My head was still spinning from the shock of being reborn, but his words snapped me back.

"Mike? Are you out of your mind?"

"Mina, I won't repeat myself. You're getting married today. End of story!" Mike Smith thundered.

Sally, that conniving half - sister of mine, piped up then. "Mina, you don't understand. This marriage will bring our family so much honor." Her voice dripped with false sweetness.

I rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"Honor? Or are you just happy to see me out of the way so you can have all of Daddy's attention?"

Sally feigned hurt, clutching her chest.

"How could you say such a thing, Mina? I'm just thinking of you."

"Save it, Sally. I know your game," I hissed.

Mike roared, "Enough! You will marry the Alpha's crippled son. Do you understand?"

I glared at him, the wolf within me howling.

"And if I don't? What are you going to do, lock me up?"

His eyes narrowed. "Don't test me, Mina. You know I can and I will. The moon is full tonight, and the ceremony will take place under its light. Be ready."

With that, he stormed out, Sally trailing behind with a smug look.

I was left seething, but a new determination burned in my chest.

I was reborn, and this time, I wouldn't be a pawn in their games.

"Laura, you never stood a chance. Mike's mine now," My father's mistress Alan sneered, her voice a menacing growl as she circled the laboring Laura.

Laura gasped in pain, "You... you monster! How could you do this?"

Alan just cackled, "His wolf chose me. And now, you'll pay."

Amid Laura's agonized howls, she lost her life, leaving me, a helpless pup, to the world.

Once, Laura and my father Mike were a force. "We'll have a family, Laura," Mike had promised. But that was before.

"Mike, how can you? After all we've been through?" Laura's voice echoed in my mind.

"Alan's different. She... she's my future," Mike's weak excuse rang hollow.

And with that, he mated with Alan, abandoning me to my heart - broken grandmother.

Nineteen years passed in the slums.

Then, Mike showed up.

"Mina, it's time you did something for the family," Mike barked.

I snarled back, "The family you destroyed? What do you want?"

"Sally's fiancé, the Silvermoon Alpha's son, is broken. You'll marry him instead," he commanded.

Mike Smith and Alan knew they couldn't send Sally to the broken Silvermoon Alpha's son.

But the Howard family? Too powerful to defy.

So, their scheming eyes found me.

"Insolent! You'll do as I say!" Mike roared, lunging to strike.

I caught his wrist mid - air.

"Think again, old man. You're soft. I've fought for my life in the slums. You're no match."

"Mina, stop! He's your father!" Alan shrieked, rushing in.

"Shut up, you home - wrecker!" I snarled, and slapped her hard.

Sally screamed. "Sister,you're crazy!"

Mike growled, "You'll pay for this, Mina!"

I laughed coldly. "Pay? She's no stepmother of mine. Stay out of my way, or next time it'll be worse."

Sally sobbed, "How could you talk that way to our parents?"

I whirled on her. "You, a product of their betrayal, dare lecture me? One more word, and I'll show you my claws."

Sally's hands balled up, blood dripping.

Alan hissed, "Sally, we'll get her back."

Mike Smith took a deep breath

"No need to bicker over words now."​

"Mina, you're a disgrace! Look at your uncouth ways. You're nothing like a proper werewolf, let alone my daughter!"​

"Who in their right mind would want to mate with you?" He glared at me.

"But I'm still your father. I have to see to your mating. You're done with your pup - schooling anyway. Pack your things. You'll be mated to the Howard's in two days. Got it?"​

I lowered my eyes, a sardonic smile on my lips, "Fine, I'll mate. But I have conditions."​

"Don't be ungrateful! The Howard? You could never aspire to such a match in your wildest dreams..." Mike Smith's eyes bulged as he stared at me.

"What did you say?"​

"If the Howard is so great, why not send Sally?" I sneered.

"Cut the nonsense. I want an apartment in Westland, and five hundred thousand in silver coins. Less than that, and forget it."​

"Monster! You dare bargain with me?" Mike Smith roared.​

Alan grabbed his arm.

"Mina didn't grow up with us. It's natural she wants something to hold onto."​

Alan forced a smile, her eyes calculating. "Giving a dowry is only right. Mike, I know you care about Mina deep down. Just give her what she asks."​

She knew Westland was on the edge of the slums, and the price was negligible compared to sparing Sally. It was a small price to pay to maintain their status.​

"Fine, you ungrateful wretch," Mike Smith grumbled.

