Shortly after our wedding, my wife Ava was paralyzed in a car accident. I cared for her for over forty years, but it wasn’t until she passed away that I discovered she had left a will giving all our assets to Ryan, her ex-classmate from years ago. I was kicked out of the house we’d lived in for decades. Leaning on my cane, I shakily made my way to a law firm, hoping to reclaim the property as her husband. Instead, I was informed that Ava had secretly divorced me years ago. Before I could process this shock, Ryan sought me out, taunting me with cruel words. “You didn’t know, did you? She was worried about me, so she’s been sending me your salary and her pension all these years.” “When you were younger, she refused to have children with you because we already had a child together. Come to think of it, I should thank you for paying to raise our kid.” I was devastated and enraged. But before I could react, Ryan kicked me into a muddy puddle. Later, his son hired a group of young thugs who beat me to death in a sack. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my young, newly paralyzed wife crying before me. “Lucas, the doctor says I’ll never walk again. What will I do if I can’t work?” I silently pocketed the bank card I had prepared for her and sneered, “What else? When you starve to death, I’ll give you a grand funeral.” 0

“What did you say?” Ava might not have heard clearly, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. Those deep, loving eyes had fooled me in my previous life. I had believed she loved only me, but she had deceived me for a lifetime. “Ava, don’t worry. Lucas makes good money, he can definitely support you. He’s young, he can even pick up a second job,” said Ryan, the young man beside her, patiently comforting her. Ava had told me Ryan saved her during the accident and was her savior. In my previous life, I had been so focused on the devastating news of Ava’s paralysis that I hadn’t noticed how familiar they seemed with each other, as if this wasn’t their first meeting. Perhaps seeing no reaction from me, Ava’s red-rimmed eyes darted to Ryan. He immediately understood her meaning and spoke directly to me: “Lucas, let me be frank. Women are sensitive, and now that she’s in this condition because of you, she’s bound to have doubts. As a man, you should give her some security. For example, you could put your savings in her hands. It would be good for your family’s stability.” The same words as in my previous life. On the day of Ava’s accident, I had just returned from a business trip abroad. Having finished my work early, I had waited until I reached the airport to tell her, wanting to surprise her. As a result, Ava had rushed to pick me up and gotten into an accident on the way. I had spent a lifetime drowning in guilt and pain, trying everything to make it up to her. But it wasn’t until just before I died that I learned the truth: that day, Ava had been in Ryan’s car, and they weren’t on their way to pick me up at all. Yet she had never told me the truth, allowing me to be consumed by guilt day after day. Coming back to my senses, this time I didn’t hurriedly offer her my salary card and apologize, promising my loyalty as I had in my previous life. Seeing that I still hadn’t moved, Ava grew angry: “Lucas, I’ve become like this, what do you mean by this attitude?” Ryan also seemed anxious but still tried to mediate: “Maybe Lucas is still in shock from the bad news and hasn’t processed it yet.” I earned a good salary and had always been generous with her. Whenever she asked for money, as long as it wasn’t excessive, I would give it to her. Perhaps she also felt that handing over my salary card wasn’t a small matter. Not suspecting anything, she sighed and said, “No matter what, Ryan is my savior. He saved my life, you should at least show some appreciation.” “You probably haven’t prepared a gift, so why don’t you give Ryan a red envelope with $2,000?” “Oh, I couldn’t,” Ryan immediately declined. Ava insisted, “No, you must. When it’s given, you should accept it.” The scene was repeating itself. In my previous life, after Ava said this, I immediately gave him $3,000, even adding an extra thousand. After all, I believed a life was priceless. Later, I even sent him many other gifts to show my gratitude. At the time, the look in his eyes had been strange, but I had thought he was just shy. Now I understood that it had been mockery at my stupidity. This time, I didn’t move. Seeing this, Ava, annoyed at my hesitation, reached for my phone herself. She knew my bank card PIN and had secretly transferred money to Ryan many times before. Whenever I asked about it, she would use the “life-saving grace” to silence me. This time, I dodged Ava’s hand and stepped aside: “It’s fine to give money as thanks, but I have a few questions first.” Ava was clearly surprised that I, who had always been quick to give money, would suddenly challenge her. She looked puzzled. Ryan also froze for a moment, glancing at Ava before saying, “What questions?” I looked at Ryan: “I heard that all the car doors were jammed shut. How did you manage to pry them open?” This was Ava’s version of events, but there were many holes in the details she had given me. In my previous life, whenever I questioned the details, Ava would get angry and eventually explode, accusing me of being heartless, saying she had almost died and I was focusing on such trivial matters. Eventually, I stopped daring to ask. To avoid bringing up painful memories, I even avoided mentioning the accident altogether. Ryan’s eyes darted around: “I’ll tell you these things in private later. Let’s not revisit the accident in front of Ava. She’s already upset, and I’m afraid it might cause her more trauma.” I laughed and asked, “Are you really afraid of hurting her, or are you looking for a chance to get your stories straight?” Both Ryan and Ava’s faces darkened. They spoke in unison: “What do you mean by that?” Their synchronization was impressive. No wonder they had been able to fool me for a lifetime, leaving me penniless and alone in the end. I swallowed my hatred and said with a cold smile, “Ryan doesn’t look strong enough to force open a car door. How did he manage it?” “Besides, forcibly opening a door would surely have left injuries on his hands. The wounds I see on your hands don’t look like they’re from prying open a car door. They look self-inflicted.” “Also, the accident happened two days ago. Why didn’t you come then, and only show up now? I heard you were in a car accident yourself a couple of days ago? What a coincidence, isn’t it?” “…” “Enough!” Ava angrily interrupted me before I could finish. Ryan, still young, was already looking guilty. He said pitifully, “Ava, I never thought Lucas would doubt me like this. If that’s the case, let’s forget it. I’ll leave.” Ava grabbed his wrist, refusing to let him go. Then she turned to me, her eyes blazing with anger: “Lucas, what’s wrong with you? Is this how you interrogate someone who saved my life?” “I order you to transfer the money to him right now and apologize to Ryan!” It was clear she was truly furious. I chuckled lightly and asked innocently, “What is there to apologize for? These are normal questions. If he’s not lying, why is he so flustered?” “Besides, he’s your savior, not mine. If anyone should transfer money, it should be you.” But I knew that over the years, she had secretly transferred all her money to Ryan behind my back. Now she couldn’t come up with any money. Sure enough, Ava flew into a rage. She grabbed the fruit knife from the bedside table and hurled it at me. I dodged just in time; the blade barely missed my face. She acted as if she hadn’t seen it and pointed at me, shouting, “Is this how you treat me? Fine! Why should we stay together? As soon as I’m out of the hospital, we’ll go file for divorce!” “Divorce?” I repeated the word questioningly. Ava thought I was scared and a flash of triumph crossed her eyes. She was about to say something, but I calmly interrupted her with a question. “Aren’t we already divorced?” 0

In my previous life, when I had painfully walked into the law firm, hoping to claim a share of the property as Ava’s husband, they told me we had divorced a few days before the car accident. Later, when I wanted children, Ava kept refusing. I guess she was afraid I would discover this fact. Clearly struck by my words, Ava’s face paled for a moment. But she was certain I couldn’t produce any evidence now, so she continued to deny it: “What nonsense are you talking about? Lucas, is it because you see my legs are injured that you want to abandon me?” “How can you be so heartless? Have you forgotten all I’ve done for you? We’ve been married for six years. All these years, I’ve been bringing you lunch every day because I was worried about your stomach. Three years ago, when your health was poor, I went to the temple to pray for you for three months, chanting sutras and eating vegetarian food every day…” Ava choked up, her voice full of tears. We had met through an arranged date and married because our views aligned. It wasn’t a passionate love, but after so much time together, feelings had naturally developed. Over the years, I had taken on the family responsibilities, and she had indeed taken good care of me. But later I learned about Ryan’s existence. When she brought me lunch, she would first deliver a portion to Ryan. The things she bought for me, she would inflate the price, then use my money to buy something better for Ryan. As for going to the temple to pray for three months… I sneered inwardly, guessing that was probably when she had given birth to Ryan’s child. Unfortunately, in those years, I had been so busy trying to earn money to give her the luxurious life she wanted – the mansion, the expensive car – that I had left this opening for them to exploit. Ryan also tried to smooth things over for Ava: “Lucas, don’t let this come between us. I know you might be thinking about all the money you’ll have to spend in the future, so you’re feeling a bit stingy. It’s okay, I didn’t save Ava for money. Actually, I don’t need money…” He pretended to be generous. I knew he was trying to provoke me, but I didn’t fall for it. Instead, I turned to Ava and said, “See? He says he doesn’t need the money. Why are you insisting on giving it? Does it burn your hands?” Ava’s face turned blue with anger. Ryan also glared at me resentfully. Just then, a doctor came in, urging us to pay the continued hospitalization fees. Ava had actually met the standards for discharge, but she had been reluctant to leave. In my previous life, she had made me pay for two more months of hospitalization. It was a top-tier hospital with a private room. The room alone cost $1,000 a week. She had said she wanted a better treatment environment, and I had supported her, straining myself to earn money to give her the best. But later I realized she had stayed in the hospital just to make it easier to meet Ryan. Hearing about the hospital fees, they exchanged a glance. Ava coldly said to me, “Lucas, I don’t know why you’ve become so stingy, but we can’t delay the treatment. Aren’t you usually busy? Just transfer the hospital fees to my card, and I’ll pay it myself.” Asking for money so righteously? I laughed bitterly and asked the doctor, “I remember she’s met the discharge standards. Let’s cancel this room and discharge her today.” Ava’s eyes widened: “Lucas, are you trying to kill me? What if my legs get worse at home?” Before I could speak, the doctor said, “That won’t happen. The dangerous period has passed. Being at home now is the same as staying in the hospital.” Ava’s face turned ashen. Ryan was about to say something, but I spoke to Ava first: “I don’t have money for you to stay in the hospital anymore. If you insist on staying, either pay for it yourself or borrow from him.” I pointed at Ryan: “Didn’t he just say he has money?” Their faces looked as if they had eaten something bitter, but I didn’t pay them any more attention and turned to leave. I didn’t have time to argue with them. Right now, I urgently needed to get evidence that Ava’s car accident had nothing to do with me, as well as proof that they had been together for a long time. This would help me protect all my assets if we ever ended up in court. After working myself to death for so many years, the past was already gone. Now, even if Ava took a single cent, I would feel disgusted. After leaving the hospital, I immediately called a lawyer and asked him to investigate the accident car from when Ava was injured. In my previous life, I had noticed some suspicious details, but because I was busy taking care of Ava, it was a long time before I had someone investigate. By then, the car’s interior had been tampered with, and the dash cam was missing. After a car accident, this kind of situation was normal. Later, because I was busy earning money to cover Ava’s medical expenses, working three jobs a day, I simply didn’t have the energy to think about these things anymore. This time, Ryan hadn’t been discharged yet, so he shouldn’t have had time to destroy the evidence. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the lawyer called back. The accident scene hadn’t been disturbed. He had collected fingerprints and some hair and blood samples. Finally, he sent me the dash cam video. At the time of the accident, Ava was sitting in the passenger seat, anxiously asking Ryan, “I’ve already divorced Lucas. When are you planning to marry me?” Ryan was stunned for a moment, then carelessly said, “No rush. Let’s talk about this after you’ve transferred all the assets to your name. Otherwise, what if your husband finds out?” Ava looked at him anxiously: “But you always say that. I’ve given you a car, and I’ve given you all the savings Lucas entrusted to me for you to invest, which you lost completely. Every time you say you’ll marry me to thank me. You’re not… lying to me, are you? You do want to marry me, right?” “How could that be?” Ryan said, and as if to prove it, he leaned over to kiss Ava. With that one action, Ava’s doubts were dispelled. She giggled, “Watch the road.” “It’s fine, just for a second.” Hearing this, Ava relaxed and leaned in to meet him. Just then, a huge crash sounded, and the image flipped. At this moment, I also understood why Ava had divorced me so early but had delayed marrying Ryan. Ryan was clearly deceiving her, but she didn’t know. Or maybe she did know, but was willing to accept it. The lawyer added, “The DNA test will take some time, probably about three days before we get the results.” I nodded, about to hang up when I remembered something else: “Also, help me find a child.” By my calculations, their child should have been born by now, about 3 or 4 years old. For the past two years, every weekend, Ava would find various excuses to go out alone in her wheelchair, probably to see the child. I gave him the locations Ava frequently visited, then went to the hospital for a physical examination and froze all the assets under my name. In this life, everything was just beginning. My body hadn’t suffered from heart failure caused by working three jobs non-stop, and not too many assets had been transferred away. That night, for the first time, I “irresponsibly” went home alone. Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Ava called me, but I hung up when I saw the incoming call. Soon after, I saw a post she made on social media. It was a series of messages cursing me, ending with how she had sacrificed so much for me, but now that she was injured, I was abandoning her. To gain sympathy, she even posted the doctor’s diagnosis and a pitiful photo of herself in a wheelchair, looking haggard. But she hadn’t noticed that Ryan’s reflection was visible in the smooth metal armrest of the wheelchair. Perhaps to provoke me, in one of the photos, if you looked closely, you could see that Ryan was kissing her in the reflection. On one hand, she was asking me for money and cursing me, while on the other hand, she was giving her love and money to another man. Ava was playing everyone like a fiddle. The comments section was full of spectators, not one person noticing the cat’s paw in the picture. Everyone was comforting her, using the vilest words to curse me as a scumbag. I pretended not to see it and blocked Ava. The next two days passed as usual, but Ava seemed to have gone mad, cursing me every day. She even posted screenshots of me deleting her, accusing me of having a guilty conscience. Friends who didn’t know the whole story all spoke up for her, urging me to go back. I didn’t explain, just waited until the third day when the test results came out. To my pleasant surprise, the lawyer had also found their child. 0

Before I could go find Ava, on the third day, perhaps because she had run out of money for the hospital stay, or maybe because she realized something was wrong, Ava returned home early in the morning. Behind her were her angry parents, Robert and Linda, as well as my parents, John and Mary. Unlike Robert and Linda’s imperious attitude, my parents followed behind them looking somewhat guilty. “In-laws, judge for yourselves! Is this how he should treat my daughter?” Linda ranted. “What’s even more unbelievable is that he secretly divorced my daughter without telling her! He just dumped her unilaterally!” As soon as we met, Linda was spitting mad, her saliva flying. I realized what was happening and laughed bitterly. Ava had really turned things upside down. But the civil affairs bureau’s records weren’t open to the public, so they had no way of knowing the truth and could only listen to what Ava said. My parents, feeling guilty, let themselves be scolded. Finally, they said in a low voice, “We shouldn’t interfere in the children’s affairs, but since it’s come to this, we can compensate.” “Compensate?” Linda became even more worked up when she heard about compensation: “No matter how much you compensate, can you give my daughter back her legs?” I interrupted her: “Your daughter’s leg injury has nothing to do with me.” Hearing this, my parents hurriedly pulled me aside, advising me not to argue with them. Linda had a fiery temper and had given my parents a hard time over the years. Especially after learning that Ava’s legs were injured because of me, they would come to my mom every few days demanding compensation and money for nutritional supplements. My parents were afraid of upsetting me, so they never told me about this. I only found out by accident later. Seeing that Linda was about to flare up again, I took out the dash cam recording and test results and handed them over. After watching the video, Linda’s previously haughty face finally weakened, but she still angrily said, “How do I know you didn’t fake these?” “You can verify them,” I looked at Ava, whose face was pale with shock. “Or we can go to court.” “Forget it, let’s not air our dirty laundry in public,” Robert, who had been silent for a long time, said. “Both kids are at fault in this matter, but divorcing without a word is still wrong. Let’s discuss compensation.” My parents were about to speak, but I stopped them: “We won’t pay a single cent in compensation.” “What do you mean? My daughter was married to you for so many years, and this is how you treat her?” Linda shouted. I sneered: “I was married to your daughter for so many years and supported her all that time. Isn’t this how she treated me?” Linda’s face turned red: “Just based on one video, you can’t prove my daughter had an affair.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, Linda became annoyed. She stood up and went to open the door: “I’m not talking to this young punk anymore. Let the neighbors judge!” Her high-pitched voice had already attracted many neighbors who were waiting outside the door. Seeing her open it, they all looked a bit embarrassed. But Linda didn’t care. She recounted what had just happened, embellishing it along the way, glossing over the evidence with just a couple of sentences. The neighbors listened and tried to mediate, saying to me: “It’s really not that serious, it’s just a small matter. Ava surely still cares for you in her heart.” “Yeah, you’re husband and wife after all. It seems a bit much to leave her with nothing.” “…” Seeing me being criticized, my mom felt uncomfortable. She quickly stepped forward and took Linda’s hand: “In-law, let’s discuss this privately.” “Now you want to talk privately? Where were you earlier?” Linda suddenly pushed my mom. My mom wasn’t prepared and stumbled, almost falling. I hurried to support her. Just as I was about to get angry, a chubby little boy pushed through the crowd of onlookers and ran over. He hugged Ava’s legs in the wheelchair and shouted loudly: “Mommy, you haven’t come to see me in so long. I’m going to punish you by making you buy me a Transformer toy!”

