The Alpha King of the South Pack declared me as their future Luna, and my mentor, seeing I had come of age, suggested I choose a mate during the ceremony by drawing from the four arranged mate contracts he had prepared for me.

In my past, I had chosen Hugo Carroll, the Beta of the Northern Pack, whom I had adored since childhood.

But after our mate bond was formed, I discovered he had a white moonlight—a girl named Norah Franklin, who was an Omega from a distant pack. When she learned Hugo was to be my mate, she was heartbroken and chose to end her life by drowning herself.

For years after our marking ceremony, Hugo resented being bound to me, pining for Norah’s gentleness and warmth, convinced I had forced his hand with the mate contract.

To punish me, he drugged me when I was at my weakest after giving birth and threw me into a pit of venomous snakes. I was torn apart, my body ravaged by poison, and I died in agony.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the ceremony, holding the four mate contracts in my hand.

This time, I drew the contract of Enzo Ross, the Alpha of the South Pack, whose family, once renowned healers, had fallen into obscurity.

But on the day of the ceremony, Hugo lost his mind.

…

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“Gwendolyn, you must think carefully. The Ross family may have been healers, but they’ve fallen from grace. Their status is far beneath what’s fitting for a Luna like you.”

I tightened my grip on the mate contract and knelt. “The Moon Goddess has spoken. Please, Alpha King, grant me your blessing.”

The elders exchanged uneasy glances, sighing in unison.

As I walked out of the ceremonial hall, the four men who had been waiting outside knelt in respect.

They had all been saved by me in their youth—each of them had been on the brink of death when I healed them with my unique abilities. It was then that my mentor arranged these mate contracts for me.

Kannon Moreno, the Alpha of the Eastern Rogue Alliance, glanced at me lazily. “Gwendolyn, whose contract are you holding?”

My eyes flicked toward Hugo, who was standing by the fountain with Norah, laughing softly as they fed the fish. The tenderness in his gaze was unmistakable—anyone could see they were deeply enamored with each other.

Murphy Lopez, the Gamma of the South Pack and a prominent businessman, followed my gaze and chuckled. “Kannon, don’t embarrass yourself. We’ve all known since we were kids that Gwendolyn has always been in love with Hugo.”

Hearing this, Hugo turned to me, his expression hardening the moment our eyes met. “Gwendolyn, I’ve told you before—this mate contract was never my choice. Don’t think you can force me into this.”

“A Luna must be gentle and devoted, putting her mate above all else, willing to sacrifice everything for him,” he added coldly.

In my past, I had lowered myself to please him—cooking for him, tending to his needs—but he never appreciated it. Instead, he mocked me, telling everyone that I, the future Luna of the South Pack, was nothing more than a dog he could command at will.

“Hugo, you seem to have forgotten. Today is about choosing a mate, not marking you,” I said, my voice icy.

Murphy quickly intervened, trying to lighten the tension. “We’ve been waiting for hours. So, Gwendolyn, whose contract did you choose?”

I looked at Hugo, his face twisted with anger, and smiled faintly. “You’ll find out at the ceremony.”

Without another word, I walked past him, my head held high.

Murphy was right. I had loved Hugo since I was a child, drawn to his scent and presence from the moment I first met him.

But he never wanted to be bound to me, and he had already found someone he truly loved. Yet, because of the mate contract, he was forced to give her up.

As the future Luna, I had no desire to force him into a bond he didn’t want. If he had only been honest with me sooner, I would never have stood in their way.

I was heading to the pack’s medical wing when someone called my name.

“Gwendolyn.”

I turned to see Hugo jogging toward me. He stopped, catching his breath, before regaining his usual composed demeanor.

“What is it?” I asked.

“About the ceremony today,” he began, his voice steady. “There’s something I need to say to you.”

I nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

Hugo cleared his throat, his gaze oddly evasive as he looked at me. “I know that as the Luna of the South Pack, you’re expected to have a mate who serves by your side for the sake of lineage. I’m willing to honor the arrangement, but I have one condition—you must allow me to be with the woman I love.”

I froze, staring at him in disbelief.

“Hugo, do you even understand what it means to be a mate?”

His face flushed, then paled, his jaw tightening. “Gwendolyn, you know I don’t feel anything for you. What’s the point of forcing me to stay by your side?”

“If you don’t want to be my mate, then go to your beloved. I won’t force you. I’ve never been short of wolves willing to stand by me as Luna.”

Hugo’s temper flared, his voice sharp. “Gwendolyn, what are you trying to say?!”

Before I could respond, a woman suddenly rushed forward and dropped to her knees in front of me. It took me a moment to recognize her—Norah, Hugo’s so-called “true love.”

