Hani Zuhayra had always believed one thing since she was a child—that fate never makes the wrong delivery.
That was the belief she held onto when she stayed loyal to one man for nearly seven years. From the age of eleven to seventeen. From a schoolgirl in knee-high socks to a university student living on a packed schedule and bitter coffee.
That man was named Aiman.
And her best friend—Alya.
Two people Hani would have died to protect. Two people she believed would never leave her.
But life has a twisted sense of humor.
The fate she trusted all this time was actually laughing at her from afar.
"Hani… we need to talk."
The sentence was short. But it was enough to make Hani's heart drop to the floor.
The three of them sat in Hani's favorite café—the place that had witnessed their laughter so many times. A place filled with memories. A place that felt foreign today.
Aiman sat across from her. Alya was beside him.
Too close.
Their hands… were touching.
Hani stared at them for a long moment. Her mind froze. Her mouth went dry. Her heart pounded wildly.
"What do you mean?" Hani's voice trembled, but she forced a smile.
Aiman took a deep breath. As if he were the victim of circumstance.
"Hani, we've been together for a long time. But now that we're eighteen… I realized something."
Hani clenched her fingers together.
"What?"
"I found my true mate."
Hani's world went silent.
Quiet.
As if every sound had been sucked out of the café.
She let out a small laugh. "Are you joking?"
Alya lowered her gaze. But her lips… curved into a thin smile.
And in that moment, something inside Hani cracked.
"Aiman?" Hani half-rose from her chair. "What are you saying?"
Aiman looked at Alya. With eyes Hani recognized—eyes that once belonged only to her.
"I found my mate in Alya."
Boom.
Those words slammed into Hani's chest without mercy.
"Alya?" Hani's voice was almost a whisper. "You… you knew about this?"
Alya finally looked up.
"I'm sorry, Hani," she said, her voice softly fake. "I didn't expect it either. But these feelings… they can't be denied."
Hani felt nauseous.
"So all this time…" her breath caught, "…you two were lying to me?"
Aiman sighed, his face changing—no longer the man Hani loved.
"You need to understand, Hani. You're not my mate. Our relationship was just a habit. You're not strong enough."
That sentence.
That sentence stabbed deep.
"Not strong enough?" Hani laughed bitterly. "I was the one who stayed with you when you lost control the first time. I was the one who protected you from your father. I was the one who—"
"Enough," Alya cut in, her voice cold. "Don't be so dramatic. The truth is, you were just a placeholder."
Placeholder.
Hani felt her world collapse completely.
Alya leaned into Aiman—on purpose. As if to display her victory.
"Besides," Alya continued, "you're just an ordinary human. Weak. How could you ever be worthy of a future Alpha?"
Hani froze.
Aiman smirked. "She's right. You should've known your place from the start."
Their masks fell.
And Hani saw the ugly truth.
She didn't just lose a lover and a best friend.
She was discarded.
Hani didn't remember how she left the café.
She only knew her feet moved on their own. Her breathing was tight. Tears fell without permission.
The afternoon sky was gray. Cold wind slapped her cheeks.
She ran.
She didn't know where.
All she knew was—she couldn't go home. Couldn't breathe in a place filled with false memories.
Her phone vibrated again and again in her pocket.
She didn't care.
She kept running… until her feet hurt… until her chest burned… until a thick forest welcomed her.
Hani stopped by a quiet roadside, gasping for air.
"Hani… You're so stupid," she whispered to herself.
Tears fell again.
She stepped into the forest without thinking. Darkness slowly swallowed the light.
The sound of crickets. Dry leaves crunching underfoot.
And suddenly—
GRAAAHH!
A powerful roar shattered the silence.
Hani flinched.
Her heart nearly tore out of her chest.
She turned—and in that instant, she realized one huge mistake.
She had wandered off.
This wasn't safe territory.
This… was enemy pack territory.
Heavy footsteps approached.
A massive shadow emerged between the trees.
Hani backed away, her foot catching on a root.
She fell.
Tears mixed with fear.
"Who are you?" a male voice echoed—deep, rough, and full of authority.
Hani slowly lifted her face.
Standing before her was a tall man, broad-bodied, with sharp gray eyes glowing in the dark.
His aura… was crushing.
Dangerous.
An Alpha.
The man stepped closer. An unfamiliar masculine scent flooded Hani's senses.
"What are you doing in my territory?" he asked coldly.
Hani tried to stand, but her legs gave out.
"I… I'm lost," her voice broke.
The Alpha studied her face for a long moment. His gaze shifted—confused.
Then… his eyes widened.
As if he felt something.
Without warning, Hani grew dizzy. The world spun.
Before she could hit the ground—
She fell into the man's arms.
The Alpha stiffened.
And for the first time, his cold voice trembled.
"…Mate?"