Chapter 3
A flicker of panic crossed Liam’s face, but it vanished just as quickly. He sneered at me.
“Nova, the entire pack knows you’re obsessed with me. If you’re not choosing me, then who else would you choose?”
His eyes turned cold.
“Stop pretending. Just give the dress to Lily.”
Before I could react, he yanked the gown from my hands and shoved it into Lily’s arms.
The sequins scraped across my palm, slicing the skin open.
Blood immediately welled up.
Liam didn’t even glance at my injured hand.
Instead, he gently placed an arm around Lily’s shoulders.
“Come on,” he said softly. “Let’s go try it on.”
As they walked away, Lily turned her head slightly.
She smiled at me.
A slow, mocking smile.
Her eyes were filled with naked provocation—as if silently reminding me that I had already lost.
I forced a stiff smile in return.
On the eve of the engagement ceremony, my father summoned the seven warriors.
“You all know,” he said calmly, “that I asked Nova to choose one of you to become her fiancé. Whoever she chooses will help her lead the Ironwood Pack in the future.”
“Tomorrow, I will announce her decision to the entire pack.”
The room fell into a strange silence.
In the corner, Sawyer leaned against the wall, silently drinking.
Glass after glass.
He didn’t look at anyone.
Liam, on the other hand, looked restless. His eyes kept drifting toward the direction of Lily’s room.
The other warriors began patting him on the back.
“Congratulations, Liam.”
“You’ll be leading the Ironwood Pack in the future.”
“Take good care of Nova. Don’t disappoint Alpha Bruce.”
My father glanced at me with a faint smile but said nothing.
Everyone took his reaction as confirmation.
In their eyes, Liam had already won.
That night, Liam suddenly barged into my room.
His face was dark with rage.
Before I could react, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of bed.
The next second, he slammed me onto the floor.
His hand shot out and clamped around my throat.
“Nova,” he growled through gritted teeth, “why can’t you just leave me alone?”
His fingers tightened.
It became harder and harder to breathe.
“It’s because of you that Lily ran away from home!”
“If anything happens to her, I swear I won’t forgive you!”
I struggled against his grip.
“Are you insane?” I gasped. “What does Lily running away have to do with me?”
His eyes were bloodshot.
“If you hadn’t forced this engagement on me, Lily wouldn’t have left!”
“She said in her message that she was in agony. If she does something stupid because of this—”
His grip tightened again.
Rage surged through me.
With all my strength, I shoved him away.
“Liam, listen carefully.”
“I didn’t choose you.”
“And I will never stand between you and Lily.”
I straightened, my voice turning ice-cold.
“But if you don’t get out of my room right now, I’ll have the guards drag you out.”
For a moment, he froze.
Then he let out a mocking laugh.
“You’d better be telling the truth.”
He finally regained a trace of rationality and stormed out
Early the next morning, Liam returned.
With Lily.
His face looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept all night.
Lily, on the other hand, looked flushed and radiant.
And the faint scent of sex clung to her skin.
My stomach churned.
Liam stopped in front of me, his gaze icy.
“Nova,” he said coldly, “even if I’m forced to marry you, I will never love you.”
“If you dare humiliate Lily again…”
His voice dropped dangerously.
“I won’t let you get away with it.”
With that, he turned and walked away with Lily.
They didn’t look back once.
I watched their retreating figures.
And suddenly, a cold laugh echoed inside my mind.
I couldn’t believe that in my previous life…
I had actually fallen in love with someone like him.