“Luna Gwendolyn,” she began, her voice trembling, “I know I’m nothing compared to you. Someone like me doesn’t deserve to stand in your presence. But please, don’t blame Hugo. If you’re angry, direct it at me, not him!”

I frowned, confused. When had I ever said I was angry with her?

“Get up—”

I reached out to help her to her feet, but Hugo abruptly shoved me aside, pulling Norah into his arms.

“Norah, don’t kneel to her. You’re worth a hundred of her in my eyes. If it weren’t for her jealousy, you’d still be the greatest healer in the werewolf community, overshadowing her completely.”

I nearly laughed at the absurdity of it all.

In my past life, Hugo had been convinced that I was the one who sabotaged Norah during the Healer Trials, causing her to lose her position. He refused to believe that her incompetence—not some imagined plot of mine—was what had led to her downfall.

After the integration of modern medicine with our pack’s traditional healing methods, the South Pack had risen to prominence. As Luna and head healer, I’d dedicated myself to advancing our techniques, earning respect across all packs. Yet Hugo had always clung to his delusions, accusing me of using my authority to silence the truth.

In my past life, I’d gone to great lengths to prove my innocence, gathering testimony from every judge involved in the trials. But Hugo had dismissed it all, sneering, “You’re the Luna of the South Pack. Who would dare speak against you?”

Now, as I stood there, his words echoed in my mind, a bitter reminder of how blind he’d been.

“Hugo,” I said, my voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface, “if you truly believe Norah is the one for you, then go to her. But don’t insult me by pretending you’re doing me some great favor by agreeing to this arrangement. You’re not the only wolf in the world.”

Hugo’s face twisted with anger, but before he could respond, Norah clung to him, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.

“Please, Luna Gwendolyn,” she whispered, “I don’t want to come between you and Hugo. I’ll leave if that’s what you want.”

I exhaled sharply, my patience wearing thin. “Norah, this isn’t about you. This is about Hugo’s inability to accept the truth. If he wants to be with you, he’s free to do so—just not as my mate.”

Hugo’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold. “You’re just jealous, Gwendolyn. Jealous that Norah’s wolf is stronger than yours.”

This time, I did laugh, the sound sharp and humorless. “Jealous? Hugo, if that’s what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, then go ahead. But don’t delude yourself into thinking I’d ever stoop to your level.”

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving them standing there, their whispers of indignation fading behind me.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the two of them. “A good healer either comes from a family of healers or works tirelessly to master their craft. With Norah’s barely-there education and a quick ‘study abroad’ stint, she wouldn’t even qualify as a nurse in any pack’s medical center, let alone earn respect as a healer.”

“You!” Hugo snapped, his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at me. “Gwendolyn, don’t act like you’re so far above everyone else. Just because our parents arranged a betrothal doesn’t mean I’ll ever love you. My heart belongs to someone like Norah—gentle, kind, and not obsessed with status like you.”

I sighed deeply, feeling the last remnants of the girl who had once admired him wither away. He wasn’t the boy I’d fallen for all those years ago. “Love whoever you want, Hugo. It’s not my concern anymore.” I just wished I’d never healed him in the first place.

Hugo let out a cold laugh, a smug look spreading across his face. “Stop pretending, Gwendolyn. You’ve been chasing me since the day we met, bending over backward to please me. You even fought your pack’s traditions to change the marking ceremony so I could mark you instead of you finding your mate through the usual process. Don’t tell me you don’t love me.”

So, he *did* know how much I’d loved him. I’d loved him enough to defy the elders, to change the South Pack’s traditions just so he could mark me as his Luna. But instead of gratitude, he’d used my love against me.

“Norah, don’t be afraid of her,” Hugo said, pulling her closer. “No matter what happens, I’ll never give up on you. You’ll always be the woman I love most.”

Norah nestled into his chest, her eyes welling up with tears as she spoke in a soft, trembling voice. “Hugo, it’s okay if I suffer a little. I just don’t want you and Gwendolyn to fight because of me…”

I finally couldn’t hold back another eye roll. As more pack members began filing down the narrow path, returning from a medical conference to report to the healer’s office, I decided I’d had enough of their melodrama and turned to leave.

But Hugo wasn’t finished. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me back toward him. “Gwendolyn, if you’re still determined to mark me, you’ll have to accept Norah as my second mate. Why should the Luna be the only one allowed multiple mates? If you want me to honor our betrothal, you’ll share me with Norah!”

His words hung in the air, arrogant and absurd. I pulled my wrist free, my voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. “Hugo, you’re delusional if you think I’d ever agree to that. Our betrothal is over. You’ve made your choice, and so have I.”

Without waiting for a response, I walked away, leaving him and Norah to their twisted little fantasy.