Heart Given, Heart Broken

I've followed an Instagram account. While unremarkable, it showcases some pretty sweet and romantic content.

The account details the daily life of the owner and her Alpha.

When it's raining cats and dogs outside, they share a hot beverage in a cafe. After they leave the place, he tilts the umbrella slightly toward her.

Also, when they look up at the moon while sitting side by side, the sight of their fingers grazing each other strums my heartstrings.

The Alpha in the photos has never revealed his face, yet he gives off a familiar feeling to me.

On the night before my and Xavier Lupine's mating ceremony takes place, the account has a new update.

"This marks the end of our eight-year entanglement. From now onward, he's her fated Alpha. I'm just her best friend.

"This account will go silent from here on. I wish my 'best friend' and the Alpha, who's rightfully mine, eternal happiness."

The latest photo shows Xavier and me. But the thing is, I've never shown anyone that photo before.

That was a photo taken last week in front of the Moonshine clan's altar.

At that time, my best friend, Queenie Blackrose, had been helping me adjust the train of my dress, saying, "Vanessa, the Moon Goddess will surely bless your union with Xavier. He is the Alpha of the Shadow pack after all."

Meanwhile, my fated mate, Xavier Lupine, was standing right below the altar. He overheard our conversation and turned to look at us, his lips curling upward into a light smile that was as gentle as always.

However, for some reason, I felt as though the gentleness was not directed toward me.

"You're just too nervous," I said, holding Queenie's hands. "If it weren't for the rehearsals for the mating ceremony today, I probably wouldn't even have had my vows memorized yet."

Yet, my wolf, Misty, agreed with Queenie instead, saying that I was far too laid-back.

"That simply won't do!" Queenie said with a laugh. "This is a joint marriage between the Moonshine pack and the Shadow pack. It's going to be the mating ceremony of the century. How could you be so casual about it, Vanessa Clawson?"

She turned around, looking at Xavier, and asked, "Don't you agree, Alpha?"

Xavier looked at me with a gentle smile. "Anything works, my mate."

Just before the rehearsals started, however, Queenie suddenly took out her phone and snapped a photo of us.

I looked around at her. She waved the phone in the air and said, "Gotta immortalize the most touching moment for our future Luna."

…

Everyone in the pack raised their glasses at me during the bachelorette party the night before the mating ceremony. I drank until I felt warm and hot all over, and my consciousness gradually turned blurry.

Queenie kept staying by my side. When Xavier hurried toward us, she was in the midst of helping me onto a couch to sit.

"It's her bachelorette party tonight. You, as the