It seemed Mackenzie was worried I wouldn’t show up, as she immediately added, “Harry, don’t push her. Renata might be too scared to face her lies.”
I paused mid-step, turning to face the two of them, their mocking tones grating on my nerves. “You don’t need to provoke me. I’ll be at the welcome banquet. And I expect you both to bow respectfully and call me ‘Luna’ when I arrive.”
Without waiting for Harry’s twisted expression to fully form, I stepped into the car, deciding to skip the pack gathering altogether. Only when their figures disappeared from view did I feel a sense of relief.
My mind drifted back to three years ago, the night before Harry and I were supposed to mate. He had staged his own death, claiming he’d been attacked by rogues, and then, with Mackenzie in his arms, he’d laughed lazily, “Mackenzie, we’ll have three years to travel and live like true mates.”
Mackenzie had feigned concern, “But what about Renata?”
“Renata might be talented, but she’s dull and lifeless. The thought of spending my life with her is a nightmare. But considering how devoted she is to me, when we’re done traveling, I’ll take her as my mistress. She’ll probably cry tears of gratitude.”
“With how obsessed she is with me, I’m almost afraid she’ll take her own life if I’m gone. Good thing I’ve already arranged for someone to keep an eye on her.”
If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed the man who had sworn to grow old with me could say such things. Watching them laugh together, my heart felt as though it had been pierced by a blade, the pain unbearable.
The five years of affection I’d held for Harry vanished in those brief, cruel words.
That afternoon, Harry sent me an invitation. The welcome banquet was set for three days later, coinciding with Bowen’s return to the pack. Everyone assumed I wouldn’t show, but I arrived as promised.
The moment I appeared, Harry’s tense expression relaxed. My gaze swept coolly over the crowd before I stepped inside with deliberate calm. Just then, several pack omegas passed by, carrying trays of refreshments.
As they walked past me, someone shoved me from behind, causing me to collide with the omegas. The sound of shattering glass filled the air, and my dress was soaked with spilled tea, leaving me looking utterly disheveled. My fingers were cut by the broken shards, blood seeping from the wounds.
The room erupted into chaos, all eyes on me. I struggled to stand, only to be shoved down again. Mackenzie’s furious voice rang out above me, “Renata, we invited you to Bowen’s welcome banquet, and this is how you repay us? Are you here to sabotage the event?”
“Oh, I see. You’re afraid your lies will be exposed, so you’re trying to ruin the banquet, aren’t you?”
The room was filled with curious onlookers, eager to see the woman who had tamed the notoriously cold Alpha Bowen Carter. Bowen was a favorite of the Lycan King, and even the Lycan Princes treated him with respect, let alone ordinary pack members.
Hearing Mackenzie’s accusations, the crowd began to whisper, “Isn’t that Renata? Three years gone, and now she dares to disrupt Bowen’s banquet. How is she going to explain herself?”
“Look at the silver pendant around her neck. Doesn’t it resemble the one Bowen received as a reward from the Lycan King three years ago? She’s wearing a fake? Doesn’t she know that’s punishable by death?”
“It’s true. She must have lost her mind after Harry rejected her and mated with someone else.”
Harry noticed the pendant too. His expression darkened as he realized I had the audacity to wear a replica and disrupt his uncle’s banquet. He grabbed my hair, yanking the pendant off with force.
“Renata, I can’t believe you’d stoop so low to cling to my uncle. You’ve lost all sense of dignity!”
“I must have been blinded to ever consider mating with someone as shallow as you.”
He dragged me by my hair into the center of the room. My loyal omega, Arya, tried to help me, but Mackenzie’s people held her back. The pain in my scalp was excruciating, and tears streamed down my face.
“Harry, how dare you! Let me go, or Bowen will make you regret this!”
I struggled to free myself, but Harry’s strength was overwhelming. My defiance only fueled his anger. He laughed bitterly, “Renata, you still refuse to admit your mistakes? Fine. I’ll teach you a lesson on my uncle’s behalf.”
He pulled a whip from his belt and lashed out without mercy. One strike, two strikes, three strikes… My back was soon a bloody mess. The pain was so intense I couldn’t even scream. I lay on the ground, enduring the scorn and ridicule of the crowd.
Hatred burned in my chest. When the truth came out, I wouldn’t let a single one of them off the hook.
Suddenly, an omega’s voice rang out, “Alpha Bowen and the future Alpha have arrived!”
Through my tangled hair, I saw Bowen, dressed in his ceremonial Alpha attire, carrying our son as he stepped through the doors.
