Chapter 3 Alpha Cynthia was not the biological child of my parents . Yet in my own home , I often feel like an outsider . Because I had been switched at birth . While I spent my childhood scraping by among abusive , alcoholic rogues , Alpha Cynthia basked in the warmth of privilege as The Ambersy Pack’s cherished princess . By the time my real family found me , it was already too late . Alpha Cynthia , who was raised as their daughter for two decades , naturally shares a closer bond with them than I , a stranger found later in life . Even though my parents tried to compensate me materially , I could clearly sense their distance . Their favored child , Alpha Cynthia , is obviously cherished , while I was merely a stranger , linked to them by blood , found later . When I first joined The Ambersy Pack , every step felt like trudging through quicksand . I was drowning in unfamiliar customs and forced smiles , with no one to offer a hand- until I met Alpha Kennard . He was the golden boy of the Shadow Pack and Alpha Cynthia’s closest confidant . Everyone assumed they were destined to be mates . But on Alpha Kennard’s 18th birthday, the Moon Goddess proved otherwise . It was the day of his first shift . The pack gathered to celebrate the emergence of their future leader’s wolf . The air was electric with anticipation . As Kennard shifted back into his human form , his piercing gaze swept across the crowd . Then , he moved . His steps were purposeful , cutting through the sea of pack members until he stood before me . “ My mate ,” he declared , his voice steady and filled with certainty . A collective gasp rippled through the crowd , followed by a heavy silence . I couldn’t believe it . Me ? The rogue child ? The outsider ? From that day forward , Kennard was relentless in his pursuit . His courtship was gentle yet determined . At first , I hesitated , torn between my own insecurities and the fear of hurting Alpha Cynthia . But Alpha Cynthia assured me – laughing lightly , as if the very idea was absurd – that she had no romantic feelings for Kennard . With her blessing , I allowed myself to fall . Alpha Kennard was perfect – or so I thought . He was attentive , kind , and protective . For the first time in my life , I felt seen . I thought I’d found my fairytale . I couldn’t have been more wrong . The cracks began to show quickly , though I ignored them at first . Alpha Kennard and Alpha Cynthia had grown up together , and he insisted she was like a sister to him . I believed him . But soon , Alpha Cynthia became a constant presence in our lives . Dates were never just ours – she always tagged along . He bought gifts for her as often as he did for me , sometimes even more thoughtful ones . The day of our wedding , he left me standing alone in my gown to take her to watch a sunrise because she’d “ always wanted to see it from that hill . Everyone saw this as normal , even my parents . After all , hadn’t Cynthia been The Ambersy Pack’s princess for twenty years ? l’endured it silently . I convinced myself that Alpha Cynthia was family and deserved kindness . I told myself that Alpha Kennard’s bond with her was harmless , that it didn’t mean I was less important to him . I was wrong . Over the years , I bent myself into a shape , that fit their world . Alpha Kennard didn’t want conflict , so I made it easy for him . I wore the same style of clothes Alpha Cynthia favored , ate the same foods she liked , even smiled through gritted teeth when he let her take my place at his side during pack ceremonies . In five years of marriage , I lost myself . I became a shadow of a woman , living in the shadow of another . Until today . Lying in that hospital bed , the truth struck me like a lightning bolt . The pain of my injuries was nothing compared to the weight of realization: people who don’t care about you will never care , no matter how much of yourself you give . Kennard’s betrayal , Cynthia’s privilege , my parents ‘ distance – it all converged into one undeniable fact . I was always being the outsider . So I had always sacrificed , always endured .