Chapter 3

The banquet was held in the Pack’s usual hotel ballroom.

Lucas was waiting at the entrance. Isabella stood beside him.

My eyes went straight to the pearl necklace around her neck. That was Daniel’s wedding gift.

She looped her arm through Lucas’s, her expression calm when she saw me.

Lucas walked over and wrapped an arm around my waist, tight.

“Remember what you’re here to do,” he said under his breath, “And what you’re not.”

The moment we stepped into the ballroom, whispers spread like wildfire.

“Look! That’s Lydia. I heard she canceled her Mate Bond with Alpha Lucas.”

“I don’t know… but isn’t the woman next to him Daniel’s widow, Isabella? Why is she here too?”

“They’re family, I guess… Poor Isabella. She married Alpha Daniel less than a month before he died in that Rogue attack.”

“Yeah, widowed so young. Pitiful, really.”

The stares and murmurs pierced me like needles.

Lucas acted as if he heard nothing.

He pulled out a chair for Isabella, every move considerate and careful.

To me, it was nothing but a cheap imitation of Daniel’s gentleness.

It made my stomach churn.

Isabella dipped her head slightly, offering Lucas a weak, grateful smile.

To everyone watching, it looked like I was the one being unreasonable while Lucas and Isabella were doing their best to preserve the family’s dignity.

Then Lucas’s gaze dropped to my neck.

The moonstone pendant my mother gave me.

He reached out.

“What are you doing?” I stepped back.

“Isabella needs peace,” he said calmly. “Give it to her. Consider it a sign of your apology.”

“No. This is my mother’s—”

Lucas yanked hard. The delicate chain snapped.

I stumbled backward, crashing into a server.

Wine splashed out, spilling across Isabella’s dress.

“Ah!” Isabella cried out dramatically, her body swaying.

Lucas caught her instantly and spun on me, fury blazing. “Lydia! You did that on purpose?”

“I didn’t—”

He shoved me hard.

“If you have a problem, take it out on me! Don’t you dare target Isabella! She’s already lost Daniel!”

I fell backward, straight into the champagne tower.

Crash.

Crystal shattered. Champagne sprayed everywhere.

Glass sliced into my skin, blood pouring out instantly.

The entire room went silent.

I lay there amid broken glass and spilled wine, hearing my wolf, Nora, let out a long, mournful howl.

And Lucas—Lucas was gently checking Isabella for injuries. He didn’t look at me once.

I even heard him soften his voice, mimicking Daniel’s tone, so tender it didn’t feel real.

“Are you hurt, Isabella? It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.”

Isabella clung to him, sobbing softly. “I’m fine. Please go check on Lydia. She’s bleeding so much... I’m scared. It reminds me of the day something happened to Daniel…”

At Daniel’s name, Lucas’s body stiffened.

He tightened his hold on Isabella, his voice turning low and firm. “Don’t be afraid. Nothing like that will ever happen again.”

Hurt her? Nora scoffed coldly inside my chest.

This woman was nothing but performance from head to toe.

Lucas finally turned toward me, his eyes icy. “Still playing the victim? You caused this mess. Clean it up yourself.”

In that instant, the last spark of warmth inside me went out.

Then the ballroom doors were pushed open.

A powerful, steady Alpha presence flooded the room, crushing every sound beneath it.

The chatter died instantly. Every head turned toward the entrance.

It was Hudson Pack’s Alpha, Finn Hudson, a legend in the business world and a man whose status stood far above Thorn Pack.