Teya's POV
The Gifted Wolves' Program was designed specifically for wolfless creatures like me. Although it was Dana's fault that I had lost any chance of ever awakening my wolf, I wasn't entirely hopeless.
In truth, I was extremely talented.
I was a gifted artist, a skilled designer, and deft with my hands. I could draw, sculpt, design and create my own clothes and accessories, embroider, and much more.
While Jason was still recovering from his incident, my skills had kept him on the business radar for an entire year—I sold paintings through his family-owned galleries, designed clothes and jewelry for his fashion companies, and even launched a leather accessory line that secured his company a lucrative luxury brand deal, making it a top fashion name nationwide.
For six long years, I had stayed in the shadows just to be useful to him, denying myself recognition, all to see Jason smile.
Not anymore.
If all I had been to him was a tool to be used and discarded, it was time I claimed what was rightfully mine.
"Audrey?" Lisa, the woman overseeing my recruitment, spoke softly through the line. "May I ask what changed your mind?"
I hesitated, carefully weighing my words. I wanted to tell the truth—to confess how the man I had loved for six years had turned out to be a scumbag. In fact, I wanted the whole world to know that.
But in the end, I swallowed my pride and gave her a simple lie.
"Just… some things have changed. Now I can enroll."
"Very well. I'll send your relocation papers in the morning. Sign them and return them to me."
I ended the call and tossed my phone into my purse, rising to my feet. Despite the shock that had weighed on me all day, my knees didn't buckle. If anything, I felt a strange relief—as though a massive weight had lifted from my shoulders.
"Well… happy birthday to me," I muttered bitterly, tossing the chocolate cake into the trash. In a way, it felt like I had been born again.
***
The next morning, I began by cleaning the entire mansion, packing up my belongings, and discarding everything that reminded me of my time with Jason.
It wasn't so much that it hurt me—it was more that I didn't want to leave behind anything that could remind him of me.
Hours passed, yet I never stopped. One by one, I threw away every item, every gift that carried his scent, feeling nothing but a hollow emptiness growing inside me.
And then—just two notifications on my phone were enough to make my chest tighten again.
One message was from Jason: "Too much work at the company. Sorry—don't wait up."
The other was from Dana: "I think you'd better start packing your things unless you want to be reduced to an omega and be my personal slave!"
Attached to her message was a photo—a marriage certificate with both Jason's and Dana's names written on it.
Now it was official. Jason could never be my mate.
'So this is the "work" you're so busy with? Too busy sleeping with your new wife?!'
Annoyed, I grabbed the first thing in my line of sight—a small picture frame—and hurled it against the wall. The glass shattered, and two photos tumbled onto the floor.
The first was of Jason and me, taken right after he had been named Alpha of his pack.
The second… was of him and Dana.
I had no idea when it had been taken. Flipping it over to check the date, I only saw a short message in Jason's handwriting: "Wait for me."
"A couple of star-crossed lovers…" I muttered bitterly, tearing both pictures to shreds. He had been in love with her this whole time. He had just been waiting for her.
Then what about me? What had I been to him this whole time?
I picked up the phone and sent a reply to Dana: "Don't worry, I won't be anything to either of you."
Then I blocked her number and continued stuffing my belongings into trash bags.
Hours later, the automatic door lock beeped, signaling someone's arrival.
Jason's scent filled the house instantly—but unlike before, all I felt was repulsion.
"Audrey?" His voice made me flinch, but I quickly forced myself to calm down. I closed the door to my room and stepped out, greeting him as I always had, though the stiffness in my movements betrayed my true feelings.
"You're still awake," Jason said casually, tossing a dry remark as he loosened his tie and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "Have you been cleaning? The place looks… emptier than usual."
"Yeah, I… threw away some old, useless junk," I replied flatly, my tone dry, but he didn't even notice, his attention already drifting elsewhere.
"If you want to buy new things, just let my personal shopper know. She can arrange everything," he added casually, swirling the amber liquid in his glass as though it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
I didn't reply. I didn't care. I let my calm exterior mask the storm churning inside me. Slowly, I bent down to pick up Jason's jacket, my fingers brushing over the fabric—and then I noticed two VIP invitations tucked into one of its pockets.
They were for a fashion show.
"Oh… this." Jason frowned, his dark eyes flicking toward me as he plucked the invitations from my hand. "The spring line is launching next week. We're hosting a small banquet for the participating designers and buyers. I… want you to come, too."
I frowned as well, though for very different reasons. Each word slipped into me like a poisoned needle.
I had secretly worked for Jason's companies for years, pouring my skill and soul into designs that made his empire shine. Yet I had never been invited to a single party, meeting, or banquet—not once.
The entire spring line was my work, every sketch, stitch, and detail crafted by my hands. But because I had always operated under a pseudonym, everyone assumed the brilliant mastermind behind the collection was Jason himself.
In the past, I had been content to let him stand in the spotlight while I stayed in the shadows. But now…
"Thank you," I said, forcing a small, perfectly polite smile onto my lips. "I'll be there."
After all, I was already preparing to leave this life behind. So why not let the world get one final look at the artist Jason Dunn had built his success upon—the one he never acknowledged?
Just then, my phone buzzed sharply on the table. Before I could reach for it, Jason snatched it up, his expression darkening the moment he saw the caller ID.
His brows knitted together, irritation flaring in his gaze. "Who is calling you this late at night?"