Chapter 3

I returned home alone, dejected.

Helena was trying on a sharp hunting outfit.

She was preparing for our pack's hunting festival tomorrow.

The next morning at the hunting festival, Helena mocked me when we met.

"Does an Omega even have the right to participate in the hunting festival? Or are you here to play the prey?"

The werewolves present all laughed.

Jace, the host, didn't stand up for me.

I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.

But I thought, if I could just win the championship at this hunting festival, maybe Jace would see me differently.

I wasn't inferior to Helena!

After the hunting competition officially began, when I was chasing a deer, Helena deliberately rushed ahead.

She wanted to steal my achievement.

I snapped at her.

"I spotted this deer first!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"So what? I can steal your man, so of course I can steal your deer! This is fair competition! Lowly Omega!"

As we argued, a tremendous roar came from the mountaintop.

I looked up to see mud and rocks thundering down like a giant beast.

A mudslide!

Helena immediately pushed me down and fled in panic.

My foot twisted, but I used every ounce of strength to escape toward safety.

The sky gradually darkened. Then I heard a car horn behind me.

It was Jace's car!

A faint hope rose in my heart.

Jace did care about me after all!

But the car just drove past me, splashing mud all over me, then stopped ahead of me.

Then I saw Helena standing not far in front of me.

The moment Jace stepped out of the car, Helena rushed over and threw her arms around him.

"Jace, you have no idea how dangerous that mudslide was! If I hadn't warned Mira in time, we both would've been buried at the bottom of the mountain!"

What the fuck? How could this woman be so shameless?!

I rushed over and shouted at Helena.

"You just tried to kill me! You-"

But before I could finish, Jace frowned and looked at me like I was garbage.

"Mira! Helena saved you, and you're accusing her?!"

"I'm telling the truth!"

But Jace clearly had no interest in hearing my defense.

He glanced at the wound on Helena's calf and said to her.

"You're injured. Let me carry you to the car."

Helena looked at me with contempt, then deliberately pushed Jace away.

"Mira will be upset. You should take her home first. After all, she's your mate!"

Jace coughed awkwardly, then gathered his courage to say to Helena.

"Helena, there's something I've been wanting to tell you. Even though Mira is my mate, the one I truly love is only you. Don't worry, I won't mark her."

Helena leaned into Jace's embrace.

"I love you too! Alpha Jace!"

I clenched my fists.

Three years ago, Helena didn't even love Jace.

Three years ago, Jace wasn't yet the Alpha of Ravencrest Pack-he was just one of the heirs.

Helena had said disdainfully to her mother.

"Jace isn't tall enough, and he's crude. I would never like him. I like men like the Alpha King-tall, handsome, noble, and elegant."

But now Jace had become Alpha, while the Alpha King was a man she couldn't even get close to.

So Helena had started seducing Jace instead.

I watched as Jace carried Helena to the car.

As he closed the window, she looked back at me with a triumphant smile.

Then through the receding rear window, I saw Helena straddle Jace.

A piercing pain struck. I fell to my knees.

When a werewolf cheats, their mate suffers tremendous physical pain.

I was a weak Omega. This pain was potentially fatal for me.

By the time I limped home, it was already late at night.

Soaked and freezing, I went to the bathroom for a hot shower.

When I came out, I saw Jace sitting on my bed.

"Mira."

I stood still, looking at Jace coldly.

He got up, walked over, wrapped his arms around my waist, and lowered his head to kiss me.

I turned my face away to dodge.

"Don't touch me."

Jace's body stiffened. He was confused.

"Are you angry? Mira, I know you're the most understanding. Helena is a powerful Beta warrior. I just need to have a strong heir with her. But you're my mate, the future Luna of Ravencrest Pack."

I used all my strength to push Jace away.

But he continued to explain.

"What I said to Helena this afternoon-I was just humoring her."

I couldn't hold back my tears.

"Jace, you don't need to lie to me anymore. You just see me as a sex toy, don't you?"

Jace lifted my chin with some pity, kissing away the tears on my face bit by bit.

"Mira, stop crying. We've been together for three years. Don't you understand my feelings for you?"

His hand moved down suggestively.

My wavering heart suddenly cleared. The man before me just saw me as a tool for venting his desires.

I closed my eyes, covered my chest, and turned my face away, refusing to let him kiss my lips.

Jace panicked a little. He'd never seen me act so cold toward him.

He said in a low, humble voice.

"Mira, after I mark Helena and have a child with her, I'll definitely hold a grand wedding for you. I'll make you the Luna of our pack!"

I smiled bitterly.

"Jace, I never wanted the title of Luna!"

Jace gritted his teeth, as if making a huge concession.

"How about this-in the future, I can let you raise the child Helena and I have."