Marked in Shadows

Four years ago, Alpha Matteo Donovan was drugged. On that crazy night, I became his cure. From that moment on, I was his most trusted Beta by day and his lover by night, tangled up in his sheets until dawn. Just when I started drowning in the heat of his gaze, his first love, Sabrina Monroe, came back. To please her, Matteo threw me to the pack’s borderlands, where it was rogue-infested. He even tore up Mom's keepsakes right in front of me. When I finally gave up and applied to leave the pack, Matteo suddenly began to look for me like he had gone mad. Chapter 1 I held the document in my hands that confirmed my release from the pack, signed with the Alpha's own name, Matteo Donovan. Just as I was about to leave the office building, Elder Jason Briggs called me again. He said, "The Alpha doesn't know it's you who's leaving. If you tell him, he'll definitely ask you to stay since you're his most trusted Beta." I lowered my eyes slightly and replied, "No need to trouble him with something so trivial." Jason still refused to give up. "You've been at his side for four years. You've handled almost everything for him. If you leave, he won't know how to manage without you." He kept trying to talk me out of it, but my mind was made up. "His life will be more comfortable without me anyway. I'm just an extra presence that doesn't belong. My pack is at war, and I have to go back. "Plus, I've reached the age for my marking ceremony, so I really don't have the energy to stay by the Alpha's side anymore. Since the Alpha already approved my request, I'll spend the next month briefing his new Beta on everything, and then I'll leave." Jason tried once more to convince me over the phone. However, seeing how firm I was, he finally gave up. After hanging up, I started packing my belongings. I had lived in that house for three years. Aside from daily necessities, I threw everything else away. Sitting in the empty room, I felt my heart hollow out too. For a moment, memories from eight years ago came flooding back. Eight years ago, I left my poor, struggling pack and went to the Norland Pack to study. At college, I met the Matteo's sister, Penelope Donovan. We hit it off quickly despite her privileged upbringing, and soon we became best friends. She never cared about where I came from and even brought me into high society circles, introducing me to influential wolves. At one gathering, she introduced me to her brother, the pack's greatest man, the Alpha. I was instantly drawn to Matteo's tall, handsome appearance and fell hard for him. Throughout college, I channeled my love for him into improving myself, all just to get a little closer to him. After graduation, I got my wish and became Matteo's Beta. Just thinking about seeing him every day made me so excited that I could not sleep for a whole night. I thought I would bury that love in my heart forever, until that accident happened. Matteo was poisoned with wolfsbane laced with aphrodisiac. I was about to call the hospital when a powerful force suddenly pulled me onto the bed. Before I could react, his kisses were all over me. That night of passion was beautiful yet fleeting. It felt like a dream I never wanted to wake from. The next morning, I opened my eyes and saw him standing by the window. Bathed in sunlight, his chiseled face looked even more striking. I stared at him, completely mesmerized. Noticing my gaze, Matteo turned to look at me and said just one thing. "I'll take responsibility for what happened last night." My heart skipped a beat. Just when I thought my dreams were finally coming true, he handed me a check. He said, "I know you like me, but I already have someone I love. This money will make sure you live comfortably for the rest of your life, so consider it my compensation." I froze, suddenly remembering that last night he had called out someone else's name: Sabrina Monroe. I had heard from Penelope that Matteo had always carried a torch for his first love, and her name was Sabrina. Although she had abandoned the pack to become a healer in a more powerful one and had countless flings, he still waited for her. It was precisely because I knew he loved someone else that I had kept my feelings buried. Perhaps it was the alcohol from the night before, but somehow, I found the courage to speak up. Taking a deep breath, I called out to Matteo as he was about to leave. "I don't want compensation. I want to be with you." Matteo stopped in his tracks and turned to frown at me. "Alyssa Whitlock, do you not understand what I'm saying? I told you I already have someone I love. There will never be anything between us." I blurted out everything that was buried deep inside me. "I know you love someone else. When she comes back, I'll leave quietly, but until then, can you at least try being with me?" Faced with my sudden confession, Matteo froze. Just when I was bracing myself for rejection, he handed me a card with a hotel address written on it. "Tonight at ten. Don't keep me waiting." Chapter 2 From then on, our relationship changed. I worked for Matteo by day and became his lover in bed by night. We were entangled together every day, and he stopped calling out another woman's name. The moonflowers that appeared by the bedside and the sweet desserts became catalysts for our relationship. The way Matteo looked at me grew more heated over time until last