Chapter 4

"It's my fault. I'll go apologize to Mia now so she doesn't get angry with you."

The fire in my chest flared up instantly. I clenched my fists, ready to burst in and demand an explanation.

Caleb's cold voice came out first. "It's not your fault. She shouldn't covet things that don't belong to her."

That fire deflated like a punctured balloon.

I quickly blinked back the tears in my eyes. Caleb was right-I was the fool. I shouldn't have come looking for him.

The conversation continued. Caleb's friends mocked me as usual.

"Caleb's right. She keeps pushing Caleb to mark her, but we all know Caleb loves you."

"Mia is so annoying. Caleb's tried to reject her several times, but she never agrees. She brought this on herself."

"She loves Caleb so much that even if we wronged her, she wouldn't bear to leave."

I knew that in their eyes, a wolfless Omega like me was completely unworthy of Caleb.

At first, when Caleb learned I was his mate, we'd shared one passionate night.

The way he'd looked at me then-like I was a goddess, like I was prey-was full of desire.

He'd pinned me to the bed and taken me all night long. But when he woke the next morning, he was like a different person.

"Get dressed and get out! Elizabeth is coming soon. Don't let her see you!"

Later I learned that before meeting me, Caleb had always had a childhood sweetheart.

That wild night between Caleb and me was just the physical attraction between mates-there were no feelings involved.

But I refused to give up.

I shamelessly insisted on staying at his estate, even if only as a maid.

Now, with two days left until my nineteenth birthday, I didn't want to force it anymore.

I'd let him be with his true love.

When I left Dubois pack, I was penniless. I found an abandoned hunter's cabin in the forest.

That night, I had the same dream from my childhood again.

When I was little, I wandered into a witch's territory and stumbled upon her just after her werewolf lover had abandoned her.

She hated all werewolves, so she cursed me.

I had to complete a marking ceremony with my mate before turning nineteen or I would die.

Two agonizing days passed.

On the morning of my nineteenth birthday, I still clung to a sliver of hope: maybe the witch had lied.

That night, I didn't dare sleep. I waited until dawn.

Just when I believed I was safe, a violent pain seized my heart.

My vision blackened. I collapsed onto the bed.

I coughed up blood, great choking mouthfuls of it. I was dying after all.

Just before consciousness slipped away completely, the cabin door swung open.

There stood a massive silver wolf. Those green eyes stared at me unblinking.

"Mia, I've finally found you."