The day Kai Mason, the Lycan Prince, was supposed to officially claim me as his mate, he changed the name on the mate bond certificate to Juliet Lawrence’s.

I was about to confront him when strange words floated before my eyes, like a ghostly projection.

【Here it comes, the villainess is about to bring up how she saved the Alpha’s life, trying to use it as leverage. Even if he makes her his chosen mate, so what? The Alpha’s heart belongs only to Juliet.】

【She actually thinks the Alpha King will side with her? Hilarious. Juliet is the true daughter of the Alpha family. Did she really think the Lycan Prince would change the mate bond so easily?】

I froze, staring at the words. Kai frowned, his Alpha tone sharp and commanding. “Juliet is kind enough to allow you to join the pack as a chosen mate on our bonding day. Today is about Juliet and me. Don’t make a scene.”

Later, on the day of Kai and Juliet’s Mark Ceremony, Margot Lane, the Lycan Queen, announced my mating with Gianni Green instead.

Kai’s composure shattered. “Milan, we grew up together. How could you bond with someone else?”

---

When I found out Kai was coming to officially claim me as his mate on the eighth of March, I spent days preparing. I chose my outfit carefully and asked Reina, my steady and reliable pack member, to arrange the pack’s traditional gifts for the occasion. Sariyah, my energetic pack mate, was buzzing with excitement even before Kai’s procession arrived. “Miss, this is such a big deal! The Lycan Prince’s gifts stretch from the pack house all the way to the end of the street!”

Reina, ever the voice of reason, scolded her gently. “These are different times. We must be mindful of our behavior and not bring any shame to Miss Milan.”

While Reina was distracted, I slipped a silver bracelet onto my wrist. It was a simple piece, one Kai had given me when we were younger, back when he was still just Kai Mason, not the Lycan Prince. It wasn’t expensive, but it meant everything to me.

The sounds of celebration echoed outside, but the moment we were waiting for never came. Reina finally broke her composure. “Miss, we can’t just sit here. Let’s see what’s going on.”

I touched the cool metal of the bracelet and followed her to the main hall.

There, I found my parents, Roger and Lucy Moore, seated proudly as Kai and Juliet stood before them. “Juliet’s future is secured thanks to the Lycan Prince’s favor,” my father said, his voice warm. “You two must support each other.”

Juliet’s cheeks were flushed with pride. “Kai, today might be a shock to Milan. If she causes a scene, please don’t hold it against her.”

My head spun. Juliet was calling Kai by his first name, something she’d never done before. Back when Kai was just a Beta, she’d looked down on him, flaunting her expensive jewelry while mocking the silver bracelet he’d given me. “Who even wears something like this?” she’d sneered. “This coral bracelet is from the deep sea. There are only five like it in the entire pack.”

But now that Kai was the Lycan Prince, she was suddenly sweet and demure, calling him “Kai” like they were childhood friends. I clenched my fists, ready to demand answers, when those strange words appeared again.

【Here it comes, the villainess is about to bring up how she saved the Alpha’s life, trying to use it as leverage. Even if he makes her his chosen mate, so what? The Alpha’s heart belongs only to Juliet.】

【She actually thinks the Alpha King will side with her? Hilarious. Juliet is the true daughter of the Alpha family. Did she really think the Lycan Prince would change the mate bond so easily?】

I stumbled back, my mind reeling. Was I the villainess they were talking about? When Kai had fallen into the lake as a child, I’d been the one to throw in a piece of wood and pull him to safety. And it wasn’t like I’d forced him to follow me around afterward. He’d done that on his own.

We’d been inseparable for ten years, from the time we were eight until now. But the boy who’d once been my shadow was now the Lycan Prince, and he looked at me with a mix of irritation and pity. “Juliet is kind enough to allow you to join the pack as a chosen mate on our bonding day. Today is about Juliet and me. Don’t make a scene.”

---

That evening, the pack gathered for the Mark Ceremony. Margot Lane, the Lycan Queen, stepped forward, her aura commanding the room. “Milan Jackson,” she said, her voice clear and firm, “you will bond with Gianni Green, Beta of the Green Pack.”

The room fell silent. Kai, who had been standing beside Juliet, looked as though he’d been struck. “Milan,” he said, his voice breaking, “we grew up together. How could you bond with someone else?”

I met his gaze, my heart heavy but resolute. “You made your choice, Kai. Now I’m making mine.”

Juliet Lawrence's eyes were red-rimmed, her gaze downcast as she spoke softly, "Milan, I know you saved Kai when we were young, but you can't force feelings. You’ve always been carefree, uninterested in pack affairs. When I become Luna, you can still accompany Kai on his pack runs."

Kai Mason's eyes softened as he looked at Juliet, his voice tinged with concern. "You’re always too kind, too considerate. That’s why she dares to push you around. When she becomes my chosen mate, you’ll have to teach her some discipline. She needs to learn her place after thinking saving me once makes her untouchable."

My adoptive mother, Georgia Rivera, stepped protectively in front of Juliet, her voice sharp. "You’ve always been reckless, Milan. Today is the day of the marking ceremony, and you still want to cause trouble?"

My adoptive father, Roger Moore, slammed his hand on the table, his voice booming. "Enough of this nonsense! Someone take her to her room and keep her there until she learns to behave."

As I was escorted back to my room, the whispers around me were impossible to ignore.

"I can’t stand the thought of that toxic she-wolf coming between Juliet and Kai."

"Don’t worry, Kai eventually sends her to a rogue pack. She’s just a stepping stone in their love story."

"Her parents are the real heroes. They knew their pack wasn’t as powerful as Juliet’s, so they switched them at birth to give Juliet a better life. And when the Moores rose in status, they fought to bring Milan back."

The pieces fell into place as I was dragged away.

This world, my life, was nothing more than a story.

I was the antagonist, the one destined to be cast aside. Juliet was the heroine, the one who would rise to be Luna. And Kai, the Lycan Prince, was the male lead, the one who would discard me without a second thought.

I clenched my fists as the door slammed shut behind me.

So, this was how it was going to be.

I thought of the years I spent in the outskirts of the pack, struggling while Juliet lived in luxury. Her wardrobe overflowing with the finest clothes, her every whim catered to by her doting parents. And all of it—every single bit of it—should have been mine.

And then there was Kai.

Before we returned to the main pack, he had sworn to me, "Milan, when I become the most powerful Alpha in the land, I’ll make you the most revered Luna."

His words still echoed in my mind, yet here he was, offering me nothing more than the title of chosen mate—a shadow of what he’d promised.

I let out a bitter laugh.

Over my dead body.