night, when I spent the night alone in his room for the first time. Just before dawn, I learned from the news that Sabrina had returned, and Matteo had been out all night meeting her in Moonlight Forest. He declared his love publicly to the media, and their entire date was live-streamed to the whole pack. As I watched them kiss on the livestream, my face drained of all color. Trembling, I called Matteo, desperately hoping this was all just media hype. On the livestream, Matteo pulled out his phone, glanced at it, and frowned. "Who is it?" Sabrina asked sweetly. Matteo hung up and said gently, "Just someone unimportant. Don't worry about it." Hearing the dial tone, I understood that it was time to leave. I packed my things and dragged my suitcase to the door, only to find Matteo standing there. His eyes flicked to the suitcase without a trace of emotion. "I'll cover the rent for wherever you're staying." I refused. "There's no need for that. It's only for a month anyway." His brows furrowed. "Why just a month?" I was about to explain when Matteo interrupted me. "Get in my car." I refused, but Matteo insisted. "Don't get the wrong idea. Penelope asked me to do this. It's raining outside, and she doesn't want you getting soaked." I finally got in the car with him. The interior was filled with blue moon roses, and even the car's color had been changed to Sabrina's favorite soft blue. Noticing my gaze, Matteo explained, "Sabrina loves blue." My eyes dimmed as my heart sank. After a long silence, I finally said quietly, "Congratulations. You finally got her back." Matteo opened the car door and simply said, "Thanks." As we drove toward the outskirts, Sabrina suddenly called, saying she wanted to have dinner with him. He pulled over to the side of the road and gave me a conflicted look. I knew what he was worried about, so I got out of the car on my own. "Go be with Sabrina. I can get back by myself." Matteo nodded and got out to help me with my suitcase. I lost my balance for a moment, and the suitcase fell to the ground, its contents spilling everywhere. The crystal engraved with his name, 99 love letters I had written but never sent, and all the things he had thrown away were laid bare before him. My heart raced as I scrambled to pick everything up. "I'm sorry." Matteo's gaze darkened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he just got back in his car and drove off. He did not even notice that he had stopped the car at the very edge of pack territory, in a desolate field. I could not get a ride, so I had no choice but to drag my luggage and keep walking. Suddenly, several dark figures blocked my path: rogues. "A female all alone out here in the plains? How lucky are we?" They slowly closed in on me, and my Beta power surged out instantly, making them hesitate. "She's a Beta!" "So what? She's alone." Several rogues lunged at me, and I instantly shifted into my wolf form. I struggled desperately to break out of their circle and run toward pack territory. When I collapsed at the door of my rental, covered in blood, I received a message from Matteo. [Sabrina's back now. What we had is over. Don't cause any trouble.] I stared at the message, lost in thought. Finally, I sent a response. [Fine. I won't love you anymore.] The next day, I burned everything in my suitcase, along with my love for him. Everything had turned to ashes, scattered in the wind. Since I could not keep fooling myself anymore, I would give him exactly what he wanted. Chapter 3 Two days were enough time for my wounds to finally heal. On the third day, I showed up at the office right on time. There was a business negotiation with the Shadowridge Pack that day, so I went to Matteo's office to brief him. Just as I reached the door, I heard Sabrina's flirtatious voice coming from inside. "Matteo, these moonberries are so sweet. You should try one." Through the crack in the half-open door, I saw Sabrina feeding Matteo a moonberry she had already taken a bite of. Matteo, who never let anyone else touch his food, actually smiled and ate it before gently kissing her cheek. He said, "Anything you feed me tastes sweet." Sabrina giggled. "You used to run all the way up the mountain to pick these for me just because I said I liked them, and now that you're Alpha, you still pick them yourself." Matteo gently stroked Sabrina's hair, his eyes filled with unconcealed love. "Just thinking about you eating moonberries someone else picked makes me jealous, so I'd rather do it myself." Sabrina wrapped her arms around Matteo's neck and purred seductively, "Then, from now on, I'll only eat what you give me and only look at you. Would that stop your jealousy?" Matteo did not answer. He just smiled, cupped Sabrina's face, and kissed her. Sweet, intimate sounds filled my ears as I clenched my fists so hard that blood dripped from my palms to the floor. I took a deep breath and knocked on Matteo's office door. "Alpha Matteo, Alpha Noah Steele from the Shadowridge Pack is already waiting in the conference room." Only then did Matteo reluctantly release Sabrina. Just as he was about to get up, she pulled him back into her arms. "Do you really have to go to this meeting? I'll be so lonely without you." Sabrina pouted as she blinked her eyes pitifully. Her expression was so sweet it could melt anyone's heart. Matteo replied, "Of course not. Business meetings aren't as