My mate never lets me touch his face, and our kisses are always quick and fleeting. I’ve always wondered why, until one night when he was drunk, I discovered the secret behind it—a complete face mask hiding a stranger underneath.

That night, I managed to get Caden to bed, my Beta instincts kicking in as I ensured he was safe. But as I adjusted the blanket, I noticed a strange seam where his face met his neck. Curiously, I rubbed it gently, and the seam widened as if it had been glued together. Without thinking, I gave a light tug, and suddenly, a whole face mask came off in my hand. My mind buzzed with shock, and my hands trembled uncontrollably as the mask slipped onto the bed. Panicking, I reached for my phone to call the authorities, but then I spotted the tattoo on the inside of Caden’s pinky.

YQ...

The initials of my name, from a tattoo we had gotten together on a trip to the Alps. Confused and anxious, I looked carefully at the man lying on the bed. His height, his build—still imposing as any Alpha should be—the tattoo, and the placement of the mole on his arm—everything was just as I remembered.

I had no choice but to admit that this stranger-faced man was indeed the mate I had been living with every day.

"So that’s why..." I murmured to myself, recalling the questions that had always lingered in my mind.

Caden and I had known each other for years and been mated for three. He treated me well, but he never let me touch his face. Any attempt to caress was strictly off-limits; even kissing had to be shallow. At one point, his odd behavior made me consider rejecting the mate bond. But he was desperate, tearfully begging me not to go, and my deep feelings for him convinced me to accept his eccentricity.

After we were marked, aside from the face being a taboo, Caden continued to shower me with affection, and I gradually got used to it. I never expected he had been living behind a mask all this time.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up the mask from the bed to examine it more closely. The craftsmanship was astonishing, its texture remarkably similar to real skin, complete with skin-like pores. Some areas were thin, others thicker... It seemed to deliberately alter certain facial features.

I glanced back at the man on the bed. Without the mask, his face was more refined, paler than Caden’s.

Who was he? Why disguise as Caden? Where was the real Caden?

My wolf stirred within me, a low growl of unease rippling through my consciousness. *Something’s wrong,* she whispered, her voice tense. *This isn’t our mate.*

Holding back my confusion and fear, I carefully reattached the mask, quietly closed the door, and stepped out. I tossed and turned all night, unable to pretend nothing had happened. Yet, I couldn’t call the authorities either. Whether or not he was truly Caden, he was still the person I loved and had known so well—or so I thought.

I had to uncover the truth before deciding what to do next. The Alpha King, Paxton, had always been like a father to me, taking me in after my parents died. If anyone could help me unravel this mystery, it was him. But he was abroad, and I couldn’t risk alerting the impostor before I had proof.

As I lay in bed, my mind raced. The Hunt pack was my home, and I couldn’t let it fall into the hands of someone who wasn’t truly my mate. I would find the truth, no matter the cost.

The next morning, a sharp knock on the door pulled me from my restless sleep.

Caden strode in, his towering frame filling the doorway. His broad shoulders and muscular build were a testament to his Alpha lineage, but the sight of him now sent a shiver down my spine.

"Are you awake? Sorry about last night; I had too much to drink," he said, offering a gentle smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

I forced a laugh, avoiding his gaze. "Your snoring was so loud that I had to sleep in another room."

Caden chuckled, though the sound felt hollow. "My bad. How about we take a walk together after breakfast?"

I hesitated, then gathered my courage, meeting his eyes with a feigned calm. "No worries. You should go to the packhouse. I’ll visit your mother at the estate."

His brow furrowed, and he scrutinized me for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright."

I quickly got up, finished breakfast in a flash, and grabbed my car keys, heading straight to the old Hunt estate. Before we were mated, Caden had lived there with his parents, the Lycan King and Queen. If there were any clues about his past, they had to be there.

As I arrived, I ran into Paxton Hunt, the Lycan King himself, as he was about to leave. Zaria, the Lycan Queen, was right behind him.