"I'm your father. I won't short - change you."​

"Short - change me? After nineteen years of abandonment, asking for a few things isn't too much, is it?" I scoffed.

"Bring what I want, and I'll mate. It's getting late. Scram, all of you. My grandmother will be back soon, and she doesn't need to see the likes of you."​

Mike Smith opened his mouth to retort, but Alan pulled him away. They left with Sally.​

As I was about to close the door, a figure darted forward and embraced me tightly. "Mina!"​

I looked into the face of a young, carefree - looking werewolf, his eyes full of innocence.

For a moment, I was lost.

"Frank."

My head was still spinning from the shock of being reborn, but his words snapped me back.

"Mike? Are you out of your mind?"

"Mina, I won't repeat myself. You're getting married today. End of story!" Mike Smith thundered.

Sally, that conniving half - sister of mine, piped up then. "Mina, you don't understand. This marriage will bring our family so much honor." Her voice dripped with false sweetness.

I rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"Honor? Or are you just happy to see me out of the way so you can have all of Daddy's attention?"

Sally feigned hurt, clutching her chest.

"How could you say such a thing, Mina? I'm just thinking of you."

"Save it, Sally. I know your game," I hissed.

Mike roared, "Enough! You will marry the Alpha's crippled son. Do you understand?"

I glared at him, the wolf within me howling.

"And if I don't? What are you going to do, lock me up?"

His eyes narrowed. "Don't test me, Mina. You know I can and I will. The moon is full tonight, and the ceremony will take place under its light. Be ready."

With that, he stormed out, Sally trailing behind with a smug look.

I was left seething, but a new determination burned in my chest.

I was reborn, and this time, I wouldn't be a pawn in their games.

"Laura, you never stood a chance. Mike's mine now," My father's mistress Alan sneered, her voice a menacing growl as she circled the laboring Laura.

Laura gasped in pain, "You... you monster! How could you do this?"

Alan just cackled, "His wolf chose me. And now, you'll pay."

Amid Laura's agonized howls, she lost her life, leaving me, a helpless pup, to the world.

Once, Laura and my father Mike were a force. "We'll have a family, Laura," Mike had promised. But that was before.

"Mike, how can you? After all we've been through?" Laura's voice echoed in my mind.

"Alan's different. She... she's my future," Mike's weak excuse rang hollow.

And with that, he mated with Alan, abandoning me to my heart - broken grandmother.

Nineteen years passed in the slums.

Then, Mike showed up.

"Mina, it's time you did something for the family," Mike barked.

I snarled back, "The family you destroyed? What do you want?"

"Sally's fiancé, the Silvermoon Alpha's son, is broken. You'll marry him instead," he commanded.

Mike Smith and Alan knew they couldn't send Sally to the broken Silvermoon Alpha's son.

But the Howard family? Too powerful to defy.

So, their scheming eyes found me.

"Insolent! You'll do as I say!" Mike roared, lunging to strike.

I caught his wrist mid - air.

"Think again, old man. You're soft. I've fought for my life in the slums. You're no match."

"Mina, stop! He's your father!" Alan shrieked, rushing in.

"Shut up, you home - wrecker!" I snarled, and slapped her hard.

Sally screamed. "Sister,you're crazy!"

Mike growled, "You'll pay for this, Mina!"

I laughed coldly. "Pay? She's no stepmother of mine. Stay out of my way, or next time it'll be worse."

Sally sobbed, "How could you talk that way to our parents?"

I whirled on her. "You, a product of their betrayal, dare lecture me? One more word, and I'll show you my claws."

Sally's hands balled up, blood dripping.

Alan hissed, "Sally, we'll get her back."

Mike Smith took a deep breath

"No need to bicker over words now."​

"Mina, you're a disgrace! Look at your uncouth ways. You're nothing like a proper werewolf, let alone my daughter!"​

"Who in their right mind would want to mate with you?" He glared at me.

"But I'm still your father. I have to see to your mating. You're done with your pup - schooling anyway. Pack your things. You'll be mated to the Howard's in two days. Got it?"​

I lowered my eyes, a sardonic smile on my lips, "Fine, I'll mate. But I have conditions."​

"Don't be ungrateful! The Howard? You could never aspire to such a match in your wildest dreams..." Mike Smith's eyes bulged as he stared at me.

"What did you say?"​

"If the Howard is so great, why not send Sally?" I sneered.

"Cut the nonsense. I want an apartment in Westland, and five hundred thousand in silver coins. Less than that, and forget it."​

"Monster! You dare bargain with me?" Mike Smith roared.​

Alan grabbed his arm.