important as my precious girl." The Shadowridge Pack was one of the top packs in the region, and it took us great effort to convince them to give us this opportunity. The negotiation was crucial for our pack's future development as it could make or break us. I reminded him again, "Alpha Noah only gave us two hours for this meeting. If we..." Sabrina glanced at me with annoyance. "Does a lowly Beta like you need to tell the Alpha how to do his job? Who do you think you are?" "That's not it... It's just that this negotiation is really important, and I don't want..." Before I could finish, Matteo coldly cut me off. "Alyssa, Sabrina is the pack's future Luna, so show her some respect." My grip on the files tightened. The moment I closed the door, I heard the two of them laughing inside. Everyone in the pack knew that Matteo was an Alpha who always put pack interests first, and that was exactly why everyone respected and loved him. However, for Sabrina's sake, he was willing to anger another Alpha and risk our pack's reputation. He loved Sabrina so much that he was willing to abandon his own principles. I had no choice but to collect myself and go to the conference room to apologize to Noah. He slammed his fist on the table in fury and unleashed all his anger on me. I could only stand there, taking the verbal abuse while stammering out apologies. The negotiation ended badly. As I dragged my exhausted body out of the conference room, Sabrina stopped me. "Beta, Matteo's office looks a bit too plain. Go up the mountain and pick some wild daisies to brighten it up." Wild daisies grew in places covered with thorns, and wolfsbane was hidden among them. One wrong move, and you would get poisoned. I refused. "The Alpha doesn't like wild daisies. His office has always been decorated with roses only." Sabrina's expression immediately soured. "Are you questioning me? Fine, then. Since you say Matteo doesn't like wild daisies, let's go ask him." Just like that, Sabrina dragged me to Matteo's office. The moment we walked in, she threw herself on him sweetly and purred "I just thought your office looked too plain and wanted her to pick some wild daisies to decorate it, but she said you don't like them. What should I do? I really want the whole office to smell like them." Matteo gently comforted the pouting Sabrina. Then, he turned to look at me and said, "Whatever Sabrina likes is what I like. Go to the mountain right now and pick wild daisies to decorate the office." My heart sank, but I nodded. "Understood." Sabrina turned her head from Matteo's embrace and flashed me a smug smile. The mountain was extremely treacherous. Even as a Beta, I could not avoid the poisonous plants. Sure enough, my ankle was accidentally cut by wolfsbane. It was not lethal, but it immediately swelled up until I could barely walk. By sunset, I finally brought a large bundle of wild daisies to Sabrina. Sabrina happily took the flowers and stuck them in every corner of the room. When Matteo walked into the office, he frowned at the overwhelming scent. However, when he saw her cheerfully showing the flowers to him, he still indulgently ruffled her hair. That was when he noticed me in the corner, covered in wounds. My face had a gash from a thorn that was still bleeding, and my arms were covered in countless bloody scratches. He muttered, "How could you be so careless?" Then, he pulled out some ointment and stepped forward. He dodged my outstretched hand and said, "You can't see the wound on your face. Let me apply it for you." Matteo lowered his head, and his eyes were filled with heartache and regret as he looked at me. Suddenly, Sabrina let out a shriek from the side. "Ouch! A thorn pricked my finger." Matteo immediately pulled away and rushed to her side. "Where? Let me see." Sabrina made a pitiful face and held out her pinky finger. "Right here... It hurts so much. Is it going to leave a scar?" "Of course not. I'll take you to get it bandaged." With that, he wrapped his arm around Sabrina and left the office without looking back. Chapter 4 I watched Matteo and Sabrina walk away, and a sharp ache pierced through my chest. After leaving his office, other pack members rushed over to help treat my wounds. Someone grumbled, "Sabrina knew that mountain was dangerous and still sent you there. She clearly did it on purpose." Another chimed in, "She just wants to get Alpha Matteo's attention." I did not say anything, but my heart felt inexplicably bitter. At last month's gala, the Alpha from the most powerful pack in the north showed interest in me, offering three years' worth of supplies in exchange for me becoming his lover. Matteo refused without hesitation. Even when the other Alpha raised it to five years' worth of supplies, Matteo did not budge and actually fought him right there. He was willing to cut ties with that pack entirely just to protect me. At that moment, I thought maybe Matteo had finally fallen for me. Nonetheless, a bed partner was ultimately just a bed partner. No matter how hard I tried, his heart would always lean toward Sabrina. Her barely scratched skin mattered more to him than all my wounds combined. I worked tirelessly for Matteo, constantly expanding pack territory and establishing partnerships with other packs. However, in his eyes, I was nothing compared to Sabrina. A suffocating feeling overwhelmed me, and the heartache