---- Chapter 4. Mom and Connor's father knew Elena was coming over for dinner. The servants had been bustling around preparing for the feast since noon. The moment Connor walked in with Elena, the two elders greeted them warmly. Connor's father even personally gave Elena an ancient wolf-fang pendant, a symbol of family acceptance. I faked being unwell and hid in my room. But Connor came in with a fancy gift box, locking the door behind him. He fastened a bracelet set with tiny moonstones onto my wrist; its cold touch made me flinch. Then, he took out a night-star flower, preserved by secret pack methods and still faintly fragrant, and knelt before me on one knee. He gazed at me with such devotion, his eyes so ---- reverent, as if I were his one and only goddess. "T know it's unfair to you, being with me like this without any official title. But after the ceremony, I'll still be your closest Alpha. I'll always live next door to you, just like before, wrapping you in my scent every night so you can sleep soundly." His fingertips caressed my wrist suggestively. "Aria, don't be mad at me, okay?" I looked down at the moonstone bracelet. The wolf totem carved on it was identical to the one on Elena's moonstone necklace, just smaller and more discreet. "Okay, I won't be mad," I said softly. "Go be with your guests. They've been preparing for you for a long time." Downstairs, glasses clinked and blessings flowed. Mom stood by the dining table, looking a bit awkward and uncomfortable, facing a beaming ---- Elena and a proud Connor. Connor, as usual, was telling Mom to get more food for Elena, to adjust her seat. In that instant, all the hurt, anger, and despair that had been building up inside me erupted like a volcano. I gathered every single trinket, piece of clothing, and piece of jewelry Connor had given me in the name of being "mates" over the past six years, and without a second thought, I dumped them all into the trash can in the corner of my room. The moment the trash can lid toppled over because it was too full, Elena appeared in my doorway like a ghost. She looked at the mess on the floor, at all those items that once symbolized my "intimate relationship" with Connor, and a smug, undisguised smile spread across her face. ---- "what, can't take it already?" She strolled in gracefully, her Omega scent deliberately wafting around me. "Aria, you're even... weaker than I thought." "Then again, what kind of backbone can you expect from the daughter of a traitor anda mistress? It must be tough watching your mother scurry around like a servant downstairs while I, the future Luna, get to enjoy the Alpha's exclusive affection, right?" I stared at her coldly, my eyes devoid of any warmth. "What are you trying to say?" Elena tittered, covering her mouth with her fingertips, her eyes full of scorn. She pulled out her phone and waved it in my face, showing me intimate photos of her and Connor, and some... X-rated stuff, the kind of private