Countdown 15 Departing From the Alpha (Evelyn)
I Become Novel 3

Chapter 03

Everyone in the pack knew one thing.. Lucas loved me.

Before we got together, rumors painted him as cold and ruthless, a regular at nightclubs and bars, with more girlfriends than anyone could count.

But after we fell in love, he changed completely.

He gave up all his old habits. Afraid I might feel insecure, he'd even send me pictures during his outings to prove there were no other women around.

Most people thought we were just a fling.

After all, Lucas was the pack's most prestigious Alpha, while I was a girl adopted by a pair of Omega servants.

If it hadn't been for them, I might've ended up as a rogue—an outcast with no identity.

We came from completely different worlds.

That became painfully clear at a banquet, where a wealthy young lady deliberately spilled red wine on me and mocked me for being a low-born wolf.

Lucas didn't hesitate. He threw a cup of hot water on her and ordered his men to throw her out, banning her from ever attending another pack event.

It was in that moment everyone finally understood..

Lucas wasn't playing around.

He couldn't live without me.

And for a while, I believed I'd found the one I'd walk through life with.

I never doubted our love. But love can change in an instant.

After Lucas left, I started packing my things, carrying five years of memories with me.

I threw away every single item I'd carefully picked for our wedding.

This house, which was never truly mine, was finally wiped clean of my presence.

The only thing left was our dusty photo together.

I hesitated for a moment. Instead of burning it, I tucked it away.

It wasn't just a photo.. It was five years of my youth. I couldn't let go that easily.

Lucas came home late that night.

The moment he stepped inside, he noticed something was off.

"Did you clean the house? It feels... emptier."

I nodded lightly.

He walked over to where we used to keep our photo and asked, "Where's our picture?"

It wasn't just any picture.

On the back, he had written: **Lucas loves Evelyn, forever and always.**

The photo had been taken by accident. Because of his status, we rarely took pictures together. That one time, a paparazzo caught us on a date.

Lucas didn't have the best reputation then—he switched girlfriends often. People called me "the Alpha's new toy."

I didn't care, but Lucas did.

So right there and then, he grabbed my hand, pulled me close, and snapped a selfie. He even posted it online with the caption:

**My mate. My one and only.**

After that, everyone knew I was the Alpha's true love.

Thinking back, my chest ached.

"It's an old photo," I explained. "It's time for a new one."

"You're right," Lucas said casually. "We'll take another one after the engagement when we move to the new house."

He didn't seem to notice that every trace of our love was gone.

His phone kept buzzing during our conversation. He barely looked up from his messages.

As I turned to head to the bedroom, he suddenly grabbed my hand.

His brows furrowed in concern. "What happened to your hand?"

I glanced down. While packing earlier, I must've cut myself on some broken glass. Blood had started to seep out.

Lucas immediately fetched the first-aid kit. He gently cleaned the wound, his fingers careful and steady.

Watching him fuss over me, I couldn't help but ask, "Lucas, do you know what day it is?"

His body tensed.

I swallowed the ache in my throat and said softly, "It's our fifth anniversary."

Guilt flickered across his face before he quickly covered it up.

"Of course, I remembered! I even ordered flowers for you. Did you like them?"

Thinking about the wrong-colored roses I'd received, I forced a smile.

"Yeah."

"You're upset I didn't take you to the beach, aren't you?" he guessed. "I've just been so busy with work. Don't worry.. I'll make it up to you."

He squeezed my hand gently, trying to comfort me.

Just then, his phone rang again.

He glanced at the screen, hesitated, and then declined the call.

But the phone rang again. And again.

"Go ahead and answer it," I said quietly. "I'll finish treating my hand myself. It might be something urgent."

Work had always been his excuse.

This time, I said it first.. Not because I wanted to be the understanding Luna he dreamed of, but because I no longer cared.

Lucas looked guilty but stepped outside to take the call.

When he came back, he wrapped his arms around me and said, "Our engagement ceremony is coming up soon. Your adoptive parents can't make it, so I asked Daisy to be your bridesmaid. She's from a very noble family. Trust me, you'll get along."

Hearing that name, I instinctively pushed him away.

Lucas looked at me, shocked. "Evelyn, what's wrong—"

"It's fine," I interrupted, forcing the words out.

This engagement ceremony wasn't meant for me anyway.

The day of the ceremony would also be the day I boarded a plane to my new life.

That night, as I scrolled through social media, a new post popped up.

Daisy.

She was dressed in an elegant white gown, holding a bouquet of flowers. She looked like a bride.

Her caption read:

**This way, it's like we're at the wedding together. Right?**