made it impossible to breathe. By the time I finished organizing everything, it was already dark. Just as I was about to call a cab home with my exhausted body, I received a call from Matteo. "Bring me the allergy medicine from my desk drawer." I returned to the office and took the medicine. Then, I grabbed a cab and headed straight for Matteo’s mansion at top speed. It had only been three days since I was last there, yet I almost did not recognize the place. The entrance was filled with blue moon roses, and all the furniture inside had been changed to soft blue. Every antique painting in the mansion had been replaced with pearls, gemstones, designer bags, and cosmetics. I could immediately tell that it was all for Sabrina. With the allergy medicine in hand, I walked to the master bedroom at the far end and knocked on the door. After a moment, Matteo opened it. He froze when he saw my swollen, injured body and asked, "You got poisoned by wolfsbane?" I said nothing. "Did you go to the hospital?" I shook my head. His expression darkened, and for once, his tone softened. "I'll give you a few days off. Rest at home for a while and come back to work next week..." "No. After this month ends..." I was about to tell him that I would be resigning soon, but before I could finish, Sabrina's voice drifted out from inside the room. "Matteo, what's taking you so long?" The words stuck in my throat, and I swallowed them back down. Instead, I said, "Go. Don't keep her waiting too long." However, Matteo did not leave right away. Instead, he handed me a credit card. "Take this. Use it to plan a welcome party for Sabrina in a few days." I nodded, took the card, and left the mansion. The moment I closed the door, I heard Sabrina's dissatisfied complaint. "What took you so long? You better not have been distracted by some vixen." "How could I? I only have eyes for you." She huffed. "You're such a sweet talker!" No matter how much Sabrina teased or scolded him, Matteo never got angry. He only smiled and comforted her with the gentlest tone. I had once tried joking around with Matteo, but he only gave me a stern glare and warned, "The next time you act so casual, I won't be so kind." Back then, I thought it was just his serious nature, but I realized it was simply because I was not the person he loved. Chapter 5 After leaving Matteo's home, I went to the hospital to get an antidote serum. Only then did the swelling on my body finally go down. After resting at home for a few days, I received the party plan from Matteo. The location was Moonlight Forest, supposedly where he first met Sabrina, and every detail, from the desserts and flowers to the patterns on the plates, had strict requirements. The timeline was tight and the workload was heavy. I spent three days running around frantically to prepare everything. Three days later, Sabrina's welcome party officially began. She appeared before everyone in an expensive haute couture gown. Guests immediately swarmed around her, flattering and fawning over her as everyone regarded her as the next Luna. Sabrina smiled smugly like she already owned the title. Someone said, "Sabrina is still as beautiful as she was back then! No wonder the Alpha dotes on her so much. Anyone would be unable to forget someone so gorgeous." "Back in school, Alpha Matteo rejected the only daughter of Silver Coast Pack's Alpha. Later, he got punished by the old Alpha for three straight days. He did all that just for Sabrina," another added. "Everyone in the pack knows the Alpha only has eyes for Sabrina. Look at all those gems on her dress... Each one is priceless! Only Sabrina could make the Alpha put in this much effort." I stood in the corner silently listening, not saying a word. Soon, Sabrina walked over smugly, her eyes full of disdain as she spat, "So you're the one who organized this party for me? No wonder it's so sloppy. You didn't even lay down a carpet for me. My feet are killing me from walking on this hard marble in heels." I kept my head down, forcing myself to stay calm. "Please wait a moment. I'll have someone prepare one right away." Just as I was about to make the call, Sabrina suddenly stopped me. "I can't wait for the carpet. How about this? Tear off part of your dress and lay it under my feet. Then, I'll forgive you." I would never agree to such an outrageous demand. My dress was sewn by my mother and was the only keepsake she had left me. There was no way I would let Sabrina trample on it like that. Seeing me stay silent, Sabrina's expression immediately darkened. When Matteo noticed Sabrina was unhappy, he rushed over to ask what was wrong. She grumbled, "Matteo, there's no carpet on this floor, and it's hurting my feet. I just asked her to let me use her dress as a cushion, and she refused. Is she still holding a grudge from last time?" Matteo looked at me coldly. "It was your job to make sure everything was ready. Sabrina’s feet wouldn’t hurt if you had done it right. It’s just a dress. After the party, I’ll buy you a new one." My heart turned completely cold. Matteo knew how much the dress meant to me, yet he was still willing to force me to destroy Mom's keepsake for Sabrina's sake. The surrounding guests started whispering among themselves. "That Beta really thinks she's something special, daring to refuse Sabrina's request." Another said, "Exactly. Sabrina's the future Luna, while