Chapter 2

That evening, Darren came to see me. He didn't notice I'd thrown out so many of his things.

I’d picked every single one of them. He’d probably never even noticed.

He gently took my hand and pulled me close.

"Why did you leave so suddenly today? Are you mad?"

"After you left, who was I supposed to take the pre-wedding photos with?"

I shrugged. "You and Fiona looked great together. You don't need me."

Darren chuckled. "Jealous?"

He turned me to face him and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Come on, she's your sister. There's nothing to be upset about."

"She was just worried the dress wouldn't fit you right and the photographer might not be good enough, so she volunteered to check them both out first. She would never hurt you."

"Let's schedule another session without her, just the two of us."

The old me would have fallen for Darren's gentle coaxing.

Now I only felt sick.

He glanced at his phone and reminded me, "Don't forget the party with our friends tomorrow night. Next time we get together, we'll be a married couple."

I didn't want to go at all.

But I knew if I refused, he'd think I was sulking again. I was leaving soon, so I didn't want to waste another word on him.

I agreed, then got up and started packing my clothes.

"Why are you packing?"

I answered casually, "Some things I don't need anymore."

He nodded. "Right, Fiona said the same thing. Once you're married, you buy new stuff. The old things can go."

Again, it was Fiona.

Darren treated her every word as if it had come from the Moon Goddess herself.

"Yeah, no point keeping them."

The next evening, Darren picked me up, but he wasn't driving toward the party.

"Where are we going?"

"To pick up Fiona."

My heart sank. "This party is supposed to celebrate our wedding. Why does she need to be there?"

Darren answered like it was obvious. "She knows all those friends too. Besides, she's your sister, not a stranger. Don't overthink it."

Fiona walked over and casually opened the passenger door, smiling at me. "Zoey, sit in the back. It's safer."

I gave her a flat look, said nothing, and got in the back seat.

I watched the two of them in the front, chatting and laughing, planning what to order at the restaurant.

It felt as if the party were being thrown for their wedding.

The moment we walked into the private room, their friends came forward to greet us.

Most of them were old friends of Darren’s from different packs.

"Hey, Darren. Getting married soon. How does it feel?"

"I'm so jealous you got to choose your own mate. My father arranged mine."

Fiona playfully punched his chest. "Your wife is gorgeous. What are you complaining about?"

It didn’t take long for Fiona to become the center of the conversation.

I stayed where I was, watching them without saying a word.

I was only there because I had to be. Fiona, on the other hand, looked like she was having the time of her life.

Halfway through, someone suggested drinks.

"Darren, Zoey, tonight we drink until we drop. Once you're married, you won't have this kind of freedom."

Darren smiled and nodded. Fiona casually picked up a glass from the table.

"Zoey shouldn't drink. Don't get her drunk. I'll drink for her!"

She looked at Darren. "What do you think?"

"Sure, she can just have water."

Just like that, they’d made the decision for me.

No one seemed to think there was anything wrong with it.

After a few rounds, someone egged them on to have a drink with their arms linked.

Fiona looked at me uneasily. "Zoey, is that okay?"

She immediately followed up, "If you don't want me to, I won't. It's just that everyone keeps pushing for it, and it's hard to say no."

Their friends laughed and urged her on. "Why would she mind? You always drink for her at every party. Come on, link arms and drink."

"But I'm afraid Zoey will be upset."

She looked at me with wounded eyes, as though I were the one who’d wronged her.

When I didn't respond, Darren frowned. "Zoey, don't ruin the mood."

I nodded. "I don't have any problem with it. Let Fiona drink. She would never hurt me."

Then I looked at Fiona. "Right, sis?"

Fiona stiffened for a second, as if she didn't know how to respond.

In the end, with everyone egging them on, Fiona pressed her lips together and clinked glasses with Darren, her cheeks flushed. They linked arms and drank, their faces inches apart.

The moment they finished, cheers and whistles filled the room.

At that moment, I regretted coming. None of this mattered anymore.

When the party ended, everyone crowded toward the door.

I hung back and overheard their friends whispering to Darren.

"Hey, I honestly think Fiona suits you better. If I didn't know you were marrying Zoey, I'd have thought you and Fiona were the couple."

Fiona heard it too.

She cut him off right away. "Don't say that. Zoey was poisoned by wolfsbane and still needs a lot of care. She'll read too much into that."

He shrugged it off. "So what? You're always stepping in for her. She's used to it by now."

On the ride back, I stayed quiet.

After dropping Fiona off, Darren finally spoke. "They were just joking around. Don't take it personally."

"Mm."

"The drinking thing was just for fun."

"Mm."

He shot me a look of annoyance. "Zoey, could you stop acting like the whole world owes you something?"

I didn't answer. I was just counting down the days.

Five more days, and I could leave.