His gaze shifted to me, and I felt the weight of his scrutiny like stones pressing down on my chest.
“You two know each other?”
My mouth opened and closed without sound. The words lodged in my throat like broken glass.
“We…” I swallowed hard, tasting copper. “We used to…”
“Date,” Sable finished for me. Her voice held no emotion whatsoever. “We used to date.”
I stepped forward, desperation clawing at my chest. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you lie for three years?”
My hands clenched into fists at my sides. The unfairness of it all crashed over me in waves.
“Lie? Sable tilted her head, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of something dangerous in her amber eyes. “When exactly did I lie to you?’
“You never said-
‘I tried to tell you.” Her voice cut through my protests like steel. “Do you remember? I wanted you to meet my family.”
The memory slammed into me with brutal force. That night in my house, when she’d curled against my side and whispered about wanting me to meet her parents. The hope in her voice when she’d asked if we could visit them together.
And I’d brushed her off. Told her we weren’t ready for that step.
My legs gave out beneath me. I sank to one knee, my head spinning.
“If you’d just told me from the beginning…” My voice came out strangled. “We could have been happy. We would have gotten married -*
“Stop. Sable’s command froze the words in my throat.
She stepped back, putting more distance between us. “So that’s what this is about.”
Her smile was a work of art in cruelty. “You want to marry me now because of who my father is.”
“No!” I lurched to my feet, reaching for her. “That’s not-
“If I were just some ordinary woman, you never would have considered it. Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “Would you?”
The question hung in the air between us. I opened my mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn’t come.
Because she was right.
And we both knew it.
Rodrigo’s voice cut through the silence like thunder. “Enough.”
I’d forgotten he was there. Now his presence filled the garden like a storm front moving in.
“Sable,” he said, his tone carefully controlled. “This man is your ex-boyfriend.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.” Sable’s answer came without hesitation.
Rodrigo’s face went dark as winter clouds. When he turned to look at me, I felt like prey caught in the open.
‘I see.”
I ignored the warning in his eyes. All my focus centered on Sable, on the way she stood there like a statue carved from ice.
‘Please,” I begged, stepping toward her. “Just give me another chance. We can make this work-
My hand reached out to touch her arm.
Pain exploded across my jaw. The world tilted sideways as I hit the ground hard, stars bursting behind my eyelids.
Rodrigo stood over me, his fist still raised. Fury radiated from every line of his body.
‘Did you just treat me like I don’t exist?” His voice came out in a dangerous growl.
I touched my throbbing jaw, tasting blood.
‘How dare you make my daughter cry?” He took a step closer, and I scrambled backward on my hands. “How dare you break her heart?”
“You think you can form an alliance with my pack?” Another step. “After what you did to her?”
“Get out. The words came out flat and final. “Now.”
Movement caught my peripheral vision. Caelan appeared beside Sable, his arm sliding around her waist.
“Looks like someone doesn’t know their place,” he said as his eyes fixed on me. “Did you think you could harass my fianc?e in front of me?”
Rodrigo made a sharp gesture with his hand. Security guards materialized from the shadows, surrounding me.
“Escort him out, Rodrigo commanded.
As they hauled me to my feet, I grabbed the scattered necklace from the ground. The pink diamonds cut into my palm, but I held tight.
They dragged me through the garden and deposited me outside the manor gates.
I sat in my car for a long time, staring at the necklace.
The alliance I’d desperately needed was with the father of the woman whose heart I’d shattered.
The same woman who was now engaged to the Lycan King.
Every decision I’d made, every moment I’d chosen Camila over Sable, came rushing back to torment me. I saw it all clearly now – how I’d let my mother humiliate her. How I’d flaunted my relationship with Camila in her face. How I’d treated her like she was disposable, someone I could use to fill the empty spaces Camila had left behind.
Blood and regret filled my mouth.
The woman I’d pushed away was now my only hope and she was lost to me forever.
I couldn’t bring myself to congratulate her engagement, and I couldn’t bear the knowledge that I’d driven her straight into another man’s arms.
Sable’s POV
Saying I didn’t care about Darrell would be a lie, but seeing his shocked expression just now was pretty satisfying. I sipped my champagne and watched the security team escort him away from the garden’s edge.
Actually, I was the one who deliberately leaked the information to him. Back when I was still in Moonridge, I already knew Darrell’s pack was struggling financially. When Kate mentioned she had a contact there, I asked her to have someone spread false information to Darrell-that my father was actively seeking new alliances. I just wanted to see how he’d react to the possibility. I never expected him to rush over here in person this quickly.
That pink diamond necklace was supposed to be an engagement gift? Ha. If I were still that ordinary doctor, he’d never consider proposing. But now that he knows I’m the Crawford pack heiress, suddenly he wants to marry me?
Whatever. I’m not letting him ruin my mood. Today is Daisy’s birthday, and I need to focus on her.
I shook my head and turned back toward the party.
The garden blazed with warm light as the evening deepened. A three-tiered pink cake dominated the long dining table, its surface decorated with delicate sugar flowers.
“Happy birthday!” Everyone’s voices rose in unison.
Daisy stood in her puffed pink dress, cheeks flushed with excitement. She pressed her palms together and closed her eyes to make a wish. Eight candles flickered on the cake, their light dancing in her dark eyes.
‘Sabelate, stand next to me!” She grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go.
I crouched down beside her. “What did you wish for?”
‘I can’t tell others or it won’t come true. But I can tell you this much-I wished for my sister to never leave me again.” She winked at me, breath, and blew out all the candles in one go.
I kissed her cheek. I won’t leave you, my little princess.”
Applause erupted around us. Caelan stood behind me, his hand resting gently on my shoulder. took a deep
Daisy had just finished cutting the first slice when Dad tapped his champagne glass. The clear chime silenced the chatter, and all eyes turned toward him.
*Friends, on this special day, I have two important announcements to make.”
I looked at my father curiously, wondering what he planned to say.
“First, I want to formally introduce my eldest daughter, Sable Crawford.” His eyes found mine, filled with unmistakable pride. “She has just returned to us, and I’ve decided to appoint her as our pack’s Chief Healer. She’s an excellent doctor with a strong sense of responsibility. I have complete faith in my daughter.”
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