Mother was busy caring for the young pack heir, so it was just my sister Alayah and I, growing up side by side.

I often heard her muttering about "Wi-Fi" and "smartphones." I had no idea what a smartphone was, but I knew about nets.

In my past life, when times were hard, I’d gone hunting a few times. So, on our tenth birthday, I decided to make her a hunting trap as a gift.

At first, she didn’t understand what it was. After I explained, she burst into laughter, clutching her sides.

She pinched my cheeks, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "My little sister is just too adorable."

I frowned and swatted her hand away. If we were counting lifetimes, I was probably older than her.

With a flourish, she pulled out two meat pies from a bag. "You can’t have a birthday without a birthday treat," she declared.

I blinked at her, correcting her gently. "Those are just meat pies."

She stuck out her tongue at me and pulled out two candles she’d scavenged from somewhere. "I say it’s a treat, so it’s a treat," she said firmly, shoving the candles into the pies.

She then ordered me to close my eyes and make a wish. By now, I was used to her quirks, so I obeyed, closing my eyes with genuine sincerity. My wish was simple—I wanted my sister to always be happy and safe.

When I opened my eyes, she was grinning at me.

"Did you make a wish?" I asked.

She nodded, her smile softening. "My wish was to take you to my time," she said, her voice wistful. "Then I could take you to eat real birthday treats, go to pack runs, and enjoy the full moon feasts."

She listed off a string of things that sounded magical and delicious, her excitement infectious. But then her voice trailed off, and her expression grew somber.

"You’d love it there," she murmured, almost to herself.

I was hanging on her every word, so when she stopped, I nudged her. "Why’d you stop?"

"You really want to hear more?" Her eyes lit up again, and when I nodded, she launched into a detailed description of her world.

That night, she told me about things I could hardly imagine—pack gatherings, howling ceremonies, and so much more. It was as if she’d opened a door to a whole new world for me, one I could barely comprehend but desperately wanted to explore.

My sister, Alayah, had always been lively, her presence vibrant and unique.

When Itzel, the Gamma’s mate, became pregnant, Rory, the Alpha’s son, began casting meaningful glances her way. Alayah couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes lingered, the unspoken implications hanging in the air.

One night, instead of teasing me as she usually did, she turned to me, her expression unusually serious.

"Do you think Rory truly loves Itzel?" she asked.

I replied with admiration, my voice tinged with envy, "Of course. When Itzel was struggling with morning sickness, Rory had her favorite sweets delivered and called in the best healers to care for her."

Alayah tapped my forehead lightly, her lips curving into a faint smile.

"Fool, do you think giving orders is the same as love? If he truly loved her, would he still have chosen mates on the side?"

She sighed, her gaze distant.

"A wolf’s heart can be divided among many. That’s just the way it is."

I frowned, confused. "But isn’t it natural for wolves to have multiple mates? It’s always been that way."

"Just because it’s always been that way, does that make it right?" Her question struck a chord, something deep within me stirring uncomfortably.

She ran her fingers through my hair, her touch soothing yet heavy with unspoken thoughts.

"I heard a few days ago that Rory gave one of his chosen mates to a friend who frequents the pack gatherings.

"If I were to be passed around like some object, I’d rather die.

"I’d rather find a simple, honest wolf to mate with. I’d never stoop to being a chosen mate."

I whispered softly, "Being the mate of an ordinary wolf isn’t easy either."

In my past life, I had been killed by my mate simply for speaking too much with a familiar face. He accused me of being unfaithful, and his jealousy cost me my life. Countless females like me had suffered the same fate.

Alayah nodded thoughtfully, as if considering something. "You’re right. Maybe we just shouldn’t mate at all."

I chuckled, though the sound was hollow. "That’s impossible. Father and Mother would never allow it, and neither would the Alpha."

After all, we were Omegas, and the Alpha often gifted us to pack members he favored, using us as tools to strengthen alliances. No one cared about our feelings.

Alayah sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "Even a thousand years from now, they’ll still be pushing us to find mates. It’s just how things are.

"I wish I could save enough money to ask the Alpha for his blessing. Then I could take you away from this pack."

Her words lingered in the air, a fragile hope that seemed so distant yet so desperately needed. In that moment, I felt the weight of our world pressing down on us, and I wondered if we’d ever truly escape it.

I was sweeping the floors when a young Omega rushed in, her face pale with panic.

“Zoya! Your sister—she’s being punished by the Luna! You have to hurry!”

My stomach dropped as memories of my sister’s recent confessions about the Alpha’s son flashed through my mind. A sickening suspicion crept in, and I told the girl to find my mother while I sprinted toward the Luna’s chambers.

The metallic tang of blood hit me before I even reached the door, thick and suffocating. The Luna’s voice, sharp and venomous, carried through the air.

“I’ve been kind to you, considering how long your mother has served me. I even planned to find you a respectable mate. But it seems you’re too eager to climb the ranks, aren’t you?”

My sister’s voice, weak but defiant, cut through the tension. “Luna, I swear I’ve never—I would never—”

My heart froze. It wasn’t the Alpha’s son they were accusing her of seducing. It was the Alpha himself.

The old, balding man who my sister had once mocked, saying he looked more like her grandfather than a mate. She had always been too proud to even consider being someone’s second mate, let alone the Alpha’s.

I burst into the room without thinking, my legs trembling at the sight before me.

Alayah was sprawled on the floor, her body limp and her lower half drenched in blood. Yet, her head was raised, her eyes blazing with defiance even in her weakened state.

I dropped to my knees in front of the Luna, clutching the hem of her dress as I begged desperately.

“Luna, please! My sister has always been loyal to you! She would never—”

My presence only seemed to fuel the Luna’s rage.

“Do you see this? Neither of you respect me!” she snarled, her voice dripping with contempt. She kicked me square in the chest, and I gasped for air, my vision blurring.

Just then, my mother entered the room. I turned to her, my eyes pleading for her to defend my sister.

But she didn’t even glance at us. Instead, she knelt before the Luna, her forehead pressed to the ground.

“They’re just Omegas, Luna. Do with them as you please. Your health is far more important than these worthless creatures.”

The Luna seemed to calm slightly at my mother’s words. With a dismissive wave, she ordered us to leave.

My mother bowed again before standing, reaching out to help me up. I jerked away, my chest tight with betrayal and anger.