jasper had gifted me the exact same fragrance.

A low growl rumbled in my chest before I could suppress it. My wolf, restless beneath my skin, bristled at the realization, baring her fangs in my mind. Humiliation and anger burned through me, tightening my throat.

My fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.

By the time I regained my composure, Sienna was gone, and Alpha Jasper was standing in front of me.

He frowned, his eyes scanning my face—now bare of makeup, my eyes slightly red from frustration. Tentatively, he reached out as though to touch me.

I stepped back, evading his gesture. “Don’t touch me.”

The disgust in my voice was unmistakable. He had just been cozying up with Sienna moments ago, and now he thought he could embrace me like nothing had happened? My wolf let out a low snarl in my mind, her fur standing on end. I couldn’t keep my voice steady, no matter how hard I tried.

Alpha Jasper’s face paled instantly, his expression frozen as he stared at me, as if he couldn’t believe what I’d just said. He waited, hoping I’d say more, but I didn’t.

He knew exactly why I was upset.

Without a word, he suddenly raised his hand and rubbed his lips vigorously, trying to erase the faint trace of Sienna’s lipstick.

Even as the lipstick faded, his lips seemed to grow even paler. He stared at me blankly and said, “Happy now? Cynthia, I was trying to avoid her—I really was—but I couldn’t stop her in time...”

An excuse.

I didn’t press him. Instead, I changed the subject, my voice calm but sharp. “Why did you propose to me at my birthday party, Jasper? We agreed you’d do it next week.”

That’s right. Today wasn’t supposed to be the day. We had decided he’d propose at a small gathering with our close friends the following week.

“I—I couldn’t wait,” Alpha Jasper stammered, his tone warm and fervent, as though he truly couldn’t hold back. “I wanted your friends to witness our moment, Cynthia. You’re so important to me—I couldn’t wait any longer to make you mine.”

My wolf scoffed in my head. Lies, she sneered. Sweet, empty words.

When I didn’t respond, his panic grew. He added hurriedly, “I didn’t know she would come to your birthday party. We broke up a long time ago—I had no idea she’d show up tonight.”

Then, as if trying to cover his tracks, he said, “The dress I gave you, the perfume, the lipstick... all of it—it’s just my taste, Cynthia. That’s all it is. I like this style.”

His words trailed off as he realized how hollow they sounded. Even he couldn’t believe himself anymore.

Alpha Jasper took a deep breath and met my gaze, his voice trembling slightly but sincere. “I admit it, Cynthia. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve tried to push my preferences onto you, and that wasn’t fair. But I swear, not for one second—ever—have I seen you as her replacement!”

He sounded desperate, his tone earnest, as if baring his soul for the first time.

But the more he spoke, the more absurd it felt. All my years of loving him, all my efforts—they suddenly seemed like a cruel joke.

I interrupted him, my voice hollow. “You know something, Jasper? In all the time we’ve been together, you’ve never talked to me like this before.”

Pathetic, isn’t it? The one time he finally opens up to me, it’s about her.

Alpha Jasper froze, his expression darkening as the weight of my words sank in.

I could see the light fading from his eyes, leaving only resignation.

My near-accusation left him standing there, head bowed, defeated and silent.

My wolf let out a deep sigh in my mind, the sound laced with disappointment.

I knew it deep down. Someone as beautiful as Sienna was the perfect match for someone like Alpha Jasper. And I knew that my persistence—my relentless pursuit—was the only reason he was with me at all.