Chapter 3

Hearing my words, Wyatt's face completely clouded over. He gripped my shoulders hard.

"Valerie, my patience has a limit. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there for a mateless Omega without a pack's protection?"

He sounded like he was worried about me, but all I felt was disgust.

Gathering all my strength, I slapped him hard across the face.

His head snapped to the side, five bright red finger marks immediately blooming on his cheek.

Wyatt was stunned. He clearly never expected the usually submissive me to lay a hand on him.

"Ah! Valerie, you crazy bitch! How dare you hit Wyatt!"

Harper suddenly rushed out, screaming, her sharp nails aiming straight for my face.

Seeing her lunge at me, my Alpha instincts flared.

I was about to block her, but Wyatt roughly grabbed my wrist.

Harper's nails slashed across my cheek, and losing my balance, I fell hard onto the floor.

A sharp pain radiated through my body, and I gasped.

But Wyatt didn't even glance at me. He immediately shielded Harper behind him, staring down at me as his oppressive Alpha aura exploded into the room.

The heavy pressure crashed into me, full of warning and punishment.

"Valerie, you disappoint me," Wyatt's voice was ice-cold. "You actually attacked a drunk girl?"

Sitting on the freezing floor, looking at the man I had loved for three years fiercely protecting another woman, I suddenly let out a laugh.

Harper leaned against him, fake-sobbing. "Let her go. There are plenty of female wolves in this pack far more worthy of being Luna than her!"

Wyatt didn't disagree. He just stared at me and said, "Go cool off. We'll talk tomorrow."

I gave him one last long look, then turned around and strode out into the pouring rain without looking back.

That night, I stayed at a five-star hotel.

The next morning, I was woken up by a notification on my phone.

It was a social media post from Harper. The photo showed the warm lighting of the estate, a bowl of ginger soup Wyatt made, a side profile of him tucking her in, and a picture of their hands tightly clasped together.

The caption read: "Tonight you proved how much I mean to you."

I remembered when I was sick, Wyatt had frowned and coldly told me to go see the pack healer by myself.

It turned out Wyatt knew how to be gentle. Just not with me.

Right after, Wyatt's texts popped up:

"Valerie, I got the custom watch you bought. I know you were just acting out of anger last night. You prepared so much for our ceremony; there's no way you'd actually leave me."

"Come back to the estate today. Bring your bags back. Harper is a sweet girl, she said she wants to apologize to you in person. Come home, stop acting out."

Looking at those texts, it hit me—the watch was a gift I had custom-ordered three months ago using money I secretly saved up.

It was supposed to be my surprise for him at our bonding ceremony.

Since I planned to sever the mate bond, why should I let him keep it?

I decided to go back and get it.

As for the apology? I didn't give a damn.

But as soon as I walked into the estate, I saw Harper standing in the middle of the living room.

She was holding a massive bouquet of white lilies. Seeing me, she slapped on a fake, sugary smile and practically skipped over.

"Valerie, you're finally back." Harper shoved the lilies directly into my arms, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Last night was all my fault. I caused you guys to fight. These are for you. Let's make up."

The moment the overwhelming floral scent hit me, my pupils shrank.

I was deathly allergic to lilies. The last time I accidentally touched them, I nearly died.

"Get them away..." I tried to push the flowers back, but it was too late.

The heavy pollen rushed into my nose. It felt like an invisible hand had clamped around my throat. I couldn't breathe.

Large, violently itchy red hives spread rapidly across my neck and chest.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor, gasping desperately for air that wouldn't come.

"Valerie!"

Wyatt, who had just come downstairs, turned deathly pale. He sprinted toward me.

"Harper! What the hell did you give her?!" Wyatt snatched the bouquet and violently threw it across the room. "Get her to the hospital! Now!"

Lying on the cold floor, my vision blurred, and my consciousness began to slip away.

Wyatt dropped to his knees, pulling my weak body tightly against his chest.

He was trembling violently, his eyes filled with a panic and despair I had never seen before.

"Valerie! Look at me! Don't fall asleep!" he begged desperately, his voice cracking. "Please, God, don't close your eyes..."