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As a descendant of a Beta, I, Ophelia Wentworth, was set to bond with Alpha Desmond Calder. But on the night before our bonding, my parents died in a tragic car accident. I was immediately demoted to an Omega, and he replaced me with another she-wolf—my best friend, Elowen Blake. Devastated, I was saved by Alpha Tobias Hawthorne, who made me his Luna. However, I soon discovered a shocking truth—my parents’ deaths were orchestrated by Alpha Tobias himself. His proposal to me was never out of love; it was all just to please Elowen Blake. Determined to escape him, I faked my own death while traveling to the Crowley Pack. There, I found a new mate—Alpha Gideon Crowley. But my “death” changed everything. Alpha Desmond Calder broke his bond with Elowen Blake, and Alpha Tobias Hawthorne never stopped searching for me. Worse, he finally uncovered the truth—his blind obedience to Elowen Blake had never been real. He had been drugged all along. I was born a Beta’s daughter, destined for an honorable life—until everything was ripped away. The night before my bonding ceremony, my parents died in a tragic car accident. Their deaths weren’t just a loss; they were a sentence. Stripped of my status, I was branded an Omega overnight. And the man who had sworn to cherish me—Alpha Desmond Calder—crushed our bond without a second thought. With cold indifference, he announced his intent to bond with my best friend, Elowen Blake. The reason was that Elowen accidentally marked him. But I knew—it was no accident at all. Betrayed. Humiliated. Cast aside. The pack whispered, watching, waiting for me to crumble. But instead of breaking, I found myself standing before Alpha Tobias Hawthorne—the ruthless, untouchable Alpha of the Hawthorne Pack. His next words shattered the expectations of an entire pack. “Marry me, Ophelia.” His voice was steady, his claim absolute. Before I could second-guess, I grasped the lifeline he offered. And just like that, I became his Luna. I abandoned everything I had fought for, everything I had built. I was the envy of every she-wolf in the pack. But illusions shatter just as easily as dreams. At an extravagant pack gathering, I went to fetch my mate. He had indulged too much and couldn’t control the release of his pheromones, I was afraid that many she-wolves would be drawn to him because of it, so I went to find him. With an inhibitor in my hands, I followed Eulalia Finch, Alpha Tobias’s secretary, through the dimly lit halls of the Pack’s VVIP suite. Then, just as I reached for the door handle, a voice drifted through the barely open doorway. “Tobias, Elowen’s trading post is finally opening. You’ve given up so much for her—your reputation, your so-called marriage. How much longer do you plan to keep up this farce with Ophelia?” I recognized this voice—it was his friend. “Luna!” Eulalia grew nervous but didn’t dare to stop me from listening. A sharp pain speared through my chest, but nothing could have prepared me for Alpha Tobias’s slurred yet unmistakably genuine reply. “For as long as Elowen needs me to.” A pause. Then— “I’ll remove any obstacle that stands in her way.” The world spun. My breath hitched, my fingers trembling against the doorframe. Beside me, Eulalia stiffened, her silence the cruelest confession. She had known. They had all known. I had been blind. A fool. A pawn in a game I never realized I was playing. ” Ophelia trusts you so much,,” the voice inside whispered. ” If she found out that her parents’ death was connected to you and that marrying her was just to ensure Elowen could become Alpha Desmond’s Luna, what do you think she would do? ” Alpha Tobias chuckled, low and knowing. “She won’t. She never will.” The warmth of the corridor became suffocating. The weight of betrayal coiled around my throat, tighter and tighter. Before I knew it, the inhibitor in my hand had been crushed to pieces. I forced my voice steady. “Alpha Tobias has had too much to drink,” I murmured to Eulalia. “Take this to him later. I’ll wait in the car.” “And say nothing to him.” The night air was crisp, but it did nothing to ease the numbness spreading through me. I sat in the car, staring at the moonlit sky, retracing the twisted path that had led me here. Desmond had discarded me like nothing. Alpha Tobias had pretended to save me, weaving a beautiful lie for the pack to admire. I was never his mate. I was just a shield. A deception wrapped in silk and gold. Eulalia returned, guiding Alpha Tobias into the car. His hand restlessly wandered over Eulalia’s chest, making her expression turn uneasy. He leaned against me, his scent a blend of whiskey and pheromones. His fingers ghosted over my arm, his voice gentle. “You didn’t need to come, Ophelia. Eulalia could have handled it.” A bitter smile curved my lips. “I was worried about you.” He was in heat and, just like before, bit into my neck to leave his mark. But this time, I felt nothing. Alpha Tobias lost all interest. He exhaled, his grip tightening slightly. “The trading post opens tomorrow. I’ll be working late—don’t wait up.” “Take care of yourself.” I replied smoothly. That night, I didn’t sleep. Somewhere between heartbreak and fury, a thought surfaced. I had left my pack communicator in the study. Slipping from bed, I padded into the dimly lit room. As I reached for the device, my fingers brushed against the edge of a hidden stack of papers. Documents? Contracts? Curious, I pulled the drawer open.

This was unheard of. His drawer was always securely locked—until today. A strange pull guided my hand as I slid it open, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. It shouldn’t have budged, but it did. Inside, stacks of architectural blueprints lay meticulously arranged, each one marked with a name that sent a shiver down my spine—Blake. Blake Mall. Blake Residences. Blake Jewelry. Every structure, every expansion Alpha Tobias had planned was tied to one name. Elowen Blake, the she-wolf who stole my mate, Alpha Desmond Calder. The realization hit me like a silver blade to the chest. I had been part of the Architecture Department for years, yet Alpha Tobias had always assured me he had his own team handling high-profile projects. I never questioned it. Now, it was clear—every brick, every foundation, every luxury boutique was a shrine to the she-wolf. My fingers trembled as I reached for the small jewelry box nestled between the documents. My breath hitched when I flipped it open. Empty. Suddenly, I remembered. Yesterday, Elowen posted a photo on the pack’s social platform, and she was wearing that very necklace. I clenched my fists, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. My phone buzzed, yanking me from the dark spiral of my thoughts. [Miss Wentworth, are you certain you’ve made your choice?] A deep breath steadied me. There was nothing left to hesitate over. [Yes. I’ve made up my mind.] It was time to leave. The next morning, I barely glanced at my packed bags. “I’m leaving for Crowley Pack tonight.” A pause. Alpha Tobias’s voice, always calm, held a trace of something unfamiliar. ” What are you going there for? ” I swallowed hard, keeping my tone light. ” A she-wolf’ trip with some socialites. Just a few days.” He pressed a kiss to my cheek, his lips warm against my skin, but I felt nothing. “Good. Enjoy yourself, shop to your heart’s content.” I miss my parents a little. I want to go see them. I had never understood why Alpha Tobias had buried my parents in another pack, but now I did. He was afraid I was getting too close to the truth. It struck me then—how effortlessly he feigned affection. How deeply I had drowned in his illusions. I was done. But before I disappeared, I had one last thing to do. He has a pack gathering to attend tonight, and I’m going to check it out. The Blake Mall grand opening was tonight. The final piece of his empire. When I arrived, the air was thick with celebration. Chandeliers cast golden light over the elite of the Pack, their laughter blending with the music. And in the center of it all stood Alpha Tobias—every bit the powerful Alpha, commanding and unreadable. Then there was Elowen. She moved like she owned the night, the necklace resting against her throat, a silent declaration of her place in his world. Her lips curled as she raised her glass toward him. “Mr. Blake , congratulations.” Alpha Tobias turned, his gaze meeting mine for the briefest second. A flicker of something—shock?—passed through his eyes before he masked it with his usual effortless charm. He clinked his glass with another man’s. “Mr. Blake, your design for the Blake Mall is truly remarkable. It’s drawing in the Pack’s finest.” Mr. Blake? Steeling myself, I stepped forward. I refused to let him pretend I wasn’t here. Alpha Tobias’s eyes darkened as he turned to me, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?” A sharp smile played on my lips. “What? Am I not welcome?” Tension crackled between us like an oncoming storm. He set his glass down, his jaw tightening. “Of course not. But you don’t usually attend Pack events like these. You tend to get… overwhelmed.” Elowen’s laughter chimed beside us, sweet and venomous all at once. Just then, Eulalia approached. “Alpha, your speech is about to begin.” Alpha Tobias hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. He turned back to me. “Stay for a while. Rest. We’ll talk after.” And then he was gone, swept away by duty and power. I moved toward the dessert table, grabbing a slice of cheesecake, hoping the sweetness could mask the bitterness rising in my chest. Elowen was beside me before I could take a bite, her voice a silk-wrapped dagger. “Long time no see, Ophelia. My dearest friend.” I met her gaze, the glint in her eyes telling me one thing: She knew exactly why I was here.

Elowen’s lips curled into a smug smile, her golden eyes gleaming with challenge. “What’s the matter, Ophelia? Keeping an eye on me now?” “Maybe you should just chain Alpha Tobias to your side if you’re so worried about him.” “Tell me, how does it feel to be the Luna of Alpha Tobias? Living in someone else’s shadow, watching me take everything that was once yours?” “You’ll never win against me. No matter how hard you try.” Her laughter rang out, sharp and mocking. Around her neck, the necklace gleamed under the lights, its brilliance searing into my vision like a blade to my soul. Elowen and I had once been inseparable—at least, I had believed so. We had dreamed of conquering the world of architecture together, our bond unshakable. But then, Alpha Desmond, my fated mate—severed our bond, choosing Elowen as his Luna and shattering my world in one brutal moment. To be betrayed by my closest friend and my destined mate—there was no deeper agony. For a time, I thought the darkness would consume me. Until Alpha Tobias, Alpha of the rival Calder Pack, entered my life. He offered me a way out, a promise of something greater. In the beginning, everything felt safe, secure. But then came the moment that changed everything. Just as I was preparing for a prestigious international Pack competition, Alpha Tobias uttered the words that would define my downfall: “Ophelia, you don’t need to fight for dominance or carry the weight of our Pack. Just be my Luna. I will protect you. Your family will be safe. You’ll never have to struggle again.” His words burrowed deep into my wounded soul, and in a moment of weakness, I let go of the life I had built. I sold my architectural firm. I abandoned the competition without a second thought. And who stood victorious in my place, basking in the limelight? Elowen. My so-called best friend ascended, her name celebrated in thecircles of the architectural world, while I faded into obscurity, reduced to nothing more than Mrs. Hawthorne—Alpha Tobias’s Luna in name alone. But now, as I stood in the center of it, something felt off. The towering structure before me was familiar—too familiar. My gaze traced the lines, the symmetry, the core design principles embedded in every detail. My breath hitched. This was my design. The one I had abandoned years ago. The one I had left buried deep in my personal files, never to be touched again. And yet, here it stood, a living, breathing monument to my stolen dreams. My pulse pounded in my ears. How had this happened? How had Elowen— “Ophelia!” Elowen’s sudden shriek shattered my spiraling thoughts. She stumbled backward, her hands clutching her stomach. A strangled gasp tore from her throat as she crumpled to the ground, her face twisted in pain. Gasps rippled through the gathered crowd. “Someone call an PackDoctor!” “She’s fallen! Get help!” All eyes snapped to me, suspicion and accusation burning in their gazes. And then—I saw him. My Alpha.

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“He ripped open his collar to reveal the bite marks: ‘Now, it’s my turn to cover you with my scent.’” Selina cut off the contract with Alpha with her own hands, but met her childhood follower at the most embarrassing moment – now he has become a dangerous and charming wolf upstart. “Remember you said you would protect me forever?” She chuckled sarcastically, but he grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the French window, “Sister… This time I will teach you what ‘protection’ means.” When the old wounds have not healed and the power changes, she must choose between desire and reason: should she continue to be a deserter, or let this man who has lost his youth teach her the taste of sinking? Not long before Valentine’s Day, my mate, Kieran Draven, dropped a ridiculous amount of money on a custom diamond pendant. And when the day actually came? All I got was a bouquet of roses. He handed them over with a shrug. “We’ve been together forever, right? No need to go all out—flowers should do the trick.” That night, scrolling through my feed, I nearly choked. His Beta, Mira Thornclaw, had posted a picture, proudly showing off my necklace. A cold, sinking feeling twisted in my gut. When I confronted him, he just scoffed. “She’s part of our pack, Selene. No mate, no family—I felt bad for her. What, is that a crime now?” I let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, sympathy? Why not just mark her while you’re at it?” His entire body went stiff, his jaw tightening as he turned to look at me. “You’re seriously this worked up over a piece of jewelry?” He gestured toward our room, irritation rolling off him. “Have I ever forgotten to get you something for a special occasion?” “Who makes sure you’re taken care of? Who keeps you safe? Who provides for you as my Luna?” “This is about a necklace? You’re actually thinking about rejecting our bond over something so petty?” “Why can’t you be more like Mira? You know how much she’d appreciate what you take for granted?” He let out a humorless chuckle. “What, still not enough for you?” His voice boomed through the den, his dominance pressing down on me like a command. At the mention of Mira, my hands clenched against my legs. That familiar sting of hurt clawed its way up my chest. Here we go again. Every fight, every disagreement—it always came back to her. I forced a bitter smile. “I’m the one being difficult? I’m the one who isn’t grateful?” “Kieran, is Mira my problem? Is it my job to make sure she has a cushy life?” My voice rose, all the anger I had swallowed for months finally breaking free. “And yet you, my mate, my Alpha, have never once gone out of your way for me like you did for her with that necklace!” “Ask anyone in the pack—who’s the selfish one here, Kieran? Have you ever stopped to think about how I feel?” I glared at him, my whole body shaking. Then, last year’s Valentine’s Day crashed into my mind. We had planned a trip to the Moonlit Cliffs in Silvercrest—a place sacred to our kind. I had everything packed and ready the night before. And then, just like that, he told me he wasn’t coming. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me. My chest tightened. “Why?” I had asked. He had barely looked up. “Something came up with the pack. Can’t make it. We’ll go another time.” I wasn’t stupid. “What could possibly be so urgent tonight? Even the Elders take the night off! You swore on the last full moon that we’d go.” “You’re always busy, Kieran. Can’t you give me one day?” I muttered under my breath, “Mia’s mate is taking her on a run through the Elderwood tomorrow.” At that, his expression darkened. “How long have Mia and her mate been bonded? You really think we’re in the same place?” “Can you stop obsessing over these ridiculous traditions? Why do you always need so much attention?” And then, with a look of pure exasperation, he pulled out his wallet, yanked out his black pack credit card, and tossed it onto the table. “Here. Go crazy. Buy whatever you want and let it go.” Then he walked out without another word. And after that, he was never there when it mattered. For the longest time, I told myself this is just how it is. Long-term bonds settle. Alpha and Luna, learning to coexist. But tonight? I knew better. His heart hadn’t changed. It had just shifted—toward someone else. I sucked in a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. Kieran’s face flickered with something—maybe surprise, maybe guilt—but it was gone in a second. His coldness faded, but indifference remained. Silence stretched between us until his phone buzzed against the table. He glanced at it, sighed, and looked back at me. “Selene, I’ll get you another necklace.” “But can we not turn this into a whole thing? You know the stress I’m under as Alpha.” I had known Kieran Draven since we were pups.