"Luna," I greeted them both with a respectful nod.

Zaria smiled warmly, but Paxton frowned, his Alpha aura pressing down on me slightly. "Lena, why haven’t you gone to the packhouse yet?"

"Work?" I asked, confused.

After our mate bond was sealed, Caden had suggested I leave my position within the pack. I’d refused at first, but after a mishap during a pack run, I’d been demoted to Omega status.

Seeing my confusion, Paxton sighed, his deep voice resonating with authority. "I’ve told Caden countless times that you should take on the role of Beta. The pack needs your strength and intelligence. The warriors won’t object."

Beta? A position of leadership within the pack? My mind reeled with disbelief.

Caden had never mentioned any of this to me.

Zaria stepped forward, taking my hand in hers. Her voice was soft but firm. "I think it’s enough for Lena to care for Caden at home. Once we have pups, how will she find time for pack duties? The Alpha and his warriors can handle the pack’s affairs."

Paxton shot her a disapproving look, his Alpha tone sharp. "Nonsense! Lena’s got the skills of a warrior and the mind of a strategist. It’s a waste for her to stay at home."

He turned back to me, his gaze unwavering. "Lena, come to the packhouse. I’ve arranged everything. I want you to stand by Caden, to support him in leading the pack, not just stay at home."

My heart swelled with gratitude. "Paxton, I’m eager to work. I—"

Zaria tightened her grip on my hand, her eyes narrowing at Paxton. "We should consult Caden first. If he agrees, then Lena can take on the role."

Paxton’s expression darkened, his Alpha aura flaring. "I’m the Lycan King, and my word is final. That boy’s growing more controlling, even suspicious of his own mate."

"He always wants to handle everything himself. If I weren’t keeping an eye on things, who knows what he’d do to the pack."

"Besides," Paxton added, his voice softening slightly, "I promised Lena’s father I’d treat her like my own daughter. Now that she’s my daughter-in-law, I have to look out for her."

Warmth spread through me at his words. My father and Paxton had been close, their bond forged through countless battles.

Three years ago, after my parents died in a rogue attack, Paxton had taken me in, and that’s how I’d met Caden.

Zaria wasn’t ready to back down. "But making decisions for your son might affect pack harmony."

"To hell with that," Paxton growled. "If he’s upset, let him deal with it. And you—" He pointed at Zaria, his tone cutting. "You’ve become complacent, lost the drive you once had. After our son became Alpha, you’ve just stayed at home, not at all like the warrior you used to be."

Zaria’s face hardened, her lips trembling slightly as she lowered her gaze and fell silent.

At the end of the discussion, Paxton promised to arrange the Beta position for me once he returned from his trip abroad in a week.

I thanked him sincerely.

After he left, Zaria turned to me with a stern look. "You need Caden’s approval before taking on any pack duties. Besides, as the Alpha’s mate, you should focus on the family, don’t you think?"

Absolutely not! Staying home too long would make me lose my edge, turning me into nothing more than a shadow of my mate.

I’d always wanted to return to my duties within the pack, and Caden knew that. I never imagined he was actively blocking me.

I wanted to protest but held back. Now wasn’t the time.

Meeting Zaria’s eager gaze, I nodded reluctantly.

In the grand living room, I chatted with Zaria for a bit, then claimed I hadn’t slept well the previous night and needed to rest.

Zaria called for Astrid, one of the pack’s Omegas, to prepare a guest room for me.

I quickly interrupted, "No need for that; I’ll just sleep in Caden’s old room."

Zaria paused, then smiled gently. "Alright. Since you two moved into the Alpha’s quarters, you haven’t had the chance to sleep in his old room, have you?"

I nodded with feigned anticipation.

With a wave of her hand, Zaria said, "Go on, then!"

I smiled back, stood up, and headed to the third floor, entering the room farthest to the east.

