Chapter 3

When the finished lawsuit was placed in my hands, I was still torn.

I'd grown up with the four of them. We'd always been close.

And Caius had taken care of me far more than the other three.

Right after my parents died, I wouldn't let anyone near me.

The four allied families discussed it with the Wilder Elder Council and decided to send me to a trauma recovery facility in Switzerland.

Eight-year-old Caius stood in front of the medical staff who came to take me away and begged them to give me one more chance.

He ate with me, slept beside me. Even when I lashed out during episodes and left him covered in bruises, he never gave up.

Finally, I let my guard down and agreed to treatment.

During rehab, the other three were constantly driven crazy by how slow I was.

Only Caius remembered what the therapist had said—"the company of someone truly close and loved is the best medicine for a wounded wolf soul"—and patiently walked me through the same boring exercises over and over again.

Gradually, I found my way back into normal life. If you didn't know my history, you'd never guess I'd once nearly lost the ability to function on my own.

If this lawsuit went to the courts and the Wolf Council, it wouldn't just destroy over twenty years of our relationship. It would destroy his future—even the Ashford pack's reputation.

I told the lawyer I needed more time to think it over.

But in the middle of the night, I got a call from my academic advisor, Professor Oberon.

His voice was urgent.

"Selena, I know you and Vera are close, but how could you just hand over your graduation project to her?"

"And give up your spot at the Iceland Royal Design Academy?"

My mind went blank. I denied it on instinct.

"Professor, I didn't give it up—"

But my advisor sent me a video from the graduation party. It showed Vera taking the stage as the outstanding graduate.

In the video, Vera was wearing the evening gown I'd reserved three months in advance, holding up the "Moonmark" jewelry collection I'd spent six months creating, showing it off to everyone.

The audience roared with applause. The dean gripped the microphone and announced excitedly:

"Miss Carlisle's work has not only won first place at the International Jewelry Design Awards, but this collection has also earned her admission to the Iceland Royal Design Academy!"

"Let's congratulate Miss Carlisle!"

I rushed to the campus website. On the outstanding graduate work exhibition page, my project had been listed under Vera's name.

I opened my email. The acceptance letter from the Iceland school was addressed to Vera Carlisle.

Then I remembered the looks on their faces before the Europe trip—those awkward expressions when I'd excitedly told the four of them that my graduation project had been recognized and I was going to study in Iceland.

I didn't know where things had gone wrong.

Until I found the encrypted group chat with them. In the messages, Caius had casually asked me for my campus portal and email login passwords.

He said he wanted to double-check for his "little scatterbrain" that the graduation project and study-abroad application had been properly submitted.

In that moment, my heart turned to ash.

My hands were shaking as I dialed Caius's number.

He picked up instantly.

I could hear the noise on the other end—all four of them celebrating with Vera.

The place was clearly packed with people, but I felt like I was standing in the dead of winter.

It took me a long time to steady my voice enough to ask.

"Did you change the name on my graduation project to Vera's? Did you use my work to apply for her study-abroad spot?"

"Caius, you know how much I gave up for this opportunity! My parents' company—Wilder Jewels—is counting on this to break into the European market. Do you have no heart at all?"

Caius just laughed and said to everyone around him:

"Spam call."

Then he hung up.

I called back. Blocked.