Growing up, our families were so close that I practically trailed behind Kieran everywhere, and everyone knew I had a puphood crush on him. Over time, we went from childhood friends to mates, then engagement, and eventually, we became the Alpha-Luna couple everyone in the pack admired. But a year ago, everything shifted when he started expanding our pack’s territory. His duties as Alpha became overwhelming, and that’s when he took on a new Beta assistant. At first, I barely noticed her—Mira Thornclaw was plain, easy to overlook in a crowd. Turns out, that was my mistake. That seemingly unremarkable she-wolf somehow caught Kieran’s attention. He started nitpicking things he never cared about before. My love for steaks? Suddenly, that was wasteful and extravagant. Shopping for ceremonial Luna gowns? He had endless complaints about the cost, accusing me of spending recklessly. He even had the audacity to say that just one of my outfits could have funded supplies for the warriors or helped struggling Omega pups. Eventually, I figured out why. He was comparing me to her. Mira came from a rough background—an Omega-born girl who had to claw her way up in a pack that favored sons. She’d earned a scholarship to an elite shifter academy through sheer willpower. Even now, she still sent half her salary back home. Kieran admired that about her. And the more he sympathized with her, the more he resented me—his spoiled Luna who had never known hardship. Last month, I decided to surprise him at his office. Between constant meetings and pack matters, he barely ate properly. Too much stress, too much raw meat, and he’d been having stomach issues for weeks. I had a pack chef prepare a meal just for him. I walked into his office, smiling, lunchbox in hand—only to see an empty plate already sitting on his desk. Kieran looked at the meal I brought, expression unreadable. Then my gaze landed on a small wolf-shaped lunchbox sitting beside his files. A chill spread through me. It was the kind of thing a she-wolf would pick out. Doubt sank its claws into me, deep and unshakable. Forcing a smile, I asked lightly, “New meal plan, Alpha? Did the pack start sending catered lunches now? What happened to the ones I used to bring?” Before he could respond, the door to the Alpha’s private lounge creaked open. Mira stepped out, holding an identical lunchbox. A matching set. My stomach twisted. Everything clicked into place. I let out a cold laugh, walked straight to his desk, and without hesitation, tossed the lunchbox into the trash. Mira paled, eyes darting to Kieran, but she didn’t say a word. I turned to him and spoke, voice like ice. “Looks like your Beta’s got your meals covered, Alpha. I’ll stop wasting my time.” “She can take care of you from now on.” I walked out without looking back, my throat burning. And after that? I never brought him food again. If I ever mentioned it, he brushed it off—I was overreacting, I was being unfair, I wasn’t as understanding as Mira. Eventually, I got tired of the whole thing. Stopped fussing over him. Stopped checking in on whether he made it home after meetings. Instead of thinking about what he needed, I focused on what I wanted. I even sent him shopping lists instead of waiting around for him to remember to ask. A few days ago, Ravara—the Gamma’s mate—invited me to dinner, her voice laced with excitement. “Selene, did you hear the news?” I blinked. “What news?” “About you and Kieran.” I frowned, confused. “What about us?” She grinned. “He ordered a diamond pendant infused with moonstone from my family’s shop. Over a hundred thousand—extravagant, even for him.” “Honestly? I’m jealous.” Since her family owned one of the most renowned jewelry businesses among werewolf packs, I knew she wasn’t lying. And for the first time in months, hope flickered inside me. Maybe he was trying. Maybe things weren’t as bad as I thought. The more she talked about it, the more I started to believe. But then, Valentine’s Day came. And that hope shattered like fragile glass. Instead of the carefully selected, Elder-blessed moonstone pendant, he handed me a hastily bought bouquet of roses. And the custom-made Luna’s necklace? It was sitting around Mira’s neck. A bond built over two decades—reduced to nothing compared to the she-wolf he’d only known for a year. I let out a bitter laugh at myself. The moment Kieran left, I collapsed onto the den’s leather sofa, drained. I pressed a hand over my eyes, fighting back the sting of tears. And in that moment, I swore I could hear it— The sound of my mate bond breaking apart. I had finally reached my limit.

I was up early the next morning, packing my things to head back to my birth pack. Once I was ready, I called my mother, the Pack Luna, from downstairs. She stepped outside, her face lighting up. “Selene, look who finally decided to come home!” “Come in, I made your favorite—venison stew.” I nodded, following her into the Alpha’s residence. Dad, the Pack Alpha, was already at the table, casually eating. I pulled out a chair and sat across from him. We ate quietly for a while before I finally worked up the nerve to speak. “Mom, Dad… I need to talk to you about something.” Their heads lifted instantly, curiosity flashing in their eyes. I hesitated, then met their gazes. “I’m thinking about rejecting my mate bond with Kieran.” Both of them spoke at once. “What?!” Dad’s silver spoon hit the wooden floor with a sharp clang. Mom was the first to react. “Did something happen? Did you and Kieran have a fight?” “If he upset you, just tell me—I’ll handle it.” I exhaled slowly, choosing my words. “It’s not just an argument. It’s more than that… We can’t keep going like this.” “He doesn’t care about me. Not really.” The room fell into silence. Dad’s brows knitted together, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he finally said, “I’m meeting with Alpha Magnus for dinner tonight. Come along. Talk it over with him.” That evening, dressed and ready, I rode with my parents to the Pack’s Council Hall, where the Alphas gathered. As soon as I stepped into the private dining hall, my breath caught. Kieran was already there, dressed in a fitted black training shirt, exuding dominance like he belonged at the head of every table. I barely spared him a glance before greeting his father. “Hello, Alpha Magnus.” The older Alpha smiled warmly. “Selene, it’s been too long. You’ve grown into a strong she-wolf. Come, sit with us.” I nodded, deliberately choosing the seat beside my mother, ignoring the empty one next to Kieran. He noticed. His hand tightened around the chair he was about to pull out, but instead of sitting, he pushed it back in, his face darkening. Sensing the tension, his father made an effort to keep Kieran engaged, serving me roasted meat, refilling my drink, and keeping the conversation flowing. It didn’t change the fact that the air between us was stifling. Maybe it was all the water I drank, but soon, I excused myself to step out. As I left, another door nearby opened. And out walked Mira Thornclaw. She froze. I stared. She smelled like nerves—anxiety rolling off her in waves. Dressed in a dark violet gown that hugged her curves, she looked anywhere but at me, her fingers twisting together. My jaw clenched. “What are you doing here?” I glanced at the private pack chambers behind her, suspicion crawling up my spine. Mira Thornclaw, the Beta assistant from a struggling Omega family, standing inside an elite Pack Elders’ gathering? Something didn’t add up. I took a step forward, intent on seeing exactly who was inside that room. She stepped in front of me. I moved to the side, and she did too. I was done playing. I shoved her aside, harder than I meant to, and she tumbled to the floor with a startled gasp. Just as my hand closed around the door handle, a furious voice rang out. “Selene! What the hell are you doing?!” I turned in time to see Kieran storm toward us. His Alpha instincts kicked in immediately, kneeling beside her, checking her injuries. Her scraped knees. Her tear-filled eyes. Her trembling lips. And then he looked at me. Golden Alpha eyes burning with fury. “Selene, apologize. Now.” Something inside me snapped. He hadn’t even asked what happened. He hadn’t questioned why I reacted. He had just assumed. I let go of the door handle and met his gaze with an icy glare. “Apologize? Sure. But first, tell me something—”

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When I died, the blood of the fetus was still hot on my belly hair. The Alpha who claimed to “mark” my entire body finally marked me permanently with his fangs. Now, I have become a ghost wolf entangled between his bed curtains, watching him cramp every night due to guilt. Thorn always said he wanted to conquer me – now every breath of his is under my control. How interesting it is when this arrogant wolf king starts to whimper like courtship to the air… When I opened my eyes again, I found myself at Alpha Thorne Blackwood and his childhood friend Beta Livia Frost’s mating ceremony. Livia was wearing the pure white ceremonial gown that Alpha Thorne had custom-made for me—a gown worth millions, woven with moon-silver threads blessed by the Pack Seer. She clutched his hand, her claws retracted in false delicacy, her smile dripping with smug satisfaction as her golden wolf eyes gleamed in triumph. At this, my ghostly form trembled, phantom tears burning in my eyes. A growl built in my throat, but when I lunged forward to stop them, my spectral body passed right through theirs. The realization struck like a silver dagger to the heart. I was already dead. What remained of me was nothing more than a restless spirit, bound to the living world by grief and fury. Before despair could fully claim me, the gathered pack members began chanting, their voices rising in unison. “Claim her! Mark her!” Most of these wolves had once been our friends—Alpha Thorne’s and mine. Not long ago, they had whispered their pity for me, swearing that even if he took Livia as his mate, they would never stand for such betrayal. Yet now, they bared their throats in submission to him, their loyalty shifting like the wind. I let out a bitter, hollow laugh. Of course. Their kindness had always been about currying favor with the Alpha. Now that Livia stood at his side, why would they spare a thought for a dead she-wolf like me? But one voice still dared to speak against the tide. “Alpha Thorne,” a young Omega murmured, “this is too cruel to Luna Sylva. What if something’s happened to her?” Alpha Thorne swirled his goblet of blood-red wine, his ice-blue eyes flickering with disinterest. “Sylva brought this on herself. After the ceremony, I’ll release her. The den has enough food to keep her alive. She’s been spoiled too long—a little suffering will do her good.” He didn’t know. I was already dead. And he had killed me with his own claws. A week ago, Alpha Thorne had demanded I agree to a false mating bond with Beta Livia, who carried another wolf’s pup and needed his name to shield her from disgrace. I refused. “If she needs a pretend mate, let her find another Beta—or better yet, the father of her pup. Why must it be you, a bonded Alpha? She’s scheming!” He snarled at me, accusing me of petty jealousy, and we fought like feral beasts. In the past, I would have bowed my head, submitting to his will just to keep the peace. But this time, I stood my ground—even threatening to sever our bond if he went through with it. I never imagined he’d secretly complete the mating rites with Livia behind my back. When I saw them under the full moon, their scents entwined as the Pack Elder blessed their union, the shock sent me into early labor. My pup kicked violently, and my waters broke right there in the sacred circle. Alpha Thorne halted the ceremony, lifting me into his arms with a snarl of concern. For one fleeting moment, I thought he was taking me to the Pack Healer. Instead, he carried me to the abandoned dens of Moonwood Territory and locked me inside, ordering me to “reflect on my disobedience.” It was him. My own mate. The one who led me to my death. As I watched from the shadows, Alpha Thorne suddenly stiffened, his nostrils flaring as if catching a distant scent. He turned to Beta Garrick, his second-in-command. “Go check on Luna Sylva. If she’s ready to apologize to Livia, we’ll let her out.” A bitter laugh escaped me. Apologize? For what? I had done nothing wrong. I hadn’t lied—I had been in labor. But under Beta Livia’s sly whispers, Alpha Thorne believed I’d faked it, that I’d humiliated him by losing control of my body in front of the entire pack. He trusted her over his own Luna. Seeing his hesitation, Livia pressed a delicate hand to her belly, her voice trembling with false concern. “Alpha Thorne, even though Luna Sylva lost control and attacked me earlier… she’s still carrying your heir. If something happened to her… Perhaps you should release her.” She lowered her eyes, the picture of wounded grace. “This time, I’ll protect my pup better. She can hate me all she wants, but my child is innocent…” Earlier, when I’d burst into their ceremony, Livia had taunted me with whispered barbs only I could hear—”He’ll never choose a weak she-wolf like you over me.” The hormones, the fury, the betrayal—it shattered my control. I lunged. But before I could reach her, she collapsed, howling in “pain,” her claws tearing at her own gown for effect. That was why Alpha Thorne locked me away. Now, hearing Livia’s false plea, he cupped her face, his voice softening. “No one will harm you or your pup while I live.” Then, to Beta Garrick, cold as winter frost: “Tell Luna Sylva she’ll stay confined until she begs Livia’s forgiveness.” Livia nuzzled against his shoulder, her tail flicking smugly. “You’re so good to us, Alpha.” The pack erupted in laughter, their voices merging into a chorus of encouragement. “Just make her your true mate, Alpha Thorne! You and Livia have been bonded since pup-hood—how could a mere human-turned-wolf compare?” Livia ducked her head in feigned shyness, her claws teasing the edge of Alpha Thorne’s ceremonial cloak. I braced for him to agree. But his growl silenced them all. “Enough. Livia and I are bound only for appearances. Luna Sylva is possessive—if she hears this nonsense, she’ll—” He cut himself off, and my ghostly heart ached. Hollow words. If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have mated her at all. Livia’s smile turned venomous, the air thickening with tension—until Alpha Thorne’s phone shattered the silence. Thinking it was me calling to surrender, he answered with a sharp, “Sylva, you—” But the voice on the other end was a stranger’s. “Are you Luna Sylva Blackwood’s mate? This is Healer Grant from Silverfang Clinic. We’ve lost contact with her. Her whelping date is near—when will you bring her in?” Alpha Thorne froze. “Whelping date? She’s only six months along.” A pause. Then, the Healer’s voice turned icy. “Six months? Alpha, she’s eight months pregnant. The pup could come any night. How do you not know your own mate’s condition?”