she's just a Beta. Who does she think she is?" The mocking voices cut through me like knives. I clenched my fists and looked up at Matteo, tears shimmering in my eyes. "You know exactly what this dress means to me." Matteo met my gaze, and his heart trembled, his expression softening slightly. However, just as he was about to speak, Sabrina stumbled into his arms and whimpered, "Matteo, my feet hurt so much." Seeing her tears, Matteo hardened his tone. "Alyssa, it's just a dress. I'll order the most exclusive piece from a luxury boutique for you later. Just bear with it for tonight." "Absolutely not!" I turned to leave, but the guards blocked my path. Then, Matteo grabbed my dress and ripped off the hem. My heart shattered along with the ripping sound, and I silently apologized to Mom. After that, he placed the torn fabric at Sabrina's feet. Only then did she flash a smile, pulling over a chair to sit down, her high heels planted firmly on my dress. I held back my tears and glared at Matteo. "Alpha, may I leave now?" He frowned at me and waved for the guards to stand down. However, Sabrina was adamant about making things hard for me. She gasped and exclaimed, "My ring is missing! Alyssa must have stolen it." She pulled at Matteo's sleeve pitifully and pouted, "Don't let her leave. She was the only one with me just now." I retorted, "Sabrina, stop making false accusations." Matteo looked at Sabrina's aggrieved face, then at me. The doubt on his face deepened as he said, "Maybe you just dropped it somewhere. Let's not jump to conclusions." Sabrina stomped her foot and shoved Matteo's arm away. "Matteo, you're actually defending her?! You gave me that ring. Of course, I'm upset!" I asked coldly, "Do you have any proof I took it?" Sabrina huffed. "That's easy." With that, she called the guards. As they blocked my path once more, she commanded, "Have them search you. If the ring is on you, that proves you took it." Several burly guards approached me, grabbed my arms, and pressed me to the ground. A sense of danger washed over me as panic seized my chest, and I struggled desperately. "It wasn't me! I didn't take her ring!" However, no one seemed to hear my cry for help. They pinned me down and reached for my dress, ready to tear it off. As they were about to rip off the fabric, Matteo frowned and was ready to stop them. Just then, a servant appeared with Sabrina's ring. "I found the ring! It fell by the sink in the restroom!" Matteo exhaled in relief and waved for the guards to back off. Then, he took the ring and personally placed it on Sabrina's finger, saying gently, "The ring's been found. You can relax now." Sabrina held the ring under the spotlight, examining it from every angle. Only after confirming it was the one she had lost did her smile return. She looked at me lying on the ground and tugged at Matteo's arm. "Guess it was the hotel staff’s fault for not bringing it sooner. Poor Alyssa must've been so humiliated for nothing." Everyone's eyes turned to stare at my disheveled state. I lay there in front of everyone, hugging myself tightly. My body trembled uncontrollably as I sobbed. From above, I heard Matteo's reluctant voice. "Take tomorrow off. The dress will be sent to your house." Chapter 6 Matteo brushed off all my humiliation with just one simple sentence. My heart felt like it had been stabbed by a sharp blade. My eyes went blank, my mind completely numb. I did not know how long I sat on that cold floor until all the guests had left and the hall lights went out, shrouding my body in endless darkness. Slowly, I snapped back to my senses, pulled myself up, and stumbled out of there. Outside, rain was pouring down in sheets. I walked along the roadside, letting the rain soak me through completely. I could not tell if the water on my face was rain or tears. I had no idea where I was going. I just wandered through the endless night, wrapped in the downpour. Suddenly, a blinding headlight flashed in front of me. The car kept getting closer and closer until I could not keep my eyes open. As the speeding car came at me, a wild thought suddenly crossed my mind. If I just let it hit me, maybe the pain would finally end. I did not move, just closed my eyes and waited for the massive impact to shatter me into pieces. However, the expected impact never came. The car stopped steadily right in front of me, and the window rolled down, revealing Matteo's cold, handsome face. "Get in." I did not budge, still dragging my exhausted body through the rain. Matteo's expression was conflicted, and his tone grew heavier. "Are you trying to torture yourself? Get in the car!" My feet stopped, and I slowly turned around. The rain had ruined my makeup, and I knew I probably looked horrible. I replied, "I'm just a Beta. How could I trouble an Alpha to come pick me up?" Perhaps my words hit a nerve. Matteo's expression grew even more grim as he stepped out into the rain, not caring that his expensive suit was getting drenched, and grabbed my hand tightly. He said, "I know what happened tonight hurt you deeply." I looked up at him. He continued, "I've already lost Sabrina once. I can't lose her a second time. Listen, I have another property under my name. Since you need a place to live right now, consider it my compensation to you." I did not compromise. I pushed his hand away with all my strength and looked at him coldly. "I'm