“Aurora, you're going to take the train to the Harvest Moon Festival. Cassie is in town, so I went ahead and cancelled your plane ticket for her.”
I shot up from my chair as if I had been burned.
I couldn't believe what I had just heard; surely this was some kind of joke, one of Thane's expensive pranks.
I started to laugh, but his intense glare quickly silenced me. It was clear he was serious, and my amusement faded instantly.
"Wait, you're not kidding, Thane? You really expect me to take the train to the Harvest Moon Festival? Have you forgotten I'm a Lycan? I'm an Alpha, for crying out loud! It would be humiliating for me to travel by train as your wife, especially at that low-class expense. What's her name again? Cassie?"
"Don't you dare disrespect Cassie! I won't tolerate that from you! She's my best friend, and you need to learn to respect her! What's so wrong with taking the train? You wouldn't be the first Lycan to do so. Besides, I'm your mate now, and you should respect my choices, whether they're convenient for you or not."
I bit my lip, tears welling in my eyes, threatening to spill over.
I couldn't believe my mate had the audacity to humiliate me in front of his family like this.
Where did I go wrong?
I do not want to believe my father was right all along. When I discovered Thane was my mate, he was adamant about not marrying an omega, believing we were too different in status.
But Thane was my fated mate, and I couldn't imagine life without him.
I fought hard to convince my father, who was notoriously hot-tempered and wanted the best for me as his heir.
I ignored his warnings and went ahead to mark Thane as my mate, elevating his status within the pack.
I transformed his life from that of an ordinary omega to an Alpha, and in doing so, my father severed ties with me.
He left instructions with the elders' council that I could only return to the pack if I came to my senses—essentially rejecting Thane as my mate and returning home to reclaim my position as Alpha and marry the wealthiest Alpha in the country, the one from the Dark Moon pack.
“You expect me to show respect to another woman in my own home? Just a reminder, Thane, you’re going to this event because of me. I was the one who received the invitation and chose to reserve spots for everyone. This is incredibly important—”
“Save your breath, Aurora. I don’t need your explanations. If I say Cassie is going, then she’s going. I’ve already sent the train tickets to your WhatsApp. Check the details and get in the kitchen; I’m starving!”
My phone buzzed with a notification, and I couldn’t hide my shock as I looked at the electronic ticket he sent.
It was for a grueling 72-hour train ride from Toronto to Alberta.
“So, you used my money to buy plane tickets for your best friend or whoever she is while I’m stuck on a train for 72 hours?” I asked, incredulous.
“And what’s wrong with that? You’ve always wanted to try a train ride; this is your chance! You should be thanking me instead of acting like a crazy person!” he shouted, and I recoiled in disbelief.
Did Thane just call me crazy for voicing my frustration over his thoughtless decision?
I glanced at my in-laws, and my father-in-law immediately stood up and headed to the kitchen, completely ignoring me.
My mother-in-law, however, tried to console me.
“Aurora, please listen to your mate. This isn’t a big deal. Cassie and Thane have been best friends since childhood. You know them both well in the pack, and they haven’t seen each other in five years. This is a great chance for them to reconnect. Just endure it for now; we’ll catch up when you arrive, okay?”
My sister-in-law, Kathryn, chimed in with a mocking tone. “Aurora, what my brother and mother are trying to say is that Cassie has a health issue and gets sick on trains. You wouldn’t be cruel enough to let that happen, would you? You’re strong; you’re a Lycan Alpha, so you can handle it.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “So, who exactly is Thane’s mate, me or Cassie? Because it sure seems like Cassie is your daughter-in-law!” I shouted furiously at my mother-in-law, who merely rolled her eyes and hissed in response.
Thane frowned deeply. “Stop being so unreasonable; you’re not a child anymore. This is really quite simple. Cassie is practically family—she is family. She was part of the picture long before you and I became mates. Why can’t you just accept that and stop throwing these childish fits?”
At that moment, the doorbell rang. It was Cassie.