Alpha Thorne Blackwood froze, his claws unsheathing as his grip on the phone turned the metal casing to crumpled scrap. His golden eyes burned with a feral intensity, his wolf scent spiking with shock. Watching his stunned expression, I let out a hollow, spectral growl. It had been a critical time for the Blackwood Pack’s alliance with the Silvermane Trading Guild, so I’d hidden my true whelping date for two moons to avoid distracting him. I’d told him I was only six months along. But if my Alpha had ever bothered to scent my den, he would’ve found the healer’s scrolls in my drawer—proof of the pup’s true due date. If he’d cared, I could never have concealed it. The truth was simple: his wolf had never truly been mine. A low-ranking Delta in the crowd dared to mutter, “So Luna Sylva didn’t just lose control of her bladder? Her waters truly broke?” Alpha Thorne’s head snapped up, his snarl ripping through the air as he pinned Beta Garrick with a glare that promised violence. “Garrick. You escorted her to every healer’s visit. You swore she was only six moons pregnant. Explain.” Beta Garrick dropped his gaze, baring his throat in submission—but not out of respect. Out of guilt. He should feel guilty. He’d helped murder me. When my labor had started, I’d howled for my mate through the pack bond, begging for help. But Beta Garrick, who knew the truth, had intervened. “She’s lying, Alpha. The healer confirmed it’s too early.” And Livia, that venomous she-wolf, had woven her poison: “She’s humiliating you on purpose, Alpha. Pissing herself like a frightened pup to ruin your ceremony.” With their words echoing in his ears, Alpha Thorne had dragged me to the abandoned Moonwood Dens and locked me inside. The moment the door slammed shut, the pain had torn through me—crippling, wrong. I’d crumpled to the floor, blood pooling beneath me as my pup fought to survive. I’d clawed at Beta Garrick’s boots, my voice raw. *”Please… the pup—*our pup—” He’d sneered down at me, his boot crushing my fingers. Then, with a merciless snarl, he’d kicked my swollen belly—once, twice—until the world went dark. By the time the bleeding stopped, my pup was nothing but a lifeless scrap of fur in my arms. Now, as Beta Garrick hesitated, Livia slithered forward, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “Alpha Thorne, I never thought Luna Sylva would stoop so low. Faking illness, lying to healers… all to manipulate you.” She pressed a delicate hand to his chest. “If it were me, I’d never shame my mate like this.” Alpha Thorne’s growl deepened, his canines flashing as he snarled into the phone, “Tell Luna Sylva her games end now. I won’t indulge her tantrums.” He crushed the phone in his palm, and Livia’s eyes gleamed with victory. After the ceremony, as the pack dispersed, Livia clung to Alpha Thorne’s arm, her voice a purr. “Take me to your den tonight, Alpha. If we’re to sell this mating, we must commit.” His muscles tensed. He’d sworn to me—under the full moon—that no other she-wolf would ever enter our shared den. But Livia’s claws pricked his skin, her eyes wet with calculated tears. “What will the pack say if I slink home alone? A pregnant, unmated Beta? I’ll be ruined.” With a resigned growl, he yielded. He cared for her reputation—but not enough to realize he’d signed my death warrant. When they crossed the threshold of our den, the elderly Pack Mother Laura greeted them—then stiffened at the sight of Livia. “Welcome home, Alpha Thorne and… Beta Livia.” Livia’s smile turned lethal. She dug her claws into Alpha Thorne’s arm, whispering, “They must believe this is real.” His jaw clenched, but he commanded, “Call her Luna.” My ghostly heart shattered. He’d vowed I’d be his only Luna. Pack Mother Laura bristled. “Luna Sylva will be devastated—” “When she returns,” Alpha Thorne interrupted, “we’ll revert the titles. For now, Livia is Luna.” Livia strutted into the bedroom, draping herself in my furs, my moonstone jewelry, smearing my berry-stain across her lips like a claim. Alpha Thorne said nothing. When Pack Mother Laura opened her muzzle to protest, he cut her off. “Prepare roasted elk ribs and sun-gilded pheasant. Livia favors them.” His voice softened. “No wolfsbane or fire-peppers. They upset her stomach.” A whimper escaped me. He’d shared my bed for years yet never remembered my allergy to moonfin. But Livia’s every whim was etched into his bones. I’d thought him indifferent. Now I saw the truth: his wolf simply hadn’t been mine to tame. Then Livia spotted it—the scarf I’d woven for him, its threads laced with my scent, embroidered with LJB: “Love Thorne Blackwood.” Her snarl ripped through the room as she shredded it with her claws. “Even dead, you cling to him, you pathetic human-turned-wolf! You were never his true mate!” I recoiled. How did she know I was dead? Before I could react, Alpha Thorne burst in—and froze at the sight of the tattered scarf at Livia’s feet. His eyes bled to wolf.

Alpha Thorne’s claws twitched as his golden eyes locked onto the shredded scarf. “Beta Livia, what have you done?” My spirit wavered, a phantom whine escaping my throat. For a fleeting moment, hope flickered – did the scarf’s destruction pain him because his wolf still recognized me as mate? Before I could process this, Livia’s eyes flooded with crocodile tears, her lower lip trembling in perfect mimicry of distress. “Alpha, I just… the scarf smelled so much like you. I wanted to feel it against my skin, but my claws…” She held up her perfectly manicured hands where not a single claw was unsheathed. “This has your initials – did Luna Sylva make it? I’m so sorry…” The lie stank worse than rotted prey. The scarf hadn’t torn – it had been slashed with surgical precision. Yet Alpha Thorne’s shoulders relaxed, his growl softening as he grasped her wrists with tender concern. “It’s just fabric. Are you hurt?” His thumb brushed her unmarked palm. “If you like it, I’ll have Sylva weave you another.” Ice flooded my spectral veins. Not anger at my gift’s destruction. Not outrage at her trespass. Just… concern for her. And the casual cruelty of demanding I craft another – as if the months spent spinning moonlight-infused threads under the full moon meant nothing. As if my love was merely pack tribute to be reassigned at his whim. I tried to retreat, to dissolve into the shadows, but the mate bond – even in death – chained me to his side. All I could do was turn my ghostly muzzle away. Emboldened by his leniency, Livia pressed closer, her scent dripping with false heat. “Your den feels so empty tonight, Alpha. Let me warm your nest-” Thorne recoiled as if burned, his sudden snarl shaking the walls. “Enough! This farce ends at the threshold.” He pointed to the guest chamber, his canines glinting. “You sleep there.” The moment the door closed behind her, Alpha Thorne’s composure shattered. He paced the scent-marked floors, digging his claws into the furs where we’d once mated. After three restless circles, he snatched his phone, obsessively scrolling through our bond-messages – all frozen at yesterday’s dawn. A frustrated growl rumbled through him as he typed: [Still defiant? One apology is all it takes to come home, little wolf. Must you always bare your throat last?] The screen remained dark. Not because I wouldn’t answer… but because no spirit can breach the veil of death. When morning came, shadows darkened his usually vibrant golden eyes. He grabbed the phone before even stretching, typing with uncharacteristic haste: [Enough punishment. I’m coming to the den now.] But as he reached for the door, Livia materialized like a specter, her claws digging into his forearm. “Alpha, my kin already feast in celebration of our union. The Frostfang Elders demand to scent your claim on me.” Her voice dropped to a poisoned whisper. “Or shall I tell them their new Alpha breaks oaths like a human?” The threat hung between them – her pregnancy with another wolf’s pup was their secret, but her family’s alliance was his pack’s lifeline. His hesitation lasted only a heartbeat before he reached for his ceremonial cloak… and her waiting claws closed around his wrist in triumph.

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When the wedding reached the ring exchange, a shocking video suddenly played on the banquet hall’s giant screen—footage of me being kidnapped and humiliated. “You filthy whore, how you dare to dream of becoming my Luna?” “I, Alpha Roderick Padilla, reject you, Adele Franklin, as my mate.” My fate mate—Alpha Roderick—renounced me on the spot and turned to slip the ring onto my bridesmaid Jessica Weaver’s finger instead. Amidst the jeers and scorn of the crowd, I fell from the red carpet. Jessica’s brother, the rogue Alpha Dwayne, silenced the room with a gunshot. Then, holding 999 roses, he dropped to one knee. “Adele Franklin, will you accept me, Dwayne Stokes, as your mate?” The crowd watched, stunned, as I searched his face for answers. Was this pity? Overcome with emotions I couldn’t yet name, I nodded. “Yes I do.”. Three years passed. The day our IVF attempt succeeded. I was finally carrying our pup, the heir he wanted so badly. My heart swelled with excitement as I imagined telling him the news. But fate had one more betrayal to serve me. “Alpha, you really played it smart,” one of his lieutenants said, chuckling. “If you hadn’t leaked Adele’s kidnapping and rape video at the wedding, Miss Jessica wouldn’t have been able to marry into the Blue Moon Pack.” I froze, my hand clutching the doorframe for support. Alpha Dwayne’s reply was chilling. “A pack like Blue Moon, obsessed with honor, would never take a tainted woman as their Luna. The moment Adele was ruined, Jessica had the perfect excuse to take her place.” The lieutenant hesitated. “But Miss Jessica is already the Luna of Blue Moon Pack. Why bother you marrying a used-up woman like Adele?” Alpha Dwayne’s laugh was cold, devoid of any warmth. “Jessica’s afraid of pain,” he said nonchalantly. “Might as well use Adele’s womb to give her a puppy. Once she gives birth to Blue Moon Pack’s next Alpha heir, Jessica’s position as Luna will be even more secure.” The laughter that followed felt like daggers piercing my soul. I stumbled back, my heart shattering into pieces. Every tender moment, every word of affection—it was all a lie. I was nothing more than a pawn in their twisted game. Wiping away my tears, I clenched my fists. I wouldn’t let them win. With trembling hands, I dialed a number I never thought I’d call. A deep, gravelly voice answered. “Rogue Alpha Elliot speaking.” I took a deep breath, steadying my voice. “I have a twenty-billion-dollar deal in my hands,” I said, my tone icy. “You in?”

“Alpha, you’re the smartest. Swapping that woman’s vitamins for abortion pills—she lost six pups in a row, and she still thinks it’s her own fault. She couldn’t conceive and had to go for IVF. If she ever found out that the embryo in the test tube had long been switched to Jessica and Alpha Roderick’s pup, she’d probably die of anger.” “What does her anger have to do with me? Once she gives birth to the pup, I’ll find some excuse to say it died. She’ll just think she wasn’t able to keep it. Being able to pave the way for Jessica’s happiness is her honor.” Alpha Dwayne tossed the lighter onto the table, stood up, and warned the people around him. “Not a single word of today’s conversation leaves this room. I need her to obediently give birth to this pup.” Beta Byron patted his chest with a laugh. “Alpha, don’t worry. That woman is dumb as hell. We call her ‘Luna,’ and she really thinks she’s the Rogue Luna. She brings us food and drinks every day, completely unaware that the guys who raped her ordeal were handpicked by me.” Someone burst into laughter. “Byron, you’re too wicked. Why didn’t you pick me back then? I’d have loved to get a taste…” A fruit knife suddenly flew across the room and stabbed into the floor between the man’s legs. a loud thunk startled everyone. The man who had been joking turned pale with fear. Alpha Dwayne stood there, his cold gaze fixed on the man. “Did I ever say Adele wasn’t my Rogue Luna? Anyone who dares to bring that up again, I’ll make sure you never talk again.” The man blanched, nodding quickly. “Understood, Alpha.” A nervous chuckle broke the tension. “Alpha, I don’t think you’re completely indifferent to her. That woman loves you to death. Aren’t you afraid she’ll leave if she finds out the truth one day?” Alpha Dwayne scoffed indifferently. “Worst case scenario, I’ll just give her another pup through IVF. I’ll take care of her for a lifetime. A filthy, love-blind fool—just a few sweet words, and she’ll come crawling back to me like a dog.” The room erupted into laughter again. At that moment, standing in the doorway, I felt my world shatter. My chest ached, my knees wobbled, and the weight of betrayal pressed down on me like a mountain. Before I could think, before the tears welling in my eyes could spill over, I turned and bolted down the stairs. The packhouse was alive with the usual noise—wolves chatting, laughing, and going about their business. None of them noticed me as I stumbled into the Bar counter, grabbed the nearest bottle of liquor, and poured myself a glass. The first gulp burned like fire, scorching my throat and numbing my senses. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. I clutched my chest, my mind replaying the soul-crushing words I had just overheard. A week before my wedding, I was kidnapped， Raped, and abused which lasted a whole day and night. Alpha Roderick, my fiancé, held my hand afterward, “My Adele,I’ll still marry you, We’re fate mate.” But, Lies. All of it. On our wedding day, as I stood there in my wedding dress, holding on to hope, the world crumbled beneath me. The screen lit up, and there it was—my humiliation, my torture, playing out in front of hundreds of eyes. “You filthy whore,” Alpha Roderick’s voice boomed over the speakers, “How dare you dream of becoming my Luna?” “I, Alpha Roderick Padilla, reject you, Adele Franklin, as my mate.” Yet, that wasn’t enough.He turned and walked to my side, taking the hand of my best friend—my bridesmaid, Jessica. Leading her to the center of the stage, he declared, “Only Jessica Weaver is worthy of being the Luna of our Blue Moon Pack.” Gasps filled the room. Whispers turned to laughter. I was branded, judged, and abandoned all at once. But before I could collapse under the weight of it all, the doors slammed open, and in strode Alpha Dwayne Stokes, the notorious Rogue Alpha. He didn’t waste a second. One shot shattered the screen, silencing the room. Then, he strode up to me, pulled me into his arms, and shielded me from the scorn. The room fell into silence, broken only by Alpha Dwayne’s commanding voice. “Does anyone else have something to say?” No one dared to speak. Then, he lifted the massive bouquet of 999 roses from his shoulder and held them out to me. Dropping to one knee, he looked up, his golden eyes unwavering. “Adele Franklin, will you accept me, Dwayne Stokes, as your mate?” What was I supposed to say? My heart was shattered, my pride crushed. Yet his presence was the only anchor I had left. I nodded. “Yes I do.” Yet now, I learned that everything he had done was just to pave the way for Jessica. Alpha Dwayne’s voice was as warm and deceitful as ever, cutting through my thoughts. “Who dared to make my Luna cry?” he roared, pulling me into his arms. “I’ll blow their heads off.” The room fell into a deathly silence. Alpha Dwayne pulled a silver dagger from his belt and pressed it into my trembling hand. His sharp gaze swept across the room. “Adele, you are my Rogue Luna. If you don’t like anyone here, use this dagger and kill them. They won’t fight back. I will always support you.” He cast a glance at the gathered men. They trembled like leaves in the wind, yet none dared to move. In Mississippi, Alpha Dwayne ruled one of the two largest rogue dens. No one dared to cross him. As I gripped the dagger and stepped toward Beta Byron, I halted. His eyes widened in fear, his face drained of color. His words— ‘I personally chose the men who raped her.’ —echoed in my ears like an unrelenting curse. My chest heaved violently, my vision turned red. Just as the dagger was about to pierce Beta Byron’s heart— A strong hand clamped around mine, stopping me cold.