I’d visited Caden’s room a few times before we were mated, but I’d never stayed long.

The room was mostly unchanged, still as simple and tidy as before, with books tightly packed on the shelves.

I scanned the room, my gaze landing on an unremarkable photo album on the edge of the shelf.

Opening it, I found photos of Caden from infancy, through childhood, adolescence, and finally as a young warrior…

The last photo was taken in front of the pack’s training grounds.

In the picture, Caden’s eyes were clear, his smile bright and cheerful, his expression completely different from now.

A banner beside him read "New Alpha Initiation."

This was seven years ago…

If that’s the case, then the Caden I’ve known has been an impostor all along.

Lost in thought, a chilling voice suddenly broke the silence.

"What are you looking at?"

"Ah!"

Startled, I jumped to the side, dropping the photo album from my hands, which hit the floor with a thud.

"Why are you shouting?"

Only then did I realize my mother-in-law, Luna Zaria, had entered the room.

"Luna? How did you get in here?"

"I saw the door was open and thought I'd check on you. You said you were tired. Why aren't you resting?"

Did I really leave the door open? How could I be so careless?

"Lena?" Luna Zaria called me with a concerned look, her Luna aura wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket.

I snapped back to reality and forced a nervous smile.

"Oh! I just found this photo album and thought I'd take a look."

Saying this, I picked up the album from the floor, flipping to the last photo. My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, a low whine escaping her.

"Luna, why aren't there any pictures of Alpha Caden after he went to college?"

She glanced at the album, and I noticed a subtle twitch at the corner of her eye before she reached out to take the album and quickly flipped through it. Her movements were too sharp, too deliberate for a Luna who should exude calm.

"So there is an album. What's so interesting about this?"

A sinking feeling settled in my stomach. Her reaction was odd. Normally, a mother's eyes would soften when looking at her child's old photos, but she looked irritated and anxious, her Luna composure cracking.

Snap!

She closed the album with a decisive thud, her face regaining its usual calm, though her scent betrayed her unease.

"Kids grow up, and you can't control them anymore. It's hard to get them to sit for pictures. I'll take this album and have a look at it myself. You should get some rest."

With that, she turned and left the room, her Luna aura lingering like a heavy cloud.

I exhaled the breath I'd been holding and immediately shut the door. Her reaction was unusual, and the way she went straight for the photo album as soon as she entered—it seemed like she had come specifically for it.

Confused, I continued searching the room but found nothing useful.

Feeling defeated, I sank down at my desk and absentmindedly pulled out a well-thumbed book, starting to read. My wolf whined again, her unease growing.

I don't know how much time passed, but then Astrid knocked on the door to say lunch was ready. Her voice was polite, as always, the respectful tone of an Omega addressing her Luna.

Acknowledging her, I stood up, accidentally knocking the book to the floor. As it fell, a faded photo slipped out.

I picked it up—a group photo of four people, with two women each hugging a child. My breath caught in my throat.

Upon seeing their faces, my eyes widened in shock. Both women looked just like Luna Zaria. The one on the left wore Victorian-style dresses, her posture regal, her smile commanding—a true Luna. The one on the right was dressed more casually, her expression softer but no less intense. Each held a boy of around ten years old.

The one on the left, with the radiant smile, was Alpha Caden. The somber, withdrawn boy on the right was hauntingly similar to my current mate.

I turned the photo over and saw four names written on the back.

Zaria… Ivanna…

Caden… Malik…

Zaria is my mother-in-law's name, the Luna of the Hunt pack. But who is Ivanna? I've never met her.

I swallowed hard, recalling something Lycan King Paxton had said.

"Like a completely different person!"

A chilling thought crossed my mind.

Ivanna, Malik…

An imposter among us!

My wolf growled low in my mind, her instincts flaring. The mate bond between me and Alpha Caden thrummed faintly, as if warning me of the deception lurking beneath the surface.