"Mina didn't grow up with us. It's natural she wants something to hold onto."​

Alan forced a smile, her eyes calculating. "Giving a dowry is only right. Mike, I know you care about Mina deep down. Just give her what she asks."​

She knew Westland was on the edge of the slums, and the price was negligible compared to sparing Sally. It was a small price to pay to maintain their status.​

"Fine, you ungrateful wretch," Mike Smith grumbled.

"I'm your father. I won't short - change you."​

"Short - change me? After nineteen years of abandonment, asking for a few things isn't too much, is it?" I scoffed.

"Bring what I want, and I'll mate. It's getting late. Scram, all of you. My grandmother will be back soon, and she doesn't need to see the likes of you."​

Mike Smith opened his mouth to retort, but Alan pulled him away. They left with Sally.​

As I was about to close the door, a figure darted forward and embraced me tightly. "Mina!"​

I looked into the face of a young, carefree - looking werewolf, his eyes full of innocence.

For a moment, I was lost.

"Frank."

Frank burst into the room, his eyes wild with desperation.

"Mina! You can't seriously be considering marrying that crippled Howard son! I know you don't want to. I've loved you for ages, with all my heart!"

His words hung in the air, a haunting echo that seemed to blend with the confession from my past life.

Our story started in a classic "hero - saved - by - the - beauty" twist.

Frank Austin had somehow ended up at the seedy Bloodmoon Bar.

The place was filled with rowdy werewolves, the air thick with the smell of cheap alcohol and danger.

Frank, looking out of place in his expensive clothes, was cornered by a group of thuggish werewolves.

"Hey, pretty boy! What brings you to our neck of the woods? Hand over your wallet," one of them snarled, a malicious glint in his eye.

"Leave him alone!"

I, a street - smart she - wolf from the slums, shouted as I stepped forward.

I had been at the bar, trying to blend in and forget my troubles, when I saw Frank in trouble.

The thugs laughed.

"What are you gonna do about it, little lady?"

I let out a low growl, my eyes flashing.

"You don't want to find out. Back off!"

To my surprise, they hesitated.

Maybe it was the determination in my eyes or the fact that they didn't want to cause too much of a scene.

They slunk away, muttering curses.

Frank looked at me in astonishment.

"You... you saved me. I'm Frank Austin."

I snorted. "Well, someone had to. And don't think this means we're friends. You rich wolves are all the same."

But despite my words, a strange connection formed that day, and our friendship blossomed against all odds.

In my previous life, at nineteen, I was a cauldron of insecurities and simmering rage towards the Smith family.

When the offer of a substitute marriage came, my pride flared.

"Marry into that family? Never!" I had spat.

It was then that Frank found me,.

"Mina, I love you. You don't have to do this. Marry me instead."

I was consumed by my resentment over my father's blatant favoritism.

An opportunity, I thought.

A chance to show the Smiths I was more than they could ever imagine.

"Frank, are you sure?" I asked, my voice wavering.

"Yes! Let's be together," he urged.

Ignoring my grandmother's dire warnings, I said yes.

We were mated, but the Austin family, high and mighty in the werewolf hierarchy, sneered at me.

"Look at her, a lowly slum wolf among us. She doesn't belong," they whispered.

And from that moment, my life took a dark turn I could never have foreseen.

My mother - in - law nitpicked at my every move, my father - in - law ignored my existence, and my sister - in - law sneered at me at every turn.

Determined to prove myself, I swallowed my pride and pain, and tried to learn the ways of the high - born werewolves, hoping to earn their respect.

What was the result?

The Frank who claimed to love me betrayed me, taking a new mate.

And I, in a tragic twist, lost my life in a mysterious accident.

Only after my death did I realize that all my struggles and efforts had merely served as a stepping - stone for the love story of him and Sally.

In this new life, all I desired was to protect those dear to me and live a peaceful existence.

"Frank Austin," I said, gently extricating myself from his embrace.

"Since you heard my conversation, you know I've already agreed to the match. I'm sorry, but my heart doesn't hold the same feelings for you."

In my past life, I'd used Frank Austin as a stepping - stone, blinded by my ambition to rise above the slums.

And in return, he'd shattered my heart, taking a new mate right under my nose.

I'd lost everything, even my life, in that cruel cycle.

No, I owed him nothing.

"Mina." Frank Austin's voice cracked.

"You can't be serious! The Howard's crippled son? He's not just physically broken. His wolf spirit rages within him, driving him to the brink of madness. You'll be walking into a nightmare!"