“Adele, the doctor said your IVF was successful. You shouldn’t see blood—it might scare the pup.” He coaxed me gently, his eyes full of concern without a hint of pretense. I almost wanted to applaud his impeccable acting. Sensing my off mood, Alpha Dwayne noticed the wine glass in front of me. He squeezed my palm and asked cautiously, “Adele, how long have you been here? Why didn’t you come upstairs to find me?” His tone was laced with careful probing. I lowered my eyes and said indifferently, “You men were discussing business upstairs, with all that smoke and heat. I don’t like it.” Relief washed over his face. He stroked my hair as if I were some fragile porcelain doll, then gestured to the maid. “Bring Luna some hangover tea.” The maid nodded and disappeared for a moment, returning with a steaming cup. The moment she placed the tray on the table— crack! My entire world slowed. Thud. Thud. In an instant, the maid’s head separated from her body. Her wide, unblinking eyes rolled across the floor, stopping at my feet with a dull sound that made my ears ring. The metallic scent of blood filled the air. Warm droplets splattered across my face. Then, like a puppet with its strings cut, the maid collapsed, lifeless. For a moment, I couldn’t even comprehend what had just happened. Alpha Dwayne pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and carefully wiped the blood from my face. My stomach twisted violently. One of his hands remained in its wolf form, claws dripping with fresh blood. The casual gentleness in his movements sent chills down my spine. He lifted the cup to my lips. “Drink.” My hands trembled so hard that I couldn’t even hold the cup. He tilted it slightly, letting the warm liquid slip down my throat. I swallowed mechanically. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beta Byron signal for the body to be removed. Two enforcers dragged the maid’s body and head away, leaving two long streak of blood across the floor. I barely managed to whisper, “why…” “If she couldn’t even stop my Luna from drinking while pregnant,” he said, his tone disturbingly calm, “then she was harming my pup. She didn’t deserve to live.” I stared into his cruel, merciless eyes. My stomach churned violently.Alpha Dwayne gently caressed my face. “It’s all my fault for letting you suffer so much. Now that we finally have a pup, you must not touch alcohol anymore.” “This pup must be born healthy, no matter what. Understand?” I took several deep breaths before forcing a weak smile. “Okay.” But my heart was freezing over. In three years of marriage, I had been pregnant six times—each one ending in miscarriage for no reason. After so many, it became habitual. Six months ago, the doctor declared that I could never conceive again. Alpha Dwayne had held me tenderly, saying he didn’t care if we had children as long as I was happy and healthy. I had never stopped blaming myself for not being able to give him a child. Desperate, I chose the painful path of IVF. My stomach was riddled with needle marks, my body stuffed with hormone pills. I endured all that suffering—only to realize it was all for Jessica’s sake. Just because she said she was afraid of pain, I was forced to give up my right to be a mother and reduced to a breeding machine. “What’s wrong? You look pale. Are you feeling unwell? I’ll call the doctor right away.” “I’m fine, just a little morning sickness.” Alpha Dwayne’s eyes turned red with distress. He gently stroked my face. “Adele, you’ve suffered. I just wish I could bear it for you. Our wedding was rushed, so I ordered your favorite wedding gown to be flown in. Before your belly grows, I’ll take you to try it on tomorrow.” I stared at him—such deep, affectionate eyes. How many times had he fooled me like this? If he knew I had no intention of giving birth to this child, I would probably end up just like that maid. I curled my lips slightly. “I’ll rest in my room. You guys talk.” As soon as I entered the bedroom, I rushed to the bathroom, vomiting until my stomach twisted into knots. Tears streamed down my face. The physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. It took me a long time to recover. When I walked out, I noticed Alpha Dwayne’s phone left on the coffee table. As if possessed, I picked it up and entered Jessica’s birthday as the password. It unlocked instantly. The wallpaper was a photo of Jessica leaning against his shoulder, smiling brightly. I scrolled through the gallery. Over 1,000 photos. In every single one, Jessica was there. Each documenting a different phase of her life. The name’s on the folders: “My beloved.” In their chat history, I found that Alpha Dwayne had once risked his life to hijack the Alpha King’s Luna crown overnight. I suddenly recalled that day—he and his rogue wolf pack had been surrounded by the Alpha King’s army. It was only because I gave up my mother’s only keepsake, a priceless ancestral ruby necklace, that I managed to get him back. And the reason? Jessica had casually mentioned wanting to feel like an Alpha Luna on her 23th birthday. Tears dripped onto the screen, my heart wrenching in pain. Not because of years of deception. But because I had sacrificed the only thing my mother left me—for a devil who had ruined my life. Through my blurred vision, I noticed something on Jessica’s right shoulder—a crescent moon birthmark. My eyes widened in shock. I had the exact same birthmark on the same spot. I remembered when I first met Jessica—she didn’t have it. It was only after I told her a story about rescuing a rogue covered in blood while volunteering as a doctor in the rogue den that she started to distance herself from me. Not long after, she became Alpha Dwayne’s adopted sister. Alpha Dwayne had once said Jessica had saved his life. But Jessica was selfish and cowardly. She would never step foot in a war-torn rogue den—she despised and ridiculed them. My cold fingertips curled into my palm as a ridiculous yet horrifying thought took shape in my mind. So that’s how it is… I collapsed onto the floor, laughing and crying at the same time.

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“On full-moon nights, my throat still oozes blood – that is the ‘hickey’ torn by the hands of my loved ones.” They took away my wolf howl, but they didn’t know that the silent mother wolf is the most dangerous. When I crawled back from the abyss with my broken vocal cords, I saw my fake sister crowning me with my war song – She wore my scars, my crown, and even imitated the trembling arc. “Dear sister…” “You said that when my claws scratched your throat -” “What kind of beautiful begging for mercy would you sing?” After being exposed for plagiarizing the adopted pup’s song, I was dragged into an abandoned factory by a dozen rogue wolves and brutally tortured. When I was rescued, a bloody hole had been torn into my throat, my vocal cords shredded by claws, and my fingers and legs twisted and broken—rendered useless. My parents, the revered Alpha and Luna of the Silvermoon Pack, used all their influence, vowing to hunt down those who had harmed me. My brother, the Pack’s Beta, frantically summoned the finest healers from across the territories to tend to my wounds. Outside the healing den, my mother’s hesitant voice drifted in, “Though it was wrong for Veyra to steal Ashbane’s song… is this punishment not too severe?” My father, Alpha Hendrix, growled low in his throat. “She brought this upon herself! Ten years ago, we took her in as a stray, and she repaid us by stealing Ashbane’s place in our hearts.” “But that wasn’t enough—she’s never satisfied, always trying to outshine Ashbane in everything. And now, she dares to claim Ashbane’s song as her own!” My brother, Beta Lucas, snarled in agreement. “She was given the Hendrix name, yet she uses it to crush Ashbane at every turn. This time, we make sure Ashbane wins the Howling Crown —the highest honor for our pack’s singers. As for Veyra… let her keep a mutt’s voice, if she must speak at all.” The agony of my wounds was nothing compared to the betrayal tearing through my chest. Tears burned down my face. They had promised to protect me—their own blood. Yet for the sake of a pup they’d adopted, they allowed me to be broken. It was Ashbane who had stolen my song. But they believed her lies and chose to ruin me instead. I no longer wanted this pack. At the entrance of the healing den, the pack’s lead healer spoke cautiously. “Alpha Hendrix, while Miss Veyra’s vocal cords are damaged, they can still be restored with a graft from a willing donor. And if her bones are not set soon… she may never walk or use her hands again.” “She is a singer,” the healer pressed. “Her voice and hands are her life. Should we not act quickly—?” My father cut him off with a sharp bark. “Delay it.” My mother hesitated. “My Alpha… Veyra has suffered enough. She cannot attend the Howling Crown ceremony now. She is still our blood. Must we let her become crippled?” Beta Lucas scoffed. “Good. If she can’t sing, she won’t overshadow Ashbane. If her legs never heal, she’ll stay where she belongs. And if her hands are ruined, she’ll never steal another song.” “The Hendrix Pack will feed and house her,” he sneered. “What more does she need? She made her choice when she betrayed Ashbane. The Howling Crown was always meant for Ashbane—she is the future Song Luna of our pack.” “And Veyra?” My brother’s voice was ice. “Let her keep a dog’s whimper. That’s all she deserves.” Chapter 2  My mother, Luna Hendrix, sighed and whispered to the pack healer, “Give my daughter the strongest pain-dulling herbs. As for her broken claws and legs… just keep the wounds from festering. My daughter has always feared pain.” Hearing those words, my body trembled violently, hot tears streaking through the dried blood on my face. So it wasn’t just rogue wolves who had done this—my own pack, my own blood, had allowed it. All because I stood in Ashbane’s way. They never questioned her lies. Never even asked for my side. A howl of agony threatened to tear from my throat, but my shredded vocal cords only let out a broken whimper. I stared at the den’s ceiling, my vision blurring. When Luna Hendrix stepped inside, her breath hitched at the sight of my mangled paws—still twitching, still bleeding. She let out a wounded sound, rushing to my side. “Veyra! My sweet pup, does it hurt? We’ll call the healers at once!” Beside her, my brother—Beta Lucas—snarled into his phone, his voice thick with false grief. “Find the finest throat graft for my sister. Her voice cannot be lost—not when she was meant to sing for our pack!” He turned to me, eyes glistening. “Sister, I swear on my fangs, I’ll hunt down every rogue who did this. They’ll know what it means to have their bones snapped, their howls ripped from their throats!” My father, Alpha Hendrix, gazed at me with wet eyes, his massive frame shaking. “Veyra, the best healers from the northern packs are coming. Just hold on.” His voice cracked. “When you heal… I’ll compose a hunt-song for you. We’ll sing it together under the full moon, and the whole pack will know—you are my greatest pride.” I watched their performance numbly. With trembling, bloodied palms, I dragged my phone closer and typed: [I didn’t steal Ashbane’s song.] The screen smeared crimson. Beta Lucas snatched the phone away before they could read it. “We know, little wolf,” he murmured, stroking my matted hair. “Just rest. Everything will be alright.” They nodded, their eyes darting away—unable to meet mine. I knew the truth. They didn’t believe me. They never would. This was the same brother who’d found me a decade ago, lost and starving at the edge of pack lands. He’d wept into my fur, vowing to spend his life making up for the years I’d suffered alone. Now, he’d shattered my dreams with his own claws—all so Ashbane, could shine. Tears burned. Through them, I couldn’t tell who was truly their blood anymore. I’d never measure up to Ashbane’s place in their hearts. In this pack… there was no room for me. The healer injected wolfsbane-laced painkillers into my veins, his gaze lingering on my ruined throat and twisted limbs. “Miss Hendrix,” he said gently, “the experts will arrive by moonrise. Endure a little longer.” But no herb could dull the betrayal carving through my chest. I choked back a sob, biting my lip until copper flooded my tongue. My parents’ eyes turned wolf-gold with distress. Beta Lucas pressed his forearm to my mouth. “Sister, if you must bite, sink your fangs into me. Don’t harm yourself further.” They looked at me like I was their most precious pup. And yet—I’d never felt so cold. When I woke again, the pale light of dawn seeped through the den’s entrance. Chapter 3  The pack healers had barely left when I caught the hushed conversation between Beta Lucas and Luna Hendrix outside my den. “Krevv,” my mother murmured, her voice laced with false concern, “Veyra has suffered enough. Must we truly send the pack chroniclers to expose her as a song-thief today? We have no proof.” My brother’s growl was ice. “It must be done. Her voice is already ruined—what does she have left to lose? But for Ashbane to win the Howling Crown*, she needs the judges’ pity.”* “Ashbane was raised under our moon,” he snarled. “She wouldn’t lie. Even without evidence, I’ll stand as her witness before the entire pack.” Alpha Hendrix’s command rumbled through the walls. “Don’t defend Veyra to the chroniclers. Let this humiliation teach her obedience.” “Yes, Alpha.” I lay on the furs, my claws digging into the pelts beneath me. No tears came—only the metallic taste of blood where I’d bitten through my lip. Ten years ago, Beta Lucas had tracked my scent to that orphanage after hearing my howl-song in a recording. They’d brought me home, a ragged stray welcomed into the Silvermoon Pack’s golden den. I’d worked twice as hard as Ashbane, earning my place at the Lunar Conservatory. My hunt-song, “Moon-Drowned”, had been nominated for the Howling Crown—until Ashbane claimed it as her own. And now… my own brother would lie before the pack to destroy me. The den’s entrance flew open with a crash. A dozen pack chroniclers surged in, cameras flashing like silver fangs in the dim light. Helpless, broken, I could only watch as they circled me. “Veyra Hendrix,” sneered a female chronicler, shoving a recording stone in my face, “is it true the rogues tore out your voice because you stole your sister’s howl?” Another laughed, yanking the pelt from my body to expose my twisted limbs. “Look at her! No claws left to scribble stolen songs, no legs to run from the truth!” The male beside her bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. “Perhaps she’ll learn to sing through her wounds instead. Wouldn’t that be… poetic?” Their laughter was a chorus of snapping bones. Flash after flash immortalized my shame—the broken Alpha’s daughter, reduced to a mute, twitching creature. Hot tears carved paths through the dirt and blood on my face. I should have stayed a stray. Chapter4  “Veyra,” the female chronicler sneered, shoving her recording stone closer, “still playing the wounded pup? Won’t you beg forgiveness from your sister?” Her claws clicked as she activated a pack-wide broadcast. “The disgraced howler Veyra Hendrix—mauled by rogues for stealing her sister Ashbane’s hunt-song!”