just your Beta. Why would you need to compensate me? It was my mistake before, not keeping myself in a Beta's place. From now on, I'll remember my position and won't bother you and Sabrina any longer." Matteo's face darkened instantly. "Alyssa, are you throwing a tantrum?" "How would I dare?" I scoffed. "Everything I've done is just to comfort Sabrina. Don't you know that you're actually..." Matteo's voice seemed to grow increasingly distant. My head hurt terribly, and I did not hear a single word after that. My vision blurred, and the world tilted beneath me. Maybe my emotional outburst had triggered the wolfsbane poison that was still in my blood, because everything started spinning, and my consciousness was fading. When I opened my eyes again, the sharp scent of herbs filled the air. I lay quietly on the hospital bed with an IV drip in my left hand. The healer came for rounds and saw that I was awake. He smiled kindly and said, "The Alpha really cares about you. He stayed by your bedside all night, you know." I stared blankly at the hospital ceiling, feeling pathetic and ridiculed. Matteo could care about anyone, but that person would never be me. I used to fantasize about him, thinking he cared about me at least a little bit. Nonetheless, our relationship had been an accident from the start, a beautiful dream I had created for myself. Since the dream was over, all I wanted was to escape from him and never come back. Chapter 7 During my time in the hospital, Matteo never once showed up. His guards would just send me messages from time to time asking about my condition and telling me to rest well. I was in the hospital for over a week. Once my body was fully recovered, I returned to the company. During my hospital stay, the pack's gossip about Matteo and Sabrina never stopped. "Alpha booked out the entire Firefly Park for Sabrina's birthday. The whole pack gets three days off to celebrate." "Alpha gifted Sabrina his family's heirloom gemstone. Her position as future Luna is practically sealed." "Sabrina likes the sacred relic from Meadowbrook Pack. Alpha failed to get it for her several times and is rumored to be planning a war to take it." Countless trending topics flooded in on social media, with new articles breaking every hour. Faced with all that news, I just quietly put down my phone. At that moment, I realized I could calmly accept Matteo's devotion to Sabrina. After being discharged, I returned to the company and continued to work diligently as usual. During that time, I tried to avoid direct communication with Matteo, entrusting all pack work to the next Beta. When I placed the documents he needed on his desk and prepared to leave, Matteo called out to me from behind. "This afternoon, I'm going on a business trip to Shadowridge Pack. You and Sabrina are coming with me." My body stiffened. Just as I was about to refuse, Matteo shut his office door. I swallowed my protest and kept silent. During the afternoon trip, Sabrina kept complaining about the long journey. Even so, Matteo showed no sign of annoyance, just comforting her patiently. The car stopped at the foot of a mountain where the path was rough and uneven. It was so narrow that it could only fit one person at a time. We had no choice but to get out and hike on foot. Sabrina threw her bag at me with a disdainful look. "Carry my bag." We walked a long way, and none of us noticed the danger quietly approaching from behind. The grass by the roadside rustled, and several rogues who had been lurking for a while burst out of the bushes. "Sabrina, watch out!" The rogues lunged at us viciously, and Matteo shielded Sabrina behind him, kicking one rogue away. Another rogue immediately switched targets, thrusting a silver dagger toward me. Trapped in the circle, I could not dodge in time, and the blade plunged deep into my shoulder. The wounded area burned like flames. As blood kept pouring out, my strength gave way, and I fell to the ground. The rescue team arrived quickly, and the rogues fled in panic. In my daze, I heard two urgent voices. "Alpha, Alyssa was injured by silver. She needs to be rushed to the hospital immediately." "Save Sabrina first! She's passed out!" Then, I lost consciousness. ... In my haze, I heard familiar sobbing sounds. I struggled to open my eyes and saw Penelope's swollen, red eyes. "Alyssa, I got a call from the hospital saying you were hurt by silver and almost died! I was so scared for you." It had been a long time since anyone had worried about me. In that instant, all the pain I had been holding back came crashing down. I could not hold back anymore and cried in Penelope's arms. We held each other for a long time. Penelope sat by the bed, preparing some fruit for me while chatting about lighter topics. "We haven't seen each other much since graduation. How have you been? You're not getting any younger, Alyssa. It's time you dated someone. Once you're better, I'll introduce you to some hot guys so you can take your pick." I pressed my lips together. "I'm not interested in dating right now." Penelope handed me the fruit. "That won't do. I showed your photo to people around me, and they're all fighting to have me introduce you to them." Just as she finished, the door burst open. Matteo walked in, his face like thunder. "Who gave you permission to do that? Stay away from shady people." Penelope pouted. "What do you