I met his gaze with a cold, steely look.

"My life, my choices. I've got battles of my own to fight, Frank. I don't have time for your pleas. Now, be gone."

Frank's wolfish pride flared. "You're making a grave mistake, Mina."

With that, he spun on his heel.

"Mina, child, what's wrong with that young werewolf? He looked like his heart was ripped out."

The creaking of the old wooden door announced Grandma's arrival. Her voice, warm and familiar, was like a soothing balm.

"Grandma!"

Tears streamed down my face as I rushed towards her.

I wrapped my arms around her frail frame, holding on as if she were my last lifeline.

Finally, she was here.

In my past life, I'd been so consumed by my desire to fit into the Austin that I'd neglected the one person who truly loved me.

Grandma, fearing she'd taint my new - found status, had stayed away.

"Ah, my dear, I'm all matted and dirty from my scavenging."

Grandma looked up, her eyes filled with concern as she saw my tears.

"Who's hurt you, Mina? Was it that boy? I'll teach him a lesson, even if he's a werewolf twice my size!"

Her wrinkled hands balled into fists, ready to defend me.

I forced a smile through my tears.

"No, Grandma. I just missed you so much. I'm a fierce she - wolf now. No one can touch me."

Grandma chuckled.

"You'll always be my little pup, no matter how tough you get."

"Grandma, how many times have I told you to stop rummaging through the trash?"

I scolded gently.

"Your heart's just healed. You can't push yourself like that."

Memories of that fateful day flooded back.

Grandma had collapsed, her wolf - heart struggling.

I'd raced to the Smith's manor, begging for help.

But Mike Smith, that heartless man, hadn't even deigned to see me.

His servant had tossed me a measly twenty - thousand - silver - coin pouch, as if I were a common street urchin.

I'd scoured every corner of the slums, pleading with anyone who would listen for loans.

With blood, sweat, and tears, I'd saved Grandma.

The Healertor had warned her no more strenuous work, so I'd sacrificed my education, taking on back - breaking jobs in the werewolf - run factories to pay off the debt.

And in my past life, the Austin had sneered at me for it, looking down on my lack of formal werewolf - academy training.

"Grandma, we're finally free from the shadows of poverty."

I leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.

"Mike Smith has promised us a house in the outskirts and a hefty sum of silver. We'll never want for anything again."

Grandma's eyes narrowed, her old - wolf instincts kicking in.

"What did you promise him in return, Mina? That man's as sly as a fox. His silver comes with strings attached."

I took a deep breath.

"I'm to marry the Howard's son, Grandma. He's crippled, but I can take care of him. It's a better fate than being mated to some low - life thug from the slums."

Grandma's face paled.

"The Howard ? They're ruthless, Mina. "

"You're being so foolish!" Grandma's voice quivered with a mix of frustration and heartbreak, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You're so young... I always dreamed of you finding a werewolf who truly loves you, someone who'd cherish you."

"My mother found someone she thought she loved," I retorted, bitterness lacing my words.

"She endured years of hardship. And what was the result?"

"The Howard is wealthy. Once I'm there, I'll have a life of comfort. At least, I won't have to worry about being stabbed in the back by some ungrateful werewolf. Grandma, I truly believe this is for the best."

Grandma was momentarily speechless. After a long, heavy sigh, she said, "You've grown so strong - willed. I can't sway your decision anymore..."

"Grandma, I'll be fine,"

"And you must promise to take care of yourself too. Stay with me, Grandma. Please?"

"Alright..." Grandma choked out.

Perhaps fearing that things might go awry if they waited, early the next morning, Mike Smith sent over the promised silver and the keys to the new apartment.

I helped Grandma move into our new home.

Then, I hired a caretaker with some knowledge of werewolf healing.

I urged Grandma to go out and visit her old friends whenever she felt like it.

Only then did I start to feel a bit of relief.

On the third day, a sleek, yet understated luxury carriage pulled up.

The horses, large and powerful werewolves in their animal forms, pawed at the ground impatiently.

The carriage door opened, and a well - dressed servant stepped out.

"Miss Mina Smith, the Howard awaits."

With one last look at Grandma, I took a deep breath and stepped into the carriage.

The journey took hours until finally we arrived at an luxurious manor.

Bang! Bang!

I hammered on the oak door. Silence.

"Mr. Howard, I'm coming in,"

I called, voice firm.

"We need to-"

"GET OUT!"