Chapter 3

• By the time I made it back to the packhouse, a week had already passed.
• The place I’d called home for five years looked totally different. There wasn't a single trace of me left.
• Selene walked around in her heels, clacking all over the carpet.
• With her chin up, she bossed the Omega servants around, telling them to flood the living room with lily-scented diffusers.
• I stopped them without thinking. “Nothing with a lily scent in the living room.”
• “Did you just say no?” Selene laughed like it was the funniest thing she’d heard. “You still think you’re the lady of this house?”
• “I’m just here to grab my stuff,” I said calmly.
• Selene sneered. “That junk’s long gone. Stop making excuses to show up here.”
• “If my stuff’s already in the trash, then where did that necklace come from?” I pointed at her throat.
• Selene stroked it, smug. “Miles gave it to me, obviously.”
• I locked eyes with her. “Give it back.”
• That was an antique from the Silver Moon Pack’s Alpha family. No way in hell was I leaving it with Selene.
• “Bitch, you dare order me?” Selene clamped a hand on my shoulder.
• Her eyes went red. Her hand started to shift. Her wolf was coming out, ready to drive her claws into me.
• A Gamma could crush an Omega without breaking a sweat.
• But the thing was, I wasn't an Omega.
• I used to pretend to be one for Miles. Those days were over.
• The potion’s effects were completely gone from my system.
• I gave her a light shove, and Selene went sprawling, right into Miles as he was entering the house. He caught her and pulled her into his arms.
• Selene squeezed out fake tears. “Miles, don’t blame Caroline. She just got too worked up.”
• Miles stared, shocked and pissed. “Caroline, are you out of your mind? You hurt Selene over a necklace?”
• I was done. “I’m not here to play. Hand over the necklace.”
• Miles shot to his feet, furious, ready to lay into me.
• Then his face twisted. He clutched his throat with both hands and dropped to his knees, fighting for air.
• Selene froze. “What’s happening? Miles, what’s wrong?”
• Miles couldn’t get a word out. His face turned a scary bluish purple.
• He looked at me, begging for help.
• Selene snapped, “Caroline, you evil witch! What did you do to him?”
• I arched a brow. “Wasn’t me. It’s you. Miles is severely allergic to lilies.”
• Selene went blank, babbling apologies. “Oh, Miles, baby, I swear I didn’t know…”
• “If you were really the she-wolf who saved him on the battlefield and nursed him for three months, how the hell would you not know that?” I demanded.
• My words cut sharply. Selene flushed, mortified.
• She spun on the maid, barking, “There’s got to be meds in the room, right? Go get them!”
• The maid had to tell the truth: Selene had tossed everything I used to keep here, including Miles’s emergency allergy meds. There was nothing in the house that could help.
• Miles’s eyes rolled back. Half-conscious, his grip on his throat loosened and his hands fell to his sides.
• Selene was about to sob. “I’m sorry. Oh God, what do I do?”
• I used to love Miles so much that I couldn’t stand to see him suffer.
• Back when I first took care of him while he was blind, I clocked that little issue—his lily allergy.
• For years, I'd always kept his emergency meds at home.
• Not just that. Whatever Miles wore, ate, used outside—it always had to be the best that money could buy. And me? I wouldn’t even buy myself a new piece of jewelry.
• Five years married, and the only thing I could still hold up as mine was that Alpha family necklace.
• I'd told Miles it was my grandma’s keepsake.
• He handed it to his mistress like it was nothing, shattering the last bit of whatever we had left.
• That froze my heart for good.
• Now I didn’t feel a damn thing for his pain.
• I watched long enough, then said, “Selene, if you really want to save Miles, give me the necklace back.”