Mistaking Friends with Benefits for Forever

Sitting in Yuri's living room with my parents, I felt uncomfortable for the first time.

I used to play around with Yuri here, even making up excuses to sneak into his bedroom to make out.

But now…

"My Luna," Yuri's father said with a wide smile, "You wouldn't believe how much effort Yuri has put into winning Lucia's heart."

He said, "He could've pursued her directly, but insisted on getting our approval to court her with mate bond in mind. He even asked me to visit her father ahead of time and prepare everything properly before he met her as her future mate."

I looked around the carefully decorated living room that was filled with vibrant roses.

The table was set with high-end delicacies for guests. Even the little pet dog had been dressed up with a cute bowtie.

Yuri stood in front of the mirror, straightening his collar and fixing his hair over and over again, refusing to allow a single flaw in his appearance.

The irony was suffocating. Just yesterday, we had been together in bed. His hands were all over my body, and he had kissed the mole on my waist with such passion.

Even the underwear he was wearing right now had been bought by me.

The Luna let out a sigh and, holding my mother's hand, said with regret, "What a shame about Yuri and Ophelia. We thought they'd form mate bond when they were still pups! They've always been so close, and I believed…"

The Luna continued, "Ophelia is so beautiful, kind, and gentle. I've always adored her, but I guess they're not meant to be mate to each other.

I kept my head down and said nothing.

I was afraid my tears would fall in front of everyone if I got too emotional.

Yuri frowned and said impatiently, "Mom! I've always seen Ophelia as a close friend, don't overthink it. Besides, that was just a joke from childhood; it doesn't mean anything. Don't let Lucia hear about this. What if she misunderstands and gets upset?"

He had no regard for the dignity of his elders.

His gaze shifted to me, as if I had somehow asked the Luna to favor me, and said coldly, "Ophelia, where's that heirloom bracelet my mother gave you?"

When I stayed silent, he walked straight over and yanked my arm roughly. "That bracelet was meant for my mate. Give it back…"

Before he could finish, the expressions on everyone's faces changed.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned tense.

My mother was just about to stand up to stop Yuri when the Luna got there first. She rushed to my side and shoved Yuri away.

"Yuri, how could you treat her like this?" she snapped. "You're not even officially with Lucia yet! Don't forget that you begged and pleaded with Ophelia to wear that bracelet when you were 17!"

Yuri froze in place. His mind went blank for a second as long-buried memories resurfaced.

When I was 18, someone began aggressively courting me.

He had gotten drunk when he heard it. That night, he stole the family heirloom bracelet that was originally only meant to be worn by the pack Luna and staggered to my doorstep, slurring my name.

He had said in a low voice, nearly in tears, "Put it on. Please, you can only belong to me."

Back in the present, he took a deep breath, loosened his tie, and smiled. "Forget it. It's just a bracelet. I don't believe in taking back gifts. Keep it, Ophelia."

I stood up and cut him off. "No need. I'll return it. Just give me a moment to go get it."

Before anyone could stop me, I quickly turned around and walked away.

I pressed my lips together, praying they wouldn't betray the chaos beneath.

I returned with the bracelet, and just as I pushed open the living room door, a loud cheer erupted.

"Welcome…"

Yuri's excited smile froze the moment he saw me. "What are you doing here?"

It was as if it had never occurred to him that I would actually bring the bracelet back.

When I handed it to him, he hesitated briefly before finally taking it.

Then, he leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Ophelia, I've been so good to you before, so please don't ruin things today. Lucia is a woman who needs to be cherished and taken care of. Don't do anything to upset her."

I didn't want to respond.

Lucia was a she-wolf, but wasn't I one too?

I looked at the he-wolf I had loved for over ten years, and the pain in my chest made it impossible to breathe.

Ten minutes later, Lucia walked in, led by the butler.

The elders immediately began chatting warmly.

As the conversation deepened, they were already discussing marking ceremony details, even though it was only the first meeting. Yuri sat beside Lucia, attentively catering to her.

There was no trace of the arrogance that used to mark him as the heir to the pack. He was like a wolf that had hidden its claws.

They were getting along well, so there was clearly no need for me to keep her company. I didn't want to waste any more time here and was looking for the chance to slip away.

But just then, Lucia turned to me with a gentle look. "You're Ophelia, right? I still remember you. You were famous for being the dance queen at college."

I was caught off guard and quickly waved my hands. "Thank you, but that title's a bit much. It was just a nickname they'd used for fun."

I thought they'd change the subject, but Lucia clearly had no intention of letting me off easily. "I'm not exaggerating at all. So many he-wolves on the team used to say you were their dream she-wolf. Back then, they were all lining up to confess to you."

Before I could say anything, Lucia playfully nudged Yuri's arm. "You two were childhood friends. How did sparks never fly between you? I remember how you two were always stuck together back in college. Everyone said you'd definitely form a mate bond."

All eyes turned to me.

The atmosphere felt a little off. I didn't know if it was just my imagination, but this seemingly gentle and kind Lucia gave me a strange sense of hostility.

Yuri shook his head and cut a slice of mousse cake for Lucia. "Everyone misunderstood. Sure, Ophelia's a she-wolf, but she's my best buddy. Who would form a mate bond with their bro? That'd be way too weird."

He suddenly remembered something and couldn't help laughing. "You never saw her back when she climbed a tree, fell off, and ended up with tears, snot, and mud all over her face. It was hilarious."

Yuri continued, "And when she gets drunk, she just grabs people and starts spouting nonsense. She flails her arms like she's casting spells. It's absolutely ridiculous…"

I couldn't take it anymore. My face burned like it was on fire. I couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or fury. Or perhaps it was both.

"I have something to do. I'm leaving now!" I cut him off sharply. I forced a polite smile toward the elders. "Sorry to trouble you."

Lucia looked a little hurt and turned to Yuri. "Did I say something out of line? Did I upset Ophelia?"

Yuri glared at me. His face was full of anger, as if I were the one who'd crossed the line.

Before he could speak, I beat him to it. "I just have a date with my crush today. I'll be late if I don't leave now."

Yuri froze, and the smile vanished from his face.