Chapter 3

"No need, Cain." I pulled my arm free. "I'm an adult now. I can take care of myself."

I turned and walked out of the locker room. The late autumn wind hit my face with a bitter chill.

The composure I'd been forcing shattered completely the moment I stepped out of the tennis building.

My chest ached with a suffocating pain. I walked to a bar near campus, planning to drink myself numb.

I downed one glass of hard liquor after another. The burning liquid scorched my throat, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Before long, I heard familiar male voices from the booth next door.

I turned to look—it was a few of Cain's close friends.

I was about to go say hi, but just as I started to stand, I heard their conversation.

"Tomorrow's welcome party at the club is insane. Cain really went all out for Lila."

"She's his fated mate, of course he cares. As for Zara—she's completely useless now."

Another one snickered, his tone dripping with mockery. "Remember when Cain bet us he could get Zara within two months?"

My hand froze around the glass.

"Man, I almost forgot—that guy won a car off me!"

"I gotta say though, I didn't expect Cain to close the deal in just over a month."

The laughter grew louder. "Zara's pathetically naive. She actually thought Cain was into her, followed him around like a puppy for a whole year—no title, no status, didn't even dare to be seen with him in public."

"Exactly," another voice chimed in, even more cutting. "He only kept her around as a time-killer, out of respect for Kael. And I heard she turned down the cardiac surgery program in Europe for him. Hopelessly stupid."

"She probably still thinks Cain actually cares about her!"

The mocking laughter was deafening, each word hammering into my heart, crueler than anything Cain had said in that locker room.

The feelings I'd treasured—turns out they were nothing but a carefully designed bet from the start.

All my sacrifices, all my compromises—in their eyes, just stupidity.

I gripped my phone, walked to a quiet corner outside, and dialed Kael's number with trembling hands.

He picked up after two rings, his cheerful voice coming through:

"Got the racket? Thanks, sis. I'll bring you your favorite strawberry milkshake later."

"Kael," I sniffled, forcing down the lump in my throat.

"That cardiac surgery program in Europe you applied for me six months ago—is it too late to sign up?"

Silence on the other end for two seconds, then an explosion of excitement:

"You changed your mind?! Weren't you dead set against going before? Said you couldn't leave your mysterious boyfriend?"

"I'm over him now."

"Really? That's amazing! Listen, the program director is Nikolai Voss—the youngest cardiac surgery authority in the werewolf world. He's had his eye on your talent for a while! I've been holding your spot. You can leave anytime!"

I listened to my brother ramble on with instructions, my eyes slowly welling up.

For Cain, I'd given up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in werewolf medicine. Given up my dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon. All just to see him one more time each day.

But my love, in his heart, was nothing more than a bed warmer who threw herself at him.