mean by 'shady people'? Those are my friends. Besides, Alyssa is just your Beta. What right do you have to interfere with her love life?" Hearing that, an inexplicable fire ignited in Matteo's heart, and his words came out in anger. "I'm your brother, Penelope. When I say no introductions, that's final. Feelings can't be forced, and it's not something you can fix with a setup." Yes, feelings could not be forced. I finally understood that. I forced a smile and quickly changed the subject. "Alpha, what brings you here?" Seeing that I was not in life-threatening danger, Matteo relaxed slightly. He kept avoiding direct eye contact, as if he were guilty of something. The words of concern reached his lips, but after thinking, he swallowed them back down. Eventually, he said, "Nothing much. Penelope hasn't been home for three days since she's taking care of you. I'm just here to take her home." "Alright, Matteo, but Alyssa is still weak and needs someone to take care of her. I'll stay with her until tonight." After Penelope finished speaking, she pushed Matteo out, leaving just the two of us in the room. She watched his retreating figure and sighed. "He was anxious enough to mobilize the entire pack's blood bank to give you transfusions. Why is his attitude so cold when he sees you?" My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly came to my senses. After all, I knew that he just did not want to be blamed by the elders for a Beta's death. My heart was completely numb, and I would not be moved by any bit of his tenderness anymore. During my hospital stay, I occasionally heard the healers discussing in the VIP room upstairs. "The Alpha really cares about Sabrina. He's mobilized all the nutritionists to prepare meals for her." "That's not all. The Alpha personally brings her tea and water, and the gifts sent to her room every day are piling up. She's truly the future Luna." Once, those words would have cut me to the bone. However, they did not stir me at all then. I had finally stopped loving him. Chapter 8 The day I was discharged, I returned to the company to complete my final resignation procedure. Just as I was about to leave, I ran into Sabrina in the hallway. She deliberately bumped into me while holding a cup of coffee. She snapped, "Ah! Are you doing this on purpose? You're always causing trouble." I spat, "You're the one who bumped into me. I haven't even asked you to reimburse me for my clothes, yet here you are, pointing your finger at me." Sabrina was stunned by my retort. Furious, she poured the scalding coffee over my head, exclaiming arrogantly, "Do you know who you're talking to?! Don't blame me when I tell Matteo to fire you!" After saying that, she swaggered away. My clothes were completely soaked, so I had no choice but to go to the restroom to deal with the mess. "Alyssa!" Through the mirror, I saw Penelope as she exclaimed in shock, "Why are your clothes wet? Who did this?" I did not say anything, but the sharp Penelope immediately guessed it. "It was Sabrina, wasn't it? I'm not letting her get away with this." She stormed into Matteo's office. "Penelope, have I spoiled you so much that you don't even bother to knock before entering my office?" Matteo asked. Penelope ignored him and walked straight up to Sabrina. "Sabrina, don't think you can do whatever you want just because Matteo likes you. Why did you pick on Alyssa? You and Matteo haven't even held the marking ceremony yet, and you're already acting like you're the Luna." Matteo also saw my disheveled appearance, and his brows furrowed slightly. Just as he was about to ask what happened, Sabrina threw herself into his arms. "Matteo, I didn't do anything. It's clearly Alyssa holding a grudge from before and trying to frame me. I swear I'm innocent!" "You..." Seeing Sabrina twist the truth, Penelope was so angry that she was left speechless. Without another word, she swung her hand and slapped Sabrina squarely across the face. She hissed, "Sabrina, stop lying!" Sabrina covered her face and burst into tears. "Matteo, your Beta and your sister are ganging up on me. I can't stay here anymore. I'm leaving and never coming back!" Matteo panicked, and a slap landed across Penelope's face. It was the first time in his life that he had ever struck his beloved sister. "Penelope, if you keep acting out like this, you're going to spend the night kneeling before the pack altar." Then, he turned to me, his voice cold as ice. "I've already compensated you for what happened before. Why can't you let Sabrina go? Maybe you just don't want to be my Beta anymore." Penelope covered her face, looking at the man before her in disbelief. She barely recognized her own brother anymore. I regretted dragging Penelope into that and quickly pulled her away. However, she was unwilling to let it go and made a big fuss about telling their parents, so I sighed and told her I had already resigned and was leaving. Penelope froze at first, then tears spilled down her cheeks. ... On my last night before leaving, Penelope and I had dinner together and even went shopping. She did not go home that evening, squeezing into my tiny apartment and talking through the night. Finally, as dawn approached, Penelope took me to the airport. Just before we parted, Matteo sent a message asking where she was. Penelope got angry upon seeing his name and was about to call him to give