he pain coursing through Elaine's chest was unbearable-raw, searing, a torment she would not wish upon even her worst enemy. It hollowed her out from the inside, leaving her gasping, as though every breath might shatter her further. Her eyes, glossy with unshed tears, clung desperately to Michael's face, silently pleading with him to take it back, to change his mind, to see her as she truly was-his fated mate, chosen by the Goddess herself. But the hardness in his eyes told her everything. His decision was made, resolute and cruel. He had chosen Kathy, her own sister. Elaine's voice broke as she turned to her family, her last thread of hope dangling by a fragile thread. "How about you?" she asked, her gaze moving from her father to her mother, searching, begging. "Do you agree to this?" Her father's shoulders sagged under the weight of her gaze. His tone was steady, but his words cut deeper than any blade. "We have to think of the pack, Elaine. Not just our family, but all of the wolves who depend on us. This... is bigger than us." Her mother's eyes brimmed with sorrow, but her words struck like a hammer. "Your sister is pregnant, Elaine. There is a baby to think of as well." Elaine's heart clenched so tightly she thought it might stop altogether. She turned to Kathy, desperate for her sister to deny it, to cling to sisterhood, to stand with her. But Kathy's eyes were shimmering pools of regret. "I am so sorry this happened, sister," Kathy whispered, her voice trembling. "I love you. I didn't know Michael was your mate. If it weren't for my pup, I would step aside... I truly would. But I can't-not now." Each word was another knife driven deep into Elaine's chest. The betrayal was unbearable. Her family-the ones who were supposed to protect her, to shield her from pain were now the very ones destroying her. And the worst part? They spoke as if their cruelty was duty, as if sacrificing her happiness was noble. Something inside Elaine hardened. She felt her heart begin to freeze, as though her soul itself was retreating behind icy walls. She realized then, with bone-deep certainty, that she could never look at them the same way again. They weren't her family anymore. They were the Beta family, loyal to the pack above all else. The Alpha couple were just that-the Alpha and Luna, leaders, not protectors. And Michael... he was no longer her mate. He was simply the future Alpha, nothing more. Drawing in a shaky, deliberate breath, Elaine forced herself to stillness. She would not let them see her pain. They did not deserve it. None of them deserved her tears, her love, or her trust. "So," she said at last, her voice calm, almost detached, "what do you propose, Alpha?" The entire room fell into a stunned silence. No shouting, no tears, no desperate begging, just an icy calmness none of them had ever heard from Elaine. It unsettled them deeply, because Elaine had never been cold. She had always been warmth and light, the spark that lifted others. Now, that spark was gone, buried beneath her broken heart. Alpha Efrein cleared his throat, his expression grim. "Michael and Kathy will have their mating ceremony next month," he said slowly. "The pack already knows you are Michael's fated mate. We need you to be present, Elaine. We need you to show support for their union. The pack must remain united." Elaine's heart cracked again, each word another fracture. Not only did they want her to sacrifice her mate, her Goddess-given destiny-they wanted her to stand beside them, smiling, pretending to celebrate. They wanted her humiliation to become her duty. "So," she said softly, but with sharpness in her tone, "you want me to give up my mate, my Goddess-given mate... and be thankful for it?" "That is not what I said!" Alpha Efrein shot back, frustration flickering in his eyes. "It doesn't matter," Elaine replied, her voice sharp and unyielding now. "You can do whatever you want. I don't matter in this pack anyway." "Don't say that, sister," Kathy pleaded, tears spilling freely down her cheeks. "That isn't true." Elaine laughed bitterly, a hollow sound that chilled the room. "Sister, please," Kathy tried again, stepping forward. "We love you. We know you're hurting, but we all must do what is right for the pack. I never wanted to be the cause of your pain. I never wanted this, Elaine. But please, please understand." She reached out, trying to hold Elaine's hand, her voice breaking as she whispered, "Please." But Elaine recoiled, jerking her hand away as though her sister's touch was fire. The very sister she had once idolized, cherished, loved beyond measure-was now the source of her deepest agony. And Elaine could not bear it. Her voice was steady, final. "I need to think. I need to be away from all of you." She turned on her heel, ignoring the chorus of voices calling her name, the desperate cries of her family trying to reach her. Their words, their apologies, their pleas. None of it mattered anymore. She shut them out, sealed her heart, and with one final act of defiance, she slammed the door to her mind. The moment they tried to reach her through the mind-link, she blocked them all. For the first time in her life, Elaine was truly alone.