Chapter 1

When Ryan White returned from his night shift at the clinic, I set a plate of his favorite tomato basil pasta on the table.

I was eager to tell him the good news: my mom had finally agreed to let me stay in the pack.

Instead, he dropped his med kit heavily onto the table and said with sheer exhaustion, "I marked her."

"What?" Confusion froze me in place.

"The new female wolf. I marked her. She told me she's pregnant, and I have to take responsibility."

My voice trembled. "Then what about the eight years I spent by your side?"

Ryan looked up at me, a brief, faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"As long as you're willing, we can still be family."

I didn't cry.

I simply picked up the plate of pasta, walked into the kitchen, and dumped it into the trash can.

Ryan frowned deeply.

"Emily, I just spent an exhausting night saving lives at the clinic. The last thing I need right now is the silent treatment."

I turned around and looked him straight in the eye.

"When did you mark her?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Yesterday afternoon."

"Tina only recently joined the pack. The space behind the council hall was completely deserted. She grabbed my hand and said she was terrified, and then things just... happened."

Just happened.

Yesterday afternoon, I was at the recovery ward with my mother for her checkup.

Lying on her bed, she held my hand tight and told me, "Emily, I’ve made up my mind. If you really love Ryan, then stay here with the pack."

I had been so overwhelmed with relief that I almost cried, immediately reaching out to Ryan through our mind link:

*Mom gave us her blessing to stay.*

He never answered.

While I was waiting for him, he was marking another woman behind the council hall.

I asked, "Does she know about me?"

Ryan went quiet for two seconds.

"Yes. But she doesn't mind. She's young, and she feels completely unsafe. She said she just wants to be lawfully recognized beside me."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"And what about me? After eight years by your side, where the hell am I supposed to stand?"

Ryan looked up at me.

"Emily, you didn't get the short end of the stick over these eight years. You’ve been living in my house for free."

Everything clicked into place.

His idea of compensation was letting me remain in his home.

To keep cooking, cleaning, and taking care of him.

The only difference was that I would no longer be his partner—I'd just be an unpaid maid.

I walked into the bedroom and began packing my things, but my hands froze as soon as I slid the closet door open.

There was a whole row of unfamiliar women's clothes hanging inside.

A pink knit sweater, dresses, stylish coats.

A pair of soft leather ankle boots sat neatly on the shoe rack.

An unfamiliar bottle of herbal skincare toner stood by the bathroom sink.

On the nightstand, there was a delicate little scrunchie.

I picked it up and asked, "Is she moving in?"

Ryan leaned against the doorframe.

"Tina can't sleep alone in the guest room. So she'll be taking your bed."

I took off the silver necklace he had given me and laid it on the dresser.

He bought that silver chain right after his very first successful hunt years ago.

He promised back then that once he became the lead warrior, he would replace it with a diamond necklace.

Later, he earned the title, but then told me we should wait until the territory expanded before buying fine jewelry.

And now, he had marked someone else.

I dragged my suitcase out from under the bed.

Seeing this, panic finally washed over Ryan's face.

He rushed over and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Emily, I don't want to lose you. I'm just helping Tina settle in first. She's completely dependent on me. You're different—you're mature, and you actually understand me."

His embrace made my stomach churn with pure disgust.

A light knock sounded at the front door.

Tina stood in the entryway, looking petite with tear-rimmed eyes.

She was wearing a men's leather jacket.

The exact one I had waited in line for two hours in freezing weather to buy for Ryan last winter.

"Ryan, I came over to grab my things."

Then she glanced at me with a soft smile. "Oh, Emily, you're here too."

I didn't utter a word.

She walked straight into the bedroom like she owned the place and pulled open my nightstand drawer.

Her things were sitting on top of an old photo album.

Right beside the album was an envelope.

A letter my mother had written to Ryan.

She had written it yesterday and asked me to pass it to him.

The very first sentence read:

*Ryan, I entrust my Emily into your hands.*

Tina picked up the letter and blinked innocently.

"Is this a letter from your mom to the two of you? I’m so sorry, was I not supposed to see that?"

I reached out to snatch it back.

Ryan stepped in faster, grabbing it out of reach.

A corner of the paper tore.

Watching him stand protectively in front of Tina, this house suddenly felt utterly foreign to me.

I had lived here for five years.

Yet standing here right now, I felt like a complete stranger.