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My mate—Alpha Jasper—knelt on one knee, proposing to me at my birthday party when Sienna Burrows suddenly appeared. She was his fated mate once. His first love. Dressed in the exact same backless red gown I was wearing, she stood there like a queen, regal and untouchable. She let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Hah. Alpha Jasper, no matter how perfect a copy may be, it will never be me.” Alpha Jasper didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he turned to me, gently taking my left hand in his. His voice was deep, filled with emotion. “Cynthia, will you marry me?” But even as he spoke, I could see it clearly—the flicker of something else in his eyes. And the hand holding the ring? It was trembling. I admit it—the moment Alpha Jasper knelt on one knee, my heart skipped a beat. But now, all I feel is confusion. I don’t understand why Sienna Burrows is here, nor why she’s wearing the exact same red gown as me. Sienna Burrows—Alpha Jasper’s ex-girlfriend and his once-destined mate. My wolf stirred uneasily. She never liked Sienna. “Cynthia.” Alpha Jasper’s voice brought me back to reality. I swallowed, forcing myself to focus on him rather than the seething growl bubbling in my chest. “I…” I’d secretly admired Alpha Jasper for two years, dated him for three, and spent five years dreaming of this very moment. Yet, in every version of my fantasies, Sienna was never supposed to be part of the picture. Faced with Alpha Jasper and the intricate ring in his hand, I opened my mouth but found myself speechless, courage nowhere to be found. When I didn’t immediately answer, Jasper raised his eyes to meet mine, a rare flicker of pleading and vulnerability in his usually impassive gaze. “Cynthia, will you marry me?” My wolf whimpered. The mate bond between us wasn’t strong—not like what he’d once shared with Sienna. In that instant, my heart softened. My human side wanted this. Wanted him. “Jasper, I…” I steadied my voice, trying to hide the tremor. “I will.” The moment those words left my lips, cheers erupted from the friends who had gathered for the birthday party. Rose petals rained down on us, the scene unfolding as if plucked straight from a dream. Except for one detail: Sienna stood just a few feet away, arms crossed, a cold smirk playing on her lips. “I will? How ridiculous,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. With confident strides, Sienna made her way over, her heels clicking against the floor. She carried herself as though she were the one being proposed to, gracefully taking a seat without so much as an invitation. Her red gown was identical to mine. Her mid-length curls, the color of her hair, even her deep red lipstick—everything mirrored me. Yet, under the lights, her bold makeup enhanced her striking blue eyes and radiant beauty, making her appear nothing short of breathtaking. But the look she directed at me? Pure contempt. I pursed my lips. Unlike Sienna, I wasn’t the seductive, attention-grabbing type. My wolf bristled, feeling the weight of the comparison. I had always been more of the steady kind—the quiet presence beside Alpha Jasper, not the storm that shook his world. Her gaze was searing, as if she were looking at a cheap imitation, a clumsy replica that failed to capture the original’s brilliance. In the midst of the awkward atmosphere, Alpha Jasper’s friends stood up first, clapping and cheering loudly to shift the focus. “Jasper, you finally did it! We were starting to think you’d never propose!” one of them exclaimed, raising a glass in celebration. “Finally?” Sienna clapped along, her sly smile as sharp as a blade. She lifted her glass gracefully, exuding elegance. “Jasper, do you really think your proposal was a success?” “This has nothing to do with you,” Alpha Jasper cut her off, his tone laced with irritation. He cast her a cold glance before pulling me to sit down beside him, avoiding her gaze like it burned. Sienna’s seat was strategically placed—perhaps intentionally or maybe just coincidence—directly across from ours. Everything about her—her poised gestures, her effortless charm—drew attention. Even when she leaned over to whisper something to the person beside her, her radiant smile lit up her face, turning her into a masterpiece under the golden lights. Her casual movements, like resting her manicured fingers on the edge of the table, sent dazzling reflections of light from her nails that stung my eyes. And suddenly, I understood why her gaze was so condescending. It was laughable, really. Even dressed like her, with the same hairstyle and color, I lacked her bold confidence and magnetic allure. The phrase “trying too hard” echoed in my mind. My wolf growled softly, unsettled. She didn’t like how this felt. The red gown felt suffocating, the makeup on my face as heavy as a mask. Unable to meet Sienna’s gaze, I turned to Alpha Jasper and whispered, “Why did you give me this dress?” I’d never liked bold styles. This gown was something I wouldn’t have glanced at twice on any other day. Yet, this morning, Alpha Jasper had handed me a beautifully wrapped box, his expression laced with anticipation as he urged me to wear it. “…Because,” Alpha Jasper paused, lowering his eyes for a moment, “I thought it would suit you.” Suit me? Really? My wolf scoffed. It suited Sienna more. I stared at him, speechless, a strange mix of emotions swirling in my chest. My temples throbbed, and my throat felt tight with unspoken words. And then, without warning, my mind wandered back to that Saturday a few weeks ago.

That day, my best friend Eileen stumbled across a recommended hairstyle video on her phone. She insisted she was tired of my long, straight black hair and, dragged me to the salon. The poor stylist barely had time to blink before Eileen was waving the phone in front of her face, declaring that I needed a “refresh.” And just like that, years of my familiar locks were snipped away, dyed a golden shade I never would’ve chosen myself. In the afternoon, I met with Alpha Jasper. The moment he saw me, something flickered across his face—surprise, confusion, something else I couldn’t quite place. His eyes locked onto me, but his gaze felt distant, as if he were looking through me, at something—or someone—else entirely. Frowning, I waved a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Jasper. What’s on your mind? You’re zoning out. Which movie are we watching later?” “I was just thinking,” Alpha Jasper said slowly, refocusing on me. His hand lifted, brushing over the top of my head, the touch lingering just a second too long. “This hairstyle… it suits you.” The warmth in his voice sent a delighted shiver through me. That night, I clung to Eileen, gushing about it for hours. But now, as I sat at my birthday dinner, wrapped in the red dress Alpha Jasper had gifted me, I wasn’t feeling as certain. This morning, when he handed me the box, my heart had fluttered at the sight of the deep red YSL lipstick inside. Next to it was a small note, Alpha Jasper’s usually neat handwriting slightly rushed, two tiny hearts sketched at the bottom. Honestly, the moment I pulled out the dress, my first instinct had been to refuse. I shook my head, already picturing myself in the French-style dress my mom had given me—white, lace embellishments, delicate and soft, much more my style. But then Alpha Jasper had cupped my cheek, his thumb grazing my skin, and his eyes—usually so unreadable—held something almost pleading. “Just this once, okay? Cynthia, just for today—wear it for me?” Alpha Jasper wasn’t the type to beg. Whether at university or the packhouse, he was always distant, unreadable. Girls admired him but never dared to confess. I had been the same, crushing on him for two silent years. Even after we got together, Alpha Jasper remained restrained. A fleeting hug, a chaste kiss—his affections were subtle, controlled. But today, when I stepped out in that red dress, Alpha Jasper had reacted differently. He had shot up from his chair like he’d been struck. His gaze burned as it raked over me, raw and unguarded. Then, in a blur of movement, he had me in his arms, his lips crashing onto mine in a kiss unlike any before—intense, desperate, utterly possessive. My wolf had purred in satisfaction, but I was left reeling. Now, seated at the dinner table, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Alpha Jasper plucked a piece of chicken from the platter, carefully removed the skin—he knew I didn’t like it—then blew on it lightly before placing it onto my plate. My heart swelled at the familiar gesture. He still cares. He still— And then I looked across the table. Sienna. The man who had been laughing and chatting with her earlier was now carefully picking the green peppers out of her dish, the same way Alpha Jasper had done for me. Sienna sat there, completely at ease, batting her thick lashes as she cast a glance in our direction—deliberate, smug.

The birthday party was in full swing, but the atmosphere felt suffocating. The scent of roasted meat and wine hung thick in the air, mingling with the chatter of pack members. Alpha Jasper, usually composed and distant, was acting strangely attentive. He peeled shrimp for me one by one, placing them on my plate with meticulous care. The problem? I didn’t even like shrimp. I forced a smile, but my wolf, stirred uneasily. Why is he acting like this? she muttered in my head. Something’s off. I agreed, but I didn’t want to dwell on it. I knew Alpha Jasper well. After all, I had secretly admired him for two years. I was all too familiar with his romantic history. Back in college, Alpha Jasper was the talk of the campus—a star everyone admired. Everyone knew he had a first love, his “white moonlight,” Sienna. They were the picture-perfect couple, a match made in heaven. During their coming-of-age ceremony at 18, they were blessed by the Moon Goddess, affirming them as fated mates. The entire school believed they were destined to end up together. So did I. Just when I resolved to let go of my hopeless crush, Alpha Jasper and Sienna broke up, right before graduation. They had been together for less than a year. The reason? Alpha Jasper was selected to attend an exchange program at the Blood Moon Pack, but Sienna wasn’t willing to do long-distance. What everyone once thought was an unshakable bond crumbled for such a mundane reason. When I finally had the chance to be with the man of my dreams, it was after graduation. Time should have erased the remnants of his feelings for her. Their brief relationship hardly qualified as a deep, soul-stirring love—or so I thought. Until today. It hit me like a ton of bricks. What I believed may have just been wishful thinking. Perhaps Alpha Jasper never truly let go of Sienna—not even for a moment. Otherwise, why would he keep trying to mold me into her image? Whenever I strayed from what he considered “her essence,” he would gently but firmly nudge me back into place. As I glanced across the table at Sienna, a cold weight settled in my chest. She sat effortlessly poised, her golden-brown curls cascading over one shoulder. A Alpha’s daughter, she exuded confidence and elegance. And Jasper used to be her fate mate. Even now, it felt like a ghost of their mate bond lingered. His fingers twitched when she laughed, his jaw tensed when she spoke. And then there were the little things—the way he had been encouraging me to try a new style, to wear red, to curl my hair. Like he was trying to mold me into her image. I clenched my fork, my appetite vanishing. He still wants her. The thought made my wolf bristle. Let’s walk away before we do something stupid. I took a deep breath and pushed back my chair. “I need to use the restroom.” Alpha Jasper wiped his hands and stood. “I’ll go with you.” Before I could protest, Sienna’s velvety voice cut in. “Can’t bear to be apart, even for a moment? How sweet.” Her smirk was small but cutting. Alpha Jasper stiffened beside me, his grip on my wrist tightening before he let go. His expression remained impassive, but I could feel the tension crackling between them. “Go ahead,” he said softly. “I’ll wait for you.” I left without another word, my heart pounding. Once inside the restroom, I gripped the sink, staring at my reflection. The girl staring back at me had soft curls framing her face. The deep red lipstick on her lips clashed starkly with her otherwise fresh, understated makeup. But it was the lipstick Alpha Jasper had chosen. He had wanted to see me wear it. Suddenly overcome with frustration, I turned on the faucet and furiously scrubbed at my lips, ignoring the way the water smeared my foundation. I didn’t stop even as my lips swelled and my face grew blotchy. I didn’t care. When I stepped out, the party was winding down. Pack members filtered out in groups, their laughter fading into the night. I moved toward the main hall, but a low murmur from the side room caught my ear. The door was slightly ajar. I recognized their voices instantly. “You used to hate these kinds of events,” Sienna mused. “Now you’re throwing her a party? Even planning to propose? Is this all just to get back at me?” Alpha Jasper’s reply was quieter, his voice edged with exhaustion. “Don’t flatter yourself.” Sienna chuckled. “Oh, but I think I’ve hit a nerve. Tell me, Jasper—when you close your eyes at night, who do you see?” Her voice carried a dangerous allure, like a predator playing with its prey. I didn’t think. I pushed the door open. The first thing I saw was Sienna grabbing Alpha Jasper’s arm, rising onto her toes, and pressing a kiss to his lips. The sound of the door startled them both. They turned toward me simultaneously. I’d never felt more out of place. My hair and dress were still damp from the restroom sink, and my bare face—stripped of makeup—stood in stark contrast to Sienna’s polished perfection. Alpha Jasper quickly pulled away from her, his expression darkening. Sienna, however, smiled serenely, entirely unfazed. She leisurely picking up her designer purse. As she walked past me, she leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your mate seems to have someone else in his heart.”

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In the fifth year of my mating to Alpha Manfred,his childhood sweetheart, Jessica Bell, was splashed across every tabloid in the territory. Pregnant. Unmated. And accused of shattering another couple’s bond. The rumors hit like a rogue’s ambush. But it was his reaction that truly gutted me. “Jessica’s father once saved me, She has no pack, no family left. Everything she’s accomplished… she clawed her way to it. Alone.” My fingers clenched tighter around the pregnancy test tucked away in my purse. “And the only way to protect her now,” he continued, not even looking me in the eye, “is for me to marry her. To claim the pup as mine.” A muscle twitched in my jaw. Goddess, my wolf let out a low growl inside me, begging to lunge forward and leave claw marks down his perfectly tragic face. “And what about me?” I asked, barely more than a whisper. My voice cracked. The Silver Claw Pack and the Eclipse Pack—my pack—had been allies for over a century. “How do I explain this sudden rejection to my parents? To my pack? To the elders? They know we’re mate bond.” Alpha Manfred inhaled sharply. “Just tell them it was always a business arrangement. That there was no real love between us.” My wolf bared her teeth at that. No real love? Was that what last night was? His hands in my hair, his scent tangled with mine, his whispered promise that I was his forever—was that part of the business contract? He had the audacity to look away. “Once the media frenzy dies down, I’ll come for you. I’ll bring you back to Silver Claw and give you the grand wedding you deserve.” I stared at him. This Alpha—was seriously telling me he was going to marry another she-wolf, claim her pup, let me get torn apart by pack gossip and speculation, and then what? he’s offering me his marriage like it’s some kind of charity? “You’ll come for me?” I repeated slowly. “After you’re done playing house with your mistress and her bastard pup?” His jaw tightened. “Don’t say that.” “Why not?” I snapped. My wolf surged to the surface, eyes glowing faintly. “Oh right, because Jessica’s the victim here, right? Unmated, pregnant, abandoned by the whole world except you. Must be hard carrying a pup with no one to protect you.” He didn’t respond. “And meanwhile,” I said, stepping closer “you’re leaving me to face a scandal you created.” My fingers twitched, aching to throw the pregnancy test at him. But I didn’t. I laughed. For three years, I had been the one he discarded—over and over. And now, even my marriage was to be sacrificed for her sake. It hit me then, sharp and cold: Alpha Manfred had never loved me. There was no reason for the one who loved to always be the one who suffered.

