As Caden and I walked out of the company, I couldn't help but sigh. "I really don't get what he's so hung up on ... " Caden had been holding my hand the whole time. When he heard me, he turned slightly to look at me. After a moment, he suddenly chuckled and shook his head. I looked at him, confused. He'd been furious in the office just moments ago—so why was he smiling now? And he was smiling for no reason. "What's so funny?" I asked, confused. Caden shook his head. "Nothing. I just thought of how Joel looked earlier—kind of funny. Not that I'm laughing at him or anything. It's just ... my girl's really charming. Can't really blame others for falling for you." I looked at Caden for a couple of seconds before bursting into laughter. "You were so fired up earlier. I honestly thought you and Joel were about to turn into wolves and start fighting." Caden laughed and put an arm around my shoulders. "Guess I let my emotions get the best of me. I mean, watching another werewolf try to make a move on my girl—of course I got jealous!" I smiled and said, "I'm sorry. I never meant for that to happen." Caden leaned down and kissed me. "Rosaline, I can't wait to marry you." I smiled lightly. "Then, we'll see how you behave." Naomi's POV: At Chroma Lounge, I sat in a corner and downed the drink in my glass in one go. The burning liquor hit hard, making me cough a few times. I quickly covered my mouth, catching the attention of a nearby werewolf bartender. "Another one," I said, locking eyes with him. I pressed my lips together and slid the empty glass forward, trying to sound tough. "That's a strong drink. Careful, or you'll end up drunk," the werewolf bartender said with a hint of concern, glancing toward another booth across the room. "Not your business." I cut him off, eyes lowered, watching the water droplets slide down the glass. I sniffed quietly, but the music in the bar started to fade—replaced by the echo of Jasper's words in my head:"Naomi's always been like a little sister to me." Little sister ... The words stung, a wave of bitterness flooding through me. I knew Jasper liked Rosaline—but hearing him say it out loud, that he only saw me as a sister, still hit harder than I thought it would. Biting my lower lip, I gripped the glass tightly and forced down another gulp, smiling wryly. I'd been fooling myself all along. I'd been by Jasper's side for so long, quietly in love with him. Even after he rejected me when I finally gathered the courage to confess, I kept holding on to the belief that I was special to him. His kindness, smile, the way he treated me ... all of it made me think there was something more. The memory made my eyes burn, and my grip on the glass tightened little by little. My phone suddenly buzzed in my pocket. For a moment, I thought it might be Jasper. I hurried to check—only to feel a pang of disappointment when I saw it was just my manager. "Naomi, where are you? You have a shoot tomorrow. The script's already been sent." My manager's voice came through the phone. "I don't want to ... " I murmured, downing the rest of my drink. Hearing the loud music on my end, my manager's tone grew tense. "What's that noise? Where are you? Don't tell me you're at—" "So noisy ... " I muttered and hung up without hesitation. The alcohol was making everything feel fuzzy, my head starting to spin. Through the haze, I saw a tall werewolf approaching. "Well, what a coincidence." Kelsey sat beside me. "Came alone?" The moment I saw Kelsey, I frowned in irritation. He'd been bothering me with bad intentions for a while now, and the last time Jasper stood up for me, he got into big trouble. And now, of all places, I had to run into this annoying guy at a bar? I had no intention of dealing with him. I got up to leave, but a wave of dizziness hit me hard. "Easy there," Kelsey said, quickly reaching out to steady me."Let go." I tried to pull away from Kelsey's hand, but my body felt weaker the more I struggled, as all the strength had drained from me. Although my alcohol tolerance wasn't good, two glasses shouldn't have hit me this hard. I reached up to rub my temples, but my vision was starting to blur. What was happening to me? A surge of panic rose in me. I wanted to push Kelsey away, but I was too weak. My mind started to go numb, and the sounds around me faded into a blur. "Why ... Why would you do this to me ... " I forced the words out with what little strength I had left, just before everything went dark.