Chapter 5

Eleanor POV

During the two days I was hospitalized, Lucas seemed to have returned to how he was when we first started dating, caring for me attentively. But the good times didn't last. His attentiveness ended on the day I was discharged.

He said first that the Pack had business and would have the driver take me home. Right after, I received a provocative text from Isabella.

"Sorry, Lucas and I are about to complete the ceremony. He's accompanying me to dinner today, so I'm afraid he doesn't have time to pick you up from the hospital."

I didn't care about this message. I just silently went home and started packing my luggage.

On the day I was leaving, I got up very early.

Seven hours before takeoff, I moved my suitcases out the door one by one, only to run right into Lucas coming back.

Seeing several suitcases piled up at the apartment door, his expression panicked, and an uneasy feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

"What's going on?"

"Didn't I say I was going to Denver to have fun? You even bought me the ticket. Did you forget?" My expression was calm, as if I really was just preparing to go on a short trip.

But my explanation didn't convince him. "Aren't you just going for a day or two? Do you need this much luggage?"

I pulled at my lips. "Bringing a few extra outfits. I want to take lots of photos. Plus, I don't have a wolf. I'm not as physically strong as you all, so of course I need to prepare more things."

My words carried sarcasm, but he didn't seem to hear it.

"But you've never been that into taking photos before. When we traveled together, you never brought this much stuff!" Lucas showed a very uneasy expression. "No! I need to open your suitcases and check properly to see if you're telling the truth!"

Just as he was about to move, he was interrupted by an urgent phone ringtone. It was Isabella calling.

After he answered, I don't know what was said on the other end, but Lucas fell silent for a moment. In the end, he gave up checking my luggage and left first.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind me again.

"Ellie, don't stay too long. Send me your return flight details and I'll pick you up."

I didn't answer.

Because I knew I would never come back.

This meeting was goodbye forever.

Five hours before takeoff, I changed the apartment's door code.

From my birthday to Isabella's birthday. Then I stuck a sticky note on the door.

"After all, this will be Miss Anderson's home from now on. The password should be set to Miss Anderson's birthday."

Three hours before takeoff, I found all the photos of Lucas and me in the apartment, piled them together, and lit them on fire.

Him holding me, kissing under fireworks all over the sky, saying over and over that I was his.

Him proposing to me under the sunset and starry river, vowing to love me for life.

We walked through spring, summer, autumn, and winter together. All four seasons.

Now the memories burned away bit by bit. We were completely over too.

Two hours before takeoff, my body suddenly felt a sharp pain.

I couldn't breathe. My phone dropped to the floor.

After a while, when I finally felt a bit better, I picked up my phone and saw Isabella had sent me a video.

The video seemed to be at a banquet. There were Lucas's brothers, Isabella's friends, and the Alphas of both Packs.

Many people surrounded Lucas and Isabella, these two people of interest, with jeering voices rising one after another.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

"I'm telling you, Lucas, it's only a few days until the ceremony. What are you embarrassed about kissing for! You can't make Miss Anderson make the first move."

Amid the jeering, Isabella closed her eyes with flushed cheeks and leaned toward him. The crowd's screams grew louder, egging Lucas on to kiss her.

Lucas stared intently at the person in front of him. Finally, he closed his eyes, raised his hand to cup the back of her head, and gave her a deep French kiss.

So that's how it was.

The video played over and over. When it played for the seventh time, Isabella's message came through.

"See, Eleanor? Sunward Pack already sees me as their future Luna. A nobody like you without even a wolf. Why would they ever accept you? A Rogue is all you deserve."

"So what if Lucas loves you? I'm getting to him. Slowly. First he met my parents. My friends. Then we moved in together. Today he kissed me. Tell me, if I wanted him in my bed, do you think he'd refuse?"

I didn't reply. I just printed out every nasty message she'd sent over the past few days. Then I stacked them neatly in the empty living room.

One hour before takeoff, I left one final message on that stack of printed papers.

"Lucas, happy wedding. We're over."

Then I dragged my suitcase out of the apartment and took a cab speeding toward the airport.

Lucas, from now on, I'm going back to being the Alpha King's heir.

We're done!