If love existed at all, then the Moon Goddess was having a hell of a laugh at my expense. “Where is Jessica?” I asked, folding my arms and leveling my mate with a look sharp. “I want to meet her.” It was twisted way. My mating to Alpha Manfred began because of her, and now it would end because of her. She had haunted my entire bond and I’d never even seen her face. “The media is tearing her apart right now. She can’t show her face.” Alpha Manfred’s voice was low, deliberate. “Besides, she’s… fragile. And with the pregnancy, it’s not a good time for you two to meet.” I looked up, catching the unmistakable protectiveness in his expression. Was he afraid I’d hurt his precious childhood sweetheart? Three years of marriage, and this was the impression I left in his eyes. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, low and unsettled. She didn’t like being forgotten. Or replaced. “You think I’ll hurt her?” I asked flatly. He flinched like I’d slapped him with my claws out. “No. Of course not.” I raised a brow. “Because it kinda sounds like you’re afraid I’ll bite.” “Emily,” he sighed, like I was being difficult. Like he was the victim here. “This is temporary. I promised I’d come back for you once things settle down.” My stomach twisted. Temporary. As if our bond was something you could pause—like a treaty or a press conference. “Look,” he said, softening his tone like he always did when he knew he was losing ground. “Jessica isn’t like you. You have Eclipse Pack behind you. She has no one. No pack. No bloodline. Just me.” I stared at him, stunned. So now, if I refused, I was the unreasonable one? Alpha Manfred seemed to realize his own harshness. He stepped closer, reaching for me—but I moved away. How many times had this happened before? Every time he neglected me for Jessica’s sake, he would soften afterward, coaxing me with sweet words and empty promises. And every time, I forgave him. Too easily. Too often. I took a slow breath. The Eclipse Pack was strong. My father, our Beta, and even the elders believed I’d brought honor to the bloodline when I mated with the Alpha of the Silver Claw Pack. Our union had formed an alliance as old as the moon, and yet here I was—one press scandal away from being traded like a pawn on a chessboard. “Then I want to hear it from her,” I said, voice calm but firm. “She says she wants you? She says this is what she wants for her pup? Then she can come to me and say it. To my face.” “Emily…” Manfred looked tired now. “Do this for me. Please. Her father—he saved my life during the rogue uprising. I swore on his deathbed I’d protect her.” My wolf huffed. Mine, she growled. We marked him. We chose him. And now he was throwing away the mate bond because of a promise made under duress? Before I could snap back, a voice floated into the room like a cold breeze. “Luna Emily… please help me.” I turned, spine stiffening on instinct. There she was—Jessica Bell in the flesh. The infamous she-wolf with the soft curls and trembling lip. Her face was pale, tear-streaked, and suspiciously flawless for someone “torn apart by the media.” “I just want my pup to be born without shame,” she whispered, stepping into the room. Alpha Manfred was at her side before I could blink, his hand already at the small of her back. “What are you doing here?” he asked, voice low and panicked. “The doctor said you needed rest.” “You were gone so long…” Jessica sniffled, eyes wide and glassy as she gripped his arm like a lifeline. “I was afraid Luna Emily wouldn’t agree.” I said nothing. My fingers curled around the edge of the chair. My claws itched beneath my skin, begging for release. “The baby is innocent,” Jessica continued, her voice trembling just enough to seem sincere. “I don’t want him labeled a bastard. And if he doesn’t have a proper name, my career—my entire life—will be ruined.” Her tears fell like they’d rehearsed the drop in the mirror. She even had the nerve to tilt her head at me, pleading. “As a woman, how can you be so heartless?” My wolf bared her teeth behind my eyes. “And the real father?” I asked, arching a brow. “What, too busy to help out with the fallout? If you’re that worried about your pup’s name, maybe try the one who actually sired him.” Jessica flinched, her hand moving instinctively to her stomach. “He… he doesn’t want the pup.” Her voice cracked. “He abandoned us. Luna Emily, I have no choice. The internet is hunting me. I’m trending in five packs. If I don’t name the father soon, the backlash will destroy me.” “And you chose my mate to be your savior?” I asked, coldly. “You were born into wealth,” she shot back, the helpless tone slipping for just a second. “You’re the Eclipse Pack princess. Even if you divorce, no one would dare judge you. But me? I’m nothing without a name. My parents are gone. The father disappeared. Alpha Manfred is all I have.” I watched her, unmoved. Chapter 2 Jessica must have known I wouldn’t yield so easily this time. After all, this wasn’t like before. Not like those nights when she suddenly fell ill and needed Alpha Manfred to rush her to the hospital. Not like our anniversary, when she claimed she was being stalked and needed Alpha Manfred by her side. Three years of marriage, and Alpha Manfred had broken countless promises to me—all for her. Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d think she was allergic to me and immune to shame. Three years. Three full moons times thirty-six. That’s how long I’d stood by and watched Alpha Manfred sprint to her side like a good little lapdog every time she whimpered. At first, I kept my mouth shut. I was the good mate. The supportive Luna. Later, I just… stopped caring. I’d growled. I’d snapped. I’d even thrown a chair once. But his response was always the same. “I told you before we married—Jessica is the daughter of my benefactor. I promised to take care of her. You said you didn’t mind.” Mind? Oh no, I adored being the third wheel in my own marriage. And stupid me, I thought “take care of her” meant maybe hiring a maid. Or helping pay her rent. Not dropping everything—including his Luna—every time she cried wolf. The irony? She wasn’t his fate mate, I was the one,his fate mate.  Flashback My first meeting with Alpha Manfred had been nothing short of a fairy tale—a damsel in distress rescued by a knight. I fell irrevocably in love. He didn’t even remember. I was thirteen when I fell for Alpha Manfred. Head over tail. It started with a fight with my older brother, Damon. He said I was too soft to be a warrior. So naturally, I had to prove I can do it. How? By sneaking off alone into the forest to hunt a rabbit. Yes. A rabbit. I did catch the rabbit, by the way. Snagged it right by the ears. But in my proud, triumphant victory dance, I realized one minor issue. I was completely, absolutely, and hopelessly lost. I tried to mind-link my family, but all I got was static. By sundown, I was freezing, scared out of my fur, and sitting under a tree hugging my knees like a sad little pup. I cried. I howled. I cursed my brother. And then— A miracle happened. A massive black wolf appeared, silent and still. Was he a threat? Would he attack me? Hands trembling, I gripped my dagger and pushed myself up, legs wobbling as I faced him. He took one look at me, then shifted—fluidly, gracefully—into a man. When he stepped from the shadows, the dying sunlight wrapped around him like a divine omen. In that moment, I believed in fate. Tall. Broad shoulders. blond hair. A pair of green eyes that could slice straight through you. To ease my nerves, he introduced himself. “Manfred Alvarado, futher Alpha of the Silver Claw Pack.” I didn’t know him, but I knew of his pack. Silver Claw—one of our Eclipse Pack’s allied packs. Still cautious, I gave only my first name. “Emily. I’m from Eclipse Pack.” He shifted back into wolf form and lowered himself. “Hop on. You’re in Silver Claw territory. If your people try to track your scent here, they won’t find you until next moonrise.” he didn’t smell like a threat. So I climbed on. He ran with the power of a seasoned Alpha—fast, smooth, effortless. And to keep me from panicking, he started talking through our link. Said he was out picking moonflowers for his benefactor’s daughter. She had some kind of stress rash and apparently moonflower essence was a miracle cure. How sweet. How gallant. How utterly whipped. Somewhere along the way, lulled by his voice and the steady rhythm of his stride, I fell asleep. When I woke up, we were at the Eclipse border. His jacket was draped around me. And he stood nearby, leaning against a streetlamp, cigarette glowing between his fingers as he waited for my pack to show up. A wolf-shaped shadow keeping watch. He didn’t say goodbye. He just nodded once, then vanished into the trees like a ghost. I never told my family about that night. But from that moment on, I tracked every whisper of the Silver Claw Pack. Read every article. Watched every broadcast. Chapter 3 Five years later, Silver Claw Pack sought to expand into Mississippi and proposed a marriage alliance with Eclipse Pack. At the time, I was preparing to study abroad. My parents refused outright. But when I learned from my brother that the business partner was the Silver Claw Pack, I thought it was fate. I gave up my academic plans and convinced my family to agree—on one condition: It had to be Alpha Manfred. My brother objected. First, the project didn’t require a marriage alliance. Second, Silver Claw Pack was rife with uncles and cousins vying for power. Third, Alpha Manfred’s mother had passed away young, leaving him no backing. Even with talent and ambition, climbing to the top would be an uphill battle. They didn’t understand why I was so determined to marry him. Eventually, they gave in. My mother even smiled wistfully and said, “With your charm, your background, your beauty—even in an arranged marriage, he’ll fall for you sooner or later.” Yeah. I was young. Hopeful. Borderline delusional. But the night of the engagement party? It felt like fate was finally throwing me a bone. I still remember the way Alpha Manfred looked at me across the crowd—his eyes wide, stunned. Or, more accurately, like he’d just found something he didn’t know he’d lost. “…It’s you?” he said, voice barely above a whisper. By then, I was eighteen. Taller. Stronger. Still a little reckless. But in that moment, when our eyes met— My wolf let out a wild, joyful howl in my mind. “Mate.” My heart flipped. My skin tingled. The bond crackled to life like lightning under my bones. I stepped closer, smiled, and echoed his words. “It’s me.” Then added softly, “My mate. My fiancé.” He smiled the entire night. And not the polite, politician smile. No, this was the kind that reached his eyes. The kind that made me believe—this is real. And it was. For a while. After the wedding, we couldn’t stop talking. We stayed up late swapping stories—he had a secret love for 80s werewolf flicks; I admitted I used to sneak into comic conventions in glamor. I learned to cook his favorite steak-and-potato stew; he braved crowds to hold my hand at anime expos. It was awkward and hilarious and weirdly perfect. Love bloomed like it was spring inside us. I believed—truly—that our story would play out like a romance drama. Marriage of alliance becomes love. Alpha and Luna rule side by side, powerful and inseparable. Then came my birthday. He missed it. For Jessica. That was the first crack. Then came our anniversary. We had an entire overseas trip planned—moonstone beaches, wolf-surfing lessons, a luxury cave spa. Gone. Missed. Again—for Jessica. Even Harvest Festival. He didn’t show. Because Jessica needed him. At first, he lied. I’d ask, “Where were you?” He’d mumble something vague. “Work. Meeting. Pack emergency.” Then one day, the media got sloppy. A photo made its way into the headlines. Blurry. Grainy. Just the back of a man’s head walking beside Jessica through a hotel lobby. But I’d know that head anywhere. Furious, I stormed home to my parents’ estate. My wolf paced in circles, heartbroken and growling low in my chest. Alpha Manfred arrived the next day. Disheveled. Exhausted. Red-eyed. “Emily,” he rasped, voice cracking, “I love you. Jessica’s nothing more than a sister to me.” I said nothing. He stepped closer. “Her father—he saved me once. When I was a pup. Save me out of the Rogue Den. Died from his injuries. On his deathbed, I swore I’d protect her.” His voice broke. “You understand, don’t you?” I did. And like a fool, I forgave him. Too easily. After that, it became routine. Jessica calls, Alpha Manfred runs. I wait. He comes back. Says he loves me. I forgive. Each time, he leaned on my love like it was a shield for his choices. Each time, I gave in, thinking maybe—just maybe—next time, he’d choose me. Now, I remember my mother’s warning—the one I brushed aside like it was just old-fashioned advice: “Emily, love has no room for a third person. Not family. Not debts. You might endure being second once or twice… but can you bear it for a lifetime?”

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As I sat in the police station with Yvonne Harper, my boyfriend’s childhood sweetheart, waiting for bail arrangements to be made, the decision loomed. One of us could go home tonight. My mate, Alpha Jackson, chose to take her. “Nicole, just wait for me one more night. I’ll come back for you tomorrow,” he said. He was worried about her fragile health, but he didn’t care about my fear of the dark. Later, I called him. My voice was steady, though my heart ached. “Jackson,” I began, “for the past few years, I’ve been waiting for you.” “But I won’t wait forever.” Chapter 1 My Alpha boyfriend’s childhood sweetheart, Yvonne Harper, and I were stuck at the police station, waiting for bail. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow over the gray-tiled floor. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, ears flattened, tail lashing. I wasn’t the type to get arrested—Yvonne, though? She practically had a VIP seat here. Then, the scent of pine and warm musk filled the air. Alpha Jackson stormed in. His amber eyes locked onto mine, and for a fleeting second, I thought—he’s here for me. “Officer,” he said”I’m here to bail them out.” The officer didn’t even glance up from his paperwork. “You can only take one.” Silence. I turned to Jackson, expecting—hoping—for certainty in his expression. Instead, I saw it. Hesitation. No. He wouldn’t. Would he? The answer came a second later when his hand reached out… but not for me. For her. For Yvonne. My wolf stilled. My heart, however, shattered. “Jackson?” My voice barely came out, barely sounded like mine. Before leaving, he grabbed my hand, his grip tight, as if this—as if I—still meant something. “Nicole, just wait for me one more night. I’ll come back for you soon.” His tone was earnest, like he believed his own words. But he never once looked back. He left so quickly, he didn’t even hear my response. Didn’t hear whether I was willing to wait. Didn’t hear if I was scared, hurt, or furious. I stared at their retreating figures, Yvonne’s delicate frame leaning against his side, as they vanished beyond the station doors. Unwilling to accept it. A low chuckle snapped me out of my daze. “See?” The officer smirked, tapping his pen against the desk. “Told you he wouldn’t pick you.” I froze, unable to refute. My wolf, usually calm, let out a low growl inside me. But when Alpha Jackson pursued me, he promised—he promised he would love me wholeheartedly. The year I met Alpha Jackson was the same year my parents died in a rogue attack. Losing them felt like losing the last fragile thread connecting me to the world. The love I had received was already scarce, and after that, there was no one left to love me. So that year, I was silent. Gloomy. A ghost of a person drifting through the pack, unnoticed and unwanted. And wolves? Wolves could smell weakness. They avoided me like I was carrying a curse. Some whispered behind my back, while others barely acknowledged my existence. My wolf, once so lively and stubborn, curled up deep inside me, refusing to come out. Then, he arrived. Alpha Jackson. He was everything I wasn’t. Confident, radiant, the kind of person others naturally gravitated toward. Whenever he walked into a room, laughter followed, and conversations circled around him like planets around the sun. Yet somehow… he noticed me. Not the popular she-wolves vying for his attention. Not the warriors eager to prove their worth. Me. That day, I had skipped lunch—not that I had much appetite anymore. But the hunger gnawed at me, sharp and cruel, and my stomach cramped in protest. I had made it to the edge of the training field before my legs gave out, my entire body trembling from exhaustion. I pressed a hand to my stomach, curling inward. Breathe. Just breathe. A shadow fell over my curled-up form. A deep voice broke through the haze. “Hey, do you need some help?” I flinched at the sudden presence, but when I looked up, I found a pair of sharp amber eyes watching me. Not with pity. Not with disgust. With curiosity. Jackson crouched beside me, his brows knitting together. “You don’t look so great.” No kidding. I swallowed hard. “I’m fine.” “Uh-huh. Right.” His tone was completely unconvinced. “Because ‘fine’ people usually shake like they’re about to shift mid-air.” I blinked. My wolf stirred slightly at the teasing lilt in his voice. Alpha Jackson wasn’t just offering help. He was paying attention. And for the first time in a long time, someone saw me. Chapter 2 Everything that followed seemed to fall into place naturally. On weekends, I would go watch his sparring matches, marveling at the raw power in his movements, the effortless way he dodged and struck. Even among the most talented young wolves, Alpha Jackson stood out—his instincts razor-sharp, his dominance undeniable. And out of all the people offering him water after a grueling fight, he would only drink the one I brought. “Gotta make sure my girl didn’t poison me,” he’d joke, flashing a grin before downing it in one gulp. When the weather turned chilly, he’d drape his jacket over my shoulders without a word, pretending not to notice the teasing whistles from his friends. But I saw the way his ears turned red, and I lived for it. Alpha Jackson introduced me to his social circle, a mix of future warriors, betas, and carefree nobles who all treated me with surprising warmth. Because of him, I made an effort to be more outgoing, to fit into his world. And eventually, I did. But one evening after school, while everyone was hanging out near the training grounds, he suddenly cornered me against a wall, his golden eyes dark with something unfamiliar. “Nicole, can you stay away from them?” His voice was low, almost a growl. I blinked. “What?” “I get really jealous.” For a moment, I was stunned. Then, I couldn’t help but laugh. In that instant, the great Alpha Jackson—strong, untouchable, confident—looked like a sulking little wolf pup. Seeing me laugh, he sighed dramatically and ruffled my hair, grinning. “You little troublemaker, does it make you that happy to see me jealous?” I nodded, still giggling, and his lips crashed against mine in response. A kiss—unexpected but searing, filled with possessiveness that sent heat spiraling down my spine. My heart pounded like a drum. His scent wrapped around me, leaving no room for anything else. Jackson always felt like an exuberant pup, radiating warmth, his love pouring onto me like sunshine. On the night of our 18th birthday ceremony. Shifting for the first time was brutal. My body burned, bones cracking and reforming as my wolf—dormant for so long—finally emerged in a storm of pain and power. Then, through the agony, I caught it. That scent. Pine and musk. A voice roared in my head. “Mate!” When I lifted my head, panting, Jackson was already in front of me in his wolf form, golden eyes glowing under the full moon. He shifted back effortlessly, as if his body had never known pain, and walked toward me with a smile that made my breath hitch. He reached out, gently patting my head as I trembled from the aftershocks of my first shift. “Nicole, We’re fated mates. Are you happy?” I nodded almost dumbly, my wolf still howling with joy in my mind. Word spread like wildfire. It was as if everyone had expected it all along. Amidst the congratulations, I clung tightly to Jackson’s waist, still overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Some teased me. “Nicole, you’ve struck gold.” “Alpha Jackson is famous for how well he treats people.” And I knew they were right. I had struck gold. Jackson’s care for me was meticulous. He remembered my cycle and always had warm brown sugar water ready before I even needed it. He flooded his social media with pictures of me, proudly captioning them with things like “Mine.” and “My little Luna.” And whenever I spiraled into self-doubt, he would stand up without hesitation, declaring to anyone who would listen, “Nicole is the most amazing person in the world. End of discussion.” So, when he suggested we move in together, I didn’t even think twice. “You’re so wonderful,” I told him, my heart swelling. “If you were fire, I’d willingly dive into the flames for you.” Later, as I was sorting through our clothes in the new apartment, he suddenly hugged me from behind, pressing his face into my shoulder. I smiled, assuming he was in a playful mood, and lightly pushed at him—only to feel the dampness on his cheeks. Stunned, I turned around. “Jackson?” His voice was barely above a whisper. “I found out about your parents.” Something in my chest twisted. That night, he refused to let go of me, his arms locked around me like he could shield me from the past. It was then that he whispered a promise in my ear, one that sank into my bones like a vow. “Nicole, I’ll love you with everything I have.” “Including the love your parents would have given you.”

