Chapter 2
CARINA
That was two years ago.
+13)
Not much had changed–at least, not for me. Natalia had only grown more beautiful, her confidence and allure multiplying in ways I couldn’t keep up with.
Her blonde hair shimmered like the most expensive gold, and her figure had filled out in all the right places. She couldn’t even borrow my clothes anymore because, as she’d once said with an exaggerated sigh, her chest was “just too big now.”
I, on the other hand, stayed the same. Simple Carina, with my honey–brown eyes and average frame. Natalia still borrowed my things–like my favorite perfume I’d saved up for months to buy–but heaven forbid I ask to borrow anything of hers.
That was the unspoken rule: Natalia took, and I let her.
Well, I had to learn that the hard way. I once forbade her from sharing my perfume, but my mom locked me in the attic for it–claiming Natalia was older and that I should respect her.
“Rina,” Natalia called as she barged into my room, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. She was already dressed, her long blonde hair falling in waves over her shoulders.
Her dress clung to her curves in a way that made her look like a goddess. She grabbed my perfume off the dresser without asking, spraying it liberally before tossing it back, the glass clinking against my old dresser.
I flinched as I watched it topple over my other things and then sighed in relief when it didn’t break or ruin the dresser.
“How do I look?” she asked, striking a pose in the mirror.
I swallowed, unable to deny how stunning she was. “You look amazing. As always.”
She smirked, satisfied with my answer, and then looked me up and down. I was wearing a simple dress I’d worn plenty of times before.
It was nude–not that kind, of course! I felt like it suited my body type and skin tone well; however, the way she was staring at me made me think that wasn’t the case at all.
“You’re done preparing?” she asked, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised.
I nodded, fidgeting with the hem of my dress. “Yeah. It’s the dress I like.”
“I know,” she chuckled. “It’s obvious. I think you’ve worn it plenty of times before.”
I pursed my lips and looked down at myself once more. “Should I change?” I asked.
Natalia shook her head, wiping the corners of her mouth and making sure her lip gloss wasn’t smudged. “Don’t change. You’re best like that. Simple.”
Her words hurt more than they should, but I plastered on a weak smile. She turned on her heel and left, leaving a faint trail of my perfume behind her.
“Well, mom and dad are ready,” she said. “Go down if you want to eat dinner before we go.”
I nodded as I watched her slam the door behind her.
Downstairs, dinner was already set on the table.
1/4
11:39 Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 2
GD
There would be food at the party, but my parents insisted we eat first. “You’ll be too busy to grab a proper meal,” my mom said, motioning for us to sit.
My eyes caught on the chocolate cake at the center of the table. “Is that from Lunara Bakeshop?” I asked, recognizing the decadent frosting.
Did my parents know I was craving for this? I had tried ordering it for myself, but it always felt like a concert ticketing competition
“Yes,” my mom replied, swatting my hand away when I reached for it. “That’s your sister’s. It’s the last one they had, and it’s sold out most of the time. You don’t need to touch it. Did you drink your medicine already?” she asked.
I bit back a retort.
Natalia’s preferences always took precedence, even for something as trivial as dessert.
I sighed. I was used to it now.
“Yes, mom,” I answered after much reluctance.
After we ate, we headed to the party. The garden was packed, filled with pack members dressed in their finest.
Natalia walked ahead, and as always, people gravitated toward her. She greeted them with a dazzling smile, her charisma drawing everyone in.
“Natalia, you look gorgeous!”
“Oh, your first–born daughter is really perfect.”
“Natalia, thank you for lending me a dress!”
I stayed behind her, as was expected. My father caught my arm before I could drift too far. “Don’t cause any trouble for your sister tonight,” he warned.
“I never do,” I replied softly.
The inauguration began soon after. Falco was being officially welcomed as the Alpha heir, a role he’d earned through his determination and strength.
Alpha Raven and Luna Selene had taken him in, captivated by his potential. Luna Selene, unable to bear children, had watched Falco rise through the ranks and embraced him as her own.
Because of this, his once rogue status was also forgotten, and he had become the most respected young man in the Onyxfur pack.
Remember when I said not much had changed? That statement was really just applicable to me.
Falco, already handsome when he first arrived at the pack, became even more attractive. No, he was breathtaking.
When he stepped into the garden, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of my body.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that hugged his broad shoulders and defined every muscle in his tall frame. His dark hair was combed back, emphasizing his sharp cheekbones and strong jawline. His eyes–intense, piercing, and the color of molten amber–swept across the room.
I couldn’t look away.
“Don’t look at my boyfriend like that,” Natalia’s voice hissed in my ear, jolting me from my trance.
2/4
11.29 Mon, 7 Mar
Chapter 2
I quickly wanted my gaze, my cheeks Burnng wasn’t
arwirker, her eyes gleaming with armaser
Of course, her boyfriend. I swallowed the lump in my throat and focused on the ceremony,
Alpha Raven gave a speech, his voice praising Falco’s strength, loyalty, and potential to lead Everyone applauded as Falco stepped forward, bowing his head in deference to the Alpha before turning to face the crowd.
“Presenting to you–the Alpha of the Onyxfur pack–Falco Lark!” Alpha Raven’s voice carried across the garden, met with thunderous applane.
After the announcement, I lingered at the back of the gathering, avoiding most people who wanted to speak to me about my sister. Their polite smiles and shallow greetings exhausted me.
No one ever noticed when I slipped away, so I let my feet carry me behind the house, where the noise faded into oblivion.
“Peace, finally,” I muttered, closing my eyes.
That’s when I smelled it
A faint scent–woodsy and warm. It wrapped around me, igniting a strange pull in my chest. My breath hitched as I turned, following the scent on instinct, my heart hammering louder with every step.
And then I saw him.
Falco stood in the shadows of the garden, his dark eyes locked onto mine. The air between us felt heated.
“You” he whispered, staring at me with confusion.
I nodded, unable to find words. My heart felt like it might burst from the intensity of his gaze. Before I could think, he crossed the space between us, his hand reaching out to cup my face gently, almost hesitantly.
“You’re my mate,” he said.
Before I could respond, he leaned in, and his lips met mine.
My first kiss.
The kiss was soft at first, like he was testing the waters. But then it deepened, and I felt myself melt into him, the world around us fading until nothing existed but the two of us. I forgot everything.
I forgot that he has always favored my sister. I forgot that he was my sister’s boyfriend.
But the moment shattered like glass when a voice cut through the silence.
“Falco? Are you there?”
My sister’s voice.
Falco pulled back abruptly, his body going rigid. He turned his head toward the sound, his expression changing from confusion to something darker.
“You smell the same,” he muttered, more to himself than to me.
“What?” I asked, my voice trembling, his taste still on my tongue.
3/4
11:39 Mon, 3 Mar XI
Chapter 2
He took a step back, his eyes darting between me and the direction of Natalia’s voice. “You…you smell the same as ber”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
Natalia appeared a moment later, her eyes lighting up when she saw him. “There you are!” she exclaimed, oblivious to the tension between us.
Falco’s gaze locked onto her, and I saw the moment everything clicked for him. His lips parted, and he whispered a single word.
“Natalia.”
“I can’t,” he said. “Not when she was the one who saved me. Not when she’s the one the pack needs.”
With that, he pulled away, leaving me in the darkness. His scent faded, mixing with the night air, while I stood there, my fingers on my lips.
“Was I just… rejected?”
