The scent of fear and despair hung heavy in the air as the Alpha King's enforcers surrounded the Foster Pack’s estate. My sister, Solana Edwards, stood at the center of the chaos, her head held high, her defiance radiating like a storm. She had always despised what she called "dependent mates," those who relied on their Alpha’s protection. And today, her reckless words had doomed us all.

At the pack gathering, she had mocked Luna Arya Hamilton, the Lycan Queen Mother, with her sharp tongue. "A true leader would never rely on her mate’s power to rule. A Luna is just a glorified dependent mate, clinging to her Alpha’s authority." Her words, dripping with disdain, had reached the ears of the Lycan King. Now, our pack faced execution, the males to be slaughtered, the females to be enslaved.

Alpha Yousef Perry, the most notorious of the Lycan Princes, stepped forward, his presence commanding the room. His dark eyes flicked to Solana, a smirk playing on his lips. "Solana Edwards," he said, his voice smooth but edged with authority. "Beg for mercy, and I’ll spare the females of your pack from slavery."

Solana’s lips curled into a sneer. "I would rather see every female in this pack enslaved than debase myself by begging for a male’s pity. I am no dependent mate!"

Yousef’s smirk faded, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He turned away, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. "Very well. Let the punishment proceed."

As the enforcers moved in, I felt a surge of desperation. My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of frustration. *She’s going to get us all killed,* my wolf muttered, her voice a faint echo in my mind.

I couldn’t let this happen. Not again. In my past life, I had stood by and watched as Solana’s pride led to our pack’s destruction. This time, I would not be silent.

I stepped forward, my heart pounding, and dropped to my knees before Alpha Yousef. "Alpha," I said, my voice trembling but steady. "If she will not beg, then allow me to take her place. I, Eleanora Foster, Omega of the Foster Pack, humbly ask for your mercy."

Yousef’s gaze shifted to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. He tilted his head, studying me with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "And why should I grant you this mercy, Eleanora Foster?"

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "Because I recognize the strength of an Alpha’s protection. I am not ashamed to seek it. I would be honored to serve you, Alpha, in any way you deem fit."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room, and I could feel Solana’s burning glare on my back. "Eleanora!" she hissed. "You’re proving my point! You’re just another dependent mate, begging for scraps from a male’s table!"

I ignored her, my focus entirely on Alpha Yousef. He stepped closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. His scent—a mix of pine and something darker, more primal—was overwhelming. He crouched down, his eyes level with mine. "You’re bold, Eleanora," he said, his voice low. "And boldness is a rare trait in an Omega."

I held his gaze, refusing to look away. "I only wish to save my pack, Alpha. If that makes me a dependent mate in her eyes, so be it."

Yousef’s lips curved into a smirk, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Very well," he said, standing. "The females of the Foster Pack will be spared. But remember, Eleanora, you owe me a debt."

Relief washed over me, and I bowed my head. "Thank you, Alpha. I will not forget."

As I rose to my feet, Solana stepped forward, her face twisted with anger. "You think you’ve won something, Eleanora? You’ve only proven your weakness. I will never be a dependent mate like you."

I turned to her, my heart heavy. "And yet, Solana, your pride has cost us everything. Sometimes, survival requires more than just defiance. It requires humility."

Her eyes blazed with fury, but before she could respond, Alpha Yousef’s voice cut through the tension. "Enough. The matter is settled." He turned to his enforcers. "Take the males away. The females are to remain unharmed."

As the enforcers moved to carry out his orders, I felt a pang of sorrow for what was to come. But I also felt a glimmer of hope. This time, I had chosen a different path. And perhaps, just perhaps, it would lead to a better future.

The Foster Pack was struck by disaster, and the only one who stepped forward to help was Lycan Prince Yousef Perry.

In my past life, Yousef had been captivated by my elder sister Solana’s scent, a unique blend of jasmine and wild berries:

"If you come with me to my pack, the females of the Foster Pack will be spared from slavery," he said, his voice commanding, his Alpha aura pressing down on us like a storm.

It was Solana’s reckless words that had doomed our pack, but when given a chance to make amends, she clung to her pride and refused to bend:

"Even if every female in our pack is enslaved, I will not beg for a man’s mercy like some weakling!"

Yousef sneered, his Alpha tone sharp and dismissive, and with a flick of his wrist, he turned away. The last hope for the Foster Pack was extinguished.

That winter, the females of our pack were exiled to the northern territories as slaves.

During the journey, my elder brother Noah, a Delta in the Foster Pack, arrived with twenty of his most loyal warriors to rescue us.

The snow was falling heavily, and the guards tasked with escorting us were careless. Noah and his men attacked from the rear, silently taking out two guards with their claws before freeing the women one by one.

Everything was going smoothly—until Solana suddenly shouted:

"Help! Someone’s trying to free the prisoners!"

The guards snapped to attention, shifting into their wolf forms as chaos erupted. In the fray, our grandmother threw herself in front of Noah to protect him, only to be struck down by a guard’s claws.

I tried to lead everyone east, but Solana yanked hard on the chains binding our ankles. The chains connected us all, and with her pull, every woman in our pack fell into the snow, helpless against the guards’ brutality.

By the time reinforcements arrived, Noah’s men were dead or dying, and Noah himself was struck down by a hail of arrows.

With his last breath, Noah grabbed Solana’s sleeve and demanded, "Why?"

Why had she sabotaged his attempt to save our family?

Solana looked down at him with disdain.

"Because I refuse to be saved by a man!

"Women who rely on men are weaklings!

"I’d rather see the females of the Foster Pack enslaved for generations than have them saved by the likes of you!"

Noah died with fury in his eyes, blood staining the snow around him, while Solana stood there, her expression cold and unyielding.

Of the exiled women, only Solana and I survived. The others had either been killed in the chaos or struck down by arrows.

The guards were about to drag us away when an arrow pierced the skull of their leader.

A man emerged from the storm, his figure imposing, dressed in a black fur cloak that marked him as someone of high status. He rode a powerful stallion, his scent—a mix of pine and leather—cutting through the cold air.

"I admire your words," he said, his voice deep and resonant as he used his longbow to tilt Solana’s chin upward.

"Such independence and fire. You’d make a fitting mate."

We were near the border, and the man’s opulent attire and confident demeanor made it clear he was no ordinary wolf. The scar running through his brow identified him as Preston Russell, Alpha of the Russell Pack.

I expected Solana, who prided herself on her independence, to recoil from his touch and his words. If she had, I might have respected her for staying true to her ideals.

But she didn’t. She grasped the end of his bow and said,

"You want to claim me?

"I will never submit to a man…

"Unless you make me your Luna."

Preston laughed, a rich, booming sound, and stepped down from his horse. With a swift motion, he pulled Solana into his arms, and she melted against him, her posture soft and submissive—exactly the kind of woman she claimed to despise.