?Chapter 122:

My thoughts began to spin, and my face fell into an emotion I couldn’t even describe. They were a jumbled mess. Was that why he’d been so attentive to her? Why he’dvished her with attention and affection? What about me? So, I didn’t matter anymore?

My face burned with shame and humiliation, leaving my mouth dry and my throat tight.

What was going to be my fate? No, no, no, no. Maybe this was a horrible dream and I’d wake up in my bed. I raised my arms, and I was still here… in Ryder’s study.

God damn it! Yes, Ryder hadn’t promised to marry me, but his father had arranged our betrothal. I’d assumed it was a done deal. So, I wasn’t crazy like he painted me to be.

But Ryder’s words cut deep: “That was my father’s promise, not mine.” My world crumbled. I’d paraded myself as the future Luna, basking in the respect and…

Admiration of the pack. How could I face them now? When Ryder made Jasmine the Luna, where would that leave me? Who would want me? What would I be?

A mere pack member?

A discarded mistress?

The thought made my stomach churn. Its weight was enough to send me into a spiral.

I’d lost everything: my status, my dignity, my future.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I imagined the pack’s whispers.

“Isabelle, the rejected Luna. You know she tried to kill Jasmine.”

“Isabelle, Ryder’s castoff mistress.”

News like this spread like wildfire, and I couldn’t bear it. I was going to be worse than everything I’d made them believe Jasmine was. I needed a way out, a way to salvage what was left of my pride.

RYDER

I sank into the plush armchair beside Jasmine’s bed and stretched my legs. My eyes stayed fixed on her peaceful face. Two days. I’d say it felt like two years, but no, it felt like an eternity since she’d slipped into this unconscious slumber. Ace was livid, but I couldn’t care less. My priority was Jasmine, and I wouldn’t leave her side.

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Kade was the only one I trusted enough to keep an eye on her while I was away, though that barely happened. Dr. Lee had relocated Jasmine to my room, and I’d transformed it into a makeshift hospital suite, making it easy for me to watch her around the clock. Usually, sounds made me uneasy since I had sensitive ears, but now, monitors beeped softly, casting an eerie glow on the walls.

“Ryder, you need to take a break,” Dr. Lee said, her voiceced with concern as she checked Jasmine’s IV. “You’re not doing yourself or Jasmine any good by neglecting your own needs.”

“I’m fine,” I replied gruffly, my voice firm but weary. “Just do your work. Make sure she’s okay.”

Dr. Lee’s eyes softened. “She’s stable, Ryder. But you… you’re running on fumes.”

I nodded, though my focus remained on Jasmine. Her chest rose and fell with each steady breath, and I found sce in that rhythm. Sometimes, I ced my head on her chest and slept off. It was the only way I could monitor her heart rate, even while I slept. I sighed.

Ace’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I rolled my eyes at him. “How long do you n on staying this way?”

“Not now, Ace,” I saidzily. Thest thing I needed was a lecture from him. My gaze remained on Jasmine, my fingers intertwined with her limp ones.

“Now,” Ace insisted, his voice rising. “The pack is falling apart. You’re not attending, the training sessions are canceled, and the patrols are cking. You’re the alpha, Ryder. You can’t just abandon everything for one person.”

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