him a piece of her mind, but I stopped her. "Don't get angry with Matteo because of me. After all, he's still the Alpha. Just wish me happiness, that's all." The plane was about to take off, and we hugged goodbye. Right before boarding, I sent Matteo one last message. [Matteo, we'll never see each other again.] After hitting send, I blocked all his contact information. Then, I boarded the plane without looking back. Chapter 9 Matteo's POV I was reviewing documents in my study when my phone suddenly chimed with a message notification. Sabrina snatched my phone away before I could reach for it. She smiled sweetly at me and said, "Let me check it for you." I sighed at her mischief, but I could not bring myself to stop her. She unlocked my phone with practiced ease, but the moment she glanced at the screen, her smile froze. A flicker of disdain flashed in her eyes. I frowned and asked, "What message is it?" She snapped out of her daze at the sound of my voice and instantly put on a cheerful expression again. "Nothing. It was just a spam text. My phone's dead, so can I borrow yours to play with for a bit?" I agreed, not knowing that my decision would haunt me for the rest of my life. "Let me know immediately if there are any work messages," I said to Sabrina, who was lounging on the couch, as I put down my documents. Sabrina agreed on the surface, then turned around and deleted the collaboration documents that other Alphas had sent over. After doing all of that, she changed into a silk nightgown and tiptoed behind me, wrapping her arms around me. Her rose-scented pheromones stirred something in me, and I put down my pen, turning to embrace her. "Forget about work and spend time with me, okay?" she asked. Her body pressed against mine, teasing me in slow, deliberate motions that made my heart race. My throat went dry, and before I knew it, I had lifted her into my arms and carried her to the bedroom. We spent a blissful night together. The next morning, I was still half-asleep when my phone started ringing incessantly. I tried to ignore it, but it would not stop. Annoyed, I glanced at the woman sleeping in my arms and forced down my irritation as I answered the call. "What is it? Don't you know it's the weekend?" I deliberately kept my voice low so I would not wake Sabrina, though the impatience still leaked through. On the other end was my secretary, Grace Cohen. She answered in a panicked tone, "I sent you an email yesterday. The Alphas from the three major packs are coming to discuss a partnership with you today. All three of them are already in the VIP room waiting for you." My drowsiness vanished instantly. "Email? I never got any email!" I hurriedly grabbed my clothes and walked barefoot across the floor. "Where's Alyssa? Why didn't she notify me? Doesn't she know this meeting is important? Get her to come pick me up right away. Also, dock her pay this month for leaving her post without permission." I walked downstairs furiously, thinking Alyssa must still be mad at me and was ignoring the pack's interests over that small matter. It seemed I had been too lenient with her. However, Grace went silent for a long time before carefully replying, "Alpha, Alyssa has already resigned." I stumbled and nearly fell down the stairs. Those words hit me like a bolt from the blue, leaving me frozen in place. "When did she resign? Did I approve it? Contact Alyssa immediately and tell her to come back now." I did not realize my voice was too loud and had woken Sabrina, who was sleeping upstairs. I could not believe that Alyssa had actually resigned. Was it really over that small matter? She clearly knew I loved Sabrina, and I had already compensated her for all the hurt she had suffered. What more did she want? I gripped my phone tightly, unable to suppress the fury in my heart. On the other end, Grace seemed terrified by my reaction and did not dare to speak for a long time. Just as I was about to continue asking about Alyssa's whereabouts, a pair of slender arms wrapped around my waist. "What's going on? You woke me up," Sabrina murmured softly, resting her head against my back. Most of my anger instantly subsided, and I did not press the matter further. "Just a minor work issue. It's nothing." I picked up Sabrina and carried her back to the bedroom. I planned to go to the office first since I could not afford to offend the Alphas from the three major packs. However, as soon as I lay her on the bed, she wrapped her arms around my neck and kept acting coy. "I don't want you to leave. Stay here with me, please." She nuzzled my neck like a kitten, her delicate manner making my throat tighten. I could not resist pulling her back into my arms. It was not until half an hour later, after she had fallen asleep, that I picked up my phone. By then, my phone was full of missed calls from Grace. My expression darkened as I sent a message to her. [Reschedule today's meeting for this afternoon.] Soon, my phone showed Grace's reply. [Alpha, they've already left. They said there won't be any future cooperation.] My heart sank, and I suddenly remembered that Grace had said she had sent me an email. I opened my phone, but there were no new emails. Then, I recalled that Sabrina had been using my phone all last night. I could not help but feel suspicious. I clicked on the trash folder, and my eyes widened, and the color drained from my face.