Chapter 4

After Kristy moved into my marital home, she became noticeably more smug.

She started acting like she was the Luna and demanded Eugene stay by her side 24/7, forbidding him from seeing me alone. The only time I saw them was during shared meals, and Kristy never failed to bring up her pregnancy to steal all of Eugene's attention.

It wasn't until my birthday that Eugene finally came to see me.

"Selena, I'm really sorry for everything lately," he said with a guilty look. "Tomorrow's your birthday. I promise I'll spend it with you. I heard the Moonkiss Cod from the frozen waters to the north is incredibly delicious this time of the year. I'll go fish one for you today, okay?"

I was just about to agree when Kristy appeared behind him.

She chirped sweetly, "Babe, come here! I have a surprise for you today."

Eugene turned around. "What surprise?"

"Come over first," Kristy urged.

He walked away from me without hesitation.

Kristy took his hand and gently placed it on her belly. "Feel it."

Together, they watched her stomach with eager eyes.

Suddenly, Eugene's face lit up with excitement. "Did our pup just move? My pup is saying hi to me!"

Right in front of me, Kristy rewarded him with a kiss. "You have no idea how naughty your pup is. He keeps kicking me! You'd better give him lots of attention. The healer said that if the father talks to the pup often, he'll recognize your voice when he's born."

Eugene held her as they walked out together. "Really? Then I'll talk to him every day. He needs to know who his father is."

"Eugene, one more thing. Let's move our wedding to tomorrow, okay? The priest said it's a blessed day."

"Sure, it's just a couple of days earlier. That's not an issue at all."

Their figures grew smaller as they walked away from me.

I couldn't help but call out, "Eugene!"

He turned back, as if just remembering it was my birthday tomorrow.

He looked a little guilty as he said, "Selena, we need to have the wedding tomorrow. Be there, okay? I'll catch the fish for you another time."

I felt my heart sink to my stomach like a boulder sinking into the depths of the sea.

Upon seeing the smug gleam in Kristy's eyes, I nodded with tears in mine. "Okay."

But that so-called "another time" would never come.

That was his last chance.

…

The next day, Eugene and Kristy's wedding began as planned.

Meanwhile, Daria and I made our way across the frozen ocean to the north. We walked across the thick ice, heading toward deeper waters.

As the wedding neared its start, I was still nowhere to be seen.

While wearing a lavish wedding dress, Kristy clung to Eugene's arm and remarked, "Selena must be upset, huh? Because you didn't spend her birthday with her, she's skipping our wedding on purpose."

"What right does she have to throw a tantrum?" Grace snapped, her expression darkening. "She's just a defective Omega whose body didn't even develop properly. She should stay home obediently as the Alpha's sex outlet and not go out causing trouble. She's completely out of line!

"Eugene, thank the Moon Goddess I made you choose Kristy. Without her, we'd have no respectable or presentable Luna in our pack. At least Kristy is worthy."

Kristy gently comforted Grace, "Don't worry. I'll give you lots of pups. The Alpha-blooded pups Eugene and I will have will all be strong like him. No one else will challenge the pack's power."

Grace beamed at her flattery.

For the third time, Eugene asked his maid, Jacey Reed, the same question. "Where is Selena? Has someone been sent to locate her?"

Jacey nodded and then shook her head. They had sent people to look, but no one had seen me.

Grace sneered, "Good. If she doesn't come back, just go ahead and break her true mate bond with you."

But Eugene felt an ominous chill creeping in. The last time he felt this kind of dread was when I was nearly sent off for a political marriage to another pack.

He suddenly remembered our conversation about fishing. "She might have gone to the frozen sea."

Without delay, he ordered, "Send more people to look for her there. And report back the moment you find anything."

Kristy chuckled smugly. "Selena wouldn't really put herself in danger just to make a scene, would she? It's our wedding day. How childish."

As she laughed, her earrings sparkled under the light. Eugene glanced at them and recognized that they were mine. Those earrings symbolized our promise to each other.

He frowned and questioned, "Why are you wearing those earrings? They belong to Selena."

Kristy touched her earlobes casually. "She left them behind when she moved out. There were boxes and boxes of jewelry. She didn't take a single one."

The unease in Eugene's heart deepened.

Why had I left everything behind? Why had I walked away from everything we'd shared?

The wedding proceeded as planned until it reached the marking ceremony.

Suddenly, a werewolf burst through the doors with panic written all over his face.

"Alpha Eugene! Bad news! Selena's scent disappeared near an ice cavern. We think she fell into the sea!"

Eugene's face turned deathly pale.