Claimed but Never Marked

I smiled, calm on the outside, bleeding on the inside.

Sam must've felt something shift. He hesitated, then said real soft, like he could fix it,

"Why don't we head out now? Find somewhere to chill?"

I looked up, slapped on a bitter smile.

"Let's go yachting. Night cruise. Catch the sunrise."

On the drive, he kept talking like nothing was wrong.

"I've got your birthday surprise all set. After this mess settles, let's start trying for a pup, yeah?"

I didn't say a word. Just stared out the window, watching the city lights smear past like a bad memory.

We pulled up to the beach just as Sam's phone lit up.

He answered, voice all soft and glowing with quiet happiness.

But a few seconds later, his brows pinched, and his tone slipped into something unsure.

I barely glanced at him. My heart had been numb for a while now.

"If you need to go, just go," I said.

He wavered. "Any, I—"

"Go," I cut in, voice steady. "I'll wait on the yacht."

Didn't even have to check his phone screen.

Only Lily could make him look like that.

Alone on the yacht, I pulled out my phone and scrolled to Lily's page.

A brand-new photo popped up, bright and smug.

The caption screamed at me:

[Look, the one who loves me will always come to me first, no matter what. Tonight's late-night snack—grilled venison he cooked just for me!]

The comments were already blowing up.

[Your Alpha mate spoils you like crazy! Midnight snacks? Goals!]

[You guys are literally the perfect couple in our pack.]

But my eyes locked onto one thing—the man's wrist in the shot.

The bracelet.

The one Sam never took off. The one hiding everything he never said out loud.

I hit call.

Lily answered instead.

"What is it, Any? Looking for Sam?"

She didn't wait for an answer, just kept going, pure venom.

"Don't bother. Sam's not coming back. You're nothing but a sad little stray. Even if I tossed him into your bed, you still couldn't make him stay.

"You couldn't hold onto your boyfriend before. Now you can't even keep your mate."

I didn't say a word.

After hanging up, I found the crew and asked for the yacht keys.

"You want me to drive?" the guy offered.

"No need," I said quietly. "I'll go alone."

I steered the yacht straight into the open sea.

The cold wind ripped across my face, but it was nothing compared to the freeze in my chest.

I sat on the deck, alone, watching the moon slowly sink behind the black waves.

He never showed.

Five years of memories slammed into me like breakers.

His fake tenderness. His fake promises. His fake forever.

Every sweet word, every soft look—just lies, dressed up pretty.

Right before dawn, I called him one last time.

Straight to voicemail.

I stared at the screen, breathing slow, then set two files to post:

A goodbye in my own voice.

And a full video—every second of my wolfsbane antidote research, every time-stamped log, proof it was mine.

By the time I hit post, the sun was breaking over the horizon.

I wiped everything—contacts, photos, messages.

Every lie. Every fake memory.

Gone.

***

Meanwhile, Sam yanked himself away from Lily.

"I have to go. It's Any's birthday. I promised her we'd watch the sunrise."

Lily grabbed his arm, desperate.

"Sam, I need you too..."

He shook her off. "I'll come back after."

Just as he turned to leave, his Beta's voice slammed into his head through the mind-link, pure panic.

"Sam! It's Any—something happened! She took the yacht out, and there's a tsunami!"