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The day before the final round of the Beta selection, I was poisoned with wolfsbane and locked inside my home as it was engulfed in flames. The fire spread unnaturally fast. My wolf, Seraph, was screaming inside my head, but the wolfsbane had weakened me too much to shift. I clawed at the door, my nails breaking against the wood, the heat searing my skin. When I was rescued, my face was severely scarred, my skin torn and raw, and my body covered in extensive burns. Outside the operating room, I heard my mother’s agonized sobs. She kept repeating, “It’s my fault… I locked the door by accident… I never meant to…” My mate, Alpha Laurence, mobilized every healer in the Silver Claw Pack, swearing to restore my health. “Easy, girl,” the doctor whispered. “We’ll get through this. One step at a time.” The doctor busied himself with the anesthesia. Then ,Drowsiness pulled me under, but just before I slipped into unconsciousness, I overheard my mother’s hesitant voice: “Laurence… wasn’t it too much? Poisoning Ella with wolfsbane, setting the fire, locking the door… just so Celia could become Beta? She’s—she’s burned beyond recognition…” Alpha Laurence let out a cold scoff. “If Ella wasn’t so vain and selfish, I wouldn’t have had to do this. She knew Celia was fragile, struggling with depression, yet she paraded her victories in front of her like a damn trophy. All Ella lost was her looks, but Celia lost her confidence, her happiness. This is what Ella owes her.” “Don’t worry. I’ll marry Ella. Once she’s Luna, no one will dare say a word about her disfigured face. She should be grateful I’m treating her so well.” Destroying my health and my career is what he calls treating me well? I pressed a trembling hand to my bandaged chest, barely feeling the pain through the numbness creeping over me. My wolf let out a low, agonized growl inside me, the remnants of wolfsbane still dulling her strength. I bit down on my cracked lip, tasting blood. The mother who once cherished me. The mate who was meant to protect me. I didn’t want either of them anymore.

“Hold off on the surgery. Have all the doctors wait outside,” Alpha Laurence commanded. The doctor, who had just slipped on his gloves, froze. “Alpha Laurence, Miss Ella’s burns are severe. There are traces of wolfsbane in her system, preventing her natural healing. If we don’t act now—if we don’t detoxify and operate—she won’t just be disfigured. She could lose her wolf completely. If that happens, she’ll be wolfless, vulnerable, and—” “Ruined?” Alpha Laurence cut in with a cold chuckle. “If she’s ruined, so be it.” I was barely conscious, my body a wreck of seared flesh and excruciating pain, but my hearing was sharp. And the way he said it—so indifferent, so final—made my stomach churn harder than the wolfsbane had. A pause. Then my mother spoke, her voice hesitant. “Laurence… Ella is too gravely injured to participate in the Beta selection tomorrow. Maybe we should—” “Should what?” His voice turned sharp. “Let her recover? Give her a chance to fight back? No. If she can’t be Beta, she’ll find ways to sabotage Celia. You know how Ella is—vain, competitive, selfish. Leaving her half-dead, wolfless, and helpless is the only way to stop her from bullying Celia.” Vain. Selfish. That’s what he thought of me? Alpha Laurence exhaled, Then, with a tenderness so grotesquely out of place, he dipped a swab into water and gently pressed it to my cracked lips. The contrast made me want to retch. “Ella, this is for your own good, You need to learn humility.” My mother sighed, then turned to the doctors. “Just relieve her pain. Clean her burns lightly—don’t let her suffer too much.” Suffer too much? My breath came in ragged gasps, my chest rising and falling in a painful rhythm. No one noticed how violently I trembled beneath the blankets, as if a blade had pierced my heart and pinned me to the bed. The fire hadn’t been an accident. The wolfsbane wasn’t a coincidence. It had been him. It had always been him. And my mother—my own mother—had helped. Outside, they stood talking about me like I wasn’t even here. “It’s for the best,” Alpha Laurence murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. “I promised Celia she’d be Beta. I won’t let anyone stand in her way.” The numbness in my limbs couldn’t stop the fire of hatred igniting in my heart. I had loved this man. The mate the Moon Goddess had chosen for me. The one I thought would fight beside me, protect me. But I was wrong. I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood, forcing myself not to cry out. Don’t give them the satisfaction. A metallic taste spread over my tongue as the pain gnawed at my chest. My vision blurred, and before I could stop it, a mouthful of blood surged up, splattering onto my sheets. The room fell into momentary chaos. My mother gasped and rushed toward me, stopping short when she realized there wasn’t a single inch of me she could touch without causing more harm. Tears streaked her face. “Ella, Mommy is here. Does it hurt? Don’t be afraid. Mommy will always stay by your side.” Alpha Laurence, on the other hand, was seething. “Where are the damn doctors? If anything happens to my Luna, this hospital will cease to exist!” The doctors, already in on the scheme, fumbled for an excuse. “Alpha Laurence, they’re on their way. There was a traffic accident—the car is stuck. They won’t arrive until tomorrow at the earliest.” Alpha Laurence didn’t even let him finish before he kicked the man out of the room with a growl. “Get lost!” Then, he turned back to me, his expression softening into a look of practiced guilt. He crouched beside my bed, his eyes searching mine as if he actually cared. “Ella, I’m so sorry. It’s my fault for not getting here sooner. I should’ve protected you better. But don’t worry,” he whispered, grasping my unburned fingers. “No matter the cost, I’ll make sure you’re healed. You’ll always be the strongest Beta in my heart.” I looked at him. This man—who had orchestrated my downfall—was playing the role of a devoted mate so flawlessly that if I hadn’t heard him earlier, I might have believed him. I swallowed down the bile in my throat, my voice so weak it barely made a sound. “Will I really recover?” “You will,” he vowed, his thumb grazing the back of my hand. “I promise.” his false sincerity painting me as nothing more than a fool. To eliminate me as a threat to Celia, my mate—the man who had promised to love me all his life—had strung me along with one lie after another, only to push me down a path of destruction. Even my mother, who had once held me as her treasure, chose to raise the blade against me for Celia, the two-faced adopted daughter. At that moment, I wanted to ask them why they had been so cruel to me. But every word dissolved into the growing coldness in my heart, leaving nothing but a suffocating silence. A group of doctors entered with disinfectants, their faces marked by pity and regret as they gazed at my mutilated body. “Miss Ella,” one of them said gently, “the specialists aren’t here yet. We’ll just do some basic disinfection for now. Please bear with it.” The moment the disinfectant touched my burns, agony ripped through me like lightning. My fragile veins, still weakened by wolfsbane, burst under the treatment. Blood and pus seeped through the sheets, the sharp, acrid scent filling the air. My mother let out a strangled sob, her hands trembling violently as she covered her mouth. Alpha Laurence clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his red-rimmed eyes making it look as if he were the one in pain. Their performances were flawless. But I saw the truth. Everything was a lie. Only the betrayal—and the scars—were real.

The first thing I felt when I woke up was pain. A deep, bone-gnawing pain that made my wolf whimper weakly in the back of my mind. She was still there—barely—but I could feel how weak she was, how much the wolfsbane had drained her. Normally, a werewolf’s body would heal on its own, even from severe burns. But with the poison still in my system, I was trapped in this raw, agonizing state. And that’s when I heard them. “Laurence, Ella’s condition is already so severe. We’ve delayed her treatment for two days now, and you still want to give her the hospital’s newly developed psychological medication?” It was my mother’s voice, just outside my hospital room. “The doctor said the drug hasn’t been fully tested yet. The side effects might include seizures and incontinence,” my mother said hesitantly. After a few seconds of silence, Alpha Laurence’s voice turned resolute. “That’s exactly what we need.” A cold sweat prickled down my spine. “Today is Celia’s celebration banquet. There will be many pack elites and Alphas attending. Ella is already a disgrace; a little more humiliation won’t make a difference. Once she’s completely stripped of her dignity, she won’t fight Celia for the Beta position anymore.” I clenched my fists beneath the thin hospital blanket, my burned skin screaming in protest. My nails dug into my palms, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the hurt in my chest. “Tomorrow, after the banquet, I’ll announce our engagement—it’ll be my way of making it up to her.” Making it up to me? Burning me alive, poisoning me, robbing me of my future as Beta—and now parading my humiliation in front of the entire pack? And somehow, an engagement to the mate who betrayed me was supposed to fix it? Alpha Laurence continued, completely unfazed. “Mom, make sure the doctors wait outside the packhouse. Once the banquet ends, they can detoxify her and schedule the surgery.” “Alright,” my mother agreed without hesitation. I stared at the ceiling, my mind blank, my throat too dry to even scream. This was the man I had once trusted with my life. And the woman who had given birth to me had just sealed my fate without a second thought. The two people I trusted most had destroyed everything I had worked for. From a young age, despite my frail health, I had strived tirelessly to become a Beta worthy of my father’s legacy. With just a few casual words, they crushed all my dreams. A sharp, searing pain shot through my chest, as if my wolf was howling in grief. If I had known this was the outcome, I’d rather have died in the fire. The door creaked open. Alpha Laurence entered, his face a perfect mask of concern. If I hadn’t overheard his little plan, I might have been fooled by the way he softened his eyes, the way he lowered his voice like he actually cared. “Sweetheart,” he murmured, pulling a small bottle from his pocket. “I just spoke to the doctor. These are newly developed painkillers—completely safe. They’ll help you suffer less.” I lowered my gaze to the two bright red pills, my throat feeling like it was coated with rust. My voice came out hoarse. “Laurence, the pills taste too bitter. I don’t want to take them.” He hesitated for only a moment before smiling and taking my hand. “Watching you endure all this pain hurts me too. Can you really bear to see me like this?” He exhaled heavily, shaking his head as if I were the unreasonable one. “My sweet Ella, do it for me.” Without giving me a chance to refuse, he pressed the pills to my lips. “Good girl, let me help you.” The moment the pill touched my tongue, its bitterness spread like acid, searing through my senses. I tried to spit it out, but it dissolved almost instantly in my mouth, leaving a thick metallic taste coating my throat. A wave of dizziness hit me, making the room spin. My vision blurred at the edges. Not enough to knock me out completely—but just enough to dull my reflexes, to make sure I wouldn’t put up too much of a fight. Alpha Laurence seized the moment to grab my hand. “Ella, today is Celia’s celebration banquet. Her greatest wish is for your blessing. If you don’t attend, people will spread rumors that you’re petty and can’t accept your adopted sister’s success…” I cut him off before he could drag it out any longer. “I’ll go. Prepare the clothes.” Alpha Laurence blinked, surprised by how quickly I agreed. He had expected resistance—an argument, at the very least. But I knew there was no point in fighting him now. He had already planned everything, left me no room for refusal. If I couldn’t escape the humiliation, then fine. I’d let him think he had won. Let them all think they had broken me. My mother walked in just as I spoke. When she heard my agreement, her face lit up with joy. “Good girl, Ella. I knew you were always so sensible.” “Once Celia’s banquet is over, I’ll personally host your wedding with Laurence,” she added with a warm smile. I numbly pulled my hand away, my heart completely dead inside. The car ride to the celebration banquet was silent. I didn’t bother looking out the window, didn’t try to track the route. It didn’t matter where I was being taken. By the time we arrived, the dizziness had worn off, but my body still felt sluggish, like I was wading through mud. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was blinded by a burst of flashing lights. Cameras. Journalists. A pack of them, waiting like hungry rogues. Panic flared in my chest. My hand shot out instinctively, reaching for my mother— But I grasped at empty air. In the corner of my eye, I saw her walking away, her arm linked with Celia’s, the both of them beaming as they stepped into the banquet hall. She didn’t even glance back. My breath hitched, and I yanked my hat down over my face, trying to shield myself. But the reporters had already closed in, their voices like claws, ripping into me. “Miss Ella, is it true that you tried to burn your sister alive out of jealousy because you didn’t want her to become the Beta of the Silver Claw Pack?” “Miss Ella, how does someone as malicious as you even have the audacity to show up at your sister’s celebration banquet? Don’t you feel any shame?” “Miss Ella, you were so fierce in past combat tournaments, yet you couldn’t escape a simple fire. Could it be that the rumors were true all along? I heard you bribed male warriors with your body to go easy on you during matches. But since your opponent this time was your sister, that tactic didn’t work, so you resorted to arson instead?” The words slammed into me, but I barely reacted. Until— A hand shot out. And in one ruthless motion— The reporter tore off my hat.

Gasps erupted in unison. A face disfigured beyond recognition by fire was exposed under the cameras’ relentless scrutiny. “Oh my God, that’s disgusting. Is that even human?” “I’m gonna puke. Damn, that’s hideous—a hell devil come to life in broad daylight.” Their words sliced through me like silver blades. My heart pounded, the sound deafening in my ears. I couldn’t even process the shame fast enough before another voice, gleeful and dripping with malice, rang out: “The most arrogant female warrior—immoral, malicious, and spiteful. She deliberately set a fire to kill her sister and ended up paying the price. They say there isn’t a single patch of intact skin left on her. Let’s see for ourselves what it means when karma comes knocking.” Phones were lifted. Streams went live. My stomach churned. My vision blurred as black spots danced before my eyes. Then— A hard shove. I hit the ground, my already battered body collapsing under the force. My clothes—thin, oversized hospital scrubs—ripped like wet paper. My arms were exposed. My thighs. My waist. A sharp, broken gasp tore from my throat, but the noise of the crowd swallowed it whole. Then came the tremors. My hands and feet twitched first. Then my entire body seized violently, jerking against the cold pavement as if struck by an electric current. The cameras zoomed in. “She’s having a seizure! This is gold—get a close-up, quick! It’s all prime footage!” I writhed in agony, my eyes rolling back as my fangs pushed painfully against my gums, as foam spilled from the corners of my mouth.. I knew the drugs were taking effect, but there was nothing I could do. Like a clown stripped bare, I was at their mercy as they shredded my dignity into nothingness. And the worst was yet to come. A horrifying warmth spread beneath me, wet and shameful. The acrid scent hit my nose first, just before the gasps and laughter started. “Oh, shit! She pissed herself!” “I thought wolves had some dignity left—guess not!”

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